How many vehicles to find one repairable chip

[MarkB]

Hi, I was wondering, how many vehicles do you need to look at in order to find one repairable chip?

Mark

[Jonathan]

Mark,

Our research has shown that about 14% of all vehicles are in need of windshield repair. Therefore, you would need to see roughly 7 cars in order to find one repairable rock chip. As always, these numbers are national averages and meant to be a guideline, not a concrete law.

[Philr]

Can geography or population curve the scale or skew the numbers?

I live in urban usa and have seen no chips in my quest of 7 days.

[MarkB]

Mark,

Our research has shown that about 14% of all vehicles are in need of windshield repair. Therefore, you would need to see roughly 7 cars in order to find one repairable rock chip. As always, these numbers are national averages and meant to be a guideline, not a concrete law.

Hi Jonathan, Is this what you have personally found?

Mark

[Jonathan]

Can geography or population curve the scale or skew the numbers?

I live in urban usa and have seen no chips in my quest of 7 days.

There are many variables to these numbers, again, these figures are a national average. Location, climate, population, etc. all need to be taken into account.

[Jonathan]

Mark,

Our research has shown that about 14% of all vehicles are in need of windshield repair. Therefore, you would need to see roughly 7 cars in order to find one repairable rock chip. As always, these numbers are national averages and meant to be a guideline, not a concrete law.

Hi Jonathan, Is this what you have personally found?

Mark

Mark,

I do not own my own windshield repair business so I cannot speak from personal experience, however, Delta Kits has done several studies on this topic in the past and this is what we found.

[Philr]

Can geography or population curve the scale or skew the numbers?

I live in urban usa and have seen no chips in my quest of 7 days.

[Brent Deines]

Certainly geography and population can make a big difference. The weather, the amount of road construction and the number of cars on the road in your area are all factors to consider, however competition also plays a major role in the number of chips you see in any given day. If you have a particularly aggressive competitor or several aggressive competitors in your area you may start to see fewer chips that need to be repaired. I don't think that is any different than fast food restaurants, gas stations, tire stores, or any other business for that matter. It may be easier in some areas than others, but the reality is that only the strong survive and only the strongest thrive.

There are good days and bad days in every town and in every state in the country, but I can tell you that we sometimes hear from two windshield repair technicians working the same town in the same week. One will say that business is booming and they need to order more supplies, and the other will say that there is just no work to be had out there. I don't imagine that makes you feel any better, but my point is that you need to keep your eyes open and figure out why you are not seeing any chips that need to be repaired. Not seeing enough cars in a day? Competitor better at marketing? Not utilizing down time to call on new prospective customers? Only working fleets and not doing retail work? Only doing cash work and not insurance? Only doing retail and no fleets? Not calling on insurance agents? Not answering your phone, working evenings, working weekends...the list goes on and on. Maybe you are doing all of these things and still not getting any business, but generally if we dig deep enough we find there are things we could be doing to increase business but are not.

A few weeks ago I called several landscapers to see if I could get someone out to trim some bushes that had gotten out of control in my yard. Yeah I know, I'm fat and lazy. Anyway, not a single one of them answered their phone so I had to leave messages. Had any of them actually picked up the phone when I called they would have gotten the job regardless of their price because the way I see it that person is the one with the best customer service. So I left messages and the first one that called me back got the job. While he was at my house my neighbor came over and asked if he could do some work for him as well and he picked up an extra $85 in less than an hour. On Labor Day I was out mowing my lawn and the same guy pulled up in his truck and did several more lawns in the neighborhood when everyone else was taking the day off. It is this kind of work ethic and customer service that every entrepreneur needs, especially when you are first starting out. I'm not saying that you need to work every day, but you need to be willing to go the extra mile and do the things your competitors won't do. If you are doing all of these things then I think it is only a matter of time until you succeed. That does not mean you won't see any lean times, but those times will typically get fewer and fewer the longer you are in business.

We have a number of customers in small towns who do very well, but it does take thousands, not hundreds of vehicles to give you enough business to make a living at windshield repair.

[Frank EU]

Excellent post Brent -again! You lazy and fat? Howcome? You always work right?
Anyway, I am with Brent, any business result (anything ranging from failure to success) depends on the people.
Not just yourself, also the people around you when you're conducting business on a larger scale. Remember; this is a peoples business.
If the technician (be it a 'man and a van business', mom and dad or a paid worker) does not represent the business properly and cannot sell/promote the services in a professional fashion, you're lost.
But than there's also the awkward exception; I have seen many times poor representations happening, yet the customer placed the order.
Like I mentioned previously; this is peoples business, if the customer feels that it is okay to let you have the work done....they often will.
After all, there is always at least two parties involved in any business. If people like you and/or your offer, they will agree. If not, well, guess what.

In average ONE in SIX to ONE in SEVEN vehicles have a windshield damage. Most are repairable.
This statistic figure is international.
There are variables; green field country sides and cities may vary, but not all that much.
If you feel that you are in the middle of a green field....just expand your target service area.

After fifteen years of doing business (sales, repairs and trainings), both in Europe and the US, I am confident to claim the following:
>if you do not see the damages, you do not look properly. This is a numbers game. Hold on, do the numbers, look properly.
They must be present. Period.
Sorry, but it is as simple as that.
I have never had a (working) week that I couldn't find a single chip, even better; never had one single (working) hour without finding one!

Be it here in EU or in the US, our sales are good.
There are some other topics and posts here on this forum re the subject ''how to look properly''.
May I suggest that you do a search on this forum? You will find a lot of usefull information. Good luck.

[mrchips]

When you go out looking for chips, like in a lot or something, you will get better with time. Try practicing every time you go to the supermarket or Walmart........park far away and look as you go in and out of the store.

Rather than this method have you ever tried the business approach? One way I have made tons of repairs is going into business buildings and dropping off a little flyer with the comment "I was in the area, if you know any one who has one of these (point to the little drawing of a rock chip on the flyer) will you please give this to them"? Then I turn and start walking out........

If they have a chip, they'll call me back. If not, then I haven't pressured them and on to the next office.

I love crowded doctor's offices the best!!

Try it! I always reach my goal of $400 a day in repairs before 3 PM........(mostly)

Good Luck