What an Automotive Shop Needs to Thrive
A local automotive shop may not sound like the most competitive business in the book, but if you’re running one, you still need to keep services top-notch to ensure customer loyalty. There may not be that many auto repair shops in the area, but for car owners who consider their vehicles an important possession, they will not hesitate to go farther for better repairs.
With that said, you need to equip your shop with the following to keep the business going:
Appropriate Equipment
You will not want to be the repair shop that has nothing working. You may get away with being innovative when it comes to simple car cleaning, but when you need to bend sheet metal to the desired shape and angle, you will need a Baileigh sheet metal brake instead of an improvised brake that may not give you accurate results. You also need to keep stock of parts for car restoration experts and beginners alike. Some of them may already know what they’re looking for, but others may not know exactly what they need. You will want to work on building an inventory of parts to keep everyone happy regardless of their skill level.
Knowledgeable Mechanics
Sometimes, car owners take their vehicle in not knowing what’s wrong with it. Your mechanic’s response should not be a shrug because they don’t know what’s wrong with the car either. At the very least, they should know how to test the vehicle for basic operations, which will narrow down the problem. Then, once the problem has been isolated, the mechanic should know how to fix the problem. Even if the problem is extensive, your mechanic needs to be able to see how the car will perform after incremental repairs have been done.
Aside from mechanics, you’ll also want assistants who can help with minor repairs. These assistants need to be knowledgeable as well, especially when it comes to handling car engines. With the best team in your repair shop, you’ll be able to provide quality service to clients with ease. You’ll also want enough mechanics so that even if one of them is busy, other customers won’t have to wait too long to get their cars fixed.
Friendly Staff
Smaller auto repair shops have a handful of people working on site. You may be the main mechanic yourself. If that is the case, you will need to learn how to talk to different kinds of customers. Not all of them will be patient as you explain what’s wrong with the vehicle, and some of them may even want to look intimidating. Understand that having a broken car engine means inconvenience for them and business for you. They are trying to cope with something that renders them unable to come and go as they please, especially if it is their only vehicle. Be frank but remain professional when giving them a timetable. Don’t promise repairs that you cannot do given a tight deadline, as that will only make them less friendly.
It’s not easy to run an auto repair shop, but you can do it with the right people and skills. And if you don’t have them yet, use this time to work on that.
