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February 2022
When it comes to selling cars and maintaining a stellar relationship with your customers for over 80 years, you might think your business has seen everything the motor trade has to offer. For Managing Director, Michael Andrews, the WAS self-funded warranty came as a pleasant and profitable surprise!
If you were to step outside the Warranty Administration Services (WAS) offices and drive in a westerly direction across the city for about 10 minutes, you will eventually pass one of Lincoln’s favourite family businesses. For over 80 years, Andrews Car Centre has been a trusted and established part of our community, supplying quality used cars and servicing to the people of Lincoln and the surrounding area.
Managing the self-funded warranty for Andrews Car Centre for the past 8 years has brought a strong feeling of pride to WAS, given their local reputation and heritage here in our city. We took it upon ourselves to sit down and have a chat with Managing Director, Michael Andrews, the grandson to John H.B. Andrews, who started the business way back in 1929.
So, Michael, why did you decide to work with Warranty Administration Services?
Well, I was receiving no return from my previous warranty company. At the time, they supplied us with insured warranties and I was generally happy with the service. They even paid out what little claims we made, but that in itself was also the problem.
You see we really take pride in taking the time and expense in preparing and maintaining our vehicles to a high standard. So each month I’d spend money putting warranties on vehicles but not making any claims! Then when the warranties expired we never received any kind of money back from the money we’d spent. It was money lost.
The self-funded approach to the WAS warranty delivers everything back to me. The customer, the control over any claim, and, best of all, the expired warranty profit. With the ever decreasing margins in the motor trade, the WAS self-funded warranty provides a new source of usable income into the business.
Also, as we’re holding all the money for the warranty fund in our own accounts, the cashflow benefit is another welcome positive for the WAS self-funded warranty.
Have you found the WAS self-funded warranty more flexible than traditional warranties?
Yes, refreshingly so. If we make a claim that’s not covered by the warranty, I have the option to override it and put it through as goodwill. By using my warranty in this way, I can exceed my customers’ expectations without feeling like I’ve paid out for a warranty twice.
Were there any other factors that drew you towards Warranty Administration Services?
I liked that you were local and your office is just around the corner. I realise it’s not that important where the warranty company is based, but working with local businesses is really important to me. We’ve been in Lincoln for over 80 years, so having our warranty managed by a Lincoln based company is a real bonus.
During our initial conversations about coming on board with us, we gave you details of some of our present clients for references. Did that influence your decision?
The references you provided reassured me about making the change from insured warranty to self-funded warranty. I spoke to six or seven of your current clients, and they all sang your praises and more than one commented how they “wish they’d moved to WAS sooner”.
I especially enjoyed chatting with Simon Palmer, the Used Car Sales Director of the Hendy Group. This gave me a great opportunity to share best practice with a fellow used car supermarket owner, and Simon talking about their 30-plus years working with Warranty Administration Services, definitely helped inspire my decision to use them.
What’s it like to deal with WAS on a day-to-day basis?
I really appreciate their regular visits and communications, and that was something the previous warranty company rarely did. With WAS, sometimes it’s just a simple phone call to see how we’re doing or to advise on any ongoing claims. To have that level of back-office support and experience that we can tap into is a real asset.
I know if there’s a problem, I can ring WAS and speak to someone straight away and get the job done, instead of getting lost in a big faceless call centre.
Michael Andrews
Managing Director, Andrews Car Centre, Lincoln
Useful Links
Read more: Self-Funded Warranty
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