Only the insurance sector scores lower than the automotive industry in terms of providing the best service and customer experience, according to the second annual Customer Experience Survey from the service design consultancy, Engine.
Motorists will never need to feel like they are being taken for a ride again with the launch of an interactive booking directory of garages, which allows motorists to get instant prices for their car’s servicing, MOT, and repair requirements. The Motorist’s Organisation’s £1m investment sets to save consumers time and money by giving them the transparency of information to make an informed booking decision with confidence.
Social media has made accessing the opinions of trusted peers easier than ever, so it makes sense that garages and workshops should find ways to increase this free publicity. Dipstix, a website dedicated to helping motorists manage their cars, has created TrustBay to offer garages a chance to generate vital customer reviews.
Workshop tools supplier, Pichler Tools has launched a new software system which they believe will boost productivity, and support continued sales growth. OrderWise, from supplier Wise Software, offers support through a strong UK base, which includes a staff team of nearly 100 people, as well as a community of over 8,500 active users.
Kent-based EDT Automotive offers independent garages an additional revenue stream, providing hand-built machines to clean petrol or diesel engines with an environmentally-friendly solution.
The UK Garage of the Year Award was presented at the prestigious Auto Express Car of the Year Awards in London on June 30th. Motor Codes, the government-approved garage scheme revealed that Crescent Motoring from Burton on Trent in Staffordshire had scooped the prestigious award.
Motor Codes, the government-approved garage scheme, has revealed the UK’s 11 most trusted garages, as voted by customers of its 8,000-strong garage network.
Kingsway Tyres has opened its first depot in Bedfordshire as part of its expansion plans. The chain’s 17th garage in Old Bridge Way, Shefford, will provide premium and economy tyres and servicing solutions for cars, vans, 4×4 and commercial fleets, supported by 24 hour tyre related breakdown service vehicles, covering Bedford, Sandy, Stevenage, Letchworth, Hitchin, Luton, Dunstable, Milton Keynes plus the surrounding areas. The new opening has created four new jobs.
Servicesure Autocentres has appointed its first national sales manager, Jason McCreanney. Servicesure is a national garage programme developed by The Parts Alliance; the parts distributor said the appointment marked the start of “rapid growth” for the scheme. McCreanney currently works as a business project manager for Car Parts & Accessories (CPA), the Sussex headquartered motor factor acquired by The Parts Alliance in September last year. He officially takes up his new role on Wednesday, 1 April.
UK garages are facing calls for better transparency and improved service as almost two thirds (60 per cent) of motorists say they have had a bad experience when taking their car in for a repair, service or MOT. The findings from research conducted for garage comparison website RAC Garage Compare will do little to allay concerns about the standard of service from local independent garages or fears that customers may be ripped off as one in 10, 11 per cent, say they don’t trust local garages at all.
Motor industry professional body IMI has called on employers to consider increasing the starting salary for apprentices by more than 70 per cent to compete with academic career paths. Steve Nash, CEO of the Institute of the Motor Industry, will explain that return on investment research demonstrates that most companies could increase starting salaries from the legal minimum set by Government of £2.73 to £4.73 per hour without loss of profitability. The IMI has launched an “apprentice calculator” to help demonstrated its point to businesses.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is assisting the Department for Transport (DfT) with a project to reassess statutory MOT test fees. The DfT is analysing garage running costs to validate the justification for an increase in MOT test fees to present to the next government, but to make this happen it needs financial costings for MOT test stations as a starting point to the project.
Oxfordshire’s Scotlands Ash Garage has launched a new website providing an improved interface and updated information about its range of services. Peter Welch, Scotlands Ash Garage owner, said that the site “underlines our commitment to hassle free, safer motoring for Oxfordshire motorists.” Over a year in the making, www.scotlandsashgarage.co.uk is designed to make it easier for customers to book in work and to view the independent garage’s latest developments.
The Institute of the Motor Industry confirmed it will be changing the title of Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA), along with Automotive Management Accreditation (AMA), to ‘IMI Accreditation’ as part of the IMI’s brand overhaul. ATA was first established in 2005 to act as a voluntary licence to practise for the automotive sector and takes the form of practical and knowledge based assessments designed to test the current competence of an individual in their job role.
Halfords Autocentres has called 2014 a “record year” for its automotive apprentice programme. 72 new apprentices joined the scheme this year, leading to Halfords’ claim that it is the largest programme in the UK automotive industry. The servicing chain crowned third year NVQ Floyd Ullah (19) from Scunthorpe the winner of its annual apprentice competition, noting that competition for the accolade is growing annually.
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