Green Flag
Encyclopedia
Green Flag is a roadside rescue company based in the UK. It was formed in 1971 as the National Breakdown Recovery Club and operated under this name under the ownership of National Car Parks
until 1994, when it was renamed Green Flag as a symbolic brand name
After the purchase of NCP by Cinven
, the company was purchased by Direct Line
in 1999. Following the purchase of Direct Line by the Royal Bank of Scotland
, Green Flag is now a part of RBS Group. For four years running, Green Flag has been the winner of the Your Money
award for Best Direct Breakdown provider.
Green Flag was a major sponsor of the British Touring Car Championship
between 2002 and 2004.
They also sponsored the England national football team for the first time in 1994. The initial sponsorship deal was worth £4 million ($6.6 million) over a four-season period ending with the World Cup final tournament in July, 1998.
and RAC
, Green Flag does not have its own fleet of vehicles or a staff of mechanics. Instead, the company maintains a network of locally-based mechanics. One of the advantages of this approach (according to the company) is that local companies have local knowledge and are able to respond to call outs faster as a result. Using this network also has an advantage to the repairs of the vehicle with 86% of call outs being mended at the roadside. Green Flag holds over 5 million members.
In early 2008 Green Flag reduced its contractor network by nearly 100. Green Flag tendered its work out to service providers taking several variables into consideration. These included price, location to area wanting to be covered, size and scale of business and number of sites. The contractors then bid against each other in order to hit a 'target price.' Green Flag has since described its contractor review as a success; however with 100 fewer agents working with them their claim of using local knowledge to assist members promptly has less validity than it did before the contractor review.
As of November 2011 Green Flag has now reduced its contractor network even further to just 5 'super contractors' covering the whole country.
They impose a limit on the age of vehicles that they will assist under personal cover, and will not attend where the vehicle is more than 16 years old . AA and RAC do not impose a vehicle age restriction.
Green Flag's average response time is 28 minutes, promoted as 30 minutes on their web site and press releases; this, therefore, puts them at the top of the average response time. This was calculated on 318,000 call outs they had between August 8 and March 9.
Green Flag's web site also contains a "route map" which has also been voted the most effective route map out of the 3 major breakdown companies.
National Car Parks
National Car Parks is the United Kingdom’s largest private car park operator, with over 200,000 spaces across more than 700 locations in towns and cities, railway stations and at airports....
until 1994, when it was renamed Green Flag as a symbolic brand name
After the purchase of NCP by Cinven
Cinven
Cinven is a British private equity firm founded in 1977 with offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Hong Kong. Currently, the company has raised four funds, with the last one signing up €6.5 billion...
, the company was purchased by Direct Line
Direct Line
Direct Line is part of the RBS Insurance division of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group that specialises in selling insurance and other financial services over the phone and internet....
in 1999. Following the purchase of Direct Line by the Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
, Green Flag is now a part of RBS Group. For four years running, Green Flag has been the winner of the Your Money
Your Money
Your Money, also known as Your $$$$$, is a one-hour news show hosted by Christine Romans and Ali Velshi broadcast by CNN from the Time Warner Center studios in New York City. The show breaks down the business news of the week and shows viewers how it impacts their bottom line...
award for Best Direct Breakdown provider.
Green Flag was a major sponsor of the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
between 2002 and 2004.
They also sponsored the England national football team for the first time in 1994. The initial sponsorship deal was worth £4 million ($6.6 million) over a four-season period ending with the World Cup final tournament in July, 1998.
Differences from other breakdown companies
Unlike the AAThe Automobile Association
The Automobile Association , a British motoring association founded in 1905 was demutualised in 1999 to become a private limited company which currently provides car insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans and motoring advice, and other services...
and RAC
RAC plc
RAC Limited is a breakdown company in the United Kingdom supplying products and services for motorists. Initially formed as the "Associate Section" of the Royal Automobile Club, it was incorporated as R.A.C. Motoring Services Ltd. in 1978. It was then sold by the members of the Royal Automobile...
, Green Flag does not have its own fleet of vehicles or a staff of mechanics. Instead, the company maintains a network of locally-based mechanics. One of the advantages of this approach (according to the company) is that local companies have local knowledge and are able to respond to call outs faster as a result. Using this network also has an advantage to the repairs of the vehicle with 86% of call outs being mended at the roadside. Green Flag holds over 5 million members.
In early 2008 Green Flag reduced its contractor network by nearly 100. Green Flag tendered its work out to service providers taking several variables into consideration. These included price, location to area wanting to be covered, size and scale of business and number of sites. The contractors then bid against each other in order to hit a 'target price.' Green Flag has since described its contractor review as a success; however with 100 fewer agents working with them their claim of using local knowledge to assist members promptly has less validity than it did before the contractor review.
As of November 2011 Green Flag has now reduced its contractor network even further to just 5 'super contractors' covering the whole country.
They impose a limit on the age of vehicles that they will assist under personal cover, and will not attend where the vehicle is more than 16 years old . AA and RAC do not impose a vehicle age restriction.
Green Flag's average response time is 28 minutes, promoted as 30 minutes on their web site and press releases; this, therefore, puts them at the top of the average response time. This was calculated on 318,000 call outs they had between August 8 and March 9.
Green Flag's web site also contains a "route map" which has also been voted the most effective route map out of the 3 major breakdown companies.