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? Quiet is possible in the workshop, even in the body shop. Ever since our colleague Dennis Hartmann was once able to experience this for real in a car dealership, we are on a mission ... Challenge: get the workshop quiet! But how? There are certainly quieter places to work 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 down the radio 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 are 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 relieves pressure and creates trust Bring peace and quiet to your workshop. In this way, you create a meaningful atmosphere that enhances the quality of life and work for employees, builds trust among customers, and also ensures greater peace and quiet 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 starts when you 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, but nothing else happens. And the manufacturer only receives a score, but 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. And 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 his retail around the globe. That is why he has provided his partners with a detailed workshop planning manual. cotedo developed it together 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. We built on this and designed ideal repair conditions, also by implementing industrial efficiency concepts. Solution: detailed workshop planning manual Our cooperation partner, architect Michael Schramm, from whose office archiNetwork the 3D renderings used in it originate, 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 not "motorsport" for nothing - 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 travel 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, the 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].