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An article about Autotech Recruit appeared in this month’s issue of Workshop Magazine, who placed us among 6 of the best companies who can make a positive difference to automotive businesses in 2016.
You can read the article below.
Workshop Magazine, Issue 5 / February 2016
6 for 2016: Six of The Best Are Ready to Help You and Your Workshop
WORKING countless hours with too few staff can not only be tedious but it can also damage day-to-day business routines and strategies and, therefore, cash flow. With targets to meet and cars to fix, sometimes it can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Imagine a world where, if you were desperately in need of a qualified MOT tester or vehicle technician, you could dial a number and order one to be at your business the very next day. That’s where Autotech Recruit can be of assistance.
One of the UK’s leading automotive recruitment agencies, Autotech Recruit supplies technical staff, both temporary and permanent, to the motor industry. To help workshops of all shapes and sizes -from local independent garages to more sizeable businesses – keep on top of the game and ensure they never fall short of staff, Autotech Recruit enables managers to hire temporary professionals.
‘We specialise in contract placements of qualified MOT testers and vehicle technicians for national retail groups, dealerships, independent garages and government organisations,’ said Gavin White, managing director of Autotech Recruit and member of the DVSA Trade User Group. ‘We fill temporary positions nationwide for most of the leading names in the automotive industry, and our constantly growing network of contractors are raring to go and ready to work wherever and whenever they are needed.’
Autotech Recruit also offers permanent automotive technical vacancies on behalf of its clients. ‘Our skilled recruiters have the industry expertise to ensure we match the right candidates to roles which fit their skill sets and requirements, quickly and efficiently,’ explained White. ‘Although our prime focus is to recruit skilled MOT testers and vehicle technicians, we also assist our clients with the recruitment of industry professionals into other areas of their businesses.’
As of February 2016, Autotech Recruit is launching a new Bodyshop Division, which will be headed up by ex-bodyshop manager Simon Fish.
This is now a rapidly growing sector, and the firm is witnessing an increase in the demand for bodyshop professionals -whether it’s from large dealer groups, national accident repair centres or small independent businesses. ‘We’ve been driven towards this additional division and it was certainly in our long-term business plan,’ explained White. ‘We’re always being asked for bodyshop technicians and we have the skills and experience in this sector, too – several of us in the business used to run bodyshops.’
But, in an industry that features many recruitment consultants, it’s Autotech Recruit’s one-for-all, all-for-one business sense that separates it from the rest, ensuring that qualified professionals are always in work and businesses are never short of staff.
‘What makes us stand out from other recruitment agencies is the fact we’ve developed a strong temporary network of professionals throughout the UK – we have about 300 qualified technicians and MOT testers whom we can call on at any point,’ said White. ‘When the recession hit, it was the workshop staff that really felt the brunt, with many being made redundant and others left with workshops to run single-handedly.
‘We picked them up and put them back in employment via a different concept. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) was a little sceptical at first, but it soon saw the benefits – could garages still carry out a quality service or MOT test with temporary contracted staff? The answer turned out to be yes.’
When a garage is in need, it takes just one phone call to Autotech Recruit and it’ll have a replacement within 24 hours – sometimes even minutes.
‘We’ve all been there,’ said White. ‘We’ve run workshops and understand what it’s like to be understaffed while your manager is on your back pushing you to achieve targets – it’s nearimpossible to carry out the work and develop the business.
‘But what we do is solve problems and increase return on investment. If a client calls us on a Friday and tells us they need an MOT tester, we’ll get one to them by 8am on Saturday. It just takes a few phone calls and our clients know we’ll provide a highly qualified individual for the role.
‘According to some of our clients’ figures, losing an MOT tester could cost a workshop £2,000 per day in fees and up-sell work, so coming to us to rent one for a few hundred pounds per day is a no-brainer.
‘Ultimately, that £2,000 will go to a competitor somewhere else if you cannot fulfil the customer’s requirement to service or repair their vehicle.’ He added: ‘Our key aim is to keep people in work and help businesses make money.’