Winter vision solutions mean more profit opportunities for the trade, as well as safer motoring for end users.
“ With the arrival of Winter, we are now very much into the time of year that we refer to as ‘lighting season’,” explained Richard Armstrong, UK and Ireland Automotive Sales Manager for Lumileds, which is responsible for manufacturing Philips automotive lighting products. “Switched-on factors – and the workshops they supply – should be targeting their customers with winter safety in mind. One of the key safety areas, therefore, is that of lighting.”
In the UK, during winter and often throughout the spring, the weather is much less certain, and driving conditions as a whole are often considerably worse than at other times of the year. On top of this, there are longer nights, and these conditions also bring a notably increased use of a car’s full lights during the daylight hours.
“The trade and motoring public alike need to bear in mind that one of the least expensive proactive vehicle safety measures that can be taken is the installation of a set of quality headlamp bulbs, especially given that poor lighting is an important factor in 80% of all traffic accidents in bad conditions,” continued Richard. “Our eyes let in less light and handle glare less well as we age. Good lights instantly provide better and more comfortable vision for drivers and passengers, and will invariably prove to be the best option in the long run for the motorist, the installer and the reseller.”
Crucially, for factors – and workshops as well – a quality bulb offers a higher margin sale, as well as a substantially reduced risk of early failure and the consequent need for a free-of-charge replacement. This is becoming more and more important, because car headlamps have become more complicated and time-consuming to change. An original equipment (OE) manufacturer’s bulb will not only mean almost zero risk of return, but will also offer a greater profit on each sale.
Other opportunities
It is also important to be mindful of two further sales points. Firstly, car/van bulbs should always be replaced in pairs because if one unit needs replacing, the other is also likely to do so shortly afterwards. It is also important that both bulbs are of matching performance and quality.
Secondly, although the focus is often on headlamp bulbs – because they account for the majority of the cost of lights on a vehicle – it is also vital to make sure that not only the headlights and running lights work, but also that brake lights, tail lights, indicators, spotlights and high density lights are also in good condition.
This is of particular relevance when it comes to MOT time. Year-on-year, the biggest single cause of MOT failures is a defective bulb – invariably between 20- 25% of all failures.
This further highlights the need for quality lighting products. Factors, as well as the garages that have to replace bulbs, will of course benefit from providing a product of OE quality, as the margins are noticeably higher than their low-quality counterparts.
Interestingly, in the motorcycle market, defective lighting accounts for more than half of MOT failures. Therefore, for customers who handle motorcycle business, there is a real opportunity for extra sales simply by encouraging workshops to perform a lighting check as a matter of course.
Further thoughts
Firstly, although it is not compulsory in this country to have a spare bulb kit (unlike much of the rest of Europe), they are an especially good add-on sell for both factors and workshops during the winter because of the short days and the subsequent extra use of vehicle lighting. Advising workshops to encourage their customers to keep one in the car will mean that they not only have the right bulb to replace one in case of failure, but they will also have the replacement instructions to hand as well.
Finally, with the increased hours of darkness encroaching on the working day, the requirement for professional workshop inspection lights with high quality and a long life on a single charge (or set of batteries) also increases. Workshop lamps can make a really good add-on sell, and Philips claims to have one of the most comprehensive ranges available in the UK market. Richard concluded, “The message is very much: don’t go light on lighting this winter!”
