GSNL 4 UK 2023

Know your garage

MBS Exeter Name: Peter Anning Company: Mercedes, BMW & Mini Exeter Limited Quantity of ramps/MOT bays: Four ramps/ One MOT bay Time in business: 20 years

Number of employees: Seven employees

Time as LKQ Euro Car Parts

Number of sites: One site

customer: 15 years

5) What impact has your training had on your business (or what impact do you expect it to deliver), in terms of increased productivity and capability on the workshop floor? A few years ago, for example, one of our technicians felt he was struggling with diagnostics, so we decided it would be best if he completed a Bosch Diagnostics course through the LKQ Academy. Since then, he has become our resident diagnostics expert, and his productivity and profitability have soared as a result.

1) Which training courses have you/ your team taken part in specific to carrying out servicing, maintenance and repair work, and why? For me, it’s imperative that everyone in the business – not just those on the garage floor – are up to date on the latest technical knowledge. It’s important that we have the facilities and capability to complete every job for every customer that comes in – never having to outsource work. This means we can guarantee speed and quality of service, helping us to attract and retain customers. We’ve all completed a number of technical courses, with recent training to keep us up to date on the latest trends in double clutch gearboxes, alignment, engine diagnosis, electric vehicles, ADAS and more.

3) How do you buy your

LKQ Academy training – as-you-go or on a package?

I tend to buy my training as a package deal. I think it’s important that training is tailored to each individual member of staff and their needs, and by purchasing in a package deal, I can cover all bases and ensure that everyone is receiving the support they need.

6) What impact has your training had on your business (or what impact do you expect it to deliver), in terms of colleague satisfaction and recruitment? Training has a huge role to play when it comes to recruitment – especially given the current shortage of new talent coming into the aftermarket. With a short supply of qualified technicians, it’s all the more important that businesses are willing to develop their workforce’s skills over time.

4) Have you made any changes (or do you plan to make any) on-site as a result of the training you’ve completed? These changes can be small or large, short or long-term, e.g. investing in equipment, increasing labour rates, changing approach to marketing and customer service etc. Perhaps the biggest change implemented as a result of training is the wheel alignment bay we’ve had installed. Alignment, steering and suspension are key areas of focus for us – especially with more and more ADAS-enabled vehicles coming through our doors, which are at risk of being disturbed by even the slightest of adjustments.

2) Which training courses have you/ your team taken part in specific to business management/front of house, and why? From courses on finance and marketing to admin and customer service, we’ve made good use of LKQ Academy’s offering in this area. Most garage owners aren’t entrepreneurs; lots of us are technicians first and foremost, who’ve then gone into business – so we need all the help we can get!

Page 12 | Garage Support | 2023 Issue 4