TMD Friction launches GaraShield software platform to accelerate digital transformation of European independent garages.

Leverkusen/Germany, 01. Oktober 2020. Everything that can be digitalised is being digitalised. Independent garages have to face this reality too. However, until now most IT solutions have actually been implemented in management or administration. On the lifting platform, most digital concepts have proven to be too complex or interfere too much with the garage’s work processes – leaving mechanics preferring not to use them.

TMD Friction is now showing the world that things can be entirely different, thanks to a new software solution – developed in the workshop, for the workshop: GaraShield can be used directly on the vehicle, supports the individual work steps digitally, and offers highly intuitive operation:

• the mechanic will find a clear task description with all the necessary process steps for the specific vehicle model, regardless of whether it is an inspection or a repair being carried out
• GaraShield features an interactive user interface: the work steps carried out can be confirmed with just a click, and vehicle defects and/or faulty parts can be described easily and documented with photos
• Since GaraShield can be integrated into existing IT solutions, this information can be made available in real time to everyone involved: internally to procure the right spare parts and to design the job handover reliably, for example, or externally to inform the customer about the status of their repair at any time

The practical focus of this solution is no accident. British garage owner David Poole, who has an in-depth knowledge of everyday working life in a garage, came up with the idea for the digital tool. “The mechanic working on the lifting platform decides whether a system is good or not,” he says. “If they are impressed by the processes and the handling, then they will be happy to use it.”

TMD Friction aims to make independent garages fit for the future with GaraShield. While increasing efficiency will make an important contribution to this, another much more important area of potential has been highlighted in Leverkusen: new customer business. “As attitudes towards cars change, the fleet business will become increasingly important. Personal contact between the garage and the individual vehicle owners will continue to decline, which means that a key pillar in the customer acquisition process is lost for the independent garages,” says Clement de Valon, Ececutive Vice President Independent Aftermarket at TMD Friction.

To ensure enough business in the future too, the independents also need to win over the fleets, which have very unique requirements when it comes to quality assurance in garages.

“Transparency is essential if the independent garages are to become an alternative for the fleets in the first place. Only in this way can they prove that they have the required qualifications and work quality, which are the most important criteria when it comes to being competitive,” de Valon believes. The fleet managers have also become significantly more aware of costs following the coronavirus crisis. New opportunities are arising here for the independent market to get involved in the fleet business, and their chances of success can be significantly increased by using digital workflow tools such as GaraShield.

TMD Friction is recognised all over the world as a brake expert in the series and spare-parts business. It has therefore long been part of the company policy not only to supply the independent market with outstanding products, but also to share the latest expertise with this market. In addition to technical information, process optimisation is becoming ever more important. The portfolio expansion into digital tools, such as GaraShield, is just the logical next step here. “In doing so, we are remaining loyal to our long-established market,” says Clement de Valon, laying bare the strategy. “This is because GaraShield will be sold exclusively through our specialist retail partners. This way, garages won’t have to get used to the language of IT experts first. We believe this to be another important step in increasing acceptance at the premises and making it easier for garages to seize new digital opportunities.”

More information about GaraShield can be found at https://www.garashield.co.uk/

Photo Caption: TMD Friction_mechanic_1.jpg: Mechanic using GaraShield.

Photo: Copyright TMD Friction, 2020. Reproduction is permitted free of charge; source must be acknowledged. We kindly ask that a specimen copy be sent to us.

Photo Caption: TMD Friction_mechanic_2.jpg: Mechanic taking picture with GaraShield tablet.

Photo: Copyright TMD Friction, 2020. Reproduction is permitted free of charge; source must be acknowledged. We kindly ask that a specimen copy be sent to us.

Photo Caption: TMD Friction_mechanic_3.jpg: Mechanic filming with GaraShield tablet.

Photo: Copyright TMD Friction, 2020. Reproduction is permitted free of charge; source must be acknowledged. We kindly ask that a specimen copy be sent to us.

Photo Caption: TMD Friction_Clement_de_Valon.jpg: Clement de Valon, Executive Vice President Independent Aftermarket, TMD Friction

Photo: Copyright TMD Friction, 2020. Reproduction is permitted free of charge; source must be acknowledged. We kindly ask that a specimen copy be sent to us.

Photo Caption: TMD Friction_GaraShield_Logo.jpg: GaraShield logo

Photo: Copyright TMD Friction, 2020. Reproduction is permitted free of charge; source must be acknowledged. We kindly ask that a specimen copy be sent to us.

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