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A s the nationwide restrictions began to ease in the spring of this year, VARTA were quickly out and about in the field, with the launch of their new VARTA Promoter concept, which is designed to create brand awareness and provide education and support to the UK workshop trade. The campaign involves a team of VARTA promoters dropping in on independent garage workshops in a number of regions to deliver a VARTA Power Your Business box of snacks, goodies and promo material. The campaign driver, in addition to building brand awareness and free of charge support to the trade, has been to focus on ensuring the UK workshops are ready to embrace the technology changes which are accelerating, and to be ready to profit from them. Encouragement Throughout 2020 and 2021, the VARTA team have encouraged technicians to test every car’s battery, as part of their Back To Better campaign, due to the fact that many drivers have not used their vehicles regularly and have experienced battery issues. An upsurge in battery related problems has been widespread across Europe, and it is vital that a battery test-check is carried out when vehicles are brought into the workshop. During the garage visits, 28 AFTERMARKET NOVEMBER 2021 TOP TECHNICIAN AND TOP GARAGE www.aftermarketonline.net VARTA: SUPPORTING THE TRADE Find out how Top Technician and Top Garage sponsors VARTA have been backing garages over the last few months the VARTA team reminded workshops of this and advised technicians not already doing so, to start testing; and not to let a vehicle with a potential battery issue enter and leave without inspection. Ashley Craig, VARTA Technical Representative commented: “We felt it was the right time to start doing workshop visits again, and start connecting with installers once restrictions were removed. We’ve travelled the length and breadth of the country, visiting independent garages and engaging with their employees about the challenges of modern vehicles’ battery replacements.” Ashley continued: “The reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with many workshops not having any face-to-face interaction with a manufacturer for over a year. As some technicians have said, despite many parts of the economy have been closed, the aftermarket has continued to operate and the support is very welcome.” Stop/Start Challenge Feedback from workshops has also emphasised the challenge of increasingly complex battery jobs. Most vehicles entering the workshop now have Stop/Start and with many of them the battery isn’t under the bonnet anymore, but in a more-difficult-to-reach location, often hidden from view. The quick between five-and-10 minutes Above: The VARTA team continue to visit workshops across the UK