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Tech can clear motor insurers’ blind spot

14 December 2021

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

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.

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Insurers braced for Covid consequences

14 December 2021

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

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.

Trend Tracker has collated and assessed both automotive and economic data from a wide range of trusted sources throughout Covid-19 and drawn the conclusion that insurers will be next in the firing line of pandemic ramifications, with costs rising and premiums falling.

Really challenging

He said, “It’s a really challenging situation across the whole motor ecosystem. Cost of production is rising, as is cost of living, fuel costs and used car values. There is also a huge demand for new skills, a big increase in electric vehicles, and a large and still growing demand for sustainable initiatives.

“Against all this, the cost of motor insurance is being driven down. It is now the lowest it’s been for five years and there is pressure from industry bodies to reduce it further because of the profits insurers made during the pandemic.”

Paul continued, “Motor insurers are seeing all their costs going up while their price of sale is going down. We expect this to continue for some time, so 2022 is going to be a very difficult year for them and collaboration will be important in how they address that.”

Repairers

It’s not likely they will get too much sympathy from repairers though, who have already felt the brunt of the Covid-19 storm. Decimated work volumes is one area that has hit the sector hard, but they have also absorbed the burden of spiralling repair costs. This has been driven by a number of factors – the price of parts and materials (the cost of paint has risen 30% since 2017), the price of labour and the additional challenges of the changing mix of the car parc and new technology.

A live poll on the day found that 58% of attendees said new claims tech had already changed the way they work, while 94% said it would in the near future.

All told, the average repair cost has escalated by 27% in four years.

But Trend Tracker figures suggested some semblance of normality is returning, with mobility levels fairly static again and congestion levels comparable to pre-pandemic levels. Supporting this, it predicts repair volumes to finish the year at about 90% of 2019 levels, which is higher than 2020 but still lower than every year prior back to 2013.

Economy

Taking a wider view of the economy, Trend Tracker forecast further inflation until at least the middle of 2022, driven by high energy and fuel costs plus the unprecedented increase in the value of used cars.

A skills shortage will also continue to impact most industries, driving up wages and bringing indirect costs brought about by prolonged recruitment times. Underlining this, another poll of attendees identified cost as the key consequence of a lack of skills, while only 43% of respondents said office staffing levels had returned to 80-100% of normal.

Further, the focus on environmental issues will exacerbate the challenge with stringent targets around sustainability and carbon emissions, but Trend Tracker’s own research indicated that consumers would be prepared to shoulder some of that load. A survey conducted in partnership with Consumer Intelligence found that more than half of consumers would pay six to 10% more for a product or service that is sustainable.

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.

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Bodyshop sector ‘a massive opportunity’

10 December 2021

Bodyshop, Insurance, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

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.”

Strategy

Richard has engineered an ambitious and successful growth strategy since acquiring Baldwins in July 2018. At the time of the event, the group had grown to 15 sites with further developments having been announced since (https://arc360.co.uk/steer-completes-key-north-east-acquisition/ and https://arc360.co.uk/steer-expands-southern-presence/).

He said, “We built a structure that was bigger than the existing business so we could grow into it.”

That meant ensuring the company’s infrastructure and workforce was able to handle the additional capacity without incurring a dip in customer services.

“The challenge is making sure we get the integration right and keep the staff engaged following a change of ownership. Most people are not receptive to change so we work really hard on that aspect. Our biggest single investment is not in our people, it’s in the people who manage our people.”

Investment

Expansion also applies to technology, with electrification the greatest single change impacting the sector in the last two years. The number of EVs in the market has grown exponentially and continues to do so, and Richard insists it is incumbent on bodyshops to ensure they move with the times.

That too requires investment, and while he admits that some bodyshops will immediately baulk at the word he believes the automotive incident repair aftermarket is at least partly culpable for the financial strain it is under – and that a lack of resources is not an excuse for failing to ensure safe repairs.

He said, “There has been a massive rise in electric vehicles and I’d hate to be the owner of a bodyshop that isn’t prepared. We’re staring down the barrel as far as that’s concerned but what are we doing to make sure we can invest in our staff and equipment and premises to make sure they’re fit for purpose? Because there is ownership and accountability when a vehicle is deployed into a repair centre to make sure the centre can actually do the work.

“It’s very easy to say the labour rate isn’t right and insurers don’t pay enough, but bodyshops have to look in the mirror and recognise that some of the contracts they’re signing up to are not sustainable. But if you’re buying a service and are told it will cost £10 and enough people tell you it will cost £10 then that’s the value.”

And while bodyshops may not be comfortable dictating terms to work providers, Richard says they are in the perfect position now to establish a more dominant role in negotiations. Capacity, he says, is now a major issue and will remain so for foreseeable future. The lack of demand that existed during lockdown has now swung the other way with the vast majority of bodyshops unable to handle all the work they have.

“There is over-demand,” Richard said, “which means bodyshops can define who they want to work with.”

Private equity

Another option available to ambitious repairers trying to get ahead is private equity. Although Richard funded business growth himself at first, he has now gone down the outside investment route to accelerate his expansion in an industry that he believes is laden with opportunities.

He said, “Collectively the industry is worth about £4.5bn, but it is fragmented. I think we are rife for further consolidation and that’s not just in bodyshops but in all areas of the supply chain; in insurance, distribution, and accident management. That’s why we’re hitting the accelerator. I was doing it with my own money initially but I couldn’t have done what I’m doing now without some outside support.

“But I was quite particular who I wanted as an equity partner and established the ground rules from the very beginning.”

Skills

However, going back to his first point, all growth is dependent on having enough skills in the business, and this remains an area of acute stress for the sector. Apprenticeships have dried up during Covid-19 and with the workforce further depleted by people leaving the industry – through retirement, career changes or returning to their countries of origin after Brexit – the need to bring in fresh blood has never been greater.

The idea of a centralised recruitment body was raised which Richard suggested his potential support for but also warned that individual shops have to take ownership of their own staffing challenges too.

“If you want to reap the benefits of apprentices then you have to invest to realise it. If you want the benefits of the game, then buy the ticket. But we’d be happy to talk about anything that allowed our industry to recruit more people, whatever shape or form that looked like.”

Like all industry-wide solutions, this would require collaboration from all stakeholders. Collaboration has been the buzzword of the last two years, but talking the talk is not the same thing as walking the walk.

Richard concluded, “There has been a lot of rhetoric in the last 18 months about collaboration. But it’s just words and I’ve not seen a huge amount of action. We’ve all seen the value of relationships, both good and bad, and now we need to look at how we can take those words and turn them into meaningful steps. I’m passionate about the industry and I want it to succeed. I believe it can. I didn’t come back into it because I thought it was a dead-end route to nowhere, I saw it as a massive opportunity.”

ARC360 is 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.

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Has Covid changed the job market forever?

10 December 2021

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

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.

Essentially, the pandemic has shown that if more people are working from home the requirement to live near your employer evaporates, while the flexibility that home-working offers opens up the job market in any number of positions to far more people.

Speaking at ARC360’s Back to the Future Conference, which took place at the British Motor Museum last month, Dawn Marsden, Head of GI Supplier Management LV=, said, “There is a lot more fluidity in the job market now. Working from home offers flexibility to workers who don’t have to be in the same city of their employers.”

Diversity

She said that being able to recruit from a wider net, in terms of location, skill sets and personal circumstances, could bring about the diversity in the automotive aftermarket workforce that is so vital to bridging the skills gap.

“But we will only improve the diversity of the industry if we challenge ourselves around what we’re looking for and are prepared to look outside our sector; otherwise we’re just going to be recruiting from the same pool.”

That was echoed by James Gatti, Director of Account Management, Innovation Group, who joined Dawn and Darren Wills, Executive Director, Motofix ARC, during a panel discussion entitled, ‘2021 – the year that was; 2022 – the year that will be.’

James said, “There is now a general acceptance that we can recruit people from outside our own catchment area. That means we can recruit people more diversly and more flexibly.”

Of course, this only applies to certain job roles. In many cases the nature of the industry requires employees to be on site, but these roles too are feeling the ramifications of the pandemic, as Darren noted.

He said, “One of the lasting impacts has been a changing perception of the work/life balance. A lot of people have got used to working from home, but some of our team members don’t have that chance. They have seen other people working from home and want that for themselves; we’ve had an increasing number of requests from people to work more flexibly, or leaving the sector entirely to take up jobs roles that are more flexible.”

Technology

The forced changes to working practices have also seen a surge in the adoption of technology, with digital communication the most immediate area of evolution.

This has been both a positive and negative.

James said, “I got on my first Teams call of the pandemic on 24 March and that seemed to last until August, so I think Teams has been a good and bad thing. But the really interesting thing is how technology that was already available was suddenly deployed in a way we’d never have imagined. If you said in January 2020 that in the space of 10 days we’d move from an office-based contact centre to a home-working environment using technology we already had available I’d have laughed. But we did it. What we swept away was both fear and regulatory reluctance, and it’s clear that home working is here to stay.”

Beyond virtual conversations, the other main shift in technology has been the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. James revealed that in 2019 under five per cent of the market for new vehicles was electric or hybrid, while now it’s about 18%; in October it hit 24%.

He said, “It was going to happen anyway but the extent it’s accelerated has been startling – and will affect everyone.”

Smarter

To overcome this and other challenges, smarter use of innovative technologies will be critical.

However, Darren warned that many streamlining solutions remain on the shelf because bodyshops simply do not have the time resources to investigate and implement. He pointed out that many repairers operate lean management teams whose time is almost completely absorbed by daily operations.

“There is a lot more the sector could be doing, but people don’t have the time and there is a risk that because of that we won’t leverage some of the advantages technology can give us.”

James agreed, arguing that the automotive incident repair aftermarket has not been given the same leeway as other sectors during this health crisis.

“We work in the only industry that hasn’t awarded itself a free pass because of Covid. There needs to be a recognition that what is constrained is not demand but capacity, and we need to realise that claims and supply are joined at the hip. You can’t indemnify customers unless you’re repairing their cars.”

Wilful blindness

Darren spoke of a ‘wilful blindness’ in the industry, which he suggested understands the strain repairers are under both in terms of time and cost pressures, but is choosing not to acknowledge it.

He said, “A lot of cost is pumped into the supply chain and it always amazes me how much of the cost of repairing a car is not actually about the repair itself. What can we do to get back to basics and delivering a great service?”

Dawn concluded, “We’re experiencing a perfect storm with Covid, Brexit, and inflation. The challenge is recognising that costs are going up and then taking steps to ensure we have a sustainable supply chain. It’s not an insurer or supplier problem, it’s a collective problem and we need to work collaboratively to bring it back to basics.

“What are we here to do? We’re here to repair customers’ cars, so how do we remove all the other elements that take time and cost money? Those costs aren’t going to go away so we need to do something differently.”

ARC360 is 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.

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ARC360 News Round-Up: Friday 10 December 2021

10 December 2021

Bodyshop, Car Rental, Insurance, Mobility, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

Register now…

Join us on Wednesday 15 December at 1.30pm as we round-out 2021’s webinARC programme with a look across the market today exploring what the data tells us, and how that is translating to the real world of vehicle incident repair.

Featuring:

Jordan Chinn, network manager, Innovation Group
Andrew Eade, head of AD strategy & fullfilment, First Central
Paul Sell, associate director, Trend Tracker

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Gemini ARC partners ILC and ARC360

Gemini Accident Repair has been named as ILC’s first repairer Corporate Partner and an ARC360 Repairer Associate.

Gemini is the UK’s largest automotive repair business with more than 30 sites and has developed a burgeoning reputation for exemplary service to partners and customers alike, while its commitment to upholding and developing skills and standards is just one reason it is trusted by most major vehicle manufacturers and insurers.

Steer expansion continues

Steer Automotive Group’s accelerated expansion strategy has continued with the acquisitions of Lookers Maidstone Mercedes-Benz and VAG approved Accident Repair Centre.

In addition, the group has also opened Steer Chatham after months of development.

Sophie stars in AW docuseries

The second episode of AW Repair Group’s Career for Life Series shone a spotlight on women in the sector by highlighting the career development of Sophie, who is employed at the group’s Nottingham site.

She joined the company as Customer Liaison Advisor and has since risen to Workshop Controller ensuring the productivity and quality of 10 technicians.

Enterprise delivers Christmas cracker to pupils

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has joined up with the National Literacy Trust to deliver 23,000 copies of Serena Patel’s award-winning book, Anisha, Accidental Detective, to primary school pupils during a six-day nationwide tour.

They will visit schools in Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Bradford, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol and London, while Enterprise employees have also recorded a read-along version of the book which children can access via an online link or QR code as an added aid to help them read.

Jon Parker joins Halo Accident Repair Centres

Jon Parker has been named as Business Intelligence Director for Halo Accident Repair. His appointment will support the rapid growth of the group while also helping to shape organisational processes and develop innovative solutions for Halo’s insurer partners and their customers.

Copart backs Ben’s festive plea

Copart is backing the Ben Automotive Charity’s Christmas Appeal, which hopes to raise upwards of £500,000 to support the health and wellbeing of industry colleagues and their families.

Demand for Ben’s services has risen during the pandemic, but its fundraising opportunities have been severely curtailed by restrictions imposed because of Covid-19.

Fix Auto moves into Lake District

The Fix Auto UK network has followed expansion into Northern Ireland with a new site in the Lake District. Irvings Bodyworks, based in Workington, has been appointed to the network and will now operate as Fix Auto Workington.

Strategically, the appointment is crucial to the network and its insurer clients as it bridges an area between established Fix Auto UK repair centres in Lancaster, Carlisle and Scotland. The business has also been known to repair vehicles from the Isle of Man.

Renault and Dacia fail safety tests

The Renault Zoe achieved a zero-star safety rating in the final round of Euro NCAP’s 2021 testing, while the Dacia Spring only managed one star.

The Zoe was rated poor in a frontal offset collision and returned an even worse verdict after side pole testing, which found the driver’s head could be directly impacted by the protruding pole.

Matthew Avery, Thatcham Research’s Chief Research Strategy Officer and Euro NCAP board member said, “It is a serious concern to see results like this in 2021.”

Artis announces new Borehamwood site

Artis Accident Care has launched a new 9,300sqft purpose-built bodyshop in Borehamwood. The site also includes 2,500sqft of modern office space.

The workshop features two purpose-built spraybooths with energy saving features as well as a dedicated EV and hybrid repair bay and rapid EV charging points for workshop, staff and customers.

Customer focus turning to carbon footprint

Trend Tracker’s latest report, ‘Sustainability in the Supply Chain‘, has highlighted growing customer expectations around a businesses’ carbon footprint. Sponsored by ECA Business Energy, the report warned that all businesses in the supply chain need to begin their journey to net zero or risk a backlash from consumer groups.

Further details of the third such report will be released in the coming weeks, while Trend Tracker subscribers can access the report now.

Stellantis targets €20bn tech bonus

Stellantis is targeting €20bn in incremental annual revenues by 2030 by deploying next-generation tech platforms and building on existing connected vehicle capabilities.

With the three all-new AI-powered technology platforms to arrive in 2024, it says the transformation will move its’ vehicles from electronic architectures to an open software-defined platform that integrates with customers’ digital lives while also enabling regular over-the-air (OTA) updates.

Sabre cuts through ADAS confusion

LexisNexis Risk Solutions has secured a new contract with UK car insurer Sabre Insurance to deliver ADAS data at the point of quote.

The information, made available through LexisNexis Vehicle Build, will allow Sabre to consider the types and benefits of any fitted ADAS when quoting personal and commercial motor customers.

Morelli secures distribution deal

Morelli Group has been appointed distribution partner for the UK of Ngenco Paint Protection Spray (PPS) and colour change removable coatings. Ngenco’s sprayable coating provides over 200 microns of coating and is safe for use with ADAS technology.

Graham Parker, Managing Director of Morelli Group, said, “We are certain that with our industry expertise and reach, we will be able to open new windows of opportunity for this product and additional revenue for our clients.”

Christmas bonus for ILC’s chosen charity

ILC’s chosen charity Rainbow Trust has been selected by UK newspaper The i as its sole Christmas Charity partner this month. As such, it will publish a feature or article on the charity every day throughout December.

The campaign was launched on Monday, 6 December, with The i setting an initial fundraising target of £75,000.

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Fix Auto moves into Lake District

9 December 2021

Bodyshop, Insurance, People, Supplier, Vehicle Repair and Words

Fix Auto UK has appointed Irvings Bodyworks, based in the heart of the historic sea-side town of Workington, as its inaugural repair centre in the iconic Lake District.

Owned by Wayne Greggain since 2016, the repair centre spans more than 10,000sqft, hosts 16 work bays, three spraybooths and currently employs a team of 17 operatives capable of repairing up to 40 vehicles a week.

The business already holds approval status for Hyundai and Suzuki and is currently in the final stages of attaining Kia and has a close working relationship with one of the region’s leading BMW dealerships.

Wayne said, “I recognised some time ago that the tide was certainly changing for small independent repairers. More than 80% of our work is private retail and the remaining 20% we carry out on behalf of insurers. If we are to continue to progress and grow we need to increase our reputation and relationship with insurers.”

Ian Pugh, Managing Director of Fix Auto UK, said: “Wayne and his team epitomises everything Fix Auto UK requires in a new Franchise Partner. Here we have a great, solid business with a fine reputation and a desire and ambition to be taken to the next level and embrace new practices and learnings. For us, Fix Auto Workington is a key centre that bridges a void in our UK coverage and bring support to our existing Partners.”

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Renault scores zero in safety rating

9 December 2021

Insurance, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

The Renault Zoe achieved exactly zero stars for safety in the final round of Euro NCAP testing of 2021. The Dacia Spring didn’t do much better, achieving just one star.

The testing used crash test dummies to simulate real-life impacts, and rated the Renault Zoe ‘poor’ in a frontal offset collision due to weak protection for the chest area of the driver, while the severe side pole test found that the driver’s head was directly impacted by the intruding pole.

Matthew Avery, Thatcham Research’s Chief Research Strategy Officer and Euro NCAP board member said, “It is a serious concern to see results like this in 2021, especially from a carmaker who has previously performed well in Euro NCAP testing. Renault was the first to achieve the full five-star rating in 2001, in part because it was also the first to include a combined head and thorax airbag in the Laguna 2. Unfortunately, a conscious decision has been made to remove the head protection from this vital passive safety feature, by the brand that pioneered the use of it. As a result, the safety of occupants within the vehicle has been severely impacted.”

He said the adult occupant score of 43% for the Renault Zoe was the lowest recorded in 11 years, while the model scored just 14% in the Safety Assist category.

Meanwhile, the Dacia Spring scored 49% in Adult Occupant Protection and 56% for Child Occupant Protection.

Avery said, “The six-year-old dummy had weak protection, suggesting the forces of a crash could end in serious neck and head injuries. This is anything but a safe family car, despite being marketed as a good option for families.”

Other vehicles included in this round of testing performed very well, with the BMW iX and Genesis G70 and GV70 receiving five-star ratings.

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Jon Parker joins Halo Accident Repair Centres

3 December 2021

Bodyshop, Insurance, People, Supplier, Technology, Vehicle Repair and Words

Halo Accident Repair has appointed Jon Parker as Business Intelligence Director.

Jon’s role will be to support the rapid growth of the group, help shape organisational processes and develop innovative solutions for Halo’s insurer partners and their customers.

Bradley Hanson, Halo’s Director of Innovation said, “Whilst many bodyshop groups have tried to create ‘sleeker’ and more efficient businesses, it’s Halo that have done it and are consistently able to make it happen.

“Jon’s appointment forms part of Halo’s new ‘Customer Design Team’ who will consult, implement and manage multiple service options/experiences designed for the future of our B2B partners needs, while consistently providing our extraordinary service to our B2C customers.

“Jon is an innovator, with a proven history of thinking differently and outside the box and that’s why he is an excellent fit for Halo.”

Jon added, “I’m very excited to join such a progressive business as Halo, whose thinking, processes and vision are so similar to my own. I truly believe that my experience in Systems Thinking, Lean practices and Theory of Constraints will help Halo to grow from being an already extraordinary business, into a world leader.”

Halo currently operates 11 repair facilities in the UK and is part of the IRS Group, which owns over 170 bodyshop’s in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Belgium.

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ARC360 News Round Up – Friday 3 December 2021

3 December 2021

Bodyshop, Environment, Insurance, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

ARC360 Back to the Future Showreel

Register now to watch the edited showreel from ARC360’s Back to the Future event which took place this week at the British Motor Museum. This 30-minute showreel (1.30-2.00pm Wednesday 8 December) brings together some of the key takeaways shaping the industry today and into the future.

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Tyne is right for Steer

Steer Automotive Group has increased its presence in the North East with the acquisition of Tyne Tees Vehicle Repair Group (TTVRG). Founded in 1970 and now boasting five sites in the region, TTVRG is a family-owned business with well-established accident management and insurer client relationships and a turnover of £8.3m reported in its most recent filed accounts.

The multi-award-winning Steer Automotive Group will support TTVRG’s further development in the region with investment in technology and geographical reach.

CAPS enhances security protocols

CAPS has enhanced its security and compliance protocols by updating its data schema, which defines the scope and validation of data shared on the platform during a motor claim.

The latest version enables CAPS to validate new values while reflecting the growing integration of claims and systems used both within the application and bodyshop sectors. New fields introduced also enable work providers to add more context to the insurance provision for a claim; for example, whether the excess has been waived.

Shepherd joins Advantage Parts Solutions board

Dave Shepherd has joined the global team of Advantage Parts Solutions as Non-Executive Director. Shepherd, whose distinguished career includes roles with the Institute of the Motor Industry, Thatcham Research and Solera, has been appointed to help steer the company’s long-term strategic plan in the OEM parts supply space.

Advantage Parts Solutions’ Co-Founder and CEO Bob Kirstiuk said, “For over 30 years Dave has been regarded as one of Europe’s most brilliant automotive minds, and it’s an honour to have his expertise on the team. His career insights will become extraordinarily valuable to the team as we continue to optimise the OEM parts supply chain.”

Fix Auto UK develops Midlands network

Fix Auto UK has continued its expansion in the Midlands with the announcement that Bowles Vehicle Repair has joined its network and will now operate as Fix Auto Leicester.

The appointment comes after extensive development which has seen three near derelict farm buildings replaced with two interconnecting units totalling more than 11,000 sqft. One has been laid out specifically with 13 workbays for all panel and strip and fit work and the second is a dedicated paint shop complete with three booths, one for LCVs.

Repairify continues growth strategy

Repairify has completed the acquisition of One Guard Inspections for an undisclosed sum. One Guard Inspections is a Texas-based vehicle inspection company with a network of thousands of certified inspectors covering the United States and Canada.

The deal is part of Repairify’s continued growth strategy and will enable it to move into new market segments, such as vehicle diagnostics and mechanical failures.

Vella Group celebrates first female VDA

The Vella Group has announced that Jordanna Callaghan has become its first fully-trained female VDA. She has worked as a VDA assistant at the LV=General Insurance Sole Supply Site in Deeside for two years, but has shown the attitude and aptitude to go further and having completed her training will take up her new position in the coming months.

The Group said, “We’re committed to operating an inclusive and equal environment and hope to sell our industry as a fantastic place for women to achieve too.”

Redde Northgate reports strong interim results

Redde Northgate has published its interim results for the six months ending 31 October, reporting a 21.9% increase in revenues to £522.9m from the same period last year.

This is above board expectations and driven by a return of accident and incident volumes to about 90% of pre-Covid-19 levels. Business highlights from the period include significant new multi-year contract wins with the likes of Tesco, Admiral and another major insurer with lifetime contract revenues in excess of £200m.

e2e under new leadership

Jim Loughran has taken over from Neil Joslin at the head of e2e Total Loss Vehicle Management (e2e).

He brings with him 30 years’ experience with blue chip brands including BT, Disney, ING Bank, QBE Insurance and Rolls Royce Aerospace, and has a strong track record in affecting business transformation and servicing customers within technology-led organisations.

Halfords continues motor services evolution

Halfords has agreed to purchase tyre and automotive servicing, maintenance and repair company Axle Group Holdings on a cash-free, debt-free basis for £62m. The acquisition, expected to complete on 9 December, is part of Halfords’ wider strategy to focus more on motoring services.

Post-completion, it expects to have 604 garages, 234 consumer vans and 190 commercial vans. Including retail stores this will mean a combined total of over 1,400 fixed or mobile motoring services locations.

Lookers adopts AX aftercare solution

UK motor retailer Lookers has selected AX to deliver a seamless accident aftercare solution to its customers. It will be introduced at 129 Lookers sites and is expected to increase revenues and improve customer retention through better aftercare service.

As part of the partnership, AX’s account management team has delivered comprehensive in-person and virtual training for Lookers employees.

Going the distance for charity

The Grove Group’s Kate Chaplin has raised more than £600 for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity by walking over 500,000 steps during November. She took a total of 503,091 steps in the month, an equivalent of 10 miles a day, and has so far raised £615 for the worthy cause.

Kate’s page is still open for donations

Carzam muscles into online retail space

Carzam has secured £112m of investment in its first year of trading and is now pledging to take the fight to online car retailers Cazoo and Cinch. It expects to generate first-year revenues of £150m from nearly 13,500 individual sales.

Founded by BMW chief executive Peter Waddell, Carzam promises to deliver used cars nationwide within 24 hours, while also offering buyers a 14-day window to decide whether to keep the vehicle, and a 100-day guarantee.

Pothole payments pass £16m

Drivers in the UK received more than £16m in compensation for pothole damage caused to their vehicles between 2018 and 2020.

The information was revealed by webuyanycar following a Freedom of Information request to every council and borough in the UK. It found that 2.48 million potholes were reported during that period.

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Steer completes key north-east acquisition

1 December 2021

Bodyshop, Insurance, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words

Tyne Tees Vehicle Repair Group (TTVRG), with five sites across the north-east of England, has been acquired by Steer Automotive Group.

Founded in 1970, Tyne Tees Vehicle Repair Group is a family-owned business employing 64 people across its five sites. The business boasts well-established accident management and insurer client relationships, and a reported turnover of £8.3m in its most recent filed accounts.

The acquisition by the multi-award winning Steer Automotive Group will support further development in the region, with investment in technology, geographical reach, and people supporting TTVRG’s already substantial success in the area.

TTVRG owner and managing director, Darren Norton, has joined the Steer Automotive Operations board as part of the deal, and will play a key role in the Group’s future strategy to broaden its footprint both inside and outside the north-east region.

Darren said: “This is an exciting moment for our business as we join an ambitious and progressive group in which all of our existing employees, suppliers and customers can thrive. I am looking forward to continuing to lead and grow TTVRG’s outstanding workforce backed by the expertise and resources of our new colleagues within Steer Automotive.”

Steer Automotive chief executive, Richard Steer, commented: “This is another important step in our ongoing growth plans as we continue to deliver our vision for Steer Automotive. From the outset, it has been clear that TTVRG are outstanding operators and will be an excellent addition to our group. The north-east is a terrific region in which to do business and we are looking forward to expanding our profile and service offering here with support from Darren and his team.”

Steer Automotive Group now operates with a turnover of £60m per annum from 21 sites across the Midlands, north-east and Scotland employing over 400 team members and repairing in excess of 30,000 vehicles per year.