October 2019

for showing Declan the power of video: "I won a competition in Aftermarket about six or seven years ago. the prize was the system. They came down and set me up a Samsung tablet and all the various bits and pieces." After a while, Declan found he could do it just as well his own way: "Rather than paying a subscription to somebody, you just need to show your customer. It is just as easy with your mobile phone.” This is just the kind of tip we want to give our readers. You have a mobile phone? You have email? Then you can do videos. "It is a simple as that," reiterated T hree years after he moved into his current garage on an industrial estate on the edge of Chippenham, Declan McCormack is still unpacking: "I have all the tooling and equipment, I am busy all the time, and I have a pair of two- posters ramps, but I've still not had chance to get organised." The evidence says otherwise. In 2018, Declan McCormack Vehicle Repairs was one of the finalists in the initial run of Top Garage. In 2019, his garage was named as the best business in the new 1-5 staff members category. Not only that, we were here last year, and we didn't think he was disorganised then either. For those of you who don't have a complete set of Aftermarket back- issues to hand at all times, Declan briefly reiterated his story: "I started in 2004 in a van, and I did three years of that. From there I went into a little workshop with a huge yard. Then we moved into a site in the town centre, and finally here. I wanted this unit 12 years ago and I missed it by about a day." Declan's is a one-man operation, although his wife Jan does pop in to help with the books, and to remind him to come home occasionally. Communication "About 80% of the customers I have now I have had since I first started out,” said Declan, “Not necessarily from the van, but certainly from the first garage." He puts the loyalty down to communication: "Being transparent is very important, showing them what's wrong and taking the time to actually explain it to them. I think that makes all the difference. I would say that I convert 90% of my quotes into work along the way." Declan contrasted this with the 58 AFTERMARKET OCTOBER 2019 GARAGE VISIT www.aftermarketonline.net CHIPPING AWAY IN CHIPPENHAM Above: Declan McCormack Declan McCormack Vehicle Repairs was one of the winners of Top Garage 2019. Aftermarket stopped by to see how the business came out on top approach he’s heard about from other garages: "There are some guys who have no interest at all. They just want to get the work in the door and get it out, they are not interested in the customer. I think that’s what really makes a difference, especially the older people – they like to know what's going on." He doesn't just talk though: "Every now and then I have a customer that is away. If it's a big job I will do a video for them. I do them on my mobile phone. All I do is go to the front of the car, show the registration, and then take them round the car and then send it to the customer." Aftermarket can take some credit