Kwik-Fit Aims to Increase Fleet Share With ‘While U Wait’ Servicing

Kwik-Fit Fleet is officially launching a new “while u wait” servicing option at the UK’s first Fleet Business Show, at the Business Design Centre, London, (29-30 April). The service will be available a roughly half of quick fits 700+ depots.And the first company to sign up to use Kwik-Fit Fleet’s new ‘While U Wait’ manufacturers’ service initiative is Lex, which, with 278,000 vehicles on its fleet, is Britain’s largest contract hire and leasing company. Lex is making the service available to all of its drivers and is the first ‘While U Wait’ service that it has adopted. The service means customers will be able to book a service at a minimum 48 hours notice, significantly quicker than at franchise dealers where up to 14 days notice could be required.

Head of Kwik-Fit Fleet Mike Wise said: “Our new vehicle servicing offering will radically shake-up the entire fleet sector as an increasing number of vehicle owners look to reduce costs and speed up service scheduling by turning to Kwik-Fit.”

Kwik-Fit Fleet enjoys a long-term sole supply arrangement with Lex, which now stretches into two decades and covers the supply of a comprehensive range of services, including tyre, brake, battery and exhaust repair and replacement, and now extends to vehicle servicing.

“There are times when the driver is happy to wait at a centre for the work to be done to their car, especially for smaller services that don’t take too long. Working with Kwik Fit in this way effectively increases our servicing network by another 300 outlets which further strengthens our nationwide concentration of suppliers,” explained Paul Kerrigan, Lex associate director customer care and supplier development.

Kwik-Fit’s existing all-makes fixed-price menu-driven vehicle servicing offer had previously been a retail initiative since its launch two years ago. There are eight price bands based on vehicle engine size, fuel type and oil type. Now, Kwik-Fit Fleet has introduced new computer software at its 300 centres currently offering vehicle servicing that enables technicians to download each vehicle manufacturer’s exact service schedule on a model-by-model basis. The cost of each service is individually calculated by adding together ICME service time, hourly labour rates and spare part prices.

Mike Wise explained: “Most retail customers drive cars that are more than three years old and therefore outside of the warranty cover offered by most carmakers. Vehicles are serviced using long-established service procedures and even if warranties are in place they are not impacted.

Kwik-Fit centres undertake around 11,000 MoTs and 6,000 vehicle services a week, but those numbers are expected to increase significantly as fleets capitalise on the cost effectiveness and prompt availability of the company’s service offering.