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In our next webinARC – Wednesday 6 October – we talk partnerships and explore how repairers and insurers are working together to tackle some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. Featuring: Michael Golding, Network Manager, LV= & Andrew Walsh, Founder & CEO, AW Repair Group.
Ben boosts support for younger generations
Automotive charity Ben has launched a new range of programmes on SilverCloud, its digital mental health and wellbeing platform, specially tailored to help younger automotive people aged 16 years+.
Free for anyone who works, or has worked, in the automotive industry – including new apprentices – SilverCloud gives people round the clock access to tools that can help them to better manage their mental health and wellbeing.
S&G achieves gold standards
S&G Response has achieved the IIP Gold Standard for a third consecutive time, as well as joined the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), the professional body for customer service.
IIP’s anonymous survey results showed 100% of employees agreed that the organisation has clear values; 99% think people’s behaviour reflects their values; and 99% feel trusted to make decisions in their roles.
The ICS partnership highlights S&G’s commitment to customers as it works towards the next goal of obtaining the ServiceMark.
Nick Stone, S&G Operations Director, said, “A diverse and structured approach to career paths, training and education within the business helps us to improve daily.”
Thatcham Research doubles apprentice intake for 2021
Thatcham Research has two major intakes of new starters planned in the Autumn, with over 150 much-needed apprentices set to join the programme this year.
The first 35 apprentices started on Monday 27 September, followed by a second group which is due to start at the end of November.
Against a backdrop of an ever-widening skills gap, the redesigned apprenticeship programme has been well received by major employers such as Solus, Activate Group, AW Repair Group and many others who have identified the need for apprentices to resolve the skills crisis.
Copart adds to services and achieves global standards
Copart has added a new Fire Scenes Examination offering to its list of integrated value-added services, helping insurer customers to identify potentially fraudulent claims.
The additional service is performed onsite at one of Copart’s nationwide Operation Centres and follows Copart’s ATA/VDA/AQP qualified engineers’ completion of bespoke Fire Scenes Examination training, delivered by private forensic provider, Prometheus Forensic Services.
Meanwhile, for the third consecutive year, Copart UK has achieved re-accreditation to the CCA Global Standard, a globally recognised framework that assesses the reliability and effectiveness of customer service operations.
Motofix creates unique traineeship
Motofix Group has created what it believes to be a unique traineeship for its vehicle repair business – the Automotive Business Trainee.
The group is recruiting motivated young people to join as Automotive Business Trainees who will develop skills and knowledge in Parts, VDA and Customer Service.
Vehicle ownership more important than ever
Vehicle ownership (buy/lease) is more important than ever, according to the Cox Automotive 2021 Evolution of Mobility Study.
This is a dramatic shift from Cox Automotive’s research in 2018, which signaled that consumer acceptance of alternative shared mobility solutions would begin to supplement traditional vehicle ownership if costs and accessibility of ride-hailing, car-sharing and subscription services were comparable.
While ownership will continue to reign for now, consumers still plan to use different transportation methods as their secondary mode of getting from Point A to Point B. Moreover, a post-pandemic bounce-back is expected according to the study, with consumers surveyed still eager to embrace alternative ownership in the future.
Aviva invests £10m in start-up programme
Aviva has announced a £10 million investment and a five year extension to its innovation partnership with Founders Factory to support new start-ups in the UK.
Founders Factory is a global venture studio and accelerator that was co-founded by Brent Hoberman and Henry Lane Fox in 2015. Since its inception, over 200 businesses have been created and accelerated through the Founders Factory and have gone on to raise more than £400m in funding.
Aviva has been Founders Factory’s strategic partner in the FinTech sector since 2016. In the next phase of the partnership, Aviva and Founders Factory will support the growth of seven start-ups each year, selectively investing in entrepreneurs across a diverse range of backgrounds and with a varied range of skills.
Toyota’s Woven Planet acquires Renovo Motors
Woven Planet Holdings Inc, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation has acquired Renovo Motors Inc, a pioneering Silicon Valley-based automotive operating system developer.
Renovo develops specialised software, which will advance Woven Planet’s mission to enable the most programmable vehicles on the planet with Arene – Woven Planet’s open vehicle development platform – and realise its broader vision of ‘Mobility to Love, Safety to Live.’
The acquisition comes on the heels of further acquisitions made this year by Woven Planet building on its strategy to bring together world-class talent and expertise in automated driving technology, next-generation mapping, and vehicle operating systems.
Cazoo appoints European MD
Online car retailer, Cazoo has appointed Abhishek Roy as its European Managing Director.
Abhishek is a digital executive with 15 years’ management experience in European consumer technology businesses, with a particular focus in the automotive industry.
He will be responsible for the launch of Cazoo across Europe and will grow the current team of over 300 over the coming months as Cazoo executes on its European expansion with a planned launch in France and Germany before the end of this year.
ARC360 Special Feature: Winds of Change
The incident repair aftermarket is being buffeted by the winds of change. Technology is revolutionising the product, digitalisation is revolutionising the process of business, while the changing societal attitudes are impacting both customer behaviour and expectation.
It has always been true that the choices businesses make determine their future success; this is especially so when new technology is emerging, and in the last few decades there have been some colossal winners and losers.
