Technician tab on the menu bar. That will take you through to the Top Technician page where you just need to follow the instructions to enter. It is as simple as that. The first quiz will merely take a few moments to complete. Don’t forget, if you go all the way to the final and win, you could receive a serious prize including cash, tools and equipment. For Top Technician and Top Garage 2023, the total prize fund was in excess of £40,000. Good luck! Top Garage Top Garage 2024 (dates may be subject to change) Round One – Online: Tuesday 2 January – Friday 19 April Those taking part answer a range of questions on business practices. Participating garages complete the Top Garage application form as part of the process. Semi-Final – Online: Friday 3 May – Friday 5 July Those who made it through to the Semi-Final will be required to answer a number of open questions focused on staff training and development, as well as investment. Final – Live: Saturday 26 October This is taking place at Delphi Academy in Warwickshire. Each finalist business will be interviewed by the judges. The winners for the various Top Garage groups will be named at the Top Technician and Top Garage Awards Evening 2024, being held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Coventry, also on Saturday 26 October. The classes for Top Garage 2024 are as follows: Businesses with 1-3 employees Businesses with 4-6 employees Businesses with 7-9 employees Businesses with 10-plus employees Multi-site businesses Ben Workplace Health and Wellbeing Award Top Service Advisor There is also a new class for Top Garage 2024: Mobile mechanic businesses These businesses operate across the B2C and the B2B spheres, supporting and enhancing the industry for all involved, and we believe their contribution should be celebrated. As with Top Technician, to enter Top Garage, go to www.toptechtopgarage.co.uk Then click on the Top Garage tab on the menu and hit the ‘enter here’ button. Then follow the instructions. Benefits of participating Being a participant in Top Technician or Top Garage brings so much. For mechanics, you find out where you sit with your skills in comparison with other techs. The competition is also an education in itself and for those re-entering every year, progress occurs, with regulars moving a bit further up each year. Winning has a major life impact on the champions too. winners have gone onto unexpected careers, while others have seen their business get a big boost. Meanwhile, working through Top Garage can help you see both your business’s strengths and weaknesses. Being a finalist is also great for local marketing, giving your garage an unmatched advantage over nearby competition. For conformation, why not ask those who have won how it has impacted on them? Robert Cockings Motor Repairs won in the 7-9 employees group for Top Garage 2022. Owner Tom Cockings said: “It definitely gave me fresh ideas, as well as ways to improve our processes. Just meeting the other people that are involved, and talking to them at the event is really helpful.” Tom added: “I’m super-proud of the team for doing what they do and achieving what we have.” Billingborough Cars and Commercials was also a winner in Top Garage 2022, in the 4-6 employees category. Owner Russ Houlden observed: “I never expected to get as far as we did. The first interview question the judges gave me was, ‘what would it mean to you if you won Top Garage?’ I said, ‘it wouldn't mean anything’. They were surprised by this. Then I explained that getting to the final is already justification enough that we're doing the right things. I was shocked when we were named as winner.” Leeds-based A&J Fleetcare won in the 1-3 employees class in Top Garage 2022. Co-owner Jeanette Landale commented: “At the Awards Evening, when we won I told my husband Alan ‘nothing will ever beat this’. We advertise that we won Top Garage 2022, and we told our regular customers and they are really proud of coming to us now, knowing that we know what we're talking about and we're winners.” Shaikly Motor Company were the winners in the multisite category for both 2022 and 2023. Commenting on their win in Top Garage 2022, owner Michael Shaikly said: “It was the second year we entered. I really enjoyed it, and I felt the interview process helped us achieve our goal.” On winning in 2023, he added: “It’s a testament to the fact that we have some great people. We have learned from the Top Garage process every year.” Now you have heard from all these winners, what are you waiting for? Enter as soon as possible! Top Technician and Top Garage 2024 come to you in association with the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) and the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI). Full Event Partners: Snap-on, TOPDON, JLM Lubricants UK and Delphi. www.aftermarketonline.net DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 AFTERMARKET 21
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