Mekonomen’s workshops affiliate to trade agreements governing repair conditions
All workshops in the Mekonomen car service chain will become affiliated to the Swedish Association of Vehicle Workshops (SFVF) trade organisation, which entails that they will comply with the trade agreements governing repair conditions. Jointly with Konsumentverket (the Swedish Consumer Agency), SFVF has prepared “Verkstadens Reparationsvillkor” (the Workshop Repair Conditions documents) in order to create more clear-cut and uniform conditions for the workshop industry.
The agreement governing repair conditions includes the clarification of concepts and the instructions to be followed by workshops. The workshops must also have adequate expertise, equipment and use approved spare parts.
“For us, it is obvious that our workshops undertake to comply with the guidelines initiated by the industry. More transparency and clear-cut conditions will improve the relationship between workshop and car owners. We hope that more of our competitors will join and participate in improving our industry,” says Madeleine Westerling, Chain Manager of Mekonomen Bilverkstad (Mekonomen Automotive workshop).
“It feels highly reassuring that the SFVF’s and the Swedish Consumer Agency´s “Verkstadens Reparationsvillkor” (Workshop Repair Conditions document) have moved in a positive direction and that Mekonomen has decided to affiliate its workshops. It has now been confirmed that the industry needs a workshop association that focuses 100 per cent on workshop issues. It feels very gratifying to receive confirmation that SFVF is focusing on the right issues for its members,” says Bo Ericsson, Managing Director of SFVF.
Since many workshops in the large workshop chains already maintain high quality, affiliation of these workshops will not entail any major changes. The aim of the trade-agreement initiative is to reach the smaller groups of workshops, individual and chain-affiliated, that do not maintain the same quality and who have a negative impact on the entire industry.
“Our customers must feel safe in their choice of Mekonomen - regardless of which Mekonomen workshop they choose. In order to operate under the Mekonomen brand, high demand is placed on quality and the degree of service, and the continuous quality work conducted at Mekonomen has resulted in workshops being expelled from the concept when they do not demonstrate the measures necessary to reach up to the demands of the brand and the customers. Accordingly, all of our workshops have to achieve the standards stated in the trade agreement already today”, says Håkan Hedberg, Managing Director of Mekonomen Sweden.
For further information, please contact:
Håkan Hedberg, Managing Director of Mekonomen Sweden +46 (0)8 464 00 00
Madeleine Westerling, Chain Manager of Mekonomen Service Centre +46 (0)8 464 00 00
About SFVF
SFVF is an industrial association with 1,400 affiliated workshops that cooperate with authorities, workshops and other companies in the Swedish automotive aftermarket. We monitor, inform and are involved in influencing regulations, laws and overriding decisions in the industry to improve conditions for both car owners and workshops.
About Mekonomen
Mekonomen makes CarLife easier through a broad and easily accessible range of affordable and innovative solutions and products for consumers and companies. We are the leading car service chain in the Nordic region, with proprietary wholesale operations, about 150 stores and 1,000 workshops operating under the Mekonomen brand. www.mekonomen.se
