As a result of TPS’s partnership with the Tier 1 supplier GS Yuasa, we can now offer through our Quantum range 98 battery types, including the Lead Acid, EFB, AGM and Auxiliary options, along with some leisure batteries too.  

Most recently, the range was updated to include a number of Asian market types to meet the demand for some popular applications such as the Toyota Prius.

The Auxiliary options systems are available for both conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and EV and hybrid vehicles. In the newer hybrid and EV vehicles, Auxiliary batteries support a range of features, such as backup power in the event of a primary battery failure, voltage buffering during an ignition cycle (hybrid vehicles) and other critical low voltage applications.

GS Yuasa’s extensive range of HJ auxiliary batteries provide enhanced cycling capability for ultimate reliability and increased performance to power the vehicle’s on-board electrics and computer management systems.

Adam Hockley, TPS Local Parts Product Manager, said: “Working closely with our partner GS Yuasa gives us access to their full range of products including many OEM products manufactured by them for several global manufacturers.

“This has enabled TPS to supercharge our battery offer to our customers and with 98 battery options, it’s our widest ever available.

“With such a comprehensive range of products comes the reassurance for customers that whatever the requirements of their vehicle, be it an ICE, EV or hybrid, TPS will have a battery option for them.”

With a rich history spanning over a century, GS Yuasa has established itself as a market leader in the battery industry, continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation.

A good example of GS Yuasa’s innovative approach is its Lithium-ion batteries representing the latest advancement in battery technology, offering high energy density, extended lifespan and lightweight construction. They are used extensively as starter batteries for modern ICE vehicles and to power the drivetrain on electric vehicles and hybrids, due to their lightweight design and high-power output.

By adhering to the same rigorous quality standards that Volkswagen applies to the manufacture of its own Genuine Parts, Yuasa batteries excel in performance, durability, and safety, consistently exceeding customer expectations.

Yuasa batteries offer reliability, long life, superior performance and a one year-warranty. They also come equipped with specially developed internal components, unique design features and industry-leading technologies, all designed to combat the causes of battery failure.

It’s a compelling product proposition for garages to offer their customers, helping to spark customer conversations through offering one of the most technologically advanced and best performing battery ranges available in the market.

The partnership between TPS and GS Yuasa further benefits customers by generating regular discounts and offers on battery products.

The post TPS supercharges its battery offer with boost to Yuasa range appeared first on TPS.

While going digital may seem daunting, having the basics in place – website, online business account and social media – is a good starting point to drive customer engagement and ultimately business success.

So, let’s review the digital landscape and look at what businesses need to do to stay ahead in today’s online market.

With various independent studies estimating between 70% to 80% of consumers carry out online research before making a purchase or choosing a service, it’s never been more important for businesses to have an online presence.

The shift in consumer behaviour towards online has been further accelerated by the pandemic, resulting in even the most basic online tools being a non-negotiable requirement for businesses.

Having a website is just the beginning, the evolution and development of that site is key to remaining competitive.

A regular audit of content is advised with any changes to be informed by an awareness of the latest online trends. This can be anything from providing special offers, updating news about a garage and its staff to community activity and sponsorships that promote a business locally.

It’s important for businesses to use video and photos. Data networking company Cisco Systems report that by the end of 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic – 15 times higher than in 2017. With such projections, it’s easy to see why producing relevant and engaging video content is so important.

If these are the small changes a business can make now, what are the bigger developments for the future you should be aware of?

The move to mobile is increasing rapidly with leading market and consumer data company Statista reporting that in 2022, 60% of all global internet searches were done on a mobile. It’s also documented that 98.30% of Facebook users access the platform through their mobile device. It’s a strong indication of how social media activity is increasingly conducted on mobiles and we tackle the subject of social media more generally in a moment.

With increased mobile usage comes increased use of the term ‘near me’ as consumers look for instant local solutions. Having a Google My Business account will significantly increase a business’s visibility when looking to capture local consumers. By creating a Google My Business account, you can access, customise, manage, and enhance your Business Profile on Google,

It works like a business listing and helps to ensure a company has a visible presence in Google Maps and the local results of Google search, providing a very effective local marketing tool.

It allows a business to engage directly with customers, respond to reviews, answer questions, enable direct messaging and set up alerts. Google My Business accounts also provide information about business hours, links to the website, products and pricing and other important details.

By using the analytics tab on the Google My Business dashboard, businesses can also gain key insights on audiences, clicks and local search performance. It can also be used to boost Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) by inserting keywords into Business Profiles to help a company rank in local results.

So, as promised let’s move onto social media. GWI, a London based digital consumer insight company, reported in 2022 that the average person now spends two and a half hours a day on social media.

Just as importantly, according to Statista, businesses are spending $170 billion globally on social media ads – accounting for a third of all internet advertising spend.

Both stats demonstrate the ever-growing influence of social media. For businesses, whether you choose to focus on one social media platform or multiple platforms, it is important to get the fundamental details right.

This includes full business name, website and contact details – adding these things may seem basic but they are great for SEO. As a good tip, Facebook has a dedicated section for business hours – it’s crucial that customers know when they can contact a business – and these can be found under the ‘About’ section when editing an individual business Facebook page.

If businesses want to make social media work for them, it’s fundamental to keep their social media page or profile up to date. By creating a content calendar, businesses can plan

what they want to discuss and draft short, concise posts.

If businesses are unsure on what content to post, they should start with the 80-20% rule. Use 80% of content to inform and entertain a business audience and the remaining 20% to sell the brand – this way, businesses can focus on building a rapport with the audience, keep them inspired and satisfy the interests of both parties.

It’s important that businesses don’t feel the need to post every day. It’s quality rather than quantity that counts and an audience will value content more if they don’t have something continuously served up to them every day. Customers are also more likely to use garages they can trust, so being honest and approachable will help build relationships online as well.

Another thing to consider with so many users accessing apps and websites via their phone, is an increased demand for swift responses. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can all be managed from a mobile and automated responses set up to let customers know someone will get back to them in time.

Good customer service and standardised business behaviours should apply both on and offline.

Making sure customers are treated the same way online as they would be in a face-to-face environment, will help to build strong customer relationships and encourage repeat business.

The post Driving Business forward online appeared first on TPS.

The site, located in Llantrisant, South Wales, hosts a modern, well-equipped workshop comprising seven vehicle repair bays, a commercial vehicle repair bay, a class 4 and 7 Automated Test Lane MOT Bay, and a full OEM Approved Vehicle alignment bay.

Gareth chats with Insider about how the TPS ServiceCam product has proved a huge success, helping to build trust with customers and aid transparency on the repairs process.

TPS ServiceCam was successfully piloted last year across selected independent garage customers, including Euro Performance.

The ServiceCam personalised video software system allows garages to create recorded ‘walk around’ videos to send to customers to outline repairs, servicing requirements and other essential work on their vehicles.

Gareth said: “We had the opportunity to get a feel for the ServiceCam during the pilot project and our team was impressed with the system. Since then, we have used ServiceCam full time in the business, and it has revolutionised how we repair cars and the service we provide to our customers.

“It has two main benefits to our business. Firstly, given recent times with the pandemic, it has removed the need for consumers to actively visit the business, be there on site and face to face with the technician. It’s provided a lot of reassurance for customers and ties in with the other major benefit, building trust with customers.

“ServiceCam enables us to have better and more transparent conversations with customers about repairs on their vehicles. For instance, customers have the opportunity to watch their repair video multiple times if required, which gives them a lot longer to think about the repair and not having to base a decision on one conversation with the technician.

“A detailed walk through of the repair helps lend an acceptance from the customer to the size and cost of the repair required and makes them more likely to give the go ahead for the work to be done. We are seeing a lot of that now, particularly as the economic uncertainty brought by the pandemic starts to diminish and people are more prepared to spend on repairs for their vehicles.

“It also ties in with the age of the cars we are seeing coming into the workshop. There have been a lot of reports about an ageing vehicle car parc and we are certainly seeing it.

“Since the end of the lockdown, we have seen a huge increase in repairs and routine maintenance jobs and a lot of them are older vehicles. I think part of this is being driven by rising used car prices, with those holding onto their older vehicle now seeing it as an asset rather than a burden. They are therefore prepared to invest in repairs to hold the value of the car, should they choose to sell it at a later date in what is a buoyant market.

“ServiceCam is another great example of how TPS always goes the extra mile to help us as a business. It’s quickly become an important part of our armoury in demonstrating customer value, helping to establish a rapport and build up customer trust.

“I would definitely recommend to other independent garages to give it a go and try it. The numbers through the dashboard show the financial boost ServiceCam offers and it’s another important step in the digitalisation of the aftermarket, something none of us can ignore or avoid.

Most importantly, the real-world feedback from customers when they’ve either collected their vehicle, or they’ve given feedback on the video through the system speaks volumes about how important it is to us as a business.”

The post ServiceCam System appeared first on TPS.

For garages looking for the reassurance and quality control of using tools and equipment that comply with Volkswagen Group manufacturer specifications across all vehicle models, they now need only to call their local TPS centre and place their order.

Launched this summer, the new initiative provides garages with the opportunity to order tools and equipment from Volkswagen Group’s workshop equipment sales catalogue. Developed by the competence centre for workshop equipment within Volkswagen Group (K-AVO-RW), the sales catalogue stretches out across 890 pages – with tooling available for all Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Škoda, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Porsche Group brands.

This year’s updated catalogue offers around 490 new products to the year’s range, all designed to ensure that even the most complex technology can be serviced effectively and repaired efficiently.

The new additions to the range include various tooling and equipment for electric vehicles (EVS), a timely product expansion for those garages looking to cash in on the surge of ever increasing EVs entering into the UK car parc.

This includes six products for rapid charging of vehicles with direct and alternating current, as well as several tools for the first vehicles to be based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) – the ID.3 and ID.4. The development of this type of tooling falls in line with Volkswagen Group strategy to design tools compatible across different models to ensure the greatest possible protection for investment in future vehicles.

In addition to the new products showcased, the sales catalogue has also been boosted with some new user functionality designed to make the search for the required workshop equipment easier and more streamlined.

For instance, all main products are now linked with the associated accessories and replacement parts. By clicking on the corresponding button, it will take the user directly to the right page in the catalogue. In addition, all the products which have to be checked and calibrated on a regular basis are labelled, with the corresponding symbol taking the user to the current list of test equipment.

For more information on placing Genuine Tooling and equipment orders, please contact your local TPS Centre, which you can find using the Centre Finder.

The new sales catalogue can be accessed here.

The post Genuine Tooling & equipment available to order through TPS Centres appeared first on TPS.

Whether you choose to focus on one social media platform or multiple platforms, it is important to get the fundamental details for your business on there. This includes full business name, website and contact details – adding these things may seem basic but they are great for SEO (search engine optimisation).

Facebook also has a dedicated section for business hours, so it is important that customers know when they can contact you. You will find these under the ‘About’ section when editing your Facebook page.

If you want to make social media work for your business, it is key to find the time to keep your page up to date. We recommend creating a content calendar to plan what you want to discuss and draft short posts.

If you are unsure on what content to post, start with the 80-20% rule. Use 80% of your content to inform and entertain your audience and the remaining 20% to sell your brand – this way, you can focus on building a rapport with your audience, keeping them inspired and satisfying the interests of both parties.

When looking to entertain and inform your followers, either create your own content or post links to third party content sites. They can be links such as tips on MOT testing https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/ or the UK’s favourite car programme https://www.topgear.com/. It’s entirely up to you what you post, just ensure that it follows the 80% rule to reach maximum engagement potential.

It’s important that your audience doesn’t feel they’re constantly being sold to. By following your page, they gain access to informative content that they’re happy to have on their personal feeds.

Don’t feel the need to post every day. Focus your time on quality rather than quantity. Your audience will value your content more if you do so and will not expect you to give them something new every day.

By reducing this pressure, you can focus your time on making real, honest, and great content. Customers are more likely to use garages they can trust, so being honest and approachable will help build relationships online too.

When it comes to the content itself, we always recommend publishing a post with an asset, whether this be a video or a still image. If you are feeling creative, try your hand at creating a brand asset. There are some great online tools for businesses to use – for example, canva.com has ready-made templates for social media posts and banners.

It’s estimated that 98% of Facebook users access this platform through their mobile device, so bear that in mind for your content too. If an asset is too small for suitable phone viewing, it is likely that your customer is going to struggle to view it too.

The fact that so many users access websites and apps via their phones has increased the demand for swift responses. That’s ok, you can manage Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from your mobile. Plus, you can set up automated responses to let customers know you’ll get back to them in time.

If you’re able to draft more than one post, you can also pre-schedule content on Facebook. On a Business Page, go to ‘Creator Studio’, and here you will see all of your posts on Facebook and Instagram. You can post content instantly, or schedule it for a time that works better for you or the content.

VDS – in tune with social media to boost business performance

Meet James Etherington, owner of VDS Performance, an independent garage based just outside Redhill, Surrey. VDS offers everything from servicing and repairs to performance upgrades, and specialises in Volkswagen Group vehicles. James discusses how social media provided a platform to turbo boost his business fortunes.

Q: Tell us about your business?

I started VDS Performance back in 2015 having worked for another local specialist for many years. I have always been a Volkswagen Group enthusiast, in fact my first car was a MK1 Golf, and I have specialised in the brand since starting my career some 18 years ago!

Q: How has the pandemic affected your business?

It has been an interesting 12 months, that’s for sure. We did experience a pronounced drop in demand and turnover in 2020, particularly during the lockdown period. However, overall, I am very grateful the motor trade was allowed to remain open, as that has kept us going. We also made a few changes to how we operate the business, including reducing the number of customers visiting the site, offering a courtesy collection/delivery service to all customers and wiping down vehicles before and after they have been worked on.

Q: How has social media directly benefited your business?

It’s been hugely beneficial. It’s amazing sometimes how one post on something can drum up so much interest and it’s not always the post you think people will find the most interesting that turns out to be the most popular.

By posting about a job that you have recently completed, it can often lead to several more people enquiring about the same job and ultimately them becoming customers.

Q: What social media platforms are you on and what is so effective about them?

Facebook and Instagram are the two platforms I currently use. It’s important to use the right platform for the right type of customer. Facebook generally attracts an older age group, so that’s great for day-to-day service and repair work and related posts for the type of customers I target. Instagram is used a lot more by the younger generation, so that’s good for the more interesting jobs like the tuning work.

Q: How important is social media in your overall marketing strategy?

Social media is so important nowadays. It has almost overtaken the average website as the initial ‘go-to’ place to research a company. Previously I would come into work in the morning to find a handful of answerphone messages left overnight, but now I deal with as many enquiries outside of working hours as during the day through social media platforms and private messaging. The use of social media has helped the reach of many businesses, including my own.

Q: Do you plan to expand your social media activity in the next 12 months?

Going forward, I would like to do a bit more on social media, with more regular updates and further info about the business. However, I am happy with where the business is right now.

Q: If so, how does this fit with your overall business plan?

Once we are ‘back to normal’, the plan is still to expand the business with new premises and staff and that will go hand-in-hand with an increased social media presence.

Q: Without giving too much away, what would be your top tips for businesses looking to use social media?

As with all marketing, it’s important to understand what you are trying to achieve and who your target audience is. Conduct an audit to review who your followers are and from what age group etc. I would also advise posting regular, relevant content to engage with your followers and provide links on how they can contact you for further information. It’s important to remember you are not necessarily trying to make a sale with every post you make, but each post will help to build brand awareness.

The post Making the right social connections to boost your business appeared first on TPS.

When lockdown was first announced, Quattro-Tech quickly implemented best practice COVID-19 secure measures to deliver peace of mind for everyone – and profitability for the business.

“We took the decision to remain open so we could fulfil our obligations to our customers. We consulted with staff to ensure everyone was in agreement about how we could create the safest environment possible. All of which led to us introducing several new measures and processes.”

New measures and processes.

• Multiple hand-sanitiser stations on-site
• Strict social distancing
• Rigorous cleaning / sanitising schedule – particularly at customer touchpoints
• Sneeze-screens installed
• Customer drop-off appointments – to reduce queueing
• Contactless key drop-off procedures
• Keys cleaned on return/pin pad cleaned before and after use
• Staff PPE (new gloves on every job), washable snoods (replaced daily)
• No test drives or customer lifts from the team.

“All of our new measures were communicated to customers via email, blogs and social media. And we used the same channels to provide regular updates on any new measures that we set up.

From April, we also had a small team offering telephone support. Fielding around 20 calls a day, we’ve been answering customer queries and arranging essential repairs.

We’ve had great feedback and it’s played a big part in increasing customer confidence when visiting us on site. For example, we had one customer who drove all the way from Colchester to get his ABS pump repaired because he knew about our COVID-secure measures.

The new normal has also meant taking a fresh look at the business going forward. Customers want to quickly drop-off and pick-up their vehicles so many of the new measures will remain in place.

It’s been a challenging year, but we’ve bounced back. We’ve taken on two new staff and are continuing with our core servicing and repair work, including our commitment to using Volkswagen Genuine Parts.

I think where our business is now has a lot to do with the measures we promptly introduced and how we communicated the changes to staff and customers.

My advice to other businesses regarding the introduction of COVID-secure measures is to not view it as a hassle but to think of it as an opportunity to move forward.”

The post Covid-Secure Quattro-Tech appeared first on TPS.

Vasstech, which began in 2009, operates across five locations: Northallerton, Teeside, Darlington, Knaresborough and Durham – the latter the most recently opened site.

The Golf GTEs are available for customers across all sites and provide an opportunity for those unfamiliar, or even sceptical of EVs, to find out what they are all about.

Tim tells us more about these new additions that have sparked interest with their customers.

“We have always sought to keep on top of the trends in the industry and that’s why we have the GTEs. They represent the ‘now’ along with the ‘future’ and we want to be part of that. We also want to be among the first to offer EVs to customers.

The Golf GTEs have been with us for the last few months and we have had a really positive reaction from customers to them. They have become a real talking point and have helped distinguish us from competitors in the area.

For instance, we are the only service centre to offer EVs in this way and one of only two companies in the Northallerton area to install charge points for customers. It’s really helping attract customers to us.

We offer the EVs as courtesy cars to customers to use while their main vehicle is in the workshop. It’s all about breaking down the barriers, giving people the opportunity to discover more about them and enabling customers to ease anxieties they may have built up over the range, reliability and driving experience.

For a service centre they are also a great learning curve for us as a team. By owning EVs, we get to drive them, to service them and ultimately to understand them. They are a testbed for learning about the technology in general and it helps build our knowledge across the team.

We also have plans in place to implement a full training programme with our staff, which is all part of preparing for expansion in the market.

Any such expansion may potentially represent a hit to our business given the reduced servicing requirements for these vehicles, but they do represent the future. We therefore need to prepare for this and ensuring we are the go-to EV experts in our localities is a good way to future-proof our business.

It’s also about being sustainable and knowing you are contributing to the collective good of the environment. If we all do our bit, and driving an EV can be part of that, it all adds up to making a big, collective difference.

We anticipate a tipping point being reached in the next three or four years, and with it a hugely increased demand for this type of vehicle.

The future will be Electric Vehicles, the government regulations, manufacturer programmes and market conditions will ensure that. As a business we need to be ready for that and have our customers ready for it as well.”

The post How EVs can supercharge your business appeared first on TPS.

“We never set out to be deliberately green but the more we looked at ways to be more efficient as a business, the greener we became.” Tony works with Gemini Arc, a network of highly efficient and professional bodyshops with over 20 years of experience within the industry. In 2019, Gemini Arc won the National Body Repair Association (NBRA) Platinum Level Greener Bodyshop Award, in recognition of their continued environmental initiatives. “We are very proud to have won NBRA award. It’s one of the first awards of its kind to be offered by the NBRA and is a testament to the efforts we have made as a business to be more sustainable. “Our starting point within the business is to look at what we have a statutory obligation to do such as Health and Safety Regulations and VOC standards.

We then look to raise the bar from there, so we are operating at a more specialist level. This approach helps to set us apart in the sector and deliver even greater efficiencies within the business. “Our intelligent repair process is a good example of how we do this. By working with the right insurance partners we have gone against the industry practice of over repairing to focusing on making the repair smaller.

In doing so, we are able to reduce our purchase and use of essential repair elements such as wet goods, dry goods, parts and packaging, all of which overall minimises the environmental impact of each repair. We have done the same with other areas of the business, where again we have rejected the industry norm in favour of a more efficient process. For instance, we use a single track, one oven system, rather than the conventional three, to help reduce gas and electric usage.

Further initiatives we have introduced include compacting and segregating all our waste, which has in quarter two alone this year enabled us to divert 96% of our waste from landfill. We have also partnered with Octopus EV support, so that we can now offer an electric courtesy car to our customers.

For the future, our plan is as much about looking at what we could be doing as what we are doing. We want to keep building on what we have already achieved, as it will ultimately not only make the business more sustainable but more profitable as well.

The post Painting a greener business future appeared first on TPS.

The expanding number of Volkswagen Group vehicles fitted with DSG transmissions has resulted in a growing opportunity for DSG servicing. By the end of 2019 there will be over 250,000 Volkswagen Group vehicles fitted with a DSG or S-tronic gearbox on UK roads, the majority of which have a specified service interval.

Note: many owners are unaware of the servicing requirements for certain DSG or S-tronic gearboxes, resulting in subsequent issues with gear selection and engagement.

Service intervals:

The table below gives an overview of these gearboxes and their service intervals:

* Part numbers shown are for 1 litre bottles, a 20 litre product is also available
** Fitted to hybrid models, only EV certified technicians should work on these vehicles

Top tip: always refer to the Erwin Workshop Manual for the correct vehicle-specific interval, servicing instructions and filling capacities

Specification:

In addition to the intervals themselves, the specification of the DSG fluid is equally as important. It must maintain a high level of viscosity across a full range of temperatures for the smooth operation of the gearbox.

Using non-approved products can impair functionality and damage the mechatronics, so we recommend the following:

TPS recommended products:

• Genuine DSG transmission fluid –developed to meet the specific requirements of DSG units and contains special additives that govern its frictional properties
• Genuine DSG filter – for maximum performance and durability, use with DSG transmission fluid
• For easy & efficient re-filling try the VAS 6262A DSG oil filling adaptor, part number ASE40134601000.

All featured products are available through your local TPS centre.

Customer conversations:

When talking to customers, it’s key to reinforce the benefits of having DSG oil and filter changed.

• Saves on costly gearbox repairs
• Improves their car’s performance
• Ensures the manufacturer’s warranty remains valid for the gearbox and mechatronics

The post DSG servicing appeared first on TPS.

First of all, there’s the loss of repair work that would have been valuable to your business.

Second, the vehicle owner faces the inconvenience and expense of having to source a replacement.

And third, the insurance company involved runs the risk of losing their policy holder.

This situation is often out of your control but our TLA programme has been created to provide a solution to keep your customers’ vehicles on the road.

The TLA Repair Programme from TPS is designed to deliver a better outcome for everyone. It offers you access to additional parts discounts on Volkswagen Group Genuine Parts (the fitting of genuine parts is a point often insisted on by insurers) to help secure repairs to a vehicle that might otherwise be written-off.

Through TPS, Volkswagen Group is the only manufacturer to have a dedicated team handling bodyshop enquiries – both parts and TLA enquiries. This ensures that the process of submitting a TLA request is quick and hassle free, and you can count on our support every step of the way.

The facts:

The Total Loss Avoidance Repair Programme is designed for C and D crash categories.

Discounts are offered at invoice stage.

The TLA discount is for the whole basket as opposed to individual parts, potentially offering you a larger overall saving.                    

In 2019 so far, the TLA Repair Programme has authorised over 600 repairs, saving your customers a total of over £766k.

With TLA parts discounts, everyone wins.

Your garage: gets the repairs and the opportunity for further business on your customer’s vehicle.

Your customer: gets to keep their vehicle, and avoids the cost and hassle of finding a replacement.

The insurance company: involved is more likely to hold onto their policy holder.

To find out more, simply contact the TLA team:

Tel: 0333 0095205                               

Email: TLA@tpsnational.trade      

Or visit our new webpage:

tps.trade/tpsnational

The post Everyone wins with the Total Loss Avoidance (TLA) Repair Programme from TPS appeared first on TPS.