20/20 Vizion Exhibition and Conference 2015
On Thursday 22 October, the bodyshop team attended the Vizion Exhibition and Conference 2015, which took place at Donington Park and was attended by 740 other attendees and 454 Vizion repair partners.
Mark Hadaway, editor of bodyshop magazine, was first on stage to outline the topics of discussion, before re-iterating a message from Chris McKie at the bodyshop event 2015 that defined the current state of play in the bodyshop industry, ‘All bets are off, the usual rules no longer apply.’
20|20 Vizion, the theme of this year’s event, was all about the driving force behind the success of business clarity and next on the stage was Chris McKie, director of network development, Vizion. Chris gave a summary of Vizion’s movements throughout 2015, the company’s current position and the plans for the future, stating ‘2016 is going to biblical.’
Following Chris’ round-up of all things Vizion related, a panel discussion on ‘Consolidation or Collaboration?’ took place. The panel consisted of Sarah Kenworthy, head of supply chain management, AXA Insurance, Steve Plunkett, Volvo, Iain Sinclair, senior supply chain manager and Kevern Thompson, UK body and paint program, Jaguar Land Rover.
Mark Hadway put various questions and scenarios to the panel about consolidation and collaboration within the repair industry. Steve Plunkett said, ‘Change is happening and we can all collaborate and work together.’ Kevern Thompson added that ‘four of JLR’s approved repairers have now merged into one group’ and felt this was good for the industry as consolidation cuts costs. He said ‘the fact that vehicle manufacturers are now talking to insurance companies is innovative in itself’ and that it seems that ‘everyone is now aiming towards the same goals’.
Sarah Kenworthy agreed stating, ‘I’m sure the others here on the panel would agree that the customer is at the heart of our service. AXA are very careful who we worth with and as consolidation continues within the industry, quality control will be looked at moving forward.’
The panel agreed that brand and integrity is paramount in the repair industry and vehicle manufacturers and insurers want safe repairs for all customers.
Each member of the panel ended the discussion by offering their own advice to attendees; Iain Sinclair said, ‘Know your brand’, Kevern Thompson advised, ‘Don’t plan for next week, plan for the next few years,’ Steve Plunkett suggested that repairers should, ‘keep working on VM approvals,’ and Sarah Kenworth said ‘communication is key’.
Next on the agenda was ‘How safe is your data really?’ with Ben Densham, CTO Nettitude. Ben discussed data security in the digital world including; the threats that currently exist, strategies to deal with threats and how to calculate risk when it comes to your data.
Andrew Marsh, engineering director, Auto Industry Insider, was next on stage and discussed ‘The power of computer data and what it could mean to you’. Andrew discussed the power and benefits of current crash test simulator technology and the potential benefits of vehicle manufacturers sharing all information with the repair industry.
Matt Hudson then took to the stage to discuss ‘Inspiration at its best’, giving his advice on how individuals should deal with and process new information.
The Vizion Shine Awards winners were then announced, recognising excellence and rewarding quality within the industry.
The award winners were as follows:
Region 1 – North East Accident Repair Centre, Newcastle
Region 2 – Inchape Manchester Paint and Body Centre
Region 3 – JS Holmes
Region 4 – Jenkins and Pain
People’s Choice Award – Impact Accident Repairs, Nottingham
UK & Ireland manufacturer – Sandal Bodyshop, Wakefield
Vizion Bodyshop of the Year – North East Accident Repair Centre, Newcastle
