Starting a new Auto shop

ErnieDeBord

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2006
Messages
861
Reaction score
819
Location
Kentucky
I am starting a little auto-repair shop in east ky, It is new from the ground-up. I am paying for it and all equipment as I go. I hope to have it up and going in about a month. I have a question for yall.........Is it easy to make a web-page? I would love to put up one.........but I know nothing about how to do it. ANY help would sure be cherished, Thanks Ernie
 
Register to hide this ad
If you want to be associated with an auto parts chain, you can join their program they offer. Part of the package is a webpage and links to them. I never saw the need for my customers to make service appointments online. Many of my competitors tried to stand taller than their shadow appearing much more competant on their website than they were in real life. Don't forget to develop your repair skills above everything else. I'm somewhat computer savvy, but old enough to remember way back before the internet. People are still looking for competant honest repairs. I'm not into Facebook, but my local gun dealer uses it quite well to his advantage. There are also companies that will build you a website for a fee, but unless you change it all the time and keep it fresh it gets boring. Facebook allows you to post pictures and converse in real time. Good (and bad) customer feedback.
 
Ernie,
I cannot answer your question about the computer stuff, but I can say that I am glad to hear that you are getting your own business going. I have wanted to do that with a welding/fabrication shop for a couple years since I became semi retired. Good Luck in your enterprise,and God Bless.
Peace,
gordon
 
book ... HTML for dummies.
get your feet wet with that .. even if you use an advanced editor ... that foundation knowledge comes in handy for debugging stuff
 
Some advice unrelated to your web page. As a young plumbing apprentice, my boss asked me what it took to make it as a contractor. I told him "give the best service possible, depending on repeat customers". He said I was wrong as plenty had gone broke that way. You need to collect outstanding bills promptly and pay suppliers on time to get all available discounts. It may apply to you also.
Best of luck with your new venture.
 
I would suspect that you are going to wear all the management hats in your business, therefore I would suggest that you concentrate on what you know and do best. ie: repair cars. Hire an accountant, keep books on paper and not a computer, don't worry about websites, network yourself, and keep up with continuing repair education. This is a small list of things that come to mind. Another would be to be very careful with advertising dollars, all salesman will tell you why you need theirs and they will bleed you dry.

Good luck.
 
HTML (hyper text markup language) is not difficult to do; maintaining, answering e-mails, etc. will chew up time. I'd get a h/school or c/college student to do it; lower fee or course credit. Unless you already know the following, you owe it to yourself to learn at least the following: break-even point, bal.sheet., income statement, differences in types of ownership (re:liability), to extend credit or not, taxes (personal/employee), marketing issues, your target primary customer base, # of hours you intend to work.....I'll quit here. Ernie, I gather that you are doing this for $$ gain/personal advancement/etc. I APPLAUD YOU.
If you are mentally up for it, physically ready and possess some business acumen....DO IT. You are probably aware that 7-8 of 10 NEW business ventures fail in the first year or so. It's not the work that you'll do that concerns an outsider; it's that mountain of stuff that has to be done that grinds down so many entrepreneurs like yourself. A written business plan that someone at Small Bus. Admin can look over is another idea. Hoping to help and wishing you the BEST.........GR
 
Ernie I have been in the Auto Parts business for over twenty years. I have seen a lot of shops come and go. Since you are in KY what part and where? If you will PM me your telephone # I will give you some advice as to what is expected of you from your supplier and maybe even a little insight as to what to expect.

Charlie
 
I have an Uncle that has a body shop behind his house in Frogtown, I'm not sure how much work he does now days though.

Anyway, you might want to start doing an internet search for website creators. With the doomed economy there are a lot of trained people looking for work and I know some of them are looking for jobs on their own to pay their bills.
 
If you can properly troubleshoot, and not just rely on the "computer" to tell you what part to replace, you will do well. I wish you all the best!
 
More free internet advice --- the business will eat better than you do for first couple of years.

......moon
 
More on the new shop. The property is mine and paid for, the building is almost finished, I have been saving and paying for all this plus the equipment all along I have been doing auto work for about 25 yrs, I weld and think on my feet fairly well....these are my strong points. My shop is out in the county next to my private shooting place.......about 5 miles from a small town.......thats what kinda worries me.....but I hope once the word of quality work gets out I will stay busy. Its also beside my home..I am just thinking of a web page, dont know if it would be useful or not. I am def going to use facebook. Thanks to all,Ernie
 
Ernie, someone said "success is biting off more than you can chew.....and chewing it". You sure have much going for you esp. attitude. However, I return to your post with the following point. At the university, I taught a course Small Business Ownership. One day, I had a regional representative that worked for a MAJOR fast food chain speak to my class. After I introduced him, he asked the class "OK, what business am I in?" Predictably, replies were 'fast food', etc. He replied "No, I am in the traffic business". Students had the ??? look all over their faces. He went on to say that before a new franchise was granted that the franchisor had to have the traffic (cars/foot) volume to assure the franchisee (and themselves) that this was going to be a $ucce$$ful deal. ...you get the idea. Your comment:
.......about 5 miles from a small town.......thats what kinda worries me.....
Again.....best of luck. GR
 
Well,
If your part of the country is anything like it is here in the Mo. Ozarks, then 5 miles out and you are just getting into a different bunch of customers. I once ran a liquor store (heaven) and a tire repair shop that was 8 miles from the nearest town, and I stayed busy all the time. Some of us folks really don't care about going to town to have things done when can get quality work done closer to home. Do quality work and stand behind it and you will do alright. Word will spread.
Besides that, having your shooting area next to the shop sounds great to me.
Peace, and good luck,
gordon
 
My shop is out in the county next to my private shooting place.......
Sell amunition, set up a place where they can reload and let them use your range and you'll be chasing customers away with stick. Oh, a pot belly stove with bunch of chairs, a pool table and a "Nehi" or "Vernors" pop machine would help too.

Other good advertising ideas are T-shirts and hats with your company logo and slogan on them, billboards by the major roads and government accounts.
 
Last edited:
Well, I have to spend more money to finally get closer to get the shop up and going, I have already put a lot in it........Plus the building I am doing myself. I am very excited of taking control of my future......I am just after making a decent honest living with work that I like to do. I also like to meet and assoicate with people.......I hope my commuication skills are up to the task..........In the classified ads I have a NIB Colt H-Bar for sale.......the proceeds from it will be put in the shop..........gosh its amazing how the cost is adding up.........Hate to let the Colt go but I need the money..........But I hope to make my dream come true.......Thanks to all, Ernie
 
Back
Top