Autoglass is the UK’s leading vehicle glass repair and replacement company serving more than 1 million motorists each year – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.With 100 branches located across the UK and a fleet of 1,100 mobile technicians calling on the public at home, or at work wherever they are located. However working in wet weather presents a costly problem and Autoglass needed to find a solution to reduce the number of working days lost each year due to the bad weather.
A vehicle windscreen needs to be changed in dry conditions due to the special bonding agents used and the British weather was making it difficult to keep the technicians out on the road replacing windscreens.
THE SOLUTION
In September 2012 Autoglass appointed Broadview Vehicle Awnings Ltd to address its fleet of vans with an undercover solution that would allow its technicians to keep working whatever the weather. After a product development period between Autoglass and the Broadview team, a prototype was deployed to the first van for trials. A further 10 systems were put on trial in November 2012.
The awning proved successful and a further 200 vans received the all weather canopy in 2013. The Broadview Anexe Pro 1 all weather vehicle canopy is easily extended by a single technician in around 3 minutes and requires little additional storage space inside the van. The car is parked underneath the canopy whilst the technician replaces the glass without rainwater interfering with the windscreen replacement process and entering inside the customer's car.
Broadview have supplied over 1150 units to Autoglass Fleet.
THE RESULT
“We worked closely with Broadview and I am very pleased with the final result. These canopies have enabled us to provide continuous service to our customers in all weather. They are in use on over 50% of all calls and have paid for themselves within 3 months. We have received excellent service from Broadview." Ian Pratt of Broadview commented "We understood the need of the technician to operate in dry conditions. Now the company can operate in poor weather conditions it has improved service to their customers. We are pleased to be assisting Autoglass the market leader in the industry.”
CLIENT FEEDBACK
“Modern glass replacement techniques are highly sophisticated. But up till now we and our fleet customers have been at the mercy of the British weather ...”
