HiQ franchisee North Eastern Tyre & Exhausts opened a new £2 million fast fit center in Leeds at the end of 2009.
HiQ representatives called the one-acre development “the best of its kind in Europe.” Stocking 20,000 tires, featuring 12 bays and boasting some of the most modern vehicle diagnostic equipment in the country, the HiQ center in Gelderd Road aims to alter age-old perceptions of fast fit centers and remove the fear associated with visiting them. The new site will create eight jobs.
Operational Project Manager Tim Darcy said: “This center really does set the benchmark for others to follow and we have not seen anything to rival this development anywhere across Europe. It offers a drive-thru style service for motorists, in one of the most contemporary, stylish environments possible.”
North Eastern Tyres, which runs 15 HiQ centers in the north of England, said the development would “amaze” motorists who often associate fast fit centers with unclean, unwelcoming places.
The HiQ network is attempting to revolutionize the fast fit sector by creating transparency and peace of mind for customers, after a Which? survey found that customers have a 73% dissatisfaction with service in the automotive industry. The network’s new positioning – "fast fit you can be sure of" – is set to become more apparent in the coming months, with more investment allocated for improved customer environments in 2010. (Tyres & Accessories)