HiQ, the fast fit network, is investing six figures in a mystery shopper programme and is vowing to ‘reinvent’ customer service standards in the car care industry.

The mystery shopping programme will be launched in the New Year through daily telephone shopping audits and a programme of mystery video shopping in an effort to further support HiQ’s positioning of providing ‘fast fit you can be sure of’.

In addition, HiQ is also driving the implementation of an Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) programme for HiQ technicians across its network.

HiQ’s commercial manager, Farrell Dolan said: “The network has chosen this route as it demonstrates our members’ personal commitment to driving standards in our network.

“The accreditation programme will be the key focus of the innovative HiQ Academy in 2011 and beyond. The goal is that every technician in our network will be fully ATA accredited.”

The latest results of HiQ’s customer service “mirror hanger” programme revealed that 99.6% of the 3,500 customers surveyed would recommend or strongly recommend HiQ to a friend of family member, in a show of strength for the network.

Farrell added that more improvements must still be made.

He said: “We are going to grab the bull by the horns on this issue. Nobody else in the fast fit industry can claim to train every one of its technicians to ATA standards.

“This year has seen an increasing focus on customer service in our industry – from both consumers and a trading standards point of view.

“We already have strong standards, but we need to constantly improve what we do on a daily basis. We will all be exposed to increased scrutiny regarding customer service standards in 2011.”