If you have a keen interest in mechanics and working on vehicles, you could turn this into a lucrative business venture. With 87% of people in the UK having access to a car, there will always be a need for automotive work and repairs, so starting a mechanics business is a great long-term business plan.
Business planning
Like you must for any business, you will need to construct a detailed business plan. Plan the services you will provide and the costs for these services. Create a detailed plan for where you want your business to be in the next three months, six months, and nine months. Create forecasts so that you can predict your revenue and your outgoing costs.
There are many factors that go into a detailed business plan so make sure you take time during this stage to properly plan your initial steps.
Location
The main difference when starting a mechanics business in comparison to most other businesses is the space needed. You can’t run a mechanic’s workshop from just an office. For this reason, you will want to look at renting warehouse properties that have a large area of space to work on your clients’ cars. However, if you have a large garage space at home then you could begin to operate from there to get started, so long as you have the proper insurance in place.
Equipment
Automotive repairs often require expensive equipment, which is why equipment is one of the largest initial investments when setting up a mechanics business. When first buying the equipment, prioritise what you need most. You will need an engine hoist to work on the engines of clients’ cars, jacks to lift up the vehicles and a range of versatile tools used for vehicles and automotive work.
How to get clients
The good thing about setting up a car garage is that everybody at some point will need work on their car – so how can you attract these people to your business? Firstly, you should spread the word to family and friends, taking them on as your first clients. From this, use the power of word of mouth to spread the news in your local area and bring in more customers.
You should create social media profiles for your business and use these as spaces for ads to advertise your business to the relevant people in your local area. You can also place posters in your local area to let people know of your business, so long as you ensure that you have the proper permission from your local council to do so.
How to retain your clients
After you begin to get clients coming into your garage, it is important to make sure they want to come back and choose your business the next time they need automotive work.
- Competitive prices – No matter how friendly you are, if your prices aren’t competitive with the other businesses in your sector, customers will be more likely to go elsewhere.
- Service – Making sure you provide excellent customer service is a great way to encourage repeat business.
- Offers and discounts – Providing offers and discounts will make it more appealing for customers to spend more and return to your business in future.
Once you have put in place these crucial foundations, your mechanics business will be bringing in customers and you can continue to make your passion for mechanics profitable.