Automation Success Story

Pentagon Motor Group

Pentagon Motor Group is one of the UK’s most established automotive retail groups, with a strong focus on customer relationships. This success story focuses on aftersales, where Pentagon has turned externally managed campaign activity into an in-house automation programme built around timing, relevance and measurable commercial impact. Automation is now central to how Pentagon engages customers after purchase, generating service demand and passes opportunities to the teams best placed to act.

From agency-managed comms to smarter, automated control

Before Force24, Pentagon’s customer communications were managed by an external agency, covering campaign emails and wider customer comms. The team wanted to bring that activity in-house to gain more control over what they sent, when they sent it and how performance was measured. Moving to Force24 gave Pentagon clearer visibility, more flexibility and a more cost-effective way to manage customer communications, making it easier to understand what was working and improve campaigns with confidence.

A new approach

Fully personalised and automated aftersales journeys

Aftersales quickly became one of the clearest examples of how Pentagon could use automation to improve customer communication. Using data from Keyloop, Pentagon can identify the work likely to be relevant for each vehicle, from mileage-based service requirements to additional maintenance needs.

That data is pushed through the Force24 API, allowing customers to be segmented by the work due and served more personalised reminders. Instead of a generic cost prompt, customers receive a timely, useful recommendation based on their own vehicle.

Lead generation

More service leads for the call centre

Pentagon also improved the booking journey customers reached after engaging with a reminder. Using Force24 microsites, customers are taken to a personalised booking page where their details and relevant service work are already presented. This reduces friction and makes it easier for them to submit an enquiry.

For the call centre, it creates a stronger flow of warmer leads. Customers have already engaged with a relevant reminder, understood the work connected to their vehicle and taken action through a form, SMS response or tracked phone call. Automation is not only generating more demand, it is helping the call centre focus on better-qualified opportunities.

Impact on results

Commercial impact beyond campaign metrics

The commercial results below show the difference between sending service reminders and building a proper aftersales automation programme.

For Pentagon, the value is not just in better engagement, but in creating more service opportunities, giving the call centre a stronger flow of leads and making the connection between marketing activity and commercial output much clearer. By using automation to support the full aftersales journey, Pentagon has been able to turn service reminders into a more measurable and commercially valuable programme.

Immediate increase in service booking leads from emails after onboarding Force24

Further growth in service booking leads during the first 12 months

Increase in leads passed to the call centre sales team

Set up for future success

Keeping customers engaged for what comes next

A healthier, more future-proof customer base is one of the biggest long-term wins from Pentagon’s approach. By bringing these journeys in-house and personalising them around each customer’s vehicle, Pentagon improved response while reducing opt-outs.

This matters beyond the immediate sale. Every customer who stays engaged and contactable creates more future opportunity across service, retention, renewal and sales. Better targeting helps Pentagon generate response today while protecting the audience it needs to nurture tomorrow.

Key campaign results

Campaign metrics that bode well for the future

60% increase in service plan email open rate
21% increase in service plan email CTR
49% decrease in service plan email unsubcribes
10x increase in service reminder email open rate
68% increase in service reminder email CTR
49% decrease in service reminder email unsubcribes

Intent spotting

Supporting sales with stronger intent signals

Pentagon’s automation programme also helps the team spot when customers may be moving closer to their next purchase. Using quality scoring, the marketing team can identify higher-intent customers and surface those opportunities straight to sales. The model looks at signals such as renewal windows, proximity and engagement levels, with higher-scoring customers proving over twice as likely to convert. This gives sales a clearer view of who to prioritise and why, helping them act on customer behaviour rather than customer history alone.

“The main difference is control. We can test new ideas, react quickly and build communications around what customers actually need. That has made our aftersales communications more relevant for customers and the results more easily presentable to stakeholders.”

Jordan Armitage

CRM & Database Manager

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