Family business values and big business plans

Established 27 years ago by the Aldridge family and a close friend, Endon Services Group currently employs 30 people across three sites in Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Telford with a turnover in excess of £2.9 million in 2003/4.

With a fleet of 275 cars and light vans, Endon is the largest independent franchise of Avis car hire in western Europe, generating two thirds of group revenues. Endon is also a growing and dynamic distributor for MG Rover and Tata marques and up-and-coming environmentally friendly Perodua vehicles.

Despite its growth, Endon has retained the personal approach associated with its roots as the village garage, even mending a lawnmower or a child’s bike, knowing that such acts can win customers for life.

As further evidence of the focus on customer service, Endon recognises that many customers require a contract hire vehicle for a relatively a short time. In response, Endon has developed an innovative ‘interim contract’ hire service which specialises in short-term contracts, providing the option to swap vehicle models for a weekend if required.

The need for broadband

“In an age of increasing consumer power and knowledge it is absolutely vital to provide customers with the services they want when they need them,” explains Reg Aldridge, Marketing Director and a major shareholder of Endon Services Group.

For more than three years, Endon’s Stoke head office received Internet access via a 64kbps ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) connection. It was primarily used for email and to access MG Rover’s online technical resources. With a typical display of customer focus, the link also supported an Internet café at Stoke for customers waiting for their vehicles.

The other two sites had limited Internet and email access via an Avis reservation system. During the three-year period, email traffic increased 20-fold, significantly impacting the usage related ISDN costs.

Choosing the right provider

"We’re always looking at the technology we can apply to improve our business and service. ISDN served our purpose for the best part of three years, but we needed always-on connectivity and to be able to integrate our sites," said Reg Aldridge.

Reg Aldridge already used ntl at home for his television, telephone and Internet connection, and when ntl launched its business broadband service in the area he immediately enquired after the 512kbps connection.

Commenting on what happened next, Reg Aldridge says: “ntl was faultless at all stages – from site survey to installation – and the result was perfect.” He was particularly impressed with the site survey ntl carried out to ensure that the link was correctly routed through the busy garage. “Staff were friendly and dedicated and everything was installed when we had agreed it would be. Follow-up was exemplary.”

The decision to choose ntl was reinforced just three days after service started, when the speed was upgraded to 750kbps free of charge.

Real benefits to small and medium sized businesses

Faster access to the Internet is already boosting Endon’s productivity. Mechanics, for example, use the Internet to access manufacturers’ databases and access on-line bulletin boards to help resolve technical issues. ntl’s broadband – running up to15 to 20 times faster than the previous ISDN connection – is also helping to save time downloading technical information and the new versions of engine diagnostic software that the garage relies on. The time saved from faster downloads alone is estimated to be between £75 to £100 per mechanic, per week.

The growing use of email is also helping to facilitate clearer communications between customers and suppliers. It also provides the company with a useful audit trail of its communications. Reg Aldridge explains: “We use email wherever possible, and fax where we can’t email.”

But the real power of ntl’s broadband, combined with security features such as firewalls, will be harnessed when the two other sites are connected. This will create a platform for cost-effective inter-site communications, to enable Endon to develop closer relationships with customers through more effective communications. A suite of Web-based applications will be developed to further improve service and competitiveness.

On-line service, 24-hours a day

Endon is currently finalising plans for a new web site which will serve as the group’s major marketing medium – “saving us thousands of pounds in expensive advertising” comments Reg Aldridge – “and this will become a key part of our service delivery.”

When selecting ntl, Reg Aldridge was impressed by the fact that the company – unlike many of its competitors – offered a service with a static IP address. Every device connected to the Internet needs its own unique identity known as an IP address. It is easier for service providers to allocate these numbers dynamically, making changes within their networks that are invisible to users. However, this makes it impossible for a company to host its own website at their own premises as the IP address would constantly change. A static IP address avoids this problem by assigning a constant identity.

“We’re always looking at the technology we can apply. ntl has enabled us to get this along with the right balance between humans and technology,” says Reg Aldridge. Endon’s new website will include a series of modules which will enable customers to communicate directly with Endon staff to book MOTs, services and request parts.

There will also be an online car hire booking facility and a vehicle brokerage sales channel for customers.

The new website will lead to new revenue opportunities as the Endon Group markets its services to other motor traders.

Innovative applications and new opportunities

Inter-site communications will be significantly improved when the other two sites are connected. The combination of broadband access and a little lateral thinking has also opened up the possibility of setting-up a new site close to a city centre that before would have been impossible.

Reg Aldridge explains: “We are expanding by setting up a new facility in an area which although close to potential customers was previously offlimits because of night-time security problems. ntl broadband makes it possible for us to remotely monitor the area using cost-effective web cameras which can be remotely controlled over the network.” This will save Endon around £25,000 per year because rents are lower here than in other regions. Additionally, Endon will gain the competitive advantage of being the first to do business in this area.

Sound and location

Voice telephony between sites is another broadband enabled opportunity. While softwarebased telephony over the Internet is of poor quality compared to the PSTN or IP telephony running over a private corporate network, Reg Aldridge believes that it is sufficiently good for internal staff needs. The advantage of this is the money saved as usage-based call charges over the PSTN are avoided.

Another development is the innovative use of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology that is already widely used in vehicle satellite navigation systems. Vehicle hire companies like Endon face an increasingly complex task of managing parking fines and road toll fees incurred by their customers. Endon is developing a solution to this problem called ‘tracking in arrears’. It uses a GPS vehicle logging device that stores the map co-ordinates of where it - and therefore the vehicle - has been. This data can be downloaded and held by Endon after the car has been returned, to help resolve any future issues.

“We will provide customers with the option of turning this facility off,” explains Reg Aldridge, “but equally it will be only fair for us to consider  passing on to customers the extra costs we might incur if we do not have that data.”

The internet-based network will also be used to access a custom-developed database for storing details of vehicle damage, including storage of digital photographs.

Changing the way people do business

Reg Aldridge’s assessment on the impact of ntl broadband is clear: “Broadband is changing the way we do business. It’s anywhere, anyplace,  anytime access to, and across, the web and I think all businesses should look to the advantages that broadband brings. The technology is making us more innovative, allowing us to work faster and saving us money. ntl is a technology partner with the strength, expertise and range of in-depth service knowledge that we need to implement our vision and help to move our business forward.”