Automotive

The automotive industry is facing huge disruption.

Multiple factors are converging, including the drive towards Net Zero and the continued advancement of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), rapidly changing omnichannel retail environments driven by customer demands and the technological innovations of connected and autonomous vehicles. To stay competitive, Original Equipment Managers (OEMs) are forced to reinvent their operating models, commercial strategies and customer engagement.

Oaklin has deep experience supporting both established global manufacturers and new entrants as they adapt to this new era of mobility. We combine strong automotive industry knowledge with a relentless focus on the customer, underpinned by expertise in digital platforms, data, and AI to help companies deliver sustainable business results.

We are committed to making a meaningful impact across the automotive sector. To stay close to the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry, we are proud to be an SMMT Associate, contributing to and learning from the collective voice of the UK motor industry. This enables us to work collaboratively with clients to design innovative, practical solutions that address today’s realities while preparing for what is next.

Our work in automotive continues to be recognised by the Financial Times and Statista in the UK’s Leading Management Consultancies. We have been listed for the third consecutive year, receiving a Gold ranking for the second year running (2025 and 2026), reflecting the value and impact we deliver for our clients across the sector.

"Fantastic people to work with, who are always fully dedicated and supportive of getting the job done and going above and beyond to achieve it. High-level of quality, experience and drive in many skill sets, which is highly valued and supported multiple functions and projects throughout the engagement.

The Oaklin team consistently take on roles and responsibilities beyond their defined position or agreement, and do so professionally and in a way where they become an integrated part of the team, rather than an "external consultant" which works brilliantly and is progressive."

Global Digital Systems Manager, INEOS Automotive

Case studies

Launching the next generation of 4x4

Oaklin was engaged by an Automotive start-up, who had identified a gap in the market for an uncompromising, utilitarian, hardworking 4x4 vehicle engineered for modern day compliance and reliability, to define their Digital Customer Experience Platform.

Oaklin led each delivery workstream through an extended, 4 phase, double-diamond approach of Discovery, Define, Develop and Deliver. At each stage, customer needs and user insight were distilled and paired with business requirements for prioritisation and optimisation of designs.

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Digital enablement for a global automotive manufacturer

A global automotive manufacturer aimed to deliver sustainable change in an industry facing significant disruption, overcoming technological challenges such as autonomous, connected and electric vehicles.

Oaklin was engaged to set the strategic direction and management of a portfolio of work transforming 182 network partners across the UK. Digital enablement was one of the core pillars of transformation (physical, digital, people, business model), covering the testing and implementation of digital assets and content, through to piloting new products and services to disrupt the market.

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How we help

Embedding customer centricity

Customers - whether consumers, a large multinational client or your own employees- now have a vast array of channels with which to interact with organisations. They are taking complex, non-linear journeys to achieve their goals and out-of-date operating models and technologies are struggling to cope with these more advanced customer needs.

At Oaklin, we recognise the importance of centring around the customer, by placing the user at the heart of experience and service design. Our service design approach shifts the perspective from the product to the whole ecosystem. We design holistic services and experiences that exceed customer expectations and keep them coming back.

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Digital transformation

Technology is changing the way we live, work, learn, buy and communicate with each other. This means that embracing the new digital economy is essential for the success of any business.

We help organisations shape their digital transformation strategy, turn goals into an achievable technology solution, and deploy the latest digital skills and experience to lead change. Whether this to harness data, accelerate a product or service to market, migrate applications to the cloud, improve the performance of a digital platform, or experiment with AI and machine learning, we help our clients every step of the way.

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Strategy

We think about strategy differently. We bring your people on a journey that garners support and increases the likelihood of strategies succeeding. Combining years of delivery experience, sector knowledge and digital expertise we will work with you to solve your biggest challenges and create a vision that is achievable, outcome driven and value obsessed.

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Insights

Speed bumps ahead? Navigating the path to the agency sales model

Looking back at automotive industry trends in 2023, one word that kept re-emerging was ‘agency’. As the shift towards agency gathers momentum, we reflect on our experience in delivering the agency model for a new entrant and share our thoughts on some key considerations for OEMs before embarking on this journey.

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Automotive business model change - from B2B to B2C

Automotive - a sector that hadn’t seen much change in its business model in many years – is now going through colossal changes. Car manufacturers are having to respond to Net Zero policies and the huge rise of customer expectations in the way they buy and own their vehicles.

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The Drive to be Digital: the automotive race of the future

Digital excellence has now become a must-have for automotive organisations to survive. How can organisations take advantage of this, to not only survive but thrive in the future? Oaklin explores the path automotive manufacturers (OEMs) need to be taking to meet the demands of a rapidly changing consumer world.

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Oaklin and INEOS Automotive win the Real IT Awards

Oaklin and INEOS Automotive have won the “Tech Start-up Team of the Year” at the Real IT Awards run by CITF. This recognises our team’s exceptional work on the Reservation Day project.

Oaklin is proud to continue to support INEOS Automotive on its remarkable journey and to have played a part in a successful Grenadier Day launch.

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