WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE TROUBLE

In a recent article in consumer motoring magazine Auto Express concerning UK callout figures for the AA for 2014, it was revealed that battery problems were not just the most common cause of a breakdown callout, they were more than four times more likely than any other form of mechanical breakdown.

It was a similar story in Ireland, as according to Alliance Global Assistance, a flat battery was the also number one cause of a breakdown callout for Irish motorists during the same period.

Again, in Germany, although the most recent ADAC statistics refer to 2013, the battery is the most common cause of a breakdown callout (33%), almost three and a half times more likely than the next most common, which are the fuel injection system at 9.6% and the ignition system at just 9.2%.
“The lessons to learn from these statics,” says Myles Pemberton, marketing manager for Manbat, the UK’s largest automotive battery distributor, “are two-fold: the first is that batteries are a vital profit driving commodity for both motor factors and workshops and the second, motorists still need to be educated to the importance of maintaining the battery in their vehicle.

“Naturally, of the 427,586 battery related callouts stated in the Auto Express article, not all will require the owners to purchase a new battery. However, many will and many more are likely to be faced with the reality that they’ll have to put their hand in their pocket for a replacement sooner rather than later.

“It is therefore very important that factors have access to good quality batteries for their workshop customers to fit on these vehicles and that they can be certain that their supplier will have sufficient stock to fulfil their requirements, even when the weather is cold as it is at the moment.
“Although some might opt for a ‘whatever will do’ approach to battery replacement, a more responsible – and I might add, more profitable – approach is to supply a quality product that will prove reliable over the longer term.

“Motorists are never going to want to replace their battery, but they’d be far happier to pay 50% more for something that will last three years or more rather than pay a bit less and have to replace it again a year later! So by supplying a quality product, factors can actively help their workshop customers to make more profit and deliver a greater level of customer satisfaction.

“When it comes to motorists understanding how they can get the best from their batteries, workshops are ideally placed to help and advise them.

“Simple examples such as explaining that 80% of battery failures are a result of poor charge maintenance and that their car’s alternator will often not fully recharge their battery during everyday, short journey driving. However, regular mains charging will increase the serviceable life of a battery by two years or more!

“Despite looking like a simple plastic box, batteries are complex and need care, which is why we want to work with proactive factors and their customers to help them develop their battery business and reap the extra profits that will follow.”

For further details, please call Manbat Customer Services on: 01743 218500 or visit: www.manbat.co.uk