July/August 2020

I n a serious, unprecedented situation, it makes sense to look for support for your business. LKQ Euro Car Parts is aware that the future for garages does not just depend on getting bits to them as fast as possible, and is looking to support the sector in a more empirical way. Aftermarket sat down (metaphorically speaking, social distancing and all that) with LKQ ECP CEO Andy Hamilton recently, to find out how he views the post-lockdown world that garages will be emerging into, and how they can make the most of new opportunities. Can you sum up the challenge and the opportunity how is LKQ Euro Car Parts looking to help? With thousands of cars sat idle while the country has been in lockdown, we expect to see a host of problems arise when people return to the roads. But the current climate is unique, and it’s crucial that garages have access to the support they need to bounce back stronger as lockdown is eased. This covers what we expect will be the most common queries coming into garages, how they can work to build customer demand and the dedicated service we are providing to help garages keep the UK moving. How will lockdown impact demand for MOTs and servicing? The demand for MOTs post-lockdown is expected to be as much as three times normal levels over the next few months. Of those that were due, just 20% of MOTs were completed in March this year, and 23% in April, meaning there is a significant backlog. It is essential that garages plan ahead as far as possible and take steps to manage their workload. Proactively contacting customers to arrange bookings now can help garages to define their opening hours and understand what level of technician resource will be required at any given time. Garages can start by working through their databases to understand which customers have MOTs or services due in the coming weeks. From our experience, we’ve seen that making contact by telephone will generate a higher success rate than emailing – one garage owner reported a 43% uptake on calls made in a single day, while another converted 11 phone calls into bookings on just one day. Wherever possible, garages should offer a collection and delivery service. But where this is not available, ensure that customers are aware of any new processes and safety procedures to maintain social distancing rules. What do LQK Euro Car Parts expect will be the most common queries and requests faced by garages post-lockdown? Flat batteries are likely to be one of the biggest sources of demand for garages. With so many cars sat on driveways for weeks during lockdown, multiple factors may have caused their batteries to fail, such as exceeding their life span, abnormal or increased draws, incorrect charging or faulty monitoring systems. In-depth diagnostics exercises will be key to providing the correct repairs and services, and helping customers get back on the road quickly. Tools such as the Bosch KTS560 software can help technicians identify the root cause of battery faults, enabling them to take the most appropriate course of action and provide the best service to 18 AFTERMARKET JULY/AUGUST 2020 BUSINESS www.aftermarketonline.net LKQ ECP: Q&A LQK Euro Car Parts CEO Andy Hamilton lays out his views on what the post-lockdown business environment will look like for garages Below: Andy Hamilton, LKQ Euro Car Parts CEO