Robert Bosch founded the 'Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering' in Stuttgart in 1886. None of the contemporaries thought it would be the birth of the leading global supplier of technology and services - the Bosch Group.
From then on, it was characterised by innovative strength and social commitment. One of the key attributes was that Bosch performed all the precision mechanical and electrical engineering work that came to his way, such as installing telephone systems and electric bells. When asked to build a magneto ignition device for a stationary engine in line with an existing design, he improved this and thus paved the way for magneto ignition production.
Car Service
Entering car service has also been induced by foreseeing an emerging opportunity. In 1900, the number of cars built worldwide was less than 10,000. In a decade, the numbers rose to over 250,000. In the following decade, it grew by over ten folds, reaching 2.5 million cars.
Early motorists were either technically skilled to manage repairing requirements themselves or hired a mechanic to service their expensive vehicles. Over time, cars grew more affordable, and electrical equipment such as lighting and starters made driving much more manageable and comfortable. As the number of cars rose, so too did the demand for professional and expert service. This was the impetus for Bosch to get into the organised servicing of vehicles.
As an early global player, Bosch had equipped its sales outlets across the world with workshops. By around 1920, people from most countries with many cars could visit those sales locations to buy the company's products and take advantage of maintenance and repair services. In the United States, where motoring was more popular, the company had already set up Bosch Service Stations before World War-I. However, the outbreak of hostilities and confiscation of the company's assets in the US put an abrupt end to this expansion.
In 1921, the company revived the idea on a larger scale and announced its plans to create 'bases or support centres' at home and abroad in large cities with high motor vehicle traffic. The 'bases' were envisioned as independent businesses, not directly affiliated with the company but capable of handling the sale and installation of its products, dealing with only private individuals, and not with motor vehicle factories. The result was a concept that has remained fundamentally unchanged for 100 years and continues to be a success, which evolved as Bosch Car Service (BCS). The first partnership agreement was signed with Max Eisenmann & Co in Hamburg on January 1, 1921. Originally a bicycle wholesaler, Eisenmann became Hamburg's first car dealership in 1897 when it began importing English automobiles. After signing the partnership agreement with Bosch, Eisenmann became the official installation and repair workshops of Robert Bosch AG.
Guidelines
The Bosch Service designation, featuring the lantern logo and a standardised service agreement, followed in 1926. It offered its partners comprehensive support. The guidelines published by the company for the organisation of Bosch Service garages in 1932 summed up 152 recommendations for owners that covered every topic imaginable, from purchasing and the ideal setup of stockrooms and sales floors to the organisation of sales, advertising, and shipping — as well as repair and installation work, staff management, accident prevention, accounting, and the control measures to be implemented. For new garages, it provided sample building plans with the ideal layout of the necessary spaces.
Global Network
Had Robert Bosch not so quick to realise that Germany alone could offer him a big enough market and that it was necessary to develop an internationalisation strategy, it is unlikely his company would ever have been so successful. It was true not only for the sale of magneto ignition devices but also service business. Even before the first World War, the company was generating almost 90% of its sales outside its home country — a figure that remains unmatched to this day.
The service network expanded rapidly worldwide. The first general directory in 1930 listed 2,750 workshops. In 1992, the 10,000th Bosch Service outlet opened in the German city of Halle an der Saale.
In 2021, the year of its anniversary, BCS has more than 16,500 workshops in over 150 countries, making it one of the world's largest chains of independent repair shops. The level of service provided has also grown significantly along with the network. The portfolio includes all automotive services, regardless of powertrain or automaker.
This year, BCS commemorates 100 years of its presence as the world's leading multi-brand car service workshop. Today, BCS network partners benefit from the company's ever-growing expertise in diagnostic technology, availability of high quality and genuine spare parts and technical training for its workshop technicians. A qualification system within the Bosch Service Excellence programme, including regular audits and service quality assessments, ensures the high quality of BCS workshop partners. Car drivers benefit from genuine parts, sound technical know-how and efficient services of the workshop personnel who are up to date with regular training courses offered by the company.
India
In India, BCS has been growing consistently, clocking a high double-digit growth in 2020 over the previous year; it is also the highest growth posted in the BCS network expansion across geographies despite prevailing COVID challenges. Today it has close to 250 touchpoints across India, including the company-owned company-operated BCS.
Optimistic Outlook
Bosch Group is commemorating this success story with an optimistic look at the future: the objective is to further expand its network count by targeting significant growth, coordinate with customers and workshop partners on the basis of digital solutions and smart use of data, and reinforce its position as a reliable and innovative mobility partner across the world, both today and in the future.