July/August 2021

T here is never an excuse for swearing; Not in person with a customer, or in an online post, even if the post is supposedly for others in the trade. You never know who will end up reading it, or in what context. So why is it so common to see swearing online? This is not a game of hangman; I know you would all know the missing letters if I starred them out. Yep, you’d win. But what? The motor trade is not a trade that is used to winning, so what can we win? I'm no stranger to a swear word, but I’m going to ask you to rethink how you use them online and in public at least. Some of you will be shouting, possibly with a couple of ‘special’ adjectives, at me right now saying that it’s just words and it means nothing, and they are funny and how funny you are too! Come on. Funny makes you think of a joke with friends, funny makes you think of the comedian you went to see. Funny is not being in a trade where schoolteachers still ring you up and say: “Little Jonny is really struggling at school - so I thought of you straight away and I thought it would be nice for him to come and do work experience with you?” Have you ever stopped to look how on social media we as a profession conduct ourselves? How we talk to one another? Obviously, I'm not saying everyone, however I'm constantly surprised how foul-mouthed our profession is. Now, the question is, does it matter? Who cares? Well, I'm saying to you, it does matter, and I care, and please I beg you to care too. We need to be starting a revolution and let’s start with the easy stuff. We need to be speaking to each other better, using a more professional language, which if used will convey the information over much easier and with more clarity. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no Mary Whitehouse, but until we act like professionals to each other why should anyone treat us like professionals? Just stop for a moment and think about doctors or solicitors – do they eff and jeff about their day at work? Discuss their tricky clients in such a derogatory way that any shred of decency and respect was lost between the mêlée of colourful words? I not only think not, I know not. Professional clarity Gentleman and ladies, let's reconsider at least our online presence if you can’t do it in your every-day life, yet. Let us revisit our humour and realise that we are no ‘Roy Chubby Brown’ let alone Michael McIntyre. Let's ditch a few choice phrases, be proud of what we have achieved and raise our game. Only then will our complicated, fast moving, intellectual industry start being seen this way too. So again, I ask what can we win? We can win control of our industry, win at our careers, and turn this profession into professional. Until we are going to make it as comedians, I’m thinking, to paraphrase John Lennon if he were a mechanic; “Let’s give professionalism a chance.” Like that do you? Good, glad to hear it! Where’s my Blankety-Blank cheque book and pen, then? 12 AFTERMARKET JULY/AUGUST 2021 BUSINESS/THE GARAGE INSPECTOR GRADUATES www.aftermarketonline.net BLANKETY-BLANK? Rebecca considers how businesses should conduct themselves in person and online, and how swearing should never be a part of the equation BY Rebecca Pullan, Carmaster Garage