TRICO has always encouraged technicians to offer their customers a free wiper blade check, whether their vehicle is in for a routine service, or a clutch replacement. While winter may be the obvious time of year to offer it, TRICO Senior Brand and Product Manager Sam Robinson insists that blades are not seasonal products, and that the offer should be ongoing.
An MOT evaluates the condition of the windscreen, as well as the wiper blades and washers that help to clean and wipe it. A vehicle will fail its MOT if its wiper blades are missing, insecure, or in poor condition; torn rubber, for example, is a common fault and reason to fail. For that reason, TRICO Senior Brand and Product Manager Sam Robinson said, “Predictably, this is the busiest time of year for wipers, as motorists prepare for a potential cold snap.
“However, we urge technicians not to take their eye off the ball and to push wiper blades throughout the year – they’re a constant revenue stream for workshops.”
Sam believes that wiper blades are often a “forgotten product” among consumers, as they have “no definitive failure point”. Having them on display, either in the workshop waiting room or the reception area, is ideal for reminding customers that they might be due a change.
To build consumer confidence, technicians can offer some important maintenance tips. Sam advised, “Throughout the year, whenever a motorist is washing their car, they should also wipe their wiper blades with a clean, damp cloth. They should also pay close attention to the windscreen, cleaning areas at both the top and bottom of the wiper sweep, where heavy amounts of dirt can build up.”
Specific to winter, though, there is always one golden rule: “Don’t start or operate wiper blades on a snowy or frozen screen!
“Starting wiper blades on a frozen screen can completely tear the rubber from the blade, and trying to clear built-up snow or ice can put undue pressure on the motor, which can cause catastrophic effects on the complete wiper linkage and motor,” Sam added.
As an OE manufacturer and supplier, TRICO offers a number of solutions to make wiper blade replacement simple and easy for workshops. Exact Fit wiper blades, for example, can be replaced in as little as three seconds, whilst other ranges, such as TRICO Flex, offer consumers an upgrade to the latest beam blade technology.
