Aftermarket March 2022

E very day is a busy day if you are Tony Devaney, Business Development Manager with the Eurorepar Car Service (ERCS) network. “I cover a territory that spans from Cornwall to Kent” he explained, but that’s just the latitude: “Yesterday I was in West Wales.” Doesn’t sound so bad does it? Well, when we met him, he was in West Sussex. Yes, he’s on the road quite a bit. ECRS, which launched in the UK in 2017, looks to support garages in its network in a variety of ways, and it is Tony’s job to make sure that the backing offered by the network is appropriate. “Some garages ask for a lot of help, and I try to provide that for them, while others will just want to know they are getting their rebate on parts bought.” It’s a busy role, where in one moment he is advising businesses on their marketing approach, and then in the next breath pointing out the offers they might be missing out on. For an experienced professional like Tony, who came all the way from being a garage apprentice, to working with franchised dealers and manufacturers and now supporting independents looking to be part of a national network, it’s all in a day’s work. The parts must flow Our day with him began in Bognor Regis, where we met him at Hutchings Vehicle Services. This small Citroen/Peugeot specialist is based in an industrial estate on the edge of town, dotted with other workshops, and was set up in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Roy and Liz 52 AFTERMARKET MARCH 2022 DAY IN THE LIFE www.aftermarketonline.net Aftermarket spends a day with one of the Eurorepar Car Service network BDMs to find out how they are helping different garages ORANGE IS THE NEW BACK-UP Hutchings. Despite its tiny dimensions, they had managed to get three lifts in there. “I’ve got an awful lot of gear in a very small space,” said Roy. “Efficiency is important, so we do things on time, and basically don’t over-book. While it’s a snug fit, efficiency can only get you so far: “We have to get parts when we need them,” explained Liz. “If they come late, we end up with a car stuck on a ramp, and if that happens we have problems.” Roy continued: “A lot of the service parts are ordered in advance, so there is no delay in getting what we want.” Since joining the Eurorepar network nine months earlier, they had been receiving parts via nearby Distrigo Worthing. ERCS network members can get up to four deliveries a day, which a garage as small as Hutchings can really use. “If we can support garages like this,” observed Tony, “we will. We are not going to try and compete with those who can offer eight or nine deliveries a day, we are never going to operate to that extent, so selecting the right partners is critical from our point-of-view.” One of the features of the network is of course the bright orange signage, but due to COVID-19 delays, their new signs had only just gone up a few days before we were there. The original sign, featuring a cutaway of a 2CV was now an internal feature, which was a nice touch. Further support For garages that have just received their signage, ERCS provide advertorial, bespoke for that business, that can be sent out to potential customers and Tony had an example Main image: Hares of Sussex Inset image: Inside the garage at Hucthings Vehicle Services