A guide to key services and business partnerships July 2020

A guide to key services and business partnerships

Brand With over 35,000 garages in the UK market, it’s important to stand out in an increasingly competitive market….. What are the benefits to the garage? • The RAC heritage The RAC was founded 1897 and has an esteemed motoring heritage of over 130 years. Since then the brand has been associated by consumers as providing ‘complete piece of mind’ when it comes to all their motoring needs • The RAC is one of the most widely recognised motoring brands in the UK The RAC is one of the UK’s most recognisable and nationally respected brands. The RAC Approved Garage scheme is the only one in the UK that allows selected garages to utilise this respected brand association within their workshops, to distinguish themselves from their competitors and increase their appeal to new and existing customers • The RAC brand is synonymous with motoring expertise Over the last 130 years, the RAC has become synonymous with motoring expertise. As part of the RAC Approved Garage Powered by Autofirst Network, you’ll have unique access to the knowledge, insights and experience we’ve learned to support your business and pass on to your customers

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Included in membership • Free online Technician skills tests to identify training needs within your workshop • Future proof your technician’s and front of house knowledge • Customer Service, Marketing and Business Training to up skill all areas of the garage • Preferential rates to RAC Approved Garages

HELPLINE

Included in membership • Fix right first time, reducing actual workshop hours spent, increasing profitability and customer retention • Reduce lost hours fault finding with access to master technicians to diagnose and assist repair • Access to step-by-step guides, diagrams, OEM vehicle data and fault codes • Preferential rates to RAC Approved Garages

Included in membership • Avoids customer attrition due to the lack of an online presence • Access to 80,000 quotes per month, dynamically quoting 24/7 • RAC Approved garages more prevalently displayed to aid increased conversion

• Creates a channel to access and retain new local customers • Bespoke vehicle / work type control over profit margins • Online brand symbolisation of professionalism • Preferential rates to RAC Approved

Included in membership • CRM enables personalised proactive customer profiling and contact via email or SMS • Advisory work reminders and notification scheduling • Workshop loading directly linked to online booking in line with true capacity • Reduced mis-part purchased and returns downtime via the integrated parts catalogue • Integrated with HMRC digital account to simplify tax return • Preferential rates to RAC Approved Garages

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RAC Warranty Work • Creates a channel to access and retain new local customers • Creates incremental retail work referral and upsell opportunity • Creates positive cash flow with either same day or 10-day payment terms • Access to master technicians to diagnose and assist repair • RAC Approved garages more prevalently displayed to aid increased conversion

MOT Assist • Encourages repeat business and loyalty by customers returning to your garage. • Allows you to offer an extra premium service to your customer to help you stand out from local competition • With the demand in MOT work increasing over the next six months this service will help you lock in your customers into future appointments • Help your customers feel reassured that they do not need to worry about their next MOT/Repairs and unexpected repair bills

Free Vehicle Health Check • Grow your customer base as the RAC will be sending free VHC offers to all new RAC members • Increase awareness of your garage and allow the RAC to direct members to your garage if you are the nearest RAC Approved Garage • Potential to increase your revenue as additional work identified can be quoted on

• Creates transparency, breaking down technical barriers • Creates trust, demonstrating the legitimacy of the work • Simplifies advisory work approval • Enables tracking of advisory work conversion rates • Supports social distancing restrictions and health & safety • Preferential rates to RAC Approved Garages • Now integrated with Payment Assist, enabling garages to offer a finance solution

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• Fully outsourced solution, post sign up Payment Assist manage 100% of the process • Payment is made in 5 days, with positive cash flow • Online sign up taking 3 minutes, with a 98% acceptance rate, is interest free and is a soft credit check below £1000 • Increase conversion of critical / advisory work, maintaining price, reducing loss to competitors • Preferential rates to RAC Approved Garages • Now integrated with Viewmech

RAC Approved Garage Powered by Autofirst Network Technical Partner

• Fit the right oil for right vehicle by using the Shell Lubematch • Preferential Shell oil pricing for RAC Approved Garages • Point of Sale to demonstrate to the customer why oil costs could be above expectation • Exclusive Shell loyalty scheme

• Online brand symbolisation of professionalism • Work referral opportunity via the Shell Locator App

RAC Approved Garage Powered by Autofirst Network Technical Partner • Battery replacement identification with upgrade/upsell recommendation • Battery test inspection guidance, to generate incremental work, due to vehicle inactivity • Location of batteries, including secondary batteries, identifying the time and steps to change • Guidance on Start Stop technology and how to recode the battery • Point of Sale to demonstrate to the customer why battery costs could be above expectation • Online brand symbolisation of professionalism • Work referral opportunity via the Varta Partner Portal https://www.varta-automotive.com/en-gb/business-portal/log-in

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• National pre-screened highly skilled vehicle technicians and MOT testers • Trained in the latest tooling, technology and vehicles • A dedicated Autotech contact will help get a technician on-site the next day, if needed. • Matching resource to demand, avoiding customer loss to competitors • Avoid cancelled appointments due to short term absence, avoiding customer loss to competitors • Provision of a collection and delivery service facility, supporting social distancing measures • HR guidance available on request

• Preferential rates for RAC approved garages • One supplier solution for all recycling of waste oils and hazardous workshop waste • Certification to support environmental agency audits

• Exclusive discounts for RAC Approved Garages up to 40% off standard prices • Free RAC Approved Autofirst Network logo applied and no set up charges • Free set up of garage logo added from just £1.00

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