GSNL UK February 2024

Know your garage

How long have you used a garage management software solution and what are the benefits for your garage? We did our homework before we opened the business and identified TechMan as the best solution for us at the time, based on our size and what we needed it for. The convenience of its integration with Omnipart is a massive plus from an estimating and ordering point of view. As is the case for many people in our industry, we wear various hats – we’re technicians at heart, but we’re also now business owners and we turn our hand to front of house at times. We’ve never had any training on the management side of things, and having a GMS solution makes a lot of that more straightforward – making the whole experience easier and more enjoyable for us, and ensuring our customers feel the same.

How did you hear about 1TEC Auto Hub and why did you join? Our LKQ Euro Car Parts rep suggested that becoming part of 1TEC Auto Hub could add real value to our business. If you’re buying a lot of parts, it makes good sense from a rebate and rewards point of view – and means that you can then invest back into your business. It’s easy to see that 1TEC Auto Hub is a unique garage concept because of the backing it has from LKQ Euro Car Parts, as well as brands like Varta and Shell. The Haynes Pro package is another big benefit we make use of daily, and the training that’s included encourages us to keep topping up our knowledge. We’re experienced and we know our stuff, but it’s vital we don’t become complacent, and that we stay on top of the latest trends, tech and tools.

Can you tell me about your plans to invest in training next year? Kyle and I have done lots of technical training – especially during our 25 years in the dealer network. But we’ve had no management or marketing training. Our existing knowledge has got us this far, but we’re keen develop our softer skills to help grow the business. And the same is true in reverse for our front of house team – they’re fantastic with customers, but they’ve never worked in the motor trade before. I’m sure they’d benefit from a basic level of technical knowledge to increase their confidence when discussing customers’ requirements and getting them booked in.

What are your plans for the future more broadly?

We’ve got enough work for another three or four lifts and another two technicians. The key for us is finding modern, clean premises that work for our brand so that we can maintain the high standards we’ve become known for locally.

Garage Support | 2024 Issue 1 | Page 15