May 2021

MAY 2021 AFTERMARKET 23 www.aftermarketonline.net earned.” Automotive lighting is an area that is often overlooked, or given scant consideration in the workshop environment. After all, the products are small and, compared to many components on a vehicle, inexpensive. There still are some misconceptions though. For example, if a bulb needs to be replaced then it doesn’t really make a difference whether it is replaced by a cheap, low quality bulb, or by a bulb which may cost more - coming as it does, with a quality and performance assurance - but is still not a significant outlay in the cost of a service or repair. Nothing could be further from the truth as Richard Armstrong observed: “Firstly, there is the safety consideration. Your headlights are the eyes of your vehicle and can make a huge difference to the overall driving experience. The better you see, the safer you are when driving. It is as simple as that. Driving safe also means preventing glare for oncoming traffic and high-quality car bulbs make a big difference here too. Next there is the fact that nowadays, under-bonnet space is often highly restricted, meaning that access to lights is difficult, so replacing a headlamp can be a complex and time-consuming job. So why, given the labour time and cost that is often involved, would you choose a poor- quality product over one that costs a little more but does the job so much better?” Opportunity Another aspect that is often not discussed with car owners is the possibility of upgrading car lighting. It’s a fact that the older we get, we need more light on the road as our eyes age and naturally let in less light. Furthermore, everyone has their own personal preferences for ideal car lighting and the Philips portfolio offers solutions for increased, brighter or whiter light according to these needs. The latest example is the award winning RacingVision GT200 which offers up to 200% more light than the industry standard bulb. One of the judges for Top Garage is Andy Savva - the Garage Inspector - who also happens to be a Brand Ambassador for Philips Automotive Lighting products. Andy took up the story: “Using Philips car bulbs with OEM quality is an opportunity for a good garage to upsell. It makes a higher margin and gives the customer a safer and usually, because of its durability and quality, a more cost-effective long- term option. It’s a win-win situation. It also means the workshop is not going to have an unhappy customer only a few weeks or months down the line, whose new bulb has failed - with the distinct possibility of having to do the job again for free. These are the sort of issues I often encounter in my Garage Inspector role, as I help garages to do better business. Once you explain it, they get it, but it is amazing how often, until then, workshops often don’t see something that is so obvious an opportunity.” Workshop As the world’s number one lighting brand, it was a logical move to extend Philips’ lighting expertise to the workshop itself and therefore, ten years ago the Philips Workshop Lighting range was born, using high quality LED lighting from the outset which offers mechanics optimal and comfortable light to work on a job without tiring the eyes. Since then the range has developed using new technology to constantly improve the various types of light and lamp designs that make up the Philips range. The current generation, which includes the award-winning Philips RCH25 hand-held, comprises wands, penlights and hand-held units, a headlamp that is motion-operated, the incredibly flexible MDLS modular system and the impressive CBH52 Hybrid under-bonnet lamp. With a huge amount of research done alongside technicians and workshop owners around the world into how lighting conditions affect the ability to carry out the best work in the greatest comfort and safety, technicians can be assured that these professional workshop lights have been made with them in-mind. As well as the quality evident in their design, the lights are packed full of features. There are, for instance, integrated magnets, clips and hooks that will allow them to use both hands when working. With a charging dock that works across many of the different units, most of the units are rechargeable, and a fully- charged lamp can last for up to 12 hours, meaning technicians can work all day, without the worry that their light needs recharging. Philips workshop lamps are designed for daily use by professionals. They are tough, with high degrees of shock, dust, water and chemical resistance. Some of lamps have dimmable light, with memory function, to instantly access the best light possible for each job. The semi-finalists and finalists of Top Technician will all get the chance to use the latest Philips workshop lights and Richard Armstrong sees this as another plus of the brand’s involvement in this year’s awards. “Philips workshop lamps are constantly evolving,” added Richard Armstrong, “so the opportunity of working with those, at the top of the profession, who will use our lights gives us valuable feedback to help ensure future generations of Philips products are as good as they can possibly be.” www.philips.co.uk Sponsored by: Using Philips car bulbs is an opportunity for a good garage to upsell ”