Digital-first with a dedicated contact: AUTODOC PRO reorganises customer care

Outside of France, the Berlin-based online parts retailer is moving away from its previous field-service model and switching to digital customer communication, while promising not to leave businesses on their own with their enquiries.

For workshops that have had poor experiences with hard-to-reach customer support from online suppliers, this is the decisive factor in the realignment. Patrick Diepenhorst, recently appointed Director of AUTODOC PRO Europe, presented the new customer-care model in an interview with the trade press.

A difficult decision, communicated openly

What stands out first is the tone in which Diepenhorst talks about the end of the field-service model: "This is the most difficult decision in the entire process. It affects people who built AUTODOC PRO from the ground up. Their commitment is what got us into this position in the first place, and that deserves sincere recognition." Nevertheless, this step is necessary for markets outside of France.

Over time, the main task of the service staff had become manually handling physical returns, which is a labour-intensive and costly process that specialised transport providers can handle more efficiently. The freed-up resources are flowing into what workshops need every day: better prices, an expanded range, and fast logistics.

Economically, the restructuring comes from a position of strength: "Our B2B revenue rose from 30.5 million euros in the first quarter of 2025 to 42.4 million euros in the first quarter of 2026 – growth of almost 40 per cent compared with the same period last year." Confidence in the digital route is firmly rooted in France, AUTODOC PRO's launch market since 2022, where more than 50 per cent of independent workshops are now connected. "What became clear above all is that workshops actively embrace digital platforms when the experience is seamless and reliable."

The switch also extends the reach of customer care. The physical rollout only covered part of the planned service areas – around 50 per cent in Germany, for instance. However, with the digital model, these geographical boundaries disappear and every single workshop in a market can be reached. The digital rollout is currently underway in other markets, including Austria, Italy and Luxembourg.

Self-service, yes – left alone, no

Regarding customer care, one key quote from the interview summarises the approach: "For us, digital does not mean leaving customers alone with pure self-service. Every customer gets a dedicated account manager as a personal contact for onboarding, advice, and complex enquiries."

The division of labour in the new model is clearly defined. Routine processes are run digitally via the platform, while people take care of everything that requires advice and judgement.

As highlighted by Diepenhorst, personal contact does not end at the screen: "In addition, our business development team proactively approaches new prospects to drive growth in new regions. It also visits existing customers to see how we can expand the cooperation." When it comes to the issue that matters most to workshops – claims – Diepenhorst promises reliability, stating that with the new transparent B2B claims and warranty system, workshops know exactly when their cases will be processed and resolved. His economic argument: "Predictability is hard cash for a repair business."

The platform as an operational tool

The more questions the platform answers upfront, the less need there is for clarification in the first place. Accordingly, Diepenhorst describes AUTODOC PRO not as a simple online shop but as an operational tool for everyday workshop life. It offers a wide range of features:

● VIN decoding for precise vehicle and part identification

● Specialised search functions, filtered by price, delivery time, and technical specifications

● A complete back-office dashboard for invoices, credit notes, and claims

● A real-time display indicating when ordered parts will arrive

● A range of around 7.8 million products

The core offering is aimed at independent workshops in the aftermarket. The company has also reported strong interest from car dealerships, tyre services, fleet operators with their own workshops, and brand specialists. All of these target groups need a wide product range, competitive prices, and a professional ordering system.

Partnering with wholesale, not replacing it

As part of the realignment's open communication style, the company is honest about what the service can and cannot provide. "In an emergency, when a part is needed within 45 minutes, the local dealer around the corner clearly has the advantage," Diepenhorst concedes. AUTODOC PRO's offering is aimed at planned repairs, where the assortment, price, and smooth processes are the decisive factors. He notes that this applies to no less than 90 per cent of all workshop repairs.

The company explicitly does not want to take over a workshop's entire purchasing volume and sees itself instead as a complementary supplier. For many workshop requirements, looking for prices below those of traditional wholesale suppliers is worthwhile. This realistic self-assessment is part of the offer of trust to the trade – no one here promises to do everything, only to deliver reliably on what has been promised.

Expert comment: when customers remember names

Galyna Stepanova, Head of Customer Feedback at AUTODOC, aptly describes how much the human factor ultimately determines the quality of service from her daily work with customer feedback. Her most telling indicator is when a customer remembers an individual employee rather than the company. When feedback mentions a colleague by name, it suggests that the interaction was more than a standard exchange – it became personal.

"Customers don't remember internal structures, processes, or job titles. They remember how someone made them feel during a difficult moment," Stepanova writes. Remembering a name means that trust has been built through consistency, responsibility, and genuine attention.

This kind of feedback, she says, can be neither automated nor planned. It emerges when people are motivated not only by performance metrics but by an internal sense of care – when someone stays present, follows up, and treats the situation as more than just another case. She sometimes shares these messages with colleagues because they demonstrate the genuine impact of their work. Customer service is not abstract; it is experienced through individual actions. Her closing line also outlines the benchmark for the new care model: "Great service, including at AUTODOC, always has a human face."

Outlook

AUTODOC PRO's realignment demonstrates that 'digital' and 'personal' are not mutually exclusive. Routine tasks move consistently onto the platform, while a dedicated human account manager remains responsible for advice and complex cases. The announced next steps include a fully intuitive returns process, more delivery options, a dedicated marketing programme for professional customers, and further development of the product range and pricing. Diepenhorst has set the benchmark himself: "Our promise remains unchanged: we are and will remain a reliable and cost-efficient partner for independent workshops."

Source: https://partsundservice-news.de/patrick-diepenhorst-wir-sehen-uns-als-ergaenzenden-lieferanten-fuer-werkstaetten/