Providing a consistently high quality of service to its treasured customers, D J Garage Services Ltd has been named Which? Trusted Trader of the Month for October 2020.

This isn’t the first time that this family-run business, which deals with vehicle servicing, repairs and MOTs, has caught our eye. Take a look at the group’s Trusted Trader profile and you’ll see that D J Garage Services Ltd previously earned a Certificate of Distinction in July 2019 and July 2020.

We took the time to catch up with Chris Vince, garage manager, to talk about his team’s mission to offer the best service possible as a Which? Trusted Trader.

Do you think your company has what it takes to win? Read our guide on how to be the next Which? Trusted Trader of the Month.

Providing a professional service

Father and son duo Ray and Chris Vince have been at D J Garage Services between them for over 30 years, still serving some of their original customers today.

Chris’s wife, Pippa, is also a valuable member of the award-winning team, managing important jobs in the office and maintaining the company’s social media pages. In the group’s Trader of the Month application, we heard how Pippa replies to customer reviews on a daily basis.

The team at D J Garage Services Ltd is made up of seven skilled workers who use the latest diagnostic technology to give vehicles the best possible care.

Speaking about the team’s approach, Chris told us: ‘I’m proud of our customer-facing ethos and the consistently high-quality service provided by my team.

‘Reading the wonderful reviews posted by our customers on the Which? website is a constant reminder of why we do our jobs to the very best of our ability at all times.’

Impressive customer reviews

One of the keys to earning the coveted Trader of the Month title is positive customer feedback – DJ’s has that in abundance.

In fact, at the time of writing, the company has a flawless five-star rating for both customer service and quality of service provided. Customers are full of praise, mentioning friendly, trustworthy staff who refuse to cut corners when working on vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

One of the more recent reviews on the trader’s profile page says that the D J Garage Services Ltd team are ‘passionate about giving customers peace of mind’.

With the coronavirus pandemic still affecting households around the UK, the team at D J Garage Services Ltd have been forced to make some adjustments to the way they work. But by enforcing social distancing measures, the garage is still open every day as usual.

During the initial shutdown back in April, Chris and Pippa were able to maintain contact with customers from home. One of the mechanics, Max, agreed to lend emergency cover to anyone who needed help with their vehicles. This involved travelling to customers’ homes and getting them back on the road.

This willingness to go the extra mile for customers went down well with our judges.

Helping the local community

When the team at D J Garage Services Ltd isn’t helping customers get back on the road, it’s lending support to worthy causes in the local area.

As we were reading through the group’s application for Which? Trusted Trader of the Month, two stories in particular jumped off the page.

 Alocal primary school phoned up the garage to see whether the team had any spare tyres they could donate for use in a children’s playground. The team accepted without hesitation and, to go a step further, Chris sent out a van full of tyres and had staff lift them into place. The tyres now make up part of a sensory area for the children to play in.

We also heard how a Second World War memorial society from the local village reached out to DJ’s asking for donations. The money would be put towards plaques commemorating residents who sadly passed away during conflicts.  Chris and the team were more than happy to offer their support, and these plaques now scatter the village.

The group’s charitable work really stood out to our panel, with one of our judges describing D J Garage Services Ltd as a company ‘clearly built on trust and honesty’.

Proud to be a Which? Trusted Trader

Customers who pay the team a visit will spot the Which? Trusted Trader logo all over the workshop. On top of that, Chris and his team now have branded polo shirts proudly displaying the Which? Trusted Trader logo. That same logo can be found on posters, marketing material and even company stationery.

Chris told us: ‘Feedback from customers proves to us that being a Which? Trusted Trader is simply the best recommendation you can get when looking for a service in your locality. People know they are dealing with a company that has genuine reviews from customers and that the company prides itself on maintaining its reputation.

‘We like to make sure that as many of our customers are aware of our partnership with Which?’.

We asked Chris what advice he would give to other companies considering signing up with the Which? Trusted Trader scheme. He said: ‘I would say make the most of displaying the Which? Trusted Trader logo on all social media platforms, company stationery and signage.

‘Also, make every effort to obtain reviews from customers.’

Congratulations to D J Garage Services Ltd for winning October 2020’s Which? Trusted Trader of the Month award.

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