From Growth to Closure: Steering CarNext Through Transition

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The Netherlands

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About the project

At Levi9, we see businesses through many different stages. Most often, we help our partners launch a new, innovative product or support their digital transformation. And yet, a good technology partner is also essential during the difficult transition of closing down a business. This was the case of one of our partners, CarNext.

After separating from Netherlands-based LeasePlan (now Ayvens) in 2021, CarNext became an independent company and quickly rose to the top of the European market for online used car sales. Based on our successful collaboration with LeasePlan, CarNext turned to us to help them build and improve the technology solutions they needed as an independent company. We worked together for several years to develop CarNext’s online financial services for used car payments and credits, enhance their repair and quality control services, and design their technology architecture. This strong partnership resulted in many high quality solutions that helped the business to better serve their customers.

CarNext was acquired by Constellation Automotive Group and the company decided to shift their focus to other EU markets, thereby ending CarNext’s operations in the Netherlands. In today’s complex digital environment, closing a business requires a lot more than packing up an office building. It’s a long, complex process and Levi9 had a critical role as CarNext’s technology partner. Not only did the company have certain legal requirements to fulfill as they ceased operations, they wanted to continue meeting customer needs until their last day in business. Here’s what we did to facilitate a smoother transition through this final phase of the company.

Supporting through uncertain times

Although levi niners were excited about what we were developing for CarNext, we were able to quickly shift gears once the decision was made to end operations. In doing so, we demonstrated our ability to be flexible and adaptable, willing to support our partners with whatever they need. We maintained productive collaboration with CarNext during the roughly two year transition.

Maintaining and expanding our impact: During this time, we ensured the maintenance of the systems we had developed. The Levi9 team also extended our support to cover areas that were previously beyond our responsibility. CarNext trusted our ability to handle the new tasks, which became a valuable opportunity for Levi Niners to learn, grow, and share knowledge with the internal teams.
Tailoring processes for efficiency: Since we have experience working with companies through many different phases of maturity, we were able to identify and implement the most suitable processes for CarNext throughout the transition. For example, we were using a SCRUM framework but switched to KANBAN, which helped us pick up tickets more efficiently.
Guiding with stability: Of course, a business closure is a difficult experience for everyone involved. Levi Niners provided stability and reliability by staying committed to excellence in our operations. Our team meticulously analyzed different scenarios and developed multiple options for CarNext, ensuring they could make informed decisions at every step. Above all, we aimed to foster a sense of optimism and positivity within the teams so everyone stayed motivated and committed to the necessary tasks.

Navigating difficult transitions with expertise and care

Navigating difficult transitions with expertise and care

As CarNext ceased their operations, the projects lost key resources, internal knowledge and experience – making it a challenging environment to work in. Through close collaboration with other teams, we were able to resolve the projects in a way that was suitable for everyone. Most importantly, CarNext was able to continue meeting customer needs up until the very last day. After all, closing a business isn’t just about shutting down systems. Companies must be able to maintain operational integrity and fulfill legal obligations while still delivering a seamless experience for customers.

Our team’s ability to dive into the technical details and explore various strategies allowed CarNext to keep the lights on as long as necessary, supporting their customers until the final moment. This comprehensive approach safeguarded CarNext’s reputation and showed our commitment to seeing partners through every phase of their lifecycle, no matter how complex or difficult the transition may be.