How to open a car service centre. First steps
Open your own service station – the dream of many car mechanics, auto electricians, motorists. But you don't have to be a car repairman to succeed as an auto maintenance businessman. If you have the desire and financial ability to open a service station, read this article carefully and get the information you need to start your career as a service station owner.
Business Plan
Strategy – the main driving force for realising business ideas. The more thoroughly you analyse the market and competitors, choose the location and design of the workshop premises, outline its scope of activity and the cost of equipment, the more confidently you will move through the thorns to the stars.
What your workshop will do is the foundation of your car repair business.
Ideally, a specialised car repair shop, with European quality standards at its heart, will provide the following services:
The following services are essential
- car maintenance and repair;
- sale of car parts, accessories and consumables;
- customer service (waiting and rest area, cafeteria or catering point, taxi call, etc.).
Each of the above points consists of subparagraphs, which should be written down to the smallest detail. For example, the first item should specify the types of repair work, the necessary equipment and materials, the number of staff, budget, payback. The second and third points – optional, but recommended, because the better the service, the more grateful and loyal customers.
The type of activity of the car service depends not only on the amount of future profits, but also the legislative part of the issue. That is, if your organisation will provide the whole range of car repair services, which will be provided by a whole team of specialists, it is recommended to register the form of ownership as an LLC, not an IE. Otherwise, you run the risk of running afoul of the legislative norms of our state.
When the business plan is ready, start looking for money and drawing up the documentation to start your own business.
Facilities
Based on the direction of your service station, think about the working area of the repair area, as well as the warehouse and office space. At the very least, a large garage will do, but for a medium-sized workshop with a production capacity of up to 10 stations, a director's office, a bathroom and a warehouse, you need a building with a square footage of around 300 metres.
Equipment
The minimum equipment set includes:
- specialised tools (wrenches, pullers, screwdrivers, vises, hammers, drills, soldering irons, etc.);
- components (oil seals, bushings, bearings, etc.);
- lift or inspection pit;
- automechanic's table and mobile trolleys for tools;
- different electrical diagnostic testers (if necessary);
- diagnostic benches and machines;
- democrat, compressor, tyre washing tank (if you plan to provide tyre fitting services).
A more extensive list of tools, equipment and consumables you will make yourself, when you decide on the list of services provided at the service station.
Personnel
If you will be using hired labour rather than being a jack-of-all-trades, you need to take the selection of your staff very seriously.
It is desirable not just to conduct an interview on the theory of auto work, but also to give a practical task, and then take a person on probation. Usually 1-2 months is enough to see if the person will stay in your team.
Besides auto mechanics, motorists, auto electricians, you should consider hiring people for the position of accountant, marketer, technical staff. This way, you'll be able to properly distribute duties among the pros and relieve your own time without making the critical mistakes of trying to save money on jobs and salaries.
Starting Work
To make more people aware of your car repair shop, start running an advertising campaign before it opens. To do this, you can advertise on the Internet, hand out invitational leaflets, order a billboard. At the first stages of the service station's work, offer customers discounts on car repairs and organise promotions.
As you can see, opening a service station – occupation interesting, and besides in demand and profitable. Don't be afraid to put maximum effort into developing your own business and in just a few months you'll get a positive result.
And don't be afraid to put maximum effort into developing your own business.
We wish you good luck!
