A message from Steve Hankins, Managing Director of IAA UK
Happy New Year and welcome to our first Client Newsletter of 2021. As we start the year, the shadow of COVID-19 remains and the country is once again in full lockdown. However, the government’s vaccination programme gives cause for optimism and we are looking forward to a much better business year. IAA has so much planned for 2021 and I could not be more enthusiastic about the next twelve months.
As I have said before, at IAA we look at salvage differently and among the items we are covering in this Client Newsletter is IAA AuctionNow™, our exclusive and patented live auction platform launching this month. It is yet another example of IAA technology and innovation transforming the salvage-auction process. AuctionNow has been well received by buyers around the globe. We are excited to bring this technology to the UK market. This year, we will also be expanding our IAA Interact™ merchandising platform in the first quarter starting with the rollout of IAA Engine Start™ – a 10-second video (with audio) of the vehicle’s engine running – scheduled to launch soon.
There is a lot more in the pipeline; IAA’s leadership in vehicle merchandising and our continuing innovation in digital auctions will drive the UK salvage industry forward in 2021 and I look forward to updating you over the coming months.
Truck Fleet update
The expansion of IAA’s UK capacity continues apace with the delivery of our new fleet of multi-car transporters. The vehicles are fully IAA liveried and have been built using galvanised bodies for longer vehicle life. We have also taken delivery of several specialist two-car transporters to manage challenging urban collections with restricted access.
This substantial investment follows on from last year’s implementation of the INFORM Transport Management System (TMS) and IAA Tow App™ and these investments deliver a step-change in IAA’s logistics capacity and operational performance in the United Kingdom.
COVID-19 Update
As you will now be aware, on Monday, January 4th the Prime Minister announced a further national lockdown; this included restrictions on travel and the closure of many categories of business until February 15th at the earliest.
IAA is deemed an essential business, working in the collection and disposal of scrap metal and end-of-life vehicles. Consequently, we are continuing operations, and all UK storage sites will remain open during this lockdown period. To protect our colleagues and our buyers IAA has ended viewing days, stopped cash payments, and restricted buyer access at all storage sites.
IAA AuctionNow™ – Our exclusive and patented live digital auction platform
The next generation live digital auctions, IAA AuctionNow, employs patented systems and methodologies that enable vehicle buyers to monitor and bid in multiple auctions and in various locations simultaneously. AuctionNow provides buyers with greater control, enhanced flexibility, and better information, enabling them to secure the vehicles they need for their business.
This “real-time” bidding experience has proven to be extremely popular with our buyers in North America and across the globe. Some of the key benefits include:
- Best-in-class auction monitoring allowing buyers to view and participate in multiple auctions.
- New “Jump Bid” option and feature giving buyers the ability to accelerate the bidding process.
- Smart Filters allowing buyers to sort through Run Lists and My Vehicles, and easily see the next units on sale.
- A new Notes feature which helps buyers stay organised and focused on bidding.
AuctionNow™ is now the cornerstone of our global marketplace and provides the unmatched value of a completely customisable and flexible interface for our buying customers. The patent awarded for auction management underscores IAA’s unwavering commitment to providing technology innovation that benefits our customers and the global salvage industry.
Visit www.iaaiuk.co.uk
Source www.iaaiuk.co.uk/2021/01/13/technology-and-innovation
