Congratulations to Empire Garages

Good Garage Scheme member Empire Garages in Enfield have had reason to celebrate.

The team at Empire Garages recently attended the Federation of Small Business Awards Ball at the Connaught Hotel in London as award finalists.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has 200,000 members and is the largest business organisation in the UK.  Boris Johnson's Deputy Mayor of London, Kit Malthouse, gave an inaugural speech and presented the awards. The gathering included political and business leaders and the category finalists.

Empire Garages' entry was scrutinised by a panel of ten judges and they were short-listed to the top six in the Customer Service Excellence Category. On the night Empire was awarded the winners' trophy.  A team of ten colleagues were present and the table was given a bottle of champagne to pop open and celebrate the night.

Team Empire kindly phoned the Good Garage Scheme's marketing manager the next day with the great news and thanked everyone for the support which they say has helped to achieve the award.

Ajay Gokani, owner of Empire Garages, said, "The feedback received from Good Garage Scheme customers really helps keep the team motivated."
 
Well done and many congratulations to Ajay and Team Empire!

Good Garage Scheme on BBC Radio

The Good Garage Scheme began its radio campaign on the first day of summer with a message to motorists to check their cars before setting off on holiday. Motoring journalist Maria McCarthy spoke on behalf of the Good Garage Scheme warning of the dangers of air conditioning contamination.

As always the British summertime weather is keeping us guessing, so to ensure you’re not raging in a lay-by instead of enjoying that all-important family holiday, it’s essential to be prepared to drive in all conditions.

Maria spoke on BBC Radio Kent, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Scotland to name a few about the results of the research the Good Garage Scheme has carried out.

Anyone interested in a Holiday Check should visit the Good Garage Scheme website and find a local garage offering this service.

Safe motoring this summer!

Breathe Easy This Summer

When the sun finally does come out this summer, you will naturally reach for the coolest setting of your car's air conditioning once again to drive in comfort. Like most people you probably haven't given the air conditioning unit a thought over the winter, but while turned off for so many months, bacteria, mould and fungi may have collected in the pipework.

Bacteria found in the ducts of
 a vehicle's air conditioning 

A bad smell in the car is a telltale sign that the air conditioning system needs a specific treatment. Nasty bacteria and mould are not so easily detected but may cause allergic symptoms for the driver and passengers.

Good Garage Scheme members are offering customers a Holiday Check this summer which includes checking the operation of the air conditioner including a bad odour. The check can be carried out while you wait.

Why not find a local Good Garage Scheme member offering the Holiday Check and make sure you and your passengers can "Breathe easy".

Is Your Car Ready for Summer Driving?

With the summer holidays fast approaching, the Good Garage Scheme is encouraging motorists to get their cars professionally checked to ensure they are safe, reliable and comfortable as the temperature increases.  Members of the Good Garage Scheme across the UK are offering a Holiday Check to offer drivers peace of mind, as research undertaken by the organisation has found that 38 per cent of motorists do not plan to get their car serviced before their next long journey.

Towing a caravan or carrying passengers with a boot full of luggage demands that a car is in the best possible condition to provide safe, reliable and comfortable summer motoring.  The 21-point HolidayCheck provides an expert assessment of a vehicle’s condition, covering essential areas including the condition and level of the coolant and engine oil, as well as the brakes, tyres, wiper blades, windscreen and lights.  The Good Garage Scheme also recommends that motorists have their air conditioning systems checked.  Harmful bacteria and mould may have built up in the ducts of systems that have been switched off during the cooler months, posing a health risk to drivers and passengers as they switch them back on.

Phil Dugmore, the Good Garage Scheme’s Technical Manager, comments: “The Holiday Check campaign gives motorists the confidence that their car is well prepared by getting it expertly checked at their local member workshop.  With our research finding that 38 per cent of drivers are not thinking about getting their car serviced before setting off on a long journey, the Holiday Check aims to give motorists peace of mind before setting off on travels with family and friends.”

Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and enter your postcode to find your local Good Garage Scheme member offering the Holiday Check.  Smartphone users can also download a free iPhone or Android app to help them locate a nearby Good Garage Scheme member anywhere in the UK.

More Motorists Download Good Garage Scheme's Free App

The Good Garage Scheme's TV ad appearing on SKY TV this week has really caused a stir.
Not only has the website been busy, but the number of motorists downloading the Good Garage Scheme's free app has increased by over 200%.

 

In fact over 200 motorists have downloaded the app in the first three days of the campaign.
The Good Garage Scheme's television ad shows a motorist searching for a Good Garage Scheme member on her iPhone and it is as easy as it looks. If you haven't seen the Good Garage Scheme ad for yourself, please visit www.goodgaragescheme.com/tv-advert.

To download the Free Good Garage Scheme app for your smartphone, simply visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com/smartphone-app and follow the links to download the free app available for android devices and iPhones. It's peace of mind for the next time you need to find a garage you can trust, wherever you travel in the UK. 

It's like having a friend in the know!

Good Garage Scheme to Appear on SKY TV

With the catchphrase ‘It’s like having a friend in the know’, the latest Good Garage Scheme advertising campaign will run on SKY television from 13th to 24th of May. The advertisement will appear over 300 times during the two week period reaching millions of viewers.

The new campaign follows previous successful campaigns on ITV 1, ITV 2 and DAVE, reminding motorists how easy it is to find a garage they can trust for their next service, repair or MOT. After all, a car is probably the second most expensive item owned by a consumer after the home. Why not shop around for someone you can trust to look after it?

Simply add your postcode or town name to www.GoodGarageScheme.com to find a garage near you. You can then view feedback from previous customers to help you make the final decision. With over half a million feedbacks online and thousands of garages across the UK, there is sure to be a garage to suit your needs.

Anndi Sheppard, Marketing Manager of the Good Garage Scheme, said: “Our previous  advertising campaigns have been major successes in both raising awareness of the Good Garage Scheme and generating business for members. We are confident our latest campaign will help us build on that success in reaching the widest possible audience.”

The Good Garage Scheme was launched in 2006 and is now widely accepted as a mark of quality for independent garages across the UK. Good Garage Scheme garages are recognised as providing exceptional service to their customers based on a rigorously monitored mandatory code of practice. 

Why not download the Good Garage Scheme's free app for the next time you need a service, repair or MOT? It's like having a friend in the know.

Good Garage Scheme Member in BBC Programme

Ajay Gokani, owner Empire Garages

Empire Garages in Enfield, Middlesex has been involved in an episode of the current series, "Don't Get Done, Get Dom" which is due to air on BBC One on 3rd May at 11am.
Don't worry if you are unable to watch it on Friday - the programme will be available to view on BBC iPlayer.

Ajay Gokani, owner of Empire Garages, was approached by the BBC's research team and participated in two hours of filming. As the programme investigated a garage that did not treat a customer fairly, Ajay was on hand to offer advice to viewers on how to best to protect themselves.

Ajay commented, "After the two hours filming, there was a worry that the final version may have only been sensationalist, so it was good that the editors kept a few very important messages to consumers in the brief, edited version:

• Regular servicing is very important
• Use review websites to make educated choices about the garage you use
• Ask what is included in a service. The word 'service' should have a defined structure such as a service schedule

All of these are important messages that have always been endorsed by the Good Garage Scheme."

Even more good news for Empire

Not only are they stars on the television, they have also been shortlisted for the Motor Trader Industry Awards for 2013 and are now in the running for the "Independent Garage of the Year Award". We are not surprised that the Industry has recognised Empire to be one of the best garages in the UK and wish them all the best in the competition. Congratulations Empire!