Digitalization of business processes of car service enterprises in the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District: challenges, tools and effects of transformation

The relevance of the study is due to the accelerated digital transformation of the Russian economy and the special significance of this process for the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District, where small and medium-sized car service businesses predominate, and more than 70% of the fleet is older than 10 years. The purpose of the study is to analyze the transformation of business processes of car service enterprises in the North Caucasus Federal District based on the introduction of digital services and ecosystems. The research uses methods of system analysis, a comparative historical, statistical, and criteria-based approach to choosing digital platforms, as well as an empirical synthesis of Rosstat and Autostat data for 2021-2024. The hypothesis of the study is that the integration of digital ecosystems allows NCFD car services to increase the efficiency of business processes by 25-35%, reduce transaction costs and improve customer experience despite the infrastructural limitations of the macroregion. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the regional specification of the ecosystem model in relation to the conditions of the North Caucasus Federal District with the development of criteria for the selection of digital services for small businesses. The results of the study include the identified challenges of integrating small businesses into large ecosystems, a quantitative assessment of the dynamics of digitalization, and the proposed adapted business process model. In conclusion, the hypothesis is confirmed and recommendations are formulated on state support for the digitalization of car services in the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District.