Leeds-headquartered automotive technology company Mad Devs is expanding internationally after its Connect platform passed 2,500 customers in the UK, with its software now being used by businesses in South Africa, Australia and Ireland.

The company, which develops software to help car dealerships manage sales, customer records and compliance, has secured its first international deployments of two of its core products, iStoreDOCS and iConvert.

The expansion marks a new stage in the company's development as it looks to build on its established position in the UK automotive retail market.

Mad Devs directors Adrian Favill and Mark Craven have overseen the growth of the business, which supplies technology to dealerships ranging from independent retailers to some of the country's largest motor groups.

Adrian Favill, director at Mad Devs, said: "Reaching 2,500 customers is an important milestone for the business, but seeing our technology being used internationally is particularly encouraging. We've spent years working closely with UK dealers to understand the challenges they face and develop software that makes their businesses easier to manage.

"The fact that our products are now being adopted in South Africa, Australia and the Middle East shows that many of those challenges are shared by dealers around the world. It gives us a strong foundation for further international growth."

Mad Devs has developed its Connect platform to bring together several areas of dealership operations through a single system. It includes iStoreDOCS for document management, iTrackLEADS for managing customer enquiries and iConvert for supporting the sales process.

The technology allows dealerships to manage customer information, track sales activity and complete paperwork digitally, reducing administration and giving managers greater visibility of their businesses. Its customer portal has also become an increasingly important part of the platform, with 82% of customer journeys across its dealer network now handled through the technology.

Mark Craven, director at Mad Devs, said: "Our growth has come from listening to dealers and making sure our technology solves problems they face every day. They want systems that work together, are easy for their teams to use and help them deliver a better experience for customers. Our growth reflects the relationships we've built with dealers over many years. Our priority now is to build on that progress, both at home and overseas."

The international deployments come as automotive retailers face growing pressure to improve efficiency, manage customer information securely and offer more of the buying process online.

Mad Devs believes its experience of working with UK dealer groups provides an opportunity to support retailers in other markets as they invest in digital sales and customer management technology.