Brand New to WSR, Just Getting Stared!

[rsbaum]

Thanks and can anyone help me with my very first question on my very first post? And that is: If there were 10 or 20 different things that I could do to get started that didn't cost money, what would they be?

[Frank EU]

Anything you do to be starting this up, will cost money, be it placing phone calls or just knocking doors. Even going through directories, performing a search for posible prospects, will cost something....: time! And time IS money, also in our trade. It is very effective to call prospects, but it would be more powerfull to be meeting the people, that will cost more time though. It depends on your personal skills, but you should have a minimum conversion rate of ten percent.
That means: if you aim for ten customers, you need to contact 100 propsects but I hope that your succesrate is better than just 10%.
What many people ''forget'' when they start in this trade is that:
A> this is a peoples business, you really should go out and meet (the right) people
B> you need to sell the service, you should not just place an ad and wait at home for the phone to ring -because it won't be ringing (and maybe not at all)

I would not advertize because I consider that a waste of money, I would also ignore ''special offers'' to advertize in any directory, such as Yellow Book, Golden Book etc. It sucks and costs money, you will only need it as an alibi, as some sort of proof that you indeed exist, but I would never ''invest'' in a campaign. We did a campaign some ten years ago, nationwide in all Yellow Book editions, it was just an alibi thing, and we never expected all that much work from it, you should not believe that you will ''make'' money because you have placed a costly ad. But that is just my thought, there will be many other guys with different opinions.
This is a peoples business, so you NEED to go out and love meeting people, invest your time wisely, be nice, informative and supportive, perform proper repairs and be there when the customer needs you. It is a very simple thing, yet many fail to be consistent in what they do/should do.

[rsbaum]

Thanks Frank. Do you know if I need to be "registered" with the various networks, like Safelite to be able to do insurance jobs? Or will I be able to just start doing jobs when I get my kit? I realize I can perform cash jobs when I get the kit, but do I need to register to collect payment from insurance, or does registration only allow the insurance companies to refer jobs to me? Thanks again for your responses, and yes I do know my name means tree. If you're interested in history, my great-great grandfather, L. Frank Baum, wrote "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

[maxryde]

I knew I recognised that name.

[Frank EU]

rsbaum, please do contact DK directly, or others here on the forum, for the answer to the network question.
I honestly do not know. We can deal with insurance ourselves, it is through networks, that I do know, but I am not sure how we do it (it is not exactly my cup of tea, there's other people in our office dealing with that).

[AutoGlassEssentials]

I just recently started a small repair company in the LA area being very young and my first business i went in a bit blind but worked out fairly simple. I don't know your particular situation but personally the first thing i would do is get LLC for protection cost me about 900 through legal zoom need a EIN get your insurance and start the registration process as with safelite could take weeks. Our theory was to hit the ground running as well but not so easy unless u have all basis covered. Lynx is a bit easier but still get it done first because without this u have no way to get paid. Next i would recommend a company that will process your claims via EDI and Glaxis network. What this does is 1 provide u with a software to organize and process your customers. Some companies charge per year but if u plan on sticking around just find a one time fee software i payed around 250 for glass shop via data tranz. U also need a kit i bought an entire kit was NOT from delta kits and let me say u get what u pay 4. Honestly huge piece of ____ i would honestly recommend buying each piece and putting your own kit together. Much cheaper and many of the items ie dremel etc are found at hardware store. If u do decide to get whole kit i do recommend delta kits which seem to have it right and provide quality tools. Only bad thing i have to say is a little pricey for me. Everything else is things u need to figure out on your own advertising location and what not all which are on u and your little black book. Not what u know but who u know, without location u have no basis to get any real numbers and turn a profit. if u have any other questions id be glad to try and help but unfortunately most of these things u just have to dig in do your homework and get it done. Also may i say do it right the first time!!

[maxryde]

I just recently started a small repair company in the LA area being very young and my first business i went in a bit blind but worked out fairly simple. I don't know your particular situation but personally the first thing i would do is get LLC for protection cost me about 900 through legal zoom need a EIN get your insurance and start the registration process as with safelite could take weeks. Our theory was to hit the ground running as well but not so easy unless u have all basis covered. Lynx is a bit easier but still get it done first because without this u have no way to get paid. Next i would recommend a company that will process your claims via EDI and Glaxis network. What this does is 1 provide u with a software to organize and process your customers. Some companies charge per year but if u plan on sticking around just find a one time fee software i payed around 250 for glass shop via data tranz. U also need a kit i bought an entire kit was NOT from delta kits and let me say u get what u pay 4. Honestly huge piece of ____ i would honestly recommend buying each piece and putting your own kit together. Much cheaper and many of the items ie dremel etc are found at hardware store. If u do decide to get whole kit i do recommend delta kits which seem to have it right and provide quality tools. Only bad thing i have to say is a little pricey for me. Everything else is things u need to figure out on your own advertising location and what not all which are on u and your little black book. Not what u know but who u know, without location u have no basis to get any real numbers and turn a profit. if u have any other questions id be glad to try and help but unfortunately most of these things u just have to dig in do your homework and get it done. Also may i say do it right the first time!!

Hello AGE, And welcome to the DK forum, I feel for ya on the second rate kit purchase, but I have to differ with you on the build your own kit idea. While the price of the DK products may seem like alot it's a bargan compaired to building a scratch kit. I have done enough repairs in one day many times that would pay for a kit, I have had days where I could have bought 2. So if you invest and then get busy I cannot see where the kit price is a real issue. DK is the top of the line. Some may argue this but it's user friendly, high quality, best service, practical, reasonably priced, what more can a person ask for.

That being said, I have used many types of gear and still do, I reach for my b-300 more frequently than the others. the reason is simple, if I only have a couple chips on a single vehicle it's just the easy way to do the work. Now in a fleet I'll break out all my gear and do 10 or 12 repairs at one time. The DK equipment needing the least of my attn soooo...

[rsbaum]

Thanks AutoGlassEssentials(AGE) and maxryde for your comments. As I said in an earlier post, I am just getting started. In fact it may take me a couple of months before I can even afford a kit. Things have been crazy for me lately and I'm working to break from all this and start anew. Who is your insurance co. AGE? And maxryde, I do plan buying the complete 2 bridge kit from Delta. I've already settled on name for the business. I've contacted Legal Zoom about doing the DBA and the LLC, again more money. Unless there are some things I can do that are free or are in the $10 to $50 range, I'll just continue to ask questions. I've researched business licence's and learned that in my city it's $25. Vistaprint has business cards 500 for $1.99. And AGE, I was born and raised in LA. I miss it.

[Roo]

If you are dead set on having a LLC or Corporation I would look ,$900 seems really high to me. Try the Company Corporation. Also I would bet most technicians are set up as sole proprietors(that doesn't mean it's right). Although there are many benefits to becoming a corporation there are also alot more headaches. Do your homework. You can always start off as a sole proprietor and then change to a LLC or S-Corp later on. If it gets confusing you might want to sit down with an accountant so they can go over the tax implications of each form of business.

[Eco Steam]

THese are random, and not in any specific order........

#1. Figure out what you're going to call your business, and check online to make sure it's not already taken.

#2. Get a phone (probably already have this, but....ya never know)

#3. Get a Website, you can build one yourself through godaddy for around $10 to get started, and $8.99 montgh thereafter for the site. The initial $10 will get your domain for 1 year.

#4. Create a business model, do your research, figure out what others are doing, the do's and don'ts. The model can be changed as you start to get more things into place.

#5. Join as many FREE online advertising sites you can find, Craigslist, Yelp, Merchant Circle, YellowPages, Google, etc....just do an online search and you will find a BUNCH!!

#6. GET A KIT

#7. Either Incorporate, Sole Pro, LLC...etc.....Sole pro is free, just get a DBA from your local county office, probably under $30...I paid $18.50 here in Texas.

#8. Business Cards, Plenty of online companys for a low price. You also need professional Invoices, you can those here on the forum.

#9. Business Insurance, not cheap, but it will PROTECT YOU!

#10. Vinyl Lettering for your vehicle, or magnetics work too.....ADVERTISE IS KEY!!!!

#11. Join Networks, Lynx, SGC, Harmon.....

#12. Join an EDI company to process your Insurance claims.....you only pay for what you process, there is no monthly dues....not with the company I'm with anyway....

#13. Open a Business checking account

#14. Get a merchant account with a company that doesn't charge an arm and a leg in fees, and does NOT have a contract. I use Intuit, I have an application on my Android phone that allows me to accept Credit cards on the spot and I have my money in about 2 days.

If I can think of more....I will pass them on to you. Also, these are NOT in any specific order, not even sure if they will be of any help.

Take Care.....