The Ultimate Workshop Planner?
In a world of EVs, rising customer expectations, and fewer technicians, keeping your workshop profitable requires a new approach. Here’s what we can learn from Norway — and how Nova helps you get ahead.
What if you needed to process three times as many workshop appointments to achieve the same results?
It sounds extreme, but it’s already happening in Norway. Today, over 90% of new cars sold there are electric. That means less maintenance, fewer service-related margins, but the same cost structure. To maintain profitability, dealers must run significantly more workshop throughput.
This insight was discussed in a recent episode of the Car Dealership Podcast, where our CEO sat down with Alex Gaspar, founder of AutoDialog. One of his clients travelled to Norway to visit local dealers and analyse their data.
The conclusion? To maintain the same financial performance, you need to handle three times as many workshop visits.
That’s a reality we can’t ignore.
Electrification is forcing a reset
The shift to electric is only part of the picture. There’s also a growing technician shortage, rising customer expectations for digital communication, and many dealerships still working with disconnected tools, manual steps, and outdated processes.
The traditional service model is no longer fit for purpose.
As hockey legend Wayne Gretzky famously said:
“Skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.”
From digital to automated
One of the key takeaways from the conversation with Alex Gaspar was this: you can’t automate what hasn’t been digitised.
His platform, AutoDialog, enables technicians, receptionists, and parts staff to work together in a fully digital environment. The moment a service appointment is made, a work order is automatically created, fully integrated with the DMS. Everyone works within the same digital flow, eliminating errors, delays, and repetitive tasks.
But that’s only one side of the equation.
Nova: the connecting layer
Nova, the virtual assistant from Novaco, handles the customer-facing journey. Whether on the website or through WhatsApp, Nova supports the entire customer interaction around workshop appointments.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
✅ Customers book their workshop appointments online with Nova’s guidance
✅ During the process, they can ask questions, making the experience more natural and human
✅ Once the appointment is confirmed, Nova automatically connects with the workshop software
✅ Through WhatsApp, Nova sends proactive updates on the status of the vehicle
✅ Messages like “Your car is now being serviced” or “We need to carry out an extra check” are sent automatically
✅ Incoming questions such as “Is my car ready yet?” are handled by Nova in real time
Built to integrate with every system
Novaco was built as an open platform. We already integrate with solutions such as AutoDialog, Plan-IT, Claire, 1iAutomotive, UnameIT, and others.
Every dealership works with its own IT landscape — and we believe technology should adapt to that. Nova, as part of the Novaco platform, is designed to seamlessly connect with your existing systems. No need to replace what already works. Instead, Nova enhances and extends your processes, focusing on automation and communication.
Whether you’re using AutoDialog or another solution,
Nova helps you engage customers, streamline conversations, and handle more volume — without increasing your team size.
Ready for tomorrow – without growing your headcount
Here’s the reality:
💡 More work needs to be done
💬 With less manual handling
📈 And without hiring more people
That’s the only way to keep service departments profitable in a world of EVs, labour shortages, and rising expectations. Nova, combined with your workshop software, creates one seamless digital journey — from booking to delivery.
It’s not just more efficient.
It’s built for what’s next.
Want to hear the full conversation with Alex Gaspar?
🎧 The episode of the Car Dealership Podcast will be released soon. Follow us on LinkedIn or subscribe through your preferred podcast app to stay updated.
