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TPS customers Drive Green Vehicle Services, Cleevely Motors, Links Automotive, Oldfields Garage Services and Shaikly Motors have all proved ‘best in class’ by winning individual awards at the recent Top Technician and Top Garage awards.
At TPS we are very proud of the fantastic five, who delivered a clean sweep of the Top Garage Awards, organised by leading trade publication Aftermarket magazine.
We caught up with one of the award winners, David Wilson - owner of Drive Green Vehicle Services - to find out how electric and hybrid vehicle repairs is helping to supercharge their business success.
The auto centre, based in Haverhill, Suffolk, is a fast-developing business and that expansion is being driven by its EV and hybrid vehicle repairs service. As the only dedicated EV and hybrid vehicle repair specialist in their area, owner David Wilson is looking forward to rapid business growth, particularly as EV and hybrid vehicles increase their share of the UK car parc in the future.
David, who owns and manages Drive Green Vehicle Services, said: “We are well set up to deal with the projected increase of EV and hybrid vehicles on the road. Our vehicle bays have been fully developed for EV and hybrid vehicles and our team are fully trained to work on them.
“The specialised repair and servicing of EVs and hybrids will form a key part of our business going forward. The plan next year is to move to either larger premises or open up a second site. It’s all about continuing to develop our offer to customers by providing a full range of repairs and specialist services to them.”
The move to electric and hybrid vehicle repairs is part of a wider business strategy that will see Drive Green Vehicle Services expand both its garage services and its staff team.
David said: “We have plans to recruit more staff and that recruitment is part of our broader business expansion strategy. We currently offer a comprehensive range of general vehicle repairs for our customers including MOTs, repairs and servicing and the plan is to increase the more specialised services such as DPF cleaning and the work on EVs and hybrid vehicles.
“We want to build it up step by step, adding the different parts as we go along until we end up with a one stop shop of automotive services.”
As Drive Green Vehicle Services accelerates along its business journey, TPS has been there to support them. This has included helping David and the team with all their Volkswagen Approved parts requirements and developing the business.
David said: “We have a good relationship with TPS Cambridge, our local Centre, particularly Pedro, the Business Development Manager, who has played an important role in helping us to develop and grow the business.
“He has been there from day one, regularly visiting us and providing great advice and ideas. Pedro’s knowledge of products, particularly consumables, is amazing and his advice in recommending specific oils for different vehicles has been valuable for us over the years.”
Drive Green Vehicle Services business success story added a new chapter recently with the Top Garage ‘Business with 1-3 employees’ award win.
It was a win made all the more remarkable by the fact it was the first time they had entered the awards. Furthermore, it was also the realisation of an ambition first formed by owner David Wilson four years ago.
David Wilson, who owns and manages Drive Green Vehicle Services, said: “We only started as a business in 2021, so to win first time at the awards is an incredible achievement.
“When we put forward the entry, I thought we would just give it a go and use it to learn more about the awards process. I never expected us to win it in our first year.
“I attended the Top Technician and Top Garage awards four years ago, with a friend whose business had been shortlisted. When I was watching the different winners pick up the awards that evening it did inspire me to think that one day I could be picking up an award for Drive Green Vehicle Services.
“I was just starting out as a mobile DPF operator back then, so it’s amazing to think that four years later I have both the business up and running and an award for it. I am proud of it and of my team for all their efforts in enabling us to achieve this award.”
The Top Technician and Top Garage competition rounds took place over the spring and summer months, culminating in an awards evening at the DoubleTree Hilton in Coventry. Top Technician and Top Garage is organized by Aftermarket magazine in association with the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) and the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI).
