in a small community where word of mouth is king, maintaining our high service standards is absolutely key
the business. Michael has been with the company for eight years having qualified as a technician elsewhere and Peter joined three years ago following more than a decade in the finance industry. Their experiences elsewhere have brought new ideas that they will use to take the company forward on the back of our strong customer base and the service quality for which we are renowned. The new century (well millennium in fact) saw a shift in buying patterns as people looked to more cost effective motoring and that prompted me to seek out another franchise, Fiat. I had spent some time at Forest Road Garage when they had the franchise in the 70s and had developed a soft spot for the brand, which had become a dominant force in Europe. It took nine months to secure the deal but was worth the wait with the small cars I needed to grow my business. This was five years before the Fiat 500 was even launched. Fiat has achieved more than we could ever imagine and has since brought us the Abarth franchise - one of only 25 in the UK - and Alfa Romeo, the sleeping giant in the FGA group that will astound car enthusiasts in the next 12-18 months with what’s coming. During our time we have seen technology take over an industry that was regarded as a dirty nuts and bolts environment. It also has seen franchise garages in Guernsey decline from over fifteen to just eight. So does that indicate a dying trade? Quite the opposite because the remaining franchisees are the ones who have re-invested in the industry; repairs times have dropped; reliability has increased. That said, I would not expect more franchise garages to appear in the near future. Start up costs now would make it pretty difficult and prohibitive property prices are without question the biggest stumbling block. This means that we need to be able to cope with the increased number of cars we sell. The technology boom means most cars return to their dealers for service, as upgrade on engine management and Bluetooth phone systems can only be done there, and it is important to retain a service history with the manufacturer to enhance the car’s future value.
Le Mont Saint Garage aims to provide the best possible service, and repeat business is one of the most important business channels. In a small community where word of mouth is king, maintaining our high service standards is absolutely key. My team goes the extra mile to meet customer needs, and is aware of what happens across the whole business not just in individual departments. A better-informed member of staff benefits the company as a whole. The future for us is already beyond initial planning stages. We begin work on an extension in the next month that will double the service bays, increase the parts department and showroom and bring the building up to date as one of the leading garages in the island. We invest time and money on training programmes to enable our staff to have the latest information and technology to carry out their job to the best of their ability. To stay at the top of your game requires investment. We are involved with local sports clubs and charitable organisations and feel it is important to put something back into the society in which you live. Our support of the local basketball, rowing and motor racing fraternities helps teams who otherwise may not be able to participate. Along with our charity involvement, this is our way of making a contribution back into island life. So a broader community shares in our success. My favourite and often used quote (it drives my sons mad) ‘second is not an option’. It will appear on my gravestone one day (but not just yet!). In saying that I do not mean coming in second is a failure. But that you should strive to be the best you can be. If it means you are ‘pipped at the post’, providing you have done your best no more can be asked - you are still a winner. I have been fortunate to have worked with such a great team including both past and present staff members and to have such a supportive wife in Jackie who has lived with my instant decisions, crazy ideas and risk taking - business is a gamble after all. No one can achieve anything in life on his own and luck has no part to play. It’s down to hard work and determination taking the bull by the horns achieving your dreams and not thinking ‘what if’. There’s a lot more to come from Le Mont Saint Garage. Every day is the beginning of the rest of our life; tomorrow never comes; seize the day; lost opportunities end up as regrets. 27