I've been doin' the tent thing almost 5 years now. Some days are crazy busy and others are slow. The slow days are starting to wear on me so I've decided after tracking sales by days of the week and busier times of the day, I will go out and network. Eventually, I'd like to be mobile monday thru thursday and work the tent biz on weekends when mall business is busier. Most people think I'm only there on weekends anyway. In addition,this year I will be adding other services to appeal to a broader audience.
The tent setup on a regular basis is good because people see you over and over and begin to look for you. Yesterday I repaired a chip for a local real estate agent who had been approached by two other techs in parking lots who saw his chip. They each asked for the sale and he told them no, I'm goin' to the guy I see everyday in the mall parking lot.
When you work a tent, lots of potential customers will tell you they don't have time today. It is imperative to let them know you will do a mobile repair at their home or workplace. You may have zero repairs at the tent that day but the next day you'll have three repairs scheduled.
Managing a tent location
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Clarity Glass
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- Location: Vancouver,WA.
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Clarity Glass
- Member
- Posts: 169
- Joined: December 9th, 2003, 1:00 pm
- Enter the middle number please (3): 5
- Location: Vancouver,WA.
Re: Managing a tent location
Blind Squirrel, the riff raff are already out there and they have the money. I made the mistake of buying in with them. My training was 3 days/4hrs. each day and I was supposed to be competent enough. They at one time were trying to set up in Salt Lake City.
The mall I'm at they want a flat fee and 15% if you supersede certain sales. Free time...reading the business and local section of paper to be up to date on local happenings. Soon to be promoting new services to passers by hoping to reduce downtime this Spring/Summer/Fall. Are you introducing yourself to agents? Even if insurance goes by the wayside, people still will call their agent. I will be introducing myself to any business related to auto or glass. Time to stop being lazy and diversify my biz. Also planning to join a couple morning networking groups.
The mall I'm at they want a flat fee and 15% if you supersede certain sales. Free time...reading the business and local section of paper to be up to date on local happenings. Soon to be promoting new services to passers by hoping to reduce downtime this Spring/Summer/Fall. Are you introducing yourself to agents? Even if insurance goes by the wayside, people still will call their agent. I will be introducing myself to any business related to auto or glass. Time to stop being lazy and diversify my biz. Also planning to join a couple morning networking groups.
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Bois
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- Location: Frankston, TX (East TX)
Re: Managing a tent location
Splitpit,
It can be boring sometimes waiting for customers. Boredom is broken by people stopping by to ask questions (usually people who need replacements) or wanting my business card, etc. And, I keep several magazines handy. Classical music helps soothe the time.
During the week I service my dealers and fleets (few) and handle appointments. I do headlight restoration, too. I don't do h/l at the tent location because I don't have electricity (too cheap to buy a generator for the few h/l's that I do). Cold calling on Saturdays is ineffective since people are not at work and I don't want to walk the mall parking lots (ineffective, too). Anyway, I try to keep a presence at the location as best I can. At least I don't loose money on high rent.
It can be boring sometimes waiting for customers. Boredom is broken by people stopping by to ask questions (usually people who need replacements) or wanting my business card, etc. And, I keep several magazines handy. Classical music helps soothe the time.
During the week I service my dealers and fleets (few) and handle appointments. I do headlight restoration, too. I don't do h/l at the tent location because I don't have electricity (too cheap to buy a generator for the few h/l's that I do). Cold calling on Saturdays is ineffective since people are not at work and I don't want to walk the mall parking lots (ineffective, too). Anyway, I try to keep a presence at the location as best I can. At least I don't loose money on high rent.
Dale...
No job is so simple that it cannot be done wrong.
No job is so simple that it cannot be done wrong.
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StarQuest
Re: Managing a tent location
Blind Squirrel,
I'm currently living in the situation that your now becoming concerned about (losing your largest account). I recently lost my largest fleet account with 14 locations last September due to upper management. The fact that I had loyally serviced these accounts weekly for over 6 years and was highly respected for the quality of work provided by both local and regional managers, it didn't help change the final corporate decision outcome.
Bel-Safe (who already had the replacement contract with them) offered them $29.95/$10/$10 on repairs and got the work. My fees were $35 flat with fee weekly maintenance and no additional charges. Bel-Safe doesn't provide a weekly maintenance, it's all by call and you can be assured they always have a windshield ready to pop in if they can sell it over a repair! So...go figure?
From keeping in touch with some local managers I already know since they booted me that overall glass expenses has went up 25-40 percent. I have a good feeling that I'll get this account back in the future but for now it's a little disappointing for me. It was one of my daily base accounts which provided a steady daily income.
If I had been offered a chance to competitively bid for this account, that would be acceptable but that's not what happened. As a independent, I wasn't offered any fair opportunity to compete!
Some more information as to why I'm considering a tent or stationary setup.
In 2006, I averaged 5-6 insurance referrals daily through Harmon, Lynx and SGC. In 2007 it dropped to 1-2 daily and so far in 2008 it's at 1-4 per week. Something is going on here. Either my market has became so saturated with new repair techs that rotations are getting spread so very thin or the glass owned networks are starting to take control of everything! With Lynx it could be their custom offer with repairs for Metlife, StateFarm and Allstate and others. In service shops might be offering much lower rates than I could provide for a mobile.
I like many others am not very fond of sitting around waiting for work but I do believe a nice stationary setup will at least provide one thing. That's advertising and a consumer choice! Not sure if it's going to work out for me but I'm ready to give it a try! Can't be much worse than waiting for a referral call or spending gas money driving around all day getting little in return.
My ideal site is one that would have access to a wireless feed to my laptop. Might also consider setting up a Wii system to get some exercise while sitting around. I plan on having a free demo set up, free mobile signage and "No cost or low cost windshield repair banner" available.
We'll see how it goes this spring!
I'm currently living in the situation that your now becoming concerned about (losing your largest account). I recently lost my largest fleet account with 14 locations last September due to upper management. The fact that I had loyally serviced these accounts weekly for over 6 years and was highly respected for the quality of work provided by both local and regional managers, it didn't help change the final corporate decision outcome.
Bel-Safe (who already had the replacement contract with them) offered them $29.95/$10/$10 on repairs and got the work. My fees were $35 flat with fee weekly maintenance and no additional charges. Bel-Safe doesn't provide a weekly maintenance, it's all by call and you can be assured they always have a windshield ready to pop in if they can sell it over a repair! So...go figure?
From keeping in touch with some local managers I already know since they booted me that overall glass expenses has went up 25-40 percent. I have a good feeling that I'll get this account back in the future but for now it's a little disappointing for me. It was one of my daily base accounts which provided a steady daily income.
If I had been offered a chance to competitively bid for this account, that would be acceptable but that's not what happened. As a independent, I wasn't offered any fair opportunity to compete!
Some more information as to why I'm considering a tent or stationary setup.
In 2006, I averaged 5-6 insurance referrals daily through Harmon, Lynx and SGC. In 2007 it dropped to 1-2 daily and so far in 2008 it's at 1-4 per week. Something is going on here. Either my market has became so saturated with new repair techs that rotations are getting spread so very thin or the glass owned networks are starting to take control of everything! With Lynx it could be their custom offer with repairs for Metlife, StateFarm and Allstate and others. In service shops might be offering much lower rates than I could provide for a mobile.
I like many others am not very fond of sitting around waiting for work but I do believe a nice stationary setup will at least provide one thing. That's advertising and a consumer choice! Not sure if it's going to work out for me but I'm ready to give it a try! Can't be much worse than waiting for a referral call or spending gas money driving around all day getting little in return.
My ideal site is one that would have access to a wireless feed to my laptop. Might also consider setting up a Wii system to get some exercise while sitting around. I plan on having a free demo set up, free mobile signage and "No cost or low cost windshield repair banner" available.
We'll see how it goes this spring!
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gt_repair
Re: Managing a tent location
I remember in the past some talk about a maintenance fee that some of you talked about and thought it would bite someone in the back side....
I hit accounts a lot and it ends up being a dead run, but times it is worth the stop... You have to take the good with the bad..... In our line of work we are commition workers. We do not get a flat rate per week. and that was what it was sounding like when the talk was going around, that you all wanted to be paid even if there was no work.... The vender was paying for nothing if there was nothing to repair.... Times are tight and that was one of the cut backs.. More will follow...
In my case I know what account have slowed down and I slowed down with them by not hitting them as often. They still call when they are in a bind, and I come runnning to bail them out....
Sorry if I stepped on any toes.
Don D.
I hit accounts a lot and it ends up being a dead run, but times it is worth the stop... You have to take the good with the bad..... In our line of work we are commition workers. We do not get a flat rate per week. and that was what it was sounding like when the talk was going around, that you all wanted to be paid even if there was no work.... The vender was paying for nothing if there was nothing to repair.... Times are tight and that was one of the cut backs.. More will follow...
In my case I know what account have slowed down and I slowed down with them by not hitting them as often. They still call when they are in a bind, and I come runnning to bail them out....
Sorry if I stepped on any toes.
Don D.
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SGT
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Re: Managing a tent location
StarQuest,
I can also appreciate the loss of a good account. We used to have all the Ent Rent-a-Car locations in our area. All the locations were thrilled with the weekly/on call service we provided. They had told us that the replacement shops sometimes took a couple od days to handle service calls and the unit would sit.
Even with Gary's insight on the corporate structure at Ent and the feedback from the locations to corp. we could not convince the regional fleet/maint mgr. and the loss control mgr to keep our services. Their logic was that they wanted a company that could provide both repair and replacement even with the horrible response time. They just could not see the cost/time saving advantage as being more important. I tried very hard to convince them to no avail. It was lost to a large local company. Oh well keep moving on.
As for the tent, go for it, I will be doing the same this year. Anything done properly/professionally will be noticed over the lesser competion. There is good and bad aspects to any venture. It is what we make of it.
I can also appreciate the loss of a good account. We used to have all the Ent Rent-a-Car locations in our area. All the locations were thrilled with the weekly/on call service we provided. They had told us that the replacement shops sometimes took a couple od days to handle service calls and the unit would sit.
Even with Gary's insight on the corporate structure at Ent and the feedback from the locations to corp. we could not convince the regional fleet/maint mgr. and the loss control mgr to keep our services. Their logic was that they wanted a company that could provide both repair and replacement even with the horrible response time. They just could not see the cost/time saving advantage as being more important. I tried very hard to convince them to no avail. It was lost to a large local company. Oh well keep moving on.
As for the tent, go for it, I will be doing the same this year. Anything done properly/professionally will be noticed over the lesser competion. There is good and bad aspects to any venture. It is what we make of it.
Safe Glass Technologies
2012 WRO Gold
2009 WRO Gold
2009 WSRPOTY
2008 WRO Silver
2012 WRO Gold
2009 WRO Gold
2009 WSRPOTY
2008 WRO Silver
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gt_repair
Re: Managing a tent location
I am waiting for my Enterprise to tell me the same thing now that Safless has the account for replacment . We all know that they are behind the taking of our accounts just like they have done with most other major companies...
The last time someone stoled my Enterprise account away from me, they said they would do all repairs FREE if they can have the replacments. All Enterprise was was they did not have to pay for repairs anymore. The con glass shop had no intent to do the repairs at all, just wait till they were not repairable and then replace them at that point.... My locals did not like the crap that going on so they documented everything and kept me up to date on what was going on... 4 months went by and I called the fleet mgr. and asked how many they have done and if they saved money using the con shop and they had know clue.... Then I asked if there replacements went up. .............. He told me he would call me in 48 hrs to let me know what he felt. He called the local Enterprise and got an ear full... I got my call in 12 hrs and said I had my account back.... That was 3 or 4 yrs ago....
I feel the same crap will be going on with Safless and their sales deals..
The problem with them is it will be a long term contract. just like the ins. companies.
The last time someone stoled my Enterprise account away from me, they said they would do all repairs FREE if they can have the replacments. All Enterprise was was they did not have to pay for repairs anymore. The con glass shop had no intent to do the repairs at all, just wait till they were not repairable and then replace them at that point.... My locals did not like the crap that going on so they documented everything and kept me up to date on what was going on... 4 months went by and I called the fleet mgr. and asked how many they have done and if they saved money using the con shop and they had know clue.... Then I asked if there replacements went up. .............. He told me he would call me in 48 hrs to let me know what he felt. He called the local Enterprise and got an ear full... I got my call in 12 hrs and said I had my account back.... That was 3 or 4 yrs ago....
I feel the same crap will be going on with Safless and their sales deals..
The problem with them is it will be a long term contract. just like the ins. companies.
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PerfAuto
Re: Managing a tent location
I actually like doing tent sites. Only I use a deck-out cargo trailer with mine. To avoid all of the sitting around - get to know the busiest time of day for your stationary site - you will find it's fairly consistent. Typically I schedule all mobile repair calls for the next day if possible, and usually in the morning between 8 -11:30a. I do mobile repairs during that time, then open the stationary site at about 12:30, usually get an average of around 7-10 repairs between 12:30 and 4p. My site is set up at a convenience store with a VERY high traffic count. I do not pay any set rent. I give out coupons for $5.00 in free fuel with every repair, redeemable in the store. It is a draw for me, and the average ring for the store on the coupons is around $33.00 - so we both make out good. These days i get return customers just to get the gas coupon..lol.
To each his own - but you can also burn up an awful lot of fuel and time "networking" or casing dealerships or parking lots. Downtime whether it is spent sitting at a tent site or driving around trying to find work is one in the same in my book. With fuel prices these days - I will take sitting for a couple hours, than burning up a tank of gas hoping to find work.
To each his own - but you can also burn up an awful lot of fuel and time "networking" or casing dealerships or parking lots. Downtime whether it is spent sitting at a tent site or driving around trying to find work is one in the same in my book. With fuel prices these days - I will take sitting for a couple hours, than burning up a tank of gas hoping to find work.
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PerfAuto
Re: Managing a tent location
......and the nice thing about using a nice cargo trailer with professional graphics....you can work in adverse weather with an awning and someplace to stay out of the wind and dry. You have a place to store everything when you pack up. AND the trailer stays there advertising for you 24/7 or you can move it to a different location and drop it near a busy intersection for free advertising. I find leaving it sit in the Walmart parking lot over the weekend generates a lot of calls.
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ProView WR
Re: Managing a tent location
Got any pics of your setup by chance?PerfAuto;29298 wrote:......and the nice thing about using a nice cargo trailer with professional graphics....you can work in adverse weather with an awning and someplace to stay out of the wind and dry. You have a place to store everything when you pack up. AND the trailer stays there advertising for you 24/7 or you can move it to a different location and drop it near a busy intersection for free advertising. I find leaving it sit in the Walmart parking lot over the weekend generates a lot of calls.
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