Kalimex, the UK distributor of JLM Lubricants products, discusses how offering these products to trade customers will undoubtedly lead to a better bottom line for factors.
The holy grail of any motor factor: finding the best, most trusted, profitable products – those that technicians have on speed dial because they choose them, and they use them – regularly.
But in a crowded marketplace chock full of products vying for shelf space, which ones can you trust to tick your trade customers’ boxes? Once you have that magic list, repeat sales are just one of many benefits. You can introduce other products from the same brand knowing they’re likely to be given a warm reception. It all adds up to more profit for less stress. Introducing JLM Lubricants products…
“The pandemic has heralded an era of uncertainty,” commented Mike Schlup, Kalimex’s Managing Director. “But every cloud has a silver lining. With new car sales plummeting by 33% in 2020 (SMMT data), motorists are keeping their existing cars for longer, and they can’t ignore vehicle faults or breakdown. The independent technician is therefore in big demand, but if they’re to attract and retain customers, they must demonstrate value more than they have ever done before. Repairing rather than replacing is crucial and this is where JLM Lubricants products really come into their own. The range has been developed for the trade, with each product tested by the trade before launch. We have been supplying this range to motor factors for 10 years. Demand has gone through the roof, with sales in December 2020 eclipsing sales of our global bestseller K-Seal, which sells in the millions worldwide. We discovered the following case study from a DPF Doctor member which says more to a potential motor factor about the integrity and effectiveness of JLM products than I ever could.”
Testimonial time
Stuart Dawson, The DPF Doctor at Autotech Cumbria, had this to say: “I recently had my most heavily blocked DPF to date. The Qashqai had been recovered by a breakdown service. The DPF was so badly blocked it couldn’t sort itself, so we had to work in reverse order. Our first step was the JLM 3-stage ‘on car’ DPF clean, so we could bring the exhaust system pressure back down. After completing the assessment, we found another issue which would have caused problems if left undetected. After the DPF was cleaned and the repairs were made, the final step – the extended road test – would enable the car to go back to its owner. Incidentally, the measurements we took after the road test revealed the DPF pressure had gone from ‘off the Richter scale’ to ‘as new’ condition. As always, the results were stunning; we saved the customer unnecessary work which would have potentially cost them at least £1,000.”
This vehicle could have easily ended up at a main dealer with the independent workshop missing out on the business, the motor factor losing the product sales and the vehicle owner facing a hefty bill. The case study is an illustration of why factors should stock the JLM DPF range for their trade customers. It opens a new, ongoing revenue stream for factors and for workshops that have previously had to turn away DPF business.
According to Kalimex, factors are missing out by not stocking JLM Lubricants’ products, and marketing them to their trade customers. The range is all about prevention, cure and maintenance.
Further insight
Darren Darling, Founder of the DPF Doctor Network and Brand Ambassador for JLM Lubricants, commented, “JLM Lubricants make extremely high quality DPF products which, combined with our diagnostics experience, enable us to offer a premium service to our customers. We work closely with JLM too, evaluating products before they reach a stockist.”
Having sold JLM Lubricants products for nine years now, Martyn Escritt, General Manager of Essex Motor Factors, is well aware of how the range can impact a factor’s bottom line. He added, “It’s not uncommon to hear ‘I bet that’s expensive’, followed by ‘Is that all?’ JLM products offer huge repeat business, requiring no secondary sales pitch. Every line we stock has become so successful in the area it’s tailored to fix or improve that our customers are talking to others who then come to us for JLM products. The highly advanced emission systems fitted to current vehicles in the marketplace have major repercussions for many vehicles. Without these inexpensive JLM products, they would simply end up having costly parts replaced to rectify the issue. There doesn’t seem to be any scenario JLM products can’t cover when it comes to DPF running issues, for example, or faults, whether that’s rough running, MIL light on or limp mode.”
Here are the top 10 repeat purchase JLM products ordered by technicians:
- DPF Cleaner
- DPF Refill Fluid
- Professional DPF Cleaning Toolkit and Flush Fluid
- Petrol and Diesel Injector Cleaners
- Diesel DPF Refill Fluid
- Diesel Intake Extreme Clean Toolkit
- Diesel/Petrol EGR Cleaner
- Diesel Extreme Clean
- Petrol GDI Injector Cleaner
- Petrol Extreme Clean
