Service network seeks independents’ support

A call has gone out to independent garages to join a service network struggling to cope with demand.

The recruitment drive has been launched for epyx’s 1link Service Network, prompted by demand for a wider choice of outlets from existing customers, and new customers joining the platform wanting to continue to use existing suppliers not currently on the network.

This is in addition to a bottleneck of both MOT testing and general maintenance work as result of the coronavirus.

The 1link Service Network is used by fleets totalling four million cars, vans and trucks to buy and manage service, maintenance and repair (SMR) from nearly 9,000 franchise, independent and fast-fits.

Debbie Fox, commercial director at epyx, said: “There’s perhaps a tendency to look at this recruitment drive and conclude that it is a result of fleets wanting to buy more SMR from independents. Rather, what has happened is that more SME fleet business is being transacted through the platform as a result of new epyx products designed to target these users. Many of these businesses tend to want to still use their local independent with which they have a longstanding relationship while embracing our technology.

“We are also seeing increased demand for SMR services in places where geographically, no local franchise option exists and in these places, we are looking for high quality independents.

“Finally, the coronavirus crisis has had an obvious impact on SMR, especially with the six-month MOT deferrals creating the potential for a glut of demand for testing from the end of September, alongside widespread delays in maintenance creating a backlog.”