MARii Launches Integrated Workshop – A New Approach For Independent Workshop Business Model
MARii (Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute), in collaboration with MAGTECH, has launched the Integrated Workshop which can be seen as a business model for independent workshop owners. The Integrated Workshop works on the concept of a collective of aftersales business entities within a one-stop vehicle service facility, each contributing its own set of specialised expertise to the Integrated Workshop ecosystem.
The first of such Integrated Workshops was just launched in Senawang, Negri Sembilan, and more are planned throughout the country. The unique feature of the Integrated Workshop is that its governance and management is performed through a system integrator that automatically computes and administers elements such as customer bookings, inventory, servicing queues, payments of the entire value chain within the workshop ecosystem.
“Today’s car owner has better access to the information on vehicle maintenance, is given more vehicle service options and has higher expectations in service quality. These expectations in customer experience, mainly due to the rise in e-commerce applications have led to a disruption in the way aftersales businesses are conducted”, explained Dato’ Madani Sahari, CEO of MARii.
He further elaborated that the Integrated Workshop concept is also designed to address specific issues affecting independent workshops today, especially those that operate as micro or small businesses and do not have the required capacity to cater to all disciplines of the automotive service market.
The Integrated Workshop concept allows for small, independent workshops to specialise in a more focused area of automotive servicing, thus reducing investment risks, yet have access to a larger market due to the collaborative nature of the business model. This allows for more business and job opportunities to be created, and the lowering of entry barriers into a high technology market.
In the future, the Integrated Workshop will evolve to become development test beds for aftermarket technology adoption and human capital development for the service and maintenance sector, particularly in the areas surrounding next generation vehicles such as hybrids, electric and autonomous vehicles.
“From its first existence, MAGTECH has led workshops through special management courses conducted to enhance workshop engagement. This has led to better results through integration between workshop owners and MAGTECH”, explained Zamani Bin Baharom, Managing Director of MAGTECH.
“The partnership of entrepreneurs reflects the cohesive organization within MAGTECH. Thus, the concept of integrated workshop is the best solution to help automotive entrepreneurs”, he added.
