Racking up 30 years of motor factoring, one might assume there’d be a big buildup to the anniversary, but for Arnold Clark Autoparts Group Manager, Craig McCracken, that’s not his style. In an interview with PMF, he reveals that he wasn’t even aware of the anniversary until a colleague pointed it out but does explain how times have changed and what keeps the motivation strong.
I actually started the interview in an apologetic mood, as I realised that Craig was sitting proudly and smartly in a crisp white shirt and Arnold Clark tie neatly attached – I was in tatty jeans and a poorly ironed chequered shirt.
Craig’s professionalism, aura and respect was instant, but a person of his authority also came across softly spoken, candid and, at times, humorous when asking about his role, company and industry as a whole:
“When you first start a motor factor, you’re only looking two or three years ahead. I actually didn’t know until someone looked at the calendar recently and said: “Did you know you’ve been factoring for 30 years?”
“Time goes by, you don’t pay much attention, but there have been so many changes over the years.”
Not a tough follow-up question, is it? Craig revealed how factoring has changed during the last three decades:
“Deliveries. Thinking back to the early days, we were doing three deliveries per week to places 25 miles away, but now, we have 10 vans that do a ‘rapid service’ – as soon as the parts are picked, they go!
“The downside is that sometimes there may not be much in the van, but, from the customer’s point of view, it’s essential they have the parts quickly. Also, we’ve got to make sure they get the right part, first time.
“Price is important, of course, but maybe number three on the list because technicians are likely charging upwards of £50 per hour, so if we delay the delivery, saving a few pounds for a part is neither here nor there. It’s about getting the customer’s car back on the road.”
Quality and brand names
I was keen to know whether price was ever top of the priority list, but, as a matter of fact, it was something totally different:
“When we first started, it was quality and brand names that customers wanted; however, after a few years, companies starting sourcing parts from outside the UK, and some of these parts were questionable in terms of quality. We tried them, but we had problems; the warranty rates were poor and that’s where, early days, brand name was essential.
“Today, the vast majority of aftermarket suppliers – 99%, I would say – are supplying parts of good quality.”
Of those suppliers, I was keen to know what Arnold Clark Autoparts’ strategy was in terms of picking and stocking suppliers – Craig, not for the first time, gave a comprehensive response:
“Looking back, we would have five different brake manufacturers; at this moment, we have two braking brands as number one and number two.
“We try to make a price differential of around 20%, and we try to do that with every line we have in stock, which means we ‘double stock’ everything, but you need to offer that alternative to the customers.”
Arnold Clark trying to go ‘green’ but pandemic has made that difficult
I was talking to Craig in the midst of COP26, held in Glasgow, so with Arnold Clark Autoparts’ office in the heart of the city, I felt compelled to ask him about how the group is trying to cut down on the likes of plastic and cardboard:
“We go through thousands of screenwash cans every year, but we’ve changed the design to a blue pod that looks similar to one thrown into a washing machine. These still produce five litres of screenwash.
“This takes away cardboard, plastic, pallets and we’ve done away with 13,000 five-litre plastic cans. It’s easier to handle and stock, plus it’s 30% cheaper.”
However, Craig admitted the pandemic hasn’t helped the cause: “We started using reusable seat covers, but we had to go back to single-use, due to the pandemic. During that time, we were forced to buy thousands of plastic container sanitisers, which was quite worrying and frustrating when trying to cut plastic usage.”
Arnold Clark isn’t just looking at itself either: “We’re now focusing on suppliers,” Craig revealed. “We get a BSI audit done with every supplier, so we look at ethical sourcing, anti-slavery and anti-bribery policies etc, and we’re about to add green credentials to that audit. It will be very interesting to see how UK suppliers are dealing with overseas sources.”
Last word
Before ending the chat with Craig, I wanted to know what keeps the fire going after 30 years. Once again, Craig didn’t disappoint:
“There’s always something new; whether it’s buying new sites, bringing new lines or parts in, that’s our main focus, and I imagine that when I’m long gone, that will still be going strong.
“We’re looking at south of Birmingham and Birmingham itself, through either buying another motor factor or building one – if anyone in that area is interested in selling up, give me a call!”
