From year to year, the number of cars on roads is only growing, the army of motorists is expanding, therefore, the need for services for quality technical maintenance of cars is growing.
Therefore, if you are thinking about how to open a service station, and whether this business will bring you income, then carefully evaluate your financial capabilities, analyze the situation in this market and outline a business plan for the future enterprise. Of course, now a lot of service stations are opening, but the number of people who want to quickly repair their cars is not decreasing, on the contrary, it is constantly growing.
Determine the type of enterprise
Now let's think about which workshop you can pull.
The first option is a large enterprise, which is often an authorized service of a particular manufacturer. Here you will need to contact a well-known brand and arrange a franchise, that is, you will begin to work on behalf of a recognizable brand, which will attract customers who are accustomed to trust a proven large company. This method requires solid financial injections. In addition, you must prove that you can support the service requirements that are approved by the brand holder.
The second option on how to open a service station will cost you less. You just open a medium-sized enterprise that would satisfy the basic needs of customers in maintenance: repair, painting, tire fitting, washing. Organization of a small recreation area for customers is possible.
The modest workshop in terms of investment and service is a small station, the owner of which is also a master.
We make out documents
Having decided on the scale of the future company, think about what organizational form you will choose for your service station. Prepare documents according to these conditions.
For a tiny station, the status of an individual entrepreneur is quite suitable. But a larger business is better to register as a limited liability company (LLC).
While registering your business, immediately register with the tax office. Choosing taxation regime It would be nice to get expert advice from specialists.
Having no specific experience, it is difficult to immediately understand what is more advantageous: a patent, simplification or UTII (especially since this form is not applicable to all regions).
Take time and get the necessary licenses for maintenance, lubrication and refueling, diagnostics.
Supervisory authorities
STO as a business associated with various technological risks requires appropriate control by the services responsible for safety. You will have to obtain permission from the sanitary inspection, which verifies compliance with basic hygiene standards, and agree with firefighters who will issue their instructions regarding fire safety.
Yes, and you will be much calmer if your company will fully comply with labor protection measures. This is much cheaper than paying if your employees get injured.
Location
Before opening a service station, it is necessary to coordinate the issue of land lease with the municipal authorities. It is unlikely that you will be allowed to settle in a residential building or public building.Usually, such enterprises either have to re-equip old production facilities or rent (acquire ownership) a land plot and build a building on it from scratch. Choosing a place, try to cling to one that is located near the leading highways. The livelier the better. So you immediately get customers.
Room
Of course, the scope of your activity is determined only by you: according to them, you will calculate the required area. You will have to select several mandatory zones.
Firstly, this is a production and repair site. Secondly, the administrative part: the head's place, dining area, medical center, shower and toilet. Thirdly, you should separate the customer reception area. Here you need to find a place for paperwork and orders. If you decide at the same time to sell spare parts, then racks with products can be put up right away.
In addition, you will need a small storage room where you can keep the necessary materials, inventory, tires, fluids, tools. You can not do without auxiliary technological sections (transformer, heating equipment, pumping, compressor, ventilation and air conditioning).
And the organization of parking will have to be taken care of.
Install equipment
So, a start has been made. There is a place and a room. Now you need to purchase equipment in order to carry out full-fledged car maintenance.
What is included in the minimum set:
- a post with a lift (there are models designed for light lifting capacity, but there are also ones that can pull up to 4 tons)
- wheel aligner;
- air compressor;
- diagnostic scanner;
- extractor hood;
- transmission rack, jacks, traverses.
Well, those mechanisms and automation that may be needed to provide certain services for repair, painting and technical service.
Tools for car service
The list of tools that will need to be acquired is much larger. Here are devices for replacing rubber products, attachments, timing belts.
For tire fitting, repair of electrical equipment, engine, gearbox and power and exhaust systems, stands, keys, screwdrivers, machine tools, soldering equipment, drills and much more are needed. Work with the suspension will require the installation of a bench vice, racks, purchase of an angle grinder (grinder).
Unlike basic equipment, the tool must be replaced frequently. It is not worth saving either one or the other. It is wiser to immediately establish contacts with a bona fide supplier who guarantees the quality and service of complex units.
Select the technical equipment according to the types of work that you intend to carry out, complete the tools for the car service by the number of masters. But you don’t want you to have downtime every time when one of the employees does not have at hand the tool he needs to perform a particular operation?
Service list
Depending on the scale of the future enterprise, a list of services rendered to customers is also determined. Each type of service means a number of technological operations.
When planning your activities, it is best to draw up detailed technical maps. So you will understand what kind of specialists you need, and once again review the equipment of your service.
Car maintenance includes processes for its pre-sale preparation, washing, tuning, repair, diagnostics, adjustment.
Now a little more about each of the processes.
Presale preparation is today a very popular service that brings a steady income. It consists of works aimed at identifying and eliminating external and internal defects of the car, which can significantly reduce its market value.
Diagnostics can act as a separate service or carried out with pre-sale preparation. Ideally, post-repair diagnostics are not bad. This will track the quality of work performed.
The category of repair work includes operations to replace, remove and adjust the components, parts, assemblies of a car. We can talk about disassembling and assembling the engine, axles, gearbox, adjusting electrical equipment, replacing radiators, fuel pumps, injection systems and so on.
The change of wheels, of course, is characterized by seasonality, but it is still worthwhile to allocate a place for tire fitting. You should not miss your profit.
Decide in advance whether you will undertake the restoration of the car body. The fact is that in this case you will need to allocate a separate room from where you could carry out paint work. Plus, you need to purchase drying and welding equipment.
Also, do not ignore the provision of small services, such as installing alarms and car speakers. A comprehensive after-sales service is well sold: lubrication and refueling of the main units, adjustment of the geometry of the wheels, headlights, brakes, ignition systems, oil change in the engine.
Additional service
Do not forget about a number of related services that will work on customer retention.
For example, engage in the sale of spare parts, components and assemblies. This will save your customers from the need to feverishly search for the necessary parts that are out of order. You yourself diagnose the problems, immediately offering to purchase a new spare part, which a qualified master will put in its rightful place.
At the same time, you can offer the purchase or order of various accessories, from speakers to car alarms.
Think about how to entertain your customers who are languishing in anticipation. They can offer the services of a small cafe, organize a Wi-Fi zone, put a couple of massage chairs. Car insurance and payment acceptance services will not be superfluous. These "options" can be mastered later, or you can put them into the business plan in advance, before opening the service station.
We select staff
Without a good team, success cannot be achieved. Even at a modest point, where a very limited range of services is provided, it is better to work with a partner. Yes, you can be an extra-class specialist, but you are unlikely to cope alone with managing your business, with repairs, and with taking orders.
And you will also be forced to tear between customers and suppliers, communicate with the tax and regulatory authorities, so it’s better to get another master.
For a car service with a full range of services, it will be necessary to form a staff: several mechanics, an electrician, a minder. Personally interview candidates, find out their experience, qualifications, and ability to work on special equipment.
If you plan to do additional services, think about the staff for your outlet, cafe, and order table.
We promote our service
Even if you opened in the busiest place, you have excellent craftsmen and you offer high-class services, you can not do without advertising. You must declare yourself, to attract customers. Design a recognizable logo, order branded clothing for staff.
Hand out your business cards and flyers at gas stations and malls. Think over a system of discounts, periodically pamper customers with promotions. Good results are given by the launch of the bonus program. For regular customers you can provide some small services for free. For example, diagnostics plus engine oil change. A good rumor about you will spread, adding you customers.
Is it worth it to invest, or the profitability of a car service
It is clear that the launch of its car business is not complete without serious investment. Is it worth it? Is a car service profitable?
Of course, a lot here depends on the location, the volume of services provided, their quality, staff skills, competent advertising. In a favorable scenario, the projected payback period is approximately two or three years. That is, if you have a good workload of orders, you will be provided with a constant clientele and will not keep “hack workers” at the enterprise. Bad repairmen will give you a negative reputation. Better try to get competent specialists in the staff, then there will be no complaints about the quality of services.
You can achieve an increase in profits only by constantly improving the offered range of services. It is necessary to strictly monitor their quality, attract new visitors, increase momentum.
Garage Service
If you understand that you can’t even reach the opening of a modest technical station, but there is a desire to start this business, think about a modest start, which will require minimal financial contribution from you. You will need some knowledge on how to open a tire fitting in a garage. You do not even need licenses or permissions for this. It is enough to register as an individual entrepreneur and be content with a simplified tax system.
Over time, the range of services can be gradually expanded, investing the emerging profit in its further development and as a result of growing to a full service station.
