While the IMI’s research points to an increasing skills shortage amongst technicians, research by automotive insights experts, REALTime Communications, reveals that improving technician utilisation can help to bridge shortfalls and generate incremental revenue.
Whether it is the accelerating growth of EVs with their reduced aftersales requirements, except tyres which wear faster typically due to the increased weight of an EV, or the future surrounding the proposed extension of first time MOTs from three to four years, there is a glaring disconnect between what should be happening when a tyre safety issue is identified and what is happening.
A service may only take an hour or less, but the travel and ‘hanging around’ time mean that people see it as a day, which could require a day’s holiday to be taken. Like visiting a dentist, it is seen as a necessary chore. If this is a less painful option to be had, customers will often take it.
The cost-of-living crisis is accelerating the situation and an inability by many retailers to convert the growing audience of used car buyers and older car drivers into workshop profit in sufficient volume.
Research conducted by REALtime Communications Data Science Team at its REALinsights business predicts that aftersales revenues will fall significantly after new cars sales dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic.
