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Have you been thinking about starting your own car repair garage? Perhaps you have qualifications in auto mechanics and years of experience working in garages. Owning your own business gives you more flexibility over work/life balance.
However, building a successful car repair business means putting in a lot of hard work. If you’re ready to get started, you’ve come to the right place. Take a look at this guide on how to build a business you can be proud of.
Select a Location
Before opening your business, you’ll need to do some research. Look at the areas with the highest demand for car repairs. Bear in mind that your business should remain visible so hiding it away on an industrial estate can make advertising much harder.
It should also be within a short driving distance of your potential customers. Another thing to keep in mind is your competitors. Although your business should be close to customers, it should also be a decent distance from competitors so you can get a good slice of the market.
Find Your Niche
There will undoubtedly be competitors in your area so it will be important to set yourself apart. Your niche may be something you specialise in, like providing the most affordable tyres or qualifications not often found in small garage businesses. It could also be that your garage specialises in repairing certain makes and models.
Make sure that you highlight your niche each time you advertise your business. This is a great way to build a loyal customer base which results in word of mouth advertising.
Sustainability
It’s not easy for a car repair garage to be sustainable. However, there are some things you can do to make your business more sustainable. Sustainability is becoming increasingly important for customers so it’s vital that you show them the strides your business is making.
For example, you could go paperless and deliver receipts and documents to clients via email instead. Additionally, you can arrange garage waste oil collection which is a much more sustainable option than trying to dispose of it yourself.
Purchase Equipment
A car repair garage is nothing without the equipment that is needed. You’ll need to invest in the equipment your business needs before you can open. You may need funding for this but it’s important to remember that equipment often pays for itself over time.
You can secure funding with a business loan or government grant. To do this, you’ll need to create a business plan with a cashflow forecast so lenders can see your earning potential.
Administration
It’s common for car repair garages to get busy quickly and this may mean that your time is occupied with repairs. With this in mind, you’ll need to hire someone who can handle the administration side of business. This may mean answering phone calls, taking bookings, and managing social media pages.
Without this side of the business, you may not have as many clients as you’d like. Although people come to get their cars repaired, they still expect a good level of customer service at every point of contact.
Security
Your business location will be full of valuable equipment and client’s cars. When your garage is closed, these valuables will be at risk. It’s vital that your business premises have the best security to ensure the safety of everything inside it.
CCTV is often one of the best forms of security. As soon as thieves see the cameras and CCTV signs, it’s enough to deter them from trying to enter the building. It also gives your clients peace of mind knowing that security measures are in place when their vehicles need to be left on site.
Build a Skilled Team
The qualifications you have may be enough to build a small business for the time being but it shouldn’t be a long term plan. At some point, you will need to rest and leave your business in the hands of a trusted employee. This is the perfect opportunity to start building a team that has the same vision for your business as you.
Make sure that you and the rest of your team continue to train and gain new qualifications where necessary. If you and your team stay abreast of industry innovations, your competitors will never run ahead of you.
You may need to put blood, sweat, and tears into your new business but it will be worth it. If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, take a look at the others.
