Independents must protect ‘personal touch’

Repairers who rely on consumer facing websites for work risk losing one their greatest assets – the long-term, personal relationships they can develop with consumers.

This is according to the Independent Garage Association’s (IGA) 2019 Garage Work Provider Report, which builds on the detail established in the 2018 report and features significantly more feedback and testimonials from independent garages. It investigates the wide variety of business models, fees and terms and conditions that consumer work provision websites use, and the comparisons within the report will prove to be invaluable for any independent garage considering whether to work with any of these types of businesses.

Stuart James, IGA CEO said, ‘One of the major strengths of independent garages is their ability to provide a far more personal experience for the customer, building a relationship that often spans several generations of customers.

‘These third-party disruptors have a significant detrimental impact on the sector by placing themselves between the customer and the garage, ‘skimming’ a fee from either the garage, the customer or both, with the potential to damage the brand identity of the garage. We consider it our responsibility to our members and the sector as a whole to ensure that garages are given the right information before they decide whether to engage or not with these third-party organisations.

‘We will continue to listen to and engage with its members and survey the marketplace to ensure that garage businesses are not subject to any detriment as a result of working with consumer work providers.

‘The IGA firmly believes independent garage businesses should continue to engage directly with customers and promote their own brand and image.’