- Harwoods Group’s 14 car sales and repair locations across the South of England are now accredited to The Motor Ombudsman’s Motor Industry Codes of Practice
- Latest agreement builds on four Harwoods businesses that have been committed to the Service and Repair, and Vehicle Sales Codes since 2016
- Motor Ombudsman accreditation gives Harwoods Group several benefits, and customers the reassurance that businesses are committed to high standards of service and workmanship beyond those required by law
The Motor Ombudsman, the automotive dispute resolution provider, is pleased to announce that Harwoods Group, the long-established and family-owned retailer of luxury vehicles, has successfully extended its Motor Industry Codes of Practice accreditation to all of their South of England-based car franchise locations and Accident Repair Centres.
The agreement sees a further eight Harwoods dealerships commit to the comprehensive Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved Codes for Service and Repair and Vehicle Sales. Representing brands such as Aston Martin, Bentley and Jaguar across the counties of Sussex, Kent and Hampshire, they join the Harwoods Audi showrooms in Billingshurst, Portsmouth and Southampton, and Land Rover dealer in Basingstoke, which have been accredited to both Codes since 2016. In addition, the Harwoods Accident Repair Centres in Crawley and Southampton now adhere to the Service and Repair Code as part of the latest phase of accreditation.
Being signed up to the Code of Practice for Service and Repair, as well as that for Vehicle Sales (the only Code of its kind to cover both new and used cars), gives Harwoods’ businesses several benefits. These include having individual profile pages on The Motor Ombudsman’s easy-to-navigate online Garage Finder (TheMotorOmbudsman.org/garage-finder), being able to display the trusted Motor Ombudsman and Approved Code logos at their premises and on marketing collateral for added customer peace of mind, having access to the body’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service to help conclude customer disputes outside of the courtroom, and being able to participate in online training modules on key legislation.
Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “We are pleased to welcome Harwoods’ full portfolio of car showrooms and Accident Repair Centres to our accredited business network. As the leading automotive retail group in the South, we are proud to have them on board. It reaffirms the value that the group places in being aligned to the requirements of our Codes of Practice, whilst equally enjoying unlimited access to our team of experts. We look forward to continuing to support businesses in the Harwoods Group and assisting them with their requirements.”
Archie Harwood, Chief Executive of Harwoods Group, added: “Expanding our accreditation to encompass every car retail location and Accident Repair Centre within our group, gives our customers the important reassurance that we are committed to delivering the highest standards of work and service, a promise which lies at the heart of our brand. Furthermore, The Motor Ombudsman is an important source of information and guidance for our businesses, allowing them to continue to implement best practice across their organisation, and to ultimately give motorists the best possible experience at Harwoods.”
