Nationwide Autocentre drives sales through the roof

Nationwide Autocentre is enjoying the most successful period in its seven year history with a 21 per cent sales increase over the last three years, highlighted by a 7.2% increase in sales from September 2008 to January 2009, compared to the same 2007/2008 period. The recent success is an outstanding achievement for the board of directors, headed up by CEO Duncan Wilkes, who took charge of the company in 2005.

As other businesses in the UK make redundancies and tighten budgets, Nationwide Autocentre is investing in people, boosting sales to record levels and expanding its operations to cement its position as the UK’s largest chain of independent garages.

With new car sales falling by 27% in the last quarter of 2008 and further falls predicted for 2009, many motorists are looking to hold on to their cars for longer and consequently take better care of it. A recent report by Mintel states that reliability and fuel consumption are the two of the most important factors car owners consider when making a purchase. This has been a key driver for Nationwide Autocentre’s growth as car owners increasingly recognise the benefits of regular servicing and car maintenance.

Using an overall strategy that provides drivers with the same service quality as franchised dealers at the price of an independent garage, in the last three years the company has:

Increased sales by 21 per cent since 2005

Increase in turnover from £77m in 2005 to £93m in 2008

Expanded with 15 new centres opening in the last 15 months, taking the total amount of centres in the UK to 223

Expecting to replicate centre expansion of 2008 in 2009

Increased customer retention by 16 per cent

Employs 160 apprentices making it the largest independent apprentice scheme in the sector

Duncan Wilkes, CEO at Nationwide Autocentre, comments: “As the economy started to stutter, our strategy became a really strong differentiator. It’s all about the quality and value of the service provided, and by focusing on these issues we’ve managed to sustainably expand our sales and customer base. People are holding on to their cars for longer at the moment but they’re also keen to avoid huge repair bills. Providing customers with competitive prices, while keeping repair standards at the highest possible level is therefore vital.”

Looking ahead to 2009 and beyond, the board of directors remains very optimistic. In the age of convenience customers can’t stand to be parted from their cars but struggle to find the time to book in essential maintenance or repairs. The website that the company has introduced means Nationwide can now give instant and exact quotes to customers on MOT’s, fuel services, inspections and clutch replacements, and allows them to book online. This now accounts for 20 per cent of all retail bookings and gives customers up to the minute information on availability and costs.

According to Duncan the recent growth is set to continue: “We see no reason why the company can’t continue to expand in 2009. Our sales are still growing and we’re always looking to grow through acquisitions and green field development.”

Following predictions that the value of the UK automotive market will fall from £68.4 billion to £65.9 billion, the company is looking forward to further expansion in 2009.

Nationwide Autocentre expects to play a valuable role in the automotive industry over the coming years. By continuing to invest in people, service and value, Nationwide Autocentre looks set to continue its exceptional growth throughout the recession and beyond.