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Hybrid or not to hybrid
Well if i had a pound for everytime somebody asked me what to buy next
personally im stuck on the fence i dont think the technology has matured enough
for consumers to get enough value out of the current offerings
i know we all want to be green and the tech has to start somewhere
but as a technicitian i think the current vehicles are over engineered
cost of repair is a major concern and lifespan to, I wonder in 10 years when a
customer is presented with a qoute for a few grand to fix there car what will they do?
what will be left of the aftermarket?
looking into the future i see a many obsitcals to overcome and new tech to learn
but as always this is why i stay in the job the love of new tech
the challenges to my staff are ever growing and watching them develope gives me a sense
of pride that they are becoming recongised as leaders in there profession
only time will tell
17/11/2019
Stop the leak - Get Connected 15/07/2016
At a time when
personal tech is moving faster than ever and customers
understanding of that tech is more wide spread to all generations
the implications to the independant motor sector have
changed.
Over the last
year and a half i have come to notice a small leak, when i talk of
this i mean a small but noticable leak of customers back to the
dealer, but not by choice i might add.
The offer of free
or cheap servicing with connected services such as Vauxhall On star
or BMW drive teleservice in with the purchase deal is a tempting
offer.
Many companies i
have heard talk of ways to combat this but to no end yet
maybe the connected car is our one chance?
As an independant
myself i think we are on the brink of a change of how we
communicate with our customers, the next gen customer is going to
be armed with more information and greater levels of technical know
how.
On offer first is
a device from Launch called the Golo an interface which connects
via a smart phone app to your car and transmits data and comms
between the customer and car with access to the vehicles data from
the OBD plug this data transfer offers a great sense of support and
a real connection between the owner and the garage. I have seen
Bosch and Delphi offer similar systems but to be a stand alone
system with a sim card but i like the Launch idea better as it
could work out cheaper but i am yet to see the device.
The technologies
main advantage is the direct nature of the communication and could
break the link back to the dealer.
As you would
expect if the manufacturers use this system and see its benifits
its not going to be long before we get in car adverts. BMW already
send service and mot reminders with their Drive teleservice, this
is a clever idea but its a hit them right now approach which could
see us left out in the cold.
The evolution
of in car communication is going to cost, data costs alone
could be around £3-5 a month which the customer would be expected
to pay or have it hidden in a service plan.
Also to note when
we are sending and receiving data from your phone apps, fuel
prices, weather data and sat nav updates the list is endless all
this from the vehicle network as we intergrate more features into
our cars giving more information to the manufacturer on our habits
so aiding them to target our customers.
So as smarter
independants its time to offer an alternative to the dealer thus
adding value to our network and keeping our market share as we move
forward into the future.
The connected car
and the service plan system is appealing to many and for around
£5-16 a month is great for some to budget their car expenses as i
have dabbled with the service plan system i am yet to see
independants embrace the concept but still have an eye on it as i
do not see it going away soon and could become a valuable tool in
the future if a company can bring a viable device at the right
price with a service plan the acceptance could be
massive.
Only time will
tell.
Graham Packer AAE
MIMI
Service Standard 06/08/2016
On my travels I have seen many independent garages and have been impressed and disapointed with what I have seen, Independents that do it well and right appear to be thriving and prosperous the ones that dont are the opposite, scraping by with low earnings and a hard life.
Why would you want this?
Myself I have always tried to improve my garage and the things we offer and as a result I feel we are growing and looking to the future so being rewarded for our efforts.
As independents we need to be a viable alternative to the dealer offering like for like services with far better customer service but not neccessary cheaper all the time.
Attracting customers is not only about a good reputation but how you sell yourself, your external image is your first biggist impression to the customer on how you run your business (customers are buying you not the company as with a dealer).
The standard you you set yourself is what you are judged on and as an independant your image sets how we are seen by the public.
We only have to look at TV sitcoms to see how we are perseeved on Coronation street and Emmerdale, we are seen as not particually advanced and dirty and working from a shed.
That image needs to change!
Autocare who i have come to love have helped me learn how to look at my garage from a customer prospective and I have reacted and changed over the last 4 years and I am happy with the results so far and I am really please to be part of Autocare a caring helpfull group.
A sout out is necessary to the IMI, Autocare, Bosch and all independent gargage support networks that its Job well done so far but we still have a long way to go.
The big question is are you ready to be part of
the revolution?
Graham Packer AAE MIMI