Fleet Alliance directors invest in AutoBuzz platform

Two directors at Fleet Alliance, chief executive officer (CEO) Andy Bruce and chief operating officer (COO) Nigel McMinn, have invested in the customer handover communications platform, AutoBuzz.

Bruce and McMinn have taken a minority stake and non-executive advisory roles in AutoComms Solutions which owns the AutoBuzz platform.

The two directors plan to support AutoComms’ growth in retail automotive as well as help develop the offering for the fleet and leasing space.

“The founders of AutoComms have identified a huge opportunity within the retail automotive industry around the car buying process; and both Nigel and I are very excited about the journey that the business is on,” said Bruce.

“The technology has proven to positively impact customer satisfaction levels as well as selling additional products and services. The ROI to retailers and OEMs is hugely compelling.”

The intention is for the new investors to also support AutoComms Solutions in shaping an offering for the fleet world and McMinn said this is a market where potential exists.

McMinn said: “We know the retail automotive space well, but we are now immersed in the fleet and leasing sector and AutoBuzz can easily support some key challenges in this world.

"Fleet managers and their drivers need a lot of information about their vehicle as well as its latest delivery updates.”

Bruce added: “We are non-exec advisers to AutoComms. That does not detract from our central business which is successfully managing the development of Fleet Alliance.”

Prior to joining Fleet Alliance in 2021, both Bruce and McMinn had successful careers in the retail automotive industry with Lookers.

Ingram Sanders, CEO and co-founder of AutoComms Solutions, said: “Myself and Nick Golding have been involved in retail automotive for 10 years but the level of experience and insight that Andy Bruce and Nigel McMinn have is unbelievable and a massive coup for our business.

“Since we started talking with them at the end of last year it was clear that they believed in our vision and feel compelled to come on this journey with us and the other shareholders.

“We’re all very excited to see how we can develop the technology together at a time when maximising customer value and giving exceptional customer experience is a top priority being discussed at automotive board room level up and down the country.”