EV’s have a greater probability of failing an MOT
Electric vehicles are generally heavier than internal combustion engines, which causes greater wear on certain components such as tyres. A recent Garagewire article reveals that EVs have a higher MOT failure rate than vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. The data suggest that 3-year-old petrol-powered vehicles tested in 2021 are 6% more likely to pass an MOT than electric vehicles of the same age. After 6 years this figure increases to 29%. Overall, tyre-related defects account for 22% of all electric vehicle MOT failures. Broadening your communications to appeal to EV customers with vehicles over 3 years old gives first- or second-time vehicle owners the flexibility to choose your garage over a main dealer.
Ensuring customers tyres are always in check
Deteriorated tyres affect vehicle acceleration, increase braking distances, increase fuel consumption, affect vehicle handling, and increase the risk of a tyre blow-out or leading to an accident.
All tyres deteriorate over time; this is an undeniable fact that must be communicated to your customers. Servicing intervals are becoming longer and motorists are more reliant on automated systems to flag warnings. If they drive a vehicle manufactured after 2014, they’ll have tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS), but often tyre condition goes unnoticed until they’re at more serious levels. It’s really important that we educate consumers on what they should look out for and when they should check.
With the cost of living on the rise, it is in the customer's best interest to regularly check the condition of their tyres and where appropriate, react with preventative measures to ensure vehicle safety, prolong the life of components and reduce the likelihood of a defect during an MOT test, resulting in more expense for replacement rubber.
The opportunity for independent garages!
Convincing your customers to spend their hard-earned money on new tyres can be difficult, but there is a huge opportunity! Offering a truly personalised and flexible service is critical, not only for standing out from the crowd, but also for retaining existing customers and preventing them from switching to more convenient or cheaper alternatives.
Offering free interim tyre checks as part of routine maintenance, is a valuable addition to your services and customers will look to you for advice on best practices. It will demonstrate to customers your concern in helping them to avoid unnecessary expense. There is also an opportunity to identify issues that require immediate attention, and a great way for you to incorporate value-added up-sells such as wheel alignment, which can really help you drive higher profits from your tyre fitting services. A comprehensive guide to increasing revenue from wheel alignment can be found by clicking here.
Many more business opportunities
Many of your customers will most likely be private motorists maintaining their daily driver, however, it's worth considering building local relationships with taxi companies, delivery companies, car dealers, driving schools, and other local businesses with vehicle fleets is a great way to bring in regular extra tyre servicing business.
How the independent garages can maximise returns on tyre fitting equipment
Customers' browsing, research, and purchasing habits have shifted in recent years, with Millennials and Generation Z accounting for a sizable portion of the market who prefer to conduct their research online before making a purchase. Customers can look around, gather information, and make an informed, confident decision
To truly compete with the national chains, you'll need a well-designed and up-to-date website with a good selection of tyre brands and sizes, reasonable prices, and a simple booking procedure that makes it as easy for customers to choose and complete the booking as quickly as possible.
Customers' purchasing decisions will be influenced by a variety of factors, including your business's hours of operation and availability. With hectic schedules, work, kids, and other obligations, finding time to drop off or wait for a vehicle could be a deal breaker, especially if more popular times are fully booked.
How to increase mid-week bookings:
For some, the overall convenience to meet the needs of the customers may be more important than price. If you discover that you have fewer mid-week bookings, offering a mid-week vehicle collection service from a customer's home or workplace will appeal to many who don't have time during the day to drop off their vehicle. Offering extended hours or a drop-off facility into secure parking on specific days may be the deciding factor in increasing mid-week business and distinguishing your garage from the competition.
In conclusion: Worn and defective tyres remain one of the most common causes of MOT failures, with higher failure rates now being reported for EVs due to increased vehicle weight and forces that accelerate wear on components such as tyres. Helping your customers with preventative maintenance to keep them safe and help them extend the life of their tyres is critical to customer satisfaction. Independent garages have a huge opportunity to reach new local customers by providing a personalised service that caters to modern buying habits, embraces digital platforms, and focuses on customer convenience. These garages will be more successful and will benefit from a greater return on their investment.
Which tyre fitting equipment is right for you?
If you are looking to kit out your workshop or upgrading your old equipment, then we can help you make the right choice on new tyre servicing equipment with this quick guide:
Just getting started?
Are you looking to offer tyre and wheel services? The Hofmann geodyna 7100 wheel balancer and monty 3300-20 Tyre Changer are the ideal introductions for general repair garages or garages on a budget with a lower volume of daily tyre changes.
High volume garages:
If you want to expand your tyre fitting equipment or are dealing with higher volumes of jobs on a daily basis, the Hofmann geodyna 7340 wheel balancer and monty 3300-24 Racing SmartSpeed Plus tyre changer are ideal for all workshops that require the most advanced features and will take advantage from time-saving and high productivity benefits.