6 I went to a meeting last week and quickly became
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aware that I was one of the longest serving members of VI staff there. I found myself talking like my parents: "Years ago we did this."
When I started work at the Birmingham FIGV Test Station 15 years ago we were so wrapped up in red tape we could hardly move in any direction, let alone forward. Appointments were made only via Swansea, and a completed application form and full fee were needed before an appointment was given.
Since then the VI has become more aware of customers' needs, and our services now include the use of our equipment for voluntary brake tests and so on. The computer links between stations mean that with one phone call companies can book all their vehicle inspections throughout the country.
I am sure our new computer system is infamous. We still have some way to go before we realise our vision of a system that enables the driver to go through the whole process without leaving his cab and gets the computer to generate either a test certificate or a failure sheet with details of what items have failed it. In the short term you may have to bear with us, but things will get better in due course.
Where is all this leading? What really bothers me, and many other staff across the country, is that I do not want to go back to the old ways—but the meeting that I attended was leaning that way. The VI is losing money because some operators are abusing the flexibility we are now offering. Appointments are being made without the restrictions of forms and fees paid in advance, and some of these vehicles then fail to arrive for their tests. Our time and staff resources are wasted, which is costly, and this affects our other customers. The obvious solution is to revert to demanding fees in advance, which is something we do not want to do.
However, vehicles arriving late for appointments also cause difficulties: if we have to start a test late the next customer is going to be delayed, which is bad service.
Help us to give you a better service by following a few simple rules. When booking a reservation by phone, follow up with the fee to confirm the booking. If you cannot attend, ring and let us know so we can offer that slot to someone else, thus reducing the waiting times for test appointments. Your booking may be refunded (if enough notice is given), or moved to another date, time or even location. If you are going to be late, phone us and we will see what can be done.
We want to keep the improvements and good working relationships that we have built over the years, and the freedom to offer booking systems tailored to everyone from large international companies to the owner-driver.
My message is: help us to help you, and prevent us from having to return to where we were 15 years ago, with all the red tape and restrictions.