20 September 2010

Regular followers of my dissertations will know of my abject abhorrence of consumer watchdogs. The existence of such bodies or TV programmes depends on sensationalism. They need to sell memberships or build-up audience ratings. The easiest way to do either is to set-up a sting and the car servicing industry is a sitting duck in this respect. Every year, as regular as one needs to fill-up with petrol, Which? and the BBC’s Watchdog programme target garages. When subscriptions are lagging or ratings are falling, the answer is to set-up another sting on garages. Simples!

My discomfort with all these consumer stings is that the victim (Kwik-Fit in this case) is always going to be the loser in that they are never allowed a proper defence. Kwik-Fit handles 4m customers a year. It is wrong to judge the company on 10 sting cars. In the current sting, Kwik-Fit was denied access to the 10 vehicles after the allegations were made.

So the TV show becomes judge, jury and executioner.

I carry no particular torch for Kwik-Fit, you understand, which is just as well after I learn a Kwik-Fit fitter in Ramsgate was this week fined for driving on two bald tyres!

The £1m extra which Kwik-Fit has said it will be spending on further staff training would seem to be sorely needed.

Have a great week, both in and out of the showroom. If you have a story for us, or want to get something off your chest, email barry@auto-retail.com

Barry Hook
 

Tags: Barry's Blog, damage industry, garages, Kwik-Fit, Sting, Watchdogs