A new platform is aiming to offer car dealers faster and simpler vehicle transport solutions.
Hard Shoulder, which launched to users in May, is offering services primarily to dealers, fleets and insurers.
The company, which also offers vehicle recovery and supplies and fits tyres, says it uses a network of vetted third-party suppliers to provide services, with the platform matching jobs to the nearest available suppliers in real time.
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Michael Rosslyn, business development manager at Hard Shoulder, said: “The core advantage is speed and simplicity. Instead of phoning round multiple vendors to organise a date and time, the system connects automatically to the nearest available provider in real time, so collection or delivery can be arranged in a few taps rather than a back-and-forth process.
“It’s the same principle for mobile tyres – rather than Googling or calling several providers, the nearest available fitter is matched instantly and comes straight to the vehicle.”
Hard Shoulder argues that its system also benefits providers, since the platform automatically assigns jobs to the closest provider, meaning they do not need to worry about being outbid, while customers do not face delays from a non-local provider having to travel to them.
Although the company does cater to private motorists for roadside recovery and tyre fitting, it says its main commercial focus is on B2B, with target customers including both independent and franchised dealer groups, as well as SME fleets.
System designed to offer fast and reliable service
Hard Shoulder CEO Zahra Ahmad has more than 17 years of experience in the automotive industry, including working for tyre, rental and leasing businesses, and is said to have established the company to address a need based on personal experience.
Ahmad said: “Hard Shoulder came directly out of a frustration I experienced myself – waiting hours for a recovery truck after a collision, with no real visibility on when help would actually arrive. That stuck with me, and it’s exactly the problem we’ve built Hard Shoulder to solve.
“Rather than competing with tyre fitters, recovery operators and transport providers, we bring them together using location-based technology, so the nearest qualified professional gets the job automatically.
“For dealers and fleets, that means no more chasing providers or negotiating timeslots, just a fast, reliable connection when a vehicle needs to move.”
The platform is accessible to companies via a web app on desktop, and to users via mobile app on both iOS and Android.
Rosslyn added: “What we hear consistently from dealers and fleets is that speed and reliability matter more than anything else – a car sitting idle costs money, whether that’s stock that can’t be sold or a fleet vehicle off the road.
“Hard Shoulder takes the hassle out of that by connecting them straight to the nearest available provider, with no back-and-forth required.
“We’re already working with dealers ranging from a 1,000-car stockholder to specialist used and luxury dealerships, and it’s been built specifically to keep Britain’s vehicles moving.”