Advertisement Feature - Meet The Supplier Kwik Fit

Advertisement feature from Kwik Fit

Dan Joyce, Fleet Director

CV/BIO

HOBBY: Running, reading
FAVOURITE MOVIE: Has to be Goodfellas
DRIVES: BMW 530E, will trade for E30 M3
PET HATE: Procrastination
FAVOURITE SONG: The Stone Roses – She Bangs The Drum

What actions has Kwik Fit taken to adapt to news ways of working due to the pandemic?

We’ve kept calm and carried on providing the same exceptional service to fleet drivers…
At the start of the pandemic, Kwik Fit took a conscious decision to keep all of our 700 centres around the country open our intention being to keep our customers’ vehicles safe on the road.
Interestingly, the way customers engage with us has evolved during the pandemic – the e-commerce side of our business encompassing our mobile fitting service has grown by 20%. We expect this figure to keep increasing.

How do these actions set Kwik Fit Fleet apart?

In April 2021 we celebrated our 50th anniversary, our mantra has always been that exceptional customer service underpins everything we do at Kwik Fit – and being there for our customers when they need us most will always be of paramount importance.
Our Mobile operation has reacted to increased demand by offering greater working hours per month, now at more than 30,000, with out-of-hours slots facilitated by our (seven days a week, 8am-8pm) Mobile7 service.
Similarly, we also ensured it was possible for fleets to book an MOT at one of our 540 MOT centres nationwide throughout the pandemic. Once the MOT extension ended, there was a massive pent-up demand for this service and we made even more online slots available.
In the face of tyre availability challenges, close synergy across our wider group has meant that we have maintained premium tyre availability and exceeded brand fitment obligations in an unprecedented year. Our distribution hubs and supply chain operation ensured that centres received twice daily deliveries across nearly all of the network including a Saturday service.

What changes in the fleet marketplace does Kwik Fit foresee?

As we emerge from the pandemic, we’re witnessing significant pent-up demand for tyre changes, servicing and repairs as vehicles return to the road.
We anticipate a growing demand for a digital booking experience to complement our drive-in service as customers become more discerning, consequently we expect to see increased usage of our Fleet Web Booking driver portal.
After a period of readjustment over the summer of 2021, we believe there will be lower mileages across fleets due to people taking advantage of flexible workplace options and, consequently, the terms of vehicle leases will also evolve.

What are the key future focuses for Kwik Fit Fleet?

During the pandemic, we serviced 40% more cars than we did the previous year – and we expect this figure to keep growing and we are evolving our SMR capability to meet this demand.
We’re just in the process of enhancing our online ‘Fleet Web Bookings’ portal making it even easier for fleet drivers to book tyres via centre or Mobile. This updated portal will ensure that all tyre changes automatically meet an organisation’s tyre brand preference policy.
We are delighted to have launched a pilot of our ground-breaking app-based tyre subscription product, “Kwik Fit Club”. Initially aimed at retail drivers, we have a B2B concept in development alongside plans to roll out the service to encompass more than tyres in the near future.

Is Kwik Fit ready to face the challenges of EV-dominated fleets?

EVs and hybrids are going to dominate company fleets – and we’re committed to ensuring that we have the right training and knowledge in place. We’ve responded by ensuring that we now have more than 550 fully qualified EV technicians, who’ve undertaken IMI level 2 accredited training courses. This means that they can complete all the standard maintenance jobs on EVs and hybrids.

What advice could Kwik Fit give fleets regarding tyre choice for EVs?
It is our recommendation that EV tyres are replaced on a like-for-like basis in accordance with what the manufacturer stipulates should be fitted. This ensures the best possible battery range is maintained.
At Kwik Fit, we intend to ensure we’ve got both the tyres and the expertise in place to cater for this increased demand from EV fleet drivers.