Question for the tent or site location guys.

Post your windshield repair tips, questions, advice! Note there is a sub-forum specifically for business development questions.
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CrackedUp
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Post by CrackedUp »

One of the primary advantages I see in the ws repair business is offering free mobile service. My customers have come to know and appreciate that I go right to them, be it at their home, place of employment, or even Wal-Mart while they shop. Plus, somewhere in the neighborhood of 65%-70% of the jobs I do are insurance jobs. I have a travel schedule that keeps me very busy in about a 200 mile radius. How do you find time to just sit there at a set location? Do you have to pull up your stakes often to go do mobile repairs? Do you even offer mobile service? How do you give any consistency to being at one location and still do mobile service?
Repair1

Post by Repair1 »

I know what you mean if you do any fleet business or your regular customers it makes it tuff to sit at a tent. Myself I only do it one day a week for 4-5 hours I really wish I could do it more I just have to many regular customers. The tent thing can be very lucrative at times, other times I
GlassStarz
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Post by GlassStarz »

I rent a space from a car wash but am not the clasic tent location. The owner lets me sell to the line of waiting cars if I see a break I give them a soft version of the free repair sales pitch and hand them my brochure telling them to pull up to my spot when they are done if the want a repair if the dont have time today I can do it at thier work place or home. I find this gives me alot more to deal with than just sitting under the tent waiting. I dont arrive until about 11am and do my mobile work prior to that, I leave between 3&4 pm and stop off for any mobile work I may have. I did 2 mobile repairs today for people who got the brochure at the carwash but didnt have time while there. I think the fixxed tent style location works great but have had to fine tune it so im not just sitting there waiting for someone to come to me.
Clarity Glass
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Post by Clarity Glass »

Tent set-ups can be very beneficial to your business in the Spring and Summer given a good location. I am one of the much maligned 5 minute rock chip express people ( and no you can't fill a star or bullseye in 5 minutes.) Tents are the primary way we conduct business. I've been leasing a space at a local mall for about a year now. Nothing like having a couple thousand people driving by on a sunny, busy weekend seeing your service. Those who need your service will stop and inquire about free repairs and those who don't will remember you when they do as well as tell their friends and family. Mobile repairs are rare for me because people shop in the mall or eat while I'm doing the repair. But, I do offer the service usually before I set up or in the evening after tear down.
Last May I repaired 204 vehicles in the parking lot and expect to surpass that this year. The key is to use multiple bridges. Yes it does get quite boring at times, but there's nothing like repairing 3 or 4 cars at a time. I also upsell water spot removal from glass surfaces and night driving glare reduction using a sidewalk sign by the roadway. It's all location, location, location and providing quality repairs. Why drive all over when you can repair 8-10 vehicles in one location? Besides gas is expensive these days!!
gold star wsr
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Post by gold star wsr »

Cracked, Why does this seem to be such a major problem for you? Just because it isnt right for you, doesnt mean it is wrong for everybody else.
CrackedUp
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tents

Post by CrackedUp »

whoa...hold your horses there goldstar....I didn't take a shot at you or anyone else. I asked a simple question, so why do you take it so personal? As I stated, I've just wondered how a person could keep up with their regular course of business with insurance jobs, fleet jobs, car lots, service companies, etc. and still find time to sit at a site? That's a very valid question...not a criticism of what others chose to do! If it's lucritive for others to do it, GOOD FOR YOU! I might do both if I could but have simply wondered how I could possibly manage it. I DON'T have a problem with how you or anyone else chooses to do business. To each his own. So don't accuse me of criticizing you, I DIDN'T!
StarQuest

Post by StarQuest »

Tent set ups aren't for everbody but if you can sit in one location all day and make a decent living doing it.... Why Not?

I actually know a Novus guy that's been working a local trade center for years. He's been pulling in $1800 to $2500 for only 3 days a week during spring, summer and fall. Not bad huh? Personally, I prefer to move around but as gas prices continue to rise I sometimes wonder who's being smarter. Me or him?
optic-kleer

Post by optic-kleer »

My guys all work tent set ups and all do well. The great thing about tents is that really there is no selling, just explaining and having a chat. You need around six good lucrative sites and just circulate around them. If you are new to WSR, then it really is a good way of building a customer base from which you can work in future. Keep good records and do good work and you should do well. Tent/shelter work is only one of many ways to generate business, but for a novice probably the easiest.
Regards
Eric Howe
Optic-Kleer
UK
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