Always Check The Battery Case Studies
ADS Automotive
Location: Preston, Lancashire
Workshop Size: Medium
Services: Servicing, General Repairs, Diagnostics & Performance Upgrades
The Yuasa battery testing programme has helped us at ADS not just by updating our knowledge of battery technology, but also highlighting the need and opportunities in offering our customers a professional health and charge status report.
“Our experience has shown that around 60% of batteries are under voltage, and sufficiently down on capacity to warrant replacing”.
Before you assume this is a simple sales drive, please consider how important the battery has become, it has many responsibilities and effects on the reliability of complex network systems.
Several vehicles, especially common rail diesels have had the incorrect capacity battery fitted, customers often choose cost over application, resulting in slow rotation speeds and delayed start problems.
Start – Stop vehicles must have either EFB or AGM batteries if serious issues are to be averted. Batteries fail more in winter yes, however, hot temperatures cause an increase in self-discharge!
“Come on guys, get with the programme”.
FRANK MASSEY
D & A Autos
Location: Ashford, Kent
Workshop Size: Large
Services: Servicing, General Repairs, Diagnostics & MOTs
The trial went extremely well and has helped us realise that testing every battery is worthwhile.
We did the trial during the summer and we were surprised by how many batteries required attention. Most of our battery business is usually in the winter.
Having the test results allowed us to recommend to customers that their battery required recharging or replacing. We could give them forewarning that they may have issues in a few months time going into winter.
“In our eyes, when a customer has a vehicle serviced they want reliability for the next year, not just right now. No one wants to wake up in the morning and find that their car won’t start when they have important things to do.”
Battery testing is definitely good for customer service and is not all about selling batteries. Informing a customer of a test failure can be easily managed. Most customers are receptive to being told about their battery’s health and the mirror hanger and tester printouts really help with this.
MATTHEW PESTRIDGE
Terry Taylor Garages
Location: Hinclkey, Leicestershire
Workshop Size: Small
Services: Servicing, General Repairs, Diagnostics & MOTs
Our battery testing trial has gone very well. The testing kit is simple to use and it was easy to work the test into part of our everyday routine when beginning servicing or repair work.
“I would suggest other garages join the scheme as it’s great for revenue and customer service – it’s beneficial to test every battery coming through the door”.
We’ve learned that there are far more batteries needed out there than just the ones sold during a breakdown. We’ve found a lot more batteries than we would normally because usually they only come in through our door when they’re not working, this has given us far more revenue potential.
We were surprised how many batteries tested showed up as needing a recharge or to be replaced. Beforehand we would have guessed about one in ten, but at the beginning of our trial it was much closer to 30% that need recharging and a much higher amount than we would have thought needed replacing.
JANSON BAGGOTT
