Click’s Top 3 Ways To Improve Mental Wellbeing At Work

Happy Employees at work
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week, so we thought we’d offer our thoughts on making sure everyone in your company isn’t suffering from any Mental Health problems because of their job.

It might sound ridiculous but a light breakfast and a morning coffee is a good start!

1.) Talk To People

Well if this isn’t the simplest suggestion ever, I don’t know what is. Nobody likes coming into work on a Monday without so much as a ‘Good Morning’ or ‘Have a nice weekend?’ Be friendly and encourage some conversation. Whilst primarily, you’re at work to do work, that doesn’t mean there isn’t time to talk with your colleagues or employees about more light-hearted matters, it can help to break up tasks and promote a more relaxed mindset.

There’s also the less informal version of talking – performance reviews. Now you may or may not do something like this, but these meetings don’t have to be about looking at stats and figures and targets etc. Use the time to talk to a fellow human being, ask them if they’re happy in their job, is anything preventing them from working properly, what would make them more comfortable? By building this kind of relationship you’re knocking down the wall that makes employees think everyone in management is an android sent from the future to inflict pain and misery.

2.) Optimise Your Working Environment

This one includes a variety of different elements that contribute to happy workers. Essentially, it’s about the comfort you have whilst sat at your desk. Firstly – personalise your desk. A family photo, a little toy mascot, and if you can, a little plant. Do not underestimate this suggestion. They take harmful chemicals out the air, not just carbon dioxide, and increase oxygen levels. This can increase your health, productivity, creativity and add a dash of colour to your desk – just don’t let it die. Try to make your workplace feel like home and have a sense that this is your personal space. This can help you to feel more attached to the environment you’re working in and more stable and therefore relaxed.

Next up – Music. If you play music in your office, then this has been scientifically proven to improve employee attitudes and productivity. If you don’t have a music system, use a radio or put in some headphones.

This last one is crucial for employee comfort – temperature. If you’re always freezing cold, you need to get some heaters in, if you’re always baking hot, get some Air Con or encourage more relaxed clothing. This one can end up costing you some money, but you’d be surprised how much of a negative effect it can have on staff members, especially over Winter if they’re frozen stiff.

3.) Rewards and Appreciation

People go to work for money. That’s simple and to some business owners a harsh truth. But that doesn’t mean they can’t grow to care about the company they work for. If an employee feels appreciated, chances are they’ll want to maintain that feeling by pushing the bar higher and higher. Everyone wants to feel needed.

Incentives or rewards for hard work can be a good way to make staff feel appreciated and keep them motivated. They care about what they do more because it benefits them to care. If a staff member works incredibly hard to impress their boss and receives little or no recognition, eventually they’ll come to work every day, not caring if they completely mess up and that initial effort level will drop. Financial bonuses aren’t even the best option in this situation. If an employee deserves a raise or promotion, then that is up to management to assess. But there are little things you can do to show that you’re grateful for their hard work.

• Go out for a staff meal
• Buy them a small gift or voucher
• Give them an award
• Tell them face to face how great they’re doing

Thanks for reading! Remember – It’s ok to not be ok. If you are struggling with any stress, depression or anxiety because of your job or something else, the first step is acknowledging it and recognising that it’s ok. We’d recommend speaking to your boss openly about anything that is making you particularly unhappy. You can also get advice by visiting the Mental Health Foundation’s website.

For information about how Click Dealer can help independent dealerships to increase efficiency and profitability, get in touch today via 01782 478220, [email protected] or through our contact page.

Independent Dealers Set to Continue Battle For Used Stock

Cars Coming Through Auction
Independent dealers are facing a tougher challenge to source stock as demand grows from franchised retailers looking to make up ground with used sales as registrations of new cars slows.

Market analysis shows that manufacturers are increasingly pushing more ex-lease cars and vans straight back into their franchised networks, taking them out of the open market supply chain.

1link Disposal Network, an approved supplier to the Independent Motor Dealers Association, and which works with companies like Volkswagen Financial Services in its online auctions, says it is seeing more `repatriation’ with a direct channel from manufacturer to the main dealers and bypassing the usual route of being put into open auctions.

Vicky Gardner, Head of Remarketing at the parent company, epyx, said:

“Repatriation is a long-term trend most manufacturers have been following for several years, aiming to strengthen residual values and provide an early opportunity for franchise dealers to acquire the best stock.

“However, the balance of activity in franchise dealerships has recently shifted decisively away from new to used car sales; over the last year, this process has very much accelerated. Increasingly, cascade models for disposal offer the best stock to franchisees on more than one occasion before offering it to other dealers.

“This works for manufacturers because they can achieve the best values and for franchise dealers because they get the best stock.

Significant influence on used car and van sales

“What is interesting at the moment is the degree to which this is occurring. Even lower grade stock that would quite recently have been offered at open sales is now being shown to franchises first.”

She said that this repatriation trend underlines manufacturers’ increased interest in the used car sector.

“Issues that are affecting the new car sector such as Brexit are not within the gift of manufacturers to resolve. However, they are able to have a significant influence on used car and van sales by controlling how and where stock is sold as much as possible. With no obvious end date in sight for a recovery in the new car sector, we expect this focus on used vehicles to continue.”

For information about how Click Dealer can help independent dealerships to increase efficiency and profitability, get in touch today via 01782 478220, [email protected] or through our contact page.

Dealers should plug into fast-growing used EV market says Cap hpi

EV Charging at home
Dealers should be plugging into the used electric car market and getting the message out that a second-hand one makes much more sense financially than a new one as data shows supply, values and demand all rocketing upwards.

Cap hpi says that the second-hand EV parc has grown by more than a quarter (27%) in the past two years alone and that figure is set to accelerate further as more pour into the new car sector over the next 12 months. However, it says the rate of growth in supply is accelerating and when comparing the first two months of 2019 against the same period in 2018 that figure jumps to 30%.

Average used electric car values on dealers’ forecourts are up 14% over the past 12 months.
Among the franchised sector, sales of first registration EVs the fastest growing part of the new car market with Q1 year-on-year sales up by more than 50% in 2019. March saw them hit 100,000 registrations in a single month for the first time.

Cap says it is clear that the impetus for EVs – new or used – will only be boosted by schemes such as the Ultra-Low Emission Zone which began in London last month and will be copied by other cities, plus the renewed focus on cutting emissions. At the same time, the recharging infrastructure is only getting stronger with more points becoming available.

Used EVs offer much better value for money message

Chris Plumb, electric vehicle expert at cap hpi said: “The past few years have seen a steady growth of the new electric cars being registered in the UK, 2018 saw an increase of 14% over 2017 according to the SMMT. This has resulted in more used EV’s entering the market and satisfying the growing demand from the used consumer. Residual values are improving, with some models, such as the Renault Zoe, actually increasing in value in recent times.”

The Renault Zoe continued to perform strongly due to low volumes in the market. An 8% increase in April means that a one-year-old Zoe is worth almost 50% more than it was at the start of 2018 – a rise of around £5,000.

Chris added: “New electric cars can still be expensive to either buy or run on a finance deal with the used car offering much better value for money. The choice of used EV’s continues to grow, and most people will find a used EV that will suit their travel needs and hit the right price point.”

ClickDMS on Standby to Help Dealers With ‘Making Tax Digital for VAT’

The independent dealership performance partner, Click Dealer, has been officially included in HMRC’s ‘Software in Development’ list for submitting VAT returns digitally.

Through its award winning ClickDMS software, Click Dealer is now ideally suited to help dealers comply with the new ‘Making Tax Digital’ regulations.

For dealers over the £85,000 VAT threshold, all VAT periods that began on or after April 1, 2019, are required to be filed via a HMRC recognised platform, either by the dealers directly, or through their appointed accountants. Click Dealer is now warning that time is of the essence for those dealers that have not yet decided how they are going to comply with HMRC’s new regulations.

The main difference ‘Making Tax Digital for VAT’ brings for UK dealers is that the software must be capable of keeping and maintaining the records specified in the regulations. This software must also facilitate preparation of their VAT Returns using the information maintained in digital records and communicate with HMRC digitally via its Application Programming Interface (API) platform.

Times Are Changing

From April 1, 2019, dealers who sign up to ‘Making Tax Digital for VAT’ (or agents signing up on behalf of dealer clients) need software that allows them to submit VAT Returns and keep records of sales and purchases.

In recent times, it has become commonplace for dealers’ records and accounts to be stored digitally, utilising software programmes on computers, tablets, smartphone applications, or even maintaining them through these devices and storing them by using a cloud-based application.

As ClickDMS is already setup and ready to assist dealers with meeting the ‘Making Tax Digital for VAT’ regulations, the independent dealer performance partner can help dealers to comply with the new VAT notice straightaway.

If dealer’s digital records are up to date, ClickDMS will be able to collate and prepare their returns. Via one simple push of a button, ClickDMS displays the return and asks dealers to declare that it is correct, before confirming that they want to submit it to HMRC. Dealers will then receive confirmation that they have submitted their return successfully.

Click Dealer director and head of customer care Pippa Rawlinson, pictured, said: “We’ve been working hard in the background to ensure that ClickDMS is setup to make compliance with HMRC’s ‘Making Tax Digital for VAT’ regulations as easy as possible for our dealers.

Pippa
Click Dealer Director and Head of Customer Care, Pippa Rawlinson.

“The process we now have in place ensures a seamless journey for dealers, who can submit their VAT digitally by the click of a button within ClickDMS.

“Our dealers can rest assured that we will help them every step of the way, we don’t do fear mongering and will work with them to ensure that they remain compliant!”

For more information on how Click Dealer’s ClickDMS can help your dealership to comply with HMRC’s new ‘Making Tax Digital for VAT’ regulations, get in touch today via [email protected], 01782 478220 or through our contact page!

Auction Values Remains Steady For Clean and Well-Specced Vans

Van
Demand for used vans has remained steady and values for clean, well-specced stock are generally holding firm despite extra supply from record new registrations in 2016 coming back.

Glass’s reports that the medium van sector took the lion’s share of auction buys last month. The Ford Transit is still suffering from oversupply but well-presented stock will sell.  Previous generation Vivaro, Trafic and Dispatch, Expert and Proace with the higher trims should find buyers quite easily but lower spec VW Transporters need air-conditioning to maintain demand.

Higher spec sells in the small van sector too which accounted for almost a third of March auction sales but oversupply is hitting some prices here as well. Entry level Ford Transit Connect and Vauxhall Combo values are coming down as availability goes up but in contrast the Ford Fiesta Sportvan is performing well, partly because it is in shorter supply.  Prices are generally stable for higher spec VW Caddy, Ford Transit Connect, Vauxhall Combo, Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner and forecourt-ready Vauxhall Corsavan, Renault Kangoo, Fiat Doblo, and previous generation Ford Transit Connect continue to sell.

High mileage and evidence of a hard life are taking their toll among large vans but short and medium wheelbase vans in decent condition will sell. VW Sprinter and Ford Transit in metallic will fetch higher prices.

Market volume and values up year-on-year

Overall, the March LCV auction market saw around 10,000 units transacted, up one percentage point on a year ago and the average price stood at £6,430, up 1.5% year-on-year. The average age/mileage profile was 65 months/75,000 respectively.

The impact of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London is starting to have an effect on sales in and around there with the lowest emission vans easier to sell but so far the effect is limited geographically to the capital – for now.

A Glass’s spokesman said: “Record registrations three years ago are driving the current increase in stock availability. Additional auction sales across the country are helping to clear the volume. Tired looking damaged or high mileage stock remains difficult to sell with buyers preferring vehicles in showroom condition. Euro 6 stock values in the London area are strengthening, as more buyers become aware of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone. In other parts of the UK, buyers remain happy trading in Euro 5 stock.”

Expect Price Pressure in May but Market Remains Strong

Sales Pressure
Used car stocks may suffer downward price pressure throughout May but trade analysts say the market is strong and dismiss forecasters who talk of a return to the recession conditions of a decade ago as scaremongers.

Last month did see the biggest accumulated monthly drop – 2.3% for cars at the 36 month/60,000 mile point – since December 2015 and the biggest fall in any April since 2011. Cap hpi said city cars and superminis were badly hit, dropping 2.8% and 3.1% respectively; SUVs were in line with the market performance as a whole, losing an average of 2.2% or nearly £300.

Among the other Q1 movers, lower-medium diesels fell out of favour with buyers and saw an average drop of 3.3% – £300 – while petrol variants came down by 2.6%. Hybrids, where lower supply more accurately matches demand, lost 1.3%, or £150.

Derren Martin, head of UK valuations at cap hpi said: “After 18-months of market strength, the perfect storm hit during April. Used values were already high, with little or no appetite by retailers to either push prices to the consumer up or squeeze their margins further, while supply increased from part- exchanges and fleet returns generated by the -19 plate. Buyers that were active took advantage of the situation, offering below previous cap values for the vast majority of cars.”

Access to finance not an issue

But he added: “There has been some scaremongering in the used market surrounding these value drops, with some even comparing to what happened during the recession of 2008 but there is no comparison. There is no suggestion that large price drops are a likely theme from now on. In 2008, access to finance was a key driver – that is not an issue in 2019.”

Looking ahead, Derren said there will be the usual short- term pressure on prices expected this month, saying: “There will undoubtedly be the natural impact of high stock levels for some time to come, off the back of increased supply and lower sales rates in the last few weeks.

“This will likely have an impact on values as we move through May, particularly as demand will be affected by the two Bank Holidays and school half-term. The average movements of all fuel-types in Live valuations during May, over the last five- years, has been a drop of 1.6%.”

For more information about how Click Dealer can help independent dealerships to increase efficiency and profitability, get in touch today via 01782 478220, [email protected] or through our contact page.

Should Having A Black Box Be Mandatory On Every Insurance Policy?

Black Box Tracking
In the last decade, there has been a significant rise in the number of insurance companies who provide the option to have a black box installed.

For most experienced drivers the idea of having a device monitor their driving would sound simply ridiculous, but the majority of black boxes are being installed by drivers under 25. The main reason? On average, a new driver can save over £200 on their policy when they choose to have a black box installed, and due to the ability to regularly monitor your driving style and habits, you can even be eligible for a decrease on your monthly payments – or potentially an increase.

Pandora’s Box

A black box will typically record the following

  • Acceleration – How quickly you accelerate from a stationary position
  • Braking – How controlled you are when braking
  • Speed – How well you stay within the speed limits of the roads you travel on
  • Time of Travel – How late at night you drive

Using advanced telematics and GPS tracking, that little black box is full of really nifty tech. If we’re being honest, all drivers should accelerate gradually and stay within the speed limit, avoid prolonged night-time driving on a regular basis and always leave space to brake smoothly. So, why do so many drivers dislike the concept? Most insurers will have a portal to track how you’re doing in each category so you can see where you need to improve and increase your overall score.

It’s perhaps not realistic however to judge a driver in this manner. Nobody can control other drivers around them or the roads themselves. Sometimes we are forced to brake harshly, exceed the speed limit, and accelerate quickly, not to mention make journeys at night. The black box, however, isn’t quite smart enough to know when to let you off the hook. There is also the feeling that maybe what we consider ‘good driving’ is considered a touch on the reckless side by the insurance company. So even experienced drivers could unexpectedly see a rise in their insurance policy due to a poor driving score, which let’s be honest would put anyone off.

Keeping Your Car Safe

Considering how essential a black box is in a plane crash, it makes you wonder why more emphasis isn’t put on making them a mandatory part of any insurance policy. They can provide GPS tracking in the case of theft, help you learn from bad driving habits and be more vigilant on the roads, and if they were advanced further, they could probably prevent insurance fraud scandals.

Only time will tell if these telematic devices become more prominent in our cars in the future. You can find out more or get a quote by clicking here.

For information about how Click Dealer can help independent dealerships to increase efficiency and profitability, get in touch today via 01782 478220, [email protected] or through our contact page

British Touring Championship – Donington Park Results

Race 3 Donington Park BTCC
It was a challenging weekend at Donington Park for Trade Price Cars. However, Jake Hill showed great determination to turn around his fortunes and finish the final race in 6th place.

The Defending British Touring Car champion Colin Turkington got his 2019 title defence up and running after winning his first race of the season following an incident-packed opening race. The Team BMW driver led every lap from pole position to record his first BTCC victory since Oulton Park last year and jumps up to fifth in the standings as a result.

Unfortunately for Trade Price Cars, Jake Hill was involved in a collision and did not finish the first race. Apparent contact from drivers ahead caused a huge coming together, with two cars out on the spot. Further contact between Ollie Jackson and Jake Hill, who were both trying to avoid getting caught in the melee, meant that they fell victim to the incident.

Looking to recover in race two, Jake Hill had a superb drive. A mighty charge back up the order to finish the second race in ninth position secured a strong starting position for race three. Reigning British Touring Car champion Colin Turkington moved up to third position in the early championship standings after making it two victories from two.

Ending On A High

The final race didn’t disappoint the local crowd, and it was the best race of the day for Trade Price Cars. Jake Hill battled high up the grid after a strong starting position and jostled to keep a grip on another memorable podium finish. Sadly, it was not to be, as Jake slipped to sixth, but can be commended for a great drive as he battled right until the end. Tom Ingram was able to send over 4,000 Toyota employee’s home with a smile after he secured 1st place in the new Corolla.

Mark Blundell completed all three races and continues to gain experience of the BTCC atmosphere, he will be hopeful of making a stronger push in the next few races. Jake meanwhile will be hopeful of replicating the success of Tom Ingram, with a 1st place finish of his own in the next few races. He now sits 8th overall in the BTCC Championship, 23 points off leader Ash Sutton with plenty of points left to play for.

Next up is Thruxton on the 18th-19th May. Congratulations to Trade Price Cars Racing for another great weekend. We can’t wait until next time!

For more information about how Click Dealer can help independent dealerships to increase efficiency and profitability, get in touch today via 01782 478220, [email protected] or through our contact page.

Does Snapchat Have Any Business Functionality In The Car Sales Industry?

Snapchat for Business
Hold on, just give me a minute, I need to take a selfie… Ok, we’re good. Do you or your business have a Snapchat account? Maybe it’s worth exploring how it could be applied to your business and if getting onboard with the current generation’s favourite app, could add a new window to your business.

You’ve surely heard the phrase “A picture tells a thousand words”, I think the truth is we can analyse a picture quicker than we can read 1,000 words. We’re busy people, do you want to read a 10,000-word report on a car you’re thinking about buying? Or do you want to see a gallery of images and videos you can view in 5-10 minutes? There are options available professionally such as CitNow for sharing videos and photos with prospective customers, but Snapchat might add something… More?

Social media is contagious. Millions of people are online, all at the same time, all on their choice of platform. If you can provide a service on a system they already use and are comfortable with, then you’re going to have better results from a customer satisfaction point of view. If you can build up a Snapchat following using something like a paid Facebook campaign or similar activity, you are able to interact with your customers in a unique and memorable way.

What Can Snapchat do?

You can advertise your latest stock, exclusive Snapchat offers, competitions for the best Snapchat, and utilise photos and videos for a customer enquiring directly about a car they’ve seen whilst you talk them through it. This doesn’t require you interrupting your customers busy day with a video call or conversation over the phone. With Snapchat they can view the content you send whenever they’re ready.

I’m not saying it’s THE best way of reaching new customers, but it could be worth exploring, right? Especially for hitting new drivers looking for their first car. In the UK, 1.6 million drivers take their practical tests every year. That’s a major number of potential new conquest customers. Chances are slim that in the huge number of franchises and independent dealers in your area, a healthy percentage will find your website or pop in for a visit. But what if you found a way to get to them first? If you can create a fun and interactive page and then offer special offers to your followers, via a Snapchat promo code, then when they do pass their test and start thinking about a car, they’ll have a good idea where to start looking.

For some awesome tips on using Snapchat for your business, click here for more information on how you can get the most from Snapchat.

To find out about how Click Dealer can help you increase conversions and get the best from your social media channels, get in touch via [email protected] or 01782 454354. Alternatively, you can send us a message through our contact page.

Workshop cameras to be as important as spanners says report

Mechanic
Video will become increasingly important over the next few years so dealers can plug the communication gap between the workshop and customers and build trust, a report says.

One in five at management level believe that managing a personalised video will be a core skill for technicians and a must-have for any dealership which does service work and that their importance will double over the next few years as customers come to expect it.

The vast majority in the industry believe technicians already have the skills needed to video their work but around a third say customers need to be better informed about what is being done to their vehicle and why. Being transparent will generate more trust and help explain to the customer why the garage is charging for the parts and the work being done.

The research carried out by car industry video pioneer, CitNOW, for the launch of its report `Workshop Professional of the Future’ shows just how important video will be.

Communications gap between workshop and customer

Almost a fifth – 19% – of technicians predict it will be in the top three most important skills for a workshop professional by 2025. Just one person in ten thinks technicians will need much upskilling but many more, nearly one in three, believe there is a clear gap in the ability of the dealership and workshop to communicate clearly with the customer.

Ollie Parsons, Head of Sales and Client Services, CitNOW, said: “With technology taking a greater role in workshops each day, the results provide robust evidence to support the fact personalised video is seen by the sector as a vital service, and that it must be part of technicians’ skills sets.
“Our latest report reveals some intriguing findings. With a large percentage seeing video presentation skills as among the most important in the years to come, the ability to communicate effectively is becoming fundamental.”

For more information about how Click Dealer can help independent dealerships to increase efficiency and profitability, get in touch today via 01782 478220, [email protected] or through our contact page.