April 2020

APRIL 2020 AFTERMARKET 39 www.aftermarketonline.net 2020s: The future is now Snap-on is celebrating its centennial this year and taking the opportunity ‘not to look back but actually to look forward.’ For 100 years, Snap-on has delivered precision, performance and pride through the highest-quality tools and innovative, customer-driven solutions. Snap-on remains dedicated to the Makers and the Fixers, the skilled professionals who keep the world moving forward just like you. To make this moment memorable they will send the first 100 people who share their Snap-on story and five of their next tool needs, a limited edition 100th Anniversary lapel pin. Snap-on will also reward the most fascinating anecdote with their top prize, a 100th Anniversary limited edition Chrome Flankard. Full details can be found on page 51. 1980s: NASA Snap-on became the sole supplier of tools to NASA for the space shuttles. Pioneering in the diagnostics product line also continued with the launch of the first Snap-on scanner and first Digital Engine Analyser. 1990s: ‘Top new franchise’ Snap-on became the first mobile tool company in the USA to convert to a franchise operation. In 1994, Entrepreneur Magazine ranked Snap- on as the ‘top new franchise.’ The company continued to expand product lines globally to better serve professionals in critical industries. To deliver a more comprehensive total shop solution for repair shop owners and managers, well-known brands such as Sun, Mitchell1, John Bean and Hofmann expanded the product portfolio in diagnostics, repair information, alignment and undercar equipment. 2000s: Rapid continuous improvement (RCI) This decade saw the introduction of VERUS, the first PC-based scanner. Its open-Windows system allowed techs to connect to the internet and other software, greatly expanding the functionality of the scan tool. Being crowned a ‘Five-star Franchise’ in the annual Smith & Henderson ‘Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark’ in 2015 and winning numerous coveted industry awards such as British Franchise Association Franchisor and Franchisee of the Year is testament to Snap-on’s popularity and success. 2010s: Runways for growth Major enhancements to global network with introduction of Rock ‘N’ Roll Express and Diagnostic Roadshows for franchisees. In 2019 Snap-on was awarded two highly coveted Queen's Awards for Innovation and International Trade. The award for Innovation was presented in recognition of the all- in-one vehicle repair information resource, SureTrack. It brings together information from over 700,000,000 real-world workshop job cards, showing how other technicians fixed the fault on that vehicle in there garage. It gives technicians access to millions of successful repair orders and thousands of technicians who have already been there, solved that. The International Trade award was received by Snap-on after the company demonstrated sustained growth and success in providing automotive diagnostic and equipment products, customer support, service and repair to European markets from its King’s Lynn facility. The latest enhancement of diagnostic functionality from Snap-on comes with the introduction of Intelligent Diagnostics. It combines together all of the tests and information related to a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) to one place including Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), recalls and campaigns, scanner data, functional tests and resets, guided component tests and SureTrack. Intelligent Diagnostics is a powerful tool and the ultimate time-saver providing technicians with the fastest path to complete the job.