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Garage Support Supporting you and your business

2023 Issue 3

What’s inside? • The future of NCT’s • Changing car parc • Introducing Garage Hive • And more

NCT Focus Edition

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A message from Andy

I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering how September is here already! We’ve seen fantastic interest in GMS (Garage Management System) this year– in our own Carsys solution and the other platforms we partner with and many of you will know I’m a big believer in digitalisation. For more info on our new partnership with leading GMS provider Garage Hive, check out the interview with Alex Lindley on page 6. Thank you to all of you who continue to provide the top quality, affordable local service we know UK and Ireland motorists rely on so heavily. It’s no secret that inflation is having a huge squeeze on disposable income, many customers are making do with the vehicles they have, keeping vehicles for longer meaning the car parc age rising. Great news for the independent aftermarket, however, it can also be the case that many people are looking for ways to make their money go further. Some maybe holding off getting advisories done before or after an NCT, others

may be looking at cheaper alternatives to OE parts like our component brands Starline and MPM. Whatever the scenario, is our business able to offer your customers options? There’s a lot of material in this edition of Garage Support – reflecting a busy time! Together we continue to support motorists and embrace the challenges and opportunities of our day-to-day, all while investing in training and development with an eye on the future.

Andy Hamilton, CEO, LKQ Euro Car Parts

How we can help? Quality alternatives to OE Super September – Is your workshop NCT ready?

Payment Assist Offer customers a convenient way to pay their bills. This clever system allows a customer to get the work done and then spread the cost over 4 monthly payments with no interest. The best bit for a workshop is that the invoice will get paid in full upfront, so you don’t have to worry about cashflow. No interest, no catch for you or your customer. Soft credit check 98% acceptance. Scan for more:

At LKQ Euro Car Parts we work hard on bringing alternative solutions to OE. With brands such as Starline, Eicher, Triple QX and Crosland, you get quality trusted products backed with “Industry Leading” warranties. Our Eicher braking warranty is 24 months / 24,000 miles including manufacturer defects, but it also covers Wear and Tear. Our new Starline warranty for Steering and Suspension is upgraded to 4 years, and we’ve added unlimited mileage. Both these warranties are truly industry leading, and benefit both you and your customer.

TQX Oils and workshop consumables

Starline Steering and Suspension, Batteries, Rotating, Electrics, Cooling

Crosland Filters (Oil, Air, Fuel)

Eicher Pads and Discs

Page 2 | Garage Support | 2023 Issue 3

LKQ Academy

How one workshop boost their business

We spoke to Britannia MOT’s Mick Bentley, to discuss how the LKQ Academy has benefited his business Located in Aylesford, Kent, Britannia MOT has been serving local drivers for more than two decades, and prides itself on being a one stop shop for all repair needs. In the words of owner, Mick Bentley: “there’s nothing we really turn away” . Mick and his team of five technicians recognise the importance of continued professional development and signed up to the LKQ Academy a fewmonths ago, to ensure they’re ready to complete every job to the highest standard.

EV training In 2019, 90% of new cars sold were petrol or diesel. Last year this dropped to less than half (47%). And Mick has noticed the change. “We trained our first technician in hybrid and EV servicing 2019, and we’ve seen a steady increase in the number of plug-ins coming through the doors ever since” , he states. For this reason, Mick continues to invest in bringing the whole team's skills up to a high standard when it comes to hybrid and EV servicing and maintenance, and soon, all will be trained to level four.

important to me as any money spent on new technology”, says Mick. “Being able to access all of the training virtually means that we’re able to respond to changing trends by brushing up on the latest skills.” Learn to earn Upskilling goes beyond hybrids and EVs – even though that’s what tends to make headlines. According to The IMI, there could be a shortage of 51,000 ADAS-trained technicians by 2030. A major refit of the Brittannia MOT

workshop is planned, to make room for the latest ADAS servicing equipment – and Mick intends to follow this up with a programme of training through the LKQ Academy. “Investing in training now allows us to keep up with the latest trends and position ourselves to deal with any issue a customer may have, so that they can trust they’re leaving our workshop with a fully functioning vehicle. This helps us build our reputation as a trustworthy garage to visit.”

Stay relevant As well as learning the new skills

required to deal with the latest vehicles, Mick recognises it’s important to remain on top of the basics, too. “The range of courses available through the LKQ Academy our technicians never get rusty on the essentials, and ensure my whole team is working from the same baseline of knowledge” states Mick. “My employees are my greatest asset, so investment in their abilities is just as

For more information on how the LKQ Academy can benefit you, visit www.lkqacademy.ie

Garage Support | 2023 Issue 3 | Page 3

EV and Hybrid An aging and changing car parc What does this mean for your workshop?

Statistics from the SMMT show that used car market is starting to grow again after several years in decline. Great news for independent workshops, as this growth will ultimately see more vehicles into your workshops. However, are you ready for the change in vehicle type is the question? With more EV and Hybrid vehicles changing hands in the used car market, is your workshop

equipped to take advantage of this increasing trend? Used car sales: Q1 2023

BEV sales in the aftermarket continue to increase, and from a small base they are up over 400% (380 vehicles in Q1) This trend is set increase throughout 2023 and beyond.

Best start to a year since 2020, but market remains below pre-pandemic levels.

ROI used car market grows 7.2% in Q1 2023 after three successive quarters of decline.

How are you adapting your workshop to stay competitive? Operating on these vehicles can be very different to normal combustion engines and come with added complexity and safety issues. There is no doubt that over the next coming years this changing car parc will continue to grow, so how do you adapt your workshop to take advantage of this change?

Adapting your workshop Charging points, the correct safety equipment, PPE and lifting equipment that can take the weight of these heavier vehicles are all required to operate safely. If you are considering upgrading your workshop to service this new business, then talk to our experts in the Workshop Solutions team who can help and guide you through the process as you take your business to the next level.

Page 4 | Garage Support | 2023 Issue 3

EV and Hybrid Training

Getting you, your staff and your workshop Electric Vehicle ready Electrify Your Expertise! Becoming an EV Workshop Business

Not only have we got the right technical courses to get you and your staff EV ready – your workshop can now take it’s first steps into the future of automotive and unleash the power of electric vehicles with the launch of the 2 day becoming an EV workshop business course in partnership with our partners at T10 Automotive.

This new course will put you and your workshop on the road to success and starts with embracing electric vehicles – you’ll dive deep into the world of EVs and unlock a world of opportunities for your garage. During this course we’ll cover topics such as:

• Experience Learning Outcomes: Offer strategies for promoting and growing an EV specialist business, ensuring you stand out as a leader in the electrified automotive landscape. From targeted marketing campaigns establishing strategic partnerships with charging station providers, we’ll guide you through proven tactics to expand your customer base and enhance your reputation. that highlight your expertise in EV maintenance and repair to

• Discover Financial Objectives: Learn how embracing electric vehicles can skyrocket your revenue and enhance your bottom line. From increased service demand to tapping into government incentives, we’ll show you how to drive your profits forward • Embrace Customer Objectives: Understand the evolving needs and expectations of today’s environmentally conscious clientele. Learn to offer exceptional EV

services, build trust, and create customer loyalty that drives repeat business • Ignite Internal Objectives: Foster a culture of innovation within your garage. Equip your team with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the fast-paced world of EV maintenance and repair. Boost employee morale and create a high- performance work environment

The Importance of Becoming an EV Garage: With the automotive industry shifting towards sustainability, electric vehicles are becoming the new norm. By adapting to this revolution, you position your garage as a pioneer, attracting a growing market segment and future-proofing your business. Training your employees Don’t get left behind when it comes to servicing and repairing hybrid and electric vehicles (EV). With government plans to cut emissions by stopping the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and multiple car manufacturers such as Volvo and Ford committing to a 100% electric range by 2030, the change is inevitable. There is no doubt that hybrid and EV’s will become the vehicle of choice over the coming years and beyond. Through LKQ Academy we can offer training packages that can get your technicians up to speed with EV and Hybrid. With courses from €550 each, your technicians can get all the latest information and practical skills to be able to maintain, replace and diagnose problems that arise with these types of vehicles. Get in touch today to find out more

Garage Support | 2023 Issue 3 | Page 5

Garage Hive Find out how partnerships and digital can grow your business Hear from Garage Hive’s Alex Lindley You might have seen the exciting news Garage Hive users can now access the full LKQ Euro Car Parts catalogue through their GMS solution. We caught up with Director of Garage Hive and of the award-winning Lindley’s Autocentres, Alex Lindley, on how he thinks the partnership is going and why garages should embrace the digital world.

Can you tell us a bit about you and your background?

Why did you decide to partner with us and integrate our offering into the Garage Hive platform? Our network is very interactive – we use feedback from the network to make most of our important business decisions. We have a strong community of garage owners on social media and essentially, they told us that they’d like us to partner with LKQ Euro Car Parts. And we know that LKQ Euro Car Parts will deliver on the things that matter to our users – that came out of our recent poll. What’s the feedback been from the Garage Hive community since the LKQ Euro Car Parts integration went live? Feedback on the integration from our community has been overwhelmingly

I’ve been in the industry for nearly 20 years now. I joined my family business, Lindley’s Autocentres, as an apprentice and worked my way up the ranks – eventually helping to expand it, opening 10 new branches. When we were growing the business, we were always on the lookout for new software that made the admin or running of a garage that little bit easier. That’s when we came across Garage Hive and absolutely fell in love with it’s foundations. We ended up investing in Garage Hive and have now been with them for over six years. My role with the business mostly focuses on analysing and utilising data to drive business decisions.

Garages that build relationships with suppliers get so much more out of them. And suppliers like LKQ Euro Car Parts can also offer added value services to garages they know well, like training or equipment provision, to help take that garage to the next level. I know my local LKQ Euro Car Parts team really well and genuinely feel they’re a true partner to our business. Why is it important for garages to embrace digitalisation, and what’s your advice to those looking to get started? Digitalisation is becoming more important than ever and garages that embrace the digital world will reap the rewards. New technology is becoming more and more accessible and affordable – and when used correctly, it will save technicians time and money, paying for itself in no time. If a garage can run their booking system using technology, for example, then the whole admin process of taking phone call and manging the booking process is taken care of. This will save valuable workshop time and ensure efficient, accurate scheduling and quoting. People are increasingly used to booking everything they need online – from their haircuts to their doctors' appointments – so it’s vital that garages make their services available in the same way, to avoid missing out.

What’s important to the Garage Hive community when choosing a parts supplier? In a recent survey, we asked Garage Hive users what’s important to them when considering which parts supplier to use. We took their responses and turned them into a poll, asking the community to rate different attributes from most important to least important. It turns that the Garage Hive community values high quality parts the most, closely followed by receiving the right part first time and having a strong working relationship with the supplier.

positive. We’ve even had some members say that they expect their monthly spend with LKQ Euro Car Parts to increase significantly, as buying from them without leaving the platform is so simple. From a workshop perspective what is the importance of partnerships over relationships when dealing with suppliers? We’ve learnt that having a partnership with suppliers is super important when it comes to running a successful garage. Partnerships benefit both parties.

Page 6 | Garage Support | 2023 Issue 3

1TEC Auto Hub

Are you embracing the future? A message from Louise Davies, our Head of Concept Sales It’s been an exciting summer for our business, from an encouraging and uplifting few days at Automechanika Birmingham, to the launch of our new concept garage platform, 1TEC Auto Hub – a personal highlight for me since the last edition of this newsletter.

For anyone who’s unfamiliar with how a garage concept can help their workshop, consider this an introduction! As a business, LKQ Euro Car Parts is on a mission to help the independent aftermarket compete on a more level playing field with the dealerships. Perhaps the biggest single reason a motorist might chose to use a dealership’s workshop or bodyshop is because of the OEM logo. But garages that belong to a recognised, successful access to exclusive benefits designed to help them not just meet, but exceed the level of service the dealerships can offer, locally and at a better price. Concepts have a big part to play by giving quality independent workshops

Shell, Pagid, Varta, Valeo, MPM, Schaeffler, ZF Aftermarket and us – supplying their support and access to the latest technical data, tools and products. In this sense, 1TEC Auto Hub is very much focused on the future and helping garages to adapt to rapidly developing trends in automotive world. The response to the 1TEC Auto Hub launch has been hugely positive, and the garages we’ve already onboarded have felt the benefits from day one. If you want to join them, and for more information on our range of garage concepts, then please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our team at concepts@LKQEurocarparts.com.

concept network, with its logo above the door, can provide that same level of reassurance. Being a concept garage sets an expectation that customers will receive a high standard of service, that the workshop will use quality products and that the team working there will be supported with external training and expertise. We believe that concept garages have a key role to play in supporting the sector’s future, and that’s why we’ve created 1TEC Auto Hub to sit alongside our existing partnerships with Bosch Car Service and the RAC. What separates 1TEC Auto Hub is the unique roster of partners behind it –

www.1TEC.com

Garage Support | 2023 Issue 3 | Page 7

Why join 1TEC Auto Hub? Something big is here and we want you to be part of it. Alongside seven of the automotive industry’s leading suppliers, including MPM, Pagid, Schaeffler, Shell, Valeo, VARTA UK, and ZF Aftermarket, we’ve launched a new and unique garage concept, 1TEC Auto Hub. Developed to provide independent workshops with all the tools, training, and business support you need to grow and thrive in the ever-changing automotive landscape, 1TEC Auto Hub will also offer its members exclusive rewards to benefit you even further. What you’ll get • Marketing support to help your business grow • Exclusive invites to events and workshops • Training fromTechnical parts and the award winning LKQ Academy • Business Support to unlock even more revenue streams • Exclusive Rewards Platform housed in one easy to use digital platform. A garage network prepared for the future • Access to a GMS to suit your workshop • Access to the very latest Technical Data

Garage Management Solution

Technical Partner Data

Technical Data

Business Support

Trade Events

Loyalty Platform

Ready to take the next step? www.1TEC.com

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