The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has announced that it will launch a new awards event to celebrate independents in the UK.
The British Independent Garage of the Year awards (BIG Awards) will take place on a Friday in the Summer of next year, and aims to help raise the profile of the independent sector. The event will highlight the contribution of both businesses and individuals.
As the automotive industry faces a number of challenges, and with many of these filtering through to the independent aftermarket, the IGA believes that such an awards programme will help consumers to see how strong the aftermarket is, and how reliable and trustworthy the sector can be in maintaining a customer’s vehicle.
The IGA promises that the event will be on par with other major awards in the industry, with the Friday night plan, although the final date is still to be confirmed, allowing garages to bring their teams to the event, in what they describe as a ‘thoroughly memorable occasion’.
Speaking at the Automechanika Garage of the Year awards in June, IGA Director Stuart James highlighted the need to improve consumer confidence in the automotive aftermarket “To ensure the long-term future, it is beholden on all of us that have earned a living in this industry to change the public’s perceptions of the sector,” he told the audience. “We need to highlight the high-tech nature of the modern motor vehicle, and show that we can provide a clear path to those looking to advance their career; those future technicians that have a passion for fixing things, because that’s what brought most of us into this sector in the first place.
This year has been an important one for the IGA, as it also launched its first-ever television advertising campaign for its Trust My Garage scheme, bringing affiliated garages tot eh attention of a larger range of consumers.
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