But that’s not all March has to offer. Thanks to the wave of MOTs that came as a result of last year’s extension coming to an end, it’s also the last ‘normal’ month of MOT demand until later in the year.

So, you should be making this month all about mopping up the last of the MOT opportunities.

Many of your customers might not have used their vehicles throughout lockdown, which can lead to common faults and MOT failures – so there’s a lot of work out there for the garage who is prepared to take it on.

And preparation really is key.

You can make sure you’re getting ahead now, by scheduling work in for the next month, carefully managing your workflow to avoid turning people away.

• Use your data - Government research shows that 40% of MOT customers prefer to choose a garage they have used before, so work through your customer database to identify customers in need of an MOT

• Pick up the phone - Contact your customers by phone rather than blanket email or text. One garage owner reported a 43% uptake on bookings in a single day after switching to making phone calls to his customers

• Get social - Use your social media pages to let your customers know you are open and spark the reminder that their MOT could be due – some might have forgotten while they’ve not been using their vehicles as frequently. It’s also a great channel to mention the Covid safety measures you have in place, to help put customers minds at ease about booking with you

• Be searchable - Make sure you’re listed on relevant online directories and local lists, so when potential new customers are searching for a garage, you’re in the mix

• Think ahead - Use the opportunity to get ahead for next year and set up reminders for customers on their MOT deadlines. Keep them coming back to you for their next test.

Demand for MOTs might slow down after March, but this doesn’t mean your garage has to.

There are still a huge number of opportunities to make the most of when MOTs have been and gone.

The world as we know it has changed, and there’s expected to be big demand for UK staycations and road trips as we start to ease our way back to normal, post-lockdown. Coupled with international travel being subject to review later in the roadmap, many people will be taking to their cars, rather than airports, to get away over the next few months.

Most of these vehicles will have been sitting idle for months at a time, or only being used for short bursts of essential travel – so a big opportunity for servicing and repair for your garage. Packaging up pre-holiday safety checks and considering added value work like tyres and air conditioning checks can really help you tap into this demand, and make potential customers think of you outside the standard MOT or service work they might usually only book in with you for.