When the motoring aftermarket opens up on 1 July, consumers will have more choice than ever before when it comes to who services their car – which is why it is more important than ever that they understand the advantages of dealing with an accredited workshop.
MIWA’s Dewald Ranft has taken care to educate consumers about what exactly goes into gaining accreditation, explaining that each workshop that undergoes the accreditation is assessed from a variety of angles, from health and safety operating procedures to the premises, equipment, administration, waste removal, stagging, parking facilities, lighting, ventilation, guarantees, insurance, and even staff uniforms. Workshops must, furthermore, prove that their staff is trained to certain standards, while standards are also in place for tools and diagnostic equipment.
Having undergone this rigorous process, the workshop may then apply to be graded. Again, this entails a highly detailed and thorough process based on several criteria, including tooling, administration, house-keeping, business premises, and occupational health and safety.
These comprehensive audits mean that any workshop that has been accredited by MIWA can be trusted to provide consistently high services, quality parts, and administrative support. Moreover, customers are assured of recourse, should they be unhappy with the service they receive. This stands in stark contrast to unaccredited workshops which, sadly, are tainting the industry with an increasing culture of non-compliance. The argument for choosing an accredited workshop is stronger than ever before, according to Ranft.
NEWSFLASH: Look out for our separate Q and A communication from the various workshops that were held around the country regarding the implementation of the Competition Commission Guidelines. Our panel was on hand to answer all your different queries.