Keith Allen joins APD Compliance Solutions

May 2020

Keith Allen joins APD Compliance Solutions to accelerate expansion into dealer and broker sector.

APD Compliance Solutions has strengthened its management team with the announcement that ex-ALD Automotive Group and ARI Fleet UK managing director Keith Allen has become an equity stakeholder and board member.

The appointment coincides with the accelerated expansion of its Compliance360 product into the dealer and broker sector to assist with monitoring customer feedback and behaviour.

APD’s compliance solution enables users to overcome the challenge of evidencing compliance to meet existing and most recent FCA directives with minimal disruption to their business or cost.

“After seeing the APD Compliance360 platform, it was obvious this was a game-changer. From evidencing and monitoring current and any future compliance issues the FCA may raise, its widespread use will assist the automotive sector in taking a proactive lead in self-governance of its responsibilities to customers,” said Allen.

“Lenders, dealers and brokers all need a clear line of sight with respect to compliance and customer service levels, as treating customers fairly is a primary requirement of the sales process,” he added.

Compliance360 has the capacity to deliver real-time monitoring of customer behaviour, understanding and satisfaction of the sales process for lenders and their dealer and broker networks.  For the first time, all stakeholders will have visibility of outcomes and a monitoring device to use to drive continued improvement in both compliance and service levels.

“In my previous roles working closely with brokers and dealers, compliance has always been a major challenge. It is of equal concern inside franchised dealer networks and with the huge growth in personal finance products, internal compliance processes have struggled to keep up with legislative requirements,” said Allen.

“Whilst the use of digital sales platforms have improved the speed and accuracy of the order process, these are unable to meet the areas which FCA research has identified as areas of concern.

“Our role is to work with brokers, dealer groups and independents to improve their processes and behaviour around selling financial products to avoid them suffering sanctions from the finance governing bodies,” he added.