Partnership-based digitalization in the automotive aftermarket: signotec and TOPMOTIVE

Since 1994, TOPMOTIVE has been an established player in the automotive aftermarket, developing innovative catalog, management, and billing systems. As the European market leader based in Schleswig-Holstein, TOPMOTIVE pursues the goal of holistically optimizing its customers‘ process chain. Today, around 7,000 independent automotive workshops in the DACH region use TOPMOTIVE billing software.

In view of the increasing demand for paperless processes, TOPMOTIVE intensively explored the integration of electronic signatures into its own product portfolio. In its search for a powerful and practical solution, the company quickly settled on signotec.

For testing purposes, signotec Sigma was used for testing purposes and combined with the signoSign/2 software. This configuration allowed various application processes to be tested in detail and optimized. The combination of hardware and software proved convincing both technically and in daily use and was subsequently successfully introduced internally. MOTIVE billing software.

Since 2022, TOPMOTIVE has been offering the signotec Sigma and Delta signature pads together with signoSign/2 in its own hardware range. The solution enables automotive workshops, spare parts dealers, and manufacturers to use a signature pad for electronic signatures. “1621”>signoSign/2 in its own hardware range. The solution enables automotive workshops, spare parts dealers, and manufacturers to easily get started with digital signature processes without restricting existing workflows.

The integrated PDF printer from signoSign/2 allows documents to be transferred directly from the TOPMOTIVE invoicing software for signing. Frequently used documents are set up as predefined document types, including automatically positioned signature fields. After signing, automatic archiving takes place, supplemented by the reading of relevant document data for quick retrieval.

In addition, TOPMOTIVE enables its customers to send signed documents by email directly from signoSign/2 – either via Outlook or SMTP.

• Digital signatures for a wide range of documents in everyday workshop use
• Flexible use regardless of document source or system
• Individual adaptation to existing workflows
• Personal setup and support by TOPMOTIVE
• High acceptance and scalability in a wide range of company sizes

TOPMOTIVE has deliberately decided against a completely closed system integration. Customers‘ everyday lives are diverse, and documents often come from different sources. With this open solution, TOPMOTIVE supports digital transformation without restricting customers in their processes.
This approach has resulted in consistently positive feedback: many customers now use signotec pads not only for billing, but also for contracts, quotations, and other areas of their business.

The cooperation between TOPMOTIVE and signotec shows how electronic signatures can be integrated into existing software landscapes in a practical and customer-oriented manner. The solution simplifies document processes, increases efficiency, and creates transparency—a clear step toward the digital future in the automotive aftermarket.

Since 1994, the TOPMOTIVE Group has been developing comprehensive catalog, information, and merchandise management systems for the automotive market. In 2007, the umbrella brand TOPMOTIVE was launched by DVSE GmbH, the owner of the trademark. As Europe’s market leader, the family-owned company offers a coordinated service and product portfolio to the parts industry, parts wholesalers, and automotive workshops, and since 2020 has also been increasingly involving drivers and the cars themselves. The software manufacturer serves the passenger car, commercial vehicle, truck, and motorcycle segments. The company is headquartered in Bargteheide near Hamburg. The TOPMOTIVE Group comprises 11 companies with a total of more than 350 employees.