Bodyshop, Environment, Insurance, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words
Thatcham Research is set to provide delegates at ARC360’s forthcoming ‘Gaining Ground Together 2022’ event with an exclusive first look at its Microsoft HoloLens technician training capabilities.
Taking place on Thursday 24 November at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry, the event which is free to access for registered repairers will see Dean Lander, Head of Repair Sector Services, Thatcham Research provide an overview of the latest advances in learning environments including its ‘mixed reality device’ HoloLens.
Thatcham Research first deployed HoloLens back in March 2021 as part of its Vehicle Damage Assessor (VDA) apprentice onboarding process. Since this time, the Automotive Academy team has been refining the use cases – advancing its virtual teaching environment capabilities and deploying these within its blended technician learning environment.
Dean said, “Just as vehicle technology continues to become ever more expansive, so too does the role for technology in delivering our training programmes. Working patterns and practices have shifted permanently because of the pandemic and flexibility has come to the fore in a competitive jobs market, where hybrid models continue to challenge conventional ways of working.
“At our Automotive Academy we’re welcoming hundreds of apprentices who will contribute to rebalancing the ageing repair workforce and bring much-needed cutting-edge skills to bodyshops.”
The day – sponsored by GT Motive – will include a host of ‘quickfire’ sessions focused on providing greater insight and context to market conditions including a ‘state of the nation’ look at market data and how it actually translates to everyday operations and future planning; procurement and battling the challenges of rising claims inflation; and the importance and impact of ESG on the supply chain.
ARC360 is supported by Corporate Partners: Solera Audatex; BASF; BMS; CAPS; Copart; EMACS; Entegral; Enterprise; Innovation Group; Mirka; Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance; and S&G; along with Partners: Repairify; The Green Parts Specialists; Indasa; and Prasco UK; and Associate Partners: Gemini ARC; Trend Tracker; and Thatcham Research.
Chartwell has become a Net Zero Carbon business for 2021, the first step in its journey to reduce operational emissions and manage the transition to a low carbon future. The business measures emissions across scopes 1, 2 and 3 to include supply chain elements, business travel and staff commuting whilst setting ambitious reduction plans aligned to GHG protocol.
Repairify introduces asTech Mini
Repairify has introduced the asTech Mini device, a Bluetooth-enabled OBD2 scanning solution for OEM and OEM-compatible diagnostics. Paired with the asTech mobile app, the asTech Mini delivers the functionality of thousands of OEM scan tools in a powerful, pocket-sized device.
Copart names 28 Superstars
Copart presented 28 Superstar Awards in Q4, as part of its ongoing Copart Cares commitment to celebrating the achievements of teammates. The awards recognise teammates who have gone the extra mile to deliver world-class service and support to customers and to each other.
The move follows the recent adoption by Bentley Motors, Nissan GB and LV= of MONITRR – Outsorc’s network compliance and performance system.
Auto-Motivate achieves major milestone
Mindset and human performance training specialists Auto-Motivate has achieved a major milestone. Since the launch of its Mindset Development training programme in November 2017 over 1,000 individuals – ranging from front of house to CEO – have now experienced the one-day course. Business owner, Mike Monaghan said, “We have some incredible talent out there when we help them realise it by changing the way we think.”
In this webinARC we offer a host of interviews, comments and insights via recorded interviews focusing on business development opportunities and challenges in 2023 and beyond.
Bodyshop, Environment, Insurance, Mobility, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words
Andrew Hooker, Head of Technical at Solus Accident Repair Centres is set to unravel how and why environmental, social and governance (ESG) is now so vital within the accident repair supply chain at the ARC360 conference in November.
Andrew will provide an insight into how Solus – the 21 site repairer network owned by Aviva – is working to align its ESG practices with those of its insurer parent. From his unique perspective, Andrew will explore the reasons why; how it is achieved; and what a clear ESG strategy means for a sustainable future for all working relationships.
Taking place on Thursday 24 November at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry the ‘Gaining Ground Together’ themed event is offering free access to repairers who register as it bids to bring the repairer and supply chain communities closer.
Mark Hadaway, co-founder of ARC360, said, “Having the support of Andrew and Solus, with such a wealth of experience and understanding from both insurer and repairer perspectives, is a major coup for the event and aligns perfectly with the ARC360 theme of ‘Gaining Ground Together’.
“With ESG being such a topical subject, the session is sure to provide a great insight into both the realities of ingraining stringent ESG practices but so too the future expectations for supply chain partnerships.”
The event – sponsored by GT Motive – will also feature a host of ‘quickfire’ sessions focused on providing greater insight and context to market conditions via a ‘state of the nation’ look at market data and how it translates to everyday operations and future planning; procurement and battling the challenges of rising claims inflation; and an exclusive look at the latest technology to be deployed within the technician training environment.
The speaker line-up revealed to date includes:
Chris Brightmore, CEO, Chartwell
Andrew Eade, Head of AD Strategy & Fulfilment at First Central
Dawn Marsden, Head of GI Supplier Management, LV= Insurance
Nick Sweetman, Head of Vehicle Repair & Service Operations for UK & Ireland, Enterprise Holdings
Sharna Thomson, Head of Customer – UK Claims, Zurich Insurance
Bodyshop, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair, vehicle sales and Words
Customer satisfaction, reshaping supply chain relationships and having the ‘why’ in your business are just some of the key topics set for November’s ARC360 ‘Gaining Ground Together’ event.
Taking place on Thursday 24 November at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Coventry the event will kick-off with a ‘state of the nation’ round-up of the latest data and hot topics of the day, followed by a host of sessions focusing on the implications of the current challenging socio-economic factors.
With well-documented challenges around areas such as inflation, parts availability and talent pool the event will bring into focus just what this means for general business practices and processes, and discuss how optimising such areas can provide significant benefit now and into the future.
Taking to the stage to help explore these three key areas are:
Chris Brightmore, CEO, Chartwell
Dawn Marsden, Head of GI Supplier Management, LV= Insurance
Sharna Thomson, Head of Customer – UK Claims, Zurich Insurance
They join the previously announced speakers:
Andrew Eade, Head of AD Strategy & Fulfilment at First Central
Nick Sweetman, Head of Vehicle Repair & Service Operations for UK & Ireland, Enterprise Holdings
Chris Weeks, Executive Director of the NBRA
More names are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
The day – sponsored by GT Motive and free to attend for registered repairers – will include a host of ‘quickfire’ sessions focused on providing greater insight and context to market conditions. It will deliver a ‘state of the nation’ look at market data and how it actually translates to everyday operations and future planning; explore procurement and battling the challenges of rising claims inflation; and the importance and impact of ESG on the supply chain.
The day will also feature an exclusive look at the latest technology to be deployed within the technician training environment.
ARC360 is supported by Corporate Partners: Solera Audatex; BASF; BMS; CAPS; Copart; EMACS; Entegral; Enterprise; Innovation Group; Mirka; Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance; and S&G; along with Partners: Repairify; The Green Parts Specialists; Indasa; and Prasco UK; and Associate Partners: Gemini ARC; Trend Tracker; and Thatcham Research.
Tickets, sponsorship and exhibition spaces are all now available for the event. Contact jonathan@iloveclaims.com for details or click here.
Its portal has been developed as a direct competitor to established comparison websites such as Moneysupermarket, Uswitch, Compare the Market and GoCompare.
Including brands ABRA Auto Body Repair, CARSTAR, and Fix Auto USA, Driven Brands entered the market in 2015 and has since quadrupled its footprint to operate in 48 US states and all 10 provinces in Canada.
It achieved certification with the support of the NBRA, Glasurit and ECA Business Energy.
Fix Auto UK celebrates Green treble
Fix Auto UK collected a hat-trick of awards at the fifth annual NBRA Green Awards last night.
Fix Auto Rochester and Fix Auto Penzance were presented with Silver awards in recognition for their concerted efforts in providing a sustainable repair service, while Fix Auto Luton received the coveted Carbon Footprint Award for an Independently Owned Repair Centre.
People
Jade Johnson has been appointed as Commercial and Sustainability at Steer Automotive Group.
IRG Innovative Repair Group has appointed Kieran Nowland as Area Manager.
Mark Newberry has been named Commercial Director atEuropcar Mobility Group.
In this webinARC we offer a host of interviews, comments and insights via recorded interviews focusing on business development opportunities and challenges in 2023 and beyond.
Bodyshop, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words
Milton Keynes-based training provider RWC Training has announced a new partnership with Skillnet to deliver Ford’s Body and Paint Apprenticeship programme.
Apprentices have already embarked on their training at RWC’s state-of-the-art facilities.
The national programme will deliver a continued pipeline of qualified level 3 Vehicle Paint technicians for the UK Ford Collision Centre Network (FCCN), and open the door to many more would-be technicians.
The announcement compliments the training RWC already delivers for Ford at its Dagenham factory and at the Henry Ford Academy.
RWC founder and director Rob Ward said, “The team at RWC are extremely proud to have been appointed by Skillnet to deliver the apprenticeship scheme and develop the skills and knowledge of many young people employed across the Ford network.”
Bodyshop, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Salvage, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair, vehicle sales and Words
ARC360 is offering free access for repairers to its forthcoming ‘Gaining Ground Together’ themed event taking place on Thursday 24 November at the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry.
The move comes as ARC360 steps up its efforts to bring the repairer and supply chain communities together by providing a platform of collaboration and understanding for all stakeholders.
The day will include a host of ‘quickfire’ sessions focused on providing greater insight and context to market conditions. It will deliver a ‘state of the nation’ look at market data and how it actually translates to everyday operations and future planning; explore procurement and battling the challenges of rising claims inflation; and the importance and impact of ESG on the supply chain.
The event will also include an exclusive look at the latest technology to be deployed within the technician training environment.
Mark Hadaway, co-founder of ARC360 said, “ARC360 has been developed around the core theme of Gaining Ground Together. Offering access to November’s event, at no cost, to repairers is very much a part of that approach in providing a platform for insight and knowledge sharing to support the long-term sustainability of the sector.”
ARC360 is supported by Corporate Partners: Solera Audatex; BASF; BMS; CAPS; Copart; EMACS; Entegral; Enterprise; Innovation Group; Mirka; Nationwide Vehicle Recovery Assistance; and S&G; along with Partners: Repairify; The Green Parts Specialists; Indasa; and Prasco UK; and Associate Partners: Gemini ARC; Trend Tracker; and Thatcham Research.
Bodyshop, People, Supplier, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words
AutoRaise is looking to support further growth by appointing new members to its Board of Trustees.
It will consider applications from anyone within the vehicle repair industry but is particularly keen to appoint experienced professionals from automotive sectors such as education, marketing and management.
It said, “Some of the current Board of Trustees have continued in their tenure for longer than was required; this was to ensure both the smooth running of the charity and to get AutoRaise into an enviable financial position post pandemic. It is now time to welcome some new like-minded industry professionals who can give their support, experience, and a little time to secure the objectives of the charity.
“AutoRaise will engage with all applicants to assess the candidate’s suitability, experience and skill set against the available roles. Successful applicants will be formally elected as officers of the charity and be allocated key responsibilities within a specific Trustee role with a level of expectancy around activity and input.”
The charity dedicated to promoting apprenticeships within the industry is also seeking volunteers to offer occasional support for specific projects, campaigns, initiatives, and events.
Anyone interested is invited to email Jennifer Evans at jen.evans@autoraise.co.uk before Friday, 28 October 2022.
Bodyshop, Environment, Finance, Insurance, Mobility, People, Supplier, Technology, Training, Vehicle Repair and Words
ILC’s Exclusive Motor Claims Conference took place last week at London’s tallest event space, providing the perfect opportunity for a high-level overview of developments across the market.
Headline sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and sponsored by EDAM Group and LexisNexis Risk Solutions, the event covered a host of topics from the rise of insurtechs to credit hire, movements within the repair sector and shared opinions on challenges across the sector.
Hosted by ILC MD, Mark Hadaway the day got underway with a fascinating insight into ‘Motor Insurance in a Modern World’ documenting the rise of insurtech Marshmallow courtesy of Insurance Director, Paula (Coulthard) Griffiths.
Paula highlighted how behind the ‘tech’ element of Marshmallow sits “predominantly ‘non-insurance people’ with a relentless focus on customer experience” which combined with an ongoing appetite for research and development has provided solid grounding for the insurers exponential growth.
Panel sessions offering highly candid discussions around credit hire, personal injury and data insights all provided deeply insightful aspects to the agenda and gave the sense the industry was increasingly invested in understanding the internal challenges and opportunities that exist.
An ‘open session’ – using slido audience participation technology – also ensured all attendees had their say on some of the hottest topics of the day – 80% suggesting that the industry was yet to settle into a ‘new normal’.
The day also included two fireside type interviews – one with Richard Steer, CEO of rapidly expanding Steer Automotive Group and another with Geoff Carter, CEO of Sabre Insurance. Both offered highly engaging insights into their respective business operations and views of the sector, as well as hinting at further positive advances in the future.
Concluding the event, Mark said, “There is no doubt with all that is happening economically, politically and geopolitically we find ourselves in very uncertain times yet from what we have heard today the industry is evolving to ensure it is fit for purpose with the agility to cater for future customer needs.”
Held in association with the Managing General Agent Association (MGAA) at 155 Bishopsgate, London on 28 September, the event attracted some 300 visitors making it one of the largest claims events of the year.
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The experiential event will aim to continue helping to create an environment for collaboration, interaction and innovative thinking across the incident repair sector.
Admiral announces major new repair network strategy
In a statement, the insurer said, “Our new network model will enable us to focus on strategic partnerships with a select number of industry-leading suppliers. This means we can more closely manage our customer journey and have the optimal performing repair capacity for today, and for future business growth.”
From 1 October and for a period of six months it will pay bodyshops in its network £75 plus VAT for every repair they carry out on its behalf.
Meanwhile, LV= hosted its first LV= Sole Site Forum since before the pandemic at F1 Williams on 8 September, when representatives from all 28 of its sole sites heard about future network strategies and opportunities to strengthen relationships and collaboration.
It welcomed the way they reallocated resources to make interim payments quickly, while proactively communicating with policyholders throughout the claim. However, the FCA also raised concerns over delays and the service provided to some vulnerable customers. It has now published its findings, including examples of good and bad practice, to help insurers deliver a fair and consistent service to customers throughout the claims process.
Motor Parts Direct delivers vehicle parts to more than 14,000 customers in the passenger and light commercial sector through its network of 175 branches.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported that there were 225,269 new registrations during the month, an increase of 4.6% on September 2021 but still 34.4% below pre-pandemic levels. EVs made up 16.5% with 38,116 units.
GT Motive has collaborated with JDK Technology to enhance its imaging services for bodyshop customers.
JDK’s solution enables photos to be sent directly from the claimant to the repairer, with images now directly integrated into the GT Global estimating platform ensuring everything is visible in a single location.
GTA announces interim rates agreement
Motor Insurers and credit hire companies have signed an interim agreement to increase certain hire rates.
The agreement, which applies to subscribers to industry protocol GTA and will remain in place until 30 June, is expected to ease the financial pressures by seeing credit hire companies accepting lower average hire rates in return for faster payments.
Transport Centre delivering Plan-Net-Zero strategy
One year after joining its Customer Excellence Centre, the Transportation Control Centre now manages a fleet of nearly 500 vehicles, with collections tailored to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.
Meanwhile, by adopting the latest technology the centre is also able to monitor driver behaviour and manage peaks in demand.
Bentley Aftersales Managers Jonathan Morris and Adam Causer visited the company’s Derbyshire site to present the trophy to Chartwell Group Director Chris Brightmore.
The company said, “Chartwell is immensely proud of this title, and we hope it demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering our Gold Standard service.”
Its Mirka Essentials range includes coveralls (light line or carbon line), safety glasses (with UV and IR protection), and masks (offering protection against solid particles, dust and odours).
Seven inspectors carried out a thorough assessment of the facilities and also conducted a range of interviews before delivering its judgement.
Tools of the Tech-Trade
In this episode, we speak with Phil Peace, Managing Director (International) of Repairify – a leader in advanced technology tooling and remote diagnostic support.
