Speedy improves online visibility and streamlines its customer journey with Yext

Founded in 1978, Speedy is an iconic brand in the French automotive sector. The leader in comprehensive vehicle maintenance, its network has a strong presence throughout France with nearly 500 shops. Since 2016, the brand has been part of the Bridgestone Group, a world leader in advanced solutions and sustainable mobility. Thanks to its accessibility and expertise, Speedy has been voted 'Customer Service of the Year' for 8 consecutive years now (automotive repair category – *BVA study – Viséo CI – More info on escda.fr). In order to accelerate its online presence, Speedy has created a digital ecosystem to facilitate the customer journey. A few years ago, the brand developed a website offering a wide variety of services ranging from calculating quotes online and making appointments with the nearest centre, to ordering and fitting tires at the customer's chosen center. Benefiting from its strong reputation, Speedy now wishes to become the leader in customer experience and online appointment scheduling in its sector. Speedy intends to facilitate the customer journey with consistently updated, accurate information online. To improve its Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy, Speedy's Digital Marketing department has set up a store locator. Its goal is to support all physical centres (both franchised and integrated) in terms of their local visibility, while providing internet users with reliable information on the services offered in them.

To complete this store locator, Yext proved effective since the platform makes it possible to automatically update every type of data relating to Speedy's physical centres. Whether it's opening hours, bank holiday closures, contact details, or any other information, this centralised Yext management means each listing is optimised and the customer journey is streamlined; it also offers the opportunity to analyse performance with Analytics. With the Yext dashboard, the Speedy team can now monitor in real time the number of impressions on Google Maps, which has experienced particularly significant growth; and the conversion rate via Google My Business listings (with 'conversion' meaning requests for quotes and appointments).

From the first lockdown, Speedy maintenance centres were recognised as "essential businesses," with half of the network's activity being maintained, in more than 250 centres in France. This was complex, as one of the challenges was to maintain reliable information despite daily schedule changes. Yext has proven to be crucial in relaying updated information through all digital platforms such as Google, Google Maps, or major social networks such as Facebook. Online traffic, as well as traffic from the auto centres, was maintained. Frontline workers at the height of the health crisis, such as medical personnel, police officers and firefighters, were among Speedy's priority customers. Yext is a key technology partner in ensuring that Speedy centres surface as the local automotive centre that can support drivers with all types of services - with or without an appointment.