Stourbridge Automotive Ltd - Summer Newsletter

Stourbridge Automotive Ltd Company Update

It is astonishing to think that we are over halfway through 2018 and here at Stourbridge Automotive Ltd there are no signs of our team slowing down! First of all, we would like to thank all of our customers and associates who have continued to support our business throughout 2018. It is always exciting to see a variety of Audi, BMW, BMW Mini and Mercedes, makes and models, filtering through our workshop and there is always a warm sense of achievement from our staff when we can find and fix faults and fulfill our customer’s needs.

To start with, our Apprentice Dan Webb has just completed his year 1 of his 3-year Apprenticeship course with Stourbridge Automotive Ltd and in conjunction with Stourbridge College. Dan has settled in very well with the team and we are looking forward to watching his skills grow over the coming years.

We would also like to welcome Les Prosser to the team, as our driver and cleaner. In support of our other technicians, Les will be on hand to ensure our vehicle collection service runs smoothly and that the workshop is always kept clean and tidy.

Finally, we would also like to announce that as of 22nd May 2018, our company passed our Health & Safety audit. Covering all aspects of Health & Safety and led by our Health & Safety Administrator Nikki Robinson. The report confirmed that we are demonstrating good practice in all areas of the business and highlighted plenty of ‘No action required’. Because Stourbridge Automotive Ltd prides itself on its level of Health and Safety for both our employees and our customers, we take this matter very seriously to ensure everyone’s safety and well-being is at the forefront of our day to day activity.

‘Challenge Academy Wolverhampton’

We are delighted to let you know that we have recently signed up to Challenge Academy in conjunction with Wolverhampton University and the Black Country Chamber of Commerce.

The Challenge Academy has been devised to connect students with local businesses, to support them with academic resources in areas where they could benefit by appointing short-term projects. It is anticipated that the programme will not only help businesses to develop into new areas but also give students invaluable experience in the commercial industry, which they can draw on once they have graduated.

Our joint venture will be looking at how we can expand our ‘business 2 business’ vision for Stourbridge Automotive Ltd and how we may become a recommended vehicle repairer for local businesses in the area, through detailed market research and analysis provided by University of Wolverhampton students.

You can find out more about the Challenge Academy programme at: https://www.wlv.ac.uk/business-services/challenge-academy/

Director and owner Kay Fellows talks about how it differs

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE CAR INDUSTRY?

By accident! My husband and his business partner at the time, had previously worked for BMW and Mercedes Benz main dealers and were looking to start up a business that could offer generally a better service at more competitive prices.

My background was very different, being in the fashion industry. It involved a lot of travelling and I had two young daughters to think about. I had also been a marketing manager, as part of my career, however I left the fashion industry in 2010 to help my husband at the newly-established Stourbridge Automotive Ltd. – Audi, BMW and Mercedes Specialist garage.

I look after marketing, recruiting and all the finances. It’s a hard industry for a woman to be in, being male-dominated and at first it was a complete culture shock and therefore a huge learning curve.

HOW DOES STOURBRIDGE AUTOMOTIVE DIFFER FROM OTHER CAR GARAGES?

There are Audi, BMW and Mercedes main dealers, plus the smaller independent garages. We have tried to pitch ourselves somewhere in between, but run very much like the dealers, with lower overheads, which allows us to be competitive on price.

HOW HAVE YOU TRIED TO MAKE THE GARAGE MORE FEMALE-FRIENDLY?

We pride ourselves on a clean welcoming environment to walk into. We also have an easy to read website which Neil and I both wrote. We have several female staff and I’d love to have some female technicians working alongside the men in the future. So, if you are a female technician, or if you know of anyone please get in touch, as I would be very interested to have them as part of our team. For more women to come into a garage with their cars, they must feel comfortable in the environment and most of all trust the people they are dealing with.

For me, the focus is about making everyone, not only women, feel welcome from the moment they walk through our door.

You can read our full interview ‘Workshop Welcome’ in the June 2018 edition of Living Magazine | Pages 144 – 145 - https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=d0d95eb2-d934-4614-8c81-78113687b7dc

Do you pay to service your vehicle yourself? or do you lease your vehicle? and are looking for a service programme? Here at Stourbridge Automotive Ltd we are certified suppliers for 1Link and can support companies and individuals with our service and maintenance leasing programme.

For more information please see our website page: http://www.stourbridgeautomotive.co.uk/lease-servicing/

Our GDPR Compliance

We would like to inform all our customers and associates that data protection is important to us and we are currently putting measures in place to adhere to the new May 2018 EU GDPR legislation. If you wish to request the information that we hold on your personal record, then please contact our office on 01384 377792. If you no longer wish to receive our newsletter then please use the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this newsletter.

Finally, the school summer holidays are here and so this may be the time of year when you have a holiday planned or you are looking forward to visiting family and friends.

Whether your journey will take you on the UK motorways and local roads, or if you are going further afield into Europe, it is essential that to the best of your knowledge, your vehicle is safe before you set out.

Here is some summer vehicle check ideas to get you started:

1.  Check your tyres and their pressure
2. Test your brakes
3. Check that your wipers are functioning correctly
4.  Test all of your lights including indicators
5.  Check your oil and water under the bonnet
6.  Ensure you have a valid MOT certificate
7.  Check your insurance is valid, (including if driving abroad)
8. Travelling abroad? Do you have the right safety equipment?
9.   Always carry your driving license
10. Be prepared! Take plenty of water and consider the time you will travel by planning your journey in advance

For further information on checking your vehicle before your holiday journey, please see our last month’s blog - Summer Vehicle Safety & Holiday Checks. Here you’ll find lots more info on what to look out for and staying safe whilst driving this summer.

"We offer an alternative and accessible service for female drivers”