Keeping Next Service and Next MOT dates accurate in Navigator is important for more than just workshop planning.
These dates are also used to identify customers who are due for future work, allowing the relevant vehicle records to be
pulled through to ACM for Service and MOT reminder activity.
If the dates are missing, incorrect, or a workshop job has not been identified correctly as a Service or MOT, the vehicle may not be selected for the expected reminder campaign.
Maintaining these dates therefore gives your dealership the best opportunity to bring customers back for repeat Service and MOT work, including vehicles that may not previously have been serviced or MOT'd by your dealership.
How Service and MOT reminders work
Each vehicle record in Navigator can hold:
Next Service Date
Next MOT Date
These dates are used when identifying vehicles due for future Service or MOT work.
Records with qualifying dates can then be pulled into ACM so the dealership can contact customers with reminders.
For this process to work correctly:
The vehicle must have an accurate future Service or MOT date.
Workshop jobs must be created correctly.
Standard Jobs used for Services and MOTs must have the correct Type assigned.
A Standard Job simply being called "MOT" or "Service" is not enough. Its Type must also be set to MOT or Service so Navigator can recognise the work correctly.
Viewing and updating dates on the vehicle record
The current dates can be viewed from the vehicle's Marketing record.
Open the vehicle attached to the customer and go to the Service Follow Up tab.
Here you can view the current:
Next Service Date
Next MOT Date
Updating the Service Date
The Service Date can be entered or amended manually where required.
Updating the MOT Date
The MOT Date can also be updated automatically.
Click Update next to the MOT date.
Navigator will check the available MOT data and update the record with the current MOT expiry date.
This is particularly useful where the vehicle has had its MOT carried out elsewhere.
Checking dates during a Workshop booking
When a customer and vehicle are selected while creating a Workshop appointment, Navigator displays the current Service
and MOT dates.
This gives the Service Advisor an opportunity to check the information while speaking to the customer.
The Update option can also be used to refresh the MOT date where required.
Checking the dates at this point helps keep the vehicle record accurate before the job progresses any further.
How dates are calculated when invoicing
When a Workshop job is invoiced, Navigator displays the proposed Next Service Date and Next MOT Date.
These dates can be reviewed and amended before the invoice is completed.
Next Service Date
Navigator will suggest the next Service Date based on the information available.
If a Service has been carried out, the suggested date will generally be approximately 12 months from the current date.
If no Service has been carried out but a Service Date already exists, Navigator will suggest the next future anniversary of the existing date.
If there is no existing Service Date, the next anniversary of the vehicle's registration date may be suggested.
Next MOT Date
Navigator will normally display the MOT date already held against the vehicle.
If an MOT has been carried out and recognised correctly, Navigator can move this date forward accordingly.
Both dates can be edited before invoicing.
Always check the dates when releasing a job
The Service and MOT dates are shown again when a Workshop job is released.
This is an important final opportunity to check that both dates are correct.
Even where the current Workshop visit did not include a Service or MOT, the dates should still be reviewed.
Accurate dates mean the vehicle can be identified at the correct time for future customer reminders.
Incorrect or missing dates can mean the customer is not included when Service or MOT reminder records are pulled into ACM.
Why Standard Job setup matters
Navigator needs to know whether a Workshop request represents a genuine Service or MOT.
The name or description of the Standard Job alone does not determine this.
For example, a Standard Job called:
Annual Service
must also have its Type set to:
Service
Likewise, a Standard Job called:
MOT
must have its Type set to:
MOT
If the Type is incorrect or blank, Navigator may not recognise that Service or MOT work has taken place.
This can result in:
Service or MOT dates not moving forward correctly
Vehicle records not being flagged correctly
Records being missed from ACM reminder activity
Customers not receiving expected Service or MOT reminders
Correct Standard Job configuration is therefore an important part of maintaining accurate follow-up data.
Checking or creating a Standard Job
Go to:
Workshop > Service Parameters > Standard Jobs
Select the Standard Job you want to review.
If the job already exists, open it for editing.
If it does not exist, select Create Job.
Enter the required information for the job, including:
Job title
Description
Department
Labour time
Pricing
VAT treatment
Type
For Service work, set the Type to:
Service
For MOT work, set the Type to:
MOT
Complete the remaining Standard Job setup and click Update to save the changes.
Adding Service or MOT work to an existing job
If Service or MOT work needs to be added after the original Workshop booking has been created, use:
Add Request
rather than simply adding an unrelated job line.
The request should retain the appropriate Due For information so Navigator can correctly recognise what work is being completed.
Removing or changing the Service or MOT identification can prevent the future date from updating.
Reasons a Service or MOT date may not move forward
If the expected date has not updated, check the following.
The Standard Job has the wrong Type
Go to:
Workshop > Service Parameters > Standard Jobs
Confirm that the Standard Job has its Type set to either MOT or Service as appropriate.
The Due For information has been removed
When an appointment is created for a Service or MOT, Navigator uses the relevant Due For information.
If this is removed or changed, the system may no longer identify the request as the expected Service or MOT work.
The work was added incorrectly
Where a Service or MOT is added after the original booking, use Add Request and ensure the correct Service or MOT information remains attached to the request.
The MOT has been recorded as failed
If an MOT has accidentally been completed as a failure, the future MOT date will not move forward as expected.
Where appropriate, the job may need to be restarted and the MOT processed correctly.
The existing vehicle dates are incorrect
Even where a job has been processed correctly, the existing vehicle record should still be checked.
The MOT Update facility can be used to refresh the current MOT expiry information.
Updating MOT dates across the whole database
Navigator also provides a facility to refresh MOT information across the customer database.
It is recommended that this is carried out periodically, for example once or twice a year.
This can help maintain accurate MOT dates even for vehicles where:
The MOT was completed elsewhere
The customer has not recently visited the dealership
The dealership has never previously carried out the vehicle's MOT
Go to:
Marketing > Marketing Data Management
Select:
Customer Data Cleansing
Then select:
New MOT Cleanse
Navigator will create an MOT Cleanse request with a status of Created.
The cleanse will process in the background, so you do not need to remain on the screen.
Once the audit has completed, the status will change to:
Audited awaiting confirmation
The system will display the cost of applying the cleanse.
Select the cleanse and click Approve to apply the updated MOT information to the database.
Charges are based on the number of records processed and may vary.
Why regular MOT cleansing is useful
A customer does not have to have visited your dealership recently for their MOT date to be valuable.
Keeping MOT data refreshed gives Navigator a better opportunity to identify vehicles approaching their expiry date.
These records can then be included in the appropriate ACM activity, allowing the dealership to contact customers at the right time and potentially regain Service or MOT business.
Recommended process
For the most reliable Service and MOT reminder data:
Configure Service and MOT Standard Jobs with the correct Type.
Check Service and MOT dates when creating Workshop appointments.
Use Add Request when adding Service or MOT work to an existing job.
Check proposed dates during invoicing.
Check the dates again when releasing the job.
Use the MOT Update option where required.
Run an MOT Cleanse periodically across the customer database.
Ensure incorrect dates are corrected before they become due for ACM reminder activity.
Why this matters
Accurate Service and MOT dates support the complete follow-up process.
They help Navigator:
Identify vehicles approaching their next Service or MOT
Pull the correct records into ACM
Allow dealerships to contact customers at the right time
Reduce missed reminder opportunities
Improve customer retention
Encourage repeat Workshop business
Maintain more accurate vehicle records
A few seconds spent checking these dates during the Workshop process can have a direct impact on future customer contact and repeat business.
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