The Arval Smart Experience is said to be a response to changing expectations from customers, with 60% of the UK’s population now using smartphones, 20% using tablets and over half accessing social media platforms. The UK launch follows trials in France, and will coincide with launches across several of the company’s largest markets.

It comprises four areas. These include two tablet-specific websites, the first of which will offer market insight, information and documents to help customers in day-to-day fleet management. The other is aimed at the growing number of customers who manage cars, but aren’t specifically fleet managers or experts, and offers a simpler version of the high-level KPIs shown in its e-Customer tool.

The third area is a driver-focused smartphone app, available for Android and iOS, which will provide useful information, answer frequently asked questions and allow drivers to locate dealers and book servicing digitally.

Arval is also developing a substantial cross-platform social media presence, predicted to evolve in line with ever-changing trends. From launch, the company will offer a professional forum via LinkedIn to put customers in touch with experts for advice, video content via YouTube and utilise Twitter and Facebook for consumer-like, light-hearted, content aimed at drivers.

Business development and marketing director, Robert Pieczka, explained: ‘It’s about reinventing the customer experience and, apart from personal service we already provide, becoming more interactive with the way we deal with our customers and drivers.

‘In terms of the everyday actions between a driver and ourselves customer and ourselves, we’re looking at how we can digitalise those interactions and provide the option for drivers and for customers to contact us in ways that reflect all those changes in technology.’