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red2u
New User
May 23, 2010, 9:58 AM
Post #1 of 5
(2028 views)
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I am starting a mobile mechanic service. Does anyone have any tips or experience with this?
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Sidom
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/ Moderator
May 23, 2010, 1:22 PM
Post #2 of 5
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Re: Mobile Mechanic
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Well that would depend on what type of mobile technician you are planning on being...... If you are going to do everything correctly with proper licensing, insurance, and everything else that would go with it, then I would have some suggestions...... If you are planning on going the shadetree route, under the table with no way for the customer to contact you other than a cell number, than I have nothing to say. (Actually I would, but out respect for the forum guidelines, I wouldn't say it here.)
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red2u
New User
May 23, 2010, 1:28 PM
Post #3 of 5
(2011 views)
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Re: Mobile Mechanic
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Of coarse lic insur website scanner flat rate book
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Sidom
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May 23, 2010, 2:09 PM
Post #4 of 5
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Re: Mobile Mechanic
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Well thats great. I guess with any shop, mobile or not the biggest thing would be communication. Make sure your cust understands you and the repairs you are going to do & why they are needed. If they are either unsure or left to guess, it usually won't go in your favor... You would be surprised with what they can come up with when they "think it over" for a day or so or worse talk to their buddy "the expert", don't leave them with any unanswered questions.... I'm not sure of your experience but regardless of that, you need to keep up on the training of the new systems. If you are good enough in diags plus get into flashing modules, you could actually pick up some shops as customers...That would lead into the next area, tools. Out there by yourself it's even more important to have the right tools....No one in the bay next to you, you can borrow it from until you can pick one up next week. I'm guessing your advertising budget will be very small to start out with, so at 1st you will be relying on word of mouth. This can be a very good thing or a very bad thing, depending on how you handle it..... Try not to get into something that is over your head. It might be better to pass on a marginal job rather than risking some bad feelings and word of mouth due to a job going South on you.. With good training & tooling and a decent base you could do alright......Probably not the best time to be starting up a new shop but I don't know if there ever is a "best time" Keep it friendly & professional... If you do run across someone else's shoddy work, there is no reason to "trash talk" the other tech. There is ways of letting a customer know that this tech probably isn't the best choice for any more repair work without trash talking.....All that does is make you look arrogant & the rest of us look bad.... One of the most important areas I forgot is a database..... Having a flatrate book is good but it's an absolute must to have a professional database, there is no way you can do business without one.......Don't even try.. You would be guaranteed to fail or get the rep of the backyarder we agreed you weren't going to be.........
(This post was edited by Sidom on May 23, 2010, 2:14 PM)
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re-tired
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/ Moderator
May 23, 2010, 8:00 PM
Post #5 of 5
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Re: Mobile Mechanic
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One prob you are going to run up against is zoneing and epa laws . Most municapalities have tons of regulations /laws that would impact you . Some will not even allow any work on a vehicle at a resisidence right down to changing a tire . Waste handling /disposal is a sticking point . . even the noise of a on board compressor / generator would raise the ire of the public . Alas there the matter of disposal of YOUR waste . Unless you gonna work out of a rv .Unless you want to go the contuction site route the mobile days are limited. LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH
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