October/November 2018
The bimonthly newsletter of the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association
Budget brings mixed news The BVRLA has welcomed the government’s decision to conduct an urgent review into the impact the new WLTP emission standard could have on Vehicle Excise Duty and company car tax.
based regime for Van VED. In the Budget, it confirmed that this would not happen before April 2021.
The recent Budget announced that the review would report back in time for the Chancellor’s 2019 Spring Statement. Separately to the Budget, the Treasury has confirmed that it is examining WLTP’s impact on the emissions thresholds used when calculating capital allowances and the lease rental restriction. Commenting on the news, BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney urged the government to publish a new set of tax bands as soon as possible: “It is vital that fleets and company car drivers are able to plan for the future, confident that they are working with more accurate emissions information and a fairer tax regime that rewards those who choose cleaner vehicles.”
The uncertainty around WLTP has also persuaded the government to put off any decision to introduce an emissions-
“This decision to postpone a CO2-based Van VED regime is great news for fleets,” said Keaney. “Tax incentives can be a very powerful tool in driving businesses “The government to use cleaner is in danger of vehicles, but it is undermining its no use having own Road to Zero these until we strategy.” have enough low-emission Gerry Keaney van options on the market.” u
The BVRLA expressed dismay at the Chancellor’s failure to use the Budget as an opportunity to bring forward the 2% company car tax rate for electric vehicles. Gerry Keaney commented: “The Chancellor chose to ignore the overwhelming voice of fleets, motoring groups, business organisations, environmental groups and MPs – all of whom were united in calling for this simple tax measure to support the electric vehicle market.”
YOUR ASSOCIATION Gerry’s note: Uncertainty prevails 3 Welcome to the BVRLA family 4 BVRLA welcomes fleet operators 5 Expanding our team 5 Kate reflects on 20 years at the BVRLA 6 A voice of influence 8 In the spotlight: media coverage 14 LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT Industry Outlook Conference 7 What’s new in L&D? 11 New training consultant 11 e-learning subscribers reach 1,000 12 Member’s view of e-learning system 12 SECURITY & INSIGHT RESEARCH BVRLA research ramps up
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REGULATION & COMPLIANCE A positive customer experience Ask Adam
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SOCIAL & NETWORKING Get social on social media
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THE BVRLA TEAM • THE BVRLA TEAM • THE BVRLA TEAM • THE BVRLA TEAM
Chief Executive: Gerry Keaney Secretary to the Chief Executive: Kate McLaren Management Accountant: Bharti Ladwa Accounts Assistant: Melanie Richardson Director of Communications & External Relations: Toby Poston Public Affairs Manager: Rachael Hewish Research & Insight Manager: Phil Garthside Media Relations & Communications Manager: Andrea Davies Marketing & Communications Executive: Tamsin Stuczynska Director of Member Services: Nora Leggett Events Manager: Fran Hampson Member Services Executive: Laura Birdsey Learning & Development Programme Manager: Ina Hobden Training & Development Administrator: Tessa Warn Director of Policy & Membership: Jay Parmar Membership Manager: Greg Theaker Senior Compliance Officer: Adam Holt Compliance Officer: Hayleigh Clayton Compliance & Membership Co-ordinator: Diane Alexander CRM Data Manager: Robert Burford Senior Policy Advisor: Jinmi Macaulay Government Affairs Manager: Paul Thompson Legal & Policy Executive: Amanpreet Kalu Operations Manager: Amanda Brandon Conciliation Service Manager: Sallie Catchpole Conciliation Service Officers: Stephen Dix Sarah Philp Laura Pite Mairead Sullivan
Gerry’s note: Uncertainty is the new certainty for company car drivers The recent Budget was one of the most transport-focused fiscal events in recent history. The Chancellor announced hundreds of millions of pounds for public transport and ‘future mobility zones’ and froze fuel duty and VED for hauliers.
vehicles. This is bad policymaking, but at least it provides hard facts our industry can act on.
There was also good news for the UK’s road infrastructure, where he allocated extra cash for pothole repairs and ring-fenced future VED revenues for motorway upgrades.
The government’s review of this area needs to be swift and considered. Over the last six months we have spent many hours with Treasury policymakers, making sure that they understand our industry’s needs and how we can deliver positive outcomes for UK transport and society as a whole.
Unfortunately, there was precious little support for the company car drivers using these roads. The urgent needs of fleet managers and people that drive for business were ignored, for now.
It is the lack of certainty around the new WLTP emissions standard and what this means for future VED and company car tax that is keeping BVRLA members and their customers in dangerous limbo.
It is time for the government to deliver. u
Many have criticised the government’s own goal in reducing the Plug-In Car Grant and not bringing forward company car tax incentives for electric
Gerry Keaney, BVRLA Chief Executive
British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association River Lodge, Badminton Court, Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP7 0DD Tel 01494 434747 Fax 01494 434499 Email info@bvrla.co.uk Web www.bvrla.co.uk © COPYRIGHT BVRLA 2018
BVRLA News articles may be used copyright free by members provided that an acknowledgement is given. Chairman Matt Dyer Vice-Chair Nina Bell Honorary Treasurer Brian Back | October/November 2018
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YOUR ASSOCIATION
Welcome to the BVRLA family Since the previous edition of BVRLA News was published, the association has welcomed 30 new members: 16 Corporate members, ten Leasing broker members and three Associate members
Corporate members
4x4 Vehicle Hire UK Leicester Bunk Campers Belfast Choice Vehicle Rentals Eastbourne David Spear Commercials Tredegar Fitzrovia Cars Birmingham Gowrings Mobility Group Thatcham Hireco TL Stanford-Le-Hope JusDrive London Proximo Chester RCP Vehicle Hire Haddenham Red B Rentals Motherwell Seymour Hire Maidstone Sheffield Van Hire Sheffield Triangle of Chesterfield Chesterfield Value Van Rental UK Antrim Worksop Van Hire Worksop
Leasing broker members
Colour Car Sales Complete Vehicle Leasing Eco Fleet UK Eyebury Trucks LV Cars Nationwide Vehicle Leasing Newfleet.co.uk Ringways Hire and Leasing SSE Vehicle Management Thinkvans.com 4
Manchester Southminster Cheadle Wellingborough Dudley Sandbach Littlehampton Leeds Romsley Barry
Associate members Trakm8 Birmingham www.trakm8.com Trakm8 is a leading provider of telematics, vehicle cameras and fleet optimisation to vehicle leasing companies. With more than 250,000 live devices, its products can be supplied as co-branded, or branded as the leasing company’s own solution. Trakm8 is one of the only telematics providers that designs and manufactures its devices in the UK.
Recognised as one of the UK’s fastest-growing trade associations the BVRLA now has over 950 organisations in membership. “ 91% of members say that the BVRLA provides status and credibility to their organisation”
Paxen Gloucestershire www.paxen.co.uk Led by Managing Partner Andrew Smith, a well-recognised and highly regarded figure in FCA motor finance, Paxen are providers of bespoke and tailored compliance and management consulting services to FCA-regulated firms, specialising in motor finance and leasing compliance, audit, training and consulting services.
BVRLA members buy nearly half of all new vehicles sold in the UK, support around 465,000 jobs and contribute nearly £49bn to the economy each year
– 2018 Member Survey
autoXP Oxfordshire www.autoxp.co.uk Whether you are looking to start your own rental business, develop a dealer-based rental proposition or indeed want to simply manage your own vehicle assets, autoXP has the expertise and technology to help. Our team at autoXP have significant experience in providing management and administration services to major automotive manufacturers and their dealer networks. We also support outsourced sales team management.
BVRLA members operate a combined fleet of almost 5 million cars, vans and trucks October/November 2018 |
YOUR ASSOCIATION
Expanding our team
BVRLA to welcome fleet operators in 2019
Champion your association by helping to promote the value of membership and join us in welcoming fleet operators to the BVRLA family
The association is broadening its membership to invite fleet operators to join the BVRLA family. Having represented the fleet sector for over 50 years, BVRLA members, with the support of the board, have agreed that it is a natural organic evolution to invite fleet operators into membership.
Did you know? › The BVRLA is one of the UK’s fastest-growing trade associations. › Today there are 950 organisations in membership at the BVRLA. › Members are collectively responsible for almost 5 million vehicles on UK roads. › Members buy 83% of all UK-manufactured vehicles sold in the UK. › Members buy almost 50% of all new vehicles sold in the UK.
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Committed to making the voice of the fleet sector more impactful, the association will continue to collaborate with other trade bodies, media partners and the wider industry to further increase the sector’s influence, working hard to ensure that the voice of fleets is heard loud and clear when policymakers are making decisions that affect the industry. BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney said: “The issues faced by the industry have never been more complex. “By representing car, van and truck fleet operators, we are in a unique position to strengthen our industry representation, provide deeper industry insights and be a louder voice of influence when protecting the interests of the fleet sector.” u
The BVRLA is continues to expand its workforce as plans to strengthen internal capabilities across policy, communications, training, governance and compliance forge ahead. The most recent new members of the BVRLA team are Ina Hobden and Tessa Warn, both of whom have joined the training and development team led by Director of Member Services Nora Leggett. Ina Hobden joined the BVRLA in November to take up the role of Learning & Development Programme Manager. An experienced L&D professional, Ina previously worked at an engineering education consultancy, where she developed several bespoke learning management systems and facilitated large amounts of accredited training. She has a proven track record of pioneering new ideas within the L&D function and is looking forward to working with members to support their professional development. Tessa Warn joined the BVRLA in September, taking up the newly created role of Training & Development Administrator. Reporting to Ina, Tessa will be supporting members with their training and development needs. A qualified school teacher, Tessa has spent the last seven years working in a commercial e-learning environment. At the BVRLA she will be the first point of contact for training enquiries and will be focusing on registering e-learners and ensuring that members get the most from the BVRLA e-Learning Platform. Please join us in welcoming both Ina and Tessa to the BVRLA family. u 5
YOUR ASSOCIATION
Kate reflects on 20-years at the BVRLA This month will mark the twentieth year that Secretary to the Chief Executive, Kate McLaren has worked at the BVRLA. To mark her long service, she reflects on how the past two decades have changed at the association: “It was November 1998 when I got the call from the temping agency to say that I had got the job at the BVRLA. I was to join as a receptionist / administrator on a temporary basis, joining two other full-time administrators. We were responsible for taking minutes, typing up letters and general secretarial duties. I remember being delighted to have secured some paid work just before Christmas, and it was local too, which made it all the better! My short-term temping contract didn’t turn out to be so short-term and I became permanent within months of starting. A couple of years later I got the opportunity to apply for the role of Secretary to the Director General – the title then given to the Chief Executive.
Recognise your unsung heroes… 6
This was the opportunity I was looking for and I was delighted to get the job. A lot has changed during the past twenty-years at the BVRLA. When I joined in ’98 we worked in a world of paper. We received a sack of mail every day and dispatched an almost equal amount as our method of communicating then was primarily by post. How times have changed. I’d say there have been two significant changes during my time at the BVRLA. The first is a change to how we do things - primarily driven by technology changes. Email has replaced snail-mail and the internet now enables people to get information online rather than phoning or writing in. The Chief Executive increasingly started to write to people directly via email reducing the need for me to type correspondence, so my day-to-day work evolved, and the scope of my role started to expand
2019 will be the first year that the BVRLA will present the Freddie Aldous Lifetime Achievement Award at the association’s Annual Dinner. There will also be several other awards recognising the achievements of individuals across the rental and leasing sectors as well as a special award
into facilities management as well as carrying out my secretarial work. One of the things I have always loved about my job is the fact that every day is different. I have enjoyed developing new skills that allow me to provide an even broader degree of support to the business. The second big change I have seen is the growth and expansion of the association. When I started working at the BVRLA there were fifteen of us, now we are twice that number. Much of this growth has come about during Gerry’s tenure in the past five years. I feel very fortunate to work in the beautiful surroundings of Old Amersham and the people I work with are very friendly - which makes it for me. There have been challenges along the way – I think I grew a few extra grey hairs when coordinating the building expansion and refurbishment last year – but I can honestly say that I enjoy coming to work every day. I feel proud to be part of a forward-thinking organisation and take a great degree of satisfaction in knowing that the company I work for is doing something positive, helping to drive high standards across the industry. Here’s to the next twenty years…” u
for an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to tackling air quality in fleets. To find out how to nominate your unsung hero, please send a maximum 500-word nomination to BVRLA Director of Member Services Nora Leggett. October/November 2018 |
Industry Outlook Conference
The BVRLA will be hosting this year’s must-attend annual Industry Outlook Conference on Thursday 6 December in Leicester. Sponsored by cap hpi, Locke Lord and Trak Global, the event will be joined by up to 200 industry leaders from vehicle rental, leasing and fleets as well as trade journalists and other industry commentators.
Formal presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions will provide the platform for the sharing of insights and discussions around a range of issues affecting the industry in the year ahead. Speakers on the day will include BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney, BVRLA Chairman and MD of LeasePlan UK Matt Dyer, Nina Bell from Avis
BVRLA Annual Dinner 2019 The BVRLA is pleased to announce that comedian Al Murray will be the guest speaker at the association’s Annual Dinner being held on 7 March 2019 at the London Hilton, Park Lane.
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To find out more or to book a place, email events@bvrla.co.uk.
As well as providing an unrivalled opportunity to network with your peers, the Annual Dinner allows you to join us in recognising some of our industry’s most talented individuals and unsung heroes.
NEXT BIG EVENT…
With top entertainment, wonderful food and networking opportunities, the Annual Dinner is widely acclaimed as the friendliest, funniest and most looked-forward-to event in the industry calendar.
Budget Group, Andy Alderson from Vanarama, Juliana Francis from the Financial Ombudsman Service, Ashley Barnett from Lex Autolease, Claire Evans from Zenith and Jo Davis from Locke Lord. The full speaker list will be available soon. u
Sponsorship packages are available from £1,000; ticket prices are £275 per person and £2,750 for a table of 10. Always a sell-out, this is a must-attend occasion for those who work in the rental, leasing and fleet industry. Members are encouraged to book now and save the date in their diaries to avoid disappointment.
Photos from the 2018 Annual Dinner can be viewed on the BVRLA Flickr Channel. u Email events@bvrla.co.uk 7
YOUR ASSOCIATION
A voice of influence… …in the BVRLA boardroom The BVRLA provides a range of opportunities for members to get involved with the association. Taking part in committees, working groups and forums provides a unique opportunity for members from across all sectors, and from businesses of all sizes, to ensure that members’ views are accurately reflected through the work of the association.
There are currently four Working Groups who meet regularly at the BVRLA in Amersham. Specialists from within members’ organisations are welcome to offer their expertise and take part:
Public Affairs Steering Group meeting
PUBLIC AFFAIRS STEERING GROUP
TAX ADVISORY GROUP
What is it? An expert group set up to discuss and identify clear policy messaging and activity on key topics impacting the vehicle rental and leasing sector. The group works to deploy these policies into different sectors, whilst communicating a consistent and coordinated message.
What is it? An expert group set up to discuss and consider the impact of future taxation issues affecting the industry. The group formulates and distributes general advice or clarity on key tax issues affecting members and monitors legislative and tax policy proposals within the UK and EC.
Who can attend? Public affairs specialists How often does it meet? Quarterly How can I get involved? Contact BVRLA Public Affairs Manager Rachael Hewish
Who can attend? Tax specialists How often does it meet? Ad-hoc basis, approximately quarterly How can I get involved? Contact BVRLA Senior Policy Advisor Jinmi Macaulay
FUTURE MOBILITY WORKING GROUP
BREXIT TASKFORCE
A working group set up to help identify and provide a more consistent fleet sector perspective on the topic of ‘Future of Mobility’ addressed as one of the key challenges established in the government’s Industrial Strategy to improve people’s lives, increase the country’s productivity and put the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future.
This taskforce provides a forum to identify and prioritise key areas for the BVRLA to be looking to address and to discuss issues of common interest in approaching the UK’s exit from the EU.
Who can attend? Those with an interest in urban transport strategy How often does it meet? Twice-yearly How can I get involved? Contact BVRLA Public Affairs Manager Rachael Hewish
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The key objectives of the group include: to identify specific priority issues for BVRLA engagement with Brexit, to identify and advise on additional Brexitrelated projects and events, and to provide guidance on policy positions and engagement with partner organisations on Brexit-related issues. Who can attend? Those with an interest in Brexit-related matters How often does it meet? TBC How can I get involved? Contact BVRLA Legal & Policy Executive Amanpreet Kalu
YOUR ASSOCIATION
…in the corridors of power BVRLA Government Affairs Manager Paul Thompson (pictured right) was busy pounding the streets of Whitehall in the run-up to the Autumn Budget, meeting with parliamentarians and government officials to galvanise support for the BVRLA’s recommendations to the Treasury. By emphasising the important role that the tax regime can play in influencing driver choices, the BVRLA made the case for a fairer company car tax system, making clear how this would help drive the uptake of electric vehicles. Joined by Public Affairs Manager Rachael Hewish (below left), the formidable duo successfully secured the support of Neil Parish MP. This was a great win for the association as he is an extremely influential politician who chairs the Commons Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Select Committee. Following his engagement with the BVRLA, Parish has been proactive in supporting the
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BVRLA tax campaign, sending a cross-party letter to the Chancellor (co-signed by 42 other parliamentarians), and writing a media article on air quality emphasising the need to bring forward the lowest rates of company car tax. Following the Budget, Parish (pictured below) has continued to support our campaign and will continue to work with the BVRLA to help influence a change to the current tax regime. u
FOS works with BVRLA BVRLA Senior Policy Advisor Jinmi Macaulay (left) has been strengthening relationships between the association and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Recognising the merits of sharing insights to identify emerging trends, FOS and the BVRLA have now agreed to meet quarterly. FOS recently shared concerns that not enough consideration was being given to the age and mileage of vehicles when determining damage costs and it would like to see firms be more flexible. Juliana Francis, Ombudsman Leader, said: “We’ll continue to work closely with the BVRLA. And we’re grateful for the opportunity to speak at the BVRLA’s Industry Outlook Conference in December.” u 9
RESEARCH & INSIGHT
BVRLA research ramps up to meet industry challenges This year, the BVRLA has carried out more research projects than ever before, delivering against the commitment set out in the Three-Year Plan to increase the research budget, collate more data and develop deeper industry insight to strengthen its evidence-based lobbying. During 2018 the association conducted research activity focusing on a range of policy areas and business sectors, including:
In addition to this regular research, the BVRLA has this year also carried out studies on:
Economy
11 Sustainability Credentials Demonstrating the clean credentials of BVRLA member fleets 12 YouGov Poll Establishing businesses’ awareness of the introduction of Clean Air Zones
1 Economic Impact Report
Membership
2 BVRLA in Numbers 3 Members Survey 4 Industry Outlook 2019
Leasing
5 Quarterly Leasing Survey 6 Half-yearly Leasing Broker Research
Rental
7 Rental Operators Study 8 Rental Market Sizing 9 Rental Customer Research
Commercial Vehicles 10 CV Informer
Air Quality
Taxation
13 YouGov VAT Derogation Poll Establish the proportion of business mileage done by company car drivers 14 Sewells Business Mileage Analysis Additional research to demonstrate the proportion of business mileage 15 BIK Tax Research Establishing the impact of WLTP on BIK for members’ customers
Future Mobility
16 Future of the Company Car Market
Vehicle Terrorism
17 Vehicles as weapons: a threat and policy assessment for the UK vehicle rental sector 10
Spotlight on… Company Car Tax A key priority ahead of the 2018 Autumn Budget was to build an evidencebased case to persuade policymakers of the benefits of having a fairer company car tax regime. A fair and sustai
nable Comp
any Car Tax Factsheet By commissioning a market survey and About the BVRL A and its memb ers pulling together 2 mil lion member data 50% 10 million 56 and government statistics the A fair and 430,000 sustainable association was Company able to develop Car Tax some compelling 56% facts, figures and 77% narrative to dispel Factsheet the myth that e to company car tax s programm an ambitiou ve local air t is pursuing issions, impro s that will e Governmen em Th n rbo ca only affected hightion’s innovation reduce the na our w transport ods around embrace ne ople and go quality and earners. It was also y we move pe wa the ge chan tryside. un co d an towns, cities able to demonstrate how the right tax regime can help deliver government’s air quality ambitions. u The BVRLA represe nts the interests of over business car drivers
The BVRLA estima tes the amount of CO₂ emitted by grey fleet vehicle sector could fill Wembl s in the public ey stadium
and
times,
people per year who choose to rent a vehicle
while the CO₂ emitted by the private sector grey fleet is equivalent to driving around the world
times
COMPANY CARS: WHO DRIVES THEM ?
ny car drivers
have their vehicle as rather than a perk, a job need rising to for basic rate tax payer s.
COMPANY CARS: SUSTAINABILITY
The average new compa ny car has lower carbon emissions than the average new car. ● Avg. new compa ny car = 111.3g/km CO₂ ● Avg. new car = 123.6g/km CO₂
in helping play a vital role lled system can We believe that and well-signa policy goals. e nt to meet its ty to accelerat the governme us opportuni a simple has a tremendo the Treasury the results with
● The company car sector has seen its CCT burden rise by £1.06 billion, or 58%, since 2013. ● The annual tax burden per compa ny car driver has risen by £1,100 , or 56%, since 2013.
COMPANY CARS: ALTERNATIVES
The rising burden of the Benefit-in-Kind tax regime is pushing company car drivers to take a cash allowance as an alternative. In this case they will typically choose a personal lease car or use an existing household car (grey fleet). Both options are worse for the environment. BVRLA data shows: ● The average person al lease car emits 11% more CO₂ than a compa ny car. ● The average grey fleet car emits 19% more CO₂ than a compa ny car.
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Visit the BVRLA website to find out more about the research and insight work carried out by the BVRLA or contact Research & Insight Manager Phil Garthside. October/November 2018 |
ly,
including approximately a third of all new electric and plug in hybrid vehicles
COMPANY CARS: FAIRNESS
Over half of all compa
tax revenues, to preserve ss and time, it is keen At the same the Brexit proce UK’s omy during pillar of the protect the econ sector as a key automotive maintain the egy. strat trial indus of the ) regime is one (CCT the Tax Car ncing The Company tools in influe t most powerful A fair, consisten Government’s individuals. businesses and behaviour of
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of new vehicles annual
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
What’s new in L&D? As well as expanding the internal capabilities of the association’s learning & development team (see page 5) the BVRLA has also introduced new L&D opportunities following feedback from members. The Introduction to Daily Rental course has been refined to reduce the classroom time from two days to one, making it more accessible for those who find it difficult to get time away from the day job. At the suggestion of members, the association is also introducing half-day workshops and webinars
covering a range of topics, including customer service, code of conduct & best practice, van rental & minibus rentals, preparing vehicles for rental, tyre pressures, document fraud & customer qualification, stolen vehicle reporting, and damage inspection and reporting. Dates for these will be released by January 2019. BVRLA Member Services Director Nora Leggett said: “We hope that by having shorter classroom sessions and more distancelearning options, more members will be able to take advantage of these new L&D opportunities,
all of which will count towards CPD points. “We are grateful to the United Rental Group, who will be helping to increase awareness of the The Institute courses and will of the Motor also be hosting the Industry (IMI) is the new next Introduction accrediting body for the to Daily Rental association’s course at their Rental Operator Skills headquarters in qualification, which is Chesterfield on designed to assess the 13 December.” u
skills of those working in vehicle rental.
To find out more about the Introduction to Daily Rental course email training@bvrla.co.uk
FORUMS
BVRLA welcomes new training consultant The BVRLA is delighted to welcome training consultant Caroline Chapman to the training delivery team. Caroline brings a wealth of experience, having spent the past 25 years in a variety of training and HR-related roles in the automotive industry. For the last two years Caroline has concentrated on Learning & Development and is looking forward to supporting the
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personal development of BVRLA members through delivery of the Introduction to Daily Rental course.
RESIDUAL VALUE AND REMARKETING 15 November, Donington Park SECURITY AND ASSET MANAGEMENT 29 November, Oxford
CONFERENCE
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK CONFERENCE 6 December, Leicester
“The BVRLA is an important organisation that I have dealt with throughout my automotive career and I have always been aware of all the good work they do and the impact they have on the industry, so I am delighted to be working with them.” u 11
TRAINING COURSES
BVRLA FAIR WEAR & TEAR TRAINING 12 December, Sutton Coldfield
WEBINARS (free to members)
FCA MOTOR FINANCE REVIEW 13 December, 11.00-12.00
For more information email training@bvrla.co.uk
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
e-Learning subscribers reach 1,000 users Almost exactly one year on from its launch in October 2017, the BVRLA e-Learning Platform has achieved its first-year target of having one thousand users signed-up to the service. The online platform provides generic and sectorspecific governance and compliance training designed to meet the requirements of the Financial Conduct Authority, funders and the BVRLA Code of Conduct. u
Did you know? • Users can access the service on PC, Mac, tablet and smartphone. • Packages start at £49.95 per user, per year and include ten modules. • Each module can be completed in 25-45 minutes.
A member’s view of the e-learning system Steve Tongue, HR and Compliance Manager at Select Car Leasing, shares his views about the service: Q: What’s your view of the BVRLA’s e-learning service? A: Great platform, pretty straightforward to use and the content is good. Q: Does it meet your organisation’s goal? A: It supports our compliance training and competence goals, we have a strong training and development culture at Select and e-learning is definitely one of our learning pillars. Q: How easy do you find administering it? A: Fairly straightforward and easy to pull reports at user level.
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Q: How does it help you in your compliance role? A: Demonstrating and evidencing training and competence is essential, particularly for an FCA-regulated firm. The BVRLA e-learning portal definitely helps demonstrate that we are taking compliance seriously – it’s a sizeable investment both financially and also in terms of time invested by staff in completing the training. Q: How are staff/learners approaching the modules? What’s their feedback? A: On the whole, e-learning has been received well. It is supported by our management team and feedback has been positive. The modules do take time and are detailed. The end-of-module tests are challenging, however this is a good thing as it ensures knowledge is retained. Emphasising the importance of learning and development to his business, Steve went on to say:
“Compliance is at the forefront of how Select do business, and learning and development is fundamental to our success. We see things like L&D and compliance as an opportunity to lead the way in the industry – they’re differentiators. If we take these things seriously, as we do, then we’ll only strengthen the business. “We want our customers and our partners (such as our funders) to know that we are serious about compliance. We are continuously investing in compliance, L&D and the systems and processes that support them. “In the last 18 months we have developed an internal training platform, formalised our company values (as they underpin how we do business) and overhauled our recruitment and induction programme. We will continue to invest in these areas as they are key to the future success and sustainability of the business.” u October/November 2018 |
REGULATION & COMPLIANCE
Driving a positive customer experience The BVRLA’s government-approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service provides customers with the added reassurance of knowing that they have somewhere to go should they need to escalate a complaint that has not been resolved directly. On 10 May, a Financial Times article promoted the importance of the BVRLA’s ADR in an article advising holidaymakers hiring vehicles in the UK to use a BVRLA member – or an ECRCS member if hiring in Europe. The ADR is not only a valuable member benefit, it is also a key part of the BVRLA governance programme, helping the association to keep abreast of any emerging issues and trends. BVRLA Operations Manager Amanda Brandon (right) said: “The BVRLA’s ADR
ABC of Good Practice Be… Apologetic – Sounds simple but often a customer just wants to hear an apology and have their complaint acknowledged and listened to. It is good to have empathy with the customer, expressing regret that they feel that their experience has been a negative one. Be… Benevolent – Offering an appropriate gesture of goodwill can go a long way in turning a negative experience into a positive. Things will not always go to plan and sometimes mistakes happen. Often an acknowledgement,
| October/November 2018
team handles over 2,000 complaints per year from members’ customers in the UK, as well as ECRCS customers in Europe. Add to that the 4,000 emails every month and we can build a lot of useful customer insight to share with members to help them improve their customers’ experience. With around 15.5 million vehicle rental transactions in the UK alone, the volume of complaints coming through is a tiny proportion, but they can help us to identify common issues and trends. “Clearly there are good ways and bad ways of handling complaints and sometimes it’s the small things that can go a long way with resolving an issue. A customer wants to be listened to and we encourage all members to welcome any form of feedback from customers, good or bad, as that’s what drives a culture of continuous improvement and ultimately makes for a better customer experience.” u apology and a goodwill gesture can placate a customer and prevent escalation. Be open to… Change – Acknowledging if there was a procedural failing and reassuring the customer that steps have been taken to ensure that it never happens again will go a long way to make a customer feel that the complaint has been taken seriously. Tip: Embrace and embed a culture of continuous improvement and don’t be afraid to listen to customers’ views – the good and the bad.
Ask Adam Send your questions about the BVRLA inspection programme to Senior Compliance Officer Adam Holt at adam@bvrla.co.uk. Q: The customer proposal form that is provided by my funder does not ask the customer for income and expenditure information. Do we need to conduct our own affordability checks in addition to completing the funder’s document? A: Yes. Any regulated firm that is offering consumer finance must evidence affordability checks prior to proposing finance to ensure that it is affordable for the customer. It is important to evidence that these checks have been carried out, so you can demonstrate this to the regulator if asked. Q: Some of my customers are unable to obtain their own DVLA driving licence check code online prior to their rental. Am I able to carry out this check on their behalf? A: No. The checking system asks that the user is happy for their details to be shared with other government departments and requires the customer’s agreement. Inputting a customer’s personal data is a potential breach of data protection and the customer should be encouraged to perform the check before or use the telephone licence check system when in branch. Q: How do I know whether I require full or limited credit broking permissions for my business? A: Firms will require limited permissions most commonly when credit broking is a secondary activity to help finance the purchase of goods or services. Limited permissions will not cover a firm that brokers leases and arranges for a third party to supply goods, so is unlikely to cover leasing brokers. 13
YOUR ASSOCIATION
In the spotlight‌ During September and October, the BVRLA was mentioned in 546 news articles, of which 101 were published in print and 445 online. Stories focused on EV grant cuts, vehicle leasing scams, pre-Budget tax calls and the BVRLA opening membership to fleet operators. During these two months, the BVRLA received an unprecedented level of national and regional media coverage with The Sun, Daily Mail, The People and regional media titles across the UK all promoting the association’s leasing scam-awareness story. u
SOCIAL & NETWORKING
Get Social!
BVRLA
During 2018 the BVRLA has continued to increase the amount of social media activity.
@bvrla
LinkedIn is used to promote news relating to professional development and knowledge-building. Twitter is used to share the latest news items, using ‘@’ and ‘#’ to increase the reach of messaging amongst influencers. BVRLA Twitter now has 2,958 followers.
Up 43% year-on-year
BVRLA LinkedIn now has 2,383 followers. YouTube is used to share video and film, including pieces to camera, film footage from events and webinar presentations. The BVRLA’s YouTube channel has this year received 8,200 views.
Up 64% year-on-year
www.flickr.com/photos/bvrla/albums
Up 34% year-on-year
www.bvrla.co.uk/videos
D E - F L E E T. THE NEED F O R S P E E D.
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