INTERVIEW | WHEELIES
The insurance replacement aspect is just one
facet of the Wheelies business. Alongside Wheelbase is cycle to work provider Cycle Solutions, as well as cycle retailer Treadz, with physical shops – in Swansea and Cardiff – and a highly significant internet presence. The three businesses employ around 170
staff, included Cytech-trained mechanics (Wheelbase is 21st on the Cytech top shop list). “We’ve seen a 20 per cent increase in
number of staff in our businesses in the last two years,” Jones reveals. The family-owned business has taken its commitment to that growing staff base seriously, achieving the Investors in People Awards and the Positive Action Award, as well as the ISO 9001 Award.
PREMIUM MARKET The insurance replacement business is a highly regulated industry. In fact it’s probably a bit of a mystery to many in the bike trade, not least to BikeBiz. The Wheelbase boss explains that service is key. “It’s all about people getting what they’re entitled to and the insurance firms want the replacement to be like-for-like on the original bike – to be as near as possible to before the claim,” said Jones.
“Wheelbase is a service, if you like, for the
insurance trade. We have a 24-hour helpline and five people in our customer care team. “And we’re trying our best to provide a quality service. It’s in our own interests and it wouldn’t make sense not to be. If we mess up, we lose custom. “Insurance companies want the level of
service. They want their customers to receive their replacement bikes quickly. “The whole insurance industry is founded on honesty – on who puts the claim in.” Jones sheds light on how the claims process
works, and how Wheelies fits in: “We receive details of the claim from the insurance company and that can be via fax or
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by email, depending on the company. We then follow up on the claim within an hour of receiving it, which is faster than any insurance company requires us to be. That’s an internal deadline. Insurance companies actually only want us to follow up with the customer within three or so hours. “Our validation team contacts the customer and establishes the details, then we quote to the insurance company. After that, the completion team takes over and makes sure there’s a speedy turnaround time to deliver the replacement bike into the hands of the customer, via our Cytech-trained workshop staff.
“We can validate a query quickly and it’s all about the quality of the validation and calls, so we offer plenty of training for staff, including NVQs.” According to the firm the vast majority –
around 99 per cent – of replacements are for stolen bikes, with only a comparative few down to damages. “It’s only a very slim percentage that try to
cheat the system,” Jones advises. As a one-stop-shop for insurance companies, Wheelies is attractive to work with. Dealing with individual claims, issuing cheques that take many working days to clear and ensuring the claimant really is receiving like-for-like replacement goods make this kind of operation ever more attractive for insurance firms. As is ensuring that the bike replacement cash stays within the cycle industry.
“It can all be done with one call to us.” Plus Wheelies provides insurance companies with the all-important auditing trail. “Auditing is hugely important to the
insurance companies. It’s a serious business and we get audited all the time, about 20 times a year – though not by the same insurance company!” Some insurers audit the firm three or four times a year, while others opt for longer breaks between checks – around 18 months.
Wheelies are audited around 20 times per year by various insurers
“Those checks keep us on our toes. “It’s not just bikes – it’s for all commodities in the insurance world. “We looks after it all responsibly. We don’t
chuck bikes out of the door. We’re committed to the trade and that’s in our own interests.”
ANY OTHER BUSINESS? But it’s not just about insurance replacement. The cycle to work side – represented by C2W Alliance member Cycle Solutions – is a key part of the firm too. Jones admits that cycle to work had slowed: “But we’re catching up now the VAT issue has been resolved. As a trade we’re maybe up. Now those internal problems are out of the way, it’s up to us in the trade to push the positives and not emphasise the negatives with cycle to work.” Jones says C2W has been a key driver for the industry over the years and acknowledges some companies have helped drive it. He says: “Cyclescheme, fair play to them, they’ve done incredibly well.” Road bikes in the cycle to work price bracket
have remained popular again in 2011, says Jones. “The road bikes, from £500 to £1,000 have done great. Once it was mountain bike market, but now road is far dominant and to be honest it’s usually a lot more appropriate to what the customer is going to use the bike for.” The business has found road bikes for ladies
are increasingly popular too, as are clothing and accessories for females. “It used to be a case of ‘pinking and shrinking’ the bikes, but now it’s a big part in itself. We’re still not serving the ladies bike market as much as we should be as an industry.” Currently Wheelies is undergoing a
Zyro
rebranding to freshen up its images as well as expanding its site in Swansea. “It is the most exciting time in 20 years in the industry. The recession always seems to boost the trade. It’s a cliché, but cycling really does seem to be the new golf.”
www.wheelies.co.uk
BIKEBIZ.COM
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