How many repairs...

[glassdude]

Lets be honest.
On average, how many RETAIL repairs are you doing a week/month?
Not the repairs for the car dealerships. Only retail.

I do mostly windshield installs but I may do 3 retail repairs a week.
How about you.

-Jeff

[repare-brise]

Jeff

A question to better understand yours, why only retail, and not dealers? Do you consider the retail customer done at the dealers(onsite referal) a dealer job or retail?.

Assuming you are after pure retail(in other words customers repairing there own cars) it is a variable result depending on time of year(weather),geography, population density, market focus, and word of mouth. I have some franchisee's that do 5-6 retail jobs a day on average, and others that do 1-2 a month, it all depends on the market.

Merci

[glassdude]

Hi Merci,
Thanks for the reply.
The reason I say only retail and not dealerships is because I just done like them all that well.
I started my business, Atlanta Windshield, in 1992 and all I did was windshield repairs. Of course, as most people starting out, my focus was on the dealerships. But as I soon realized, the dealers, although some were fair and nice, most were jerks. At the time all they would pay was $25.00 a repair. Not loyal. Not that I expected them to be loyal but if they found someone who would do a repair for $20. they would let them do the work. Several times I would walk the lot and find dings in windshields. some I would fix and some they said to let it go. No big deal but on occaisions the ones they didn't want repaired, the cars would get sold and then I would have to drive 30 miles or more each way, and still they would only want to pay only a mere $25. And you still have to wait 30 days or more to get paid. It's as if your time is not worth much or all that valuable to them.

I just got tired of it. I find that retail customers are much more appreciative, more pleasant to work with, and also you can charge a fair price.

I would like to try and go after the retail market. Surprisingly, there is still a large amount of people who have not yet heard of windshield repair.

-Jeff

[Wright Fix]

In my area I am new, but have been getting 3-4 retail repairs a day. However, I usually get the retail accounts by doing fleet accounts where people notice me. I currently do the public school systems in my area and have found a little gold mine with the teachers and staff. I will also pick up several retail deals from my other fleet accounts. I only charge $25 for the fleet accounts but view this more as advertising that I actually get paid for.

My basic service is in the route I run. I hit my fleet accounts and then stop by the retail areas (realtors, insurance agents, lawyer's offices, strip malls etc..) When they see me at the fleet accounts it adds validity to my business and seals the deal with the retail insurance market. Besides, I usually get 2-6 repairs at my fleet accounts. The public schools will often yield 10 to 12 once or twice a month.

Most of you already know this, but here is my $.02. Also, this is done in a market where windshield repair does not pay the $50 that some claim. Even the best guys do out of pocket retail at $35.

blessings,
Heath

[texas jim]

Heres something some of you may think is crazy!!! I'm in a very competitive market here in Houston, lots of people wanting a piece of the pie. i ran into the same old reply from cold call clients. thay would say i have a man or women that come around and only charge me 20.00 per repair. now this is used car markets OK. after 50 to 60 replays saying the same thing to me i figured their statements must hold some truth. so some thought on this then i changed my marketing strategy. now i do used car at 15.00 per repair and dealers at 20.00 per repair. now i know this sounds too low but consider my market is huge!! and volume is not a problem. so i work hard but make good money. word of mouth travels like wild fire here. i as a incentive offer the employees the same pricing as i do their employer. again word of mouth gets around. and pick up a job or two off the street as i travel to clients. now my plan is as clients see me being dependable i can slowly over time raise my pricing and weed out those i don't want as clients. well thats the plan. if any one has some input on this I'm all ears!

[glassdude]

When I do repairs retail, I charge $55 - $65 for the repair.
If someone approaches while I'm the doing a repair and asks how much, I tell them $55-65. But because I'm already here, I can do it for $45.
I won't do it for less. I don't really push the repairs as much as I should.
After the Holidays I'll be starting a Val-Pak campaign running my ad continously for 4 months using the "Free" repair angle. I figure that by the third mailing, people will start to recognize my company and what I have to offer and how beneficial windshield repair is.
-Jeff

[maxryde]

texas jim, I saw your post and had to reply. I can understand your frustration when being told that the other guy will do it for a lower price than you. You need to look at the big picture here, the next guy will be told the same and he'll say well I have to work at it but if I work hard I can make 150. or 200 a day. Sounds logical and decent except you cannot do that EVERY day and in the end your doing yourself and the industry a disservice. You can refocus on say retail and do like 3 repairs a day and clean up in comparison to what you'll do workin for the lots. They have been known to feed people a line to get their way too. Who is the other guy? Are you being fed a line here? The vehicles you repair for cheap are tomorrows customers being sold at a reduced rate and those are dollars out of YOUR pocket. Hold out for the brass ring as it won't be reaching out for you!! And really the dealers aren't the best of customers anyway. Go to your local logistics outfits and work them. They spend a ton on glass and if you can save them some $ they won't balk at all on price!!! Just do your homework on the legal issues in your area when it comes to commercial rigs and the law surrounding repair. Scott

[scratchy]

EVERY market is completely different and needs to be studied and understood.
I was doing 30 retail jobs per week this summer until the gas attack! Now I am around 20. I do only retail but have one small pest control fleet.

Chips are everywhere here but a good, reliable and reasonably priced mobile service is not. We are 7 days a week and people love it. Our prices are good and keep them coming back. BTW retail is soooo easy.

Where Coitster went, I have no idea. The man is a genius and I credit much of our sucess to the experience he shared with me and others at a crucial time.

[jonnyques]

FYI Merci is French for Thankyou. Ya see bilingualism does work here in Canada. Mind you the only other French I know is how to order a beer, and ask for the can. Thats all I need to know!

[jonnyques]

WHOOOO!!! 100 posts! now a Senior Member! Does this meen I get a discount at the cash regester?