The pathway from efficiency to profitability and then onto growth and expansion, can be daunting for an independent business. Part of the value Fix Network offers its franchisees is hands-on and ongoing support on each step of the journey.
Whether it’s in the intense early stage of joining the network or when franchisees are operating at speed and looking to the next stage of growth, one of the key advantages of Fix Network is its wider resources and expertise.
In particular, its Business Excellence Program is a key part of this ongoing support and aims to take sustainable businesses to the next level. Designed to be a continuous improvement program, it is anchored by three key pillars: financial performance, operational performance, and customer satisfaction.
For Fix Network Head of Business Scott Croaker this gives transparency over key success areas of the business and also a clear understanding of how to improve.
“The Business Excellence Program is designed to merge data driven insights across the critical areas of the business, with operational processes. At a higher level the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) measurements provides indicators about where the businesses could be performing better and identifies the processes that need to be drilled down into to support them in terms of their results,” Croaker says.
“We want to focus on improving their businesses to a point where they’re successful and sustainable. And we do it on a quarterly cycle, because it gives us time to implement any actions, process changes, and for the measurements to be realised the next time.”
Added perspective
Fix Auto Australia General Manager Steve Taylor says one of the most valuable elements Fix Network can bring to a new member is a depth of wider expertise from the support team.
“It’s applying a structured and time-tested process to the business,” Taylor says.
“Some of these small businesses they’ve taken over their dad’s business. It’s been operating the same way for many years, or they’ve decided to go out on their own, but they may not have that shop management experience and the process-driven thinking that you get from some larger shops, or 30 years of operation of the business and best practices. It’s introducing them to new concepts and more efficient ways of processing their work and operating.”
Croaker sees this as the vital new perspective for the businesses to support them achieving their goals.
“I think a way to summarise that is most of these independent owners are so busy working in the business, they don’t have time to work on the business,” Croaker says.
“As Steve says, they don’t know what they don’t know. But we’re able to work on the business and create that visibility and insight for them in terms of what they may need to change.”
Data driven
“One of the critical steps towards business excellence is the use of performance data,” Croaker adds.
“The other great benefit we’ve got is industry and network benchmarking, because we’ve got the same sort of viewpoint across all our businesses that we can say, there are some areas that we can improve.
“We need to make sure that our shops have the same level of data, clarity, and insights into their business to be able to make decisions and improve sustainability. And of course, Steve and his team, being in the shops and seeing how they operate differently, can share those best practices across the network.”
“Last year we hired a data and network performance manager who oversees the collection and aggregation of all of the information and builds bespoke performance reporting based on feedback and engagement with the network.”
Fix Network Data and Network Performance Manager Trent Davey is the man tasked with this and says he’s excited to be part of the evolution of the Business Excellence Program for Fix Auto and Novus Glass.
“This initiative is all about strengthening the network and providing tools that help our franchisees thrive,” Davey says. “I am passionate about creating programs that drive success and performance so it’s a great opportunity to be part of developing this program and to work closely with the franchise network. I look forward to the value we will provide in 2025 and beyond.”
The start of the journey
Steve Taylor details how this data is turned into action on the whole journey with the network from joining to increased capacity.
“First and foremost, we need to ask ourselves: what steps must we take to ensure the shop is profitable? The answer lies in the data,” says Taylor. “If the shop isn’t profitable, we then focus on identifying the key areas we can address to turn that around.”
Taylor’s team will look at a wide range of inputs such as work sources like insurer contracts, and workshop consumables, like spare parts supply and how the network can advise and help.
“Then we look at their flows and average repair times. Are they quoting enough labour on the work, are they always just putting spare parts on it?”
Fix Network’s relationships with insurers across Australia is also a strength they can leverage.
“We then help from an operational perspective through guidance on how to increase their volume through the door. We look at their quoting methodologies. We do a pretty intensive audit. Then we spend time with the estimators, the business owner, the production manager demonstrating how to increase their speed through their shop, how to increase productivity, and how to identify the best options for the car and the shop as well.”
Change and the journey
Part of the initial process with a new member includes inducting and instructing every member of staff. Taylor says any initial reticence to change can normally be overcome with a hands-on approach in the workshop. Showing the benefits of how the changes work is a powerful agent for change.
“We get buy-in from the staff,” he says. “It’s hands on and physically in the shop. We’re writing quotes together, we’re identifying, we’re talking through that, the marking up of cars. In the whole process, we’re not asking them to work harder, just smarter.”
What customers want
Under the Business Excellence Program, customer feedback also becomes a vital resource to improving business.
“All of our customers that come through our network receive an NPS survey to get feedback on their experience with a focus on service, quality and communication. The results of these surveys are used as part of the Business Excellence Program to identify opportunities to drive improvements with our network,” Croaker says.
“We monitor and review the responses. The high-level reporting that we put into the business excellence program provides us with trends and insights to help pinpoint broad areas of challenge and define and review processes to enhance their customer experience processes.”
This also includes the need for the shop to more effectively and fully communicate with the customer about any issues.
“The biggest key here, it’s all about managing the customer’s expectation,” Taylor says. “Explain to your customer each and every time, this is the type of car you’ve got, this is how long we need for the repairs.”
The program can deliver optimal results, a satisfied customer that reflects well on the workshop and the insurer.
“And what comes out the end of it all, is we end up with a beautiful word called trust,” Taylor says. “We’ve got trust from the insurer; we get trust from our franchisee. Without trust, you can’t do anything.”
This position is the perfect launch pad for increased growth.
“And that’s where we come back in from a business excellence perspective. We’re not there every week, but we are talking a lot on the phone, and we’re onsite every quarter to go through and look at the data. What’s the data telling us, and at that stage where they can then adjust and tweak and support them through that whole journey.”
Croaker agrees this element of mutual support and benefit is a crucial ethos of the network and its adoption of family values. Meeting the high standards of quality and efficiency can be the avenue to further expansion.
“It’s an important part of our growth and our strategy is we’re only as strong, from a network point of view, as our weakest link,” Croaker says.
“We ensure that all our shops are at that point, that we’re comfortable to be able to then advocate for them to insurers and work providers.”
The network can then tailor a growth plan dependent on the individual and the business environment, with some of its successes demonstrated by businesses expanding into multi shop operations.
Clear and shining path
Another major part of Fix Network’s business that has benefitted from the Business Excellence Program, is leading automotive glass repairer Novus Glass. The fast-evolving business, acquired by Fix Network in 2017, now has 52 glass outlets across Australia and is a leader in adapting to the rapidly changing technology of replacing and repairing windscreens.
Croaker says the Novus Glass journey has had its challenges, but the network is now in a great position to further develop its market leading position.
“It’s been a big focus of ours to reinstall that trust,” he says. “We’ve reengaged the network, we’ve elevated our performance, and we’ve invested in our team to make sure that we’re providing them with the support, the marketing and the work provision. The Business Excellence Program can then take it to that next level. Traditionally, the franchise was about becoming part of the national brand, getting that work provision but we want to go that step further and ensure that they’re sustainable, that they’ve got the right practices, and that they understand how to get the most out of their business.”
Novus Glass Australia General Manager, Jack Parkinson explains “Novus Glass is empowering independent Autoglass businesses with the tools, infrastructure, and support they need to grow and succeed, all under the strength of our united brand”.
“We have a vast amount of resource and infrastructure through Fix Network that comes from a global viewpoint, looking at operations of over 2000 shops and turning that into data driven outcomes. In addition, we share a close working relationship with the New Zealand business which is a very strong market for Novus so being able to utilize and connect with other countries has been fantastic”.
For Parkinson the Business Excellence Program is a resource that sets the businesses up for the future.
“This kind of program is imperative to be able to run an effective glass business in 2025,” he says.
“Like collision, the margins have tightened, and a large majority of the work is switching to insurance. To be in the insurance business, you have to be on direct work supply agreements, which Novus is. To do that you’ve got to have competitive pricing, and you’ve got to be able to differentiate from competitive brands. Where the Business Excellence Program comes in is being able to support the network as a corporate partner, to make sure that we’re assessing, monitoring, and staying on top of the financials, and then all the operational practices that go on within those businesses so that we can make sure they’re maximizing their processes to increase efficiency and sustainability.”
For Parkinson this is the logical next step to best utilise and develop the strengths of the network’s individual members: outstanding customer dedication, quality work and business loyalty.
“Similar to Fix Auto, our franchisees have got skin in the game. It’s their business on the line, so from an end product point of view, we absolutely smash it.”
For more information, please visit www.fixauto.com or www.novusglass.com