We are building a strong position of a garage

 

The garage chain market became very competitive.  There are many companies operating.  Your offer is 7 different garage chains.  Could you describe briefly each of them?

 

Marta Ciesielska: Such number of chains is a result of the fact that we wand to satisfy the needs of the market in a comprehensive way.  Q-Service or Perfect Service are garages specializing in repairs of passenger cars. The name Q-Service Truck gives clear information to the driver that these are specialized heavy goods vehicle repair garages. It is similar with Qservice Moto, i.e. motorbike garages and also with Q-Service Offroad and Q-Service Motorsport. Q-Service Premium on the other hand, are „the best of the best”, they are top class garages, which besides top quality of services also offer top quality of customer service. So the classification of garages is clear and understandable for customers with every kind of vehicles and directs to a garage which is a specialist in particular area. 

 

I understand that when creating chains, you wanted to cover the whole market and prepare offer practically for every garage.  How does it work in practice?  Is operating of all garage chains based on the same, common basis, or is every of them operating on different rules?  

 

M.C.: The fact of guaranteeing satisfaction of customers' needs I have emphasised already.  Such operation works really well.  The garage is a specialist in particular group of vehicles and is seen this way by the drivers.  This results in rules prepared for every garage, our fundamental rule is full professionalism in customer service and performed repairs.  That is why so many elements are identical.  Customer service process, ecological standards, high standard of repair are the basic.  Differences appear in case of visual elements which distinguish particular chain or in case of specialized offer, e.g. technical trainings. 

Which of Inter Cars garage chains is growing and developing the fatest and is a guiding light for others?

 

Tomasz Ładosz: Each of the chains can be a guiding light, each of them is created in respond to the needs of their customers.  Q-Service and Perfect Service are garages which are the best in their areas, with many years of experience and high technical culture, existing on the market for several years. But the market is changing very much, and e.g. customers, who want to move from OE market to independent market, are looking for something more.  That is why we are working hard with garages to develop their offer.  Replacement vehicle, credit card terminal or organization of individual promotional campaigns in garages, these are activities which can attract and retain customer.  The answer to all these needs is Q-Service Premium garage chain which meets all these criteria.  It is similarly on the truck market.  Q-Service Truck chain is built on the basis of the best garages and strong relations between them. Improvement process is also very dynamic and supported additionally by every new member of the chain, who brings some good practice with him to the group.  I could also tell something about others, but I suppose I have already presented the idea.  I want to emphasise strongly, that Q-Service Moto or Offroad are leaders in their groups.

 

Chains are the future, and we know it very well.  But gaining garages will be more and more difficult, e.g. because of the fact that all reliable garages are already a part of some chain.  A chance appears if a garage wants to leave one chain and join another one.  Are you monitoring the market in this matter? 

 

T.Ł. I have to boast that our activities in creating professional solutions for the industry and garages are seen and appreciated very much by the market and that we have many candidates.  Carrying for the quality, we are currently realizing a programme which allows improvement of standards in garages and results in better work with their customers.  As we have 1,000 garages in our chains, we can implement the best practice and show the quality of our chains, and gain new garages to join us. 

 

What do you put the strongest emphasis on in your chains?  Is this a variety of offered services, volume of trade, reliability of a garage? 

 

M.C: I wish to refer to dynamic growth of Inter Cars itself.  Over the years, IC has built a very wide offer for garages, not only of spare parts, but also garage equipment.  So a garage working with us has a wide range of goods for his customers, giving him wide range of possibilities.  We are placing now the strongest emphasis on, what you have called, reliability of a garage.  It is a number of parameters I mentioned before.  Professional customer service and following modern repair technology. This is the key to build strong market position. 

 

But chains are not only advantages, these are also obligations of their members.  How does it look in your chains?  Are the rules followed and obeyed? 

 

T.Ł.: We should be treated as guardians of standard, and not as some institution which imposes something, not having consideration for others.  Thanks to listening to the needs of customers and garages, we are introducing solutions which give a guarantee, that the chain logo is a quality brand.  Looking at it this way, the word obligations seems to be not binding, as ot is a process which ensures every member of the chain a high position on the market.  Whilst obligations of the garage towards Inter Cars is to put on paper cooperation which was realized anyhow, and give it a formal form. 

 

How competitive are you in relation to other organizations?  Do you use any innovations which other do not offer?  As today, the most important thing is to be different than others, have your own, unique style and idea for business. 

 

M.C.: In the past years, I can name at least several such activities.  At the beginning we ensured access to comprehensive garage equipment, helped in financing its purchase and realized trainings on business efficiency.  At the same time we strongly developed technical training programme via knowledge transfer.  We have an extensive training base and realize over 1,000 trainings per annum.  In April this year, Inter Cars additionally opened a modern training centre in Czosnów.  Currently we are working on improving our image and standard of customer service.  We have created an auditing programme, thanks to which we show the garages their strong points, but also elements, which need their prompt attention, as customers mention them as important.  These type of solutions work in OE, whilst in the aftermarket, they were seen rarely till not long ago.  Today it is standard for us, and now we can say that in repair technology our garages are maybe even better than OE garages, and also the image differences are becoming smaller.  We cannot forget, that what makes us different is wide range of goods available from Inter Cars SA.  We are proud to be the biggest distributor of spare parts and we have the widest product range.  Thanks to this, garages which are members of our chains, have practically unlimited access to spare parts.  Most of them are available at hand, and delivery routes leave our branches four times a day.  We have the most developed distribution chain (currently 171 branches), thanks to which no chain garage will be forced to stop their work waiting for parts.  Also integration inside the chain is very important for us.  That is why we regularly organize regional meetings, during which garage owners can meet, share experiences and knowledge, take part in discussion panels and have fun together.  As we know, this is very important for our customers and helps them in their everyday activities. 

 

T.Ł.: An important innovation, without any competition on Polish market, is for sure Motointegrator.pl.  It is a unique Internet platform which enables making an appointment to repair a car in a chosen garage.  E.g. customer wants to change tyres, or check his vehicle, so he orders spare parts at Motointegrator.pl and chooses a garage, which suits him best.  He can do it during a lunch brake at work, or late at night, making an on-line application.  It is a very convenient solution, we all know, that everyone has less and less time and wants to deal with everything by just one click or phone call.  On the other hand, driver may not know any good repair garages, can be discouraged by their previous experiences.  They need some advice, someone to show them competent professionals.  All garages being members of our garage chains are in Motointegrator.pl database.  The driver can be sure to receive top quality service by choosing them.  Besides, the whole process will take him just a few minutes.  All the rest is dealt for him by Motointegrator.pl consultants.  It is a solution which is favourable also for the garages, as they gain new customers.  Well served and happy customer is sure to come back again.  Garages also gain as regards their image and on marketing, as they are promoted by Motointegrator.pl and have their business card there.  Thanks to this they can reach a wide variety of customers, which they would never do themselves. 

 

Each chain are also far-reaching plans.  These are different types of activities, not only now, but also for the future, which will allow the garage to develop constantly, no matter the economic situation.  Do you have such a vision today, how this business can look like in a few years?  

 

M.C.: Fleet of vehicles will be getting younger, the drivers will be looking for comprehensive and professional services as close as possible to their places.   To keep up with those trends, we will need investment.  So, we are continuing the process of equipping garages with new technologies, equipment and knowledge.  Together, we look after the customer.  Important aspect will also be gaining new customers for garages, and we are realizing it via our activities on the Internet, on Motointegrator.pl platform.  We also try to integrate this fragmented market more, and make it being represented on different levels of administration of the country.  That is why we have started close cooperation with MOVEO - Automotive Employers' Organization. 

 

T.Ł.: We also want garages to develop cooperation with Inter Cars SA. on the basis of "one stop shop" idea, i.e. everything in one place.  Members of the chain are delivered comprehensive services which cover full range of their activities.  Besides wide selection of automotive spare parts, we also offer garage equipment, trainings, business support or Bio Service project, which takes the problem of dangerous waste management from garages.  A garage owner can deal with most everyday tasks of running his business in Inter Cars.  Thanks to this, he can fully concentrate on running his business, i.e. rendering top quality repair services. 

 

To sum up, we are building strong position of a garage, by delivering full support to the garage in its operations and by gaining customers, what will be a guarantee of its stability for many years. 

 

Source: Modern Garage 

01/05/2015