Major investments in new technology bring benefits for car dealers and their customers

Main image credit: Paul Burgess, CEO, Startline Motor Finance

At Startline, we’ve always believed that faster, easier and more accurate online processes mean better motor finance results for dealers and other introducers, as well as their customers. 

That’s why we are investing heavily in new technology in three areas - a new business portal to ensure payouts happen as quickly as possible after motor finance is approved, biometric eSign to enhance efficiency for car buyer applications, and a range of AI-style robotic process improvements. 

It’s an approach that is already bringing results. Payout times for motor finance have been reduced by 30% following the introduction of our new business portal.  

Our objective is always to work responsibly but quickly. We believe that motor finance should be an enabler to car sales rather than a hurdle and part of that approach is ensuring that, once a positive decision has been made, the payout is processed as quickly as possible as soon as a car buyer has been approved for finance. We believe the new technology is a genuine step forward in this area.  

In terms of utilising new security technology, Biometric eSign means motor finance applicants now undergo a biometric identity and verification check.  

This technology is impressive, with algorithms extracting biometric data from the selfie and comparing it to the image on the driving licence to determine whether the signer is genuine. Fraud during motor finance applications is pretty rare but this provides a new layer of security, and delivers a fast and easy online eSign process for applicants. 

Finally, a range of AI-style robotic process automations are being undertaken to enhance many of Startline’s internal processes, smoothing out and speeding up repetitive tasks that are currently often undertaken by humans. We have identified many small improvements that overall will add up to really worthwhile gains in the speed of processing. It means benefits for our dealer and car buyer customers, and also better engagement from our staff. 

Ultimately it’s all about supporting an increasingly digitised motor finance sector with advanced tools that deliver outstanding results.

Founded in 2013, Startline is one of the UK’s leading motor finance companies, providing flexible solutions to around half of the top 50 franchise dealers and 70% of the top 50 independent car retailers measured by turnover, as well as accounting for more than 2% of the motor finance market by volume. It aims to deliver market-defining levels of customer service, compliance, innovation and insight. The company is headquartered in Glasgow where it employs more than 200 people and has a comprehensive sales presence throughout the whole of the UK.

For further details visit startlinemotorfinance.com