This article is the result of one of our trade customers, my local garage, asking for tips on how to promote some of the JLM Lubricants’ products we supply to them. Many of the products are for trade use only. For example, the DPF Cleaning Toolkit which will clean a fully blocked DPF without having to remove it. However, other JLM products are designed to prevent problems from recurring and are simple to apply. This makes them ideal for a customer to use in between having their car serviced.

Crucially, it also builds a steady income stream for garages with repeat purchase patterns establishing quickly. The advantage for customers is measurable. If they want to avoid unnecessarily high repair bills, they should embrace the preventative regime recommended by you, their trusted technician. And all that’s needed is to unscrew the cap, apply the product to the fuel tank and drive. What’s more, you benefit with ongoing product sales whilst retaining a customer’s business for servicing, ad hoc repairs and MOTs.

Why is this prevention- after- cure regime so important?
If we look back at 2020 and make predictions for 2021 based on this, the pandemic has caused a major shift in driving and buying behaviours in the automotive sector. For starters, an existing car is no longer a bargaining chip for the shiny new model that’s been admired for several months. The goal now is to keep the trusty steed on the road for longer, ideally minus big repair bills, but that’s easier said than done. Regional, and national lockdowns have resulted in more of us working from home and our driving patterns have fallen into the stop-start short journey groove. For two car households one car is often left on the drive for weeks on end before being taken out for a short spin. Vehicle servicing has been put off as have MOTs resulting in poorly maintained vehicles eventually presenting at workshops with all manner of problems including blocked DPFs. This looks set to continue.
    

One thing is for certain, the skilled independent garage mechanic will be more important than ever. Those mechanics recommending trade trusted, high-quality additives in-between vehicle workshop visits will keep their customers workshop bills down plus their car on the road for longer. Whereas in previous years, a mechanic might have been sceptical about using these products, what we’re now seeing is a wholesale buy in. The products and the brand must be right though, which is where JLM steps up to the mark. JLM products are first and foremost developed for the trade. So, this brings me back to the request from my garage namely how to market JLM products that complement the work they’ve already completed?
    

Let’s take the example of a vehicle presenting with a blocked DPF. If the mechanic uses JLM products as my local workshop does, then after diagnosing the cause of said blockage and making the corrections, he will use the JLM professional toolkit to completely clean the DPF in situ. The customer is happy especially if they have already been quoted telephone number costs for a new DPF (not needed) from the main dealer. The significantly smaller bill for cleaning the DPF will be appreciated. Money-saving and a big tick for the environment too. Repaired not replaced, minimum fuss, minimum downtime. Alas, the motorist then goes away and continues the stop- start, short journey driving, occasionally taking the car for a blast on the dual carriageway believing this will prevent the DPF from blocking again. As those in the trade know, it won’t work. Eventually the problem will recur. At the next service or as is more likely before then, our motorist takes their car back to the garage, mistakenly believing that the technician did not do the job correctly first time round. But he did.

Let’s rewind to what should have happened instead…
When the customer collected their vehicle, delighted with the service and the more-than-fair bill, their mechanic explained that if they were going to continue the pattern of stop-start, short distance driving for the foreseeable future the problem would recur. This could be easily prevented however. Purchasing four bottles of the appropriate JLM professional additive, to be applied regularly in the future, will keep the engine and exhaust system clean.
    
JLM products are part and parcel of the high value customer service a mechanic provides because driving patterns have changed. And this has required a shift in focus from replace to repair and to prevention – with the focus on prevention in between workshop repairs, MOTs, and services.

Top five
Here are the Top 5 JLM Lubricants’ products to promote and sell to your customers on this basis.

1: Diesel Extreme Clean
As the JLM flagship in-tank additive, Diesel Extreme Clean represents superb value for money. Combining multiple top products in the range such as the platinum and cerium-based diesel particulate filter cleaner this is the ultimate all vehicle health check and power booster.

2: Petrol or Diesel Emissions Reducer
Formally known as the JLM Catalytic Exhaust Cleaner, this is the perfect preventative solution for the consumer. After any service, four cans can be sold to the customer to add every three months (depending on mileage). This will keep the engine in top condition, reducing emissions and improving fuel economy. It also acts as a reminder that it’s time for a service when the last can has been used! Because the diesel version has a cetane booster and the petrol version has an octane booster it is an easy added value sell for hot hatchback and sports car customers.

3: Turbo Cleaner
Often the crucial part of a vehicle that’s taken for granted, until it goes wrong that is and the customer is faced with a hefty bill. Modern turbos will be kept clean and provide the power boost they are intended for with this in-tank additive. With tighter emission controls always looming this is another great pre-MOT product.

4: Petrol Extreme Clean
We must not forget the petrol car owner, and thankfully JLM has also covered this. It’s a multi-product treatment in a single dose and I can offer my personal recommendation after clearing an engine fault light on my Hyundai Coupe. With a single dose, power was restored within 48 hours and the warning light was cancelled.

5: Petrol GDI Cleaner
This is one of the newest products in the range and is already proving itself a winner. It targets direct njection engines precisely with a unique and proven formula, which also cleans non-direct injection engines. Customers should buy between three and four treatments a year from you to help prevent costly GDI injector failures.

For more information visit www.jlmlubricants.co.uk