While the cost of a service is commensurate with model type and mileage, we estimate that the typical average cost is up to 20% less than at a franchised dealer.

However, for some vehicles, servicing costs can be up to 34% cheaper than at a franchised dealer. Today, our vehicle servicing and MOT capability is being further enhanced with the roll-out of two additional services:

• Vehicle collection and delivery
• Master technicians

The collection and delivery service is now available at 140 of our centres and there are plans to extend it to around 250 outlets this year. Other players in our sector are doing the same.

Increasingly, company car and van drivers do not have the time to take their vehicle to a centre or a dealer and then wait while the service and/or MOT is carried out.

As the roll-out of the bespoke collection and delivery service continues, we anticipate demand for vehicle servicing and MOTs at Kwik-Fit will increase.

This service allows employees to carry on with their work as normal while their vehicle is collected from and then returned to their location of choice. Vehicle collection and delivery is the future.

Mechanical work at our centres is undertaken by fully-trained service technicians, who are effectively GPs (general practitioners). But just as GPs refer work to specialist consultants, so we are recruiting master technicians.

They are trained to the highest level recognised by the Automotive Technician Accreditation organisation and have typically previously been employed by franchised dealers, the AA or RAC.

Master technicians will invariably undertake any complex repair work relating to, for example, vehicle diagnostics, electrical wiring and sensors.

Many of Britain’s largest contract hire and leasing companies are already using fast-fits for vehicle servicing and MOT work in the full knowledge that there is no impact on warranty cover.

They simply want a more efficient and cost-effective service than franchised dealers can deliver.

Is there a significant price difference between the products and services offered by fast-fits and franchised dealers?

There are many reasons why an increasing number of fleets are turning their backs on franchised dealers and using the independent sector, including fast-fits, for all service, maintenance and repair work.

Price is undoubtedly one of the key influencers behind such decision-making. But other factors are also influential including:

• Seven-day-a-week centre opening making it more convenient for drivers to book their vehicles in for work
• A vehicle servicing or MOT booking typically available within 48 hours rather than the 14-day wait for some franchised dealers
• National pricing agreements throughout the UK – franchised dealers typically have different labour rates across the country so two identical repairs will have a different price depending where they were carried out
• A no-appointment needed policy for many routine repairs

Taken together, it all means that organisations such as Kwik-Fit are offering huge flexibility – as well as cost savings – to their fleet customers.

As mentioned previously, we calculate that the typical average cost for a service is up to 20% less than at a franchised dealer.

However, for some vehicles, servicing costs can be up to 34% cheaper than at a franchised dealer.

Overall, it is difficult to find any work – tyre, exhaust, brake etc – carried out on a company car or van that will be cheaper at a franchised dealer than at a fast-fit.

That might be a bold claim, but evidence of that comes from our own figures.

Last year the number of services on company cars and vans completed was up by 16% compared with 2009 and the number of fleet vehicle MOTs increased by almost 50%.

Approximately 95% of Kwik-Fit Fleet turnover is from tyre business with contract hire and leasing companies and end-user fleets.

But the company is leveraging long-established business relationships following the launch of mechanical work at its 670 centres in recent years.

That is particularly manifesting itself in the increase in the volume of MOTs and services being undertaken at centres.

Typically, existing fleet customers first look to fast-fits to undertake MOTs on their vehicles.

Following that experience they then look to our sector to undertake more complex brake and servicing work.

Fleets want a fast, efficient and cost-effective service that is convenient for their company car and van drivers irrespective of location.

With cost management the number one priority for all businesses, it is inevitable that more business will be channelled in the direction of the independent sector at the expense of franchised dealers.

Why should fleet managers who have been long-time users of franchise dealers use fast-fits and how can they be assured of high service standards?

I have worked for motor manufacturers and in the franchise dealer sector and they offer, in the main, a very good service.

But this comes at a price and many don’t offer a collection and delivery service.

However, cars and vans are extremely sophisticated pieces of equipment and faults can occur at anytime.

A strange noise or the appearance of a dashboard light can be unnerving and undoubtedly provokes concern.

It is vital that a trained mechanic investigates and corrects the problem immediately – that is a task that a franchised dealer cannot always perform.

One of the challenges facing me is to move the image and reputation of the fast-fit industry in the minds of fleet customers and drivers away from simply being a ‘fast-fit operator’ to being a provider across a wide range of products and services for fleets.

I have no doubt that the driver of a Ferrari may want to have their vehicle serviced at a franchised dealer.

But if that Ferrari needs a new tyre or the air conditioning unit recharged then there are great alternatives.

Fast-fits are conveniently located; they have longer opening hours than franchised dealers; the vast majority of work can be undertaken on a no-appointment basis; if a booking is required it will undoubtedly be sooner than at a franchised dealer; workmanship is of a high standard with companies such as Kwik-Fit employing fully-trained and accredited technicians – many of whom have previously worked in the franchised sector.

Cars and vans are valuable assets so it is important for fleet managers to ensure that those people handling vehicles are correctly trained both for peace of mind and from a health and safety perspective.

One of the key best practice recommendations in the Health and Safety Executive/Department for Transport ‘Driving at-work: Managing work-related road safety’ document, which provides benchmark guidance for businesses to manage the occupational road risk posed by their
at-work drivers, is that companies must be “satisfied that vehicles are maintained in a safe and fit condition”.

In addition, the guidance says that:

• Maintenance should be carried out to an acceptable standard
• Planned and preventative maintenance should be carried out in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations.

Put simply, legal compliance means that all fleet decision-makers should be able to follow a comprehensive audit trail detailing every aspect of work carried out on any vehicle driven on business.

Not only that, but maintaining and repairing a vehicle is a major cost so fleet chiefs and drivers need to be assured that their car or van is in the hands of a skilled mechanic employed by a reputable organisation.

For example, at Kwik-Fit Fleet our authorisation processes build up a complete ‘picture’ of a vehicle’s health during the fleet cycle.

A print-out of a vehicle’s maintenance history can be sent to the fleet operator.

In addition, our centre and mobile technicians are trained to the highest standard – master technicians, for example, have Automotive Technician Accreditation.

Annual investment in the industry is huge. In our case we spend around £3.2 million in staff training with employees at all levels of the business attending courses at one of the company’s five training academies. This is about to rise to £4.2m.