Fresh approach to fixing cars earns Belfast bodywork repair business award recognition

• Vehicle repair business, Revive! Northern Ireland, has been shortlisted for Start-Up Business of the Year at the FSB Northern Ireland awards
• The business, which is part of the nationwide Revive! franchise, has inverted the traditional vehicle repair process by travelling to the customer’s home or place of work to service their customers’ cars
• This comes after the firm registered an increase in turnover of 140 per cent in 2022, and achieved a record sales month in February of this year

A newly launched Belfast-based bodywork repair firm, Revive! Northern Ireland, led by owner Mark Progner, has been recognised by a prestigious awarding body for providing residents of the city and the surrounding areas with an innovative vehicle repair offering.

The firm, which was launched in 2021 as part of the UK-wide Revive! franchise network, has been shortlisted for Start-Up Business of the Year at the FSB Northern Ireland Awards. Mark and the team offer an alternative to the conventional process of motorists dropping their vehicle off at a repair garage by bringing the bodyshop to the customer’s home or place of work to conduct vehicle paint repairs.

Revive! Northern Ireland’s innovative approach has been highly profitable, as the firm’s turnover surged by 140 per cent in 2022, and in February of this year, the business registered a record month for sales. 

Such impressive financial growth, as well as the firm’s convenient service offering, is what caught the eye of the esteemed award panel, who will announce their final decision at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast on Wednesday 5 April. The business is one of only six in the country to be shortlisted for the coveted prize. 

By using state-of-the-art SMART (small-to-medium-repair-technique) technology, Revive! Northern Ireland can work on a completely mobile basis to perform cosmetic repairs and paint work, which usually take only 2-4 hours to complete. 

Revive! Northern Ireland owner, Mark Progner, a 35-year-old who was formerly a mechanical engineer, commented: “People lead busy lives, and their cars play such an important part in that. However, I noticed that the traditional bodyshop offering doesn’t really cater to this, as people must take time out of their day to travel to a garage and can often wait for days for their vehicle to return. 

“To bring our mobile repair service to Northern Irish residents has been so rewarding - making a success of the business and being recognised at these awards in such a short period of time is a testament to the hard work and skill of our technicians.

“Experienced technicians with strong customer service skills are hard to come by, but I’m delighted to say we now have three, soon to be four, fantastic technicians in our team. Their great work is reflected in our TrustPilot reviews, with 98 per cent of our reviews being 5-stars (excellent) or 4-stars (very good).”

Although breaking the status-quo has seen Mark and the team enjoy considerable success, it hasn’t been without its challenges. The firm discovered that the Northern Irish weather, of all things, has been one of the biggest obstacles they have had to overcome. Mark added: “When I started the business, I prepared for a range of challenges, including finances, marketing and HR - but I have to admit, the unforgiving Northern Irish weather wasn’t one of them!

“Our winters in particular can be cold, wet and bleak, so it requires our technicians to step out of the warmth of the bodyshop. I’m glad to say all of our technicians are now battle hardened and ready to see our customers, regardless of the weather!”

After seeing such rapid growth since opening only a couple of years ago, Mark has ambitious plans to become a go-to name for vehicle repairs: “We have seen amazing growth in a short amount of time, but one of the beauties of operating on a mobile basis is the fact that we’re not bound by a specific location - I know there is a lot more we can do to serve communities across Northern Ireland.

“I’m excited to continue to grow the team, as well as expand the services we offer, to reach more customers and get more vehicles back into top condition.”

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