Green Flag

For other uses, see Green Flag (disambiguation).
Green Flag Limited
Limited company
Industry Automotive services
Founded 1971 (as National Breakdown Recovery Club)
Founder Bob Slicer and Jeffery Pittock
Headquarters Leeds and Glasgow, United Kingdom, England and Scotland
Services Breakdown assistance
Parent Direct Line Group
Website www.greenflag.com

Green Flag is a British roadside assistance and vehicle recovery provider which is part of the Direct Line Group. Formed in 1971 (as the National Breakdown Recovery Club) as an alternative to the AA and RAC, using a network of local garages and mechanics to deliver recovery and repair services instead of patrolling mechanics. Originally based in Pudsey, their operations are now controlled over several offices within the Direct Line Group.

History

Green Flag started as an idea between two friends - Bob Slicer and Jeffery Pittock[1] - in a pub in Bradford.[2][3]

At the time, the AA and RAC were well-established, and offered assistance at the roadside. Slicer and Pittock's National Breakdown Recovery Club operated under a different model, using a network of garages and mechanics that would recover and fix member's cars. The mechanics' local knowledge was meant to provide a swifter response to calls than the established competition.[3] When the service began as a three man business (with Ernest Smith[1]) in 1971, membership only covered breakdowns within a 50-mile radius of their Morley Street[2] base in Bradford, and cost £1.50 a year.[3] Within three years, NBRC had become the UK's largest breakdown recovery firm with over 100,000 members.[2]

In 1984 NBRC was acquired by National Car Parks (NCP)[2] and five years later moved to new purpose-built headquarters in Pudsey, which were opened by Diana, Princess of Wales.[4]

The company was renamed Green Flag in 1994. The company, now being run by Ernest Smith as Chief Executive, was looking to expand into other insurance services. "Green is the symbol of health in Europe," Smith told The Independent at the time.[5]

NCP was bought out by US investment firm Cendant who put Green Flag up for sale in May 1999, after regulators blocked their attempt to gain critical mass by also buying RAC.[6] Later that year, Green Flag became part of the RBS Group when it was acquired by Direct Line for £220m.[7]

2008 saw Green Flag announce that it would be branding 400 vans across its network to match its marketing.[8]

In 2011 Green Flag reviewed its network of contractors, reducing the number of partner firms from 283 to 173, with a number of firms reacting angrily to the decision.[9] Now, five firms represent the majority of Green Flag's network.[10]

RBS' insurance division was floated in October 2012 as Direct Line Group. The new company had declared itself a separate entity the previous month.[11]

In 2015, Direct Line Group announced it would consolidate their sites in Leeds area - with the closure of the old Green Flag site in Pudsey. All staff would be retained and moved to one of their two sites in Leeds Headrow and The Wharf buildings,[12] with Green Flag operations in Glasgow and other offices continuing as normal.[13]

Services

Green Flag offer a range of breakdown products, from basic roadside assistance to full European cover with recovery, covering cars, motorbikes, trailers and small vans.[14]

The company claim a response time of 42 minutes[15] and that they have over 4m customers.[16]

Green Flag's services are also available through partners including Direct Line, Churchill, Sainsbury's Bank, Esure, RBS and NatWest. They also operate a specialist breakdown service for caravan and motorhome owners[17] on behalf of the Caravan Club.

Like the rest of the Direct Line Group, Green Flag's products are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited.

Advertising

In 2010, mascot Maximili'ant was introduced to Green Flag's marketing.[18] An ant was chosen as the company claims "they're hard working, strong and work well in a team - qualities reflected in the Green Flag network."[19] The character was brought to life by the voice of Harry Hill in TV and radio advertising until 2012.

Sponsorships

In 1994, Green Flag became the first brand to sponsor the England football team.[20] The deal ran from 1994 to the 1998 FIFA World Cup, including UEFA Euro 1996, and is believed to have cost the firm £4m.[21]

Between 2000 and 2002, the company were the main title sponsor British Formula 3 Championship[22] and then, between 2002 and 2004, the British Touring Car Championship.[23] This was not the company's first motorsport sponsorship, as National Breakdown had sponsored rallies between 1984 and 1987.[24]

2004 saw the company dabble in football again as they took up sponsorship of AOL's coverage of Euro 2004.[25]

The Green Flag logo appeared on the Williams F1 team cars of Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima (2009) and Rubens Barichello and Nico Hülkenberg (2010) as part of the RBS sponsorship.[26]

Green Flag is the current sponsor of British gymnast Nile Wilson.[27]

On 28 February 2014, Green Flag announced that it had become a sponsor of Premiership Rugby.[28]

From 21 June 2015 to present, Green Flag is currently the sponsor the national weather on ITV and UTV.

Awards

Green Flag are multiple Your Money award winners. They were named Best Breakdown Cover Provider in 2004,[29] 2005,[30] 2006,[31] 2007,[32] 2008,[33] 2009,[34] 2010,[35] 2013[36] and 2014.[37] They were also Best Online Breakdown Cover provider in 2004,[29] 2005,[30] 2006,[31] 2007[32] and 2014.[37]

The Institute of Transport Management recognised Green Flag as the Roadside Assistance Company of the year in 2012.[38]

Green Flag was ranked 9th after scoring 81.02% in the 2013 Auto Express Driver Power survey of best breakdown cover providers.[39] This increased to a score of 87.33% and an improved ranking of 3rd in the newest Auto Express Driver Power Survey in 2014 - seeing Green Flag outrank both the AA and RAC. [40]

References

  1. 1 2 Andy Lambert. "The change begins". A Condensed History of Vehicle Recovery in the UK.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Chris Holland. "Former Low Moor, Bradford, National Breakdown boss Bob Slicer dies in Australia". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 "Our brands: Green Flag". Direct Line Group.
  4. ↑ Andy Lambert. "The "big 2" respond". A Condensed History of Vehicle Recovery in the UK.
  5. ↑ Roger Trapp. "Green Flag breaks down the barriers". The Independent. Retrieved 18 June 1995. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  6. ↑ "Cendant completes sales". CNNMoney. Retrieved 8 October 1999. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  7. ↑ "Direct Line buys Green Flag". BBC. Retrieved 8 October 1999. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  8. ↑ "Green Flag Virtual Patrol Launch". Green Flag. Retrieved 1 June 2008.
  9. ↑ Vicki Owen. "'Green Flag is leaving its garages stranded', claim firms with axed contracts". This is Money. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  10. ↑ Suzan Uzel. "Green Flag waves in new era". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  11. ↑ "Our history". Direct Line Group.
  12. ↑
  13. ↑
  14. ↑ "Green Flag breakdown cover levels". Green Flag. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "Green Flag". Green Flag. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "Green Flag motorbike cover". Green Flag. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  17. ↑ "Caravan Club Mayday". Caravan Club. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Green Flag introduces new brand character in BRTV and DRTV campaign". Green Flag. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  19. ↑ "Green Flag LinkedIn profile". LinkedIn.
  20. ↑ "England team sponsorship". England Football Online.
  21. ↑ Guy Hodgson. "England to wave the flag for £4m". The Independent. Retrieved 13 January 1995. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  22. ↑ "Green Flag drops F3 and signs £1m British Touring Car sponsorship deal". Marketing Week. Retrieved 21 March 2002.
  23. ↑ "Green Flag pulls out of Touring Cars". PistonHeads. Retrieved 16 March 2005.
  24. ↑ "National Breakdown/Cartel Rally results". ewrc-results.com.
  25. ↑ "Green Flag sponsors AOL's UEFA content". Marketing. Retrieved 1 June 2004.
  26. ↑ "RBS F1 sponsorship extended to Green Flag". f1network.net. Retrieved 8 May 2009.
  27. ↑ Nile Wilson. "Sponsors: Green Flag". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  28. ↑ Green Flag. "Green Flag partners with Premiership Rugby". Retrieved 28 February 2014.
  29. 1 2 Your Money award winners 2004
  30. 1 2 Your Money award winners 2005
  31. 1 2 Your Money award winners 2006
  32. 1 2 Your Money award winners 2007
  33. ↑ Your Money award winners 2008
  34. ↑ Your Money award winners 2009
  35. ↑ Your Money award winners 2010
  36. ↑ Your Money award winners 2013
  37. 1 2 Your Money award winners 2014 revealed
  38. ↑ Green Flag is delighted to have won the Roadside Assistance Company 2012 Award
  39. ↑ Auto Express Driver Power Survey 2013: breakdown cover providers
  40. ↑

External links

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