2010 - much to deliver and achieve

Happy New Year and I'd like to wish you a prosperous 2010.

With the new year comes new challenges and initiatives for the Motor Codes team and the operation of the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair. I thought it'd be a good idea to share some with you.

• OFT Approval

Gaining full approval status from the Office of Fair Trading is a priority for the team. Only Consumer Survey feedback stands in our way now - so we're working hard with our subscribers to demonstrate that Motor Codes garages are generating sufficient levels of consumer feedback through the Surveys.

I appreciate this is sometimes easier said than done, so we are using this flyer to encourage customers to get involved http://tinyurl.com/y95fpcf

I'm told by those that are already using it that it's working well!

• Consumer Surveys

Customer completion of the Survey not only satisfies the OFT and gets us approved but also generates the unique Garage Rating which subscribing garages can use to demonstrate to all how good customers think they are (the Survey is available either online at http://www.motorindustrycodes.co.uk/ or by hard copy, free post via the Brief Guide leaflet).

A subscribing garage requires 10 Survey returns for the Garage Rating to appear on their dedicated web page that potential customers are viewing when looking for a trustworthy local garage to use, have a look at the following link for a good example http://tinyurl.com/yazzw29

Even better, garages can add to the standard information and make good use of their web page as an online advert for their business - have a look at what can be done by adding some supporting text and a photo http://tinyurl.com/ycaw42l

• Weber Shandwick

Following discussions with a few PR agencies towards the end of 2009, we have now appointed Weber Shandwick to run a number of national campaigns throughout 2010 aimed at raising awareness of the Code and influencing consumer choice in garage. These campaigns will focus on directing motorists to the Motor Codes website to gain information on the Code, Code subscribers and ultimately searching for a local garage to use through the Garage Finder facility.

In addition there is much work going on behind the scenes to ensure we continue to drive the Code initiative forward and I'll keep you posted on significant developments as they happen, have a look at this summary paper which provides a little more detail http://tinyurl.com/y9hanxm

All the best

Chris