AW releases docuseries preview

AW Repair Group has released a teaser montage of some of the upcoming features to be released as part of its docuseries highlighting the career success stories among its colleagues.

The series, titled, AW –A Career For Life, has already charted the progression of former IT networks expert Saf, who is now a trainee vehicle damage assessor, and Sophie who explained the support the received during her rise from Customer Liaison Advisor to Workshop Controller in a male-dominated environment.

The teaser video offers a glimpse into the development of other team members who will feature later in the series.

Founder and CEO Andrew Walsh said: “It was very difficult to decide who to include in the series as every role is an essential cog in the wheel. So we’ve been as diverse as possible from newer recruits to long servers as well as home workers and the benefits of flexible working which we, as a company, have promoted for many years.”

Click here to watch the preview.

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

ARC360 sets out webinARC schedule for 2022

ARC360 has set out its webinARC schedule for 2022 with key industry themes forming the basis of the monthly discussions.

Each 45-60 minute session aims to tackle a core thread common throughout the industry and glean input from a variety of stakeholders in order to continue to promote ARC360’s core ethos of ‘gaining ground together’.

Sessions are available to register now by clicking on the image or the linked text.

Details of individual sessions (subject to change) and participants will be added closer to the time of the event.

REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW
REGISTER NOW

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

Gemini joins 5% Club

Gemini ARC – ARC360’s first Repairer Associate – has become a gold member of the 5% Club, an industry-led campaign that aims to support the careers of young people across the country.

To be a member, a minimum of five per cent of the total workforce must be on ‘earn as you learn’ schemes such as apprenticeships, trainee courses or graduate schemes, while an Employer Audit determines whether a company has met the criteria for a Bronze, Silver or Gold Status.

Gemini, which collected its award at the House of Lords earlier this month, is pleased to announce that it is exceeding the criteria figure for a gold membership, with a massive 14% of the workforce being apprentices.

Dave Sargeant, Gemini ARC Managing Director, said, “We’re delighted to become part of the 5% Club.  As an employer, we recognise how important it is to support young talent. We currently have 90 apprentices on board, and they are a key part of our talented group of people. We continue to recruit apprenticeships each year in partnership with Emtec Colleges and are currently looking to invest into further learning and development schemes. We have several up-coming stars in our industry who are all on apprenticeships, we also have many managers and heads of departments who all started out as apprentices, and therefore at Gemini we recognise the importance of learning schemes and investing in young talent.” 

Mark Cameron OBE, Chief Executive at The 5% Club, said, “It is fantastic that in these challenging times, so many companies are able to commit to the Employer Audit and gain credit for their efforts, and that the majority are striving to expand their schemes over the coming years. Their efforts and achievements are to be applauded.”  

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

Motofix adds EVs to LV-approved sites

Motofix Group has strengthened its partnership with LV= GI by introducing electric vehicles to its LV= GI approved sites.

The announcement underpins Motofix’s recognition of hybrid and electric vehicles as a key factor for change in the industry over the coming months and years.

Motofix Group’s Chairman Richard Tutt said: “We believe the changes already underway prior to the pandemic will happen more quickly, with particular emphasis on the switch to electric and autonomous vehicles. Those that are equipped to handle the complexity of modern vehicle design will be best positioned to service future repair demand and we embraced EV learning early on, with some of our technicians being the first to be trained on this changing technology in the UK.”

Michael Golding, LV= Network Manager added: “Motofix has always been a proactive partner for us and these additions to their courtesy car fleet is testament to our shared vision of what we need to offer to our policyholders. It is clear that electric vehicles are going to play a big part in the future of motoring in the UK and it’s vital that we recognise our customers needs and have mobility solutions that are aligned to their own eco-friendly approach to owning a car.”

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

WhatCar nominations unveiled

The nominations for the WhatCar? 2022 Innovation Award have been revealed, with electric vehicles and innovative safety solutions being recognised.

The awards honour automotive companies that have pushed the boundaries of vehicle technology or significantly refined existing solutions to make driving easier, safer and kinder to the environment.

Among those vying for the title is BMW’s Head-Up Display for its new iX range, Hyundai’s Blindspot View Monitor, and a step-change in ‘vehicle-to-everything’ (V2X) communication – which enables vehicles to communicate with their environment and each other – from Ford and Vivacity. Also in the running is a pioneering forecourt concept for EV charging stations from British company Gridserve, and a significant innovation in fast-charging technology from Hyundai.

Matthew Avery, Chief Research Strategy Officer at Thatcham Research, which is sponsoring the awards, said: “With the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicle sales on the horizon, the automotive sector continues to respond with a wealth of innovations to help pave the way for the successful adoption of electric vehicles. Developments in assisted driving technology and refinements in the human-vehicle Interface are also gaining momentum this year.”

The winner and two runners-up, to be selected by a panel of experts from Thatcham Research and What Car?, will be announced at an awards ceremony next month.

The nominations are: BMW (HUD for the iX8 range); Ford and Vivacity (RoadSafe project); Gridserve (all-electric forecourts); Hyundai (blindspot view monitor); and Hyundai (fast-charging).

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

ARC360 News Round-Up: Friday 17 December 2021

Register now

Wednesday 26 January 2022 – 1.30pm

In this webinARC we explore the key themes of sustainability across the industry to discover just what it means to different operations – from large corporates through to independent businesses –at this current time.

Changing data sends mixed signals

ARC360 hosted its final webinar of 2021 this week, when panellists examined the ever-evolving data and its impact on the automotive incident repair sector.

Taking part in the ‘The Data Jigsaw 2’ were Jordan Chinn, Network Manager, Innovation Group; Andrew Eade, Head of AD Strategy and Development, First Central; and Paul Sell, Associate Director, Trend Tracker.

Green parts partnership wins national award

Recognised for their partnership excellence, The Green Parts Specialists and Ageas Insurance have won the commercial category at the MRW National Recycling Awards.

Ian Hill, MD of Hills Salvage & Recycling and The Green Parts specialists said, “To win the award within such a tough category of finalists was an amazing outcome and testament to our successful partnership with Ageas Insurance to drive positive environmental change.”

Has Covid changed the job market forever?

Of all the profound industry changes brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the effects on human resources may yet turn out to be the most impactful.

Our work/life balance is one thing that has certainly shifted – for the better – but perhaps less recognised is how the pandemic could revolutionise recruitment and, over time, the entire workforce demographic.

Fix Auto UK achieves 5,000 reviews

Fix Auto UK is on course to receive more than 20,000 customer reviews from Trustpilot by the end of 2023 after passing the 5,000 milestone in little more than a year since joining the platform.

Its network has received a collective rating of ‘excellent’ from the reviews so far received.

Bodyshop sector ‘a massive opportunity’

In a market primed for further consolidation, Richard Steer, Chief Executive of Steer Automotive, has highlighted one of the key mistakes he believes business owners make in their expansion strategies.

Speaking to attendees at the ARC360 Back to the Future event held at the British Motor Museum, he said it was all too common to see organisations grow externally before their internal resources are in place.

He said, “One of the biggest problems people have with buy and build or consolidation strategies is they are always playing catch up. They are always buying business and then find they don’t have enough staff and resource in the right areas.”

From FNOL to ENOL

Motor repairs and claims have evolved beyond all recognition as more technology has entered the market. Predicting where the sector will go next is no easy task but that was the challenge of a panel debate held at the ARC360 Back to the Future conference and exhibition held at the British Motor Museum late in November.

Taking part in the debate were Claire Hart, National Sales Manager, Entegral; Dean Lander, Head of Repair Sector, Thatcham Research; and Neil Joslin, Chief Operating Officer, e2e Total Loss Vehicle Management.

GT Motive signs data deal with Cazoo

GT Motive has announced a new partnership with Cazoo Data Services to provide users with free access to ombudsman approved total loss valuations.

GT Motive will now automatically retrieve Cazoo Data Services’ valuation and publish it into its total loss worksheet, helping claim handlers access the information required to assess a total loss from within GT Global.

Insurers braced for Covid consequences

If motor insurers got off lightly during the pandemic as a result of reduced motor claims, the likelihood is that 2022 will be provide them with a significantly tougher test.

That was the verdict of a presentation entitled, ‘What the data says’, delivered by Paul Sell, Associate Director of Trend Tracker, during the ARC360 Back to Future event held at the British Motor Museum.

Covea secures ICS hat-trick

The Institute of Customer Services has renewed Covéa’s accreditation with Distinction for Personal Lines, making the insurers the first and only ICS member to hold three simultaneous ServiceMark Accreditations with Distinction, the highest level of accreditation the Institute offers.

Covéa also holds Distinction accreditation for Commercial Lines.

Tech can clear motor insurers’ blind spot

Insurers have been challenged to leverage technology to improve customer service – but not in the way they might think.

While the industry is alive to the benefits tech can offer in areas such as FNOL, claims handling and fraud detection, it has perhaps overlooked the fact that, increasingly, they will not be judged by policyholders on their own actions but by those of their suppliers.

One direct result of greater automation coming into the claims journey is that a policyholders’ first human interaction is likely to be with a company in the insurer’s supply chain. What data they have and how efficient they are will directly effect the customer’s opinion of the insurer itself.

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

Changing data sends mixed signals

ARC360 hosted its final webinar of 2021 this week, when panellists examined the ever-evolving data and its impact on the automotive incident repair sector.

Taking part in the ‘The Data Jigsaw 2’ were Jordan Chinn, Network Manager, Innovation Group; Andrew Eade, Head of AD Strategy and Development, First Central; and Paul Sell, Associate Director, Trend Tracker.

The first topic of concern was volumes, and while Jordan said Innovation Group is reporting 95-98% claims volumes on pre-pandemic levels and Andrew said First Central was seeing about 92% of claims frequency, both agreed that the impact of the government’s recent decision to initiate Plan B in the battle to calm the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has yet to materialise.

Paul suggested any affects would not be felt until the new year.

He said, “Normally severe weather in winter means increased frequency, but that’s not likely this year with reduced travel as a result of the restrictions. So we aren’t going to see the volumes we’d expect in a typical January and February. They may drop back into the 80%s and then pick up again from March.”

Relief

However, the absence of the traditional uptick in work may actually come as a relief to the sector, which is struggling to process the jobs it already has.

Jordan said a lack of staff and parts is having a negative effect on capacity, although of greater concern now is the lack of mobility options. With car production severely dented by the pandemic, fewer vehicles have come to market, which in turn has placed a substantial strain on the availability of courtesy cars.

Andrew agreed, saying, “The issues stopping new car production aren’t going away and we’re now in a situation where the number of new vehicles being produced isn’t enough to satisfy demand. We need to work differently because supplying mobility will be a challenge going forward.”

One option put forward by Paul was asking customers, many of whom are now working from home, whether they would be prepared to go without a replacement vehicle while their car is being repaired.

“It’s an option,” said Jordan, who emphasised the need for more collaboration throughout the supply chain to overcome current challenges. “We need to understand the needs of the customer.”

Costs

Meanwhile, the sector is also facing the same difficult conditions that are affecting all industries. Costs across the board are going up; inflation is now at a 10-year high and will continue to increase well into next year, energy and gas prices are rising, while parts and labour are also becoming more expensive to procure.

On top of all this, the repair sector must adapt to the continued change taking place within the car parc. In 2019 traditional internal combustion engines made up 92% of new registrations. Last year that proportion dipped to 64%, with battery-powered vehicles comprising 36% of new sales, and by 2023 Paul predicts that ratio to have completely reversed, with EVs accounting for almost two thirds of sales.

He said, “Everything in the macro environment is changing. Nothing is stable. It is exciting place to be but also very challenging.”

Addressing the rise of EVs and a wide range of other sustainability questions, ARC360 will return with its next webinARC on 26 January 2022.

ARC360 would like to thank its Corporate Partners BASF, BMS, CAPS, Copart, Emacs, Entegral, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Innovation Group, Mirka, Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance, S&G Response, and Sherwin Williams as well as Partners asTech, The Green Parts Specialist, Indasa and Prasco.

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

Fix Auto UK achieves 5,000 reviews

Fix Auto UK is on course to receive more than 20,000 customer reviews from Trustpilot by the end of 2023 after passing the 5,000 milestone in little more than a year since joining the platform.

Its network has received a collective rating of ‘excellent’ from the reviews so far received.

Managing Director Ian Pugh, said: “This is an incredible milestone in which each and every franchise partner has played a pivotal role in achieving. We work tirelessly to ensure we provide an industry-leading customer service. It’s been a tumultuous 12 months clouded by uncertainty and yet, despite everything, we can now unequivocally state Fix Auto UK delivers an exemplary service literally reinforced by 5,000 customer reviews with an overall rating of excellent.”

He added, “We partnered with Trustpilot knowing full well we were exposing ourselves to the public but we did so with full confidence our franchise partners would constantly deliver and they have. Every online review provides an open and honest picture of how our partners deliver their services and are laid bare for all to see.”

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

Market Intelligence: Wednesday 15 December 2021

Market-Intel-15-December-2021

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners

Tech can clear motor insurers’ blind spot

Insurers have been challenged to leverage technology to improve customer service – but not in the way they might think.

While the industry is alive to the benefits tech can offer in areas such as FNOL, claims handling and fraud detection, it has perhaps overlooked the fact that, increasingly, they will not be judged by policyholders on their own actions but by those of their suppliers.

One direct result of greater automation coming into the claims journey is that a policyholders’ first human interaction is likely to be with a company in the insurer’s supply chain. What data they have and how efficient they are will directly effect the customer’s opinion of the insurer itself.

Important

Byron McGill, Change, Innovation and Technology Lead, Supply Chain, UKGI Claims, Aviva, said, “The role of the supplier is becoming increasingly important. They say the first person the customer deals with face-to-face sets their impression of the overall claim, but as claims gets more and more digital, it is common now that someone in the supply chain is not just the first face-to-face person the customer talks to, but the first actual person.

“That person needs to have the right information to hand to provide a good service, and technology is critical in enabling that. So collaboration and connectivity is going to be even more important, because no matter how much automation is built into the process there will always be a person there at the end of the journey. And that is the person the customer will remember.”

Attitudes

While insurers and the supply chain alike proved their agility when Covid-19 struck and forced new ways of working, Byron, who spent the first part of his career in retail supply chain, believes there is still plenty of room for innovation within existing relationships.

He said, “Most of the original thinking comes from the tech start-ups. That’s a bit disappointing. There would be lots of opportunity in marrying the thinking from the tech companies with the more practical knowledge of the traditional supply chain, but you have to want it to work.”

Byron said he is fortunate at Aviva to be with a company that is open to new initiatives, and in Solus, its wholly-owned network of repairers, it has the perfect innovation partner.

Apart from testing new processes and technologies with them, Solus also affords Aviva a more granular insight into the component parts of vehicle repair, particularly as new technologies like electric vehicles come to market.

Byron said, “That’s important to feed back into our underwriting. It helps us work out costs and establish where we are going to place our risks. Having all motor repair expertise sitting under the Solus banner also supports our ability to develop young talent through apprentice programmes.”

Future

Looking forward, Byron said he sees the two greatest disruptors on the horizon being the way data from damaged vehicles is used and the environment.

He said, “There will be a massive increase in the amount of data we get from vehicles telling us what’s happened to them. But it’s more about what we do with that data. We need to harness it to get a live insight into the claims journey so we can make instant decisions. That data is all in different places now, but the moment it comes together it will be a huge disrupter.

“As for the ESG agenda, I think we’re at the tip of the iceberg. There is serious change coming in this space. Green parts and a circular economy is just the start, and I don’t think we know where this will go.”

Byron was addressing delegates at the ARC360 Back to the Future conference and exhibition, which was held at the British Motor Museum in November.

ARC360’s Back to the Future event was supported by Corporate Partners BASF, BMS, CAPS, Copart, Emacs, Entegral, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Innovation Group, Mirka, Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance, S&G Response, and Sherwin Williams as well as Partners asTech, The Green Parts Specialist, Indasa and Prasco UK.

More Insights

ARC360 News – Friday 2 May 2025

Bodyshop | Environment | Finance | Insurance | Mobility | People | Salvage | Supplier | Technology | Training | Vehicle Repair | vehicle sales | Words

02-05-2025

GT Motive Enhances Commitment to Accuracy, Accessibility and Transparent Pricing

Bodyshop | Finance | Mobility | People | Supplier | Technology | Vehicle Repair | Words

02-05-2025

Silverlake powers up with Team BRIT

Bodyshop | Environment | Mobility | People | Supplier | Vehicle Repair | Words

30-04-2025

Corporate Partners

Partners

REPAIRIFY

Associate Partners