Great opportunities for workshops willing to embrace change An interview with Schaeffler REPXPERT, Andy Walters Andy Walters, a self-professed golf obsessive and Villa fanatic, joined Schaeffler in July 2013 as a Technical Trainer under the wing of the company’s long-serving technical expert, Malcolm Short. His arrival coincided with the launch of the first LuK RepSet 2CT dry double clutch kit, along with the accompanying IMI certified training so garages could learn how to carry out the repair. According to Andy, the whole topic was ‘mind blowing’ and a ‘baptism of fire for a newbie’! However, it was clearly a subject he quickly got to grips with as now, eight years on, Andy is not only still one of Schaeffler’s renowned REPXPERT technical training team, but he is also now the Northern Sales & Key Accounts Manager. Andy takes up the story:
“Although in 2013 much of our LuK training was, and still is, focused on Dual Mass Flywheels (DMF), the double clutch system was just coming over the horizon, which is why, as a new starter, it was good to get stuck into the latest technology from the get go. “After three years as a technical trainer, I was promoted to become one of the company’s territory managers just prior to the Automechanika Birmingham exhibition in 2016, which in turn provided one of the first opportunities to really showcase the Schaeffler REPXPERT programme and raise the importance of high quality training to a mass audience of technicians – and they couldn’t get enough of it! “Nowadays, in order for workshops to be able to compete with vehicle manufacturer (VM) franchised dealers, and for the long-term health of the independent aftermarket, training has never been more important. As a result, the REPXPERT service concept has become a prominent part of Schaeffler’s offering and, for me, the best thing about it is the sheer quantity and quality of technical information that it includes. “Some workshops really embrace it, using it not just for the fitting tips and advice, but also to find labour times, torque settings and to use the vehicle identification function etc., so it’s really frustrating when I speak to technicians that haven’t signed up for it, especially when it’s totally free!
Embracing change
TRAINING
“As we begin to navigate the post-pandemic landscape, it’s incredible to see how the rate of change has accelerated, as all the talk is now about a future that will be dominated by electric vehicles (EV) and how that will impact the aftermarket. “Although many businesses are nervous and fearful about the future, I believe that by partnering with pioneering companies
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