One of the first steps to starting an auto repair shop is to purchase the right equipment. Some tools include a vehicle lift, an air compressor, and an engine host. These items are essential to every auto repair shop owner’s success. How else are you going to fix people’s cars without these tools? But, have you ever thought about the other things you might need to have to bring more success to your shop? Probably not, but this list will help you remember to include these items. Check out our list of five essentials for every auto shop.
1. Auto Shop Management Software
Running an auto shop can feel overwhelming if you don’t have the right software to help you stay organized. Customers expect their vehicles to be ready ASAP. Management software makes it possible to meet their expectations.
Below are some ways a management software can benefit your auto shop:
- Reduce time spent on daily operations
- Measure performance and look for ways to improve
- Ability to organize records, inventory, and schedules
Not only will the management software benefit you, but it will also benefit the customers. When you can quickly pull up customers’ information, you build a relationship with them. This can help them feel at ease when they walk into your shop.
Also, with the software, you can send customers service reminders, thank-you notes, and special promotions. As a result, you can achieve a much higher level of customer retention by improving their experience.
2. Auto Repair Shop Insurances
No matter what kind of business you run, you should have insurance. A customer can trip over a tool, or a worker can slip and fall due to an oil spill. As the shop owner, you don’t want to risk facing a lawsuit even if the accident was no fault of yours.
Accidents in auto shops can result in lawsuits damaging the business’s financial health. However, insurance for auto repair business can cover the costs of an accident and protect assets. So, don’t make the mistake of not buying insurance for your shop to save money, as this type of investment can keep you in the long run.
3. Find the Right Location With Accessible Parking
When starting an auto repair shop, there are some things to consider when choosing your business’s location. First, you want to find an area where customers can easily see your building and where it’s easy for them to park their cars.
Remember how many people will be dropping their cars off in your parking lot and where you will park the vehicles during the waiting period. If your parking lot is small, people may avoid coming to your auto shop altogether.
Also, pay attention to how close your business is to public transportation, especially in a metropolitan city. The closer it is to bus service and other public transportation people will likely choose your shop over someone else.
Not only do you have to think about the customers, but you also have to think about how much room a large semi-truck can fit into your parking lot. If it’s a tight squeeze, it will be a hassle to receive your parts every time a delivery is made.
4. The Right Type of Employees for Your Auto Repair Shop
When looking for employees, you want to look beyond their qualifications. For example, even if someone has the right skills as a mechanic, it doesn’t mean they’re good for your business.
A candidate may not have good people skills despite matching the qualification checklist. For example, if they are rude and disrespectful, they may scare away customers. Alternatively, the employee may feel entitled to take breaks whenever they want or try to put tougher tasks on someone else.
Of course, you don’t want this to happen!
During interviews, develop questions to help determine their personality. Some of the questions you can ask include the following:
- What is your coworkers’ opinion of your personality?
- Please describe how you handled a difficult work situation.
- Are you good at working with others?
- Why would you want to work here based on the job description?
If a candidate is struggling to come up with answers to these questions, they may not be a good fit for your company. You want someone who is a quick thinker, meets qualifications and has good interpersonal skills. With the right employees, your auto shop business is sure to succeed.
5. Hire an Office Assistant for Your Business
Speaking of employees, consider hiring an office assistant for your auto shop. As the owner, you will have a million and one things to do, and the last thing you want to do is paperwork.
The office assistant can stay in the front for you and attend to customers. Also, since your phone may ring hundreds of times daily, they can answer and schedule appointments.
Lastly, they can prepare invoices and process payments for your customers. If you don’t like administrative work, consider hiring someone who can do this for you.
These 5 Things Will Help Your Auto Repair Shop Succeed
You know you’ll need equipment when you open your auto repair shop. But, don’t forget about these other things you may need for your business.
It’s more than just tools that can help you succeed in the auto industry. Your auto shop needs insurance so you don’t risk losing all of the investments you’ve made.
