Getting ready: Autoglass fitter prepares my dad’s Fiat Panda for windscreen replacement

Catch issues early before they cost

“DON’T spoil the ship for a hapeth of tar,” my grandmother used to tell me. As a boy I was clueless to the meaning of this little epithet.

However, I now understand what she was telling me: catching issues early can save you money in the long run.

So it seems that businesses are wasting money by not dealing with problems early enough. Or, not taking enough care. Or just not caring – see our news story Driver neglect hits the bottom line.

Certainly if any of your drivers have a windscreen with a chip get it fixed – and fast. Auto Windscreens says its repair rates over the summer have been much higher than normal – perhaps lured by the prospect of a cheaper ‘staycation’. And then coping with our increasingly crumbling road network.

There’s little doubt that where I live the road is in a terrible condition. As our story points out, repairing a windscreen chip is far cheaper than replacing a complete screen.

Sometimes, though, there’s no option. Earlier this year, the windscreen on my old man’s Fiat Panda cracked. There was nothing for it. My dad nipped into town, found the local Autoglass, and to his surprise was told not to worry – they’d come and visit him, at home, the next day.

“It was great,” said my dad. “A fitter turned up the next day, he was very polite, and got on with the job outside my house. All done and all very convenient.”

This convenience factor is something businesses could catch onto. It saves time; and, if you catch chips early, saves money too.

I was talking to Nigel Davies, sales and marketing boss at Auto Windscreens a while back. He told me: “We are set up to make the whole process as painless as possible. It’s not pleasant needing a windscreen repair – worse if you have to replace the whole screen – but at least we can make the experience a positive one. By turning up at your business premises – so there’s no time lost out of the office – and getting on with the job.”

Which brings us back to maintenance. Don’t ignore it – on your personal business car; or your firm’s company cars. It will save you money in the long run.