Success in today’s businesses has a lot to do with the way the business is run, how it is structured, where the target market is going and the location of the firm.
However, experts say that running a successful auto repair business is not only about being clear about one‘s chosen area; it is a matter of a clever management of it because having competent and motivated workers, though important, is no longer a criterion for success.
This, according to an auto engineer, Mr. Oluwasola Ojo, lies in the fact that, while one may be a talented and skilled auto technician, popularly called mechanic, it does not mean that one can automatically start a successful auto repair business.
Sola contends that it will take more than having a garage to keep the business going.
He says that one will need to undergo proper tutelage under an expert, which may last for up to two years before setting up a workshop.
He says, “The first step to becoming an auto engineer is to choose a field, because the business is very broad. We have the body repair section, the auto engineering aspect, the auto painting section and the auto electrician section.
“The need to decide the type of auto repair work you want to do will enable you to take a quick assessment of your talents, knowledge and skills.
“Also, you will need a good business plan, sufficient financing, proper tools and supplies to have a successful auto repair business.”
The tools, according to him, may cost between N50,000 and N100, 000.
He advises anyone, who wants to set up a thriving auto repair business to “decide whether you will open your own auto repair business or whether you will purchase an established business.”
Sola, who has been an auto engineer for over 10 years, adds, “By purchasing an existing auto repair shop, you will immediately have an appropriate location and equipment, and the experienced employees may choose to stay. If you start from the scratch, you will need to find a high-traffic location, purchase or lease the necessary equipment, and hire a new staff of mechanics and other employees.”
Also important, according to him, is the need to know the ethical standards guiding the business.
He says, ”Many customers are apprehensive of many auto mechanics because they have a reputation for making people pay for unnecessary repairs or charging for work that is not done.
“Having a statement of ethics printed and hung in a prominent place in the customer reception area will do the magic. The ethics should be centered on being honest with customers, pledging never to overcharge them, and striving for their full satisfaction.”
He points out that there is a need to offer guarantee to customers. According to him, “When customers pay for an expensive car repair, they want some assurance that the vehicle will work properly. Offering a guarantee based on a certain period of time or mileage will show that you stand behind all work performed at your auto repair business.”
On relationship with employee, Sola says that an auto repair business that has a constant turnover of mechanics will have difficulty maintaining its quality.
This, according to him, may give the business a bad reputation, thus preventing it from being successful.
“When you find good and reliable mechanics, pay them fairly and give competitive benefits to keep them from moving on to another job. Customers who build up trust with a particular mechanic will be glad to see him there the next time their cars need repairs,” he says.
He also says that prompt response to customer complaints will make most of them come to a compromise, adding that regular customers are key to running a successful auto repair business.
“Get the contact details of your customers and send out periodic offers of a free or discounted oil change on their next repair or some other goodwill gesture. While it may cost you in the short term, it will pay off in the long term by reinforcing customer loyalty.”
Also speaking in the same vein, a Personnel Relations expert, Mr. Levi Agbonyi, says that every entrepreneur must understand that the world is a global village and that businesses are competing across borders.
He says that the notion that customer is king should be taken very seriously, noting that ”a customer that is given the right services could keep the doors of any business open.”
He adds, “Customer service is the soul of a business. You can offer promotions; slash prices to bring in as many customers as you want but unless you can get some of those customers to come back by the quality of services you give, your business will not be profitable.”
This, he notes, can be achieved through various personal relations strategies, which include warm greetings; listening to customers problems; offering options to customers when what they need is not readily available; and provide guarantees where necessary.
Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011232165412
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