On the ninth consecutive week of lockdown in the UK, two thirds of British workshops were open, according to the GiPA garage survey. This average includes franchised dealers, independent motor traders and tyre dealers, as well as national chains. Watch the Tyrepress webinar, ‘Kick-starting your tyre business’ for more information and advice on how different dealer groups have tackled lockdown and reopening.
GiPA UK has been tracking the activity of 420 British workshops for the last 3 weeks, since the Government announced strict measures to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK and published its 2nd analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the aftermarket. On week 16, the proportion of workshops that were closed had slightly increased (46 per cent being open). Some previously open workshops decided to close but also some sites that were closed decided to open.
The UK aftermarket is a competitive environment, comprised of tens of thousands of repairers, roughly half of whom are independent garages. With an estimated car parc of 32.5 million passenger cars, garage visits that will be made in the UK this year create a valuable marketplace. Local, regional and national agents need to understand how to fine-tune their workshops and services to build client loyalty.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) held its first Industry Briefing of 2019 at Stadium MK, home of EFL League Two side MK Dons, in Milton Keynes on Thursday 21 March. Sponsored by industry recruitment specialists Autotech Recruit, the sold-out event in the venue’s Performance Suite welcomed seasoned speaker Quentin Le Hetet from GiPA and Virtual Academy’s Ben Stockton, both addressing technology’s fast-growing role in the aftermarket, now and in the future.
GiPA