Long-term stationary vehicles and good battery health are not a match made in heaven. We have teamed up with Rotronics to help guide you through vehicle care during lockdown.
Workshops are slowly getting back into operation and vehicle batteries are currently receiving some long-awaited attention, after neglect in favour of other more obvious areas of a vehicle. Battery management specialists and manufacturers are inundated with calls for help, to ensure that vehicles left on drives for long periods of time are brought out of hibernation and are ready for use.
We know, from data via the Rotronics ROBIS portal, with 1.3 million UK workshop battery tests, that at least 40% of batteries need attention and there are over one million battery-related non-starts each year.
How to Increase Customer Satisfaction
Proactively managing batteries as part of a normal routine to:
Reduce battery-linked breakdowns
Increase income by finding failing batteries
Increase revenues with a battery charging package
Minimise the possibility of current battery stock being unfit for purpose
Each vehicle coming into your workshop should have a battery diagnostic check by testing and charging. Using the correct equipment is crucial and your workshop should be fully equipped to maintain customer vehicles.
Help for Your Customers
You can be a great source of advice and comfort to your customers during this difficult time, so here are some useful tips to pass on to them:
- Simply disconnecting batteries will not prevent discharging
- Sulphation and stratification happens naturally when batteries go below 12.4v – this will damage the battery irreversibly
- Faulty batteries will affect fuel consumption and vehicles will use more fuel
- If the Start/Stop function no longer works this is usually due to a poor battery and this may also mean that additional internal consumers may shut down
- There are many issues with using old-style chargers – these are best avoided as they will not solve your customers’ problems
Service & Repair
There are plenty of things technicians can be doing to prepare workshop for when this down-time period is over:
- Keep the terminals clear from grease and gunge
- Any faulty equipment should be repaired or serviced, if there are any signs of wear and tear, this is the time to get your technology in optimal condition. Rotronics can repair and service all Midtronics and Professional (7 amps and above) CTEK diagnostic testing platforms and chargers. Get in touch with the Rotronics team here.
- Power packs should be on continual charge, so that they are operational if required in an emergency
Here is a Workshop Checklist, to make sure that you have an excellent battery management programme to be able to service your customers:
- Can you correctly test EFB and RC capacities of start/stop?
- Do you have enough diagnostic chargers to charge your customers’ vehicles?
- Are you maintaining your stock batteries, to avoid deterioration and suplhation?
- Is all your equipment in good operational condition?
- Will your chargers provide suitable BSU (Battery Support Capacity) to enable software updates?
- Do you complete a battery test on each vehicle entering the workshop?
- Are you offering a battery charging package?
Rotronics will be delighted to help you and your customers through this unprecedented time and help you look after your customers by identifying battery repair and replacement opportunities.
An extended review of looking after stationary vehicles can be found here.
Rotronics has a range of testing equipment which will provide the most up-to-date battery and electrical system analysis, all backed by a comprehensive service and spares package, including the MDW545P start/stop battery tester and the MdX655P.
For charging technology, go to CTEK MXS25EC, CTEK PRO25SE, CTEK PRO120 and Midtronics MCC70.
Extensive advice about diagnostic and charging options can be found here.
Reader Offer: For preferential rates on battery equipment to all those who have read this article, please get in touch with Rotronics and quote the reference ROTRONICSPMMONLINE1.
