How to Start Auto Tune-up Shop?

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You, as the operator of a quick auto tune-up shop, should not volunteer any major mechanical work. Suggest someone whose work you trust.

Your customer will appreciate your suggestion and concern. And he'll remain loyal to you for not taking his money and attempting to give him a repair job in an area where you don't specialize.

After all, you're a tune-up specialist - the guy who knows all there is to know about a car's ignition system - the guy who keeps cars running smoothly. By specializing in a particular area of auto repair, and recommending other specialists as needed, you'll be able to quickly dispel the skepticism many car owners have for independent auto repair shops in general.

An assembly line in-and-out operation will reduce the necessary investment for tools, enable you to hire lower-cost workers, and greatly increase your profit potential by eliminating wasted motion. Keep it simple, routine and according to a definite procedure on every car.

Once you have your business established and a regular following of people who bring their cars to you for regular tune-ups - usually every six months - you can begin thinking about expansion. It's best to hire college students, or "car-crazy" high school students, to work alongside you.

Give your customers a chance to recognize and know your help. When you find one who seems to be especially mechanically inclined, take him aside and offer him the title of assistant manager of your auto tune-up shop.

Teach this young man how you want the business to operate; explain where the profit comes from; and assign more of the actual responsibilities to him. Leave him on his own to run the shop for longer periods of time.

Be patient; compliment him on his work; and if you want him to stay with you, give him a raise now and then, and eventually, a percentage of the profits.

Offering him a percentage arrangement will result in even greater profits for you, plus a very strong local image for your business. Because you're "giving him" a part of the business, he'll promote your business to his friends, and through him and his friends, a long line of new customers and a chain of loyalty that could become more valuable to your business than any amount of advertising you could buy.

When you're ready to expand your operation from your garage to a regular commercial location, look for a vacant service station. One of the larger facilities built by a major oil company, located on a strategic corner, will be your best bet.

So long as you operate out of your garage and on a small scale, you probably won't have to worry too much about licenses. That is, providing you get along well with your neighbours, don't clutter up the street with 5 or 10 cars at a time, and don't erect any kind of sign indicating you're doing business in a residentially zoned neighbourhood.

However, once you move into a commercial location, you'll need to register the name of your auto tune-up shop business with the appropriate local government authority. In most states, this is the office of the county clerk.

If your state has a sales tax, you'll have to check with the state tax commissioner's office to learn the rules on how the collection system operates.

All these licensing offices are in reality offices for tax collecting. Basically, they know nothing about your business, and usually could care less. Their main reason for existence is simply the collection of money for the administration of government in your area.

If they should ask you questions relative to the worth of your business, or how much money you will be taking in, always estimate a much lower figure than either the true worth or those you anticipate.

Most license fees are based upon the investment of the entrepreneur and his anticipated income from the new business, and you certainly don't want to start off paying excess taxes.

A good eye-catching sign is vital to the success of any business in a commercial location. The most important requirement for you is visibility. Your sign should be big enough and tall enough for people to see it from several different directions at a distance of at least a half block away. Check with your city ordinances for the sign limitations in the location you select.

Secondly, your sign should immediately state the service you're offering. Hence, a sign that clearly and simply announces "Auto Tune-up shops" fits this requirement. However, in order to attract customers into your shop, your sign should "promise" a benefit. It should describe an added benefit to the reader. So, your sign should read: "Rapid Auto Tune-Up!"

Basically, that's all you'll need for a sign, but to "fill it out" you might come up with a special logo or business motto. You can probably get an art student at your local college to design something for little more than the privilege of including it in his or her portfolio.

For a business slogan or motto, something along the lines of "Better performance from your car, at a price you can afford," is the kind of thing you want to come up with, and that will do you the most good.

Remember, fast, efficient service and low prices, coupled with a personality that makes the customer feel you're his friend, are the keys to your success.

Organize yourself; start your auto tune up shop slowly and build your customer loyalty; instill these principles in your employees, and you'll be on your way. Study this report again, then act on the recommendations given here.

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