Inchcape Hong Kong Limited nabs wins at HKB Technology Excellence Awards 2024

Its “AI Quick Quote” Vehicle Body Repair Quotation Services addresses complex processes resulting in extended quotation turnaround times.

Automobile distributor Inchcape Hong Kong Limited brought home the AI - Automotive & Transport System category win at the prestigious HKB Technology Excellence Awards 2024 for its Artificial Intelligence (AI) “AI Quick Quote” Vehicle Body Repair Quotation Services that streamlines the quote-to-deal process, increases operational efficiency, develops a new repair revenue stream, and enhances the customer journey.

In the ever-evolving world of automotive services, the introduction of AI-powered solutions for car body repair quotations is a game-changer. This innovative approach addresses several longstanding issues faced by both car owners and service centres, revolutionising the traditional methods of obtaining repair estimates.The solution, initiated by Inchcape, extends a helping hand to car owners of all brands who need car body repair.

Their strategy has been to develop a user-friendly portal for customers to input car details and damage for instant ballpark quotes through AI algorithms. This comes amidst key challenges on complex processes resulting in extended quotation turnaround times, and agents spending 70% of their time on manual tasks with limited customer service time.

To successfully execute the solution, the company introduced AI assistant “Icy” to provide a friendly and personalised customer experience. It is integrated in mobile application WhatsApp to allow for easy customer access, interactive communication with step-by-step guidance, and AI-powered error reduction and accuracy.

Customers are now able to start a chat, upload car photos with guidance, and quickly receive quotes with 96% accuracy in vehicle damage detection with the execution of the AI solution in WhatsApp. It has also provided services personalisation to tailor interactions, marketing automation for targeted customer communications, and real-time analytics for continuous improvements.

The AI Smart Quote-to-Deal Assistant has made significant impact for the company’s operations, with the quotation generation time being reduced from two to three working days to five to 10 minutes. This has led to the initiation of over 1,000 chatbot sessions and a 4x increase in repair leads generated, resulting in a 70% increase in repair revenue for Inchcape Hong Kong.

The solution has proven to be a highly innovative and effective initiative that tackled key challenges, enhanced customer experiences, and drove significant business results. Its thoughtful strategy, creative execution, and measurable outcomes demonstrate best practices in AI-powered customer engagement.

The HKB Technology Excellence Awards celebrates innovation and excellence in Hong Kong's dynamic tech landscape, highlighting companies that lead the way in technological disruptions within their industries.

The Hong Kong Business Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Hong Kong Business Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in pursuit of technological innovation, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at [email protected].