Readers of my blog will know that I have firm views about garage quality standards and that even I find the industry’s competing schemes to be confusing from a motorists point of view.

But in an industry with such a poor reputation in so many female minds FOXY Choice’s criteria for female friendly garages includes identifying all evidence of quality wherever we find it because otherwise bad garages line up all too easily alongside good garages without any easy way for women (our target audience) to see which garages they can trust and then recommend to their family and friends.

We then promote female friendly garages to women via FOXY Choice and FOXY Lady Drivers Club websites and in blog mentions like this one as well as at Facebook and Twitter, where applicable.

And to complete the process, we encourage good garage feedback which we share online with other local women drivers.

So, when I meet a garage proprietor with equally strong views as mine, who agrees with me about garage regulation being the holy grail, and who is clearly ploughing his own quality furrow, I have a great deal of respect for his opinions about quality standards in the garage industry.

I am talking about Brunswick Garage in New Southgate, London N11  which is owned and run by Andy Savva. Who tells me he doesn’t join any of the industry badged schemes because his training regime is better than them all…

And I was reminded about this conversation by reading a feature about Brunswick Garage in a motor industry magazine this week so I thought it was about time that we looked at how Andy and his female friendly garage are doing things, for local women drivers in the Friern Barnet, New Southgate and Barns Green areas of North London.

For starters, female customers are in for a very pleasant surprise walking into Brunswick Garage’s spacious and stylish reception area with designer sofas, flatscreen TVs, homemade cakes, free WiFi and a coffee machine.

The business says it specialises in BMW, Audi, VW and Mini makes of cars but the staff are sufficiently well trained, with the latest diagnostic equipment to handle most makes of vehicles imaginable. Their expertise is down to Andy’s commitment to the best staff training; he doesn’t believe that a technician can ever be fully qualified ‘because there’s always more to be learned in an industry where technology marches forward regardless’. Very true.

Both Andy and I agree that the people who know cars better than anyone else are likely to include the manufacturers so that’s where Andy chooses to send his staff for training, who are then trained alongside franchised dealership staff.

Finally I’d like to make a few observations about the efficiency of the garage business so you can see how well thought through the whole operation has been. For starters, Andy’s garage building includes a part which is occupied by a Motor Parts supplier he gets his parts from. So when your car needs replacement car parts the purchasing staff just nip next door rather than wait for a distributor to put the part on their next delivery. And very soon they won’t need to do that because the part will be automatically ordered via a computer link and brought to the guy doing the job.

The size of the workshop area means a better than normal choice of car tyres to hand and no fewer than 8 of the latest vehicle lifts, each with essential equipment such as airguns and ratchets to hand of course, so that the business is as efficient as it can be coping with high volume and offering speedy repair slots.

But you won’t find trade membership or industry scheme certificates up on the wall remember, other than the FOXY Choice Female Friendly approved one that is, and I hope you now understand why. And you can be reassured that Brunswick Garage is one of the best and most female friendly garages in North London.

Quality, value for money, cleanliness and a genuine warm welcome. We think it ticks all the boxes that women like to see before they start to trust a garage, look forward to visiting it and refer it to their friends. Which is why Female Friendly garages are so successful of course.

FOXY Steph

Car maintenance, including MOTs, car repairs and all aspects of their routine servicing is a £9bn sector of the UK motor industry which is dominated by independent players. The older the car the more likely it is maintained where overheads are less and prices therefore lower.

Understandably the battle for this valuable business is intense because car dealerships have been used to maintaining most new and nearly new cars within their warranty and, in the light of fewer garage services following fewer new car sales in 2008/9/10 they will be looking to replace this lost garage income by finding new customers to look after, those driving older cars who would otherwise use independent garages…

This has become more interesting following new EU rules concerning the repair and maintenance of cars which came into effect on 1 June 2010. The intention was to benefit motorists by making it easier for independent garages to get access to technical support from car manufacturers – who had previously been known to encourage women (and men) drivers to have their cars maintained, serviced and repaired by their franchised dealerships whilst within warranty. This often resulted in the customer paying more than she could have done because typical franchised hourly rates are higher than in most independent garages.

If you end up paying more than you need to, without having been given a choice, you do feel ripped off and you may well complain about this which may have something to do with the level of complaints about dealership services (on a par when I last looked with independent garages…).

So all in all, anything that gives the customer more choice of value for money and quality garage services is a good thing?

Yes, of course but I believe there is still a grey area here from the female motorist’s point of view…

On the one hand car manufacturers can no longer make a warranty conditional on having oil changed or other services carried out in authorised garages. That’s the good news.

But car manufacturers can still ‘request’ repairs that are covered by the warranty and to be paid for by the manufacturer be carried out within the authorised manufacturer’s network.

Of course this is understandable as it is in the best interest of manufacturers that their franchised dealers do well in this area. I THINK this means that all oil and routine car services can now be carried out where the customer wants the work done but that when there is a necessary repair (examples invited to help me understand some circumstances here) and the manufacturer is clearly liable, that the manufacturer should be able to ‘dictate’ where the work is done.

But who is to define what happens if the manufacturer ‘requests’ an authorised repairer which isn’t as convenient for the customer as another? Isn’t the word ‘dictate’ a more honest representation of what is likely to be the case?

And isn’t it also likely that dealerships have a vested interest in muddying the waters here a tad by suggesting to female motorists (who are likely to be confused here) that the definition of ‘repairs’ within a warranty period includes servicing to maintain that warranty. This would be an easy message to convey even though the easiest way is for them to compete with independent garages would be on the basis of

• ATA qualifications
• high customer service levels/facilities
• female friendly garage standards (FOXY Choice plug but definitely relevant here)

I’d also like to know who in the UK motor industry is responsible for telling women drivers about this change to their car servicing rights?

And how are we expected to find out? I haven’t read anything about this in the sort of publications I read although if it was titled ‘Block Exemption’ (its catchy EU nom de plume) I wouldn’t read on any further…

FOXY Steph

Find out about genuinely good and female friendly garages for your MOT, car servicing and repair work.

Car servicing is very valuable business for independent garages, fastfits and franchised car dealerships. By keeping in touch with local women drivers who have been or might become future customers garages are more likely to see us more often, for women drivers to trust them and for us to recommend them to our family and friends.

Whilst it has been true and easy of old to say that independent garages are much cheaper than dealerships, the recession has to a certain degree bridged this value gap with more offers, discounts and services than ever before. Certainly this is what FOXY Choice is finding across the UK (that dealerships are getting more competitive in the search for more business).

Our advice to female motorists is to always start with an open mind and by doing your garage services shopping homework online, you’ll be better prepared in terms of knowing the local experts each occasion plus measurable quality factors and probable prices before simply going to the same old garage as before…

In terms of customer loyalty levels when it comes to car servicing I read that Honda drivers are most likely to revisit their franchised car dealerships (39.5% business retained for cars of all ages for servicing in 2009 BUT how do they know this after the car is sold I wonder? ) whereas the likes of Rover and MG, Nissan and Fiat languish towards the bottom of this Trend Tracker 2008 loyalty league survey (which surprises me about Nissan).

No surprises about MG Rover picking up after the XPart network took on that motoring responsibility.

All in all, across all brands and ages of cars surveyed, independent garages accounted for c38.4% of all services carried out. The future therefore brings interesting times ahead with the likes of Toyota leading the field (who will follow) by lengthening their warranty to 5 years in an obvious move to keep dealership contact with their customers for longer.

Providing female friendly marketing services to garages FOXY Choice’s experience is that some independents are doing brilliantly and others are struggling to stay alive. With little in between. The difference seems to be location (near competition vs niche wealthy area), perceived quality (and dare I say a commitment to female friendly standards as a minimum…) and therefore perceived value for money.

Most of us know that ‘too cheap’ is bad news in the garage industry but you have to know that garages aren’t licensed and too many mechanics aren’t qualified to understand why this could reflect in your being ripped off; or worse, left with an unsafe car. Few of our younger drivers understand this and I think the UK motor industry could do more to get this message across.

You also need to know which garages/fastfits/dealerships will sell you products you don’t need because they are encouraged to do so to earn commission as part of their income. More than we realise I suspect…

It’s a competitive world and the best and ethical garages need to stand out in a crowd of sometime mediocrity. Have a look at the FOXY Choice website to read which are the genuinely good and best garages near you in our FOXY Good Garage Guide. Then search for ‘female friendly garages’ and your nearest postal town to see which businesses have signed the female friendly FOXY Promise to ‘never overcharge, patronise or sell women services they don’t need’. Imho this simple promise matters to women much more than the industry seems to appreciate.

And whilst this is early days for our reasonably new female friendly marketing service for garages, it’s telling to see those that can and can’t sign the FOXY Promise.

Find out about female friendly garages near you…

FOXY Steph

Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” Steve Jobs

I have just read an interesting article claiming that independent garages are better equipped to cope wth the effects of the recession than main franchised dealers.

According to Colin Bruder of Network Automotive, independent garages are more flexible and more likely to react to women drivers haggling for a lower price.

And if the business wants to introduce a discount to target a seasonal offer, for example, the Service Manager in a new car dealership is less likely to have the authority to do this whereas the independent garage is more likely to be run by the business owner who can make her/his mind up there and then.

I found this interesting for two reasons; firstly because the industry has been encouraged to work to a fixed price menu (what irony if they are now expected to better this…) and secondly I can’t think of a woman driver who would haggle in a garage with a fixed price – we’d rather shop around and then pick the best value deal based on a range of choices.

I don’t imagine that many female motorists will haggle in this situation,  so perhaps Colin’s theory is based on male experience?

But I do agree that the independent garage is in a better situation to market/promote seasonal deals in the local media and online. I speak to many staff in main dealers, often part of a dealership group, who are not interested in any marketing opportunity that might work for them if it costs them money regardless of the outcome. Either they haven’t got the budget or the interest in doing something different even if this means scoring over their local competitors.  It’s a form of blinkered complacency which is misplaced in a recession, especially when their neighbours are seeing the opportunity and grabbing it ahead of them.

I also know this is true because FOXY Choice subscribers are invited to make an offer to members of FOXY Lady Drivers Club and many more independents than franchised dealerships have taken this up.

Needless to say there is much that can be done rather than dropping the price – added value services can be marketed more effectively such as local car collection and delivery and a free wash and vac with every car servicing/repair. I have just been talking to Falkland Performance in Glenrothes and they have a deal with the local gym for their women drivers – that’s something different and to be celebrated.

I’d add to Colin’s theory that FOXY finds that flexibility is in the mind of the business owner and/or the Dealer Principal. Those who are fearful of the current climate and doing nothing are letting their competitors steal an advantage whereas those realists that know there will be a buoyant business tomorrow, are planning to be ahead of the game when tomorrow arrives. Good on the creative business thinkers – I wish them the success that will surely come their way!

And as I keep on saying, there is a place for independents and franchised dealerships to carry out MOT, car servicing and repair work because as long as the female customer has choice, she can choose which one she prefers based on her car, budget and expected service levels.

Long live both the independents and the franchised dealers and may competition prevail to keep prices down for all customers and add value for women drivers in particular.

FOXY Steph

“My formula for success is rise early, work late and strike oil.” JP Getty.

I heard on the radio this am that Consumer Direct is back campaigning for regulation in the UK garage services industry.

It would appear that the latest car ‘service and repair’ code has yet to hit the spot for independent garages. Out of an impressive c5000 subscribers since last August, some 4000 are thought to be franchised dealerships who were always to be the financial backbone of the scheme and were told to sign up by their manufacturer bosses – Ford, Mazda and Peugeot among others.

This imbalance is important because motorists need choices to suit their car, their motoring budget and where they live… and franchised dealerships are usually a good bit more expensive than independents.

Taken to its conclusion if the new Motor Code were to start to promote itself in a big way to consumers (which they certainly have the money to do) they could, in effect, create more complaints than ever because motorists will be paying higher rates to franchised dealers in areas where there is no choice of an independent garage. I’d complain if I felt I habe been encouraged to pay over the odds, unnecessarily.

However FOXY doesn’t take sides in this debate because it knows only too well that women drivers come in all shapes and sizes and usually know very well what they want…

But women who want low cost motoring bills to keep a cherished older family car (not a banger…) on the road want low cost garage bills otherwise they mightn’t bother getting their car serviced regularly.

Tell them that they need a Motor Code dealership to repair their car and they might think that they are to expect to pay extra for quality.

Whereas the real foxy choice, clearly available to all motorists, should be to identify one of the best local garages or dealerships in their area, based on measurable qualifications, an investment in quality and a commitment to customer service to suit their needs.

I agree with Consumer Direct that the motorist continues to fail to find her and his best local choices to date. It’s interesting that this organisation is a part of the Government’s BERR department and sits alongside the OFT which is supporting the industry’s Motor Code intentions (for automotive services and repairs).

I also suspect that few earlybird subscribers (such as car dealerships that well exceed the minimum motor code industry standards of honest and fair services, open and transparent pricing and work to be completed as agreed) spotted that they are to pay a hefty fee £’00s every two years or so to be inspected.

Assuming that the complaints Consumer Direct pick up on are  similar to the ones members of FOXY Lady Drivers Club tell us of, these will be about shoddy workmanship, overcharging and patronising customer service.Hence my belief that the female friendly FOXY Promise is a better benchmark of standards and that the garage services  industry is long overdue a female friendly image makeover.

Needless to say, it’ll be a real shame for the consumer if industry prices (already much higher than in France, for example) need to rise because of regulation fees, but this may be what is needed for UK motorists to get a fair deal and for older cars to be safer on our roads in future. And for the industry to identify and promote higher standards in future.

Bring it on guys.

FOXY Steph

“Four words sum up what lifted successful individuals above the crowd – a little bit more. They did what was expected, and a little bit more.”

A. Lou Vickery.

I see that the Brighton Argus has picked up on this long standing industry concern – that in 2010  car manufacturers might be able to use EU legislation to actively prevent independent garages from access to the technical information that is readily available to franchised dealerships, under the guise of ‘safety reasons’.

This is important because independent garages would be unable to compete effectively and they charge less than main dealers. Whilst everyone should have the choice to pick which ever garage solution suits them best at MOT, car servicing or repair time, motorists including women drivers (FOXY’s main interest) deserve to save c £30 per hour on labour rates alone, where they can.

I am a great believer in competition as the customer is the winner in the end. But I am unhappy at the thought that one type of garage or dealership might fare better than another in this way, unless that favour is based on quality standards or female friendly credentials.

FOXY supports the Right to Repair campaign and has written about this and similarly bizarre industry discrepancies in a Garage Services Guide.

Some time ago there was a furore about the possibility that our annual MOT regime might become an every other year regime. This didn’t happen, despite the fact that many motorists might have supported this idea for cost reasons – it didn’t happen for safety consequences, of course, as well as the economic multiplier effect concerning the survival of so many motoring businesses.

Interestingly, there is a fairly new Motor Industry Code for garages and dealerships but many more dealerships are subscribers to it than independent garages (because the manufacturers insisted their dealers signed up) so the garage choice for UK motorists is skewed here, to the more expensive solution.  Thankfully this is an OFT supervised scheme whic is yet to be approved so we can be sure that the need for consumer choice will be addressed, particularly when many garage industry complaints are about being ripped off and charged for services that weren’t wanted or needed.

I’ll be interested to see how the Right To Repair campaign proceeds in similar territory and where the strategic might and foresight of the manufacturers is far greater than the voice of the independents.

FOXY will be quick to lobby if we see any signs of this initiative reducing customer choice and the opportunity to choose a good quality value for money garage solution to suit the car or budget in question. If I am very honest I can’t see this happening but I’d hate to do nothing and be proved wrong!

FOXY Steph

“The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.”  Edmund Burke

The long predicted car scrappage scheme was announced in Mr Darling’s Budget today.

If motorists, including women drivers, are to be encouraged to trade in their 10 year old car for £2k – it’s too early to know all the details yet as they don’t seem to have been announced – surely that’ll mean fewer older cars for the independents to MOT, service and repair?

I suspect that this is how it is because the car manufacturers have a louder voice than the less-well connected independent garage lobby. Who has been lobbying for them during this I wonder?

By exchanging old for new, these new cars are more likely to stay with the franchised dealer for its early servicing work whereas the older cars would have been looked after by the independents. Yet many independent garages are members of the same trade association as the franchised dealers so they might have expected a more balanced scorecard in the media.

Unless of course there is a business opportunity in the wings for the independents out of recycling the old cars? Well someone needs to do it and there will be a lot of money to be earned if it is done properly.

Finally on this subject, I hope that the word scrappage gets buried as soon as possible – it is surely the ugliest word in the British language although at least its meaning is clearer than Block Exemption. Where does this industry find its jargon I wonder!!

To me, scrappage signifies a thing of no value; one that should be thrown away whereas many 10 year old vehicles owned by members of FOXY Lady Drivers Club are cherished family cars.

And whilst I remain unconvinced about the environmental case of all this I desperately want it to succeed for our industry, especially where jobs are in the balance.

So I hope the detail has it all tied up so everyone wins (apart from the taxpayer footing most of the bill that is…)

FOXY Steph

“All generalisations are dangerous, even this one.”

Alexandre Dumas