HiQ budgets £500k to educate UK consumers ahead of tyre labels

ERJ staff report (DS)

Birmingham, UK -- One of the largest chains of garages in the UK is pumping £500,000 into an 18 month education programme to explain the benefits of impending EU tyre labelling legislation, declaring: "This will finally create a memorable tyre shopping experience for millions of motorists."

The HiQ fast fit network believes that the legislation - which will come into effect in 2012 - is the biggest single development to impact upon the tyre retailing industry in the last 50 years. The law will order every garage in the UK to display information about every tyre's performance, including wet grip, exterior noise and fuel efficiency.

HiQ's Retail director Peter Tye said: "We are the only fast fit network to welcome this legislation because our sole objective is to empower the consumer and give them higher levels of service.

HiQ's £500,000 education programme includes:

• Innovative point-of-sale tyre selectors at each of HiQ's 150 centres
• The first retail guide to tyre labelling available via the HiQ online website.
• HiQ Academy's new 'Tyre Expert' programme; including tyre technical training, retail selling skills and an industry first Tyre Labelling Certification module.
• Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) assessments for all 170 technicians to raise standards, through theory based modules and then practical assessments.
• Telephone and video Mystery Shopping Programme including weekly telephone call recordings at its 150 centres.

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Press release from HiQ