New smartphone or tablet for Christmas?

If you are one of the many lucky ones who received a new smartphone or tablet device in your Christmas stocking, you may be downloading new apps and learning how easy it is to access your favourite games, social media, news and useful websites at the touch of a button.

What is an "app"?

For those who are still new to the world of apps, it is not complicated. "App" is short for application software that is designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices such as iPods. They can be downloaded either free of charge or for a listed price from app stores such as iTunes or Google Play.

The Good Garage Scheme created its free app for iPhone in 2010 and then for Android smartphones the following year. So far over 12,000 users have downloaded the app and The Sunday Times even voted it one of the World's Top Apps in 2011 and 2012.

It is a handy app to have on your phone when you are driving in the UK. You never know when you will need to find a trustworthy garage, and there are also some handy tips on how to check your oil so that you can keep your car maintained between services.

To download your free app, simply click here.

Best wishes for a Happy New Year from the Good Garage Scheme.

Good Garage Scheme is all a-Twitter!

The UK-wide Good Garage Scheme has proved that social media can benefit the automotive business by recruiting a new member through consistent social media activity.

John Wyatt of Manchetts Garage

Manchetts Garage based in Cambridge and Newmarket was already aware of the Good Garage Scheme but was unsure of the member benefits. The independent garage already had its own Twitter account, from which it regularly tweeted special offers and blog posts.  Upon seeing a number of consistently informative tweets from the Good Garage Scheme, Manchetts sent a direct message to enquire about membership.

“I followed the Good Garage Scheme by chance. Someone I follow retweeted something they had sent out and when I had a look at the kind of tweets they were sending, I realised that they had some really interesting facts and advice on motoring that garages like mine could benefit from”  said Mandy Manchett, Marketing Manager, Manchetts Garage.

“I liked the fact that the Good Garage Scheme is consistently tweeting interesting content and engaging with followers. It uses Twitter to actively promote member garages and I wanted Manchetts to benefit from being a part of an online independent garage community.”

The Good Garage Scheme is regularly active on Twitter and its Twitter name @GoodGarages was another feature that raised the interest of Manchetts.

“I think the Good Garage Scheme has a really good Twitter handle, which says everything you need know about it. It quite literally is a network of good garages, working together to offer the best service possible to motorists” said Mandy.

Apart from social media, the Good Garage Scheme offered Manchetts appealing benefits as a Good Garage Scheme member. Mandy added: “I particularly like the feedback system the Good Garage Scheme has in place for its member garages. Customer relations are very important to us and we want to hear when we have done a good job so we can build on the positives and improve our service even more.”

Follow the Good Garage Scheme on Twitter @GoodGarages and have a look at our Facebook page.