Keeping up to date with the latest diagnostic tools and methods has been identified as a key concern for independent garages, according to LKQ Euro Car Parts’ analysis of the response to its recent Garage Services campaign.

Colin Cottrell, Marketing and Central Operations Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts, said: “Our customers are quite right to be prioritising diagnostics – especially when their customers’ vehicles might have been sitting idle for much of this year, which can mask the cause of certain issues.

As well as diagnostics, content in the campaign covered ADAS, air conditioning, carbon cleaning, tyre and wheel balancing and wheel alignment, as well as hybrid and electric vehicles.

Colin observed: “Having the right diagnostic tools can help garages to quickly and accurately identify problems, boosting productivity in the workshop, improving customer outcomes and increasing the likelihood of repeat custom.”

“To help garages upskill in this area, we also offer diagnostics training courses through our AutoEducation Academy – and there’s an inevitable degree of overlap with some of the other service streams that sit within Garage Services.

“Our courses take into account the different diagnostic requirements on traditionally-fuelled and battery-powered vehicles and of course, the need to correctly diagnose any issues that arise from ADAS sensors being out of calibration. It’s important to note that ADAS and plug-in vehicles are key areas to focus on in their own right, as both are becoming mandatory for all new vehicle registrations in the short to medium term.”

Colin added: “Despite an incredibly challenging 2020, the pace of technological and regulatory change in the automotive industry isn’t slowing down. Rather than view this as bringing a new set of challenges, we’re encouraging garages to embrace the opportunity it represents to future-proof their businesses and bring in more revenue.”

For more information, visit omnipart.eurocarparts.com/omnihub