Support

Support our customers through an integrated, unique and more convenient services offer.

Objectives

Integrated
We will have a unified services identity across the Group through:

  • One seamless website, combining Halfords Retail and Halfords Autocentres
  • WeFit services available on demand in garages
  • Integrating the Services booking experience to include nearest available location and timeslot

Unique

  • Offering customers access to our products and services via a unique combination of retail stores, garages and mobile vans complemented by a strong online proposition

Convenient

  • Combining our physical estate with a consistent mobile services offer and increased availability
  • Full roll-out and expansion of Halfords Mobile Expert to give most of the UK population access to our mobile services
  • Future roll-out of garages to reduce average drive time from 30 minutes to 20 minutes

Progress made

  • Acquisition of McConechy's Tyre Service
  • Acquisition of Tyres on the Drive
  • Driving growth and profitability of Halfords Mobile Expert business with higher customer satisfaction scores
  • Building relevance, awareness and value through our new WeCheck services
  • On-demand WeFit trial in Autocentres continues to deliver promising results

Priorities for the year

  • Expand our Motoring Services proposition
  • Swiftly completing the integration of McConechy's and Tyres on the Drive, utilising our best-in-class technology across our Services offer
  • Significantly scale up the number of Mobile Expert vans, growing the size of our fleet to 120 by the end of the year

Case Study

McConechy's Tyre Service Limited

In November 2019, Halfords Group announced the acquisition of McConechy's Tyre Service Limited, one of the largest independently owned chain of garages in the UK with 57 sites and a fleet of 100 mobile vans. With over 330 skilled colleagues providing in-garage services alongside a 24-hour breakdown service for commercial customers, 10 million customers can reach a branch within a 25-minute drive time.

The acquisition is highly complementary to the Halfords strategy, supporting the growth of our services proposition in Scotland and the North of England, an area in which we were under-represented.

The immediate priority post-acquisition was to establish continuity for customers and colleagues, which proved successful. We recognised the significant opportunity for both businesses to learn from each other; bringing the experience and expertise that McConechy's colleagues have acquired in over 60 years of trading into the Halfords Group, whilst ensuring the unique strengths of Halfords, such as our market leading in-garage technology systems, are rolled out to the McConechy's garages.

Case Study

Growth of Halfords Mobile Expert

Halfords Mobile Expert has continued to deliver best-in-class customer service, receiving excellent feedback. We have accelerated the roll-out of our mobile proposition through the acquisition of Tyres on the Drive, which we announced in November 2019. The acquisition increased our mobile 'hub' footprint from 1 to 7 and the number of vans from 8 to 75, giving us access to 80% of the UK households.

One of the great benefits that Tyres on the Drive brings is its proprietary scheduling system, providing Halfords with a strong platform for future growth. Tyres on the Drive has been perfecting this technology over a number of years, enabling their systems to operate in a highly efficient manner whilst maintaining the high standard of customer service.

Our mobile proposition was particularly important during the COVID-19 lockdown, as customers sought to stay at home where possible, and we expect this to continue in the future.

Case Study

Enhancing our in-garage digital operating platform

'PACE' is our proprietary garage digital operating platform that enhances both the customer and colleague experience. We initially rolled out this bespoke software to all of our Autocentres in the previous financial year, with the focus being on front-of-house job management and standardising parts ordering. We have continued to optimise the system and launched 'PACE 2' during the year, which now means colleagues can:

  • ensure a consistent and compliant approach to servicing vehicles;
  • upload images and videos throughout the process, which can be shared with the customer to build trust and transparency throughout the process;
  • see their daily workload move from 30+ sheets of paper to one single digital device, cutting down workload and saving time; and
  • analyse labour requirements in garages, ensuring technicians are correctly placed to manage workflow, efficiency is optimised and training needs are identified.

This system gives us a significant advantage over our competitors. The market is highly fragmented and there is no clear market leader, with many customers citing that trust is essential when they choose where to have their car serviced. The feedback we have received is that PACE has already inspired confidence in our colleagues and helped to build trust between the Halfords brand and our customers.

Throughout the financial year we completed successful trials of this system and have subsequently rolled it out to our entire garage estate, meaning colleagues and customers across the nation are benefiting from this technology.