Covid 19 Archives - Page 2 of 16

Technology: the vehicle for change

1 April 2022

Bodyshop, Covid 19, Insurance, Mobility, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

Covid-19 has caused profound disruption across all sectors, but any anticipated slowdown in vehicle technology has not materialised. If anything, in the areas of electrification and ADAS particularly, the pace of progress appears only to have increased in the last two years.

Of course, vehicle technology encompasses a far broader remit than just these two areas and it’s fair to say that just about every aspect of the vehicle has been subject to recent change.

As Franco Iannotta, Bodyshop Development Manager at Volkswagen Group UK, said during the most recent ARC360 webinar, “I think steering and suspension are just about the only things that haven’t changed in the last 10-15 years.”

Significant impact

But while that is true, it’s also true that it is electric vehicles and ADAS that are having – and will continue to have – the most significant impact on the automotive aftermarket; an online poll held during the same webinar found that 69% of respondents said EVs were a ‘stand out’ issue and 40% said the same of ADAS.

Of these, the electrification of the car parc has provided the greatest shift since the pandemic struck. While EVs were a slow burn beforehand, demand has surged since 2020 and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported that, backed by industry investment of £10.8bn since 2011, there are now more than 140 different models available to UK consumers, with EVs accounting for one in six new cars sold.

Rule rather than exception

The growth of ADAS has been more consistent over a number of years, but a point is now being reached where ADAS-enabled vehicles are the rule rather than the exception to the rule. This will become true, literally, in July, when legislation is introduced mandating certain ADAS features in every new vehicle. These include intelligent speed assist, fatigue detector, emergency braking, rear camera, and lane departure warning.

To some degree the industry can claim to be ahead of the game here. In June 2020, at which point there were already 4.5 million ADAS-enabled vehicles in the UK, Thatcham Research worked with its insurer partners to develop the Insurance Industry Requirements (IRR), which established clear guidelines for the safe repair of these vehicles.

Richard Billyeald, Chief Technical Officer, Thatcham Research, said, “IRR brings clarity to repairers and enables the long-term sustainability of ADAS-equipped vehicles. No matter what model is being fixed, it’s essential that manufacturers’ technical specifications are met to reinstate ADAS features safely without compromising performance.”

Repairers

What does all this mean for repairers on the frontline though, who come face to face with these industry shifts before anyone else?

According to ARC360 Associate Partner and leading UK bodyshop group Gemini ARC, it means one thing above all else – training.

Dan Dillon, Technical Training and Development Co-ordinator, said, “The future is already here. We have seen an upsurge of both EVs and ADAS technology in our bodyshops; I’d even go as far as to say that at any one time most collision repairers will have a vehicle in for repairs with some form of ADAS fitted.”

The IRR provides repairers with the correct procedures to follow, but knowing what to do and being able to do it are not the same thing.

Dan said, “We have trained all our managers, VDA’s and technicians with the GQA Level 3 award in Understanding of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, and the technicians who carry out the calibrations have also achieved the Level 3 award for competence and understanding in the calibration of ADAS.”

He added that ADAS competency has also been added to Gemini’s multi-skilled apprenticeship programme to ensure the next generation of technicians is familiar with the technology from an early stage.

The same commitment has also been shown towards the safe handling of EVs. Gemini trains everyone from front of house to drivers in basic hybrid and EV awareness, while at least two technicians at each site are IMI Level 3 certified to handle hybrid and electric vehicles.

Again, as with ADAS, Gemini has future-proofed the business by adding Level 3 hybrid and EV training to its multi-skilled apprenticeship programme.

Risks

The level of investment required to reach these safety standards, both in terms of vehicle repair and protection for colleagues, is not insignificant. But nor are the risks.

ARC360 corporate partner Nationwide Vehicle Assistance provides collision recovery and storage management services to the sector. It believes the surge in EVs brings with it a substantial threat if skills and training does not keep up.

Jeff Mack, National Account Manager, NWVA, said, “In my opinion the industry is nowhere near ready for the dangers EVs can pose. The infrastructure is not there and recovery agents, dealers and bodyshops are all playing catch up.”

He believes there is a specific threat around the recovery of damaged EVs, especially if there is battery damage. He points out that a range of safety protocols must be adhered to in order make the vehicle safe, but is not convinced agents know or follow these steps. To bridge this gap, NWVA recently hosted its first ever EV Specialist Incident Management course at LJ Transportation. The IMI Level 3 accredited course is designed to equip selected personnel with the skills and knowledge to support operators on-scene.

The EVSIM course helps operators:

understand the risks of each fuel, including hydrogen cells, hybrid and lithium-ion
carry out an accurate risk assessment and decide on control measures
appreciate the insurance responsibility and liability
provide recovery and dismantling solutions

Jeff said, “Some people are still burying their heads in the sand. But I am delighted that we saw the writing on the wall over two years ago and are more ready than most.”

Calibration

Another area of potential risk is incorrect or inaccurate recalibration of sensors following an incident. While ADAS can be a force for good by improving driver safety and reducing collisions and motor claims, it can also be a hazard if recalibration is not carried out correctly.

Autoglass, which operates a fleet of more than 1,000 technicians who serve upwards of a million motorists each year, says that ADAS has completely changed the industry and that it is the responsibility of the aftermarket to ensure it has the skills to adapt. It places training front and centre of its ongoing strategy, but Neil Atherton, Sales and Marketing Director at Autoglass, warns that not all training is created equal.

He said, “We believe technicians need regular training and assessment to ensure they are kept abreast of the latest automotive technologies and how to correctly recalibrate the sensors. Some training programmes that are still used widely in the industry only require a one-off assessment which lasts for an entire lifetime. So a technician could have completed their training years ago and wouldn’t have been properly trained in how to recalibrate the latest technology.

“At Autoglass, technicians are put through the Institute of the Motor Industry accreditation, where technicians are reassessed every two to three years, to ensure that they are always up to date with the latest technology that is present in vehicles.”

Awareness

Interestingly, it’s not just the experts who are having to work hard to keep up. In many cases drivers themselves are either unaware or uneducated about the vehicle tech built into their cars, and either do not use the safety systems correctly or switch them off altogether.

Research from Autoglass found that less than half of drivers (48%) in the UK realise that ADAS sensors and cameras need to be recalibrated after a windscreen replacement. There are also numerous cases of drivers switching off this technology completely.

Neil continued, “We need to ensure drivers are educated on the benefits of the technology to ensure they keep them switched on and maximise the technology’s potential to reduce road accidents. Drivers turning off ADAS technology could also be a particular challenge for the insurance sector, as premiums may have been calculated based on the safety systems being turned on and active.”

Opportunities

However, while the implicit dangers of good technology badly used are very real, so too are the potential benefits of continued progress. Alongside driver safety and greater efficiency within repair, the available data can also revolutionise the insurance proposition and claims journey.

This is already happening with insurers and insurtechs collaborating on an ever-wider scale.

ThingCo, another motor corporate partner of ILC, provides just one example.

It has designed and developed Theo, a telematics device that works for both the insurance company and the policyholder by processing thousands of data points per second. This offers insurers valuable insights into driver behaviour, enabling them to understand risk in real-time, while in the event of a collision a full report detailing location, speed, intensity and liability is automatically sent to the claims centre.

This helps claims handlers understand exactly what has happened before even speaking to the customer.

Accurate understanding

James Bashford, Head of Business Development, said, “ThingCo’s smart FNOL process identifies high volume, low impact crashes which often present a fraud risk. The ability to accurately understand what’s happened in an accident before FNOL agents have talked to the customer allows the insurer to handle the claim in the most efficient way and avoid lengthy disputes.

“Meanwhile, a voice command activates using the device’s inbuilt microphone and speakers so that the customer can immediately confirm or deny the accident, reducing false alerts and putting insurers in much greater control. We identify exactly what has happened, establish if anyone is injured and needs emergency services or other services such as a hire car to get them home.

“In this way, our technology provides the ability to give honest customers the best accident service possible whether at fault or not, with the shortest possible key-to-key times.”

Future

Looking forward, it’s impossible to gauge where technology will go next, although the impacting factors on development can more easily be identified.

Harvesting data will remain paramount, and the debate around who owns that data and who has access to it will intensify, while every vehicle manufacturer in the world will have to develop zero-emission vehicles suited to a carbon neutral environment.

It’s been said before, but so vast and diverse are the challenges that no one company can face them alone. Establishing the right partnerships will go a long way to determining a company’s success or otherwise, but the technology is there for businesses with the right imagination and ambition.

James concluded, “The possibilities are exciting but still very much in their infancy. It can take time to gain consumer acceptance and, in our sector, insurers need to be willing to invest in the technology and offer incentives to help encourage adoption. That can be a leap of faith in a market known for being risk averse.”

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Under the microscope: business operations

2 March 2022

Covid 19, Environment, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

If strategy is the brains behind a business, then its operations and processes are the heart and lungs. That has never been more true than it is right now, in a working environment that have been bent completely out of shape by myriad influences.

Of course, Covid-19 is the obvious one, but the pandemic only added more change to an industry that was already changing beyond all recognition. In-car technology has been evolving for years, as has digitalisation; what Covid-19 did was accelerate these evolutions while adding to the mix fluctuating volumes, remote working, and changing consumer habits.

If ever a business needed to be flexible in both approach and process it is now.

Skills challenge

However, operations depend on the operator and more than anything else at the moment, finding and retaining the skills to steer through this perfect storm is the over-arching challenge of the day.

That was certainly the verdict of the recent ARC360 webinar, where panellists Harry Abraham, Operations Director, Halo ARC; Jeff Mack, National Account Manager, NWVA; Jane Pocock, Managing Director, Copart UK; and Robert McWilliams, Approved Repairer Vendor Manager, UKGI Claims, Zurich Insurance all agreed that the war for talent has never been more fierce.

Jeff said, “The challenge is attracting the right sort of people, especially when you can’t compete with what other industries are paying.”

In this feature, we pose six key questions to different sectors of the automotive aftermarket, to gain a valuable and wide-view insight into how the industry is adapting operations to remain viable and profitable in the midst of unheralded uncertainty.

How do you stand out from the competition?

Jane Pocock, Managing Director, Copart UK & Ireland: “Our nationwide operational capabilities remain unrivalled with 18 fully owned and connected operational sites, strategically positioned across the UK and Ireland. Spanning over 400 acres, our size and scale enables us to store over 100k vehicles at any one time and manage any peaks in demand through centrally controlled decisions. With robust emergency contingency plans in place, we have complete flexibility to divert vehicles, people, and operations quickly and easily to another Copart Operation Centre if needed.

“Our operational coverage enables us to process around 500k vehicles per annum, which means we can provide latent capacity and unrivalled Surge Management capabilities.

“We have a well-established emergency response strategy in place to rapidly recover and handle large volumes of vehicles following flooding or other extreme weather incidents. Our specialist Surge Management Team is always on standby to be deployed at short notice, using a wide range of mobile technology solutions to assess, image, and process vehicles on-site.

“Meanwhile, our continued investment into our transport fleet means we now have 400-plus owned and branded vehicles and 250-plus directly employed drivers to collect vehicles from policy holders’ homes. This means we are not reliant on a sub haul network.”

Kelvyn Waugh, Managing Director, Prasco: “We view ourselves as very much the David in the David vs Goliath story in the supply of replacement vehicle parts. We’re not the biggest provider of replacement parts in the UK but, through our modest team, we do offer what I believe to be an unrivalled personal service.

“We stock arguably the largest array of independently certified replacement parts in Britain today and because we are integral to Prasco’s Pan-European operation, based in northern Italy, our web of suppliers spans the planet.

“We have invested significantly and improved our procurement processes over the last year or so, a move which has increased our offering in terms of product line-up and efficiencies in getting the right products and high levels of stock 10-fold. Putting that into perspective, at any one time we have up to five shipping containers full of products heading our way and as every month passes, we are increasing our product numbers to levels we’ve not experienced before.”

How do you meet ever-changing customer demand?

Copart: “We will continue to make significant investment into land acquisition, and the extension and improvement of our existing Operation Centres to meet growing demand from our customers.

“For example, there are major expansion plans currently underway at Copart’s Bristol Operation Centre, with this location set to become a 63-acre ‘Super Centre’ for the South West by the end of the year. Works underway include areas for vehicles that require specialist handling, like EV’s, and contingency land in the event of catastrophes.

“There will also be brand-new vehicle preparation areas that will enable vehicle inspections, valeting, and 360-degree imaging – providing complete transparency to buyers at our patented online auctions.

“Of course, operational excellence is about more than physical land. It is also about maintaining outstanding customer service and we pride ourselves on having what we call an ‘always-on’ approach to this. A major contributor to this was the opening of our Customer Excellence Centre in Bedford in 2021, centralising our Claims Settlement, Customer Support Centre, Vehicle Engineering, and Operational Audit teams to support our ongoing growth and the changing needs of our customers.

“This has enabled us to provide our insurance partners with world-class end-to-end outsourced services and drive more returns for their vehicles.”

Prasco: “Put simply, investment. There’s not a single area of the business we have not invested significantly in over the past two or three years. We listen to what our customers want, react, and make sure we deliver on their expectations. A prime example is our deliveries. Not only have we increased our fleet and the number of drivers, but we have also bought in a live tracking system so we can precisely monitor every delivery.

“Then there’s our product range – this is an area where we have particularly grown. Since 1 January that area has seen a further 10% increase in part numbers and will continue to grow too. As we speak close on £80,000 in new racking is being installed to ensure we can safely and securely hold those ever-increasing items in store.

How do partnerships benefit your business and improve operations?

Copart: “Continuous collaboration with our partners and insurance customers is key. We’re continuously expanding the range of value-added services we offer and work closely with insurers to develop bespoke service solutions as and when required.

“We provide an extensive range of self-service online tools and portals, accessible 24/7, and a dedicated account management team, with availability to take calls outside of operating hours for any critical or emergency requirements.

“All of this is supported by our ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management Standard, which is just one of our ‘Super Six’ of ISO accreditations. This gives our customers, partners, and stakeholders an additional layer of reassurance that Copart is a robust and resilient company. There is no better example of this than the fact Copart continued to remain fully operational from the very beginning of the Covid pandemic, whereas many other companies closed their doors.

Prasco: “From a supply perspective we have a great web of close working partnerships right across Europe and in the Far East? It is solely down to these relationships that, even during the darkest days of Covid, we maintained and even increased our stock levels.

“I stay loyal to those we work closely with. While some will chase lower prices and chop and change their suppliers accordingly, I never have. For me, my driver to work with a supplier is the quality of the products they produce. That loyalty, which goes both ways, is a fundamental foundation behind our constant success and growth.

“From a work provision point of view, we work with all the key insurer and bodyshop groups in the UK and we are fully integrated with management systems.”

What is impacting on your operations at the moment and how you are tackling this?

Copart: “With an ever-growing UK Car Parc of electric and hybrid vehicles, we have focused on evolving our Operation Centres to support the requirements of these vehicle types by creating dedicated storage and handling areas.

“The specialist skills required to handle, recycle, and remarket EV’s means we must ensure that all our teammates who deal with them have the necessary expertise to work safely and competently. Therefore, we have made significant investment into EV training across our business, and since 2019 we have rolled out the IMI Level 2 qualification in Electric/Hybrid Vehicle Routine Maintenance.

“In 2021, we partnered with the IVR for a national roll out of the IVR VR27 Electric (EV) and Hybrid Vehicles training module to Copart UK drivers, and we are also implementing our unique and bespoke driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) module specifically around EVs with an external training provider.

“In addition, teammates based at our vehicle recycling and parts centre in York have also completed the IMI Level 3 Award in Electric/Hybrid Vehicle System Repair and Replacement.”

Prasco: “The main issue surrounding the industry at the moment is with the supply of parts and, while I admit it is challenging, our close working relationships with our suppliers, especially those in the Far East, ensure we’re able to manage ourselves though it.

“Our recent changes to our procurement processes now ensures we have steady flow of containers constantly arriving on site. Putting that into perspective, we have multiple containers arriving daily and then there’s our colleagues in northern Italy who dwarf our number of arrivals so, if we need supply and we haven’t got certain items, we pull parts from Turin. Crucially, our range increases and constantly evolves to meet the demands of repairers.

Ian Summers, Director, Summers Motors: “I’ve said numerous times over the last few years the biggest threat is not keeping up to date with training and equipment and not investing in the team. As the advancement in technology rapidly increases you have to be looking ahead or before you know it you are so behind it’s hard to repair accident damage correctly and safely.

“ADAS is the perfect example of how reactive our industry is. It has been on vehicles since the mid-2000s and still people are only just investing in the equipment and training.

“Also, with fluctuating volumes, I think it’s never been more important to be able to mix the size of your work and where it comes from. We are fortunate that we have such varied work providers and a lot of our own retail work. It’s so much easier to balance the workflow when you can book drivable vehicles in at a time when the workshop has the capability and the required replacement cars.”

What part does technology play in your operations?

Copart: “We are continually investing into new technology and systems and in the last 12 months alone we’ve launched our Virtual Vehicle Visits service, Vehicle Data and Virtual Queue products, 360 degree imaging, the Copart Transportation App, Owner Connect SMT SMS Service, and numerous upgrades to our patented live auction platform.

“We also have the ability to develop our own bespoke systems tailored to the needs of our insurance customers. This means the speed of implementation is incredibly unique.

“Unique to the motor claims industry is our innovative data-sharing technology, which enables total system integration between our operating system and our insurance customers’ claims systems.

“This allows us to interact digitally with insurers, from the point where a vehicle is deemed a total loss through every stage of the process until final settlement. The real-time data transfer provides our insurance customers with an efficient and seamless total loss claims process, greatly speeding up the journey and delivering significant benefits for their policy holders.

“Our Central Dispatch function also plays a major role in the process. It uses dynamic route schedule software to optimise the availability and location of our transporter fleet alongside real-time road data to plan the most effective routes. Investment in the latest connected telematics and cameras across our fleet also means optimal efficiency and significantly lower fuel consumption and emissions.”

Prasco: “We have invested heavily in tech over the last 18 months to improve our efficiencies. Amazon has long led the way for online shopping and its winning formula is a tracked, next-day, door-to-door delivery service. We have simply emulated that and now offer what we believe to be an industry-leading customer service ensuring that if an item is ordered before 5pm, it’s in a repairers’ hands the next day.

“We also use technology to provide an accurate ETA – if there are traffic problems the driver is automatically re-directed to ensure that promise is kept. We also provide photographic evidence that a product is delivered to ensure the repairer is able to manage each and every repair.

“We have also developed our own smartphone/tablet app, alongside an in-person sales team, that enables users to order direct from the shop floor.”

Summers Motors: “For many bodyshops, the most important technology is their management system. With cashflow a massive concern, monitoring parts and products is a must and ensuring you get them at the right time is critical so the repair can be completed and invoiced as quickly as possible.

“Also, by controlling the booking in process you can ensure you don’t have jobs, particularly driveable cars, on site until you have parts and mobility options available. At Summers, we managed this by requesting images of the job before we make any arrangements around repairs to minimise the disruption to the customer and shorten the repair cycle.

“Another benefit of having control of our workflow is that we can try and arrange booking dates for cars with similar colours and repairs, meaning they can be pushed through the workshop and ovens (painting multiple panels at once for example) in the most-time saving manner.”

How are you investing in your people to ensure continued operational excellence?

Copart: “The unique roles performed by Copart teammates, including claims management, engineering, and electric vehicle specialists, enabled us to remain operational throughout the pandemic, so we know how important it is to keep investing in training and development.

“With the electric revolution gathering pace, we’re pleased to say that across our engineering force over 40 Vehicle Damage Evaluators and industry qualified engineers have been certified with an IMI Level 2 qualification in Electric/Hybrid Vehicle Routine Maintenance.

“We have also supported over 120 Copart apprenticeships, including customer service, business administration, team leading, operations management, LGV driving, and vehicle damage assessment. We expect them to then share and integrate what they have studied to benefit our wider business.

“As mentioned, we have also adopted fully connected telematics and camera systems, which allows us to monitor driver behaviour and provide further training if needed.”

Prasco: “Having a fairly modest team enables us to work closely with everyone. In the past we have introduced various training programmes and initiatives, and recently we turned to our local chamber of commerce to identify areas where we can improve the team which will inevitably result in further training opportunities.”

More Insights

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16-04-2025

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14-04-2025

ARC360 News – Friday 11 April 2025

11-04-2025

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NBRA details repairer challenges

17 February 2022

Bodyshop, Car Rental, Covid 19, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Supplier, Vehicle Repair and Words

The body repair industry is ‘under a great deal of pressure from all sides’ according to the NBRA’s latest market update.

In the repairer market comment January 2022, Chris Weeks, director of the NBRA said detailed how repairers are ‘struggling’ with lead times being stretched.

He pointed to a recent survey of its members which estimates approx 100,000 damaged vehicles are currently waiting to be brought in for repairs. Across the market, driveable vehicles are taking over five weeks longer to get booked in than they were pre-pandemic.

The note lists and details six key areas contributing to the challenges:

Bodyshop staff shortages
Parts shortages and delays
Shortage of courtesy cars
Shortage and cost of rental
Shortage of cash (in some cases)
Payment delays

Chris said, “I think it is fairly evident we are in the midst of this now, and we only need one severe weather event in February or March to compound the issue further.

“If you have access to network management or FNOL, the message I am being urged to share is: Please set realistic expectations to customers at this time. Repairers are constantly being met by customers expecting in some instances to be booked in with a courtesy car in 24hrs. Right now, this is completely unrealistic.”

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Feature Interview: Kelvyn Waugh, Prasco UK

16 February 2022

Bodyshop, Covid 19, Insurance, People, Supplier, Technology, Training and Words

The supply of parts is now arguably the greatest single challenge facing the automotive incident repair aftermarket today. Here, we speak to Kelvyn Waugh, managing director of Prasco UK, to find out how he is investing in technology, training and partnerships to streamline operations and ensure service and deliveries to customers around the UK remains as efficient as ever.

How is Prasco different from other parts suppliers in the automotive industry?

We view ourselves as very much the David in the David vs Goliath story in the supply of replacement vehicle parts. We’re not the biggest provider of replacement parts in the UK but, with our modest team, we do offer what I believe to be an unrivalled personal service.

We stock arguably the largest array of independently-certified replacement parts in Britain today and because we are integral to Prasco’s Pan-European operation based in northern Italy, our web of suppliers spans the planet.

We have invested significantly and improved our procurement processes over the last year or so, a move which has increased our offering in terms of product line-up and efficiencies in getting the right products and high levels of stock tenfold.

Putting that into perspective, at any one time we have up to five shipping containers full of products heading our way and as every month passes, we are increasing our product numbers to levels we’ve not experienced before.

How are you evolving operations to meet the changing customer?

Put simply, investment. There’s not a single area of the business we have not invested significantly in over the past two or three years. We listen to what our customers want, react and make sure we deliver on their expectations.

A prime example is our deliveries. Not only have we increased our fleet and the number of drivers, but also technology around tracking. Customers want to know when parts are on their way so we bought in a live tracking system so we can precisely monitor every delivery.

Then there’s our product range – this is an area where we have particularly grown. Since 1 January alone that area has seen a further 10% increase in part numbers and will continue to grow too. As we speak, close on £80,000 in new racking is being installed to ensure we can safely and securely hold those ever-increasing items in store.

How do partnerships benefit your business and improve operations?

Massively. From a supply perspective we have a great web of close working partnerships right across Europe and beyond to the Far East. It is solely down to those relationships that, even during the darkest days of Covid-19, we maintained and even increased our stock levels. I stay loyal, too, to those we work closely with. While some will chase lower prices and chop and change their suppliers accordingly, I never have.

For me, my driver to work with a supplier is the quality of the products they produce. That loyalty, which goes both ways, is a fundamental foundation behind our constant success and growth.

From a work provision point of view, we work with all the key insurer and bodyshop groups in the UK and we are fully integrated with management systems.

What are the key factors in the market impacting your operations at the moment?

The main issue surrounding the industry at the moment is with the supply of parts and, while I admit it is challenging, our close working relationships with our suppliers, especially those in the Far East, ensure we’re able to manage ourselves through it.

Our recent changes to our procurement processes now ensures we have steady flow of containers constantly arriving on site. We have multiple containers arriving daily, and then there’s our colleagues in northern Italy who dwarf our number of arrivals so, if we need supply and we haven’t got certain items, we can always rest assured we can confidently pull parts from Turin. Crucially, our range increases and constantly evolves to meet the demands of repairers.

How is technology streamlining your operations?

In every way possible! It’s not so much about streamlining operations but making us as efficient as possible. We have invested heavily over the last 18 months in order to further improve our efficiencies. Amazon has long led the way for online shopping but its real winning formula surrounds its tracked, next day, door-to-door delivery service.

We have simply emulated that and now offer what we believe to be an industry-leading customer service ensuring that if an item is ordered before 5pm, it’s in a repairer’s hands the next day, as early as possible.

We now have the technology whereby we can provide the customer with an accurate ETA – if there’s traffic problems enroute, the driver is automatically re-directed where possible to ensure that promise is kept. If, for whatever reason there’s a problem the customer is instantly notified.

We also provide photographic evidence that a product is delivered and it’s all designed to ensure the repairer is able to precisely manage each and every repair.

While we will always offer an in-person sales team, we have developed our own smartphone/tablet App which we believe is the first and only in the industry that enables users to order precisely the parts they need direct from the workshop floor.

How are you investing in your people to maintain operational excellence?

Constant training. Having a fairly modest team enables us to work closely with everyone. In the past we have introduced various training programmes and initiatives, and only recently we turned to our local chamber of commerce to identify areas where we can improve the team which will inevitably result in further training opportunities.

More Insights

ARC360 Conference 2025: Unpacking the future of claims and collision repair

16-04-2025

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14-04-2025

ARC360 News – Friday 11 April 2025

11-04-2025

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Claims inflation expected to keep rising

11 February 2022

Bodyshop, Covid 19, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Supplier, Vehicle Repair and Words

Automotive claims inflation is expected to continue through 2022 at a similar rate to 2021.

This is according to DAC Beachcroft, a global provider of bespoke solutions to industries including insurance, healthcare and real estate.

It found that the drivers of inflation during 2021, such as a shortage of skills, parts disruption and higher energy costs, will continue to impact the market this year.

It pointed to data from Willis Towers Watson that put claims inflation at 6.1% for UK motor insurers during first half of 2021. The data also found that accidental damage had increased at the fastest rate ever over the last 18 months, surging by 8.2% during the first six months of 2021 and 8.4% in 2020.

However, DAC Beachcroft suggested that there were measures insurers could take to offset inflation.

For example, it urged insurers to build stronger relationships with its supply chain to ensure their partners had both the skills to repair vehicles safely and access to parts to repair them quickly.

It recommended using green, or recycled, parts to counter growing delays in the supply chain, pointing out their economic and environmental benefits.

It also warned insurers to be alert to repairers artificially inflating costs, with its own research finding that the practice of accepting roadworthy vehicles onsite while awaiting repair had risen 14% in the last 12 months.

More Insights

ARC360 Conference 2025: Unpacking the future of claims and collision repair

16-04-2025

Repair sector urged to act now to secure apprenticeship talents

14-04-2025

ARC360 News – Friday 11 April 2025

11-04-2025

Corporate Partners

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Associate Partners

ARC360 News Round Up: Friday 4 February 2022

4 February 2022

Bodyshop, Car Rental, Covid 19, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

Register now… webinARC: Operations

Wednesday 16 February – 13.30

In this webinARC we explore incident claims processes and repair operations by focusing on the five Ps – products, processes, plant, people and programmes – to try and piece together what the challenges and opportunities are from a variety of perspectives.

Featuring:

Harry Abraham, Operations Director, Halo ARC Ltd
Jeff Mack, National Account Manager, NWVA
Jane Pocock, Managing Director, Copart UK
Robert McWilliams, Approved Repairer Vendor Manager, UKGI Claims, Zurich Insurance plc

Feature interview: Terence Jackson, BASF

ARC360 caught up with Terence Jackson, Country Manager UK & Ireland – Automotive Refinish of Corporate Partner BASF to find out more about the organisations focus on sustainability and how it drives every area of the business.

DLG launches new £2m tech centre

Direct Line Group has launched a new £2m car technology centre in Birmingham that will focus on the development of new tools and training in new technologies such as ADAS.

Furthermore, as part of DLG’s commitment to tackling climate change, the new facility will also trial a range of new initiatives that could improve energy efficiency.

Volvo Car UK introduces free tyre and glass repair service

Volvo Car UK has introduced an industry-first free repair service covering both windscreen and tyre damage.

Where viable, Volvo retailers will provide a free puncture or windscreen chip repair on Volvo cars of any age, helping to get owners safely back on the road again as soon as possible.

Aftersales market facing £1.3bn shortfall

A new report has warned that falling car sales could result in a £1.3bn shortfall in aftersales revenues over the next four years.

The study, carried out by REALtime Communications, found that new registrations fells by 1.8 million in the past three years and that will deprive the aftersales sector £1.3bn in service revenues alone between now and 2026.

AW Group releases latest docuseries episode

AW Group has published part five of its docuseries highlighting the success stories of its team.

Group Support and Customer Relations Manager Lorren Bristow is in the spotlight in the latest episode of the A Career for Life series.

A bridge too far for CV fleets

C&C Vehicle Services has revealed that bridge strikes are among the most common and costly accidents faced by commercial fleet operators, with about 2,000 occurring each year. It found that vehicle and structural repairs average £13,500 per incident, with passenger compensation adding another £13m per year to the bill.

The findings were published in a report examining the most common commercial vehicle accident repairs in the UK.

Hydrogen takes off at Teesside Airport

Teesside Airport has introduced its first refuelling station for hydrogen-powered vehicles. The instalment is part of a £2.5m trial taking place in Tees Valley and will initially support two Toyota Mirai vehicles and a hydrogen fuel cell powered forklift truck.

The refuelling station follows the announcement in September 2020 that the UK’s first Hydrogen Transport Hub would be situated in Tees Valley.

Walter joins FMG team

Rhys Walters has been named as new FMG Repair Services Senior Regional Manager for the South East. He was previously Operations Manager at AD Williams and held a similar role at Halo ARC before that.

He said, “It’s a pleasure to be joining such a great company and team at an exciting time in the company’s growth and I look forward to utilising past experience to provide advice and support as we continue to advance.”

Marshmallow broadens service offering

Marshmallow is offering new customers three types of breakdown cover after signing a new partnership with the AA.

Following the deal, it is now able to offer policyholders different levels of cover, from roadside assistance to national recovery to European cover, which also includes alternative travel and emergency accommodation.

Sustainability: going green is only half the answer

Sustainability today has come to represent the environment first and foremost, but achieving true sustainability – in a business sense – means the success of many different functions.

Sustainability: going green is only half the answer

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Sustainability: going green is only half the answer

4 February 2022

Bodyshop, Covid 19, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

Sustainability today has come to represent the environment first and foremost, but achieving true sustainability – in a business sense – means the success of many different functions.

Essentially, sustainability means operating your business in a way that is viable and future-proof. This incorporates human resources, finance, the supply chain and, yes, the environment. In today’s climate – meant both literally and metaphorically – that means introducing a raft of ‘green’ measures with the long-term objective of achieving net zero. Legislation demands it, customers demand it, and in many cases, employees demand it.

Commercial ramifications

The commercial ramifications of ignoring this are severe, with the likelihood of financial penalties for failing to meet targets coupled with a loss of business coming from both ends of the supply chain; large organisations won’t work with you if you fail to meet their environmental standards, and consumers will go elsewhere if you do not demonstrate ethical business practices.

This is even more relevant after COP26, when it was announced that by 2023 all publicly listed companies and financial institutions must publish plans detailing how they will meet the UK’s 2050 net zero target. This does not just impact them, but all the companies they do business with.

Environmental specification

As such, the number or companies in the automotive incident repair aftermarket sector that have achieved the new environmental specification, PAS 2060, is rising, and many more are on now on the journey.

Supported by ECA Energy, one of the UK’s leading repairer groups that has established itself in this space, AW Repair became the first bodyshop group in the UK to achieve PAS 2060 accreditation across its entire network almost a year ago now. While, independent repairer -Coachworks Renovations – emphasised its own green credentials last month by adding the PAS 2060 standard to the Gold Award it won at the NBRA Greener Bodyshop Awards.

Meanwhile, LV=, in many ways a standard bearer among insurers for ethical working, is committing huge resources to support its repair network achieve PAS 2060; to date more than half have already done so or are on their way to doing so.

For many, PAS 2060 represents an environmental badge they can hold up to the market to prove that that they are on board with the wider journey towards sustainability. In a nutshell, it measures an operation’s commitment to an ongoing process of reducing emissions on site, in its daily operations, and throughout its supply chain.

Marginal gains

Achieving this is no small task and addressing it in its entirety can risk overwhelming business owners into immobility, but by taking a multi-faceted approach and identifying many small areas of improvement, the marginal gains will add up to more than the sum of their parts.

Charlotte Burnige, company secretary at Coachworks Renovations (CWR), said, “As part of PAS 2060 we have to reduce our carbon footprint by five per cent a year. But we want to smash that target and we’re looking at things we can improve across our entire business.”

Introducing an electric fleet is something for the future – EVs remain price prohibitive for many businesses still – but CWR has secured its own fleet, including two hybrid vehicles, to reduce cost, logistics and emissions.

Meanwhile, in another areas of its business, it is analysing waste disposal with the aim of halving the amount it sends to landfill. This might sound like a complex challenge, but CWR is not trying to reinvent the wheel here. Instead, it will appoint a dedicated member of staff whose primary function will be separating waste, enabling much more to be recycled.

Partnerships

In many ways, this small initiative is the environmental challenge in microcosm, as it highlights that mindset and culture can be every bit as effective as technology and investment.

But while this is something CWR is doing independently, many of its other ‘green initiatives’ are the result of partnerships. Charlotte praised Ageas for sparking an environmental debate with them many years ago and was also full of admiration for the work LV= is doing on this area, particularly through its Green Heart Standard.

“Partnerships are so important to us,” she said. “Bodyshops are often such busy places that you don’t always get chance to find out about new initiatives that could make a real difference, so we welcome conversations with other industry stakeholders.

“For example, BASF got in touch with us after we won the NBRA Greener Bodyshop Award. They said that our environmental approach aligned with theirs and asked us if we’d like to try their new line of eco-friendly paints. We always had a relationship with them, but it’s a lot stronger now.”

Responsibility to protect

Terence Jackson, Country Manager UK & Ireland, Automotive Refinish, BASF, said, “We want to live up to our responsibility for climate protection and we are committed to the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement. One way we do this is with our products, which enable our customers to lower CO₂ emissions. With our new waterborne basecoat line we are exceeding all global VOC requirements. We are pioneering with a VOC value <250g/l, which is 40% below solvent limit.

“But not only is this especially environmentally friendly, at the same time it is highly efficient for our customer’s processes. Another example is our bio-mass balance certified clear coats, for whose production we use renewable feedstock, allowing our customers to reduce their CO₂ emissions in the bodyshop. When our customers are successfully reducing CO₂emissions, that’s what success looks like for us.”

Green parts

Perhaps one of the more ‘keenly debated’ areas of environmental sustainability is the use of green parts in repair. In many mature markets, America and Australia for example, the use of recycled parts is fairly commonplace. However, the UK is lagging some way behind. In some ways this is a positive – it means there is scope for improvement. But not everyone agrees the market is ready to take the necessary steps.

In fact, even the terminology is contentious. An ILC roundtable event last November held in association with e2e Total Loss Vehicle Management suggested that ‘alternative parts’ would be a more accurate description, while Wayne Mason-Drust, Managing Director, Accident Express, said that green parts should instead be called recycled or reclaimed original equipment (ROE) parts.

“How green is green, really?” he asked, “I’m not sure people fully understand sustainability and what it looks like. We have a perception of what is sustainable, but there is far more to consider.”

Environmental and economic

Regardless of what they’re called, the argument for use more often is both environmental and economic. According to Joe March, Head of Commercial & Network Management, SalvageCo, which is part of the Hills Group of companies, green parts are about 55% cheaper than their OEM equivalents and, as a result of Covid and Brexit, they are often much easier to secure.

He said, “I think many repairers had to embrace green parts faster than they might have done without Brexit and Covid, but they’ve not looked back. We work with about 300 repairers now and their engagement and trust in us is better than ever. Often we’re able to deliver parts faster than they could get OEM parts so it doesn’t affect their key-to-key times, and because of the price it makes them commercially more viable.

“It’s not rocket science. We have invested heavily to ensure that we can deliver quality green parts at the time we say we will across the length and breadth of the country. It’s really as simple as that.”

Supply

If that’s the case, then why is the UK so far behind other markets in their usage? Supply of parts is one factor, and that is the result of the large gap between salvage and repair. Closing that gap and getting the two sectors to work together would, argued the roundtable, ‘see greater numbers of reclaimed parts stripped from total losses re-entering the market.’

It said that insurers have a key role to play in achieving this, and insisted that, ‘huge investments have been made in the supply chain.’

Joe agreed with that, but only up to a point. He suggested that while some insurers have recognised the benefits of green parts and forged strong and mutually-beneficial relationships with salvage companies, not everyone is on the same page yet.

“Some insurers are really trying to adopt the use of green parts in repair, and we’ve proven with those who work with us that there are massive gains to be made, but if the wider industry also wants the benefits, and it says it does, then it needs to give us the cars to salvage. To provide parts we need access to the vehicles.”

Attitudes

Consumer appetite for recycled parts may be another factor slowing their uptake, although many now believe the public is more receptive to ethical business practices than ever before. To kick-start the market, Wayne wondered if insurers could offer new customers a choice between one policy using new parts and a second sustainable policy using ROE parts, which would inevitably be cheaper.

He said, “People say they are concerned about the environment, but the real driver is always cost.”

In principle, the previously referenced roundtable agreed too with this sort of pricing transparency, but raised concerns about marketing ‘green motor policies’ and then being unable to fulfil them if demand outstripped supply.

“However, with many motor policy wordings allowing for the use of ‘alternative parts’, there seems sufficient capacity in the sector to allow reclaimed parts to become 10-20% of the parts used in repairing vehicles,” suggested one attendee.

Making a profit

But while the green parts debate rumbles on, businesses still need to make a profit because if they are not sustainable economically they will not survive long enough to enact any new planet-saving initiatives.

Speaking during ARC360’s first webinar of 2022, Stuart Sandell, assistant vice president – sales, UK & Ireland, Enterprise Holdings, said, “Sustainability can be applied to a lot of different areas, but in some ways economic sustainability has never been more important as we work through the pandemic.”

Much has been made of falling volumes when Covid-19 struck and lockdowns were imposed, with repair jobs nosediving by 80% overnight in some cases, leading to a market contraction of £1.3bn in 2020 alone.

Aftermath

Although this has, to a great extent righted itself, levels are not expected to ever return to what they were pre-pandemic, while repairers are now dealing with an equally devastating aftermath.

With factories closing around the world, supply of parts and materials ground to a standstill for months on end. The market is still playing catch-up, but supply disruption is set to continue through 2022 and deep into 2023.

For repairers, this means longer repair times, increased costs, and escalating key-to-key times. Although an extreme example of this, Wayne pointed to one job that is currently going through his workshop. It arrived in the autumn and, due to delays in the supply chain, won’t be completed until the spring. All told, a job that on paper appears routine will take nearly nine months, and he will have to pay the insurance provider £800 for the privilege of doing it.

Many repairers, and the NBRA, have called for greater support from the insurance industry during this period, and while some insurers have enhanced their reputations others continue to offer labour rates that make it next to impossible for bodyshops to survive today let alone invest in tomorrow.

Working only with preferred partners would be the dream scenario, but for many the reality is they have to accept these rates in order to meet fixed costs.

“Without investment from the supply chain,” one anonymous repairer said, “I don’t see the situation improving.”

Employment

The harsh financial environment is also a contributing factor in the inability of the aftermarket to attract top talent. The skills shortage is well-known and the pandemic has only exacerbated it – not just in the automotive incident repair sector, but across all industries, meaning the war for fresh skills is more intense than ever.

However, while salaries for established, experienced technicians might be competitive, the industry will continue to face an uphill battle attracting young people as long as apprenticeship wages remain lower – sometimes 50% lower – than those offered to supermarket shelf stackers.

Charlotte said, “The industry isn’t attractive to young people. We’ve been advertising for paint staff for months and months, and only had three applicants, none of whom were skilled.”

Instead, CWR is promoting from within and working with AutoRaise to bring in apprentices. Aware of the significant drop off rates though, it will also work with its senior technicians to develop a culture of apprentice engagement by building mentoring into allocated job times.

Their challenge is one that is being repeated across the sector.

Training and retaining

Accepting that technology within vehicles is changing and the skills required to work on them is having to change accordingly, training has become ever-more critical in terms of carrying out safe repairs and retaining staff.

It costs an average of £12,000 to replace a colleague and with so few skills out there, the first rule of securing a workforce for tomorrow must be protecting the one you have today.

Gary Fay, chief executive of Identifi Group, said, ‘Culture is everything. If you create a sense of loyalty and belonging, and if you reward your staff properly, why would they leave? You’re going to have to grow your own talent, and that means patience and investment, but short-termism has been a problem in this industry for years. So many other industries are getting this right, and unfortunately we’ll continue to bleed people to them until we do.’

All elements

Sustainability means different things to different people, but ultimately true sustainability integrates all elements of business, and to be applied it needs to be a guiding principle rather than a series of business choices.

BASF’s Terence summed it up: “There are many challenges related to sustainability, so it is difficult to highlight only one. The task ahead is complex and hard and requires alignment by across many stakeholders to achieve success. The hard, technical challenges entail significant cost and so access to finance is crucial. We need government support in terms of supporting legislation and strategy, including access to renewable energy. We also have a very human challenge in winning hearts and minds, bringing everyone along through this transition and ensuring that nobody gets left behind.

“But sustainability is more than a topic or a ‘nice to do’ for BASF and it forms part of our reason for existence, our culture and is manifested in our corporate purpose. It is one strategic pillar. It is on every meeting agenda, and are on the way to make sustainability part of our DNA.”

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Market Intelligence: Wednesday 12 January 2022

12 January 2022

Bodyshop, Covid 19, Environment, Mobility, People, Supplier, Vehicle Repair and Words

Market-Intel-12-January-2022

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Trend Tracker reports December dip

7 January 2022

Covid 19, Supplier, Technology, Vehicle Repair and Words

Repair estimate volumes in the UK dipped in December as Plan B restrictions imposed by the government in response to the omicron variant of Covid-19 took their toll.

According to Trend Tracker’s latest report, based on data from Audatex, volumes in December were down on November’s figures and 88% of volumes reported in December 2019.

Across the year, there were 423,000 fewer repairs than in 2019, with Trend Tracker estimating that the ‘new normal’ will be at about 86% of pre-pandemic levels.

Trend Tracker is now compiling a wide-ranging report which will assess 2021 statistics in greater detail, while also looking ahead to the trends, risks, and opportunities that may be presented in 2022.

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ARC360 News Round-Up: Friday 17 December 2021

17 December 2021

Bodyshop, Car Rental, Covid 19, Environment, Insurance, Mobility, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

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.