Sustainability has always been a priority for Western Motors and was another critical factor in driving all these technology changes in our business. By becoming less paper driven and more data driven, adopting cloud-based systems for data storage and process management we have not only improved our operational efficiency but aligned with our commitment to sustainability.

In 2023 our Galway site invested in PV Panel technology, Q2 2024, our Drogheda completed our PV panel project in April 2024. In addition to the financial benefits these installations bring, we embrace this technology to become a more sustainable business and reduce our carbon footprint.

In 2023, in partnership with Volkswagen Financial Services we implemented a state-of-the-art system called CheckVentory. Stock Management also became a challenge as our business and teams grow. In recent years, our stock of used and new cars at the Drogheda site alone has grown significantly due to the addition of our two new brands, SEAT & CUPRA, alongside the expansion of our existing brands, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Skoda. Historically, our new car stock was an average of 30 units, but now exceeds 110 units. Similarly, our used car inventory has increased from an average of 90-100 units up to 270 units. Managing and tracking this expanded stock using the traditional spreadsheet methods became unmanageable, with stock-taking efforts taking days and several team members to complete, sometimes without success. Recognising the inefficiency of these old methods led us to seeking and researching digital and AI technologies. This new system has revolutionised our stock control process. With this digital platform, a stocktake of over 250 cars can be completed in just three hours by a single team member.

Another of our most recent investments, January 2024, a significant upgrade for the business, is the adoption of our VOIP Telephone System. One main reason for this move was to enable our team’s portability and mobility, allowing them to make and receive calls from anywhere. This technology has also allowed us to setup a call centre with group service booking agents and we plan to grow this group function with sales booking agents in the future.

Each technology and system improvement are looked upon as an investment, to improve efficiencies, outputs, reduce waste/inefficiencies and to grow the business. We know to do nothing is not standing still, it means you are going backwards!