Auto Windscreens, the independent automotive glazing services company, has commissioned research that shows a fifth of drivers who need to wear glasses or contact lenses to drive confessed they had driven without them. The startling results have compelled the company to urge Fleet Managers to remind drivers of their duty of care to other road users.
Many drivers are unaware that operating a vehicle without glasses or contact lenses, if you are required to wear them is a criminal offence which could result in a £1,000 fine, three penalty points or disqualification from driving.
Nigel Davies, Auto Windscreens Sales and Marketing Director, said: “It is minimal cost and a small amendment to your Duty of Care policy to remind your drivers that they should regularly have their eyes tested and wear glasses or contact lenses, if required to do so, when driving.
“All companies requiring employees to drive on company business have a moral responsibility to ensure all their employees when driving on company business do so in a safe and considerate manner.”
All drivers must be able to read a number plate which is 20.5 metres in the distance. Although drivers have their vision checked when they have their driving test this is only a basic test to check how far you can see in the distance. Drivers are not legally required to have an eye test until they are 70 years old, although it is recommended that all drivers have an eye test at least every two years, even if you think your eye sight is normal.
Auto Windscreens, the national automotive glazing services company, has been short-listed for two national awards.
The company is a finalist in two categories of the prestigious Fleet News Awards 2010. Auto Windscreens will battle it out with AA Business Services, Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions, GMF Support, Autowide and Chevin Fleet Solutions, for the title of Fleet Supplier of the Year.
Auto Windscreens has also been short-listed in the Best Technical Innovation category and will go head-to-head with fellow nominees BMW UK, Ford Motor Company, Goodyear, Traffilog and Trimble MRM.
Earlier this year, Auto Windscreens was named us as the ‘Automotive Glass Company 2010’ by the Institute of Transport Management (ITM). As well the company’s overall service proposition, the ITM’s awards committee recognised Auto Windscreens manufacturing capability, which gives it the ability to provide a complete automotive glazing service to its customers – from manufacture to installation and repair
Nigel Davies, Auto Windscreens Sales and Marketing Director, who will be attending the awards ceremony: “To even be short-listed for a Fleet News Award is an incredible achievement given the hundreds of companies who are eligible to enter. It has been an incredible 12 months for Auto Windscreens, so I am delighted that our achievements during this time have been recognised by the industry in which we operate.”
The awards are being held on Wednesday 17 March at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, which also hosts the annual Q awards and BAFTA’s after party.
Auto Windscreens, provider of complete automotive glazing repair and replacement services to private motorists, fleets and the insurance industry, has been awarded a three-year contract to deliver a complete automotive glazing service throughout the UK, for FMG Support’s Accident Management client base, and also for their nationwide approved bodyshop network.
FMG Support, the UK’s largest independent fleet performance company, recently mandated PAS 125 for its Partner Support repair network, a key factor in the appointment of Auto Windscreens was the PAS 125 accreditation of its mobile technicians. In the past 12 months Auto Windscreens has invested heavily in the British Standard PAS 125 – the industry agreed technical specification for the process of vehicle body repair.
Michael Grant, FMG Support’s Head of Network, explained: “Auto Windscreens’ nationwide presence complements the very way in which FMG Support works, allowing us to manage and gain visibility of all our fleet work, no matter where the vehicle is.”
Auto Windscreens’ Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Davies, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded such a significant contract with FMG Support. Our customer-centric approach coupled with industry-leading training was a significant factor in our success. Like FMG Support, Auto Windscreens is continually striving to improve business performance and that of our customers’ by getting vehicles back on the road as quickly as possible.”
Auto Windscreens has been awarded a two-year sole supplier deal by Alphabet (GB) Ltd, the multi-marque fleet funding company which is part of the BMW Group. The signed deal will see the independent automotive glazing services company supply a national mobile and base repair and replace service to Alphabet’s 44,000 vehicle fleet as part of the contract, which comes after a long-standing and mutually beneficial relationship.
Mark Sinclair, Director of Alphabet, explained the decision to appoint Auto Windscreens. He said: “"Alphabet believes in working in partnership with our suppliers to give the best value and quality of service to our customers. Auto Windscreens listened to our unique requirements and demonstrated a high degree of flexibility in their approach."
Commenting on the deal Nigel Davies, Auto Windscreens Sales and Marketing Director said: “Alphabet (GB) Ltd prides itself on its flexibility in its approach to delivering solutions to some of the UK’s largest companies. Auto Windscreens’ service delivery mirrors this approach and we are delighted that Alphabet has chosen us as their automotive glazing services provider for their customers.”
Workers choosing to stay at home and log on, rather than brave the treacherous road conditions into the office, have resulted in a 700% increase in online bookings for automotive glazing services company Auto Windscreens.
Millions of schoolchildren, commuters and holidaymakers have been trapped at home as the worst snowfalls in half a century struck many parts of Britain. Absenteeism caused by the snow is set to cost the economy an estimated £2 billion.
Nigel Davies, Sales and Marketing Director explained: “Despite our call centre being fully manned during the arctic weather conditions, online bookings for glass repair and replacement have gone through the roof.
“Our research has shown that people choosing to work remotely during this terrible weather are using the opportunity, while being online, to visit Auto Windscreens’ website and book a job through it rather than pick up the phone.”.
Auto Windscreens is expecting the online booking trend to continue. Forecasters said that there would be little respite over the next week as freezing temperatures will continue to grip Britain.
With a renewed focus on local sales, the national automotive glazing services provider Auto Windscreens has appointed a regional sales team. The team will specifically target local and national fleets, motor dealers, bodyshops, plant operators and insurance agents.
A team of nine Regional Sales Executives have been recruited and are being headed by two Regional Sales Managers – Nigel Porter in the north and Lisa Kavanagh in the south. The team will complement Auto Windscreens’ existing 14-strong sales force of eight national account managers and a telesales team.
Nigel Davies, Sales and Marketing Director, explained: “We have identified a definite gap in the local marketplace for an experienced automotive glazing services company with highly trained technicians. Auto Windscreens has a network of fitting centres throughout the UK and an army of mobile technicians to be able to deliver this sought after service. Having the regional sales team will enable us to do business with the many companies who want to meet us face-to-face.”
Established in 1971, Auto Windscreens provides a complete automotive glazing repair and replacement service (windscreens, rear windows and side windows) to private motorists, fleets and the insurance industry.
Novae Insurance Company Limited, the wholly-owned FSA-regulated subsidiary of Novae Group plc has appointed Auto Windscreens as its automotive glazing services provider in a three year deal which will also see the independent glazing company working with Novae to develop a joint online presence.
In addition to private car and commercial vehicles, Novae, who entered the motor insurance market in April 2008, specialises in providing coach and minibus cover.
Auto Windscreens will provide a national base and mobile repair and replacement glazing service to Novae’s fully comprehensively insured policyholders and will service Novae’s bus and coach requirements. Adept in specialist glazing requirements, Auto Windscreen have the skills and experience to replace glass in virtually every motor vehicle including agricultural, rail, plant and marine equipment.
Andy Chesters, Novae Unit Head – Motor, commented: “Novae has ambitious growth plans within the motor sector and we believe that Auto Windscreens is best placed to partner us to achieve these.”
Auto Windscreens, the UK’s truly independent automotive glazing services company, recently lent its full support to the National Customer Service Week (NCSW), which ran October 5-11 2009, by welcoming customers, including private motorists, fleets and representatives of the insurance industry, to its head office in Chesterfield to experience everything from windscreen manufacture to glass repair and replacement and even customer care.
Peter Smith, Equity’s External Supplier Director, who visited Auto Windscreens’ head office during NCSW, said: “The visit really brought Auto Windscreens to life for me. I now have a much more vivid and detailed picture of the complexities and how the business deals with them. Highlights included innovation around tooling, methods and repairs and the quality testing at the end of the production process. The consistently impressive theme was how everyone seemed ‘up for it’, from the people in the contact centre to the guys behind the scenes.”
Nigel Davies, Auto Windscreens Sales and Marketing Director, added: “We take customer service very seriously. NCSW was an opportunity for us to publicly remind our customers and employees that we are committed to getting it right first time at every stage in the business to ensure the best possible customer experience.”
Auto Windscreens have seen repair figures for July and August ‘09 soar with the number of motorists opting for a summer ‘staycation’ rather than heading abroad and taking their cars off the road for the duration. This, together with deteriorating road conditions, have been attributed to Auto Windscreens 16% rise in repair figures, compared to last year. To cope with demand the company has even had to recruit extra staff in its UK-based call centre.
Nigel Davies, Auto Windscreens Sales and Marketing Director, explained: “In previous years more motorists have chosen to holiday abroad resulting in their cars being off the road and therefore less opportunity for windscreen damage.
“There is an estimated £1bn shortfall in road maintenance budgets (AA/Populus panel, 14 March – 9 April 2008 ) and, unfortunately, motorists who have chosen to save money and holiday at home this year are paying the price for that shortfall as the increased number of chipped windscreens we have dealt with will testify.”
Recent figures from a UK tourist survey show that trips taken in England in 2009 were up by more than 7% compared to the same period last year.
If a driver is fully comprehensively insured it is far cheaper to repair a windscreen than replace it. Many drivers do not even have an excess to pay. Where possible Auto Windscreens will repair a windscreen rather than replace it. Book online at www.autowindscreens.co.uk.
Following the ‘summer of the British holiday’, Motorists choosing to have a ‘staycation’, coupled with deteriorating road conditions, have been attributed to Auto Windscreens recording higher than normal windscreen repair figures in July and August this year.
Traditionally, job volumes in July and August for the automotive glazing services company are low as people choose to leave the UK for their summer holiday. However, Auto Windscreens has been non-stop this summer, with repair rates as much as 16% higher than the same period last year. To cope with demand the company has even had to recruit extra staff in its UK-based call centre.
Nigel Davies, Auto Windscreens Sales and Marketing Director, explained: “In previous years more motorists have chosen to holiday abroad resulting in their cars being off the road and therefore less opportunity for windscreen damage.
“There is an estimated £1bn shortfall in road maintenance budgets and, unfortunately, motorists who have chosen to save money and holiday at home this year are paying the price for that shortfall as the increased number of chipped windscreens we have dealt with will testify.”
Recent figures show that trips taken in England in 2009 were up by more than 7% compared to the same period last year. Similarly, outbound visits by UK residents were down by 17% compared to the same period of 2008.
If a driver is fully comprehensively insured it is far cheaper to repair a windscreen than replace it. Many drivers do not even have an excess to pay. Where possible Auto Windscreens will repair a windscreen rather than replace it.
