July/August 2019

owned by a third party rather than by VMs themselves, or if consumers still had the same level of choice as if they were the owner within certain parameters, independent repairers could offer a more rounded care offering that would fit with the needs required. There is some good news right there. Reactive Overall, servicing aside, vehicle care is often reactive, with vehicles being repaired after something has gone wrong. Syncron posits that in this model, franchised dealers will need to be armed with enough information coming in from vehicles so they can pre-empt failures, effectively repairing the vehicle before it goes wrong. Experience Syncron looked into what consumers get from the dealer experience, in a survey of 500 vehicle owners from across Europe and the U.S. The findings were featured in a report; Shifting Gears from Reactive to Proactive: How Customers’ Rising Interest in the Subscription Economy is Revolutionizing the Automotive Dealer Service Experience . We are talking about vehicle subscriptions as if motorists are chucking their cars away left and right. However, the report found that awareness was relatively low, with more than 60% of respondents not aware of the concept. Not so much to worry about then perhaps, we can get agitated about this idea further down the line when we have got our heads around EVs and hybrids? Afraid not. Once they did hear about the idea, 57% said they were very interested in the idea. You might need to think about your business model after all. According to Syncron, additional findings from the research report include the following: Customers are satisfied with the dealer service experience as it stands today Nearly 60% of vehicle owners indicated that they use their dealer for maintenance and repairs today, with more than 90% describing their most recent dealer service experience positively Interest in subscription services is high, but awareness is low Around 60% of respondents indicated fixed monthly cost and included maintenance and repairs as the biggest advantages of vehicle subscription services. More than 40% of respondents also indicated they would be willing to pay a premium price for a subscription-based model Automotive OEMs must invest in service today to prepare for the future More than half of survey respondents lack loyalty to a particular automotive brand when making final vehicle purchasing decisions. And, with nearly 40% of these vehicle owners indicating that a negative dealer service experience would sway their perception of a brand, the customer experience at the dealer level is more important than ever Game-changer According to Gary Brooks, CMO of Syncron, subscription services could be a game-changer: “In the coming months and years, automotive manufacturers must optimise their current infrastructure to lay the foundation for a successful future. It’s not so much a matter of if, but when, customers will overwhelmingly demand subscription-based services. Automotive OEMs must begin equipping their dealers today to prepare for a proactive service model where vehicles are repaired before they ever fail. In this new research report, we aim to inspire and motivate automotive manufacturers to do just this as they navigate today’s ever- changing customer expectations and prepare their businesses for the seismic shift to the subscription economy.” Positive position What can we learn from this though, and where does the independent repairer fit in? Assuming that our representative organisations, including the IGA, IAAF, GEA etc are able to make sure that independents maintain the rights secured under the Block Exemption Regulation, independents could be in a very positive position.The connected car could provide a whole new income stream for those able to access it – and we want that group to include independents. Garages that thrive need to be proactive to attract business in the first place – they do not have the built-in customer base of owners that dealers can rely on. Given the circumstances, and the access to remote diagnostics, independents could be in a good position. Among the exhibits on the HELLA stand at Automechanika Birmingham this year was information on CarForce, the software platform that provides real-time vehicle health data to garages. While this is not currently running in Europe, it does point towards where we are going. Again, assuming drivers still have the choice, if independents were able to compete on a level playing field information-wise in the brave new future, they could do really well. The best thing to do at this point is to stay on top of the technology, keep up with developments and make sure your business is attuned to the zeitgeist. 10 AFTERMARKET JULY/AUGUST 2019 BIG ISSUE www.aftermarketonline.net Below: Mobility services offer consumers different ways to access vehicles