Continued Training is the Driving Force Behind Garage's Double Award Win

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 20 July 2016

UPDATED: 20 July 2016

A family-run garage in Long Eaton is celebrating after winning a training accolade for the second year in succession.

                                                          Chris, Andy, Karen, and Anthony at the award-winning Beaconsfield Garage.

Beaconsfield Garage has been helping people care for their cars since 1946. The current owners, Andy and Karen Bates, took it over in 1989 and employ sons Anthony and Chris Wilson as technicians.

Based in Beaconsfield Street, off the town centre end of Tamworth Road, the garage does general car repairs, MOT testing and diagnostic testing.

The garage takes part in a scheme run by training specialists Exponentia who organise industry-recognised qualification courses with exams.

After a certain number of courses have been completed a business receives a Master Garage title award, which Beaconsfield has now received for the second year running. It is the only garage in the town to have won this title.

Andy said:

“We are delighted to have won this recognition, which is particularly fitting after so many years in the business.

“Our commitment to continued training is paramount, both for our reputation and also customers' peace of mind. We are a little garage behaving like a big company.”

The training even extends to administration, which is dealt with by Karen in her front office and reception role, allowing the men to get on with the mechanical work.

“We believe in putting customer services and care as a priority,” she said.

The garage tends to the needs of customers from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire and even a couple from Scotland who have MoT and servicing done on their vehicle while holidaying in the area.

In addition to the Master Garage award, the business has just received accreditation from the Institute of the Motor Industry, the professional association for individuals working in the motor industry.

This allows the garage to service hybrid and electric cars ahead of a legal requirement for such vehicles which comes into effect in January.

Beaconsfield has other accreditations – Approved Garage from Auto Care, the organisation for Independent garages; Motor Code, a Government-supported scheme for self-regulation through consumer codes of practice;, and the Trusted Trader scheme run by Derbyshire County Council Trading Standards.

The tradition of a caring and professional family firm is carried on by 26-year-old Anthony who, although he has a BSc honours degree in aerospace engineering was keen to join the business.

 

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