Aftermarket May 2022

MAY 2022 AFTERMARKET 59 www.aftermarketonline.net training. My first insight was an open evening up at ADS in Preston in June 2019. I got put onto that by Steve Scott from Simply Diagnostics.” We asked Simon if he thought more people from outside the traditional garage sphere would be making the leap: “You will always need classic mechanics. With EV and Hybrid it's only the drivetrain element that's changed, just like petrol and diesel engines themselves have changed over the years. I feel the automotive trade hasn’t kept up at a high level on the electronics side, and specialist companies are filling that void to a degree. Replacing electronic components within a module is the equivalent of replacing internal engine components, but it’s not something that’s taught. I think we’re 20 years behind where we should be in that respect so in the short term I think it’s likely we will see people coming into the trade from a consumer electronics repair background. “There’s lots of knowledge I've brought from outside of automotive. When you go onto the hybrid and electric drive systems, they are more like industrial drives. The main difference is that instead of having a mains rectifier and a capacitor, you've got a battery instead. Between the battery and the machine, what’s driving the motor is the same.” Customers Motolec is, like many automotive businesses, both customer-facing and dealing with referrals from other garages, as Simon explained: “I’ve got a 50/50 split between trade business, and consumers. A lot of the people that have come in as private customers are people that were customers years ago.” How did he do this? The old-fashioned way: “I've managed to reactivate the original business phone number because so many people knew it.” Shrewd, eh? Actually, as a business move, it’s even smarter than you think: “Because of the history of the business, where it was linked to the factor, the number is one digit different from the factor’s phone number, and the trade people know that because of that history. Once I got the landline active, I was getting phone calls before there was even any advertising out there. I've got a lot of work coming from local garages, and word's getting around to some of the others. “I haven't actively promoted the business as yet, because I've got a reasonable amount of work coming in, and I'm still adjusting things. It's a case of working out what works, what doesn’t work and optimising as I go along.” Letf: Simon at work in the garage Top Technician Just before he opened the business officially, Simon ended up being the runner-up in Top Technician, as we already mentioned. We wondered if he thought this might bode well for the future: “I was quite surprised I got in the final. When it was announced that I was runner up, I was totally stunned. Thinking back, I knew where I'd lost marks, but that's how you learn.” Is he using it to promote the business? “I've just got my business cards done, and I've put the Top Technician runner-up logo on them because it's a real achievement.” The naturally self-effacing Simon became even more modest for a moment: “Am I the second-best tech in the country? Not by a long shot, but hopefully this means people can see I put the effort in and know how to challenge myself.” Future As a more-or-less brand-new business, almost everything is ahead for Simon and Motolec, but we did wonder what specific things he would like to get done sooner rather than later: “I’d like to do work on the building. One of the things I've not got done, which was in the plan, was getting a nice floor. I haven't even got a ramp at the moment.” He is also continuing his training: “In a couple of weeks, I'm doing the final assessments for the diagnostic tech course at Technical Topics, and I've just come through the EV Level Three training. I am also in the process of framing my qualifications, to put up around the reception area, so people can see they are bringing the vehicle to somebody who can demonstrate they know what they're on about.” Looking at where he sits in the industry, with where it is going, Simon concluded: “I'm not equipped to do mechanical work, but, lots of garages, when it comes to electronics and diagnostics, prefer to refer work to me. They'd rather pay me, and let me sort it out. Now I've got a bit more established I can be more selective. The reputation I want is that I am able to give people the right answer and the fix first time.” Above: Vehicle electric problems often require specialist intervention