news from The UK’s no.1 coUrTesy car leasing experTs ... ecoBoost engine. This combines ecoBoost...

news from The UK’s no.1 coUrTesy car leasing experTs

www.circleleasing.com issUe 34 JUne 2013for the accident repair indUstry

new p02fiestapowered by ecoBoost, connected by ford sync

interview p08robert hadfieldlooking back over his time in the industry

xciting times are ahead as we relocate to the historic building known as the Wellington Barracks,

home to the Lancashire Fusiliers’ Regimental Headquarters until 1961. The building is situated on two acres and has office space in excess of 8,000 sq. feet. The total investment will be circa £1.5m. Rustic charms and buildings full of character will be home to our team.

The original barracks was built in 1874 and retains many of its original features; it will be a fusion of old and new with the latest 21st century technology. within the building we have allocated a presentation suite for our clients ensuring the large, airy building will provide a welcoming and warm environment for our staff, customers and visitors.

The latest technological developments include fibre-optic broadband providing our business with Voice over internet protocol (Voip) capabilities enabling clients to phone up and find out the answers to frequently asked Questions (faQs) out of hours. This provides customers with a direct and quick response and an extra portal to access data and communications. The Voip also enables staff to use the same phone line whether they are in the office or on the road. The virtual working environment will allow our team to communicate more effectively and will support flexible working to suit individual needs, making this an even better place to work. The investments in technology will give us the opportunity to become a more accomplished service provider both in and

outside normal working hours. in addition, we are able to integrate the phone lines with encircle, the core platform, which enables dedicated account handling and quicker, more efficient customer service. This bespoke platform, built by our dedicated in-house iT team, provides a level of integration

unmatched in our industry and enables our team to deliver exceptional customer service standards (see article on our 2012 customer survey for further information).

This relocation will ensure that we go down in history!

WIN an iPad mini

on p12!

prodUcts p11glass’sinnovation with David murby

investing for the future

“The investments in technology will

give us the opportunity to become a more

accomplished service provider”

e

the new fiestaPowered by EcoBoost, connected by Ford SYNCIf you’re looking for a vehicle that delivers outstanding fuel economy, best in class CO2 levels, the latest driving technologies and a truly exceptional driving experience, then look no further than the latest Ford Fiesta model.

more efficient than ever beforealways a popular choice among body shops, the fiesta introduces the award winning ecoBoost engine. This combines ecoBoost innovation with auto-start-stop technology to deliver best in class co2 emissions of just 99g. even though the 1.0 litre ecoBoost engine is incredibly efficient, using 21% less fuel and delivering up to 65.7 mpg, it provides all the power you’d expect from a conventional 1.6 engine.

new technologies and new to the segmentThe new fiesta also features a range of smart technologies available for the first time in its segment. These include: • ford sync with emergency assistance

which, in the event of an accident, uses the driver’s mobile to call the emergency services and notifies them of their location

• ford myKey, which encourages safer driving by enabling car settings such as maximum speed to be tailored to suit body shop users. This feature is standard across the style series

safety first and foremostThe fiesta is packed with an array of smart technologies for greater driver and passenger safety, such as the seven air bags fitted as standard. from a strictly body shop perspective, it also has a passenger deactivation switch which reduces the cost of repair in driver-only accidents. furthermore, the fiesta has received a 5 star euro ncap award, the highest rating given by europe’s leading independent safety organisation.

Building relationshipsover the last decade ford has worked strategically with circle leasing to their mutual benefit in the highly competitive bodyshop market. ford

has provided class leading products and flexible manufacturer support to compliment circle leasing’s bespoke funding solutions, experienced sales force and marketing prowess.

trust ford/circle to keep on deliveringford and circle leasing consistently supply upwards of 1,000 ford fiestas per year to the body shop sector. This reflects the strong demand from circle customers for high quality small cars that deliver on reliability, specification and exciting driving dynamics, yet also make real commercial sense.

circle mD aidan minogue says circle’s partnership with ford UK goes back to the company’s start up in 2002 when the directors looked at setting up an independent automotive finance business dedicated to the supply of short cycle products to the UK bodyshop sector. They realised that if the business were to be successful they would need to be able to

provide market leading products with best in class whole life costs.

ford’s commitment to continued r&D, innovation, engineering and excellence allied to a world class after sales service has meant that its fiesta has consistently been in our top three best-sellers since 2002.

russell mcgill, fleet sales Director for ford UK added:

“circle leasing is an important partner to ford and we value their understanding of the benefits we have to offer the market. we’re committed to working together to help drive both our businesses forward.”

02 | JUne 2013 www.circleleasing.com

3mNew paint rectification process

3M is changing the face of paint rectification by introducing a new upgraded process and three innovative products, resulting in a system that is easier, faster and delivers an improved and more consistent finish.

Daniel fletcher of the 3m automotive aftermarket Division, explains: “saving time without compromising on quality is key to bodyshop profitability. we have added three key new products to our range that, when combined, provide important advances in paint rectification and offer a new solution that makes the system stronger than ever.”

a compound with extra lifefor paint rectification over large areas, 3m has launched perfect-it iii fast cut xl, a newly-formulated, fast-acting compound designed to eliminate scratches and deliver a superior high-gloss finish on refinished or original paintwork. as well as offering greater coverage, fast cut xl reduces the amount of dusting in the air and onto adjacent panels and is easier to clean up,

Quick compounding and polishing with reduced splatter and improved clean-up performance 3m has also introduced Quick connect system, an innovative new system for compounding and polishing. The system is based around a Quick connect adaptor that fits directly onto the buffer, with double-sided foam compounding and polishing pads and double-sided wool compounding pads. The colour-coded foam pads are long-lasting, improving both productivity and quality, while a rounded edge design enables technicians to polish in difficult areas. The wool pads feature a wear indicator to ensure consistent quality.

a new approach to finishing following ongoing development in Trizact Technology, 3m has added a new Trizact foam finishing Disc, 6000 grade that makes compounding and polishing easier. The principle behind the disc’s design is to reduce the depth of scratches further after using a Trizact fine finishing Disc, 3000 grade. The pyramid surface structure of the foam disc produces a uniform and consistent finish. although adding an extra step, in bodyshop trials the new disc has been proven to save time, reduce re-work and improve quality. for more details visit www.3mbodyshop.co.uk.

www.circleleasing.com JUne 2013 | 03

the new fiestaPowered by EcoBoost, connected by Ford SYNC

create, design and restorewith Standox

Whether refinishers need to restore a vintage car to its former glory, customise a business vehicle, or create a unique vehicle design that stands out from the crowd, Standox has the paint, training and know-how to help them achieve it.

“refinishing isn’t just about repairing chips and dents,” explains Jodie henly, standox brand specialist, “it’s an art. while the majority of work that most bodyshops deal with can be quite mundane, from time to time a vehicle owner will offer a challenge to the paint shop. This is a real opportunity for refinishers to make the most of their passion, experience and creativity. “

when it comes to restoring prestige and vintage cars, standox offers coating systems, state-of-the-art tools for accurate colour

matching and even marketing concepts to attract the classic car owner. The latest addition to these tools is the online colour documentation - eight digital volumes which include comprehensive information on vehicles and colours from a wide range of manufacturers over the decades. it covers the colours of european car brands, sorted by make, from auto Union to Volvo, as they were offered by the oem manufacturers at the time.

This colour documentation can be accessed at www.standox.co.uk/classic. a standothek guide entitled prestige and classic cars is also available on the website, and covers all aspects of vehicle restoration from protecting historic vehicle bodies to using old paintwork as a substrate.

“Saving time without

compromising on quality is key

to bodyshop profitability.”

standox paint restoration


interviewAndy Blair, Director, AutoRestore40 years ago, Andy Blair, an apprentice engineer with a passion for motor sport, took his first steps into the world of vehicle body repair when, to fund his hobby, he fixed cars for the local driving school in his garage in the evenings.

when it came to making a choice between pursuing a career in the drawing office or dedicating himself to what he liked doing best - “messing around with cars” - it took andy just seconds to reach his decision. This proved to be the start of what was to become one of the UK’s most successful body repair groups - aDr. The success story continued when, in november 2012, aDr’s nine sites located throughout the midlands became part of the UK’s leading mobile vehicle body repair specialist, autorestore.

What were the drivers behind your decision to sell your business to AutoRestore?a good opportunity for the business. a good opportunity for me. i have always wanted to make a difference to our industry and i believe that autorestore provides the route to achieving this. some have viewed autorestore’s entry into the market as a threat, some have tried to replicate their model. i want to play a role in industry change and to be a part of this market-leading organisation. my objective has always been to get to number one. as part of autorestore, we are already at number 2!

What did AutoRestore have to offer that other companies didn’t?autorestore is a fantastic business with great vision. it’s a slick, well-resourced operation and we are a good cultural fit. we share the same values and it was clear to me that autorestore represented the best possible option for the people at aDr and for myself.

How has the acquisition changed life for the ADR team?our flagship site in chesterfield has been re-branded. we have new signage and new branded shirts. it’s all fresh and new and the feeling is: “i’d be a fool not to want to be a part of this.” of course there were originally some mixed emotions about the change, but i am fortunate in that there is great loyalty

among our team, and the fact that i was remaining with the business engendered a greater sense of security. we’re now enjoying being part of a large, professional organisation with a long-term plan to be number one in the market and the natural choice for crash repair in the UK.

What role is the former ADR playing in AutoRestore’s strategy to offer mobile and fixed location repairs?mobile repairs can serve 30% of the market, so on its own, it’s an incomplete offer. autorestore recognised that in order to achieve its vision of becoming the natural choice for all types of vehicle body repair in the UK, there was a need to put an infrastructure in place to cater for more complex repair jobs. aDr’s expertise, resources and geographical location, made us a good fit. There is a huge opportunity to broaden our offer from the mobile repair start point; if the job is not suitable for mobile repair, it is simply referred through our call centre. aDr has always been customer service driven, so it isn’t difficult for us to put this vision into practice.

What have you found to be the response from insurers on the change?autorestore now has a complete offering for the insurance industry, covering all levels of repair for commercial and passenger vehicles. it’s a fully integrated service offering an unbeatable solution for the

customer in terms of quality, speed and convenience. The majority are massively enthusiastic and the progressive, forward-thinking insurers are already embracing the concept and the opportunity.

What is your perception of the future of mobile repairs versus the traditional approach?it’s a matter of moving with the times and providing different offerings to suit changing customer needs. we now operate in a consumer-led society which means that we need to give customers convenience and choice.

What is your role now within AutoRestore?i am a member of the executive management team responsible for the integration of the business and the operation of our fixed sites. i am also exploring future acquisitions and inputting to the strategic direction of the business. it’s not significantly different to my role within aDr except that i now have the backing of specialists in finance, client relationships, branding, etc.

andy Blair

“...we need to give customers convenience and choice”

“I have always wanted to make a difference to our industry...”


aBp roadshow March, 2013

interviewAndy Blair, Director, AutoRestore

In March, ABP had once again took to the road to deliver Business-2-Business forums around five locations in the UK. This five day event sought to provide the bodyshop sector with a forum to learn about market products and services. Circle Leasing supported the event with Circle staff on hand to offer advice to bodyshops.

aidan minogue, managing Director of circle, attended each event and presented a very well-received presentation which included valuable insights into trends in the UK car market and claims sector. one of the key facts highlighted within the presentation was that UK car registrations have increased steadily for another year. The presentation generated a lot of interest from customers, who were impressed with the substance and relevance of the material, and there was a huge demand for copies of the presentation slides.

the slides are readily available upon request. please contact lucy maine on: 0161763 8793 or email: [email protected] who will be happy to provide you with a copy of the information from the presentation.

So what is the definition of ‘Mobile Repair’?anything that can be completed in one day using mobile technology. The standard of finish is as good as any bodyshop thanks to the technology and controls that we have in place. autorestore’s van rigs are fully-equipped mobile bodyshops and the degree of compliance is exceptional. The difference with the autorestore model is that the whole package has been created rather than evolved.

Looking to the future...To be part of something cutting edge and which will change our industry, driven by the needs of our customers, is an exciting opportunity for all of us and the future looks very bright indeed.

aidan minogue

“...UK car registrations

have increased steadily for

another year.”

“...a very well-received presentation

which included valuable insight...”

the main points of the executive summary from the detailed presentation were:

• new car sales will hold steady

• UK markets wary of euro

• small growth in UK in 2013

• insurance claims levelled off

• Body shop failures slowdown

• fittest rather than biggest will survive


our survey said...The 2013 customer satisfaction poll resultsAs a company built on nurturing great working relationships, understanding every aspect of a customer’s business and, most of all, providing excellent customer service, it’s important to us to make sure we’re excelling in all the above and more.

That’s why we regularly commission customer satisfaction surveys to gain in-depth insight into how we’re viewed by our customers, where we’re doing well and areas that may need improvement.

at circle leasing we have recently adopted the net promoter score as a way of measuring customer insight against the industry and our competitors. insurance companies are endorsing this form of customer relationship assessment as a way of measuring intangible consumer values. we have scored exceptionally well with a nps of 78%, well above the industry average.

our survey, the latest in this comprehensive series of customer

feedback exercises, was carried out using a cross-section of circle customers, covering virtually every aspect of our circle leasing’s offering and service.

The results make interesting reading indeed, highlighting those parts of circle’s service that companies saw as beneficial to their business and worthy of praise. we’re pleased to announce that, amongst other positive points revealed, the majority of customers believe us to be excellent at meeting their company’s needs, gave us high scores on the way we administer fines and fixed penalty notices, and more and more customers now consider our appraisal notes to be fair and accurate.

The survey also gave us a new perspective by pointing out key areas in which some respondents thought we could improve, aspects of the leasing process that could be altered to suit customer requirements, and much more.

The online questionnaire kicked off with a detailed series of questions on vehicle delivery and collection, with a near 100% positive response from customers on the condition of new cars ordered. it then moved on to end of contract charges showing that 95% of people feel we are fair and accurate with our recharges. myfleet is proving more and more successful, with 70% of our customers regularly using the online service. finally, the performance and professionalism of our account managers was analysed, producing an excellent overall response from our customers. The full survey results have now been collated and fully analysed and are ready to be presented to all our customers to show them how we’re improving and the measures we’ll take to ensure we deliver even better service over the next year and in the future. watch out for your copy which, if not with you already, will be arriving soon.

“The full 2012 survey results have now been collated, fully analysed and

are ready to be presented...”

net promoter score The net promoter score, or nps, is based on the fundamental perspective that every company’s customers can be divided into three categories: promoters, passives, and Detractors. net promoter is a management tool that can be used to gauge the loyalty of a firm’s customer relationships. it serves as an alternative to traditional customer satisfaction research. (netpromoterscore.com, 2013)

Detractors

Net Promoter Score % promoters= – % detractors

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Passives Promoters


our survey said...The 2013 customer satisfaction poll results

forty years of f’sRobert Hadfield

Last month, Robert Hadfield bowed out of mainstream body repair industry activity after more than four decades. He started out as a magazine editor in 1972, moving on to become an adviser to body repair associations, vehicle manufacturers, work providers, suppliers and most of our leading bodyshops and bodyshop groups.

in this issue of around circle he recounts... 40 years of f’s.

“my induction into the amazing world of body repair was full-on from

day one. as editor of the Vehicle Builders and repairers association

(VBra) magazine, Body, i was blessed with a unique and instantaneous

grounding in a sector that was to provide a working life of frustration, fascination, fun, fulfilment and a considerable vocabulary of gordon ramsay expletives.

“in my early VBra days membership stood at nearly 3,000 out of a total of 22,000 UK bodyshops the average workshop size was 2,500 sq ft with an output of 4-5 cars a week.

“The advent of insurer recommended repairer programmes

in the late ’80s saw a rapid decline in bodyshop numbers, with shops of over

30,000 sq ft in size repairing 100 plus cars a week becoming commonplace. as

work volumes concentrated and bodyshop efficiency improved, insurers began to

control and squeeze pricing, forcing shop owners to become more business savvy.

“Today, professional bodyshop numbers have shrunk below to 3,000 and, while workshop

efficiency increases through investment in technology, shop size, workforce and output

was contracting.“Vehicles have changed in performance and

complexity (particularly electronics and materials), but the basic monocoque passenger compartment has

remained the same for more than four decades. Despite steady and consistent growth in vehicle

numbers, there’s been a corresponding decline in the frequency of accidents following the widespread

introduction of vehicle safety features, improved road design and traffic calming measures. exponential complexity of onboard vehicle technology has led

to an increased trend in total losses.“consumer requirements have

spawned a host of enhanced post-accident intermediary services ranging from the supply of courtesy vehicles to the provision of engineering, legal and medical assistance. recently, some of these factors have been blamed for beyond-inflation increases in motor insurance premiums, resulting in calls for government intervention.

“Throughout my time in the industry, one aspect that’s remained ever-constant has been the sector dominance of independent bodyshops – an insurer-preferred requirement despite vehicle manufacturers’ attempts to encourage greater dealer participation. This will continue for the foreseeable future despite ever more challenging vehicle technology and repair methodology.

“and what else is on the horizon?

• Office of Fair Trading and Competition Commission market reviews will lead to tighter controls of intermediary services

• Cars will become ever more complex and will include accident prevention systems as standard

• Telematics will place control of post-accident events with black-box data owners (Vehicle manufacturers? Licencing authorities? Insurers? Third party agencies? Consumers?)

• Road pricing and congestion charging will reduce annual average miles travelled

• Investment will be the single biggest consideration for repair industry sustainability

“and my final prediction? “The UK body repair industry will rise

above any future innovation challenges and will continue as world leader in repair efficiency, repair quality and customer service.

“a ffff future to you all!”robert hadfield

“...one aspect that’s remained

ever-constant has been the sector dominance of independent bodyshops...”


thatcham AEB set to make big impact

The prevention of low-speed collisions, a decrease in whiplash claims and reduced accident repair costs are just some of the benefits of new Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) technology now available from an increasing number of manufacturers.

furthermore, following pioneering accident risk assessment work by Thatcham - a centre of excellence for aeB testing - motorists who buy cars fitted with aeB technology will not only be safer, but will also benefit from lower insurance premiums due to more favourable insurance ratings.

according to lesley Upham, Thatcham’s commercial Director, aeB is potentially as important a safety breakthrough as the seat

belt and, following the pattern established by the introduction of electronic stability control (esc), aeB will become part of the 5 star euro ncap safety rating by 2014. it will also become ‘fitted as standard’ in all cars in the next few years.

“This exciting technology monitors traffic situations and, if a collision is imminent, the vehicle systems can intervene,” explained lesley. “many crashes can be avoided and others can be mitigated, which will help reduce the risk of injury, as well as preventing vehicles being damaged beyond economic repair.”

aeB technologies use various highly developed laser, raDar and camera sensors to monitor the road ahead, warn drivers of potential hazards and, where necessary, apply full braking pressure independently of the driver to prevent a collision or mitigate the severity of the impact.

aeB has been identified by road safety and insurance organisations as having the potential to massively reduce the number of low-speed front-to-rear shunts and accidents involving pedestrians. most manufacturers have an aeB system on offer or in development. The availability of these systems, both as an option or as standard, is increasing and is not limited to premium models.

Your online management tool:

myfleetMyFleet was first developed and launched by our in-house IT experts in September 2009. It now boasts hundreds of active users and is constantly being updated and enhanced, informed by our extensive experience within the industry and suggestions and comments from our customers.

we are committed to investing in cutting-edge technology and specialist knowledge to make the efficient management of a valuable business asset simple and hassle free. Brand new to myfleet is the online ordering section - just log in to your myfleet account to utilise it.

motor insurance database - midSince 2011 all vehicles are required to be insured at all times unless declared to be off the road, and all insured vehicles must be on the Motor Insurance Database. MID on MyFleet... it’s quick and easy

The easiest way to find out if your vehicle(s) are on the database is by visiting www.askmid.com. it’s fast, free and could save you problems with the DVla in the future.

if they don’t appear on the database or you need to update your current fleet, your myfleet account provides a useful tool to export all your circle and non-circle vehicles. The myfleet miD report allows you to download an excel spreadsheet that conforms to the miD format.

login to your myfleet account to find out more: www.circleleasing.com/myfleet

autonomous emergency Braking

aeB steering robot

“...if a collision is imminent, the vehicle systems can intervene”


new technology challenges for vehicle damage assessorsEmbrace the change

thatcham AEB set to make big impact

The new Autonomous Emergency Braking technology covered in our previous article is just the latest example of new technology that Vehicle Damage Assessors (VDAs) now need to be aware of when carrying out inspections and preparing body repair estimates.

“with today’s advancements in technology, it’s more important than ever before to have in-depth technical knowledge of the vehicle model before commencing a vehicle damage assessment,” said andy hutchins, adult academy Team leader at Thatcham’s automotive academy.

addressing challenges“effective vehicle damage assessment sits at the heart of the body repair process and underpins the common goal of ensuring the integrity of the repair. Keeping abreast of new vehicle technology is a challenge that is best addressed through investment in training and the use of repair methods.”

adam murray, council member and pro of the iaea agrees: “fortunately we now see more consistent research, use and application of researched repair methods to inform safe repairs and ensure they are delivered to vehicle manufacturers’ standards. This can only be good for the customer and our industry as a whole.”

Qualified VDas must prove their ability to determine the correct method to return the vehicle to its pre-accident condition safely. an additional requirement is to ensure that the repair is cost-effective by correctly identifying only those components which need repairing or replacing.

whole-vehicle concepts“with so many new components being introduced, it’s not always obvious what they do and how they are inter-related,” said andy hutchins. “Take the new mazda 6, for example, which has “skyactiv”. This is a whole-vehicle concept to reduce weight by using more high strength steels, more efficient technologies and lighter drivetrain components to enable engine downsizing and more agile, responsive vehicles. This

system uses a high voltage capacitor in conjunction with a variable voltage alternator. The capacitor is located behind the left hand corner of the front bumper, attached to the side of the chassis leg, so awareness of such components is vital when writing a damage appraisal for such a vehicle.

risk assessmentsnew vehicle technology developments are affecting not just the need for knowledge but working practices too. more than 20,000 vehicles incorporating high voltage batteries were sold in the UK last year and there are risks to anyone working with these vehicles: technicians, VDas and engineers. as part of pas 125, there is now a requirement for businesses to assess the competence of staff in relation to high voltage repairs, including knowledge of how to make these vehicles safe before work begins and whilst repairs are being carried out.

continuous improvementsThere can be little doubt that with the drive to continually improve performance

and fuel efficiency, modern day vehicle technology presents many new challenges for VDas, and continuous improvement and learning is essential.

aTa re-accreditation ensures that assessor competence is maintained, and this is complemented by reference to the information available from the vehicle manufacturers and through services such as Thatcham’s escribe. The new ‘model awareness’ courses from Thatcham also help VDas and anyone in the repair sector to keep abreast of technology and vehicle design.

embrace changeas a final word on the subject, when asked for his top tips on successful vehicle damage assessment in this changing world, adam murray’s advice is:

“maintain personal development to enrich your knowledge, embrace change (it’s the only constant), adopt a team approach to problem solving and, if you don’t know the answer, ‘ask’.”

wise words indeed.

Your online management tool:

myfleet

vehicle damage assessors

You were appointed Group MD in September 2011 after 14 years with the company. What are your primary responsibilities today? one of my main objectives and responsibilities is to

maintain and secure new work provision for our business. we typically process around 1,300 jobs

in an average month and are hoping to break our £16

million target this year, whilst not losing sight of ‘turnover’s vanity, profit’s sanity’!

Alton Cars today has sites in Leeds, York, Harrogate,

Huddersfield and Barnsley. How many people do

you now employ? we currently employ

137 members of staff which includes the five directors. across the board, our average length of service is twelve years; this is unique in our industry and is

testament to the team spirit and commitment within our company.

Have you primarily expanded organically or through acquisition?

our last acquisition was in 2008 and at this time our turnover hit circa £11.5 million, so not only have we grown through acquisition, we have also grown through our investment in an advanced iT platform, advance Bodyshop management system from pinetree consulting, which has enabled major improvements in process and production efficiency.

Do you have plans to expand your geographical coverage further by acquiring more bodyshops?we would never say “never” to further acquisitions but it would have to be strategically placed and fit the group ethos.

Alton Cars was one of the few independent bodyshop groups to increase turnover last year. What’s your secret?we have been very pro-active with our current and new work providers and have successfully secured existing contracts and won several new. in addition we are working very closely with our partners in paint, distribution, and vehicle manufacturers and iT to deliver a comprehensive, high-quality offering in the market place. what’s the secret? great communications and outstanding customer service.

What are the best investments that you’ve made? in the past twelve months the alton cars group has invested a total of £750,000 in the re-location and new

fit-out of our huddersfield site, including re-branding, iT, plant and equipment. however, without a shadow of doubt, creating a central deployment centre at our Barnsley site has proved to be an outstanding investment and sets us apart from the competition. it allows us to control work flow within the group, whilst providing our clients’ customers a choice, be it location of repair or manufacturer approval, to suit their needs.

You have approvals from many of the prestige vehicle manufacturers and leading insurers. How have you achieved this? manufacturer approvals do not come cheap, nor does Bsi, but if you totally embrace it within your business, it tends to fit with many major leading insurers, and work provision more often than not then follows.

How important is your 24 hour ‘fast track’ repair service to your business? we have always operated a 24 hour repair service and 10-15% of our throughput is of that nature. This complements the mainstream work going through our bodyshops on a day- to-day basis and creates a good balance. Due to the current economic climate, as a group, we have found that retail work has declined as people’s priorities have changed dramatically.

Alton Cars has been a customer of Circle Leasing for over ten years. How would you describe the relationship?we have an incredibly strong relationship with circle leasing and i believe we were one of


alton carsYorkshire’s leading car body repair specialist

“What’s the secret? Great

communications and outstanding

customer service.”

“We review our business constantly

and you have to change and adapt

ahead of the market”

Julian milner

With a senior management team led by an ABP Club Industry Knight, five BSI Kitemark-accredited bodyshops equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and more industry awards in the trophy cabinet than most bodyshops can even dream about, Alton Cars has reached great heights in its 34 years.

alton cars was also the first bodyshop group to appoint circle leasing as its courtesy car partner in 2002. around circle invited Julian milner, alton car’s group managing Director, to share with us the secrets of the company’s success and his vision for the future.

alton carsYorkshire’s leading car body repair specialist

aidan’s first customers when circle set up many moons ago. you know circle are here for the long term and they provide stability and consistency time and time again. circle today fulfils 99% of our courtesy car fleet requirements.

How does Circle Leasing go ‘the extra mile’ to help you manage your courtesy car fleet and reduce costs? circle’s service is 150%; you know cars will be delivered and collected when arranged and there are no hidden costs, which is what you get with many other courtesy car providers. with our dedicated circle account manager the whole process is made very easy for us. Before circle, courtesy cars were the bane of my life.

Given the challenging economic conditions, how can bodyshops sustain their business for the long term?i believe it is far easier for groups in today’s market through economies of scale, but you cannot afford to sit back. we review our business constantly and you have to change and adapt ahead of the market.

Where will Alton Cars be in five, ten, fifteen years time?i would like to think we have had our fair share of success. This is down to having a very strong team and the foundations that the business has built upon over the last 34 years. we want to remain one step ahead of the competition and will continue with our current winning formula for the foreseeable future. i certainly don’t want to give away too much to our competitors!

innovationG2Innovation is the word on everybody’s lips. David Murby, Director of Bodyshop & Insurance at Glass’s, gives us an insight into what the business is doing to remain innovative.

“over the past 12 months glass’s has launched two key products, put a new sales team in place and begun to focus on developing our offering for sectors outside of dealerships – a big part of which is the bodyshop and insurance industry.

“The reason behind it all is innovation. everyone knows the country is battling a tough economy. falling claims rates and the impact on the claims supply chain is a perfect example of the struggles that come with recession. at glass’s we believe the only way to rise through the gloom is to focus on innovation - that means new technologies, new products and new partnerships that benefit our customers.

“glass’s vision is to become the definitive source of vehicle valuations, and our most recent step in achieving this was the launch of g2 - a new generation of car valuations, a vastly improved valuations system, and indeed the biggest change to the way glass’s has valued cars since it came into being nearly 80 years ago.

“one of the biggest challenges facing bodyshops and insurers is valuing vehicles correctly and determining the outcome of the write-off versus repair debate. our g2 values mean our customers start off with an accurate valuation for the vehicle in question, putting them in a much stronger position to negotiate cases. one of the most important considerations in repair vs write-off is knowing true residual values. in an industry that is constantly being squeezed and is looking to deliver write-off avoidance schemes, bodyshops and insurers must really know the value of the vehicle in front of them. gut reaction when it comes to repair could potentially cost businesses

a lot of money. g2 values empower people with the knowledge that they have the most accurate information, meaning they can make better decisions and manage their resources more effectively.

“g2 is about setting the foundations for future growth in the industry and helping customers to meet changing market demands. g2 values are derived from nearly 100,000 market observations every month, fed through a statistical engine to give our customers the most accurate values, the ability to make better business decisions and the tools to improve profitability.

“now we base our valuations on more than 4 million retail and 1.3 million trade observations every year. we have more market data with better statistical analyses. we have six valuations instead of two. we have three new condition grades directly linked to auction houses, providing a more relevant reflection of auction prices - the benchmark for the wholesale market. and there’s more. all our values are based on observations, not algorithms, and include specific adjustments for individual model derivatives.

“all of this combined can only mean good things for bodyshops and insurers – more accuracy, better products and more profitable businesses.”

“G2 is about setting the foundations for future growth in the

industry...”

For more information on how Glass’s can help you go to www.glassguide.co.uk


david murby

16gB ipad mini

win!


Circle Leasing Ltd The Barracks 400 Bolton road Bury Bl8 2Da Tel: 0800 505 3737 | fax: 0800 505 3744 | [email protected] | www.circleleasing.com

Produced by Circle Leasing Marketing please contact 0161 763 8772 for more information. © circle leasing ltd 2012. printed on recycled stock.

innovationRose Moat, Partner Client Manager at Circle LeasingSince early 2012 Rose has been a member of the Circle team in the role of Partner Client Manager. In this interview, Rose discusses her responsibilities and what benefits she offers her partner clients.

What are your day-to-day duties?Being a partner client manager requires regular meetings with my customers to review their business needs and fleet performance. generally, i meet customers each quarter to discuss their fleet performance and the general market position. of course i am also on hand at all times to manage queries, ably supported by ian gears back at base.

What would you say your key responsibilities are?Ultimately my responsibility is to act as my clients’ fleet manager. i ensure that they have an adequate volume of cars to meet their diverse fleet needs in the ever-fluctuating market. partner clients get the added benefit

of receiving priority on stock; the majority of their requirements on fleet makes and models are ordered in advance to ensure this facility. i have to be proactive and know the market to anticipate my customers’ needs in advance, over and above the day-to-day tasks of general assistance. i analyse fleet utilisation and how best to save money for my clientele. i look at their fleet movements, costs and expenditure ensuring cost effectiveness. i provide full consultancy for all fleet services to ensure the highest customer service.

What area do you cover?i am responsible for the north of england ans scotland, covering coventry to Dundee. it is a vast area and i thoroughly enjoy being on the road meeting customers.

What benefits do you provide a customer?partner clients enjoy the benefit of having a dedicated full time resource on hand to help with any aspect of their courtesy car fleet. The motor industry is not without its usual hiccups and my role is to ensure the smooth running throughout the life cycle of the leases. in addition, we prepare an in-depth market report on their fleet performance and how it compares to the rest of the sector; my role is to try to reduce the weaker areas. i achieve this by regular contact and a close working relationship with my clients.

What do you enjoy most about your role in Circle?i really enjoy meeting people and providing consultation on their business challenges. The bodyshop sector has some great characters and genuinely decent, honest people within it. The motor industry was previously new to me, but from my time at circle i have a full understanding of the market and how this affects bodyshops. i can therefore offer tailored advice and know exactly how circle’s services can be of use.

don’t be too disappointed if you entered our prize draws at the aBp roadshows and didn’t win, because here’s your chance to enter our latest competition - to win a stylish apple ipad mini!

We are giving away a brand new 16GB iPad Mini with a beautiful 7.9-inch display and built-in Wi-Fi. All you have to do is enter our draw and answer the following question:

when is the compeition commision announcing its findings?a – september 2013B – september 2022c – september 2014

Please send all answers to [email protected] for your chance to win.

Make sure you send your entry in before 30th June 2013, when the prize draw will take place and we will get your iPad over to you ASAP! We will announce the winner through twitter so please follow us @circleleasing to keep track of what’s going on. The winner will be notified by e-mail.

news from The UK’s no.1 coUrTesy car leasing experTs ... ecoBoost engine. This combines ecoBoost...

Documents

Transcript of news from The UK’s no.1 coUrTesy car leasing experTs ... ecoBoost engine. This combines ecoBoost...