The BPW Aftermarket Group is making it a piece of cake for commercial vehicle workshops to identify spare parts: with upLink

• Just a glance and a click are all it now takes for workshops to identify and order spare parts in next to no time
• For the first time, upLink is also making it quick to find spare parts for trailers
• Ralf Maurer: ‘Smartphones are becoming an important tool in every commercial vehicle workshop.’

Wiehl, 30.08.2018 – With upLink a smartphone or tablet is all that is needed to find out the spare parts data for the truck and even the trailer: the BPW Aftermarket Group is now offering commercial vehicle workshops a mobile web app that enables them to identify and order spare parts in seconds, without being restricted to a specific manufacturer. There is no longer any need to go through the time-consuming process of looking for spare parts in different systems: the workshops simply scan the QR code on the vehicle, select the spare parts they need and they’re done.

The spare parts dealers of the BPW Aftermarket Group are offering their workshop customers an innovative system for identifying and ordering spare parts for commercial vehicles in next to no time. upLink uses a simple adhesive label with a QR code. The workshop simply applies this to tractor units and semi-trailers and can then access the vehicle-specific spare parts. The parts can be ordered quickly and easily on a smartphone, tablet or PC. When the QR code is scanned, the vehicle record in the online shop immediately brings up favourite spare parts, order history details including prices, the delivery time and potential alternative parts for the specific vehicle. It then takes just a few clicks to place the order straight away through the mobile web app. The goods are delivered on the next round – and depending on the region, they can reach the vehicle in just two hours. The solution is relevant for new vehicles and for the entire existing fleet.

This is the first time that information about the key wear parts of the trailer can also be accessed and individually added by the workshops. Workshops and spare parts dealers are able to continually expand the information contained in the vehicle record in a similar way to the principle used for Wikipedia.

upLink is an extension to the BPW Aftermarket Group’s already successful online shop upPlace. It can be used to generate targeted suggestions for spare parts that match the vehicle. The QR code adds an extra layer of convenience – a smartphone or tablet is all that is now needed for identification and ordering.

Ralf Maurer, managing director of BPW Aftermarket Group Deutschland GmbH, says: ‘The smartphone is becoming an important tool in every commercial vehicle workshop. The QR code and the mobile web app are speeding up and improving the process of identifying and ordering spare parts and reducing the risk of mistakes when entering information. The technicians can concentrate fully on the service without wasting their time on laboriously looking for spare parts.’

The BPW Aftermarket Group’s spare parts dealers will start supplying the adhesive labels with the QR codes to commercial vehicle workshops from the start of 2019.

Visitors to IAA Commercial Vehicles between 20 and 27 September will be able to see a live demonstration of the straightforward spare parts identification process at the BPW Group stand (Hall 26, C31). There is also a video that shows how it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Hr9G5R4VRA&feature=youtu.be