Canadian Eh?

[gekog]

Hi all. After a successful 32 year career as a Regional Manager of Marketing/Gov't and Public Relations for a larger Vehicle Insurance firm, I began looking for something to do to supplement my retirement income. I live in a region consisting of about 20 communities and a total of 350,000 registered vehicles. Two months ago, I had a chip repaired by a young fellow who had set up a plain tent at a shopping center parking lot. As I wasn't so much interested in the asthetics of the repair and more concerned about preventing further expansion of the damage, I was satisfied for the $25.00 he charged. He accepted cash only - no warrenty, no receipt. I am set-up for Visa, Mastercard and Amex. I will take cash or cheque, and if volumes dictate, I will take on Interac.

Anyway, the idea of this type of business appealed to me for a number of reasons, so I began preparing a business plan. I have now developed a logo, a look, a tent design, signage, business cards, graphics for my vehicle, and I have registered my business and I have my 'tax' number. I have also developed my accounting system.

With only two mobile WSR businesses in the region and with both less than professional looking (choice or cost?) I think I will have a bit of an advantage right out of the box. My years in professional public relations and marketing may also help.

Anyway, I want to thank all of you for providing input into this excellent forum. I am learning alot and as a result, I am also developing a long list of questions. It is very important to me that I am properly equiped when I go out there. To be properly trained and certified goes without saying, but I am a detail person, and so for this post, I have my first question.

There are certainly a good deal of repair supplies that come with a complete system, but there are also those 'not included' or 'great idea' supplies that those of you who have been around know about. I am making a list of things to include in my kit, and my set-up, and would love hearing about things to add and why. So far:

Folding or collapsible table (for computer/printer/display cards/business cards
Waste Basket
Mixing sticks - to stir mixed components (doing headlight restoration also)
Small Plastic Sample cups (Dixie cups style for mixing components)
Table Cloth
Three Small Folding Chairs - one for me and two for customers
5 Gallon Plastic Water Container
Alcohol Spray
Portable Battery Pack
Blue Tape
Paper towel

Anything I don't know about? Thanks

gekog

[screenman]

Judging by that list you are intending to wait about in a car park for work to come to you, with your sales and marketing skills I feel you would be far better going out and setting up a consistent route of trade and fleet work. This will mean you can work the hours you want to, I have always had a good living on about 20 hours per week on the road where as a car park can be long hours without much happening. To add to your list I do not see the pop up if you are doing the car parks.

I wish you luck with your new venture, windscreen repair can be very lucrative when done properly.

[gekog]

You are absolutely right about establishing a route etc. I have developed a pamphlet with a cover letter that I am planning to hand deliver to a wide variety of fleet possibilities and car lots. I certainly recognize that initially there will be alot of leg work, and repeat calls. This area has a ton of seniors on modest income, so I will be offering a small discount to them. They expect that and I really don't mind. I also need to scout and secure locations for a tent set-up. A good number of the small towns I am looking at don't even have a Windshield replacement shop, so I hope to see some drop-ins in those locations.

There is a good chance that even once I have put together my supplies and taken my training, I won't be able to actually start repairs for a month or so. I intend to take the advice of so many on this forum, and spend a good amount of time at a wreckers practising on varios types of repairs and restorations. I will be following ROLAGS guidlines also.

For this question, I am merely trying to ensure I have everything I might need or find useful once I am out there. Mostly, I am looking for 'non-kit' suggestions and 'bag of tricks' suggestions.

Thanks for your message. Believe me, I may have some business background, but I still know less than most and more than a very few.
gekog

[t4k]

This business is not rocket surgery or brain science. It is a business based on good service at a fair price to you and the customer. If you do your very best work on every repair, you'll be fine. That is best trick in the "bag-o-tricks".

[kenb81]

Hey Gekog where are you from in Canada ?

[gekog]

Hi t4k and kenb81. I guess that I am looking for suggestions around a list of equipment to have on hand. I kind of guessed that the business end of this venture was not rocket science (thank god) but I respect that it does take effort, and I have gleaned many ideas around site selection and potential customers from this forum. Also, many of you have had good and bad experiences that I can learn from. I live in British Columbia, the province best known for Bud....BC Bud that is. No, I am not into that part of BC Culture personally.

[Nomad]

You will need a step stool of some sort, I have a two stepper plastic gray one I got at Wal-Mart that works well. If your are going to do semi tractors then a step ladder will be nice to have, also for motor homes. Some of them are really up there. Minimum six footer for motor homes and then you will be standing on the top step reaching over your head if you have something at the very top of the tallest rig.

I use a pump up spray bottle, in the garden section I think, like a garden sprayer but smaller, about the size of a regular spray bottle but you don't have to keep squeezing all the time as the liquid is under pressure. Carry some Dawn dish washing liquid with you and put two or three drops in your sprayer when you refill it. A squeegee or two in different sizes will make cleaning the glass after the repair a lot easier if you use it right. I have a long one, about 18 inches that has been bent in a slight curve that works well because it matches the curve of the glass. Also have a 12 incher and an eight incher for doing inside glass as the curve is reversed and the long ones won't work. If you are going to get a squeegee get a good one, Etorrie or Unger I think you can find in good hardware stores and janitorial shops. Keep an extra rubber with you if you need it and remember that the rubber can be reversed for a new edge. If you don't lose it, it will last a lifetime.

A piece of that non skid stuff that looks like a screen is good for a hood protector, and is great for keeping your equipment from sliding off vehicles that have short sloped hoods.

You will need towels and rags, and maybe a roll of paper towels. I like the micro fiber towels. Just throw them in the wash when they get dirty and they will save a lot of paper towels. Paper towels are good for wiping up resin or other messy and dirty stuff you don't want on your nice rags.

A small spray bottle with alcohol in it will be nice to have once in a while too, for cleaning equipment and sometimes for getting smeared resin from around a chip where your injector leaked and made a mess. Just handy to have.

In the heat and sun, if the vehicle can't be moved, an umbrella with a large suction cup attached to the stem and two more attached to adjacent ribs can be attached for a little shade and comfort as well as keeping the glass cooler. Liquid resins sells a nice one for this purpose. I use a big golf umbrella. Don't use it if it is windy.

[gekog]

Thank you Nomad! All of your suggestions will be on my list. As I stated, I am going after fleets, and your comments on doing Motor Homes and Semi's is indeed one of the things I would like more information on. With these types of units, I suspect that it takes more time, equipment and planning. Do we charge more for these units, or just keep our price tha same as for a car, and live with the fact they take more time and effort?
regards
gekog

[Nomad]

You may charge more for motor homes, as the glass replacement cost is quite high. Anywhere from $700 for a low end two piece only replacing one side to maybe up to $5000 for a big one piece. And the glass is thicker, it is higher up and you may need a ladder so that's extra work. Some of the pricing problem is dependent on what your competition is charging and how strong that competition is. If quality work is done and you under promise and over deliver you will get repeat business and justify higher prices to the client. I usually wash the WS after I'm done repairing, and clean the inside too if it's really bad. Clean old stickers off if the owner wants you to. Also I attach rear view mirror buttons to the WS for people once in a while. Make sure it's put on in the right configuration as they are nasty to get off without breaking glass if you get it on wrong. Carry a grease pencil to mark where the old button used to be on the outside before you clean everything off the inside. I use the single use kits from the Auto Parts or somewhere for this as I just don't do too many of these.

Trucks tend to get new glass often because of pitting etc. Since so much of the time it is replaced, there is a great demand for glass and the manufacturers make lots of glass for trucks at a reasonable cost. A lot of time the glass is replaced every six months to a year because of pitting, so repairs can be lost because the glass is going to be replaced soon anyway.

Ask the driver where to stand if you have a chip near the center that you have to get to. Don't break or bend anything. You will likely get dirty, your shoes and pants. Going inside and outside means climbing down and back up each time. It helps to have a helper. Since the glass is not expensive and gets replaced often anyway, you generally can't charge more for these. The advantage to the trucker is much less down time, so that is one thing you can emphasize.

I have taken a pouch affair from a bucket boss thing that I'm sure you've seen around. If you cut it to the size you need and attach two suction cups to the top, then a lot of your tools can be carried in the pouches and the whole thing attached to the WS while you are working. Saves a lot of effort as the tools are right in front of you and you don't have to go up and down the ladder so much. It also doesn't fall down in the wind and scatter your stuff everywhere. Great for motorhomes and trucks.

[gekog]

Nomad wrote "I have taken a pouch affair from a bucket boss thing that I'm sure you've seen around. If you cut it to the size you need and attach two suction cups to the top, then a lot of your tools can be carried in the pouches and the whole thing attached to the WS while you are working. Saves a lot of effort as the tools are right in front of you and you don't have to go up and down the ladder so much. It also doesn't fall down in the wind and scatter your stuff everywhere. Great for motorhomes and trucks." Nomad



I really like this idea Nomad. I beleive you are talking of a Carpenter type tool belt? Are you finding that just two suction cups will hold the weight of your tools and the belt adequately?
ps...I can see that I haven't quite got the hang of putting a partial response in a reply. My own comment ended up in the shaded area too. I'll work on that.