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It’s not a great time for Motability customers. Vehicle choice has plummeted, AP’s have risen and people are having to pay for adaptations that used to be free etc.
It’s a great time to be a Motability Operations staff member though. Hot off the press I have just heard from the person that I know who works there that they just been awarded their Christmas Bonus – and it’s 12.5% of their annual salary. Keep in mind that even the most junior call handlers there is on around £25k so do the maths. I should say that I do not know for certain if every single staff member gets this bonus (I don’t ask any questions as it irritates me so much), but the person that I know is not in a senior position and has had a bonus for each of the last few years.
Perhaps it’s just me, as there are some who object to anything negative being said about Motability and can see no wrong in the scheme, but this seems completely immoral to me given that this is being funded entirely by the benefits of disabled people, many of whom will be struggling with the current cost of living challenges and / or cannot get a car suitable for their needs either at all, or at a price that they can afford.
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Well said @Glos Guy. £25k for a call centre operator is well over what that job pays with most employers and that’s without all the inflated benefits they get. With the bonus and all the benefits they will be nudging £35k a year which is absolutely ridiculous. I bet their staff retention rates are close to 100% with those packages.
£200 a month for Insurance?
I left the scheme at the end of September this year and bought a used private car, with being on the scheme for years I had zero no claims discount so had to start from scratch, I live in a city centre and still managed to get fully comp for just over £400 for the year!
I don’t think you can get a Porsche Cayenne insured for £400 a year anywhere in the UK. It starts at IG40, ends at IG50. I think around £1200 a year is the cheapest you should assume, for the small diesel models.
For a petrol version, £2000 and more is much more likely.
Vinalspin, unrelated to the topic as such, but go with direct line at renewal. They recognise the No claims from the scheme and will give you those years. After a year they give you the usual letter of X years no claims which includes Motability years as regular no claims so you can then go anywhere with them.
If you need the proof of fault free driving just call Motability rsa and they’re very quick to email it, direct line didn’t ask for mine.
Vinalspin, unrelated to the topic as such, but go with direct line at renewal. They recognise the No claims from the scheme and will give you those years. After a year they give you the usual letter of X years no claims which includes Motability years as regular no claims so you can then go anywhere with them. If you need the proof of fault free driving just call Motability rsa and they’re very quick to email it, direct line didn’t ask for mine.
Good point Tim. I managed the same with a different company to Direct Line when I moved from a company car to a private one. It is my understanding that quite a lot of insurance companies now recognise claim free years as a company car / Motability car driver. There certainly shouldn’t be any need to start with nothing.
Yes, it was certainly a worry for us having previous no claims lapse due to being on the scheme. I was pleasantly surprised to see the drop down on direct line to choose disability vehicle as the No claims identifier option.
They even took my previously lapsed private insured no claims from elsewhere too. A weight lifted ?
Yes, it was certainly a worry for us having previous no claims lapse due to being on the scheme. I was pleasantly surprised to see the drop down on direct line to choose disability vehicle as the No claims identifier option. They even took my previously lapsed private insured no claims from elsewhere too. A weight lifted ?
That’s really useful to know Tim, as Direct Line and Aviva aren’t included on any comparison websites. As a further point of interest, when I sold my 5 Series the letter that I had from the insurers said that my maximum No Claims Bonus would be valid for 3 years, even without any other insurance in my name during that time. It won’t really matter as I’m the main driver on the Motability car so that will be counting anyway.
And of course Direct Line are the new insurance providers for Motability, which must help…
I suspect so Wigwam.
@Tim, thanks for the info, unfortunately a previous car I had on Motability had an intercooler spring a leak and I was forced to make a claim to get it repaired as Mota refused to accept a 2 year old car could have any kind of component failure even though the RAC guy stated there was absolutely no damage when he came to me at the side of the motorway, so that blew my 15+ years without a claim.
Luckily the Insurance company accepted the fact I have been a named driver on another vehicle for 20+ years and gave me a good discount anyway, at just over £400 it was only 70 quid more expensive than the last time I had private insurance years ago so can’t complain.
Looking to get a slightly bigger vehicle soon so with all the delays for new cars I’m happy I’ve gone used as there is a large choice atm and even though prices are over inflated it goes both ways, I still have £8,000-£9,000 value to use from my trade-in.
@glos guy I completely agree with the general thrust of your argument, just that the numbers themselves of the bonuses aren’t really bothering me compared to the other crap they pull. A 3k bonus x 1200 is 3.6m, a slap in the face, but operationally not a huge deal.
Interesting you say that about the new 5 series. I had an E46 3 series touring and it was fine, but when moving to the new one it was WAY too low when I tested one for a few weeks. Even my mum who’s not mobility impaired complained it was low. No idea what went wrong there, but seems to be an issue with both 3 and 5 series touring and saloons post 2006. Quite curious and rather annoying. They had no need to make them that low.
@vinalspin big petrol cars in Manchester cost that! To put it into perspective a CLK350 would cost over 1500 here, and a crappy little micra from 2005 on autotrader would quote for like 1000. prices are over 1k lower down in Cambridge overall. Rene has it spot on. A small engined one is around the same insurance as the CLK350. The cayenne is a very nice cheap (relative to an X5 etc) car to buy 2nd hand though if you can keep a handle on maintenance costs.Motability Operations is functioning on a business model & clearly has a staff remuneration policy including bonuses – whichI understand and appreciate & whisky the charitable arm of motability is small and focussing in the ‘grants’ to motability customers who qualify both need a review, refresh & possible restructure.
for one is rather see Motability Operations run under a Community Interest Company (CIC) or Community Incorporated Organisation (CIO) be the legal structure – so they run as a business & can have profits but have a legal requirement to invest X amount into community / charitable benefit. The fact that MO are owned by the big 4 banks – it’s about their / their shareholder profits. Whilst I’m
Not against paying staff bonus payments & rewards& recognition policies and practice – if a company is operation with a lower number of partners (ie manufacturers) and available product to customers (us) from 4000 plus vehicles to now 993 and proportionally extreme advance payments – then such pay awards and bonuses seem less appropriate & stick in the gut!!!! Both motsbility operations and motsbility Charity need to be more accountable & transparent (even though charitable laws require charities to do so) .
as DLA / PIP is not means tested there will be a wider points of view across the motability customer base. But for someone like me surviving on recently cut universal credit, my financial situation is dire & even with just my motability component covering my current lease – I cannot opt out – as I’d never get a private lease on universal credit. Plus for my motsbility needs, my physical / conditions needs – I require a medium to large SUV – much reduced in numbers yet much increased in advance payment requirements for the medium / large suv category. I have to say most of my dealings with MO staff has been satisfactory but not exemplar nor warranting a 12.5% salary bonus.Dante, I might be wrong, but I *think* the motability operations charter and legislation surrounding it requires it to put all excess profits into motability the charity. They aren’t allowed to use it as a profit making venture for the shareholders.
……Which is why they are so loose with money/salaries…. They literally don’t care as they have too much money and aren’t allowed to do anything with it except 1) spend on operating costs 2) give to motability the charity.
@Glos Guy did your 5 series come with insurance? I suspect that’s a large factor for those of us that live in cities. My Cayenne cost almost £200/month in insurance. The maths DO generally make sense for us on motability, but that’s due to the VAT free nature, not MO or their buying power.
To be clear, I completely understand that for the majority of Motability customers the scheme still offers an affordable and worry free way of driving a new car every three years (even though many now seem to end up with their cars much longer than that, which erodes the scheme ‘value’). I further understand that many Motability customers would not be able to go private even if they wanted to and even some that could have a fear or incorrect perception of other options. However, even if I was in one of those categories I could not turn a blind eye to the wanton way that Motability Operations lavish the sacrificed benefits of disabled people on all their staff whilst increasing AP’s and charging for essential adaptations. I am glad that I am not the only person who is able to join the dots and see that these two issues are directly related!
I think that we have established that the Motability scheme is a godsend for many disabled people, but there still lingers the argument that MO salaries are excessive.
Nobody would support excessive unjustified salaries, but to attract the right calibre of staff, they must be competitive
MO have offices in London, Edinburgh and Bristol ,the first two being the epicentres of business/commerce Etc., and the third being geographically placed to deal with the West Country and Wales.
According to Reed employment, the average UK salary for a Customer Service operative is £22,003 , with a low of £20400 and a high of £24500, and for a call centre operative it is some £25500 with the ability to earn into the late £30,000’s.
The salaries paid by Motability Operations as reported are an average of £24640 which includes any bonuses , for Customer Services and £25408 in a Call centre.
It seems to me, that these incomes , albeit towards the top end of the scale, are not excessive, especially as they are averages which include working in London and Edinburgh.
@Glos Guy did your 5 series come with insurance? I suspect that’s a large factor for those of us that live in cities. My Cayenne cost almost £200/month in insurance. The maths DO generally make sense for us on motability, but that’s due to the VAT free nature, not MO or their buying power.
To be clear, I completely understand that for the majority of Motability customers the scheme still offers an affordable and worry free way of driving a new car every three years (even though many now seem to end up with their cars much longer than that, which erodes the scheme ‘value’). I further understand that many Motability customers would not be able to go private even if they wanted to and even some that could have a fear or incorrect perception of other options. However, even if I was in one of those categories I could not turn a blind eye to the wanton way that Motability Operations lavish the sacrificed benefits of disabled people on all their staff whilst increasing AP’s and charging for essential adaptations. I am glad that I am not the only person who is able to join the dots and see that these two issues are directly related!
I think that we have established that the Motability scheme is a godsend for many disabled people, but there still lingers the argument that MO salaries are excessive. Nobody would support excessive unjustified salaries, but to attract the right calibre of staff, they must be competitive MO have offices in London, Edinburgh and Bristol ,the first two being the epicentres of business/commerce Etc., and the third being geographically placed to deal with the West Country and Wales. According to Reed employment, the average UK salary for a Customer Service operative is £22,003 , with a low of £20400 and a high of £24500, and for a call centre operative it is some £25500 with the ability to earn into the late £30,000’s. The salaries paid by Motability Operations as reported are an average of £24640 which includes any bonuses , for Customer Services and £25408 in a Call centre. It seems to me, that these incomes , albeit towards the top end of the scale, are not excessive, especially as they are averages which include working in London and Edinburgh.
But you then have to factor in the much better than average perks they get on top of these better than average salaries.
Today I dealt with a large we’ll known UK company. I used live chat and it took 3 attempts to actually speak to somebody send then I had to ask a barrage of basic questions to ascertain what would happen next . I was promised an email confirmation about what would happen next which never materialised and now I am unsure if the item will be collected later. My daughter had a similar experience with another company. If motability pay a bit extra to attract better staff which results in better service it gets a thumbs up from me.
I think that we have established that the Motability scheme is a godsend for many disabled people, but there still lingers the argument that MO salaries are excessive. Nobody would support excessive unjustified salaries, but to attract the right calibre of staff, they must be competitive MO have offices in London, Edinburgh and Bristol ,the first two being the epicentres of business/commerce Etc., and the third being geographically placed to deal with the West Country and Wales. According to Reed employment, the average UK salary for a Customer Service operative is £22,003 , with a low of £20400 and a high of £24500, and for a call centre operative it is some £25500 with the ability to earn into the late £30,000’s. The salaries paid by Motability Operations as reported are an average of £24640 which includes any bonuses , for Customer Services and £25408 in a Call centre. It seems to me, that these incomes , albeit towards the top end of the scale, are not excessive, especially as they are averages which include working in London and Edinburgh.
I accept that we won’t agree on this Mike as you (and a few others) are content with the current situation are happy that you are paying for it. I would just like to say that the base salary is not the main issue though. It’s all the extras like a bonus (for what?), 15% pension contributions, 28 days holiday plus bank holidays, private health care etc etc. It is my firm belief that the total remuneration package is way out of line with the call centre norm. BTW, it is my understanding that the vast majority of the call centre staff work in Bristol.
Today I dealt with a large we’ll known UK company. I used live chat and it took 3 attempts to actually speak to somebody send then I had to ask a barrage of basic questions to ascertain what would happen next . I was promised an email confirmation about what would happen next which never materialised and now I am unsure if the item will be collected later. My daughter had a similar experience with another company. If motability pay a bit extra to attract better staff which results in better service it gets a thumbs up from me.
Sounds like a few occasions I’ve called Motability.
@Glos Guy – I wouldn’t even bother with it mate. the comments are full of ‘i’m a former big cat who knows more than you’ along with a load of nonsensical inaccuracies and condescending talk. “epicentres of business/commerce” for example – why does a motability call centre need placed there? No business reason whatsoever. Why do call centres need to be in a geographic region? They don’t. The average salaries quoted are way off, as anybody who’s actually dealt with provisioning a call centre will know. London probably brings the total average up to 19-20k, but in general you’re looking at lower. Right calibre of staff? Right. They are especially qualified for what? They have more authority than the average call centre staff? Nope. Provisioning a vehicle is provisioning a vehicle, no matter what stripes you put on it. So yes, you can absolutely compare it to both salary sacrifice (direct payment, no credit check) and public leasing schemes (paid through customer, credit check).
@Glos Guy – I wouldn’t even bother with it mate. the comments are full of ‘i’m a former big cat who knows more than you’ along with a load of nonsensical inaccuracies and condescending talk. “epicentres of business/commerce” for example – why does a motability call centre need placed there? No business reason whatsoever. Why do call centres need to be in a geographic region? They don’t. The average salaries quoted are way off, as anybody who’s actually dealt with provisioning a call centre will know. London probably brings the total average up to 19-20k, but in general you’re looking at lower. Right calibre of staff? Right. They are especially qualified for what? They have more authority than the average call centre staff? Nope. Provisioning a vehicle is provisioning a vehicle, no matter what stripes you put on it. So yes, you can absolutely compare it to both salary sacrifice (direct payment, no credit check) and public leasing schemes (paid through customer, credit check).
You are right that London salaries always massively skew national averages. I live near Bristol (where the Motability call centre staff work) and I know factually that their salaries alone are way above the norm here, never mind everything that they get on top. Out of interest, I’ve just found more detail on the benefits package for all staff at Motability Operations. The words used below are theirs and not mine;
– Competitive salary
– Bonus scheme
– Generous Holiday Allowance (28 days plus Bank Holidays)
– 15% Non Contributory Pension Scheme
– Private Healthcare
– Dental Insurance
– Life Assurance
– Season Ticket Loans
– Health Checks
– Discounted Gym Membership
– Free Lunchtime Yoga classes
– On-site cafes
– Access to ‘expert bike servicing’
– All staff now issued with laptops and can work from home if they prefer (not just for Covid)
– Flexible working
Employee engagement is 96% and staff turnover just 2%. No wonder.
Still, they are very friendly when we phone them, so those disability benefits and AP’s are all going to a good cause!
This has always been a friendly forum with a lot of knowledge coming from members , and I have enjoyed participating over the last four years , but now is the time to move on – stooping to insults is not for me.
cheers
Glos Guy – I believe decent salary trackers include such incentives in their average salary guides. (though not discretionary bonuses)
Mike 700 – I’d honestly rather you insult me or call me names than treat me like an idiot and try to explain stuff to me that’s patently false, all the while trying to make my opinion less worthy.
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