Prentice: From Service Reminders to a WhatsApp-First Dealership
“Fuzey has been a great partner in helping us streamline our customer communications. The platform is easy to work with, the team are responsive and proactive, and we’ve been able to establish integrations that work seamlessly with our existing systems. We’ve already seen great results in our aftersales bookings and campaign engagement, and we’re looking forward to extending the platform into our sales departments.”Angela TangProcess Development Manager · Prentice
Context: Building a Better Way to Communicate
Prentice is the BMW and MINI retailer for Portadown, supporting customers across Northern Ireland. Operating both franchises from one site, the business has built its reputation on customer care that extends well beyond the initial vehicle purchase.
When Prentice partnered with Fuzey, the dealership had no WhatsApp presence. Rather than simply replacing an existing communication channel, the aim was to introduce a platform that reflected how customers preferred to communicate: directly, conveniently and in real time.
The vision was to bring WhatsApp into the heart of the business, giving teams and managers visibility of customer conversations while creating a consistent, joined-up experience across the ownership journey.
Aftersales was the natural starting point. Service and MOT reminders offered a clear opportunity to improve engagement, simplify routine communications and demonstrate the value of WhatsApp before expanding into other areas of the business.
The Solution: From Automated Reminders to Everyday Conversations
Fuzey introduced dedicated WhatsApp numbers for BMW and MINI, with the aftersales team leading the initial rollout.
The integration with Keyloop was a key step in making the platform work effectively. By connecting customer, vehicle, booking and lead data, Fuzey could support relevant, timely communications based on information already held by the dealership, rather than relying on manually prepared lists.
Automating the Essentials
The first workflows focused on service and MOT reminders, followed by BMW Teleservice communications.
When the manufacturer identifies vehicles approaching a service requirement, Prentice uploads the relevant data and Fuzey automatically contacts customers, following up until a booking is made.
One Conversation, Throughout the Ownership Journey
As customers became familiar with contacting Prentice through WhatsApp, they began returning to the same conversations for a much wider range of enquiries.
Customers who had booked a service weeks earlier would follow up to ask about parts, check progress on work in the workshop, discuss repair costs or enquire about a new vehicle.
Prentice responded by expanding its use across the aftersales experience. Visual health checks are shared while vehicles are still in the workshop, allowing customers to review findings and approve repairs within the conversation. Parts updates, payment requests and rebooking missed appointments can all be managed in the same thread.
Making Every Enquiry Count
With customers already comfortable using WhatsApp, Fuzey introduced missed-call automation to help ensure enquiries did not end when a call went unanswered. Customers are invited to continue their enquiry through WhatsApp, where AI can ask what they need and capture the relevant details.
Instead of receiving only a telephone number to call back, the team can pick up a written enquiry with useful context, making it easier to respond and direct the customer to the right department.
AI also helps extend support beyond the team's normal working hours, allowing customers to receive responses when staff are unavailable.
Extending Communication Beyond the Workshop
Automated aftersales follow-ups invite customers to share feedback and direct them to the relevant BMW and MINI satisfaction surveys, supporting Prentice's Voice of Customer (VOC) scores. Customers can also reply directly to the WhatsApp conversation, keeping communication open after their visit.
Post-sale and handover automations are now being rolled out to support the wider ownership journey. Customers receive a thank-you message after vehicle collection, with additional communications explaining service plan benefits where applicable. First- and second-anniversary messages provide further opportunities to maintain engagement and encourage customers to return to Prentice.
A Partnership Built Around Continuous Improvement
Prentice has played an active role in shaping how the platform develops within the business. Rather than simply adopting standard workflows, the team regularly identifies opportunities to improve customer communication and brings new automation ideas to Fuzey.
Several of the workflows now in use began as Prentice initiatives.
Example Messages
Results: Measurable Impact Since November 2025
End-to-end aftersales communication without manual input, saving the team time and ensuring every customer receives timely messages throughout their ownership journey.
WhatsApp reminders turn manufacturer service warnings into bookings, generating a steady stream of automated service revenue. Of the customers who read a reminder, 31% booked a service.
Customers open, read, reply to or follow links from the messages Prentice sends. The dealership has created a place for two-way conversations with its team, and customers are actively using it.
Trained on Prentice’s conversations and Keyloop data, the AI handles enquiries end to end rather than drafting something for someone to check. Around a third of those replies go out outside working hours, keeping customers supported when the dealership team is unavailable.
See what Fuzey can do for your dealership.
Integrations used
Keyloop
BMW AWP
Bumper
Website
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