Insight edition 3

insight Ford Accident Repair Network Magazine

Communication is the key

Go Further

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

We are up to issue three of our Insight Magazine already and what a year for the Ford Collision Team!

We started the year with a new look team and new Ford Insure Partners, Allianz. In April we saw LV join the panel and we expect further panel member news to come soon. We anticipate a great working relationship as we move forward.

You may also have noticed that this, our brand new magazine for 2014, is getting better every issue. After all, Communication is Key.

Dave Kittle Wholesale Parts and Collision Marketing Manager

In May we welcomed White Room Consortium as our new Ford Accident Management Partners with a flexible approach to the FAM process. We are also looking forward to the significantly updated version of the Ford Management Accident App, which we’ll see in the next month or so.

Insight three includes articles by top industry experts including Andrew Marsh, John Thompson and our own Chris Browne, Ford Accident Repair Centre Manager at Pertwee and Back.

Our popular Ford Impact Conference is fast approaching and includes Ford Excellence Awards for our very best Ford Accident Repair Centres, Managers and Vehicle Damage Assessors. We also have over 55 exhibitors at the event, with a broad range of tools, equipment, services and great ideas to share on the day, This event will probably reset the benchmark for Impact, which I am extremely pleased to be able to announce will be opened by Ford of Britain Chairman and Managing Director, Mark Ovenden.

The team are looking forward to meeting our great network, suppliers and insurance company guests on the 29th of October at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry.

ThOUghT LeADeRShip people@Retail Big Data Connected Retail

GettinG to the heart of your business.

Our integrated and proactive approach streamlines and transforms your business processes to exceed today’s customer expectations. We deliver added value through Whole Dealership Reviews, Data Analysis, Sales Coaching, Customer Retention, Mystery Shop, Social Listening, Live Chat, Call Screening, Contract Labour Utilisation, Talent Assessment.

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Speak to us today about being in shape for tomorrow !

Contact: Martin Dowding | mdowding@msxi-euro.com | M 07576 757350 | www.msxi.com

fueled by challenge. powering success.sm

Welcome to Issue 3 September 2014

Profile

Steve Mullen

Ford Collision Programme Network Manager I’ve been in Collision since leaving school a long time ago …. serving my City and Guilds as a Panel/Painter and later moving into a workshop control position and estimating.

Moving up into a Bodyshop Managers position at the age 30 was a huge challenge and after gaining significant experience and being process driven worked towards CMA Manager looking after three Ford Accident Repair Centres in the Manchester area.

I then moved down South near Brighton, employed as a Network Manager for an Accident management Company looking after 82 repairers which gave me an insight into network management which has proven invaluable in my current role.

I joined the Ford Accident Repair Centre support team in December 2011, which only seems like yesterday. My current position is Network Manager overseeing the Ford network for all the UK which I immensely enjoy.

I have plenty of hobbies work work work!!! But also I am member of a Scuba Diving club where we arrange weekend trips wreck diving (plenty of write off’s) mainly in Cornwall. Living on the coast, walking is also a great leisure time, but stopping of at the pub on the seafront is a must.

I don’t really have any best moments about the job as every day is as interesting as the last, however, the Ford Impact Conference in Coventry for me is a great venue as all the network gets together and meets industry experts and suppliers. The event also gives me chance to work with the rest of the Ford Collision Marketing team bringing us closer as a unit.

The new team structure is exciting and will help to bring the network closer by keeping them informed - using technology and a series of communication tools. It is great working on a great pro-active programme made more dynamic with our involvement with WRC and Vizion.

Contents 2 Introduction 3 Profile – Steve Mullen 4 Three is the magic number 6 PanelCraft our story 8 Ford Fiesta 10 Eyebox 12 What have we done to our estimators?

14 Pure - The fast and the serious 18 TrustFord 20 Testing of the new right-hand-drive Mustang 24 It’s bigger, it’s better, it’s back 26 The plan 28 WRC – The way forward for Ford Accident Management 30 Ford momentum in China 34 Six steps to delivering great customer service 38 Ford future technology 40 Auto Industry Insider 43 Ask James…

46 Ford’s 18 seat Transit Minibus 48 Ford’s experimental vehicle-to-vehicle

communication technology 49 Shaping the future of mobility 50 Pertwee and Black – Chris Browne 54 Write Off Avoidance 56 Aura Graphics – It’s a wrap 58 Autoraise – What’s trending 60 Mirka – Net profit programme 62 Thatcham Research 64 Ford - New Cutting Edge College 66 John Thompson – What can we do for you?

68 SATA 74 Tesla 76 Thatcham Research 78 Axalta – New training academy 80 NAB 82 TTi Global 84 AkzoNobel 88 Standox 92 AGM Services 94 Glass’s 96 Standox

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost continues to stand out for all the right reasons – great refinement, surprising flexibility and excellent efficiency.

Dean Slavnich co-chairman of the 16th International Engine of the Year awards and editor of Engine Technology International magazine

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The 3-cylinder 1.0 litre Ecoboost international engine of the year for 3 years in a row.

Three is the magic number.

International Engine of the Y ear Fo rd 1.0 EcoBoost

I am delighted and proud to share the news that our 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine once again has been named International Engine of The Year.

It is the third year in a row our game-changing small engine has received this prestigious accolade - an unprecedented achievement in the history of the award and validation of the significance of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost’s technology and performance.

To put it in perspective, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost (351 points) edged out the Ferrari 4.5 V8 445kW (605 PS) in the Ferrari 458 Speciale (281 points) and the VW 1.4litre TSi (254 points) for top honours.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine shows One Ford at its best, with a talented international team delivering exceptional engineering innovation and manufacturing quality.

Presented annually by Engine Technology International magazine,

the award was judged this year by a panel of 82 automotive journalists from 35 countries. The criteria included drivability, performance, economy, refinement and the successful application of advanced engine technology.

In addition to selecting the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine as the 2014 International Engine of the Year, the judging panel also named the power unit the "Best Engine Under 1.0-litre" for the third time in a row.

Here is what Dean Slavnich, cochairman of the 16th International Engine of the Year awards and editor of Engine Technology International magazine, had to say.

“This year’s competition was the fiercest yet, but the 1.0-litre EcoBoost continues to stand out

for all the right reasons – great refinement, surprising flexibility and excellent efficiency. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is one of the finest examples of powertrain engineering today."

This achievement is a testament to the hard work, expertise and innovation of many – including the engineers and designers in Aachen and Merkenich, Germany, and Dagenham and Dunton, UK, as well as those in Cologne and Craiova who build the 1.0-litre EcoBoost with outstanding quality.

My congratulations to you all on behalf of the entire Ford team.

Stephen Odell

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Bodyshop Profile

PanelCraft Our Story The idea of starting PanelCraft UK began with John, who having done nothing but cars since he left school and college, exchanged the ‘outdoors’ for the indoors of an accident management company with their HQ in Swindon. He went through 3 promotions in less than 14 months but despite this, he soon uprooted and decided to start his own business. After full consideration, he decided he should go ahead and do what he felt was his true passion so the doors opened in 1998 in what was literally a shed no bigger than 1000sqft and a tin roof.

John started serving our local community on the outskirts of Swindon and soon his name became well known which fuelled the move to somewhat more adequate premises nearby. We then moved PanelCraft UK to what was then a ‘cowshed’ of 4,000sqft on a farm which we adapted and reconditioned by coating the floor, installing an oven, building customer facilities and an office. Soon enough, he had to hire one, then two staff and in 2013, I joined the company, leaving behind a very well paid job in a totally different industry.

Joining PanelCraft UK allowed me the chance to focus more (rather than just doing the books over the weekends) and together we defined then what our vision for the business was and what we would do immediately to add more definition and order to the business. I was able to focus on marketing on a non-existing budget which is how I discovered the unbeatable value of word of mouth. I thought that if our customers were the ones spreading the word (good or bad) then it made sense in putting major focus on securing our customers’ advocacy.

Before we knew it, our work provider base grew on a corporate and retailer level, helping us define where to put our efforts.

It made sense from there and with 5 employees at that stage that we started to look for a more central base for our operation. We found

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our current premises which seemed at the time grossly big but despite the fear we just went ahead and sealed the deal for the purchase. As it turned out, it’s been probably one of the best decisions we have ever made. In November 2006 we moved to our current site, Scuderia House in Swindon; 23,500sqft (Formerly, Yuasa batteries).

Although our good name kept growing in our local community and we were working very hard, like most businesses across the country, we were facing one of the worst recessions and it was time to get clever or sink forever. We focused on all the things that as a family business we were able to control and simply aimed to minimize the damage caused by all external forces affecting our organization.

For example, we provided a lot of funded external training, we focused on coaching and mentoring, found ways to innovate our processes and re-shuffled staff by identifying talent and skill. Above all, we focused on providing smart and genuinely great customer service and measuring this through independent CSI. Personally I decided to go back to university and did a BA in Business & Enterprise with Napier Edinburgh University in Scotland, which I found extremely hard particularly at this stage (as it is not my first one!). It turned out to be a defining moment and taught me great lessons, primarily to formulate together with John a sound Strategy for Growth through the economic

crisis that was hitting so many businesses across the country not excluding our trade.

The aspect that we keep gravitating towards is to focus on having the best impact that we possibly can on what our customers say about us. It is our endeavour to ensure that our customers speak for us rather than blowing our own trumpet. Blowing one’s own trumpet is worthless…but when our customers become our advocates it’s priceless. This is how we stay in business and this is how we serve our community of work providers, retail customers and the vehicle manufacturers for which we are approved.

Today we have 18 employees and we believe we are in relative positive balance. We continue to look for new ways of doing things, improving our processes through customer feedback as well as staff input. We do not count with the backing of a large group, and this allows us to make decisions very quickly, make mistakes and move very quickly to resolve them; decide our future…at least on those aspects that we can control.

Our plans for the future include the acquisition of a couple more unique, core competitive advantages and to continue to become abreast with technology. Lead everyone to understand our vision and pursue it with more mature passion from than when we started.

Vizion is the largest independent network in the UK containing the very best of our industry.

Constantly driving innovation and evolution in the repair industry, Vizion is at the forefront of technology, pushing boundaries every day to ensure our members, our suppliers and our partners benefit from our passion to evolve.

That’s just today...imagine what tomorrow will bring.

Visit us at BE2014 to see our latest innovations and a glimpse into the future of automotive repair.

t: 01482 381068 | e: info@vizionnetwork.co.uk | facebook: vizion.net

www.vizionnetwork.co.uk Powered by WHITE ROOM CONSORTIUM

design: purevc.net

If your a Vizion member or a supplier then dont forget OneVizion is on the 28th October. A event by Vizion for Vizion www.one-vizion.net

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Ford Fiesta

becomes UK all-time best seller.

The Ford Fiesta became the UK’s bestselling vehicle nameplate of all time this month when total sales topped 4,115,000.

First launched in 1976, the Fiesta has led the small car segment in the UK for 27 of the 37 years and has been Britain’s best-selling car since 2009 when it overtook the Ford Focus.

This month it surpassed the historic record of the Ford Escort which sold 4,105,961 in the 32 years it was on sale in the UK from 1968 through to 2000.

Ford added its cherished “FMC1” registration to a Fiesta which went to Scotland for the Commonwealth Games to mark the UK favourite’s landmark achievement. Netball competitor Sasha Corbin, one of Ford’s athlete ambassadors, chose a Ford Fiesta for the Games – one of the 1,120 Fords which supported the event in Scotland.

Mark Ovenden, Ford Britain chairman and managing director, said: “The Ford Fiesta has gone from strength to strength and today’s car combines style, value, driving dynamics and remarkable technologies such as the multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. It continues to outsell its nearest retail competitor by more than two to one – and that really tells the story of this extraordinary car.”

UK-based engineers at Ford’s research and development centre at Dunton, in Essex, and at Ford’s Dagenham Diesel Centre, in East London, develop all powertrains for the Ford Fiesta. Dunton Technical Centre is home to Ford’s latest technical masterpiece – the EcoBoost range, including the 1.0-litre named International Engine of the Year for an unprecedented third consecutive year. The 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine that powers the hot Fiesta ST is manufactured at the Bridgend

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Engine Plant, South Wales.

Dagenham Diesel Centre specialises in the engineering and production of high-tech, low CO2 diesel engines for virtually all of Ford’s line-up of cars and commercial vehicles, across Europe and beyond, including the new 1.5-litre TDCi diesel for Fiesta.

Technical progress since the original Fiesta was introduced is a step-change. For example, it would now take more than 80 modern-day Fiestas to generate the NOx emissions of a single 1976 Mk1 model. This first-generation Fiesta, with the 46PS fourcylinder 950cc petrol engine, weighed around 800kg and achieved 37.7mpg, with CO2 emissions of almost 150g/km. Today’s fully-equipped model, with the 1.0-litre 100PS EcoBoost engine, weighs nearly 1,100kg, yet boasts a combined fuel economy of 65.7mpg and just 99g/km CO2 emissions.

More than 40 per cent of Fiesta buyers in the UK today choose the turbo-charged 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, and almost 90 per cent opt for higher level specification – Zetec, Zetec S, Titanium, Titanium X and ST models with the Ford SYNC voice-controlled connectivity system.

The most popular Ford Fiesta series in Britain is the Zetec, and features MyKey (limiting vehicle speed and audio volume for novice drivers), radio/CD with USB connection, remote central locking, electrically operated front windows, electrically operated and heated door mirrors, air conditioning, Hill Launch Assist, seven airbags, Electronic Stability Programme and headlight courtesy delay.

The Ford Fiesta has gone from strength to strength and today’s car combines style, value, driving dynamics and remarkable technologies such as the multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine.

David Gregory Transit chief program engineer, Ford of Europe.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

eyebox

When it comes to diversifying a business to meet the rapidly changing market, there’s no better example than Selsia’s approved repairer in Coventry, XL Accident Repair Centre. The company has recently launched its new rapid repair, training and conferencing facility under the Eyebox brand.

With over 40% of accident repair work now able to be completed in one day, the demand for products, services and training is growing quickly. This is why the company has invested a considerable amount of money in the new 18,000 square foot facility just off junction 3 on the M6 near Coventry. From the moment you walk into the Eyebox centre, everything looks and feels very modern and the facility exudes an air of professionalism and reassurance.

Rob Ally

In addition to a 13,000 square foot workshop, complete with built in multiple training pods and two spraybooths, Eyebox is fully equipped with four meeting, training and conferencing rooms totalling almost 2,500 square feet. These state of the art, fully air conditioned rooms feature the very latest in audio visual support facilities and are now being regularly used by the industry's leading organisations including vehicle manufacturers, trade associations and ATA training for vehicle damage assessors. And as no training or conference is complete without quality catering, delegates can also enjoy freshly prepared on site breakfasts, lunches and dinners from a choice of menus, so there is no need to leave the building.

Managing Director XL Accident Repair Centre

Commenting on his latest diverse business venture, Managing Director

Like any forward thinking business, we don’t rest on our laurels. We are already approved by the leading vehicle manufacturers and our Kitemark accredited workshop is always running at full capacity.

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Rob Ally commented: "Like any forward thinking business, we don't rest on our laurels. We are already approved by the leading vehicle manufacturers and our Kitemark accredited workshop is always running at full capacity. However, we have been carefully watching and evaluating the growing demand for rapid repairs along with training and conferencing. Eyebox is an extremely flexible facility and lends itself perfectly to a multitude of theoretical and practical training for any type of organisation associated with this industry. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we started to attract organisations from outside the accident repair industry, as well. After all, who wouldn't want to be trained in a state of the art facility like Eyebox?"

Selsia Marketing Director, Neil Marcus commented: "XL Accident Repair Centre represents everything which we believe marketing oriented repairers should be about. Our business development within the growing fleet sector in particular is accelerating and it's always reassuring for the Selsia team and our clients to know that we have extremely professional, forward thinking repairers on our network like XL Accident Repair Centre. We wish them every success for the future."

APART FROM THE EXCELLENT SERVICE, WHY ELSE DO BODYSHOPS CHOOSE US?

>An > account manager who will come out and visit you on a regular basis, giving you a really personal service >No > voice-mail or call centre – real people to talk to every time you call >Cars > available within 48 hours (subject to model) >7 > days at the end of the contract to aid with refurbishment >No > refurbishment bills without prior discussion >Pooled > mileage and no admin fees >Free > sign writing on your first order of 5 cars >Short > term hires available from £8.75 per day >We > take care of any problems/warranty issues you may experience with dealers, making sure you get a free car, if you are entitled to one

INTERESTED?

Call Sandicliffe Motor Contracts on 0115 946 6478

www.sandicliffemotorcontracts.co.uk Sandicliffe Motor Contracts, Fields Farm Rd, Long Eaton, Nottingham. NG10 1SG

design:Pure

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

What have we done to our estimators?

Let’s take ourselves back to a time before computers and bodyshop management systems and electronic estimating systems.

How did we all survive those ‘dark days’ and how did it affect the customer?

Dave Reece Ford Collision Project Manager

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The process which is still recognisable in other parts of the world was a very simple one and it relied on ‘experience’. The customer would choose their repairer, take the vehicle in and the estimator who may also have been the ‘owner driver’ of the business would use his experience to construct the estimate. The normal process was for the customer to have to ‘treck’ around and find 3 estimates and then maybe the cheapest option would be selected.

The bodyshop would phone or fax (what's a fax I hear you say?) the insurance company who would eventually get an engineer to inspect the vehicle and so the negotiation would begin. A bit of banter and the engineer 'chipping off' what had already been added on and job done.

No images, No electronic estimates, No methods to research.

The customer was then sent on their way while the bodyshop was waiting for authority.

The Estimators involvement with the customer - minimal.

But what have we turned them into in this digital, computer driven world of ours?

The Vehicle Damage Assessors involvement with the customer has increased enormously as they are now not only gathering information regarding the incident and other important details, but being asked to carry out additional duties and ‘Up-sell’ which some quarters seem to think is the ‘Magical Answer’ to more profit in the bodyshop. I don’t think so.

But has this shift reduced the effectiveness of one of the most important members of the bodyshop team.

The receptionist’s role was to help the customer fill in the forms and contact the relevant insurance company (racks with a variety of forms in reception).

The ‘core skill’ and ‘primary role’ is the ‘vehicle damage assessment’.

The highest return on investment is ensuring the ‘vehicle damage assessment’ is accurate but with the pressures of all the other functions we demand are we maximising one of our most valuable assets?

The estimator would then carry out an estimate using his experience and maybe his trusty Thatcham Repair Guide, and we regularly expected 10 to 15 estimates per day, and then negotiate with the insurer.

Making sure the estimator (vehicle damage assessor) has the time, space, tools and technical information for the job and focuses on his primary role will result in a more accurate assessment.

The customer’s role was to drive around town to get three estimates.

The role has now changed enormously so here is a list of what the expectation is of today’s estimator who has a new title – ‘Vehicle Damage Assessor’ that only covers part of his job role. >> Vehicle Damage Assessment

>> Salesman

>> Electronic Estimating System Expert

>> Claims Handler

>> Multi Brand Technical Expert >> Parts Person >> Invoicing Clerk >> Photographer

>> Negotiator >> Contract SLA Expert >> Progress Chaser >> Mobile Estimator >> Relationship Manager

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

An online presence is the norm in todays digitally led world, however, getting it right is something of a dark art, with so many so called ‘experts’ and options, its difficult to make the right choice, until now...

E.dna stands for electronic dna, an online platfrom that evolves with your needs and is a digital imprint of your brand and your web based presense. More than just a website, e.dna can provide you with the basis of a fully loaded online marketing solution.

We have recently updated our core system which means all new sites are responsive and we have improved the interface making it easier than ever to add content.

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there is no box 15

DONE IN SIXTY SECONDS

The site structure has been optimised for ease of use and practicality, taking out the need for requesting changes with a programmer and allowing you to be in complete control of your site. In addition to these front-end adjustments, e.dna also takes care of a variety of “behind the scenes� tasks such as generating navigation elements, adding users and permissions, optimising SEO and maintaining the overall structure of the website.

THE NEED FOR SPEED

SEO is high on our priority and we continually develop e.dna to ensure that it conforms with all the latest requirements, allowing you to add keywords and at the same time optimising the naming of pages and site structure.

Google rates your site on the speed it loads and the speed in which each page loads, Pure have this covered. E.dna has been coded by us and is free from plugins and bloated scripts that you find with the freebie cms’ on the web such as wordpress, ensuring that the pages load instantly.

HOW IT WORKS

E.dna is built on a solid foundation with over 5 years of developement. As standard you get a fully intergrated content management system with a custom designed site based on your requirements and brand.

Our sites are developed for a variety of different uses and industries and have the flexability to be programmed to suite your needs and requirements.

This hive approach means that the coding is always up to date, and that throughout the sites life it will be current in seo requirements and web standards.

there is no box m: 07917 667510 | hello@purevc.co.uk | www.purevc.co.uk

Version 4

Pure are just putting the finishing touches to version 4, which includes >> Enhanced SEO, based on the latest Google Penguin algorithm >> Built in support module for faster response to errors and support >> More responisve than ever >> Speed increases and code refresh >> New modules and interactivty

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on all our services.

Just quote ‘Insight’

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What if we were to combine them all?

Pure's Digital Solutions combine creativity, web platform (CMS) and the latest online media tools and platforms to create a variety of online media publishing options for newsletters, presentations and marketing aids.

Pure can take your content and produce a creative, well-designed online magazine or newsletter that oozes professionalism and adapts to what screen it's being viewed on.

Compatible with all media platforms such as phones, tablets and laptops/pcs. Our solutions can aid any event, campaign or sales drive by keeping your information current, on brand and professional.

This can have its own domain, be embedded on an existing site or can be hosted by Pure. We can provide analytics so you can see its performance and see how and when it's viewed.

Magazines are on the increase, allowing companies and individuals to share knowledge, content, views and opinions in one handy package.

Statistics show that the tablet and phone is overtaking the traditional PC and laptop for viewing web content.

For more information about Pure and our wide range of solutions please get in touch with Jules on 0793 993 3589 or email jules@purevc.co.uk digital.purevc.net

WHY USE DIGITAL PUBLISHING

REACH

Digital can reach local, national and global audiences on their chosen device.

SPEED

Digital means it can be delivered when the customer wants it 24/7, 365 days a year.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

TrustFord rolls out new campaign to support major rebrand Ford Retail has launched a multi-platform campaign on the back of a major rebrand to TrustFord, aimed at aligning the business’ regional dealerships under one nationally recognised brand.

The new TrustFord campaign will cover online, print, outdoor and radio advertising, PR and social media engagement. It was created by branding agency Good, which also handled the rebrand, and features real life staff from the company’s national network of 65 dealership sites showing them at work and how they embody the values of trust, honesty and transparency that the new branding aims to convey.

Celia Pronto, group marketing and e-commerce director at TrustFord, said of the activity: “Our launch campaign is based on research that revealed our customers believe our people, our passion and our personal approach are what makes the difference to their experience; and gives them the trust they are looking for when buying and maintaining

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their vehicle. The campaign focusses on our values as a company, and we believe they represent our personality of being friendly, natural and approachable.

“Consolidating our customer facing brands under one name will enable key business functions, particularly marketing and communications, to run more efficiently. Having one brand instead of a number of different regional ones, will dramatically improve our ability to externally communicate key messaging, news and business developments on a national level.”

MediaVest has handled the media planning and buying whilst The Red Consultancy has managed the PR. From 2 June, the TrustFord identity will be rolled out across the UK

network with Bougourd Ford, Brunel Ford, Dagenham Motors, Heartlands Ford, La Motte Ford, Lindsay Ford, Polar Ford, @First Parts, Ford Retail Online and Ford Online Parts all taking on the new identity.

Consolidating our customer facing brands under one name will enable key business functions, particularly marketing and communications, Celia Pronto Group marketing and e-commerce director

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Ford’s new Mustang goes on sale this fall in the U.S. and globally in more than 120 countries next year This is the first time in 50 year history that the Ford Mustang will be available in a factory-built right-hand-drive configuration More than 25 new right-hand-drive markets will be able to purchase the new Mustang, including the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa

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Testing of new right-hand-drive Mustang begins For the first time, a right-hand-drive Mustang will roll off a Ford assembly line when global production begins. The addition of a right-hand-drive Mustang to Ford’s line-up of global vehicles will allow the iconic pony car to be exported to more than 25 right-hand-drive markets around the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa.

Mustang engineers recently finished construction of the first right-hand-drive sixth-generation Mustang.

The prototype Mustang will be used to conduct various development tests in preparation for the car’s entry into the global market in the coming months.

While the USA is the largest market for Mustang, with more than 9.2 million sales since the car’s debut in 1964, more than 161,000 Mustangs have been sold outside of North America in that time. In 2012 alone, more than 4,000 Mustangs were sold in 35 countries outside of North America, ranging from the United Arab Emirates to Chile to the Philippines.

While Mustang has more than 100 fan clubs around the globe, and was recently voted “Europe’s Most Wanted

Classic Car” by AutoScout24, bringing a right-handdrive Mustang to market will allow more enthusiasts to experience the car than ever before.

Mustang is the newest member of a very exclusive club – vehicles in continuous production for 50 years.

The car has a worldwide base of fans, including more than 7.6 million on Facebook – the most of any vehicle nameplate. From the beginning, Mustang’s unique combination of style, performance and affordability established an entirely new class of sporty cars, and it has led the segment ever since.

The sixth-generation Mustang goes on sale in the USA this autumn and in the UK in 2015, and will eventually be available in more than 110 countries worldwide.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

2 GREAT EVENTS | ONE VENUE | OVER 5

past, present and future of Vizion and the repair industry From the formation of Vizion it has been our mission to drive innovation and evolution in the repair industry, to reinstate the value of repairers and to ensure we are at the forefront of the UK repair industry; to be unique and sustainable in our solutions; deliver benefit not only to our customers but to our network, our partners and of course you.

The Ricoh Arena, Coventry Tuesday October 28th 11 am to late

one-vizion.net 22

55 OF THE LEADING INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS

FORDIMPACT2014 Conference & Awards Communication is the key

It’s Bigger, It’s Better, It’s Back

The Ricoh Arena, Coventry Wednesday October 29th 9.30 am to 4.30pm Great speakers and a fun packed Trade Fair in the supplier village.

For more detailsmplease contact Dave Reece dreece6@ford.com Phone: 07982 923864

FORD IMPACT 2014

EXCELLENCE AWARDS 23

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

insight event special

It’s Bigger.

It’s Better. It’s Back. available next month

and it all kicks off at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Tuesday 28th October. A two day, special networking event for the Ford and Vizion Accident Repair Centres and many guests.

Dave Reece Ford Collision Project Manager

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A great opportunity to meet the movers and shakers in the industry, listen to industry experts and meet the industry supply chain from Equipment to iPads and Paint to Training but as importantly to – NETWORK. But are you comfortable Networking? Is this yet another ‘Buzz word’ from so called business Guru’s.

networkers and either wonder ‘How do they do it?’ or ‘I could never be like them.’ You probably already are.

You can be better at it when you understand who these people are and know what they do.

Ask yourself these five simple questions and do you fit the profile.

Well in laymens terms it’s just about meeting and talking to people, something we do every single day in our lives.

I’m looking forward to our great event and practising my own ‘Six Top Tips’ on meeting and talking and that’s networking folks.

The majority of people look at the natural

See you all there. Dave

1. Are you nice?

4. Are you brave?

>> It should mean that your friendly and personable and, generally, get on with most people.

>> The vast majority of people admit they are somewhere between a touch anxious all the way through to petrified.

>> It means you can easily adapt and be flexible when coming into contact with the various types of people we meet on our everyday travels.

>> Even the natural networker will walk through that door with some self-doubt. It’s good; it’s like going to do a presentation of any sort, we all need some adrenalin to help us perform well.

If you believe yourself to be a nice person what exactly does that mean?

>> Nice people have sunny dispositions who understand that the greatest tool in their personality kitbag is their smile. >> They take to heart the words from the Broadway show, Annie, ‘You’re never fully dressed without a smile.’ Or Monty Pythons ‘Always look on the bright side of life’

2. Are you kind and generous?

Networking is simply building relationships and the core principle of this is about giving. >> When you attend events you show your generosity by giving your time and full attention to people you’re chatting with. >> When you see people standing alone do you invite them in? >> Always play host at events even when you’re a guest.

3. Are you are confident person?

Most people think that to be a natural networker you have to be outgoing, an extrovert or the life and soul of the party. You don’t. >> However you do need to have good selfesteem and believe in yourself. >> You have to believe the expertise you possess is of value and can benefit others. >> You are an ambassador for your business’s brand and need to be proud of that role.

Walking into a business event requires some level of bravery.

>> I am not suggesting you act; in fact I strongly discourage that. Be yourself-be nice, be kind and be generous. >> The best way to do this is to give your time and full attention to the people you meet. >> The very small minority of true extroverts who have no or claim to have no fears at all tend not to make good networkers. They spend far too long focusing on themselves, doing too much talking and not enough listening. You don’t want to be like them.

5. Are you persistent?

Most natural networkers would never dream of not following up potential leads, useful information or opportunities. >> Unfortunately most people don’t, thinking they don’t want to pester or be too pushy. >> But if you’ve spotted an opportunity to offer your services which can add value what’s stopping you? >> If they need those services someone is going to supply them so why shouldn’t it be you?

1. Be Nice, 2. Be Kind, 3. Be Confident, 4. Be Brave, 5. Be Persistent.

There is a 6th top tip ....

Give it a go

25

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

The biggest event yet

The Plan RPM A1 Auto Industry Consulting A2 Bodynet A3 Akzo Nobel A4 3M B1 AGM Services/Junair B2 ACIS B3 ABP B4 Audatex C/D1 Movac C2 TLSS C3 Bluegrass C4 Wurth C5 Nibs Group/HBC C6 Stanners Equipment Ltd C/D7 Symach D2 PPG D3 Minden D4 NAB D5 Bosch D6 GYS E1 Sandicliffe Motor Contracts E2 Amarik Associates E3 EMACS E4 Bodyshop Magazine E5 Total Bodyshops Solutions E6 BASF F1 GLASS'S F2 Autoflow F3 Mirka(UK) Ltd F4 Enterprise Rent A Car F5 Car-O-Liner F6

Refreshment Areas

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Revive G1 TIG G2 ARC Support G3 Farecla G4 Bodyshop Marketing G5 Morelli G6 Bodyshop Solutions Ltd H1 BSI H2 Thatcham H3 Axalta Coating Systems H4 SIA H5 BEN H6 Finixa I1 SATA I2 SWR I3 Lorica I4 Brittania I5 Snap On I6 MSG I7 Ford Stand Allianz J1 FORD MOTOR COMPANY J1 FORD ACCESSORIES J1 LV Insurance J1 WRC Stand WRC J2 Vizion J2 Education Area Ford College/Skillnet K1 Markerstudy/Vision K2 Autoraise K3 Bridge Academy K4 Thatcham K5

insight event special

available next month

27

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

The Way Forward for Ford Accident Management

White Room Consortium was created to conceive new ideas and innovate through the use of new technologies in the automotive sector.

Drawing on the skills, resources and experience of the WRC team in open collaboration with Ford we have strived to create and develop uniquely tailored systems and processes which provide complete solutions to the needs of Ford, its customers and its repair centres…

WRC designs, delivers and maintains processes and IT applications for the management of customers and repair networks and provides solutions to facilitate the true marketing and functional potential of the brand and we have taken a huge amount of satisfaction in working with the Ford team in all of these areas.

We are dedicated to meeting the unique expectations of our clients and applying solutions whereby they and their customers are able to interact immediately, seamlessly and repeatedly to the highest possible standards with the services and processes we provide.

Complex data bases and App technologies have historically been the province of large businesses with investments running into 6 or sometimes 7 figures…

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It is without a doubt that these systems provide competitive advantage and our mission in conjunction with Ford has been to bring the benefit of this technology affordably within reach of each repairer and also to enhance the Ford Accident Management program for all Ford drivers…

Our focus has been the creation of several system platforms to reduce operational cost and complexity and to increase customer integration and experience through the introduction of automation and relevant content.

The removal of operational friction and increase in customer capture for the Ford Accident Repair Centres and the addition of line of least resistance thinking for the customer with increased measurability of each have been paramount in our thinking.

One example of this is the FAM customer satisfaction index (csi) platform, customer data is derived directly from Cortex™ one of our systems which collates repairer information for the Ford team.

This information is taken automatically via directly connected

Bodyshop Management Systems or the Autoflow™ GUS system and is created during the businesses standard operational procedures so no additional customer contact, double keying or additional process is required. The customer can then simply complete via a computer or SMART phone and the data is securely held and is available to all authorised parties in real time.

This is just one small area of a much bigger picture with a lot more to come…

White Room Consortium has seen the number of customers utilising the service more than double since it took over the management of the Ford Accident Management program in May of this year.

With numbers already in the hundreds per month and with clear benefits to the customer coupled with Ford’s unwavering dedication to providing the Ford Accident Management program to all Ford drivers car and commercial, we believe that this is just the beginning…

We are exceptionally pleased to be working with Ford on this incredibly exciting project.

It has been quite a journey for us which started with the supply of the Ford App technology in 2011 and has grown and grown to us being chosen to provide the full program in 2014.

With the huge amount of support from Ford the Ford Dealer Network and the Ford Accident Repair Centres we believe that this program will drive a permanent change in the way customers think when it comes to collision reporting and repair management�.

Chris McKie

Managing Director, White Room Consortium

When Ford were looking for the next step in evolving the Ford Accident Management Programme we carried out a very thorough review of the market place and analysis of all the results from our tender process.

The proposal from WRC was exactly what we were looking for, from making the customer journey as smooth as possible to new ways of marketing Ford Accident Management while taking all the traditional friction out of the process.

The refreshing approach from the WRC team looking beyond the traditional has been fantastic and the two teams have very quickly developed a strong relationship of working together for the good of our customers and Ford Accident Repair Centres.

We are looking forward to developing with the WRC more great programmes and the future looks bright for Ford Accident Management.

If you are a delegate or supplier coming to the Ford Impact Conference in October and looking for solutions I would strongly recommend a conversation with the WRC team on their stand located between The Education Centre and the Ford Stand.�

Dave Reece

Ford Collision Project Manager

WHITE ROOM

CONSORTIUM

excellencethroughinnovation

29

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Ford momentum in China continues with May sales up 32 percent Ford China sales grew 32 percent in May with 93,323 wholesales sold compared to 70,449 wholesales in May 2013. Year-to-date sales were up 39 percent, with 461,473 wholesales sold compared to 332,308 wholesales sold in the first five months of 2013.

Passenger car sales for Ford China— which include imported cars—grew 35 percent in May with 71,981 vehicles sold compared to 53,392 in May 2013. Ford has sold 347,547 passenger cars so far in 2014, up 46 percent from 238,100 vehicles sold during the same period last year.

Changan Ford Automobile (CAF), Ford's passenger car joint venture, sold 67,454 vehicles in May, up 32 percent from 51,008 sold during the same period last year. Year-to-date sales reached 330,771 vehicles, up 43 percent compared to the first five months of 2013.

"Our sales are a direct reflection of our continued commitment to bring the best of Ford to China with a great line-up of Ford cars and utilities that offer high quality, great fuel efficiency, world class safety and smart technologies," said John Lawler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ford Motor China.

"We are honoured that customers are increasingly deciding that Ford vehicles are the best choice to power their lives."

Featuring great fuel-efficiency, safety, quality, and smart technologies, demand for both the Ford Mondeo and the Ford Focus continued to increase last month. Ford Mondeo nameplate sales were up 90 percent with 10,395 vehicles sold in May while Ford Focus nameplate sales reached 33,341 vehicles, up 22 percent compared to May 2013.

Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), Ford's commercial vehicle investment in China, also continued

to turn in steady growth, with sales rising 25 percent in May, selling 21,342 vehicles compared 17,057 sold in May 2013. JMC’s year-to-date sales were up 21 percent with 113,926 vehicles sold, up from 94,208 in the first five months of 2013.

Late last month, Ford China launched its flagship Conservation and Environmental Grants China (CEGC) program, and Level Up its capacity-building program for green NGOs. This year, CEGC will be awarding RMB2 million in grants to better support domestic environmental efforts.

Since its establishment 14 years ago, CEGC has awarded the great work of 325 grassroots environmental leaders and groups in China.

For more information, please visit www.fordgreen.com.cn JMC May vehicle sales reach 21,342 wholesales, up 25%; year-to-date sales reach 113,926 vehicles, up 21%

30

NEWS SHORTS

CAF passenger car May sales reach 67,454 wholesales, up 32%; year-to-date sales reach 330,771 vehicles, up 43%;

Ford China May sales reach 93,323 wholesales, up 32%; year-to-date sales reach 461,473 vehicles, up 39%;

Editor’s note: All sales figures quoted are based on wholesale numbers.

Rob Ward Consulting Ltd Automotive Consulting & Training DO YOU CURRENTLY OUTSOURCE REPAIRS TO DIAMOND CUT ALLOYS? Would your business benefit from completing all alloy wheel repairs – INCLUDING DIAMOND CUT FINISHES? We can help your technicians build the confidence and skills to match these special finishes in a short training course.

The training covers the identification of repairable scope and provides a revolutionary repair technique which is new to the cosmetic repair market.

Our training is delivered onsite for two or more technicians and all in just one day.

No need for expensive equipment!

Our specialist products required to achieve a diamond cut match are provided free with your training.

IT’S TIME TO EMBRACE DIAMOND CUT ALLOYS EXCLUSIVE OFFER AVAILABLE TO THE FORD ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE NETWORK Contact us now for training course prices and to check availability.

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Contact Rob Ward on 07764 306794 or email training@robwardconsulting.co.uk

We also offer a full range of onsite bodyshop training courses from smart / cosmetic repair techniques to booth utilisation and workshop flow, plus useful hints and tips for high quality localised repairs.

ALLOCATE. REPLENISH. MEASURE. AUTOMATE.

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Designed for bodyshops and parts departments by a former parts manager, Ascribe is easy to use and fits in seamlessly with your current way of working.

It is suited both to single-premises operations and to multiple-branch networks.

KEY FEATURES  Revolutionise your inventory management.  Reduce costs. Increase efficiency.  Automate ordering.  Never overstock. Never run out of stock.  Track product use per person, per job, in real time.  Optimise your stock holding.

ALLOCATE Multisite, multiuser Barcode driven

HOW ASCRIBE WORKS

Restrict to core stock Unlimited items and categories Build packs of regular items

Using a handheld scanner, operatives scan their personal barcode and the barcode for each item as

REPLENISH

they remove it from your store room.

Max/Min rules

Ascribe manages your stock levels in real time, generating and consolidating orders when products fall below their minimum stock level.

Multiple suppliers Consolidation Automated EDI ordering Back order management

Orders are created in XML, CSV, text, email or printable formats and can be sent automatically to your preferred suppliers.

Goods are received and managed as back orders or returns through Ascribe, with stock levels

MEASURE Real time Usage per job/operative Audit trail

incrementing as items are scanned and replenished

Stock value

into your store room.

Purchase value

Ascribe’s suite of powerful reporting tools puts live data at your fingertips and keeps you in control of your stock holding and how it is being used.

Reports give insight into product costs and usage per job, operative, category and item, as well as stock and purchase order values, with per-branch and regional drill-downs for bodyshop groups. We can also provide bespoke reports which give custom analysis to meet your every need.

Bespoke reports

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

34

Viv MacKinnon , Geoff Ellis and Dave Reece

Six Steps to delivering

Great Customer Service

It costs you five times as much to win a new customer than to keep a current one. But, customers are not loyal by nature and research shows that emotion influences purchase decision six times more than rationale.

Connecting to your customers on an emotional level is the key to establishing a lasting relationship with your brand. You must go beyond simply delivering your product, and develop strong bonds with your customers.

department or a slogan on the customer lounge wall. Excellence is a consistent, high quality service at every stage in the customer journey set by a service oriented attitude that drives your company strategy at every level.

It is essential that you provide a unique customer experience by ensuring your staff and process proactively anticipates your customers’ needs and expectations and exceeding them, every time turning your customers into FANS.

How good you are depends upon every individual moment which your customers experience and every individual action taken. To succeed you need to deliver high standards of service to your customers and high standards of work each and every time.

Customer Service Excellence is an attitude engrained in every department and it begins and ends with your people, from cashier to CEO. It requires more than a streamlined customer service

You need to keep each promises made and strive to go that extra mile to turn customers into FANS and deliver a world class customer experience.

Ask yourself 7 key questions: 1.

Do we achieve the standard to deliver great service to the customer ‘every time’?

2. Do we make the customer experience special ‘every time’?

3. Do we have the expertise to help customers the service and products offered?

4. Do we explain everything to the customer thoroughly ‘every time’?

5. Do we keep our promises made to customers ‘every time’?

6. Are we helpful and courteous ‘every time’?

7. Do we ever do anything or say anything to compromise a customers trust and faith in us?

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Six Steps to delivering Great Customer Service Continued You need to deliver customer service to a world class professional standard and continually strive to improve upon those standards if you are to stay ahead of competitors by: >> Working diligently to the standards set >> Pay attention to detail >> Be accurate and precise >> Own the problem—Own the cure >> Analyse your own performance >> Solve problems as they arise >> Embrace change

The following list are top tips that will help you to focus on the most important elements of customer service excellence: >> Always Focus on Service before anything else >> Give the best experience possible >> Create a unique customer experience >> Always remember that you are selling the “WOW” factor >> Always improve on your service >> Always respect your customer >> Measure their satisfaction and engagement >> Educate and encourage employees to deliver service >> Differentiate your brand from competition by creating FANS >> Understand that Customer Satisfaction is based on loyalty, identity, values,and relationships >> Moments of truth keep customers coming back >> Solve problems quickly and turn complainers into FANS >> Customer Service agents must have the authority to make decisions— Own the Problem, Own the Cure >> Listen to your customers; change their attitudes and fix their problems >> Measure your relationships, refine your processes and proactively solve and prevent the same mistakes from happening again (continuous improvement) >> Exceed expectations and treat customers as if you would treat a guest in your own home. >> Spread the word – promote your brand promise by empowering your employees to act as ambassadors >> Hire good employees from the start; study your culture, and find the right fit >> Always remember what your corporate values and purpose are >> Tell the customer the truth, and love what you do >> Personalise your service to meet your customers’ needs >> Listen to customers; take appropriate action; keep it simple

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Each process is delivered at a certain stage with simple actions and a customer service mindset

Stage

Action

Mind-Set

Initial Customer Contact

Answer calls within 10 seconds

Be helpful

Give your name to the customer

Set clear expectations

Advise customer of location

Be fair and listen

Convenient Estimate

Offer on site/off site service

Make it easy

Clarify customer circumstances

Understand their requirements

Make a convenient appointment

Don’t use ‘jargon’

Convenient Repair Booking

Offer collect or drive in service

Make it easy

Clarify customer circumstances

Understand needs & wishes

Make a convenient appointment

Have a friendly approach

‘Vehicle In’ Excellent Handover

Full pre-repair inspection

Make it easy

Thorough loan car handover

Make it a pleasant experience

Timescales/process explained

Be informative

‘Vehicle Out’ Excellent Handover

Quality checked & easy access

Make it easy

Docs ready, CC handover

Make it a pleasant experience

Guarantee explained

Get it ‘Right First Time’

Follow Up Post Repair

Contact customer within 24 hours Use follow up question form

Listen to the customer Be understanding Resolve issues

37

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Ford future technology unveiled in Lightweight Concept Ford demonstrated its obsession with shedding weight Tuesday in San Francisco with a concept car that looks like a Ford Fusion but uses parts made of aluminum and other lightweight materials.

It applies lessons learned from the 2015 F-150 aluminium body and represents the third phase in a larger plan to improve fuel efficiency with advances that can be applied in nearly every vehicle in its line-up.

Reducing weight has never been more important as consumers demand performance and the latest technology, while the government requires much better fuel economy.

The annual Trends Report from the Environmental Protection Agency, released in December, shows the industry’s overall fuel economy improved by 11 m.p.g. from 1975 to 2013.

Phase One of Ford’s Blueprint for Sustainability, launched in 2007, focused on its EcoBoost family of turbocharged engines. Phase Two centres on lightweighting. Phase Three will put more emphasis on alternative powertrains.

Ford has studied new metals, alloys and composites for 25 years. One of the early test beds was the Ford GT high-performance sports car in 2005.

Lighter weight is significant because every 10% weight loss improves fuel economy by 3%-4%, said Pete Friedman, Ford Manager of manufacturing research.

38

“We kill for 1% improvement,” said Matt Zaluzec, Ford Technical Leader for global materials and manufacturing research.

Now the 2015 F-150 marks a much deeper real-world application. Ford sold more than 760,000 of the truck last year and is betting that cutting 700 pounds from it will ensure its long-term status as the nation’s best-selling truck.

The Lightweight Concept car was developed with the U.S. Department of Energy and Cosma International, a subsidiary of supplier Magna.

“There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to lightweighting,” Zaluzec said. “The Lightweight Concept gives us the platform to explore the right mix of materials and applications for future vehicles.”

Ford is looking at oil pans and seat structures of carbon fiber, aluminium, diecast magnesium for some valves, and a combination such as an aluminium block with a cast-iron insert. Polycarbonates and laminates reduce the need for heavier glass.

A carbon-fiber composite seat structure would cost $55-$73 compared with $12 for a steel one, but would be 17% lighter. The other

challenge is reducing manufacturing costs, said David Wagner, technical leader for vehicle design. A steel part is stamped every six seconds while the injection-molded seat can take a couple minutes.

“These are the kinds of technologies you’ll see creep into vehicles over the next few years,” Zaluzec said.

The next step is testing the full vehicle. Ford is building several prototype cars that engineers will put through the wringer.

“We will break these parts and we will learn,” Zaluzec said.

The work has a domino effect. If a car weighs less, it can reach greater speeds with a smaller engine. The Fusion concept features a 1-liter, 3-cylinder engine.

The strategy is to introduce lightweight solutions on specialty vehicles first, then on higher-end Lincolns, then mass-market Ford models.

In 2001, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford concluded climate change was real, and management resolved to make the company’s vehicles less detrimental to the environment, said Randy Visintainer, director of Ford Research and Innovation.

relies on the lithium-ion batteries to capture energy from braking to power the radio and air conditioning when the engine shuts off at a stop.

The challenge with a 12-volt lead acid battery is that in traffic, the battery controller will eventually tell the engine to not stop if it cannot guarantee it will start again, said Mike O’Sullivan, vice president of automotive battery systems for Samsung SDI North America. The lithium-ion battery ensures there is enough charge for the start-stop system to always work.

These are the kinds of technologies you’ll see creep into vehicles over the next few years Matt Zaluzec Ford technical leader for global materials and manufacturing research.

The long-term goal is a single lightweight lithium-ion battery that does it all — making the lead acid battery obsolete — perhaps in the next decade.

“We see this for mainstream high volume,” said Ted Miller, senior manager of Ford energy storage strategy and research.

While fuel economy improvements from start-stop systems do not register in EPA figures because of the way the government tests vehicles, automakers say they can improve economy as much as 10% in city driving with lots of stops.

Ford also is working on a 10-year research project with Samsung to combine a lithium-ion battery with a 12-volt lead acid battery for use in vehicles with start-stop technology.

The dual battery pack lets the lead acid battery crank the engine, then

Examples of ways parts can be made lighter

Oil pan can be made 41% lighter by using carbon-fibre and forged aluminium connecting rods.

Ford is looking at making the cast-iron block in the new 1-liter engine of aluminium with a cast-iron insert for strength. It would be 45% lighter.

Making the seat structure from a carbon-fibre composite would cost as much as $73 compared with $12 if made of steel but would be 17% lighter.

Transmission clutch hub could be a mix of aluminium and steel.

Polycarbonate glazings and laminates reduce amount of heavy glass needed for 35% weight savings.

Transmission pump cover is 60% lighter by using aluminium instead of cast iron.

Instrument panel of carbon-fibre composite would cost $160-$212 compared with $98 if made of steel but would weigh 30% less.

39

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Auto Industry Insider

Independent news & technical information for the auto industry

How do cars get engineered?

The more important question is how cars survive once they are built…..

The automotive aftermarket, and especially collision repairers, are all there is between a vehicle being thrown away and being restored to its former functional glory. But, how does the manufacturer derive the repair processes and what kind of knowledge do they contain?

Mission statement

Every single commercial enterprise has a primary duty to produce enough profit to allow it to deliver the service / product it has chosen along with coving the operational overhead and allowing for investment in future services / products. The vehicle manufacturer (OEM) has a whole load of partners required to create and then build the product (Tier 1 through to Tier X suppliers) as well as a load more who offer everything from transportation, finance, insurance and service. Every single business involved with the creation, build, maintenance or restoration of a vehicle is duty bound by this common mission.

So, not everything is for free.

Automotive multi-layering Already we have vehicles with levels of functionality costing around £10,000 with systems that were

40

rather rare 20 years ago, and in some cases those systems are emerging across the market all at once. Any single car is described by several interconnected layers: >> The electrical system (including harness) >> The body (including doors, bonnet, boot lid / tailgate and other bolt on panels). >> The powertrain, suspension, steering and brake system.

This means more often than not performing work on one aspect of a vehicle will involve other layers either to strip away for access or to re-set once the repair is complete.

The automotive technology has migrated from adding new standalone systems to full integration where - for example with the electrical system – the interaction with surrounding components is far from obvious. This interdependency

between electrical, electronic, mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems has become rather more sophisticated for recently released vehicles compared with those first released even 5 years ago.

In the beginning….

To create a vehicle from scratch takes an OEM between 18 months (Toyota) and 7 years (BMW) – the average is around 2.5 years.

An OEM starts the creative process for a new vehicle with a full business case. Starting with the market segment, the future sales opportunity for all the key global markets is studied along with the activities of competitor OEMs in the segment and the best possible locations to build the new vehicle. Cars which are leaders in the segment or which have unique technology are routinely bought, tested and then stripped to analyse each component – but this process

Andrew Marsh Auto Industry Consulting Ltd Founder member of Auto Industry Consulting Ltd, together with Ben Cardy, which publishes www.autoindustryinsider.com.

This service provides technical information to the global collision repair industry.

delivers barely 50% of the future product features, since it is based on technology that might have been in production for up to 5 years already.

Once the business case has created an outline budget for the whole vehicle programme, it is considered by the OEM board. If approved, the budget is released in stages with key measurable outcomes which need to be completed in order to progress to the next stage: Concept. This establishes the initial packing of the vehicle, detailing the findings of the business case process. Cost control is essential at this stage, since small errors here will cost hundreds of millions (£/$/€) later on – guaranteed. Because of this risk much of this process has migrated from building expensive modified test vehicles (mules) or hand-made prototype cars (circa $500000 each) to a virtual process.

This in turn relies on using data from previous model programmes and a great deal of thinking.

Prototype. The old way was to make tools for parts, make the parts off tools and build vehicles – before effectively scrapping the tools to make production tooling. Given tooling accounts for more than

half the total budget, the modern process is to commission production tooling straight from the CAD / CAE data. The vehicles that are built use parts made from the serial tools and processes. Further the vehicles are built off line – but now more commonly on line – in the intended production plant to train the staff on the build process. Typically this phase will have fewer than 15 vehicles.

Validation. Using the single phase of prototype vehicles major features are validated such as: >> Acceleration / speed / fuel economy >> Ride and handling (includes steering and brakes). >> Noise, vibration and harness (NVH) >> Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) >> Crash test performance (interior and exterior). >> Durability / accelerated corrosion tests.

The planning is vital – some processes such as making the press tools for example, take typically 9

months which then show definition of the body engineering has to be frozen earlier in the programme than a grab handle which may well come from a Tier 1 supplier product catalogue. Where systems do not meet the gateways, exceptional planning has to take place to minimise the effect on the rest of the vehicle development and to meet the start of production (SOP).

The library of knowledge

The core knowledge is frequently guided by a combination of aspiration (integration of global engineering and product into ‘One Ford’ for example) and commercially painful lessons from vehicle users which usually comes through via warranty. The latter is ironically the crown jewels – development strategies and test outcomes derived from ‘issues’ of the past. On more than one occasion a new OEM builds a spangly new track and quickly finds it effectively tells them nothing or they know it should be indicating something, but don’t know how to look at the data. Those new kids on the block then try to obtain copies of other OEM test / product standards, only to find they are simply not for sale.

41

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3 It’s a tough world.

The more successfully this negative experience is turned into a product or test standard, the more robust the vehicles developed with those standards will be. Period.

Fantastic, but where’s the repair data?

Right from the business case the issue of warranty / repair is considered, and is a major part of each sub-system engineering team.

So alongside representatives from the overall programme control, the financial control team, purchasers, production logistics, production tooling and assembly specialists will be at least one person from the service / repair group. This means that although the service / repair group typically start most of their document work around 6 months ahead of start of sales, they have been aware of the product creation from the start and developed their solutions also right from the start.

What does the repair data represent?

The data represents the summation of all the knowledge used to create the vehicle, and the steps required to restore the level of performance.

There are two views – to inform the repairer of every single detail of the materials / processes, or give a set of instructions which cover off the issues raised during the development programme but with little or no explanation.

Consider a spot welded panel. If

the OEM knows the performance is critical because packaging left slightly less space than was desirable, the resultant method will give very specific guidance on the allowable repair. Expertise in welding is a given, so the method only needs to address the specifics of how to attach the panel to deliver the correct level of attachment and hence vehicle performance.

Most OEMs adopt the latter approach, to inform the repairer of the essential features of the vehicle specific repair. In any event, to staff the repair support service and produce the all-important repair documents costs a small fortune, and whilst CAD 3D models have reduced the requirement for hand drawn graphics the resulting data is not a free by-product of the overall engineering process.

Can repair methods be independently researched?

There are many ways to obtain vehicle specific repair information, ranging from the OEM through to a wide array of services. Most, if not all, base their services on the OEM data.

Is it possible to get the same answer by reverse engineering the vehicle?

For most aspects of vehicle design without access to the original development process the answer is no. To strip a vehicle, look at a nonload bearing skin panel and suggest a different cut line – the answer is yes, although this usually requires the blessing of the OEM to avoid warranty disputes later on.

Some OEMs do reverse engineer – in the case of Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd before it was bought by Volkswagen AG (Bentley) and BMW (RollsRoyce) the process was established

by Sir Henry Royce. The objective measurement process of the whole vehicle along with very careful testing / measurement down to the last bolt effectively put the competitor vehicle through the Royce engineering process. This was continued right up to 1990s, and included many surprising vehicles which were selected for one or more technical features. The data was not used directly to engineer vehicles – unlike some OEMs from the Far East – but added to the library of knowledge. With this time intensive and rather expansive process RollsRoyce were able to keep ahead of the game whilst remaining a small OEM.

What data should be used especially for collision repair?

The bottom line is information direct from the OEM or a data service that publically acknowledges that the data is from an OEM. In that way all the blood, sweat and tears that went into the specific vehicle design / development process will be used to effect the correct repair to restore the overall vehicle capability.

The repairer has a huge part to play in this, because professional integrity and expert delivery transform the repair method into a safe, efficient repair. The buck really does stop with the repairer.

Auto Industry Insider

Independent news & technical information for the auto industry

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Auto Industry Insider is a reliable, independent source of engineering Jodie Henly information driven by technical experts from within the automotive Standox UK brand specialist industry. For more infomation and to become a member visit...

autoindustryinsider.com 42

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VDA away? - don’t struggle

Ask James...

Vda Profitability Healthcheck The Vehicle Damage Assessor is the first definitive factor in the fortunes of the bodyshop. It is the processes, routines and skill sets within the assessing function of the repair facility, that defines the level of profitability for the accident repair centre and the brand awareness in the locality.

In the traditional accident repair process, each assessment has to pass across the desk of the VDA and during the course of a working year (approx 46 weeks taking holidays into consideration) at an average of 30 jobs a week your VDA could easily be responsible for writing £1.8 million worth of business for the company. The knock on effect of a poor assessing process, one that’s cost focussed, and not methods driven, has the potential to deliver catastrophic results, rendering devastating effects for the business, its staff, the owners and indeed, any one involved in the repair process.

During the process of the assessment, a minor margin of error at 5%, provides the opportunity to omit £91K of sales for doing exactly what the repairer has to do during the repair process. The tasks weren’t identified and they weren’t included in the repair specification so it wasn’t

paid for, but it was completed as part of the repair process.

The method will always come first. You cannot define the cost of a repair for any work provider until you have correctly defined the method by which that vehicle will be repaired.

ARC Support Services, provides a VDA Profitability Health Check that delivers proven results. Using Key Factor Information gathered during onsite consultation, it reviews the profitability of your assessing processes, at nut & bolt level. The result is a factual, impartial and comprehensive documented review, detailing the specific technical elements of your assessing process, which directly affect the profitability of your repair process. Additionally, it highlights the corrective actions

required, to realign the business within its ability to perform, based upon its current resources. Your business is there to make profit, your workshop is there to repair cars, the assessing function of the repair facility is the conduit by which you extract one from the other.

Ask yourself three questions: >> Do you want to regain control of your business? >> Do you want to achieve an efficient Turnover V’s Profit Ratio? >> Do you want to work smarter and gain the advantage of improved performance?

Then utilise our VDA Profitability Health Check service to reinforce and support the assessing function of your business, use our ‘Contact Me Please’ form, which can be found on all pages of our websites, we guarantee to reply to your enquiry,

ARC Support Services has a large amount of first class services to offer, that will assist you in establishing, growing and/or maintaining your business, efficiently and profitably. Whilst we understand the need to conform to current industry trends, the need for profitable sustainable business is fundamental. If you are looking to improve your business.....

We are only a click away!

www.vehicledamageassessor.co.uk

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Ford Launches First 18-Seat Transit Minibus Ford Motor Company has launched its biggest ever minibus for Europe. The all-new Ford Transit Minibus offers up to 18-seats with improved fuel economy, comfort and safety features, and is on sale now.

The expanded Transit Minibus lineup, which also includes 15-seat and 12-seat models, offers fuel efficiency improvements of up to 6 per cent against the previous model. Ford’s latest 2.2-litre diesel engine delivers 7.4 l/100 km (38.2 mpg) and 196 g/ km CO2 on all models. This ultralow-emission Stage VI HDT engine is available in a choice of 125 PS and 155 PS ratings and is fitted with Auto-Start-Stop as standard.

Passenger comfort is significantly improved, with a fully-trimmed rear cabin and reclining seats with armrests available for the first time, along with an independent air conditioning system for the rear compartment offering individual vents for every seating position. Rear seating is a completely new, more

46

comfortable design thanks to an improved seat foam construction, with height-adjustable padded head restraints on all seats.

The Transit Minibus also breaks new ground with advanced safety and driver assistance technologies that are unique to Ford including Lane Keeping Alert with Driver Alert, and voice-controlled Ford SYNC with Emergency Assistance. Passive safety features include up to six airbags in the front cabin and threepoint inertia-reel seatbelts on all seats.

The all-new Transit also provides the latest Electronic Stability Control technology, and is the first commercial vehicle in Europe to offer Curve Control. This unique Ford-

developed technology is designed to slow the vehicle in a safe and stable fashion when it enters a bend like a motorway exit ramp too quickly – along with other features including Roll Stability Control.

“The all-new Transit Minibus really is the ultimate people mover, and the new 18-seat layout makes sure no-one is left behind,” said David Gregory, Transit chief program engineer, Ford of Europe. “With added luxury features and flexible space these new Transit Minibuses provide a more comfortable solution for everything from city shuttles to tourist buses.”

The Transit Minibus, which will be built at Ford’s Transit manufacturing plant in Kocaeli, Turkey, has been

The all-new Transit Minibus really is the ultimate people mover, and the new 18-seat layout makes sure no-one is left behind David Gregory Transit chief program engineer Ford of Europe.

engineered and tested alongside the other Transit models for superior quality and performance. The 18seat model offers five seat rows in the rear cabin; the four-seat back row enables users to remove the central dual seat to accommodate a wheelchair or luggage.

Further innovations include an extra-wide sliding side door with a standard electrically-operated side step for easier entry and exit. The improved access offered by the side door means that a rear emergency exit is no longer required, enabling Ford engineers to specify the new back row layout with one extra seat. This change also now allows customers to specify a tow hook to carry additional luggage in a trailer.

The all-new Transit Minibus cabin is fully trimmed in premium, hardwearing materials, with car-like levels of quality. It features side windows that are 200 mm higher than on the previous model for better visibility and a lighter, more pleasant passenger environment.

Individual coat hooks are provided

for each passenger, with cup holders available on every seat row.

The Transit Minibus offers a significantly more comfortable driving position, with increased space and a steering column fullyadjustable for rake and reach. Ford engineers have also tuned the vehicle to deliver enhanced driving dynamics, with more confident, carlike handling and steering along with reduced noise levels.

Drivers also can call upon a range of advanced technology features from Ford’s latest vehicle range including the Ford SYNC voice-activated, incar connectivity system, Adaptive Cruise Control with Forward Alert, Rear View Camera, and a 230V power socket to charge laptops or other electrical equipment without the need for special adaptors.

The Transit Minibus benefits from Ford’s ultra-stringent global commercial vehicle testing and durability standards, with Transit vehicles covering the equivalent of 11 million kilometres in arduous testing in Europe and North America – the

same as driving around the globe 275 times – with more than 500,000 kilometres of that total covered by actual Transit customers.

Ford also has ensured that the requirement to provide the AdBlue additive for the HDT6 engine is made as simple as possible: a convenient filler point is provided next to the Easy Fuel system so that the additive can easily be added when re-fuelling.

“The all-new Transit makes a great base for a Minibus, with lower running costs and a host of new comfort and safety features.

Customers love the reassurance and quality of a factory-built product, and the all-new Transit provides the most capable Minibus yet,” Gregory added.

The Transit is the flagship of the completely redesigned and expanded Ford Transit range, which is the result of an unprecedented investment in new products which has seen Ford replace its entire commercial vehicle line-up in a 24-month period.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Ford Demonstrates Experimental Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication Technology On display for the first time in Asia Pacific, Ford showcased its experimental vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications technology with live demonstrations with two specially-equipped Ford Kugas in downtown Taipei at Computex 2014.

The demonstration featured the two vehicles in situations where V2V technology could contribute to collision prevention. V2V technology has the potential to decrease accidents, ease traffic congestion and contribute to more efficient driving patterns.

“Ford is playing a leading role in developing this type of vehicle communications technology, entering into major research partnerships with governments, universities and industry groups in the U.S. and Europe,” said Trevor Worthington, Vice President, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific. “We’re thrilled that we have this opportunity to showcase our progress for the first time in Asia Pacific.”

Ford’s V2V technology utilises a Wi-Fi based radio system that allows cars to communicate with one another. This system allows

48

cars to detect and possibly alert drivers to potentially dangerous situations they may not be able to see yet, and enables vehicles to transmit information about speed, position and other vehicle data to other vehicles nearby. Cars with the technology will also be able to interpret that data and determine if there is collision risk based on the predicted path.

With V2V communication, drivers may receive alerts of vehicles that would otherwise be obscured by objects or circumstances, such as at an intersection, while following behind an oversized vehicle or going around a sharp turn.

While available radar-based technologies can detect cars that are already in a car’s blind spot, V2V technology makes it possible for cars to detect fast-moving vehicles before they enter into the blind spot.

Drivers may be alerted to vehicles approaching at a high-speed in advance, allowing them to make more informed, safe decisions.

Ford is playing a leading role in developing this type of vehicle communications technology

Without V2V technology, drivers have to depend on what they can see to make decisions.

Vice President, Product Development, Ford Asia Pacific

Trevor Worthington

Shaping the future of mobility

Ford’s Blueprint for Mobility— which outlines near-, midand long-term solutions for the changing transportation landscape—considers increased communication between cars and their surroundings key technologies that will reshape transportation in an increasingly crowded and urbanized world.

Sometimes, even when you think it’s a write-off – it isn’t Volvo Borderline turns potential write-offs into profitable jobs by providing you with the parts you need through your local dealer – for less. We also know that, in situations like this, you need your answers fast. So, simply email us for a quote today and we’ll let you know within 4 hours whether the damaged vehicle you’re working on qualifies for the scheme.

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Along with V2V technology, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication will play a major role in guiding the future of transportation. Ford is also investigating V2I communication systems, which may enable vehicles to interact with infrastructure and, for example, receive notifications relating to traffic jams, accidents or other developments that would influence a driver’s plans.

Ford is working closely with public authorities, standards organisations and other global automakers to develop harmonised standards for V2V and V2I technologies to support widespread adoption and institution. Organisations across public and private sectors, including government organisations, universities, research institutes, technology suppliers and automakers, will need to align in order to support global vehicle platforms and to develop a reliable and standardised technology infrastructure.

Such partnerships include the “Safe Intelligent Mobility – Test Field Germany” (simTD) program, a large-scale field operation test with 120 vehicles and more than 500 drivers involved, partially funded by the German government. Ford provided test vehicles for the project and led the development of the Electronic Emergency Brake Light system, which warns drivers of heavily braking vehicles ahead.

In the United States, Ford provided cars equipped with V2V technology for a real-world study involving more than 3,000 vehicles, undertaken in conjunction with a consortium of auto manufacturers and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The data collected will be used to evaluate various safety applications of the technology and help enhance future V2V developments. Based in part on these results, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that they have decided to develop a future regulation, which will require V2V technology on new vehicles.

New Service?

New Product? or have something interesting to say?

Contribute.

call or email Dave Reece for more information 07982 923864 dreece6@ford.com

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

We all know CPD & CPE, but what about CPM? Continuous Professional Marketing. Chris Browne explains....

What do we do?

As Body Shop Managers we all face choices of how we attract work to our Body Shops. We all need damaged vehicles to fix but how do we get customers to contact us and not the competition?

Chris Browne Body Shop Manager Pertwee and Back Limited

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Are you stranger to marketing?

I am a firm believer that all managers can benefit from structured training to help them do the best possible job for the business they manage.

Becoming a manager is a big step and no matter what your previous experience is marketing requires patience, there is not always a quick return for your efforts. I have had many good people mark my career and the advice and help they have given me really helped, so one thing I would say is never be afraid to ask for help, it can only improve your knowledge and what you do.

Never forget the basics

It is important we consider the basics before the jump in and start marketing the business, although we may need something to happen quickly sometimes due to change within our business, it is really important to consider the impact of what new business means and what type of business you are looking for (Work Provider/Insurance/Fleet/ Retail). All front line staff can be involved as they play a major part of the business.

Carry out an ‘External Audit’ have a look at your competitors and what they are doing, your staff can help, do they have a website you can look at or a presence you can mystery shop or compare? Also consider the threat of new entrants and how they can affect your business, an example would be to research ‘Halo’ who plan to open 120 sites across the UK, have a look at their website and marketing and what they are trying to achieve.

Carry out an ‘Internal Audit’ it is vitally important you understand your business. Use SWOT & PESTEL Analysis templates to evaluate your position. Other documents that might help are Michael Porters ‘Five Forces Model of Competition’ and the 4P’s of Marketing (Product/ Place/Price/Promotion) these will help you to have a successful marketing plan. Have a look at your Company Handbook and Mission Statement, they should only emphasise what you are trying to achieve.

Consider what budget you have to market your business, the effects of winning new business, are you

equipped for more work, are your staff well trained in customer service, do all staff buy into what you are trying to achieve and finally do you understand the cost of losing customers?

How do we treat existing work?

We all have existing work but how do we manage it? My philosophy is that you should treat every customer as an introduction to the business and qualify their needs and requirements.

Your reception staff are your ‘Directors of First Impression’ not my quote but one that has stuck with me through my learning, it is so important to be ‘Customer Centric’ right from the start, train them well and they will look after every customer and sell the benefits of what your business can offer.

We have an A4 booking in letter that confirms details of the business, the date repairs are booked, what is required when the vehicle arrives and what else the business can offer, this letter has been a very valuable tool to our business and I am sure could help many others too.

Build a Database

Consider how many customers you already see a week? Then consider if you gathered an email address for each one, how long it would take to build a good data base that you could subtly market with information about what you do. Once you have a data base why not have a quarterly News Letter or a regular Special Offer.

The Company Website

How good is your company website?

Why not use Google and search for your business; does the search bring you the right result? If you searched for ‘Accident Repair’ and your location on Google would you be top of the list? Do not let your Body Shop be just an extra service the Main Dealership offers, have an influence on the web page and put your own contributions into it.

Make sure your page has key words that will help it have a presence on Google like Accident Repair, Smart Repair, Body and Paint Repair - the more information you add to it the better chance you will have of being found.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Social Media

There are several forms of Social Media available to a Body Shop and they can all do different things and be used differently. Firstly I have found LinkedIn to be very helpful, why you ask? It is a very professional place to market your business and if you are looking to attract Insurance Companies, Work Providers or Fleet Companies then there is already a data base available you just have to search and find what you are looking for. It also contains some brilliant networking groups. Do not be afraid to put yourself out there and talk with other like minded people, you will get yourself extra exposure and you never know where that can lead to. You can set yourself up an individual profile as well as a business one too.

Secondly Twitter works by Tweeting information, messages and pictures you create. Set yourself up a profile and create your presence. Search for Local Business and Local People, follow them and hopefully they will follow you. Regular tweets create interactions and you may find proactive users who may re-tweet what you do, this gives even more exposure. Have a Special Offer that you can track via Twitter then you can measure if it is working for you.

Do your research, some areas have networking groups that will interact for an hour once a week. They may use a Hash Tag (#), for example we have a networking group in my area on a Tuesday called #GYHour, by using this Hash Tag it creates a time line that can easily be searched and followed, it has been fantastic in my area and as a business we have met and gained many new connections.

You can even have a Twitter Feed embedded within your website.

all forms of Social Media, many give up or think because they do not get an instant return it is not working, my thinking is a bit like building a house, I have laid a firm foundation for the business I manage and it can only grow for the future.

Employee Marketing

Outside of what you do as a manager/leader, it is also important your staff understand what you are trying to do too. Keep them involved and let them feel part of your thinking and ideas, they may have valuable contributions they can offer. Consider what your staff can offer the business, are they involved in anything outside of the business that might support your marketing.

For example, two of my employees are involved with VW Car Clubs. One of them goes to three VW Festivals per year and takes approximately 200 flyers per festival, again creating extra exposure. The other staff member meets weekly in a local club, by creating some flyers we are already seeing new profitable work coming into the business.

Testimonials & Feedback

As a Body Shop we all follow up and call our customers post repair, why not consider what you do with this information. Happy customers create more customers, they will tell others about their experience, so why not ask them to write a few kind words if they are happy or even be part of a short video testimonial that could be embedded within your website or part of a You Tube Account, this

can do wonders for your business and you can use this in many ways to promote your services.

Steal an Idea!

They say one of the best forms of marketing is to steal someone else’s idea. I have to be honest, this I have done and it is working fantastically well. I am keen to make Pertwee and Back a Community Body Shop as in 1992 a Dual Carriage Way Bypass went through our business. The Main Dealership relocated 2 miles away but the Accident Repair Centre stayed, the effect was that the business now had no passing trade.

From attending a Body Shop Magazine Awards Event and Networking with Nick Gaskell of Gaskell Motor Bodies I had been very impressed with his Farmers Markets he has held within his business. He convinced me to give it a try and offered to support me if I needed any help or advice. We have so far held three markets and plan to hold two more this year; we learn from every market held and are growing attendance figures steadily. We are attracting people who will become friends, who may become customers and who may tell others. I love this idea and it mirrors a book from Seth Godin called ‘Permission Marketing’ which is a great read and will promote lots of thinking. I would like to share some statistics so you can see how it is growing and working for us. We donate all funds raised from Pitch Fees and Raffles to a local needy good cause.

Thirdly Facebook, for me this has been a slow burn but there is interest and it continues to grow, again you can use pictures and stories, as well as schedule messages to go online as and when you want them to. You could consider who you are trying to attract to your business, are they online during the day or the night, the timing of your messages could be vital.

There are many other forms of Social Media like Pinterest, Google+, Flickr, Instagram, My Space, Tumblr and You Tube - it is just a case of finding what works for your business.

I would say you need patience with

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Market 1 300 Visitors, 15 Stalls, £250 to 2nd Gorleston Cub Scouts

Market 2 600 Visitors, 24 Stalls, £451 to The East Coast Hospice As each market grows our ideas and marketing have grown and at the last market we not only marketed our own business we were marketing for other local business to by handing out free shopping bags with our offers and their offers too, the interaction has been excellent.

Again employee support plays a key part and I must give a special mention to Maxine Allen and Maria

Market 3 1000 Visitors, 34 Stalls, £650 to The Leah Wilby Foundation

Aldred, our Accident Repair Advisors, they are pillars of support who give their time and efforts free of charge to support local good causes, they are essential to meeting and greeting new people and welcoming them to the business.

One of our stall holders purchased a New Ford Fiesta from us, it is important to consider what this one customer is potentially worth (see table below). Our aim is to be Customer Centric and focus on the Retail aspect of our business with these Farmers Markets as we see this as vital for future profitability and sustainability.

They say a successful return on any marketing campaign is 2%. Imagine what 2% of 1000 visitors from Market 3 could present to Pertwee and Back as a business. (£294,000).

These are only guide numbers and are there to promote thinking.

Have Strategic Plans & Visions

Why not create a Short Term 3/5 Plan and see how much you achieve by working towards it.

By using all of the above and anything else that works for your business you should be able to create a marketing plan that you can use and continually review to help support your business and its activities. Always have a contingency plan too, what happens if change occurs and how could you adapt to it.

I hope my comments have promoted thinking and helped in anyway. If you would like to exchange best practice feel free to contact me via my LinkedIn profile.

Chris Browne

Body Shop Manager Pertwee and Back Limited

POTENTIAL RETURN PER CAR SALE Year

New Car

Servicing

MOT Test

Wear & Tear

£12,000 £100

2

£150

3

£300

£50

£100

4

£100

£50

£200

5

£150

£50

£100

6

£300

£50

£200

£1100

£200

£800

£12,000

Totals

£100

1

Totals

Body & Paint

£200

£250

£250 £100

£500

£14,700

53

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

FORD

WRITEOFFAVOIDANCE 2014

Saving vehicles the Ford way...

Don’t let your customers Ford be written off until you have contacted Ford Write Off Avoidance. We have saved over 4000 Fords by supporting repairers.

Increase your revenue and profit and keep your customers satisfied and it’s as easy as sending your Audatex estimate to Ford.

Just network your Audatex assessment to VBR036CM, or e-mail it to repairuk@ford.com

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

IT’S A WRAP! Aura Graphics provides a comprehensive vehicle livery and branding design, application and management service covering small and large vehicle fleets throughout the UK, Europe and globally.

Our comprehensive approach to your promotional car or van wrap campaign will ensure a consistent, high quality implementation to time and budget.

Car and van wrapping can take on many forms including digitally printed full wraps of a whole vehicle, part wrapping or just graphic panels for the doors and bonnet for example.

Of course there is also the option of more simple cut lettering and logos or magnetic graphics. We can supply all of these, helping you to put your promotional messages on any type and number of vehicles.

Full vehicle wraps

No matter the type or colour of your vehicle, we can produce a complete car or van wrap to cover all surfaces, including windows. We produce specialist digitally printed films

developed to conform to curves, contours and recesses that we then apply to your vehicle, completely changing its appearance to any design you desire. Turning cars and vans into eye-catching adverts is a fast and affordable way to communicate to your target market, whether out on the road, at an event or exhibition or even in a TV advert.

Our wraps are made to the highest standards and laminated for extra protection and damagefree removal. We can provide fully warranted car and van wraps for anything up to 5 years using the market’s leading self-adhesive vinyl, print technology and wrapping techniques.

Part wraps & promotional vehicle graphics

Incorporating the original colour of a vehicle into the design and wrapping

www.auragraphics.com 56

Graphics Limited | Artwork Guidelines | May 2013 | Page 1 of 8

just the rear quarter or sides is a great way to produce impressive looking vehicle graphics within tighter budgets. Combining this with cut lettering and logos completes the look. The range of materials and graphics we supply enables endless creative possibilities.

Depending on what you want to achieve we can help you design a livery that delivers high impact, whilst remaining cost effective across one-off or multiple applications.

Colour Change Wraps If you are looking to change the colour of your vehicle or create a unique look we can help with our professional wrapping services.

For more information and a quote visit our website or Call us on 0845 0525 241

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Revolutionary Cost Saving Plastic Recycling For the Accident Repair Industry Over 450 Accident Repair Centres have joined our service plan in the last 6 months. Why don’t you?

We offer Scheduled plastic collections that are returned to our base in Lancashire for processing where its reground, componded & remancturered into new automotive products • Reducing your environmental impact.

• Reducing space used in general waste bin by considerable amounts.

• Full duty of care compliance with documents provided at every visit.

For more information on how Polywaste uk can help you same money and the planet, call Tracey Wadsworth on 01942 621 261 0r Email Polywasteuk@gmail.com

Polywaste uk

FREE NATIONWIDE COLLECTION SERVICE

for accident damaged car bumpers, wheel arch liners, trims, grills, etc.

FREE ON-SITE STILLAGE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

Room for 100 bumpers.

Compact & tidy.

Small cage can be provided for headlamps.

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

What’s Trending in Collision Repair Training?

Sharon Wiggins, AutoRaise Marketing Consultant Reports

If you are interested in apprenticeship and management training programmes for the collision repair industry, you can’t fail to have noticed that the AutoRaise bodyshop apprenticeship and business improvement programme offered by Barking & Dagenham College is definitely trending.

As a Level 2 and 3 apprenticeship which uniquely combines the IMIaccredited Multi-Skill Diploma with the depth and breadth of training to enable technicians to attain senior ATA qualifications in all three disciplines of Panel, Paint and MET, AutoRaise not only meets the growing need for the development of multi-skilled staff within bodyshops today, but importantly, also helps replenish the dwindling skills pool in our industry.

AutoRaise reflects the Government’s increasing focus on apprenticeships and investment in the development

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of vocational skills as a way of better preparing young people for the world of work. It also delivers on the Government’s emphasis on involving employers in the process to a much greater level right from the start. In fact, AutoRaise is the model for the new breed of employer-led apprenticeships and it has been welcomed with open arms by bodyshops of all sizes.

Chaired by Chris Oliver, Managing Director of Fix Auto Dagenham and Chair of the National Association of Bodyshops (NAB), AutoRaise was launched in association with

Barking & Dagenham College in September 2013 through the Employer Ownership of Skills pilot funded by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). The concept has been embraced by major bodyshop groups and independents alike, and work with the two specialist training institutions engaged under contract to deliver the apprentice training (S&B Automotive Academy and SC Body & Paint Skills) has ensured that all targets set have been exceeded.

Milestones in the recent months include:

The launch of the inaugural AutoRaise apprentice of the year award won by Michael Chambers, a 22 year old bodyshop apprentice employed by Fix Auto Croydon.

Rachel McGuiness, Bodyshop Manager, Fix Auto Croydon said: “We are really proud that Michael has won the first ever AutoRaise Apprentice of the Year Award. He has totally grasped the opportunity and we are all benefitting from the range of new skills he has already acquired.

He is definitely on his way to a very successful career.”

With the first anniversary of the AutoRaise launch fast approaching, early adopters of the scheme are now able to reflect upon their decision and the contribution being made by their apprentices today.

Without exception the feedback is positive, with bright, engaged, quick-to-learn apprentices finding their niche and delivering a good Return-on-Investment that can only increase over the years ahead.

As to the future, work is now underway on refreshing the course content for the year ahead, identifying potential new delivery

The announcement by Rye Street Group of the appointment of three apprentices to AutoRaise with immediate effect and a commitment to appoint a further three as part of their ‘grow your own’ strategy.

Bill Duffy, Rye Street Group’s Managing Director, commented: “I am a passionate believer in the value of apprenticeships and there is no better way to move with the rapid changes that are occurring in our industry than to invest in developing the next generation of bodyshop technicians. Through AutoRaise we will be equipping them with the knowledge and skills to support our business development strategy.”

partners and recruiting the next cohort of AutoRaise apprentices.

Equally important is the on-going development of the AutoRaise relationship with industry partners such as the Ford motor company.

The AutoRaise team will be present at the Ford Collision Repair conference taking place at the Ricoh Arena on 28th and 29th October.

Finally, the Government’s commitment to involving employers in the development of relevant, timely apprenticeship programmes looks set to grow. AutoRaise is already a trailblazer in the collision

The signing of 21 year old Emily Monk, the first female technician to join AutoRaise,

by Platinum Accident Repair Centre, part of the Platinum Group of dealerships.

Andy Pederick, Group Bodyshop Development Manager for the Platinum Accident Repair Centres said: “At our Bath site, the volume of work coming through our business meant that we needed additional painting resource. We decided that the best way forward was to invest in an apprentice who, with the right attitude and the right training, would meet this need and grow with our business. The appointment of Emily to the AutoRaise apprenticeship programme is proving to be an excellent solution.”

repair industry by putting the ownership of training into the employer’s hands, so we will watch developments in the Government’s own Trailblazer programme with interest For further information on AutoRaise and Barking & Dagenham College contact Keith Crossman or Robert Brooks on 020 8090 3020 or text keyword AutoRaise and your full name to 88020. The AutoRaise web site is www.bdc.ac.uk/autoraise.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Mirka’s Net Proft Programme is the commercial solution for the bodyshop.

At Mirka we believe that what we are selling to repairers is not just a range of surface preparation tools but a whole package that will assist them in improving the services they provide their customers and help deliver the commercial success of the bodyshop.

Our Net Profit Programme, which comes at no extra cost to the customer, brings together a team of experienced repair industry professionals who work with the bodyshop to ensure that it produces consistently high quality work while increasing profitability. Our method to achieve this is very simple; we carry out a process, product, expertise and training audit which allows our experts to understand how the bodyshop runs and the areas it can improve.

We realise there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution so our programme aims to work with every part of the bodyshop from sales and business development to the business owners and shareholders to identify areas of potential waste and inefficiency and gain an understanding of what each section of the business requires. Our team is then able to look at the issues and develop systems to assist the bodyshop in making a healthy net profit.

For more information about our Net Profit Programme you can contact our dedicated programme team on 01908 866100 or email sales.uk@mirka.com

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The Ultimate Production Managers Tool.

With highly visible ‘Front of House’ business preloading and simple ‘Drag ‘n’ Drop’ planning, this easy to use cloud based product can dramatically increase throughput and reduce key to key times when following our ‘plan the work, work the plan’ guidelines.

Stand alone or used in conjunction with other industry software, ScheduleBoss will complement any existing process or system without double keying or the handwriting of ‘T’ cards.

Don’t just take our word for it, see what has already been said about ScheduleBoss; For me, it is a very simple production managers tool that is easy to use and understand.

It also gives a full visual view to the advisor for pre-loading the business at the front end’.

Dave Reece

Ford Collision Project Manager ‘Since installing ScheduleBoss, month on month for the last 4 months our notification to complete and on site to off site times have steadily fallen. Whilst this cannot be entirely attributed to ScheduleBoss, there is absolutely no doubt that ScheduleBoss is having a positive effect on our business’.

Chris Browne

Bodyshop Manager, Pertwee & Back ARC Gorleston.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

The long depressed European car market continues to recover slowly. Figures from the ACEA (The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) showed that for the first 6 months of 2014, passenger car registrations grew by 2.4% in Germany, 2.9% in France, 3.3% in Italy, but the standout performers were the UK and Spain with 10.6% and 17.8% growth each. We’re not out of the woods yet, with further car plants to close still, but it is encouraging news.

Stop the average person in the street and ask them to name a car brand and they’d probably say “Ford”, so it’s not surprising that the press see Ford as a barometer for how the car industry is performing.

Ford has undoubtedly had tough times in the European market, but is certainly not alone in that as it is probably the most mature, demanding and densely competitive car market in the world. The press would have us believe that the car sales increases are a result of our respective governments fixing the economy. But car manufacturers, like the rest of us, probably don’t have the confidence in politicians to pin our future hopes on in blind faith. Many have been reviewing their strategies, models, production, technologies and the way they relate to their customers, all to make themselves more attractive to those too few customers for too many car manufacturers.

Ford perhaps shows many good examples of where a progressive car manufacturer has changed to meet evolving market conditions and consumer demands.

To meet the relentless demands

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for emissions reductions engine downsizing has been a key trend for nearly every brand. We have begun to see smaller engines in many models we would never before consider the public would buy, and believe me we’ll see other surprising downsizing moves to come. Ford recently announced 120,000 1.0 EcoBoost equipped cars were sold across Europe in the first 6 months of this year. Those of us ‘of a certain age’ will remember the elderly customers in the showroom wanting the 2.8i Sierra as they “want a bit of power to get me out of trouble”, so it’s remarkable to think that 2013/2014 has seen 300,000 of the little 3-cylinder unit sold, with nearly a quarter of UK customers taking it now; even the aftermarket spares retailers have stopped selling spark plugs in packs of 4.

The Ford Store programme is a clear indication that the company has seen and is responding to the change in consumer buying patterns and expectations. Recently the Head of Automotive at Google criticised the industry for not keeping up with these trends. His comments mainly referenced how consumers use the

Within our busy lives distraction from the road ahead is still going to happen, so it’s no surprise that Ford has sold 170,000 vehicles into the European market with the Active City Stop option.

Andrew Hooker Future Vehicle Engineer at Thatcham

online configurators to build their chosen car specification, then run the finance options online too, only to begin the whole process again when they arrived at the showroom as there’s no connection for the website to tell the salesperson what the customer has already looked at. We know from experience that customers aren’t all as media savvy as Google would have us think, but that Ford has reviewed and developed the Ford Store is a clear sign that the company is not behind the curve on shifting consumer trends: 120 Ecosports sold through Facebook is an interesting example.

I believe Thatcham should applaud the frightening research done by Ford identifying that a third of young drivers in the UK have taken a ‘selfie’ of themselves whilst driving and a quarter had used online social media whilst on the move. Driver distraction is a huge area of research for most vehicle manufacturers today. With the vast number of calls, emails, and text messages most of us receive today, it is only natural that these become difficult to manage and spill over into the time when we should be concentrating on the road

ahead. Integration of smartphones to manage incoming messages, perhaps reading them as the amusing Fiesta SYNC advert shows, is one way to reduce distraction.

Some are even using smart device integration and touchscreen controls to reduce the myriad of buttons and controls on the facia. Voice control and gesture control is another area of growth, though for a global brand like Ford, developing a system that can handle so many languages, accents and dialects must be a challenge. Head Up Displays that project key information into the driver’s line of sight are another key growth area, one in which Ford is not being left behind.

But within our busy lives distraction from the road ahead is still going to happen, so it’s no surprise that Ford has sold 170,000 vehicles into the European market with the Active City Stop option. This number shows how people value their safety and how they’d rather not have the inconvenience of an accident. Much as you probably wouldn’t consider a car without ABS or ESC today, in the future I suspect we’d not consider a car without an AEB (Autonomous

Emergency Braking) system. Just imagine the difference to road safety if Ford were to make Active City Stop standard fit for the UK and Europe?!

The motoring press often miss these changes within our industry, and think it’s just down to the economy when car makers report good or bad years. Up to a point it is, few of us will buy a new car if our jobs are threatened, but a brand such as Ford that has seen countless recessions around the world over its long history knows not to sit still. Short term media views abound, such as the press not liking the Sierra when it launched are superseded by the next trend such as the press not liking the new Mondeo and preferring a Sierra a few years later. So, interesting and perhaps exciting times ahead as 25 new Ford models are due to arrive in Europe over the next 5 years, showing how car makers take the longer-term view as they must with new model development and lifespan cycles.

Ford is not standing still, nor can the influence of the ‘Blue Oval’ ever be ignored. Me, I’m working on persuading my boss that I need a new Mustang as a company car!

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

New Cutting Edge College

A multi-million pound investment in the Daventry site is creating a new cutting edge training facility for Technicians, Sale Staff and Management from Ford’s UK Dealer network.

The new facility will replace the current training sites in Daventry and Loughborough to create a completely new centre of excellence for Dealers nationwide. Scheduled to open in early 2015, the two-floor facility will be equipped with the latest workshop and classroom equipment, providing the perfect environment to introduce Ford’s advanced new vehicles and technologies to Dealer staff.

The new centre will deliver courses to Delegates up to Diploma and Masters Degree level, as well as Students taking the Ford Masters Apprenticeship programme.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to combine our existing sites and create a completely new centre for dealer training,” said Ford College Strategy and Integration Manager, Stuart Harris. “Face-to-face learning is still one of the most effective ways to build knowledge and skills, and this new facility will provide the ideal training base for many years to come.”

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Efficient use of space The new facility takes advantage of an existing building within the Daventry complex which is no longer required following more efficient use of space in other areas. The size of the building will make it possible to house both the technical training, currently located in a separate facility at Daventry, as well as the product and sales training based in Loughborough – where the current building lease is due to expire.

To create the new facility, contractors will build a new twolevel structure. A dedicated entrance on the upper level will be reached via an access bridge, which helps to ensure the training building is completely separated from the parts warehouse. In addition to extensive classroom facilities, the training centre will include a variety of workshop areas, a 200-seat auditorium and a vehicle showroom space.

Throughout the building, use of

the latest materials and design approach will ensure excellent energy efficiency and environmental performance. Both the exterior and interior of the training facility have been designed using elements of the new appearance standards from the dealer network, so that the building provides a consistent look and feel to the latest Ford showrooms.

Initial work on the building started in March, and is scheduled to be completed in December 2014.

This is a tremendous opportunity to combine our existing sites and create a completely new centre for dealer training, Stuart Harris Ford College Strategy and Integration Manager

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“We saw an immediate positive impact on our processes and our sales. We chose to work with John as his approach was based on helping all of our team think differently about things. The result was they tried new approaches and very often impressed themselves with what they subsequently achieved. He, and them, certainly impressed me.”

Andy Beswick – Northern Accident Repair Group “John helped us see the business from a different perspective and added tremendous value to our marketing activity right across the company” Alison Goosens – James Alpe Ltd. “John helped our team gel together and produced results we hadn’t thought were possible. He also assisted me with ideas, tips and techniques to help me manage and involve my staff and get the most out of them. If you are looking for someone to help you improve your business and get increased profits I would give John a call” Chris Latham –Kindertons Accident Management

“John is that ‘Board Member’ you wish you had on a full time basis. He asks the questions you may not be prepared to ask of yourself in a friendly constructive way.

This results in actions and results” Paul Bismanis – Newmans Garage “John’s straightforward approach to cost effective marketing gave us a range of easy to use techniques and tips that not only saved us money but increased our profits by being thinking smarter and increasing work volumes and sales.”

Tom Mather – Fleet Factors “He is a team player, he doesn’t dictate to people he works with them, his methods are very thought provoking, he plants a seed in peoples mind which allows them to flourish without being forced. He promotes skilful planning which avoids many unforeseen problems that could occur without that level of detail.”

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

SATA presenting a host of highly attractive new products at Automechanika 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany

Reflecting the theme of “California Dreaming” created for this year’s Automechanika, the high performance spray gun SATAjet 4000 B will be offered in an attractively designed, exclusive surface coating. As usual, this special edition will be available for a limited period of time and in a limited quantity only.

The highlight of the trade show however will be the launch of a new, innovative high performance spray gun complementing the existing SATA spray gun range and being particularly characterised by its extremely high flexibility. More detailed information will be published on the eve of the trade show.

In the area of breathing protection equipment, there are further innovations from SATA waiting for you: A new, modern-design hood with complementing belt units will extend the SATA breathing protection programme. The new breathing protection system SATA air vision 5000 will be presented for the first time at Automechanika.

100% technically clean compressed air is laying the foundation for perfect finishes. To ensure this on a constant basis, filter cartridges have to be regularly

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replaced. In order to remind users in time – before coating flaws occur – all SATA filter regulator units will be supplied with SATA filter timers from now on. In addition, all exchange filter cartridges will come with this helpful accessory as well.

As in previous years, all new products from SATA will be presented in hall 11.1, booth C03.

In order to reach the booth avoiding a rather long walk via the Galeria, it is recommended taking one of the shuttle buses leaving from the visitor parking “Rebstock” heading directly to the new main entrance “Portalhaus” (hall 11).

SATAjet 5000 B

The new, versatile high performance spray gun.

With the all new SATAjet 5000 B, the German premium manufacturer SATA adds another innovative high performance spray gun to its product range. This new model, which is particularly characterised by its supreme flexibility, will be presented for the first time at this year’s Automechanika in Frankfurt/Germany, the leading international trade show.

The development process focused on creating a much more versatile spray gun in regard to inlet pressure, application distance and further improved adaptability to the specific requirements of the different paint systems available. Dr. Ewald Schmon, Head of R&D Application Technology at SATA: “The SATAjet 5000 B allows the painter to flexibly set the inlet pressure in a range between 0.5 and 2.4 bar and to spray with a distance between 10 to 21 cm, depending on material, ambient conditions and personal preferences, in order to achieve optimum finishes, regardless whether working with HVLP or RP technology.” The SATAjet 5000 B is available with the following nozzle sizes: RP 1.0 / 1.1 / 1.2 / 1.2 W / 1.3 / 1.4 / 1.6 / 1.8 / 2.0 / 2.5 and HVLP 1.0 / 1.2 / WSB / 1.3 / 1.4 / 1.5 / 1.7 / 1.9 / 2.2.

One unique SATA feature, the clever option of the digital pressure gauge integrated in the spray gun handle to display the effective inlet pressure, is also available with the SATAjet 5000 B DIGITAL. This solution ensures a

high degree of reproducibility for best results. As an alternative, the standard gun version can also be upgraded with the retrofit digital pressure gauge, the SATA adam 2.

With both available options, the SATA spray gun remains compact and lightweight, while ensuring highest possible performance.

Another quite remarkable enhancement concerns the ergonomics of the SATAjet 5000 B. The gun handle of the digital version, for instance, is identical in size and shape to the standard spray gun. As a result, the digital spray gun also perfectly fits into smaller hands. The air micrometer to adjust the spray gun inlet pressure is now considerably larger and much easier to regulate. Switching from round to flat only takes a half turn on the spray fan control which allows even better adjustment than before.

Interestingly: The modern design of the SATAjet 5000 B has been created in co-operation with the Porsche Design Studio, Zell am See (Austria).

The SATAjet 5000 B is finished with a satin-gloss pearlchrome™ surface which is corrosion-resistant and easy to clean, as are the material passages, the quick change cup connection QCC and the sturdy QC air cap threads. Owing to the superb quality of the seals and other components, this spray gun is very low-maintenance. The self-adjusting paint needle seal, a proven feature over many years, is additionally protected by the trigger with paint needle guard for an extended lifetime. Other time-tested features are the sturdy brass air cap and the stainless steel paint needles and fluid tips.

SATA spray guns are exclusively developed and manufactured in Germany. Strict quality controls are an integral part of every single production step. The high quality components are assembled with utmost care and each nozzle set is hand-adjusted, thus allowing painters to achieve perfect finishes meeting highest expectations with the SATAjet 5000 B spray gun.

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Being bold...

Not only has Finixa expanded with investment in a new head office in Antwerp (Belgium) to handle three times its current capacity, but also has made a bold strategic move in the UK with the opening of…

‘Elevation Group - The Automotive Alchemists’.

Thirty years old now Finixa is proactive in over fifty countries worldwide, quadrupled in size in less than a decade and fast becoming the most talked about non-paint brand in the world.

Owner Piet Greeves explains “The Automotive industry moves so fast, you either stand still and face the consequences or embrace it, grow and reap the rewards!”

UK based ‘Elevation Group - The Automotive Alchemists’ will open its’ doors 2nd September boasting a state of the art Training Centre with Spraybooth incorporating the latest in UV and Infrared Drying Technology (globally supported by Akzo Nobel) and includes a Detailing Bay which includes the all new ‘Image’ Process, the very latest and innovative way to polish programme.

Born of Frustration...

As the Export Sales Manager of Finixa Alex Humphries explains: “Distribution in the UK is being left behind with growth and proposition in comparison to our other markets and with recent bankruptcies and acquisitions we felt we had to do something different. Opening a direct supply specializing in Finixa (no paint), coupled with hands-on training gives us the opportunity to offer the repair centre’s more value.

The equation is simple - Finixa innovate and Bodyshops desire the innovation...the conveyor in between shouldn’t be complicated, but for some reason in the UK it is and that had to change!”.

So what does ‘Automotive Alchemists’ mean?

Paul Scott Co-Founder of Elevation Group explains: “Alchemy is the chemistry study of turning worthless metal into gold. The bodyshop is already spending a certain amount on dry goods each month and has to do so, therefore this spend could be seen as ‘worthless overhead’ (metal). I f a bodyshop spends w ith Elevation they receive - Business Coaching, Partnership investment into new technologies to increase margins, Profitable new market opportunities, Faster Processes with complimentary training, a Personal Technician and of course some of the best Products in the world! (Gold)”.

Paul added: “After a recent visit from one of our industry’s most respected individuals we were paid a huge compliment by being described as the ‘Google of our industry’. We are Quirky, fun but we have a serious message attached and our customers will love being spoilt with our energy, elements of surprise and reap the rewards!”

Units 32 & 33 Carlow Place Wolseley Court Dyson Way Staffordshire Technology Park Stafford ST18 0GA

www.elevationautomotive.co.uk For more information contact Alex Humphries 07920 820304

Transforming distribution...

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

More than 135 years of Experience sia Abrasives has devoted itself to achieving perfectly finished surfaces for more than 135 years, our wide selection of products in a huge variety of forms makes it possible to achieve high quality finishes in all areas of coatings and composites including automotive refinishing, OE manufacturing, marine, and many more.

Our products represent top-quality Swiss precision with a commitment to achieving the perfect surface.

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Swiss Made

Ever since the turn of the twentieth century, sia Abrasives Industries AG has been the only Swiss manufacturer of coated abrasives. From modest beginnings, starting with just sandpaper and emery cloth, the first recorded production was in 1875. Since then the company has grown to be the world’s third largest abrasives manufacturer.

Just 40 years ago, sia Abrasives employed fewer than 150 people. Today, it’s proud to boast a worldwide workforce of more than 1250 employees devoted to all aspects of abrasive processes, from research and development to manufacturing to sales and marketing.

With its 17 Group companies in Europe and overseas coupled with a worldwide network of exclusive representatives, sia Abrasives is highly focused on global markets. Exporting more than 90% of its production to over 80 countries, sia Abrasives demonstrates it’s commitment to customer proximity and efficiency in the international arena.

Based in Greetland, West Yorkshire, sia Abrasives (G.B.) Ltd was formed in 1968 as the distribution arm responsible for the UK and Ireland. Since then it has established itself as a service leader in the UK abrasives market. With more stock in the UK than any other abrasives supplier sia Abrasives (G.B.) Ltd offers an unrivalled level of service which ensures that its customers receive a guarantee of maximum, hasslefree efficiency, the highest quality products and truly outstanding service, support and value for money.

Its automotive division boast a combined 100+ years of industry experience with leading technicians from abrasives, paint, polishing and refinish backgrounds. This combined knowledge allows sia Abrasives (G.B) Ltd to develop and offer fully integrated system solutions guaranteed to save operators time and bodyshops money. In 2010 sia Abrasives launched the innovative 125mm sanding disc concept into the UK ART market. The discs offer improved conformability to modern curved body panels while minimising the size of the repair area and therefore improving work efficiency. This type of detailed application analysis, industry knowhow and active onsite training allows the sia automotive division to develop processes to streamline any sanding and finishing requirements. sia Abrasives really is ‘Your Key to the Perfect Surface’ in the UK automotive market.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

CEO Elon Musk opens up Tesla's patents to all Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk announced Thursday that the company is taking the unusual step of an "open source" approach for its technology, suspending enforcement of its patents to encourage development of electric cars.

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Tesla, considered a leader in development of long-range electric cars, has about 200 patents and none are being held back, Musk says.

"Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology," he wrote in a blog post.

While it is not considered radical in the technology world to freely share patents, it's unusual, says Carter Driscoll, senior analyst from boutique investment bank MLV & Co. The move also comes as Tesla plans to open one of the country's largest plants for making lithium-ion batteries and likely is searching for other customers in addition to its own needs to create volume to lower

costs of the cells. Signing up other customers is "creating a market for the Gigafactory," Driscoll says.

usually stay ahead of their own patents. Attracting top talent matters more.

Musk says he is making the move out of frustration that more automakers haven't developed long-range electric cars. Most current EVs have ranges per charge of about 100 miles, less than half the longestrange Tesla Model S. He said in a conference call that by now, seven years since Tesla marketed its first electric roadster, he expected electric cars to be farther along.

"Technology leadership is not defined by patents, which history has repeatedly shown to be small protection indeed against a determined competitor, but rather by the ability of a company to attract and motivate the world's most talented engineers," he wrote.

"We believe that applying the open source philosophy to our patents will strengthen, rather than diminish, Tesla's position in this regard."

He says that when he proposed the open-source idea, he got some "wide-eyed looks" from some board members and managers. But he downplayed the risk of the move, saying that quick-moving companies

Besides the cars, Tesla is developing a network of high-speed chargers.

Opening patents might help create more of a market for their use as well.

We believe that applying the open source philosophy to our patents will strengthen, rather than diminish, Tesla’s position in this regard.

Elon Musk CEO, Tesla Motors

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

The Future’s Smart Thatcham recently reported on the self-learning car being developed by Jaguar Land Rover. This is the shape of things to come. The car which learns driver habits and preferences so as to better support the driver and negate many distractions sounds like a great idea and I’m sure Jaguar will do some great work.

They’re not alone in developing these ideas and systems. Many OEM’s and vehicle manufacturers are looking to engage with a younger generation that is not as interested in cars as their parents and grandparents were by enabling them to work productively in and with their vehicles. With a generation that is more familiar with a smart device or a mouse than with a steering wheel, they want them to feel the car is a mobile office.

Integration of office diaries is a key part of this, using sat-nav to help arrange the day. Send-to-car navigation was just the start of this, enabling users to plan a journey and send it to the vehicle rather than tap it out on a small touch screen in

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the car. As Jaguar suggest, as these systems develop we’ll see the car using live traffic data to help update the appointments to accurately reflect the likely journey time and arrival. Personally I think any of us who’ve had to write off half a day for a two-minute meter reading that is scheduled for “after 12:00” would probably welcome this.

The mobile communications providers and software giants such as Microsoft and Apple have been working on application integration for some time. Probably most of us are familiar with our email being synchronised between our PC/Mac and our mobiles, together with our diaries. And of course we expect to access escribe through Audatex

etc, and this all to work with our Bodyshop Management systems.

The other reason why so many are keen on developing these systems and applications is the revenue potential from it all. The amount of data channelled to and from the car needs a fast reliable mobile network, so the network providers like the idea greatly. This varies from country to country with new emerging economies perhaps having the advantage of a later and more capable mobile communications infrastructure over the more established nations. Marketing people are keen on another source of Big Data; essentially masses of detail on our preferences and shopping habits much as is gleaned

So the more the customer’s life revolves around the car helping them organise that busy life and learning their needs and demands, the worse it’s going to be when we have to take the car off the customer for the period of the repair.

Andrew Hooker Future Vehicle Engineer at Thatcham from our internet cookies now. Is it that valuable? Well, yes, with some estimates saying Big Data from cars will be worth $122 billion by 2025.

What does it mean for us in the repair industry? Well, there’s good and bad news (isn’t there always?).

We as an industry can tap into this. It’s quite possible that you’ll be making appointments with the customer for your VDA to assess their car. And should some of the parts go on back order you’ll probably have your management system rebooking the customer, rebooking the courtesy car, notifying the insurer, and adjusting your workshop loading automatically and remotely. Similarly a delay in the actual repair may be less of a headache as the customer is notified automatically immediately; again alerting the work provider.

There is a potential debate over the relationship between the vehicle manufacturer and their own franchise dealer over this. Over the air updates of software and recalls

may save the vehicle manufacturer considerable amounts of money.

And logistically in some countries this is a benefit where dealers with the right knowledge and tools may be spread far and wide. This may lead to a situation where the next step, for some, is to provide diagnostic services and fault code clearing direct to the car in the independent bodyshop (for a fee of course as Tesla seem to be the only one who think it wrong to charge for helping repair their customers car).

And as the model life span of cars shortens, and integrated systems and processor model life overlap, it may be far easier for us to download the software we require than to acquire components and to have these initiated.

I said there was bad news. Well, a lot of this is being developed to help the stressed consumer of today with their busy life juggling career and family life. We all probably face stressed customers on a regular basis already. So the more the customer’s life revolves around the

car helping them organise that busy life and learning their needs and demands, the worse it’s going to be when we have to take the car off the customer for the period of the repair.

The key to key time expectations and demands from the insured and the fleet manager may get a lot tougher.

That’s looking ahead, and I don’t know more than anyone else what the future will actually bring. It may be easier, or it may be harder, to manage customers and to manage the repair. But it will certainly be different and as these applications emerge and grow, and they’re emerging fast now, how we operate as an industry will change. In many markets a new generation of customers are emerging who demand efficiency and see IT as a key indicator that your business is efficient, modern and competent.

We could utilise these developments to reassure them and present ourselves as the repair experts.

The consumer has changed, the technology is changing, what choice do we have but to invest and adapt?

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Axalta Coating Systems opens its new Training Academy in Welwyn Garden City In keeping with its strong commitment to offer innovative products and quality services to the refinish market, Axalta Coating Systems officially opened the doors to a new state-of-the-art Training Academy on 15 May 2014.

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Located in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, it is home to the company’s three global refinish brands - Cromax®, Spies Hecker and Standox. Each brand has its own dedicated training room, mixing area and spray booth, which are equipped with high-end materials and energy saving features such as LED lighting.

Anthony Cashel, Marketing Manager for Axalta Coating Systems in the UK and Ireland explained the importance of the day. He said, “This new Training Academy underscores Axalta’s commitment to our customers and to the UK market. It offers refinishers the opportunity to train with the very latest products and equipment in a fresh and modern work environment. With over 146 years of experience and knowhow behind us, we are committed to putting our customers first. We collaborate closely with them, because when they are successful, we are successful.”

During the course of the day, guests were able to view demonstrations of three new products in the spraybooths - a direct to metal primer, a next generation basecoat and a low energy, super-fast clearcoat. In addition, new e-learning software for refinishers and apprentices was unveiled as well as the latest colour tools and PerformanceGateway™, a cloud-based network performance management system.

The three large spraybooths that have been installed at the new

Training Academy are fitted with three leaf door sets to provide an extra-wide opening, and there are viewing galleries down the lengths of the booths, which offer a clear view inside. The spraybooth floors are fully extracted and balanced, which ensures refinishers get the highest quality paint finish. For maximum energy efficiency, the spraybooths have an advanced auxiliary air movement system, known as QADs, which supplies heated and filtered airflow from the corners of the booth. This set-up has been shown to speed up the drying process by up to 35 percent. The spraybooths are fitted with a fully automatic variable airflow system, which requires no operator selection.

This automatically reduces the airflow through the booth resulting in reduced fuel and electricity usage.

The bright, clean light produced by the LED bulbs in the spray booths replicates natural daylight while also being the most energy-efficient lighting method available.

Outside the spraybooths, two preparation stations have been created, providing a large workspace where refinishers get the vehicles ready before they enter the spraybooths.

Each of the three double-skin paint mixing rooms also incorporate viewing windows above the mixing benches, again to provide clear visibility.

“Everything has been designed and built to ensure that course

participants get the very best training experience so they can return to their bodyshops with increased confidence and competence,” adds Cashel.

In addition to the new Training Academy, Axalta is launching a new paint and refinishing apprenticeship programme at the end of 2014. This nationwide programme conforms to the new government apprenticeship standards and will give new and existing apprentices the opportunity to train with the very latest products and equipment and to learn industry essentials and best practice.

This new Training Academy underscores Axalta’s commitment to our customers and to the UK market. It offers refinishers the opportunity to train with the very latest products and equipment in a fresh and modern work environment.

Anthony Cashel Marketing Manager for Axalta Coating Systems in the UK and Ireland

For more information about the Training Academy and the courses on offer, visit the brands’ websites at

www.cromax.com/gb, www.spieshecker.co.uk and www.standox.co.uk Alternatively, contact Allyson Hill, Business Support Coordinator for Axalta Coating Systems in the UK (allyson.hill@axaltacs.com). For information on the new apprenticeship programme contact Charlotte Coombes, Administration Assistant for Axalta Coating Systems in the UK (charlotte.coombes@axaltacs.com).

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

NAB View on Written Off Vehicles

The current Code of Practice for the Categorisation of Written Off Vehicles was first established in the mid 1990’s, with the objective of reducing vehicle theft and ‘ringing’, which at the time was a major issue for insurers and consumer alike.

20 years on and it has become clear that the Code of Practice, as it stands, is no longer fit for purpose in the modern automotive, insurance and repair arena. Vehicle security systems have advanced significantly thanks to huge investment from research establishments and vehicle manufacturers; hence vehicle theft is not the problem it once was.

In this new era of ultra fuel efficient, super safe vehicles, a new problem has arisen relating to how written off vehicles are categorised, sold or disposed of. Modern vehicles need specialist knowledge, equipment and skills (to ensure they are repaired correctly), to ensure that they perform in any subsequent accident the way the manufacturers intended.

Herein lies the rub as, currently, written off vehicles are processed via a voluntary code, and the sale of these high tech damaged vehicles is all but unregulated. This means that structurally damaged vehicles are being repaired, in many instances, by individuals that do not have the knowledge, skills or equipment to return them to their pre-accident condition. These vehicles are then being sold to unsuspecting

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consumers who are unknowingly putting their lives and the lives of their passengers and other road users at significant risk, which we have already witnessed to tragic affect.

With many vehicle manufacturers now operating ‘Write-Off Avoidance’ schemes, providing insurers and repairers with an opportunity to repair those vehicles that would otherwise have been deemed beyond economical repair, perhaps now is the time to review the whole way in which end of life vehicles are dealt with.

We at NAB would like to see a more robust and technical approach to the disposal and repair of written off vehicles, which will in turn protect consumers and road users at large. We would propose that salvage categorisation in its present form is abandoned. As evidence has proven, in some instances, this categorisation drives inappropriate and unethical behaviour in order to maximise salvage values. A robust technical approach would mean that vehicles are either repaired in a commercial environment or classified as a write off.

Given the advent of the new generation steels and composite materials in modern vehicle construction, we feel that all written off vehicles that are subsequently repaired should be subject to a post repair inspection by a qualified independent professional, undertaken at a suitably equipped facility, to verify that the vehicle has been repaired in line with the published repair procedure for the damage sustained. In addition to the inspection, repair verification would also include sight of purchase invoices for parts and materials used, along with an image history of the repairs in progress.

The absence of any of the above would result in the refusal from the DVLA to issue a V5C. Such a scheme would involve a multi-agency approach to the problem, and the costs associated with the vehicle inspection would lie with the seller to verify the vehicle is fit for sale. This would also help deter those with any form of criminal intent from using the purchase, repair and sale of otherwise uneconomically repairable vehicles from participating in this arena.

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

TTi Global specialises in the delivery of outsourcing, research, training and business improvement solutions across the world.

In serving the automotive sector for over 30 years our approach focuses on true return for investment for our clients. Based on our core sector expertise, we use established and innovative methods of delivery to fully support client needs.

We own a Volvo Authorised Service Centre, with a full aftersales operation and a 300 vehicle per month bodyshop. This helps us to test best practice, supporting our research and design teams, ensuring that our ideas are rigorously checked and refined before introducing them to our clients.

As a full service research agency supporting the automotive industry, TTi Global has a unique insight into automotive issues and solutions, allowing us to identify and deliver customer service and process improvements for our clients.

TTi Global has significant experience delivering global bodyshop training and coaching, on behalf of vehicle manufacturers and bodyshop networks, to enhance and develop the skills and competence of the

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modern bodyshop manager and technician. Our portfolio covers a range of areas including: >> Business Improvement teams and programmes >> Bodyshop Audits >> Skills Development >> Training and Coaching >> Curriculum Development >> Customer Satisfaction Research >> Strategy and Planning As a global business we deliver bodyshop business improvement programmes in many countries currently including: Australia, China, Thailand, Chile, Peru, Mexico, UAE, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Brazil. These bodyshop solutions include major OEM clients such as BMW, Mazda, GM, JMC, DERCO, Jaguar Land Rover and Ford.

Our bodyshop improvement tool, Performance Insight, encompasses assessing bodyshop standards, skills gap analysis, KPI monitoring

and repair quality checks in bespoke projects for our clients, and we are using the outputs from the tool to redefine global bodyshop standards.

We have a team of experienced and talented operational managers, coaches and trainers that deliver for our clients, many of whom are currently engaged in programmes to train and assess body repair networks in the repair of aluminium bodied vehicles, with a focus on the riveting, bonding and MAG welding of this specialist material As part of TTi’s commitment to our clients in the Accident Repair sector, we have developed an extensive body repair curriculum, from introductory courses for school leavers through to advanced courses for aluminium panel repair, VDA/ Estimating and MIG/MAG welding.

As the technology and techniques used in vehicle manufacture evolve, so does our curriculum, and we are currently developing a programme focused on composite repair. All of our body repair programmes can be deployed as white label, or tailored to meet the needs of individual

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Please call our Lead Consultant, Tim Marshall, on +44 (0)7989 932339 or email tmarshall@tti-global.com and he can talk you through your business needs.

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

AkzoNobel colours your world.

By the time you reach your workplace each day you have probably benefited from a number of AkzoNobel products without even realising it. So whether or not you are working directly with our leading Sikkens vehicle refinishing products, we are already a reliable partner in your life.

AkzoNobel brands may be on or in your walls, your breakfast, your mobile device or laptop, your cosmetics, your furniture, your lighting and whatever form of transport you use. As a leading global producer of paints, coatings and specialty chemicals our trusted products are just about everywhere. This means we are one of the world’s leading investors in paint technology, constantly seeking to improve product performance to drive forward business performance. Delivering more colors and the latest finishes in a way that is easy for painters to use.

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Sikkens – the best just keeps getting better

The impressive results of this investment for our premium vehicle refinishing brand Sikkens is clear when you look at the recent product introductions which have raised the bar for the vehicle refinishing industry. The new product technology has been specially designed to help bodyshops meet the ever increasing pressure to improve the quality of repairs and refinishing while reducing costs.

Colorbuild Plus

AkzoNobel Sikkens Colorbuild Plus is a multifunctional VOC compliant priming system that can be used for both sanding and non-sanding applications meaning you only need one system for any type of repair.

The main benefit of Colorbuild Plus is that it can be applied directly to metal, plastics and OEM e-coated panels.

Colorbuild Plus can help a bodyshop increase its profitability and throughput with: >> Direct to metal and direct to plastic properties = Saves time and money >> Improved drying speed = Saves time >> Excellent sandability = Saves time

Autowave MM 2.0

Sikkens Autowave MM 2.0, setting a new standard in waterborne basecoat performance with major advances in binder and pigment technology. With incredible ease of use, first time right reliability, and reduced process time.

>> Complete Waterborne system, improving sustainability, lowering VOC >> Extended shelf life, leading to less wastage, extended pot life leading to improved >> Consistently great results through performance improvements >> Improved Color Accuracy

For more information please contact your local AkzoNobel Respresentative or email ukcustomersupport@akzonobel.com

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Introducing Autoclear 2.0 Sprayed. Baked. Finished.

A clearcoat born from breakthrough patented technology In the dynamic world of clearcoats, constant developments in new OEM technologies, as well as permanent pressure on labour rates and process time, require bodyshops to perform to the latest standards. Sikkens understands the challenge this presents, which is why it has launched an addition to its acclaimed VR system. Based on new patented binder technology, the Autoclear 2.0 product range offers a flexible and fast clearcoat system with outstanding through-hardening, enabling bodyshops to meet daily requirements with confidence. Using Autoclear 2.0, they can increase their productivity and profitability levels without compromising on a perfect OEM clearcoat appearance.

Process efficiency is ensured by adjusting several important parameters throughout the whole

clearcoat job: mixing, application, drying, handling after drying and polishing. Autoclear 2.0 is perfect for all types of repairs, including minor repairs and total resprays. Its fast and easy application means you always get an excellent flow and perfect levelling. And a potlife of between 90 minutes and two hours saves on both mixing time and waste, since any leftover product can be used for another job.

clearcoat job: mixing, application, drying, handling after drying and polishing. Autoclear 2.0 is perfect for all types of repairs, including minor repairs and total resprays. Its fast and easy application means you always get an excellent flow and perfect levelling. And a potlife of between 90 minutes and two hours saves on both mixing time and waste, since any leftover product can be used for another job.

Manage your processes efficiently – day in, day out

Autoclear 2.0 has been thoroughly tested by bodyshops across nine European countries. These painters performed thousands of repairs and provided us with valuable feedback and confirmed that Autoclear 2.0 offers an outstanding performance in through-hardening, polishability, drying speed and flexibility.

Autoclear 2.0 offers all you need to actively manage the clearcoat process for your day-to-day business by taking workload, type of repair and energy costs into account.

Process efficiency is ensured by adjusting several important parameters throughout the whole

For more information please contact your local AkzoNobel Respresentative or email ukcustomersupport@akzonobel.com

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Don’t waste a good opportunity SWR is the UK’s only waste management company with waste and recycling services designed specifically for the automotive industry.

With over 500 bodyshop customers in the UK, SWR’s expertise in the automotive sector helps you to take control of costs and improve recycling and environmental performance SWR typically delivers a 10% - 20%

SWR offers:  Waste solutions tailored to meet the needs of your bodyshop  A single point of contact and single contract for all your waste requirements

reduction in waste spend and significant improvements in recycling for its bodyshop customers.

 Environmental compliance and reporting

Get a handle on your waste

 Excellent customer service

Contact SWR to see how we can help

0800 432 0550

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 Specialist advice to help you improve your environmental performance

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Standohyd Plus Basecoat Standox updates the name of its waterborne basecoat system A new name, a professional look, a proven product. Standox from Wuppertal, Germany, has updated Standohyd Basecoat, its proven waterborne basecoat system. Now called Standohyd Plus Basecoat, it will appear on the market with a fresh label design.

With the aim of offering bodyshops one of the most efficient VOCcompliant basecoat systems, Standox has worked continuously on improving Standohyd Plus, optimising production and using cutting-edge pigment technology, which is tested for compliance with VOC requirements. Its two elements – waterborne basecoat and deionised water – make it very easy to use. In addition, the waterborne basecoat system provides excellent coverage, good blending characteristics and is economical in use. It can be applied in a single work step without flash-off times, known as One Visit Application.

This significantly speeds up work

processes in the spray booth and the entire bodyshop.

Standohyd Plus also offers great colour accuracy. Refinishers can access more than 53,000 solid, metallic and pearlescent colour formulas on the Standox database. Together with modern Color Tools such as the Genius spectrophotometer, Standox offers its customers a sound, professional colour management solution.

Cashel, Marketing Manager for Axalta Coating Systems UK and Ireland. “With Standohyd Plus, our customers can be certain they have one of the best waterborne basecoat systems on the market and that it will stay that way for many years to come.”

With Standohyd Plus, our customers can be certain they have one of the best waterborne basecoat systems on the market and that it will stay that way for many years to come.

Standohyd Plus has a successful history. In 1994, Standox presented the first waterborne basecoat system to the public at Automechanika in Frankfurt.

Today, the evolution of that system is one of the most widely used VOC-compliant paint systems in the world. Most leading car manufacturers recommend it for refinish work.

Anthony Cashel

“We have adapted the basecoat to the increasing requirements of the refinish market,” says Anthony

Marketing Manager for Axalta Coating Systems UK and Ireland.

Short, clear and simple Standox introduces new product codes Standox is introducing alphanumeric product codes for the majority of its products. The short codes, which will be shown on the labels, are intended to make the information displayed on electronic Color Tools clearer. The codes consist of an abbreviation of the product category in combination with a four-digit number to achieve further differentiation. They distinguish between the categories Substrate (U), Clearcoat (K) and Clearcoat Additive (KA). The codes

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for mixing tints remain unchanged.

“The new product codes allow us to improve the information displayed on the Standowin electronic search programme,” says Anthony Cashel, Marketing Manager, Axalta Coating Systems UK and Ireland. “To date, it was not possible to display the product description in its entirety, because of its length. Feedback from our partner bodyshops told us that a clearer display would make the

selection of ready-for-use products using digital Color Tools even easier.

That is why we have developed the new codes. Working with our digital Color Tools will become even more convenient for bodyshops.”

The new codes will appear on Standox labels under the product name. They will be integrated into the Standox Color Tools and Standowin with the 2/2014 update, but are already available online.

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To discuss how Revive! can help your business, contact us on

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FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Efficient refinishing with One Visit Application

Bodyshop owners know exactly how to optimise work processes: Limit unproductive breaks to an absolute minimum, ensure an intelligent division of labour, do not allow energy-intensive equipment to run for longer than necessary.

But there is one step in the repair process where even the best planning won’t help: the spray booth.

It remains a bottleneck, at least for those bodyshops that work with traditional application methods.

The alternative One Visit Application method will, however, allow bodyshops to cut idle time in the coating process and in the spray booth substantially. Refinishers need only pay one visit to the spray booth per coating. Wet on wet filler, basecoat and clear coat are applied in one-and-a-half or two wet-on-wet passes that follow each other with only intermediate flash off time.

Wuppertal-based refinish coating brand Standox has developed a range of products for use with One Visit Application. It is the only paint brand to offer a complete One Visit repair from filler to clear coat. Take for example the VOC Nonstop Primer Filler, which is applied in a light half coat, immediately followed by a full coat, without flash-off. The Standohyd basecoat, as well as the Standofleet topcoat and Standocryl VOC Express Clear can each be

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applied in one-and-a-half passes.

In the case of Standofleet and the VOC Express Clear, refinishers simply apply a thin closed-coat and immediately follow it with a full, deep pass onto the still-wet coat, without any flash-off time at all. The process for Standohyd is the reverse, with refinishers spraying a full pass and then a mist-coat onto the stillwet film.

“If we calculate the time saved over an entire day of work, it makes a big difference,” says Jodie Henly, Standox UK brand specialist, “One Visit Application increases efficiency and is of particular economic benefit to larger bodyshops that have a higher workload and a larger throughput. And the One Visit Application products of course offer the accustomed premium quality and support that comes as standard with Standox. Even with this innovative approach, bodyshops can rest assured they will obtain perfect results.

“Thanks to a specially developed coatings technology we can achieve optimal drying. The hiding power of

the top- and basecoats are just as perfect after only one-and-a-half passes,” Henly concludes.

“Bodyshops will not only save valuable time with One Visit Application, but also materials – without making any concession to quality.”

In view of rising energy costs, this application method, which was developed in Germany, could also be of interest to medium-sized and smaller bodyshops who are not necessary struggling with high throughput issues. After all, every minute saved in the spray booth cuts energy bills and therefore benefits the bottom line.

If we calculate the time saved over an entire day of work, it makes a big difference,” Jodie Henly Standox UK brand specialist

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Junair Spraybooths Ltd. Southgate Industrial Park, Cross Street, Heywood, Lancashire OL10 1PW 01706 363555 01706 363560 sales@junair.co.uk www.junair.co.uk

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Running at optimum performance Gaskell Motor Bodies Benefit from A Fast, Reliable and Professional Spraybooth Servicing and Maintenance Contract from AGM Services.

Gaskell Motor Bodies is an award winning accident repair centre who have built their success on offering a reliable, high quality repair completed within a contracted time period. In order to maintain this service level, they require their equipment, especially their spraybooth to be operational at all times. With this in mind Gaskell Motor Bodies have chosen a service and maintenance contract from AGM Services to reduce the risk of any faults or downtime of their spraybooth.

Nick Gaskell, owner of Gaskell Motor Bodies comments “AGM Services always provide an extremely reliable service, as we expand and grow as a business we need to ensure our spraybooth equipment is maintained and running at optimum performance. Any downtime results in our production coming to a standstill. Recently we experienced our first breakdown, we contacted AGM Services and they sent an engineer the same day, as they stock spraybooth parts on their vans the engineer was able to fix the problem on the first visit and we were operational within hours.

As part of our annual review, we evaluate all our operational costs to

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ensure our current contracts are still competitive. After obtaining several quotes for spraybooth servicing, AGM Services still remained overall the best value for money.”

Wesley Young, Sales Director at AGM Services comments “We carry out spraybooth servicing at Gaskell Motor Bodies twice a year to ensure their equipment is running at optimum performance. During these visits the engineers carry out the necessary tests according to statutory obligations under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) legislation. In addition, all spraybooth filters are replaced. This ensures extraction and airflow within the spraybooth is operating at peak performance and the quality of work undertaken is not compromised.”

AGM Services have a national network of spraybooth engineers allowing them to provide a prompt call-out for any breakdown regardless of the spraybooth make.

However, if you have a maintenance contract with AGM Services you can take advantage of their priority emergency call-out, further reducing any delay in getting equipment back up and running. What’s more, all of

their engineers are fully qualified meaning you can rest assure any service or repair will be carried out to an extremely high standard.

In addition to servicing and repairs AGM Services also stock a wide range of replacement filters at their purpose built warehouse in Manchester. These filters are supplied in a range of standard sizes however, they can also be cut to any size and supplied for any make of spraybooth.

Nick adds “When we refurbished our bodyshop 6 years ago we invested in state-of-the-art equipment from Junair Spraybooths, due to this investment we take spraybooth servicing serious and ensure we only use premium quality filters to maximise the life of our equipment.”

Contacting AGM Services If you would like to find out more about AGM Services cost effective spraybooth service and maintenance contracts you can contact their friendly team on 01706 363 585 or email sales@agm-services.co.uk.

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Service and maintenance contracts Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) testing Air quality testing and certification Mist clearance testing National network of engineers Emergency call-out service Energy-saving equipment upgrades AGM Services, Southgate Industrial Park, Cross Street, Heywood, Lancashire OL10 1PW 01706 363585 01706 363588 sales@agm-services.co.uk www.agm-services.co.uk

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Glass’s… providing the Jigsaw pieces in an ever-changing world of insurance claims

Glass’s is a business dedicated to providing the best and most innovative solutions to the bodyshop and insurance industry. From new technology that provides a cost effective claims journey, to maximising customer satisfaction and effective claims handling, Glass’s offers a number of products and services that improve the entire valuations and repair process.

Glassmatix is Glass’s most established product in this market - the essential solution for vehicle damage assessment. The system creates fully costed estimates for vehicle repairs, saving time and money for repairers. GlassMatix can be customised to meet the needs of customer businesses, and in fact has been reported to save an average of more than 20 minutes per estimate allowing bodyshops to operate more efficiently and cost effectively.

Market Value Assessor provides the industry with the fastest possible solution for accessing and understanding historical and current vehicle data to help make total loss settlements more efficient. The tool can identify and value vehicles in less than 30 seconds using the total loss date to accurately calculate

realistic valuation offers - meaning total loss claims can be settled quickly and fairly. In an industry where claims play a huge role, being able to accurately determine vehicle values is fundamental. If insurers, bodyshops and assessors understand the true worth of a vehicle, they can better determine settlement offers, saving time and money dealing with claims.

Esalvage is the most recent product launched by Glass’s, providing insurers with a simple and efficient way to dispose of total loss salvage vehicles through a national network of more than 100 approved, online, salvage dealers. This service ensures written off vehicles are disposed of ethically and efficiently.

So what does the future hold for

To find out more about how Glass’s can help you, go to www.glassbusiness.co.uk 94

Glass’s? David Punter, Head of Bodyshop & Insurance at Glass’s, comments: “This is a whistle stop tour of some of our key offerings, over the years we have become a reliable and trusted source of vehicle valuations, and our promise is to remain so in the future.

“From the repair vs write-off debate, to disposing of salvage vehicles and simply understanding what a car is worth, our spectrum of products can do everything. At Glass’s we give true transparency, we help customers understand our process at every stage, and we strive to make their journey in business easier, enabling improved decision and increased profitability.

“What’s next from us? More of the same….”

WWW.XSPAID.COM CALL 0333 011 2111

HOW MANY MOTORISTS CAN AFFORD THEIR INSURANCE EXCESS? ALL OF THEM! With XS Paid the answer is

We pay the policy holder’s excess so the customer can afford to have their vehicle repaired.

And this means an opportunity for your business to capitalise on the potential 45,000 new retail repair jobs that will be generated by becoming one of our network partners.

Excess Insurance the truth

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Are not claiming

XS Paid has the solution By working alongside our insurer partners and brokers, we have developed an affordable insurance policy which covers drivers’ excess in the event of an insurance claim.

In return, XS Paid will channel the repair work to our network of recommended repairers.

Heres how it works XS Paid’s unique policy offers drivers one full excess claim per year for a repairable incident. The policy also covers drivers’ excess in the event of a total loss. To make a claim, our policy holders simply call our UK call centre to report the incident. Our contact centre reports the accident claim to the driver’s insurance company and allocates the vehicle repairs to the driver’s nominated XS Paid bodyshop. All our Policyholders signed up to the excess guarantee policy are aware that their excess contribution will be paid direct to our network repair partner on their behalf.

XS Paid is proud to announce it’s partnership with Edynamix eDynamix one of the leading Service, Repair and Finance Plan provider, offering service retention software solutions to many top Manufacturers and Dealers in Europe and Australia are now offering the XSPaid solution within their Service plan.

By offering the XSPaid product as part of the Monthly Service Plan a Dealer can sell a car, service it and then, should the customer have an accident, almost guarantee that it is repaired by their own, accredited Accident & Repair Centre. The good news is the plan covers £300 of excess cover for the life of the plan, unlimited claims and the best part..., it is the customer who is paying for the cover and not you the Dealer! With the average body repair following an accident being over £1400, it is very welcome business for your ARC and at a much better recovery rate.

Matt Walton, Group Service/ARC and RapidFit Manager for Sandicliffe Motor Group, who has used XSPaid in conjunction as part of his eDynamix Service Plans said “It is incredibly difficult to introduce a new car customer to the ARC, even though statistically 20% or so will have an accident! So the fact that they can add it to the plan, therefore overcoming the data protection issues makes things very simple.”

He added, “Once signed up the customer will receive reminders of what to do in case of an accident, too many ring their insurance first and get sent to a sub-standard repair agent!”

“ In my opinion, eDynamix Service Plans, plus XS Paid equals the complete aftersales package. ” Matt, Sandicliffe Group

Email us at: info@xspaid.com

Call 0333 011 2111 for more information on the XS Paid product, to join the repair network or further information on how we could help your business.

FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Navigating the colour jungle with Standox Colour management is one of the most important disciplines in a bodyshop. Daylight can reveal even the smallest colour deviation. The incredible range of colour tones and nuances, and the continuing trend towards complex effect colours, do not make a refinisher’s life any easier.

With growing competition and time pressure, it is increasingly important not only to get the colour match right first time, but also to do so as quickly as possible, which can be quite a challenge. “The trend is to use digital colour tools that make colour management particularly efficient,” says Anthony Cashel, Marketing Manager for Axalta Coating Systems in UK and Ireland. “Standox offers a comprehensive range of electronic tools that are constantly undergoing further development.”

Flake identification made easy

The latest update in colour retrieval software from Standox includes a tool called the Effect Navigator, which improves the selection and search efficiency of the Genius spectrophotometer. It is a set of 25 colour chips with five lightness levels, each of which has five effect levels. When searching via Genius, the measurement of the flake size is used to identify the best matching formulas in the same colour and lightness group. The Effect Navigator combines the visual impression with the latest technology to ensure the best possible match.

High-performance programme for easier formula searches Standowin is the colour formula search software by Standox. It is the interface for the Genius spectrophotometer. The data resulting from the colour measurement is transferred to Standowin. This programme offers users immediate access to current Standox mixing formulas including tips for correcting colours. It also

96

suggests the matching colour variant. After entering the car manufacturer, model and year, the Standox Digital Color Display instantly produces all possible colours on screen in the form of realistic digital colour chips. The colour information menu contains everything relating to different car manufacturers, such as the list of codes, as well as current mixing tint lists. “And Standowin can do even more. On request, it can store customer-specific data, automatically compile reports on costs and consumption of materials, and produce inventory updates. It can also be used for administrative tasks relating to pricing, jobs and storage. In short, it’s the perfect colour management support tool,” Cashel continues.

“We are currently working on an online version of Standowin for the mixing room which will bring colour matching even more up-to-date for professionals.

Online colour search

Standox is also making internet colour searches quicker and easier thanks to a new online colour search programme. More formulas, more models, more search criteria and the illustration of colours via the Digital Color Display turn this programme into a very helpful tool. The online colour search can be found at www.standox.co.uk/colourtools, as well as further information about the full range of Standox colour tools.

A complete colour update and support system System Tools Plus is a marketing

programme that delivers the very latest colour and technical information to bodyshops as soon as it’s available. Formulations are available online at any time, and programme members have access to colour and technical support to guide them through every stage of the colour-matching process.

“Standox has five different packages within the System Tools Plus offering, so that bodyshops can choose what suits their individual requirements best, like the CV package or the Colour Box and Genius packages,” explains Cashel.

Many paths lead to the correct colour

While some are impressed by the colour matching abilities of digital tools, others prefer to rely on their experience and a trained eye. At Standox, that is taken into account.

“Standox believes that the route to colour identification is a question of preference,” Cashel says. “Not everybody loves technology and there are refinishers who achieve excellent results with a trained eye and a comprehensive colour fan deck. That is why we not only develop digital tools, but also continue to advance Standox Colour Boxes with fan decks.”

DRIVING YOUR BODYSHOP MARKETING FORWARD FORD INSIGHT | issue 3

Increase retail business

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insight is evolving

insight magazine has gone from strength to strength in the last year, reaching a global audience covering all parts of the automotive industry.

Digital only, it can be read on all types of modern and future media and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The next big issue is January 2015, a bumper packed magazine with contributions from a wide variety of sources on a wide variety of topics.

Advertising in the magazine, couldn’t be simpler, you can reserve your ad for a nominal fee or if you prefer send over the text and our creative partner Pure will design it for you at a very discounted price.

For advertising rates and information please contact jules@purevc.co.uk or call 0793 993 3589.

In addition to the January Issue the following will be released over the next couple of months, if you would like to advertise in these let us know asap so we can secure your place.

Event Preview Special

With details of the event, timetables, speakers and an overview of the exhibitiors.

The Post Event issue

Containing news, pictures and highlights from the event.

WHITE ROOM

CONSORTIUM

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If you would like to contribute to the Ford Insight magazine Please contact Dave Reece at dreece6@ford.com

Designed and produced by Pure Visual Comunication Limited

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