Whether it's a “Baroque Angel” or an Isetta: BMW is enjoying ever-growing popularity among lovers of classic cars. The maintenance of these valuable vehicles is carried out by specialised workshops, which can apply for certification as BMW and MINI Classic Partners since December 2022. Not only did we develop this standard together with the BMW Group, but we have already inspected 16 dealerships in Germany and neighbouring countries. Challenge: Restorers work with attention to detail, but are often not certified The 30 years required for the German “H” registration plate for historic vehicles is nothing at all: our auditors often see models from the 1950s or even before that in the workshops of prospective BMW and MINI Classic Partners. Repairing such rarities requires craftsmanship; after all, spare parts are not simply ordered, but lovingly hand-made and assembled. Certification as a BMW or MINI Classic Partner proves that the workshop not only works with passion and skill, but also according to the required standards of the vehicle manufacturer. Solution: Audits with expertise and respect for performance Since the current catalogue of specifications has entered into force at the end of 2022, our colleague Thorsten Binder has been on the road in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, visiting 16 workshops to inspect the quality of the repairs and the equipment: Of course we check whether the required tools are available. However, during our audits we also get an impression of the competence of the business and thus know that with certified BMW and MINI Classic Partners the vehicles are in good hands. Result: Certified repair quality and valuable information Certification not only ensures measurable repair quality, which both the owners of historic vehicles and the vehicle manufacturers naturally appreciate. Rather, our aim is that the workshops also benefit directly. This is ensured by our auditors, who are experts themselves and whose valuable tips and information are most welcome by the workshops. The concept is well received, as the enthusiastic feedback from Tomáš Němeček, Managing Director of Auto Base in Prague, proves: Thank you very much for today's great visit, we had a wonderful day together with BMW Classic. Your contributions helped us a lot. Of course we are very happy about such high praise! It's a good feeling to know that our joint work means classic vehicles can be on the road for longer. And honestly, what could be more sustainable than driving a car for as long as possible? What's next? We have been advising vehicle manufacturers and dealerships with expertise and respect for over 17 years, ensuring manufacturer standards are understood and met. Interested? You can reach us by phone at +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 and by mail: [email protected]

Word of our expertise in matters of high-voltage safety has spread as far as North Africa. We were very happy when we received the request to train the organisation of Tunisian motor vehicle experts in June 2023 via video conference. Of course, the presentation required some preparation: experts have different needs than car dealerships and Tunisia is not an everyday destination even for us. But the effort was well worth it – the audience loved it. Challenge: Experts have to be trained differently than employees of car dealerships Vehicle experts and car dealerships only seem to move in the same world. In truth, the two groups often have very different levels of knowledge and, above all, different interests. As partners of insurance companies, experts work in car dealerships every day and, among other things, evaluate vehicles involved in accidents. With the increasing numbers of electric vehicles on the roads, more and more of these vehicles are getting involved in accidents. For better high-voltage safety in general it is therefore essential to also train experts and testing organisations. Solution: A tailor-made training session for exactly this target group Fortunately, our colleague Michael Schloßbauer has over 30 years of experience in dealing with experts and testing organisations. He edited the training material to perfectly meet the needs of his audience. The content was absolutely safety-relevant and ranged from the charging infrastructure to charging plans, employee safety, test devices and insulated tools to the observation area for high-voltage accident vehicles. To make sure that his online training didn't become too academic and dry, Michael Schloßbauer included a few shockers: I showed a picture of an electric vehicle where a technician had simply drilled a hole in the battery! Some listeners turned pale. Or the photo of an SUV with high-voltage damage standing in a pool of water for "controlled burning": the water boiled immediately, of course, but the headlights were still shining despite all the short-circuit safety systems. It became clear to everyone: there is still a great need for learning around the world when it comes to high-voltage safety. Result: Valuable knowledge, relaxed atmosphere, enthusiastic applause The relaxed, but nevertheless extremely informative presentation style reached his audience: at the end of the presentation, the camera panned towards the audience in Tunis and Michael Schloßbauer was pleased to receive standing ovations from the 70 or so listeners. We are proud about this appreciation and the trust that is placed in us every time we are asked to hold a training session. What's next? We would also be happy to train your employees, too! You can reach us by phone on +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 and by email: [email protected]

The number of electric vehicles is increasing rapidly. This has an enormous impact on the day-to-day business of every car dealership. Take the high-voltage monitoring area: often underestimated, yet unconditionally safety-relevant. Challenge: Where to store damaged batteries and vehicles? Just like internal combustion engines, high-voltage vehicles may ignite with a time delay after an accident. Accident vehicles should always be observed in an area where no consequential damage is to be expected in the event of a fire. When setting up a suitable area you’re confronted by various requirements. Regulations of the vehicle manufacturers need to be observed, with full compliance to occupational health, safety, and fire protection legislation. The statutory accident insurance does not impose any special requirements on monitoring areas for accident vehicles with electric or hybrid drives. However, in the event of a fire, spreading and more consequential damage must be prevented. How does that translate to a practical application? Solution: Set up the perfect high-voltage observation area in just five steps To provide adequate space for any vehicle the area should be at least 6 x 4 m in size. 1. Outdoors Lithium-ion batteries may gas out and the parking area needs to be well ventilated. Outdoor areas are best, and you should consider upgrading any existing parking areas for old or incident vehicles. It should be protected from excessive sunlight, high temperatures, dust and moisture. Unauthorized vehicle access needs to be prevented: Provide a suitable barrier, at least by means of a routing tape. 2. Far enough away, but easily accessible The observation area should be at least 5 m away from the building to prevent a fire from spreading to the car dealership. It should be directly accessible from the high-voltage repair area and easy to cross with heavy loads: no bumps and flat paving. 3. Facilitate fire-fighting, protect the environment The fire brigade needs direct access to the area by a sufficiently wide road with clear signage. Any contaminated water must not mix with the groundwater. Potential environmental pollution from leaking electrolyte can be significantly reduced with a suitable collection vessel. A nearby hydrant will support the fire brigade in the event of an emergency. 4. Provide safety equipment Ensure quick access to first aid equipment and a defibrillator. Have a fire blanket ready. 5. And how will that look? Place the observation area out of sight of your customers. If you need visual screening, e.g. construction containers, choose it large enough! Be aware that your building authority may have to be notified. Result: Potential fires do not spread, staff and dealership are safe A few more questions you should ask yourself: Are all your employees instructed and trained? Do you have the appropriate and necessary tools? Is your lifting equipment suitable for electric mobility? Do you have sufficient ancillary space available for removed high-voltage storage units? Are you prepared for the handling and storage of high-voltage units? Do you know how to act if a high-voltage storage unit reacts thermally? Do you have sufficient charging infrastructure at the dealership and what is the grid capacity? What can you do if your energy capacity is not sufficient? 
 What’s next? The requirements of electric mobility in a car dealership are complex. We will be happy to support you if you have any questions. Please contact us by phone at +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 or by mail: [email protected]

Imagine a work situation in which the highest level of competence and concentration prevail. Let's say the operating theatre of a hospital. First and foremost, it is quiet there. No surgeon has to shout to communicate. Why should it be any different in a car workshop? A quiet atmosphere is possible in the workshop, even in the body shop. Ever since our colleague Dennis Hartmann once experienced this for real in a car dealership, we are on a mission ... Challenge: make the workshop quiet! But how? There are certainly quieter places than a car workshop. Nevertheless, it must not be the unalterable fate of your mechanics to sadly be deaf at the end of their working lives. Car dealerships can do a lot to reduce noise pollution, for their employees, their customers and also for the environment. Many measures will cost nothing at all and can be implemented on the spot. This mainly concerns the processes and the working procedures. Raising awareness within the team already goes a long way. For example, closing vehicle and building doors quietly and turning the radio down achieves a significant reduction in noise pollution. And if internal combustion engines don't necessarily have to run, then simply turn them off! Solution: raise awareness, change behaviour, install soundproofing elements Of course, the building itself should also be upgraded. Where the workshop ceiling cannot be fitted with soundproofing material, suspended ceiling panels or acoustic cubes provide an effective remedy. Surface elements hanging vertically on the walls or in the room also provide acoustic relief. They look good, too: printed colourful motives have a decorative effect and at the same time strengthen the brand image. Result: quiet, concentrated work to relieve pressure and create trust Bring peace and quiet to your workshop. Create a meaningful atmosphere that enhances the quality of life and work for employees, builds trust among customers and also ensures less noise pollution outside the workshop. Because where there's no noise inside, it can't disturb anyone outside either. What's next? Noise control is feasible and absolutely sensible. If you need support, we'll be happy to help. You can reach us by phone at +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 and by mail: [email protected].

Of course, in theory, the vehicle manufacturers could send any inspection agency to audit their dealerships. So why do they ask us to do the audits? Because auditing should be more than just checking and unchecking boxes on the checklist. For us, auditing means adding value through understanding the issue, offering viable solutions and making concrete suggestions for implementation. Challenge: car dealerships need more than checkmarks to evolve It all starts when we enter the dealership. Where external auditors are perceived as foreign bodies, our auditors are at home. They all come from a dealership and know the structures, processes and also the problems from their own experience. Where an auditing company can only check whether specified content is present or not, we go one step further. We know the background of the specification and create understanding for its fulfillment. This is only possible because we create new car dealerships and workshops every day – on greenfield sites, but also by refurbishing existing companies. That's why we are credible advisors for both manufacturers and dealers. Solution: Audit & Advice – credible advisors provide understanding for both manufacturers and car dealerships An external auditor can only answer "yes" or "no" and will go home with a completed form after the audit. This ultimately determines whether a dealership has passed or failed. Depending on the result, this can cause frustration for the dealer, no good will come from it. The manufacturer on the other hand only receives a score. No real insight into the situation in which his dealership and service operations find themselves. We, however, ask how and why. Result: mature dealers and informed manufacturers work together to improve their service quality Our auditors are incorruptible but perceive themselves as partners – of both manufacturers and dealerships. Increased profitability, efficiency, sustainability and quality are the overarching goals of every conversation we have. After an "Audit & Advice" day, every dealer will have received a wealth of information. With a quiver full of individual tips, each dealership decides for itself which measures will be implemented, and when and how, and thus decides on its own future. The vehicle manufacturers, in turn, gain real insights and a realistic assessment of the situation in their sales and service organisation: Only those who know what's going on "out there" can respond accordingly. What's next? We would be happy to support you in implementing your audits. You can reach us by phone at +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 and by mail: [email protected]

Many car dealerships are currently facing major challenges. The general change in the automotive industry, changing customer expectations, new technologies and standards, energy costs and sustainability are just some of them. With our expertise and experience from hundreds of projects, we have been supporting the industry for years. So it was only logical for us to bundle our knowledge and to create cotedo Academy. Challenge: making knowledge accessible on a broad basis Yes, in this digital day and age we are all extremely linked up. But in reality things look differently. How can we provide our colleagues in the dealerships with the most important information? Remember, there is not one solution. Car dealerships need a wide range of options. Solution: targeted knowledge exchange among professionals Whether remotely from home or on-site at Motorworld Munich: we offer seminars on a wealth of current topics and are happy to share our knowledge. Result: new know-how, new potentials The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. Albert Einstein was right. That's why we use our knowledge to help others do things differently. In mid-January 2023, we had the pleasure of welcoming top-class personalities for our first seminar in the iconic venue of Motorworld Munich. The topic: "Human resources work in car dealerships". In times of a shortage of skilled workers, both finding and retaining qualified and motivated employees is a major challenge. Together we looked at things through the eyes of the applicant and did the reality check. Our participants were enthusiastic. Our consultants are also present on other platforms, for example see Michael Schlossbauer on the topic of "Help in times of crisis: profitability in aftersales". You can watch the full video at AUTOHAUS next (account required, in German language). What's next? Thirsty for knowledge too? You can find out more about our events here. Next dates coming soon.

That's when the move of the BMW Niederlassung in Nuremberg to its new premises became quite concrete: the moving van arrived on 08.07.2021. :-) Only joking, of course one truck was not enough here. Challenge: coordinating where normal relocation companies capitulate In 2020, the equipment from four branches was pulled together to kit out the workshop of the new BMW Niederlassung in Nuremberg. cotedo was responsible for the workshop from the beginning of the planning period. Shortly afterwards we also took over the evaluation of the existing equipment and organised the relocation. Thousands of pieces of equipment had to be sifted through. But the effort paid off. In order to save resources, BMW AG decided to equip the 66 workstations of its new branch with the material from four other automobile and motorcycle workshops. This worked out perfectly. André Glanz was responsible for this major project at cotedo: We are very pleased that we were able to support BMW AG in the evaluation of their high-quality workshop equipment. cotedo sifted through more than 1,400 equipment parts plus about 12,000 special tools. The effort was worth it: most of the equipment needed was already available and did not have to be purchased. Solution: workshop knowledge and experience André Glanz knows: Moving a car dealership requires workshop knowledge and experience. Because if you don't know where to start, you can easily break something – and the equipment is sometimes very expensive. Therefore, we are very happy that BMW AG has once again put their trust in us and laid their valuable equipment entirely in our hands. Result: a successful move The move was calculated to take up 1,500 cubic meters of workshop equipment, which was moved to its new location within three days. That's a whopping 18 ocean-going containers full. What's next? Do you also need help planning your car dealership move? You can reach us by phone at +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 and by mail: [email protected]

The topic of charging infrastructure is much more complex for car dealerships than for anyone else. Here, electric vehicles are not only charged, they are used on a daily basis. This is about the safe handling of electromobility, modified sales and repair processes, the correct assessment of potential hazards – and yes, also about charging vehicles and thus about requirements and energy supply. All of this requires car dealership expertise. As an industry professional, cotedo has been advising all BMW and MINI dealerships and service centers nationwide on behalf of BMW Germany since 2020. Challenge: charging infrastructure consulting for hundreds of different car dealerships Electric vehicles have long ceased to be a one-off in car dealerships. Handling them must fit seamlessly into the complex processes of day-to-day operations. It's a good thing that all our consultants come from car dealerships themselves – they know which, how many and where charging points should be installed. However, the first major hurdle often arises with the energy supply which is often not sufficient for the planned infrastructure. Project manager Thorsten Binder explains: Closing this gap can be a challenge. But there are good solutions, be it through sensible load management, an extension of the house connection or additional energy sources such as a photovoltaic system. After all, the best charging columns are no use if there is not enough electricity available. Solution: customised charging options A sensible charging park must take the specific situation of each dealer into account. This is the only way to make a functional promise for the future. Dennis Hartmann, head of the cotedo consulting team, stresses the necessity to find a customised solution together with the dealer. After all, only those who can assess the specific needs can determine the best combination in the confusing market of charging options. The safety aspect must not be overlooked either. A safe repair environment includes not only the right equipment but also specific knowledge of hazard prevention. Electric vehicles also place new demands on premises and buildings: emergency and quarantine areas, safety distances, groundwater protection and insurances need to be considered. Result: 360° support Our work for BMW is far from over after the planning period. We support our long-standing customer during the tendering process, the selection of suitable partner companies and the subsequent supervision of implementation, right through to implementation and commissioning. We are pleased to be able to offer 360° support for this complex topic and would like to thank BMW Germany for the trust that is expressed in this order. What's next? Do you also need support in planning the charging infrastructure at your dealership? You can reach us by phone at +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 and by mail: [email protected]

"Pit stop" – the word stands for precision and the highest level of technical expertise. Our customer from Zuffenhausen places the same demands on their retail around the globe. That is why their service organisation was provided with a detailed workshop planning manual. cotedo developed it along with different departments of the customer. cotedo COO Dennis Hartmann explains: Challenge: communicate globally uniform standards. Fundamental success factors such as a process-supporting workshop layout and sensible functional neighborhoods are the basis. On that basis, we designed ideal repair conditions, also by implementing industrial efficiency concepts. Solution: detailed workshop planning manual Our cooperation partner, architect Michael Schramm, whose office archiNetwork provided the 3D renderings used in the manual, is enthusiastic: The information covers a wide spectrum, from dimensions to building construction to equipment. This gives planners and clients detailed navigation. Result: competent handbook for the worldwide service organization The leitmotif of the book is "motorsport". This was chosen for a reason – the service should become faster, more profitable and at the same time more resource-efficient. The new planning manual will have a decisive influence on this. We are delighted to be able to contribute our knowledge to the success of another world-famous brand. What's next? Interested? You can reach us by phone at +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 and by mail: [email protected].

In 2020, the corona virus made regulated, safe travelling impossible. Therefore, cotedo developed a digital audit format for the BMW Group Retail Standards 2018+. It is contactless, easy to implement and readily accepted by car dealerships – even though a remote auditor does not check any less closely. Challenge: auditing without being on site. In 2020, cotedo received an order from BMW to audit 500 car dealerships and workshops in eleven different countries in Europe. With the tightening of the corona conditions, doubts grew both at cotedo and at BMW whether extensive travelling was appropriate in times of a global pandemic. Solution: we developed an over-the-air audit format A contactless audit is what we need! Under Dennis Hartmann's leadership, a contactless audit format emerged. It relies on existing means, requires hardly any preparation and is universally applicable. In case of communication difficulties, it is supported by tele-interpreters. The increased use of remote audits has saved both significant travel costs and carbon emissions. Result: smooth remote audits, cost savings, improved sustainability. Remote audits cannot always replace an on-site audit. For example, for an authorisation audit of a car dealership, an on-site format is certainly more suitable. But for clearly defined content, an online format can work very well. Helmut Buchwald, auditor and consultant at cotedo, is proud: By agreeing to the digital audit, BMW has expressed great confidence in our competence. And we are proving through smooth remote audits that this trust is justified. What's next? Interested? You can reach us by phone at +49 (0)89 716 77 97 00 and by mail: [email protected].