Independent garages to step up fight for business

By Tim Rose
|
23 April 2013

UK franchised dealers may face further competition from a campaign by the RMI's Independent Garage Association to raise awareness of its members.

The IGA is planning to raise the profile of its Trust My Garage scheme and has appointed Coventry public relations firm Bridge PR & Media Services.

The partnership will see Bridge significantly increase awareness of Trust My Garage through a campaign using traditional and digital PR.

The move comes as elsewhere within the RMI, National Franchised Dealers Association director Sue Robinson has been working with the SMMT to coordinate a campaign highlighting that main dealers are able to do MoT tests for owners of older vehicles.

Most franchised dealers are members of Motor Codes, whose national codes of conduct for servicing and new car sales are approved by the Office of Fair Trading.

Trust My Garage is focused on independent garages and is backed by an RMI guarantee and customer charter.

Aftersales

Author: Tim Rose

Editor

tim.rose@bauermedia.co.uk

01733468266

As editor, Tim is responsible for the media content, planning and production of AM's multiple channels (AM print and digital magazines, website, social media and contributing to our events planning). He interviews and writes about as many franchised dealer groups and UK divisions of motor manufacturers as possible, to explore the issues facing UK motor retail and understand what solutions dealers and suppliers are using to overcome these.

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TOM - 23/04/2013 16:50

At last,someone has taken the initiative to promote the good independent garages.We still hear all the adds about servicing your car at the main dealers,"USING GENUINE MANUFACTURERS PARTS", when in fact they are probably using the same parts as the independents. More so that customers are treated as CUSTOMER at the independents,and not just a number.Well done the RMI IGA.
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- James - 23/04/2013 17:09
  
  @TOM - Some Independent garages use genuine parts and some use good quality NON genuine parts. Some garages use non genuine POOR quality parts and then get the hump when they have to do the job again three months later! While some garages fit NON genuine and charge the customer the manufacturers retail price!!! As with everything; there are some great independents and some terrible ones, just as there are some great dealerships and some that defy belief!
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IVAN JALOPKIN - 23/04/2013 17:09

Independent Garages don't have the OPerating Expenses of Major Brands, but they do pay about the same for Garagemens' Liability Coverage, which seems to go up every year ... Most Independents are owned and operated by serious, well trained Craftsmen, and are not just No-Hoper flunkies ... Independents are able to provide excellent work, and better/closer Personal Care for the Customer and his Automobile ... Being Independent we found a niche ten years ago, to serve the Market by rebuilding older cars, up to 2025 specifications, with Safety and Dependability foremost in mind ... We market a Re-Engineered Automobile at a Price that is 60% or more below the Costs of a brand new Automobile, and we stand good to service or repair every auto, while not Warranting agaist foolishness or intentional damage or misuse ... We have Maintenance Programs and timely Tune-Ups at Cost plus 10%, and do excellent work ... It is a Niche Market that was heretofore largely ignored, and is growing more and more because of the crap situation Obamanomics has put the country in ... It is a scheme worth a serious thought, along with the Garage's becoming a Note Lot, for increased Profits, along with all the General Mechanical work that still goes on ...
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