The Perfect Storm…..
Rising costs, customer cutbacks and a huge hike in National Insurance payments are combining to create a perfect storm for independent garages and franchised dealers this year.
…but the dark clouds circling above many workshops right now needn’t be around forever.
We are championing the case for a refresh and refocus on a garage’s vehicle health check strategy, which can represent the sunshine on the horizon – with a huge pipeline of potential revenue remaining untapped.
While VHCs are not a new garage concept, Auto3iii is reinventing the way they’re implemented, positioning them as an added revenue generator of real significance.
To help we have devised a five-point VHC plan to drive more business and think more broadly about the potential of a vehicle health check, at a time when so many of us are feeling the pinch.
1 Have a process in place for eVHC and your duty of care to the customer
Have a think about what the ultimate goal is for your VHC process. If it is to make sure every vehicle that enters your workshop has a health check carried out. Then presented to the customer properly. And then followed up at the right time that any amber work is due?
Then what is stopping you putting this process in place with the ultimate goal to make sure you close the gap between what a customer spends with you and what a customer spends elsewhere!
Whether you have an existing VHC solution that perhaps isn’t maximising customer spend or you don’t have anything, then Auto3iii can help maximise every revenue opportunity in 2025 and beyond.
Sometimes its not about getting more customers but making sure you work with those you already have to guarantee return bookings.
2 Leverage VHCs for predictive maintenance
By undertaking an Auto3iii eVHC, you are forecasting future work and turning reactive repair opportunities into proactive revenue generation.
In other words, if a car is on a ramp or in a bay waiting for work, then why would you not spend a few minutes carrying out an eVHC at the same time?
It makes zero sense not to.
Through our Intelligent Motorist app, mileage-based algorithms predict when repairs will become urgent and send automated reminders to customers at the time, ensuring you never miss an opportunity.
We envision a world where workshops deliver smarter, faster, and more reliable vehicle inspections, and customers feel empowered to independently manage their car’s maintenance with clarity and confidence.
3 Perhaps put a price on a check
Most workshops offer free vehicle health checks, but by charging a small fee, their perceived value is actually enhanced. When a service is offered for free, consumers often undervalue it, assuming it’s either low-quality or not thorough. Introducing a modest price establishes the health check as a professional, worthwhile service that requires time and expertise.
What’s more, a paid check creates a psychological shift for the customer. When they invest (even a small amount) perhaps they are more likely to engage with the outcomes?
So, by repositioning a free health check as a ‘£10 expert-health check’ (or a title and cost to this effect), you could not only open up maintenance opportunities thereafter, but you could also be covering the cost of your workshop management software through the income generated from the £10 charges alone!
4 Make eVHCs your flexible friend
Our Intelligent Technician solution can be a flexible friend to any workshop, and is far from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ bit of kit.
For example, we can tailor an eVHC to suit your priorities at any particular time of year, such as highlighting the importance of offering air conditioning checks in the summer, or windscreen wiper and fluid checks in the winter.
Your staff should then be trained to identify upselling opportunities on the back of this. We can guarantee there will be plenty.
5 Don’t leave them hanging on the telephone
An Auto3iii eVHC doesn’t just give your technicians complete transparency into every car via clear reporting, but customers benefit in equal measure too.
Why leave them waiting on the telephone for updates on their vehicles? Our bespoke reports are sent using SMS or WhatsApp straight to their mobiles in real time, informing them of the inspection results, thus adding an extra level of workshop professionalism as a result.
Don’t take our word for this either. Elite Autocare Director Charlie Allum said that in the space of three months, our bespoke customer reports had both strengthened customer relations and added a level of professionalism simultaneously.
He said: “Opting for Auto3iii has been a great decision. It has transformed the way we operate and how we communicate with our customers, providing an added layer of transparency. This then builds trust with our customers, because they can see exactly what work has taken place on their vehicles and what they might want to consider in the future.
“It creates a bond which can’t be quantified in pounds and pence. And the most exciting part of all is the feeling that we haven’t scratched the surface of what the software can do yet! It’s definitely the way forward.
It’s a bit like the car tyre itself, on reflection…
…a solid eVHC strategy is an asset that will keep on rolling! Now’s the perfect time to inflate it to your advantage.
Join the thousands of other workshops already using Auto3iii’s software globally and stay ahead of the competition.
