In an interview with S&P Global Mobility, company CEO and co-founder Christian Mark described Tjekvik’s aftersales self-service tool as a “digital colleague” that helps dealers increase revenue and improve customer experience amid growing demand for digital self-service flexibility.

As the automotive industry shifts toward a more digital framework, the vehicle repair sector is similarly adopting digital solutions. Vehicle owners are growing accustomed to personalized and seamless experiences from industries less complex than automotive repair. So, it comes as no surprise that they are expecting smoother service at auto dealerships.

According to Tjekvik, a Danish provider of digital self-service technology for automotive aftersales, customers anticipate quick vehicle drop offs, real-time repair updates, rapid service approvals and digital platform payment options. Pronounced “check quick,” Tjekvik combines the Danish words “tjek” (check) and “kvik” (quick).

Tjekvik offers technologies that make service check-ins and check-outs more efficient. It also presents customers with add-on options during their digital journey, which increases dealership revenue. Christian Mark, CEO and co-founder of Tjekvik believes self-service is reshaping the way customers engage with aftersales departments, saving them time while boosting profitability for dealers.

The company has observed that over 50% of customers opted for digital tools at dealerships that offered them. In an interview with S&P Global Mobility, Mark said that 40% of the company’s revenue comes from the UK market, with 30% from the Nordics and the remaining 30% from the other markets. During the first half of 2025, the company processed over 2.6 million digital interactions globally, up 22% over the same period last year, and generated €10 million in revenue from value-added services for dealerships.

The product targets dealer aftersales departments, particularly for larger dealer groups. Mark says while multi-brand independent workshops can implement the service, many of them do not possess a digital-first approach yet.

Mark talked about digitalization trends that would shape the future of aftersales, service preferences of vehicle owners across countries, the importance of customer choice in digital self-service and more.

The following is an edited excerpt of the conversation.

Could you provide an overview of Tjekvik’s business, some of the latest product innovations and some key demand drivers for the division?

Tjekvik’s digital solutions allow service, maintenance and repair customers to avoid queues by checking their vehicle in and out at their convenience — whether online at home or at the dealership using touchscreen kiosks. By giving customers the ability to do this independently, they can bypass the step of waiting to see a service advisor. Customers quickly input their details, verify the appointment details and add any comments or additional requirements. Then they leave their keys securely in dedicated lockers built into the kiosks. 

With fewer customers to attend to, aftersales staff have more time to understand customer needs, explain service options and provide personalized  advice. By reducing the administrative burden, our solutions help service advisors work more efficiently and effectively, improving their job satisfaction and performance.

Digital self-service also enables dealers to benefit from increased revenue by presenting customers with additional products and services during the digital check-in process, such as season-specific offers, air conditioning checks, service plans and extended warranty packages. With many customers being more comfortable in choosing such items at their own pace and in their own time, this feature takes pressure off service advisers to upsell and enables dealers to drive additional revenues.

We see Tjekvik as being a “digital colleague” that helps dealers raise revenues, supports frontline staff and delivers an exceptional customer experience, which are our key demand drivers.

As for our latest innovations, we recently launched Smart Rules, a feature that allows aftersales departments to automatically promote the most relevant products or services for each customer type and the vehicle that is being checked in. For example, the feature can determine if a service booking is for an electric vehicle, and presents the customer with suitable items, such as charging credits instead of an engine oil top-up pack. Similarly, diesel drivers could be presented with an AdBlue top-up, while those with a warranty that is due to expire can be offered an extension to their existing package.

In which countries and geographies are you present? Could you provide us with a country- and region-wise revenue share split?

Tjekvik is now present in 34 countries, with software available in 30 languages. Our technology is fast becoming a go-to solution for franchised dealerships, particularly across Europe. Some of our largest markets include the UK, Denmark (our home market), Sweden, Germany and Australia, although we are also focusing heavily on the Polish, French, Middle Eastern and other developed markets.

I would say 40% of our revenue comes from the UK market, 30% the Nordics, with the remaining 30% coming from the other markets.

As a company that operates in several countries, what regional/country differences exist from an aftersales business point of view?

Most of our work is with large dealer groups operating five or more sites, which offers a more structured and strategic approach to aftersales. With these larger groups, especially in mature markets like the UK, we have been able to build strong digital dialogues at senior levels, positioning Tjekvik not just as a technology provider but as a digitalization partner.

Elsewhere, we see differences in digital maturity and decision-making structures. In Germany, for instance, the aftersales environment can be more hierarchical and fragmented, often leading to longer decision cycles. In markets such as Spain and Portugal, many dealerships still prioritize more traditional customer experiences, which can prolong digital adoption. However, markets like Scandinavia and the UK are typically faster in adopting digital solutions, making them ideal environments for innovation and collaborative product development.

What do you see as some of the key trends in digitalization that would shape the future of aftersales?

Digital transformation in aftersales is moving incredibly fast, and more companies are entering the space with new tools and platforms, from DMS (Dealer Management Systems) providers to software for managing courtesy vehicles. Some of these solutions excel at solving specific challenges, but others try to cover too much ground and end up offering a weaker experience overall.

The future lies in strategic partnerships between companies that specialize in different parts of the service process. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, it is far more effective for companies to focus on their strengths and collaborate with others that excel in different areas. That way, dealer groups get a more reliable, connected and high-performing set of tools. We are also going to see a growing use of data and AI to make the systems smarter and even more useful in daily operations.

Is your self-service product unique to aftersales, or could it be expanded to multi-brand car workshops in the independent aftermarket?

We designed our product primarily for main dealer aftersales departments, particularly for larger dealer groups. These sites, regardless of location, will often face the same challenges, such as having to process many customers in the early morning or late afternoon, the times when most will arrive to drop-off or collect their vehicles. Our digital check-in and check-out solutions reduce the strain for both dealer staff and their customers by removing queues and giving back precious time to stretched service advisers.

Theoretically, our digital self-service technologies could be implemented at multi-brand independent workshops, although my experience suggests that many of these businesses do not possess a digital-first approach, instead offering a more traditional service experience. Main dealer groups representing OEMs are far keener to implement our digital solutions as they are linked to the increased use of digital content available in the vehicles they produce, and they are benchmarked for customer satisfaction.

Could you reveal any interesting behavior insights from the diverse data you gather from car owners’ vehicle service habits?

We have recently conducted several consumer surveys in various key markets including the UK, Germany, Poland, France and Spain. These have really helped to highlight the experiences and views of customers who regularly take their vehicles to main dealers for service and repair.

We found that in the UK, 67% of all car owners must wait when dropping off or collecting their vehicles for service, and 20% of these respondents are considering taking their cars elsewhere due to the routine queues. As customers become more selective about where they take their vehicles, providing high-quality customer service is essential for maintaining foot traffic. Providing the flexibility of digital check-in and check-out means those customers who do not want to wait can drop-off and pick-up their keys quickly and securely.

Our recent survey reveals that many German car owners want greater flexibility when checking in their vehicles — 40% of car owners would value the option of online vehicle check-in at a time that suits them. Additionally, 31% want the option to drop off or collect their keys outside normal business hours, such as before 8:30 am, after 5:30 pm, or on weekends. Various dealers across Germany have implemented our outdoor kiosks, enabling them to further improve the service they provide their customers outside of traditional opening hours.  

It is clear that demand for greater flexibility afforded by digital self-service is continuing to grow among customers and the dealers that serve them.

How is the accelerating pace of EVs shaping the future of aftersales? How can dealerships leverage this opportunity?

While EVs use fewer moving parts and may require less time going through aftersales departments, dealers can instead focus on other revenue generating opportunities. For example, tire wear is often greater on EVs because of the increased overall weight and the high torque loads they can produce. Dealers should therefore look at upselling premium tires and other consumable items. Additionally, all vehicles will always benefit from routine checks.

During the first half of 2025, we sold 231,629 value-add items globally through our digital self-service solutions, up 29% compared with the same period last year. This amounted to nearly €10 million in revenue, all without service advisers upselling. Lubricants and additives were the most popular items, followed by air conditioning checks and wiper blades.

What are some hesitancies you come across toward the adoption of digital aftersales solutions, and how do you address them?

The aftersales sector knows Tjekvik for its kiosks, but we need to make sure they understand how we can help them increase aftersales revenues through upselling.

Dealer groups that have not adopted digital solutions are always more hesitant. They will often ask how many kiosks they should have. We know if more are available, they will be used, but positioning is also key. For example, if the kiosks are too close to the service advisers, and customers make eye contact, they are more likely to skip the kiosk and head to an adviser. Locating the kiosks with clear signage near the entrance, particularly before the customer sees the advisor stations, makes customers far more likely to try them out.

We always say, “the best customer experience is the one the customer chooses, delivered well.” We want customers to have the choice of digital self-service, but not feel forced to use it, as they may wish to discuss their vehicle. Having a digital approach frees up advisor time to deliver that.

Dealers should encourage their customers to use this self-service option because once they have done so, they will see how simple it is to check in and drop off their vehicles quickly and securely. Customers can still request that the dealership address any additional concerns they have with their vehicle or ask questions about service that is due. However, self-service means customers can more quickly get on with their day, and, of course, more kiosks mean there are more opportunities to upsell and generate additional revenue.

What are the current penetration levels you are seeing when it comes to digitalization in aftersales in the regions you operate in?

More aftersales customers than ever are choosing to use self-service. During the first half of the year, we processed well over 2.6 million digital interactions globally, up 22% over the period last year. Approximately 50% of vehicle owners opt for self-service journeys within our customer base. With more dealers opting to take advantage of the benefits our solutions can provide, I believe we will continue to grow.

More dealer retail teams are taking advantage of our aftersales solutions. One of which achieved a 7.5% conversion rate on vehicle valuation requests submitted via Tjekvik during check-in. In the first half of 2025, over 88,000 customers requested vehicle valuations via our kiosks when checking in online. These are valuable, high-intent leads for sales teams to act upon. Customers can value vehicles when they are in for service or repair and look into new or approved used vehicles in stock, all ready for when the customer arrives to collect their vehicle. 

As told to: Nishant Parekh, Senior Research Analyst, Automotive Supply Chain, Technology and Aftermarket (nishant.parekh@spglobal.com)