Misunderstandings and false security are some of the major shortcoming associated with manufacturer-owned service books, Digital-Servicebook has said.

The issue is known by car industry associations in Denmark and Sweden which recommend using an independent service book.

The Swedish Vehicle Workshops Association (SFVF) suggests Digital-Servicebook.com, offers a perfect opportunity for garages to save time and money with 100 per cent warranty approved service documentation.

Ulf Stefansson, lawyer at SFVF, said that over the years many of their member workshops have found it extremely cumbersome and time-consuming when registering services at main dealers’ sites.

He explains that many workshops do not register performed services at all due to problematic workflow in the main dealers’ digital systems.

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Also, when using the manufacturers’ digital service books, the garages send important and crucial information about the car and the customer to the main dealers.

This means that they willingly give up their data to their competitor.

The main dealers’ digital systems might be good for some garages but not for an independent garage outside of a network.

Even though the garages stamp in the main dealers’ digital service books – it is worth nothing when a warranty case happens.

Ulf Stefansson said: “The car owner still needs to save the associated service protocols in paper format, as most car manufacturers’ digital service books are incomplete.

“They are incomplete because it is not possible to document the service plan and other important information from the invoice, which is required for the car owner’s guarantees to continue to apply.”

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With most of the main dealers’ service books, it is impossible for the car owner to document services has been performed.

The car owners usually have no idea about this. It is of great importance that the garages educate the car owners about documentation.

Another huge weakness in the main dealers’ service books is that data is often hidden from the car owner and the outside world.

Digital-Servicebook.com is an independent service book that make sure that the car owner has 100 per cent transparency, and the garages can conduct campaign and recall checks on the vehicles.

The garages will help the car owners in the best possible way by using this solution.

One of the reasons why SFVF recommends using Digital-Servicebook.com is to make sure that services are registered correctly and visible for the car owners.

AutoBranchen Denmark agrees that the independent garages can experience challenges with the car manufacturers’ service books.

Opinion: Manufacturer-owned service books are a false sense of security

Lawyer at Auto Branchen Denmark, Nynne Daarbak Jensen, expressed that she often experiences cases where main dealers have an improper overview of the service history but resells it with a “complete service book”, which is not the case.

Another digital solution that provides a much easier overview of the service history, and easier to work with, will help battle the incomplete service books from the main dealers.

Nynne Daarbak Jensen suggests that the main dealers’ service books are so varied that it often leads to a discussion on whether the service has been performed correctly.

It is important that the independent garages see the shortcomings the main dealers’ system provides and that it will affect the car owners – their customers.

Henrik Pedersen of Digital-Servicebook.com said: “Why do many garages willingly send over information to their competitors?

“I am certain that it is because the garages do not know that here is an alternative.

“But there is with Digital-Servicebook.com.”

The consumers have no idea that data is being hidden from them.

Digital-Servicebook.com make sure that the car owner own their own data and have 100 per cent transparency.

Furthermore, garage businesses will no longer worry about data being hidden, using enormous time on troublesome registrations or information passed on to their competitor.

Instead, they will save time, earn more money, put their customer in center, and focus on what they do the best – service and repair cars.

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