BookMyGarage head of field sales Rochelle Davey tackled the complexity of the digital landscape and how garages can make the biggest impact when she took to the stage at this year’s Automechanika show alongside Steffie Brader, senior manager for strategy & new ventures at digital comparison website Compare the Market, and Paul Burton, senior retail business consultant at Goodyear Tyres and HiQ Tyres and Autocare.

Both Compare the Market and HiQ have recently partnered with BookMyGarage. Compare the Market users now have access to the thousands of garages nationwide already partnered with BookMyGarage. With the backing of Goodyear, one of the world’s largest tyre manufacturers, HiQ Tyres & Autocare partnered with BookMyGarage to help drive even more retail customers to its 190-strong network of franchised garages, equity sites (managed directly by Goodyear) and official service partner sites.

Such partnerships underline the value of the BookMyGarage brand and the formidable reputation the site has forged online.

 

Over a Million Searches for the 'Top 4' MOT and Service Terms in the Last 12 Months - Make Sure You're Visible

Rochelle explained to the audience how now more than a million motorists have searched in the last 12 months for the ‘top 4’ search terms related to MOT and routine service suppliers, compared to ten years ago when very few motorists identified businesses online to fulfil aftersales needs. Recent figures from BookMyGarage show that an incredible £101 million worth of retail custom (already up following the £94m figure quoted at the show) was generated on its platform for its garage partners in the past 12 months.

However, with paid-for ads topping the Google search together with the map of local businesses and those which perform well in the local organic search, the wriggle room to make an impact online is limited. Add in the fact that more than a third (36%) of BookMyGarage bookings with partner garages were made using the online tool out-of-hours, it’s a powerful argument for small businesses to harness the might of the platform together with the traffic it generates from drivers and take advantage of its online booking tool.

Steffie, from Compare the Market, told the Automechanika audience: “At Compare the Market, our mission is to make great decision-making a breeze for everyone. We help consumers compare deals across a wide variety of bills, and most recently we partnered with BookMyGarage to provide garage comparison for people’s MOT, Service and Repair needs. It was brilliant to be able to speak at Automechanika, showcasing how we are helping to empower people further to search and compare products and services to find solutions that best suit their needs.

 

Ensure You're Utilising 'Always On' Marketing to Capture Customers Out of Hours

Similar to the BookMyGarage insights, Compare the Market customers are coming at all hours to explore their garage options and book in potential jobs. Customers want a process that’s quick, simple and effortless, allowing them to make a booking in just a couple of minutes.

For Paul, he very much sees the strength of BookMyGarage’s organic listings for a number of key search terms (MOT & Servicing) as a huge benefit to the HiQ network of garages on its platform – actively driving traffic to its online booking tool where they receive a real-time quote which results in significant conversion to actual customer.

In addition, the ability for BookMyGarage users to opt for mobile services has been an added bonus with HiQ’s own fleet of 450 vans in the UK and many of its franchisees operating mobile services.

BookMyGarage data also reveals that a significant proportion of customers on the platform, make their appointment for just a few days in advance and as Rochelle emphasised to the audience, such last-minute bookings can prove to be a cash flow booster to garages on its platform and help fill the gaps.

 

Focus on Gathering Detailed Customer Reviews That Reflect the Quality of Service You Provide

Positive customer reviews are vital for encouraging even more bookings as Paul pointed out, the difference that HiQ’s 10k Trust Pilot reviews have made is very much apparent. Such figures help to reinforce the fact that motorists booking via BookMyGarage are not motivated by price alone. In addition, Paul highlighted that the online booking tool delivers a more seamless experience for motorists, which in turn, encourages customers to leave a positive review and so one feeds the other helping to generate more business for garages.

Steffie at Compare the Market, added: “When searching for a garage, price matters but there are other elements which are important too for drivers to look at. Take a look at the reviews, particularly those with a high level of detail, because it could help you determine whether you will receive the service, quality, experience and/or convenience you expect.”