TMO Talks To Charlotte Clarke, Business Manager
Established in 2012, Clarkes4Landys in Shropshire, is a small family-run independent garage that welcomes all makes and models, whilst specialising in the servicing, maintenance and repair of Land Rovers. Priding themselves on their friendly and professional ethos, Clarkes4Landys enjoy being at the heart of their community, providing sponsorship of Newport Rugby Club, and supporting local village events.
The business won The Motor Ombudsman’s 2021 Garage Star Award for the midlands region, and 2021 Servicesure Autocentres’ Best Newcomer Award.
We caught up with the garage’s Business Manager to find out more about how Clarkes4Landys go above and beyond for their customers, and what they can expect for the year ahead.
TMO: How long have you been working at Clarkes4Landys, and what are your principal responsibilities as Business Manager?
CC: Since we founded the garage in 2012, I have been helping out part-time, whilst also working and bringing up the family. Once my youngest child was at school, I came on board full-time and have never looked back! My main responsibilities are finance, admin, PA, purchasing, marketing.
TMO: What are the main services provided by Clarkes4Landys, and are your customers predominantly local or do they travel from further afield to bring their vehicle to you?
CC: We carry out diagnostics, servicing and maintenance, and repair most makes and models, whilst specialising in Land Rovers. We have gained a reputation in the area for undertaking the more complex jobs, and so we often get referrals from other garages. Our local customer base is constantly growing, and we also have customers who travel to us, including from Wales, Birmingham, and even Yorkshire!
TMO: How do you ensure that your team goes above and beyond to deliver the very highest level of customer service and work, which was demonstrated by your 2021 Garage Star Award for the Midlands?
CC: It starts at the recruitment stage, where we place as much importance on personality as we do on technical ability. All our staff care about the vehicles they work on, and the customer’s stories behind them. We strive to be transparent and honest, and our professional and friendly ethos starts from the top. We trust and empower our staff to make decisions and liaise with customers, whilst being approachable ourselves. And because we genuinely care, we will always try to go the extra mile.
At Clarkes4Landys, we also use OE-specification quality parts and approved oil, and our skilled technicians are trained to Roger’s exacting standards. The team supports each other with their different strengths, and each technician is matched to each job, depending on their skillset.
TMO: How else do you set your business apart from the competition?
CC: Clarkes4Landys’ strongest asset is our team of competent and experienced staff who care. Highly-skilled technicians, and our friendly and approachable ethos, are the reasons our customers keep coming back and recommending us. It also helps that we have a good sense of humour between us!
TMO: How have you adapted your business to accommodate the increased demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids?
CC: This year, we intend to invest more in adapting our business, and will aim to ensure that all our technicians are EV trained and ready.
TMO: After a challenging year for the automotive sector, what is the outlook for 2022 from Clarke4Landys’ point of view?
CC: The outlook is positive for the Clarkes4Landys family. Whatever challenges 2022 may bring, we will strive to keep our customers happy, safe and on the road.
TMO: Are there any changes that you are looking to make this year in terms of what you offer customers?
CC: I would like to focus more on sharing knowledge and educating our customers via our social media platforms and having more conversations, so that customers feel that they can make their own informed decisions about their vehicles. I am also hoping to get a user-friendly customer feedback system in place and see if we can improve what we offer. A bonus would be if we manage to refurb the customer waiting room!
TMO: What were the main reasons for becoming accredited to The Motor Ombudsman’s Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair?
CC: For us, it was a ‘no brainer’, as we already implemented and adhered to our own high standards, which pretty much echoed The Motor Ombudsman’s Motor Industry Codes of Practice. It is also peace of mind for our customers that they can be sure of a free and impartial dispute resolution service should anything go wrong.
TMO: Is there anything else you would like to add?
CC: We were delighted to win The Motor Ombudsman’s 2021 Garage Star Award for the midlands region. It means so much to the team that we were nominated for this award by our own customers, and it is great to be recognised for all our hard work. Thank you TMO!
TMO: Thank you for your time Charlotte, and we wish you a successful year.
Images courtesy of Clarkes4Landys.
Interview conducted in January 2022.
