RAC Remote Technician

The RAC’s technical team has always been at the other end of a phone to help stranded drivers resolve faults themselves.

Normally we are able to help assist around 2% of members who breakdown with a fix over the phone such as jammed locks and electric windows that have frozen in the open position. But now with the help of mobile technology we have stepped up a gear and are helping drivers with more tricky problems thanks to the RAC Remote Technician service.

The system works in a straightforward way: when our call handlers identify a breakdown that could potentially be fixed over the phone, the member is sent a web link via text message which, once tapped, enables our technical adviser to see the vehicle via the customer’s smartphone. The member is then guided to point the camera around the vehicle so the adviser can assess the fault.

One of most common uses of RAC Remote Technician is to let technical advisers see a warning light which has appeared on the dashboard. With modern cars producing a myriad of warning lights it is often difficult for drivers to describe them so it is a major advantage for advisers to be able to see them first-hand.

It is also possible for the adviser to draw on the screen to show the member precisely where to look on the vehicle. This is proving to be very beneficial in fixing more vehicles. For example, when a car door will not close properly RAC Remote Technician can be used to show the customer what to do to free the catch.

The popularity and functionality of smartphones has given us the opportunity to fix even more issues, without the need for customers to wait for a patrol to attend, simply because we can see the vehicle and the problem for ourselves.