The verdict in three sentences
A network of 9 vehicle inspection centres that lets booking marketplaces take 3 to 6 EUR per appointment is funding an intermediary's marketing and margin every year. An in-house booking platform with an online deposit, SMS reminders and sync with the inspection software pays for itself in 8 to 14 months on 42,000 inspections a year. The goal is not to drop marketplaces overnight, but to move repeat customers and fleets to your own channel step by step.
What marketplaces really cost
Whether you run French contrôle technique centres, Spanish ITV stations or UK MOT garages (where the official fee is capped at 54.85 GBP), competition comes down to slot availability and the displayed price. Marketplaces bring visibility, but their cost rises with volume. Here is a 2026 order of magnitude for a network of this size, at 70 to 95 EUR per inspection.
| Item | Assumption | Estimated annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Appointments booked via marketplaces | 30% of 42,000, i.e. 12,600 | 37,800 to 75,600 EUR at 3 to 6 EUR each |
| Discounts imposed on the displayed price | 5 EUR on 30% of marketplace bookings | 18,900 EUR |
| No-shows | 7% of online bookings | 880 lost slots |
| Value of lost slots | 880 at 80 EUR on average | 70,400 EUR of revenue |
| Customer data | Held by the marketplace | Hard to run retest and 2-year reminders |
| SMS reminders | Included but out of your control | Wording and timing imposed |
The most underestimated point is the 2-year reminder: a customer who booked through a marketplace will be prompted by that marketplace, possibly in favour of a competing centre.
Marketplaces or in-house booking
| Criterion | Booking marketplaces | Kolonell custom platform |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Free or modest subscription | Complex application: 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR) |
| Cost per appointment | 3 to 6 EUR | 0 EUR, excluding deposit payment fees |
| Online deposit | Rarely offered | 10 to 20 EUR charged at booking, deducted from the price |
| SMS reminders | Imposed by the marketplace | 2 SMS per appointment at 0.05 EUR, your wording and timing |
| Sync with inspection software | Partial | Slots per inspection lane and per inspector |
| Ownership of the customer file | Marketplace | You, GDPR compliant |
| Time to go live | 1 to 2 weeks | 2 to 3 months |
| Maintenance | Included | 75,000 to 120,000 FCFA a month (114 to 183 EUR) |
Maintenance and hosting come on top of the development budget, with hosting quoted based on traffic.
The features that make the difference
Successful in-house booking does not copy marketplaces, it fits how an inspection network works: cars, vans, retests, company fleets.
| Feature | Expected effect | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 3-click booking per centre | Mobile conversion rate of 8 to 12% | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Online deposit deducted from the price | No-shows cut from 7% to 2 or 3% | 2 weeks |
| SMS reminders at D-2 and H-3 | 30 to 40% fewer no-shows without a deposit | 1 week |
| Retest booked at the end of the inspection | 80% of retests done within the network | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Fleet and business area | Grouped scheduling, monthly invoice | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Automatic reminder at 23 months | Customer retained before the due date | 1 week |
For search visibility, one page per centre with opening hours, prices and available slots is essential to capture local searches, with SEO support if needed.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Laurent, who runs 9 inspection centres in the south of France, performs 42,000 inspections a year. He chooses a complex-level platform, multi-centre with deposits and sync, at 15,000,000 FCFA, or 22,870 EUR, plus maintenance at 120,000 FCFA a month (183 EUR), 2,196 EUR a year, and 4,200 EUR of SMS (42,000 appointments, 2 SMS at 0.05 EUR). Year one: about 29,270 EUR, excluding hosting.
On the gains side, he moves 40% of the 12,600 marketplace bookings in year one, 5,040 appointments at 4 EUR of avoided commission: 20,160 EUR. Deposits cut no-shows and recover 150 slots at 80 EUR: 12,000 EUR. The monthly gain is around 2,680 EUR, giving payback in 11 months, within the expected 8 to 14 month range. In year two, without the development cost, net gain exceeds 25,000 EUR.
FAQ
Should we leave booking marketplaces entirely?
No, keep them for visibility with new customers and steer repeat customers, retests and fleets to your own channel. A 40 to 60% shift within 18 months is realistic.
How much deposit should we ask for?
Between 10 and 20 EUR, deducted from an inspection price of 70 to 95 EUR. Above that, booking abandonment rises sharply.
Does the platform sync with our inspection software?
Yes, if the software offers an API or a schedule export, which the kick-off audit checks in 1 to 2 weeks. Slots are then managed per lane and per inspector.
What do SMS reminders cost over a year?
With 2 SMS at 0.05 EUR per appointment and 42,000 appointments, allow about 4,200 EUR a year. It is the most profitable item, since each avoided no-show is worth 70 to 95 EUR.
How long until all 9 centres are live?
Allow 2 to 3 months of development, then a centre-by-centre rollout over 2 to 4 weeks to train front desk staff.
Let's scope your project. We define the booking flow, deposit, reminders and sync with your inspection software with you, for a launch in 2 to 3 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
