Independents gaining servicing business, says report

According to the Castrol Professional Car Service and Repair Trend Tracker, franchised workshops are losing servicing business to independent and fast-fit outlets. The independent sector now accounts for 45.7 per cent of servicing work, up from 42.1 per cent last year. A decade ago, the independents' share was just 30.2 per cent.

Stuart James, director of the Independent Garage Association, welcomed the news, saying: “To see that they are regarded favourably across the board proves that independent garages are in tune with consumer demand.” However, he warned against complacency and said that standards can be raised even higher. He went on: “We have fought for the right to access manufacturer information and for independents to repair newer cars within the warranty periods, and won. The opportunity for independents to expand their customer base beyond the 3-4 year old cars to the newer car market is there.”

For the franchised sector, Sue Robinson, director of the National Franchise Dealer Association, said that franchised dealers “are aware of the issues surrounding workshop retention and are working to address this with a number of proactive strategies.”

She recognised that franchised dealers need to stay competitive in an ever-changing market and added that many are already adopting new approaches to retain their customer base. Robinson continued: “However, dealers need to explore even more ways to retain value-conscious customers. In the current economic climate consumers are reducing spending more than ever and are always looking for the best prices.

“Franchise dealers are aware of the price comparisons made by consumers and many dealers are now offering a ‘price match’ within their region. It is extremely important the consumer looks at a ‘like for like’ service schedule when making any such price comparison.”

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