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Kia Italy manages an expansive network of over 160 service centers across the country, supporting a growing customer base of 600,000 Kia vehicles. This network includes dedicated service-only centers and dealerships offering integrated service operations. With over 600k units in operation, Kia Italy is committed to delivering an exceptional ownership experience and improving service efficiency across their nationwide network. Having already leveraged Optimum Info’s NOVA platform for their sales operations, Kia Italy made a strategic decision to expand its use into their service business. NOVA is a comprehensive network planning and performance management system designed for OEMs, dealers, and field teams to monitor performance, identify growth opportunities, and streamline network management.

Challenge: Bridging the Data Gap in Service Operations

With NOVA, Kia Italy already had a robust system for managing sales performance, but their service business lacked the same level of data transparency and analytical capability. The Ownership Experience Department relied on fragmented data sources, such as Excel files and DMS extractions, without access to geomarketing insights or visualization tools. This created challenges in understanding:

  • Network service capacity and client coverage areas
  • Site-level and national retention rates
  • Performance trends across the service network
  • Opportunities to expand or optimize service coverage

Chiara S., Dealer Network Development Assistant Manager at Kia Italy, emphasized the need for actionable insights:

Blue quotation marks We needed reports showing where our clients are and what service areas each site can realistically manage within a 20-minute driving radius.Blue quotation marks

The limitations of their previous methods prompted Kia Italy to seek a user-friendly, data-rich solution that could deliver interactive reporting, mapping, and scenario planning for their service network.

Solution: NOVA for Service Network Planning

Optimum Info’s NOVA platform stood out as the ideal solution to address Kia Italy’s service network challenges. Already familiar with NOVA for sales operations, Kia Italy was confident the intuitive, visual interface and advanced reporting features could translate well to service operations.

Screenshot of the service distribution map in Kia Italy's NOVA system displayed on a laptop

Key NOVA features that appealed to Kia Italy include:

  • Interactive geomarketing maps, such as the park coverage map, enabling visibility into pump-in and pump-out dynamics.
  • Retention analysis tools at both site and national levels, helping Kia Italy track customer loyalty and site performance.
  • Scenario simulation capabilities to assess the potential impact of opening or closing service sites.
  • Customizable reports detailing municipality coverage, site overlap, and client distribution.
  • Seamless integration with other Optimum systems, including DPRO and NOVA Sales, for consistent and synchronized data management.

Luca D.M., Dealer Network Analysis Specialist at Kia Italy, explained, Blue quotation marks We wanted a tool that was easy to use and would help us make decisions. NOVA was already helpful in sales, and we found it was the best solution for our colleagues in service.Blue quotation marks

The Implementation: A Collaborative and Efficient Rollout

The implementation of NOVA for service was a collaborative effort between Kia Italy and Optimum Info’s account management team. From project kickoff to initial rollout, the process was completed within two months, meeting Kia Italy’s internal deadline and allowing for enhancements throughout the year.

Blue circle with text 'NOVA was implemented in 2 months and allowed for continuous enhancements'

Implementation highlights:

  • Weekly project meetings ensured consistent progress and timely updates.
  • Service data from external suppliers and Kia’s DMS system was provided quarterly to Optimum for integration into NOVA.
  • Custom visualizations and reports were co-developed to meet the specific needs of service field teams and zone managers.

Chiara shared her perspective on the rollout:

Blue quotation marks Our account managers supported all our requests. The process was easy for me, and they helped us prioritize the reports and KPIs we needed to focus on.Blue quotation marks

As newcomers to the service business, both Luca and Chiara found Optimum’s expertise invaluable. The team provided guidance on KPI selection, data visualization, and report structuring, including how to analyze service retention by counting VINs effectively for the Italian market.

The Future: Unlocking Strategic Insights and Growth

Although NOVA Service has only recently launched, Kia Italy is already seeing its potential to improve network planning and uncover new service opportunities. The team is focused on expanding access to zone managers, enabling them to easily view maps and reports tailored to the dealers in their regions. This will support more targeted and informed decision-making across the network.

Looking ahead, Kia Italy also plans to connect NOVA Service with NOVA Sales and DPRO, Optimum Info’s dealer profile management system. This integration will ensure synchronized data and a unified view across sales and service operations, which will provide a strong foundation for smarter, more strategic network development.

Chiara noted one of the biggest advantages of working with Optimum Info, Blue quotation marksAll of the Optimum systems can be linked together. When we make a change in one system, it updates in the others. This is very important to us.Blue quotation marks

Luca added, Blue quotation marksWe are very happy to collaborate with Optimum. They understood what we needed and implemented the system in a short time.Blue quotation marks

Diana Lieu

Diana Lieu

Senior Marketing Associate

Diana is a Senior Marketing Associate at Optimum Info, a global business solutions company providing tailored software solutions for manufacturers to improve franchise network development and after-sales operations. Utilizing her experience in client engagement, Diana strives to create interesting and insightful articles to engage and inform OEMs.

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