Opening up my own workshop.

[blownba]

Well I have finally done it. After working and running the same place for the last 8 years I have worked up the courage to go out on my own and open a automotive and LPG ect, business.
Its just down the road from where I have been working and I have bought all the equipment off my old boss as he has had enough and is getting out of Automotive (he's not a mechanic)
So I get to keep all my existing clientelle, same phone number ect.
I am as nervous as hell and sometimes the buterflies in my stomach wanna make me be sick but so far everything seems to be falling in place and I am finally able to do things my way and make a workshop that not only looks the biz but does the biz. Hope it goes well.
I have good up to date tuning equipment, acess to a dyno. I am prodominatly a Automotive workshop with RWC licence, I also do air con and I am pretty good with my EFI stuff and have up to date diagnostic equipment. But what I specialise in is LPG conversions and tuning ESPECIALLY Tartarini injection systems as I am a preferred agent (I'm also a genuine Impco fitter) And have been fitting for the last 15 years.


So I'm opening it up.... What advice do you think will help me to provide awesome service to guys like you.
Any advice appreciated.

[Werd.]

Always make sure it looks good.. Eg, no flaking paint, mould on the roof/walls... And make sure its clean.
Dirty places tend to make me think they might be dodgey.

[NGN 351]

Good luck with the new venture. In business world if you can survive the first 12 months generally your on your way. If a business is going to fail most do in the first 12 months.
Keep it clean, workshop and toilets for customers. No boobie girl photos where the general public can see them. Remember its the little costs that kill a business, big purchases you know where your capital expenditure has gone.
Once again hope it all goes well.
Regs
Justin

[blownba]

Thanks.. I just got home from doin the coating on the floor. (light grey of course)
No boobies my missus is the office wench!!!! BUT I am allowed to keep my Wurth and Pirelli calanders. I always thought nude photos in workshops look tacky. The wurth calander and Pirelli ones are pure class but will still be out of direct sight of the office.
Got male and female toilets and a waiting room.
So so far I'm looking pretty good???
Oh and I am when it comes to keeping my own workshops or garages clean (I vacuum my garage at home!!!) I wasn't happy with my old work cause the joint lookes crap. The owner was not interested in the place looking good cause we had enough customers for him. So I was very limited in what I could do. Now money is my only limiting factor but I have more than enough to make it look clean and orderly and I have a professional logo and wicked signs goin up next week.

[wodahs]

anouther self made millionair on the way ;)
good luck with it and get a good acountant for the tax's first years capital gains suxs

[The Yeti]

good luck, grab your self a hand full of balls and go for it, I did it once, I'm not any more not because it wasnt good but I had other ambisions to follow, the shop I had was quite sucessfull when I sold and is still very sucessfull. managed correctly this will be a very rewarding experance for all conserned and by the sounds of it your starting out well

[blownba]

Hahaahah wicked. Thanks guys.
I'm off to go do another coat on the floor.
All my stuff starts going in on monday.
Hope to be operational by the 3rd.
I have to cause I've got bookings!!!

[Bluepower]

Originally Posted by blownba

Hahaahah wicked. Thanks guys.
I'm off to go do another coat on the floor.
All my stuff starts going in on monday.
Hope to be operational by the 3rd.
I have to cause I've got bookings!!!

Make sure your customers are happy - even if you lose on the job, imperative you keep the guys happy and the world will beat a path to your door.

Be open, honest about your abilities, what you can and cant do. Even if you cant help someone, they will appreciate you more tomorrow for your honesty today.

Be all you can be, very best of luck. :

[merlin]

Good luck mate, one day my dream is to walk away from my job (which is great) and start my own business too...just something I have always wanted to do - would take a lot of guts.

[ratter]

Good luck on your new adventure.

I did the same thing 3.5 years ago, but I started from scratch.
I now have a brand new dyno, scan tool, gas analysers, air flow meters etc etc etc and now really enjoy some aspects of the job

Don't expect to get rich
Keep the place clean
Don't hord stuff where it can be seen
Take the time to clean up each day
Have a smart uniform
Be honest with your customers
Don't start to be bargained with on jobs, If it's worth $xxxx amount, it is worth it, otherwise you will end up working for nothing - the bargain hunters will not be loyal customers any way
Expect to put in a few late nights from time to time


I could keep going on, but won't
pm me if you want any help and I'll give you my number

Good Luck
Mick

[DBourne]

awesome work mate!
just be confident in your abilities. you'll be fine

[AndyZH]

All the best in your new venture!

One thing I always liked about my old mechanic was that whenever he replaced something, he would keep the worn out/broken part and show me what the actual problem was when I was picking up the car. It was a little thing to do, but made a big difference! Well worth doing in my opinion.

[JTFG]

Good luck with it all!

I'll be back with the 626 eventually :P

[blownba]

Far out. Thanks for the support guys.
It really means alot to me.
Alot of the things that have been mentioned are basically what I do allready. So I think I'm in with a chance.
The main thing I have always done is been honest. I wouldn't sleep well If I wasn't.

Tanks for the offers of help too guys.

I did my last day of work with the old joint today. End of a era!
Didn't feel too bad believe me!

[v8boss]

I did the same about 5 years ago, and havent regretted it since. Couple of things that may help you re pricing etc.
1. Decide on your margin on parts now ie times everything by 1.8 for smaller stuff, 1.5 for dealersupplied stuff, and a reasonable mark up on engines/gearboxes etc ie plus 400 on the bigger stuff. Dont sell yourself cheap, you will only get cheap people and cars coming to you if you do. If you feel guilty about how much you charge, dont, because you NEED to charge that much to stay in business. You cant be everyones cheapy mate, because you wont be there to give them the deals in 2 years. You will be astonished by how quicly your money disappears when it comes to the 20th of the month! Check around the region to find out everyone elses hourly rate, and then price yourself in the upper range of that median. Dont worry if it is higher than your old boss used to charge, people recognise quality when they see it.
2. Get good staff! Dont employ your mates, as that usually ends in tears. Be willing to pay good bucks for good people, and you will thrive. Recognise their strengths and weaknesses. The best mechanics I have ever seen are usually the WORST people for talking to customers. I know a guy that can change a clutch in a 4WD GTIR turbo pulsar in 4.5 hours, (normally a 2 day job!), but cannot talk to a person if his life depended on it.
3. this ones a difficult one. If you have your wife working for you, try not to let her become your receptionist. There is nothing more infuriating from a customers point of view than to ring up to describe all the symptoms of your car and ask whats wrong, then to have to explain it to the mechanic again after the receptionist has listened to it all for the last 5 minutes.You will also get frustrated if she books in 5 clutch jobs all on one day if she doesnt realise how long each job will take. You will be far better to invest in a good heavy duty cordless phone, take all the calls yourself and then refer the ones backto her that she can answer, ie accounts, etc. Also be careful that you take time out from each other. I used to be a sales rep many moons ago, and saw a lot of marriages break down with both of you living in each others pocket. Its a stressful industry to be in, and when something goes wrong, who is the first person that most blokes will yell at? Not the mechanic or the customer, thats for sure!
4. Realise what opportunity cost is. If you take on all the wierd and wonderful jobs that come in, you can miss out on those nice cream jobs that we all like, ie new rotors and pads all round on a dunnydore! dont be afraid to say no to that Diesel Renault van with a dodgy clutch, check engine light on the dash, and funny rattle from under the rear. While you pull your hair out working on that POS, you can miss out on the good earners. You cant say no to everything of course, but be prepared to do it now and then. as you watch them chug out the driveway, you will sigh with relief, I can assure you.
5. Credit. DONT GIVE IT! unless you REALLY trust the person/company. Remember, the car being broken is only important to your customer while its broken. once you have fixed it, and the customer drives off, you have lost your barganing power. And of course, the customer has now got new bills awaiting him when he gets home, and they are MUCH more important to him than yours. While you retain his car, he will do everything in his power to pay you, because the bus really does suck!

Hope these things help, sorry about the length, remember, "there are so many mistakes to make in life, so you may as well learn from somebody elses rather than make them all again yourself!"

[nitroman]

Goodonya mate, I've run my own servo workshops with success in the past.. but circumstances have me workin' for the man (long story).
Be honest and communicate with the customers. Don't Ballshit, just tell people straight what's happening with their car, give them your price on parts and repair and let them make the decision.
If you get a reputation as an honest straight shooter who doesen't rip people off your' business WILL BOOM.
Good luck.

[AUXRVIII]

I guess your already well on the road with what's needed to be successfull, take it one day at a time, remember you have your health and your family, the sun will always come up tomorrow and don't take your work home even if it's only in your head!

[gtfpv]

i've found , good tradesmen always pass on info , to any customer . the customer may want to do it himself , and be asking advice . give it . for free. you may not get his business . but you certainly wont if you dont give advice either . if you give advice . the guy may buy the parts off you. may recommend a friend to you. or may bring his car into you on the back of a tow truck after his failed venture .
being loyal and helpfull in this way will always come back to you.

[MO]

Good Luck sport...head down bum up and go for it.

[TUF514]

Advice - DONT WORK FOR LANDLORDS...... DONT WORK FOR THE ... ...

Have you got any business experience? Book keeping? Tax knowledge?

Opening a business is great. Keeping it afloat is another thing.

Good luck.

[nb_351]

congrats in advance mate...
i have to agree with everything said previously here being in the trade myself...
i would never go into my own business venture in this trade, fullstop...
theres too much stress, costs etc...
get into tyres... if it werent for tyres we wouldnt be in business...
youve got nearly everything setup before you even start, thats good... you dont have to climb a lot of hills from here, just teach yourself a few lessons...
im sure you know this, but when you quote things up, keep a pretty standard system... you dont need the he said she said bull...
we recently painted the floors at work, and i tell you its impossible to keep clean...
the worst thing is brake dust... it seeps into the pores of the floor...
sorry for the rant, but im sure you dont mind some friendly advice...
one more thing...
ADVERTISE

[AU2PWR]

you have a pm

[fangq]

Originally Posted by Bluepower

Make sure your customers are happy - even if you lose on the job, imperative you keep the guys happy and the world will beat a path to your door.

Be open, honest about your abilities, what you can and cant do. Even if you cant help someone, they will appreciate you more tomorrow for your honesty today.

Be all you can be, very best of luck. :

It never hurts to phone customers a few days after to see how things are going. Make sure that the person who does make that call is either yourself or someone that you have delegated for the job. Also golden rule number one.." You cannot be all things to all people " otherwise known as " Know your niche market" For example ( just coz I'm a nosey marketing person in the health field ), I've recently dealt with high end tuners and suspension outlets. Spotless reception ( drinks, magazines, comfy seats, personable staff ), and a willingness to have a chat. The tuner I used preferred to deal with people who loved cars because they will not quibble about a few dollars. ( told you I was a nosey bastard :-)
Even better, they will refer on to similar businesses who have customer service in mind.

It never hurts to also network with the niche market end of the market.
Business plans/GST/cash flow..I'll leave to you and your CPA. Please don't skimp in this area, or you'll learn the joys of maxing out your cards at tax time.

cheers
Steve

[Scott]

Good luck mate!!

What do I want from a service provider? Honesty & Communication. There's nothing that can't be worked out if you communicate effectively , honestly and in a timely manner.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Try to hire a girl apprentice / mechanic.

Im the only bloke at work out of 30-40 lasses and the one thing that really peeves most of them off is the fact that there are not many ladies working the male dominated trades.

Most of the gals at work have spoken to me regarding 'car stuff'.. As silly as it sounds, they find a greater element of trust in the workshop when a female is dealing with them. (And you know how girls can talk... word of mouth is the best advertising for any business)

Oh, and another thing. It has already been mentioned, but try your best to keep some sort of standardised pricing. Don't beef up prices with additives and other things that are NOT mentioned in the pricing. eg, the ex girlfriend took her car in for a 'grease and oil change'. This was advertised at a set price. Say $79.

She got the car back, and the bill was well over $100 caus they used a flush for the oil, then a special 'treatment' for her new oil. Each was $18 a pop.

Did we ask for that? no. Were we told these additives may be used? no. And its not like a physical 'part' where you can see the item you paid for. The know you won't make a stink about it as it's not that much, but you also walk out feeling like you have been taken for a ride (again).....

Thats the last service they got from her. And we are not shy in telling other people where NOT to take their car for servicing...

Advertise to your large local businesses (say 2km radius - offices / schools / etc). Perhaps you can offer car servicing while they are at work? Pick up / drop off etc? I drive to my mechanic, he (or another worker) then drives me the 1700m to work (3-4 min round trip), drops me off then goes back and does his job. When I knock off I get a worker to take me back or just stroll back at my own pace, as im not needing to get to work at a certain time etc.

Sometimes the best things that you can do to be better than the rest are very cheap or free, such as that follow up phone call, or genuine service. People will remember that you called when the job was done and be happy that you did. People will be peeved off if they get a call at closing time caus they didnt do the chasing... and find that their car was ready 4 hrs ago.....

Good luck with it. You have started the right way by asking for advice.

Cheers!

Oh.... and keep on top of that paperwork... its a killer.

Good luck with your venture mate .... look forward and never look back .

[Bobman]

Good news mate. Might pop in, in a few weeks and see how it's all going. Good luck with it all.

[dave351cid]

good luck with it. sounds like you are off to a good start.

i had my own workshop (tint, car security, etc) for 9 years and sold it last year.

lots of good advice in the comments above.
see if there is a business referal or networking group in your area that you can join. they are great for referal work but just as valueable is the knowlege and assistance that is shared between the members. its always handy to be able to get free inside info from other industries such as insurance, accountants, finance brokers, etc.

get lots of business cards ( must have all your details, name, postal and phisical address, phone, fax, email, website. as well as what services you specialise in. and be easy to read.) and give them to everyone you meet. when the customer picks up the car give them 3 cards and ask them to give the spares to friends if they are happy with your work. this can lead to a lot of referal work and be the cheapest advertising you can buy.

ohh... and try not to give credit. your a mechanical workshop, not a banker. its so easy to get credit cards etc now that there is no reason you should need to carry the debts. you cant pay your bill if the customer hasnt paid theirs and there is only one end to that spiral.

[MAFIA]

Remember the best advertising you can get is by word of mouth. Always keep customer happy and honest and they'll be scoring more business for you.

Other thing is, the little thing alway matters. Take it as a learning experience and take one day at a time and your journey will take you there.

Good luck

[Duke]

Best wishes in your new venture, you have lots of support here by the look of it, my advice, take it all. I think you've made a great decision to get into your own business and the experience of others is worth its weight in gold.