THACO AUTO Services App

Project Background & Challenges

Introduction to the THACO AUTO Services App

The THACO AUTO Services App is the official mobile application of THACO AUTO, providing a comprehensive solution for customers throughout their vehicle ownership and maintenance journey.

With this application, users can easily:

• Store vehicle information: Manage warranty, maintenance history and mileage for multiple vehicles.
• Access resources: Look up the vehicle owner’s manual and warning light indicators.
• Schedule services: Quickly book maintenance appointments at service centers nationwide.
• Redeem offers: Use brand-specific promotional vouchers.
• Explore & test drive: Discover new car models and register for test drives.
• Stay updated: Follow news and promotional campaigns from THACO AUTO.
• Plan maintenance: View maintenance history to plan future vehicle care.
• Navigate to service centers: Find the nearest service center with navigation assistance.
• Get support: Contact customer support at any time.

Current State and Improvement Goals

Current Situation

Previously, the application and website ecosystem of the automotive brands under THACO Group was deployed in a decentralized manner, with each platform operating independently. This led to several critical issues:

• Difficult, unsynchronized management resulting in challenging overall control.
• Waste of technological and human resources, reducing operational efficiency.
• Fragmented customer experience, struggling to meet the increasingly high demands in the context of digital transformation and Industry 4.0.

Improvement Goals

The core challenge was to build a centralized, multi-platform management system (Omni-platform) for the brands distributed by THACO AUTO in Vietnam (KIA, BMW, Peugeot, Mazda, MINI, THACO Truck, THACO Bus, etc.). This platform needed to connect closely with customers, enable flexible interaction across touchpoints and form a unified digital service ecosystem that is customer-centric while optimizing the operational efficiency of the entire system.

Solutions from TOT

TOT proposed a comprehensive solution based on a modern technology stack, allowing THACO AUTO to build a highly scalable centralized management system that ensures a consistent customer experience across all digital channels and brands.

Implementation Scope

• Microservices Architecture: Implemented to isolate and manage each service independently, ensuring high scalability and security.
• Centralized CMS (.NET): Built to enable the operations department to centrally manage multi-brand content, including vehicle data, pricing, news, and promotions.
• Configuration Hub: Established to allow the operations department to declare, configure, and manage the dealer website system easily, synchronously, and accurately.
• Mobile Applications: Deployed iOS and Android applications with user-friendly interfaces and full functionality.

Timeline and Technologies Used

• Implementation Timeline: 6 months
• Backend: .NET Core (Microservices)
• CMS: Next.js (Headless mode)
• Caching: Redis (Session storage, API caching, and Pub/Sub)
• Search & Logging: Elasticsearch (Big data querying, Logging)
• Frontend: Next.js
• Mobile App: React Native
• System Architecture (Microservices Architecture): The system is designed based on an Event-Driven model combined with CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation) to optimize performance. Key components include:

• • API Gateway (.NET Core): The single entry point receiving requests from the Frontend, CMS, and Mobile App, orchestrating them to the corresponding Microservices.
  • Redis (Caching Layer):
    • Speed: Reduces Database load by caching results of complex queries or infrequently changed data from Umbraco.
    • Distributed Session: Synchronizes user login states across Microservices.
    • Rate Limiting: Blocks brute-force attacks by limiting the number of requests per IP.
  • Elasticsearch (Search Layer):
    • Log Aggregation: Integrates with Kibana (ELK Stack) to manage log files, facilitating faster automated attack detection

Results & Delivered Value

Following the project deployment, TOT completed and handed over the THACO AUTO Services App. This comprehensive digital platform acts as a smart bridge connecting customers, dealers, and the operations office, while synchronizing information, data, and service history across the entire system.

The platform provides a suite of next-generation customer care utilities, elevating the post-sales experience and service quality. Key features include:

• Personalize service vouchers and offers.
• Schedule smart appointments at the nearest dealer.
• Automate periodic maintenance reminders.
• Look up vehicle owner’s manuals, specifications, warranty information and policies.
• Update comprehensive, accurate and real-time new vehicle information from the manufacturer.

Delivered Value:

• For Customers: The platform delivers a seamless and convenient service experience.
• For the Enterprise: A solution that optimizes system-wide operations through process automation, data synchronization, and reduced management costs.
• For the THACO AUTO Ecosystem: Establishes a unified digital platform for all brands, creating a solid foundation for expanding digital services and long-term sustainable development.