Should I Start now?

[Jeff5858]

I bought one of the delta kits with two bridges and all the bells and whistles. I have also bought some pre-cracked glass from another website and fixed approximately 30 bulleye/star breaks.
All the repairs that I have done have been on this practice glass and not on a windshield. I am worried that if I pitch up my tent tomorrow and try to repair customers windshields that Im going to look stupid because I won't know how to fix it.

Should I just pitch up my tent and just let what happens happen? Or do I need more experience to fix the windshield.

Also should I have the customers sign something before I repair their windshield which covers my butt if I accidentally make the damaged windshield worse? If so what should be written on that paper?

Thank you for any help you can provide

[repare-brise]

Jeff

Short answer NO!

First, you purchased a Delta Kit(congrat's), but what about the factory training? If you havn't done the training, go do it, 8 hours with a teacher beats 45 min with a video any day(and it's free).

Second, If factory training is not an option for you, find someone close to your location that you could use as a mentor(post your city here and I am sure some-one will be glad to help).

Third, Go to the local recycling yard and ask them if you can practice on there WS's, They should say yes if they don't have any insurance issue's about non employee's working in the yard.

Just pitching up a tent and having at it is one of the reasons this industry has such a bad reputation for the moment. Unfortunatly for every competent, profesional, ethical tech there are numerous others that are there just for the cash. What the cash grabbers don't realize is that you fool a customer once, you serve a customer often. You are better off taking your time and building on a solid foundation(training, practice, business development....).

A few questions for you

Is your business registered with the appropriate athorities?
Have you decided on a business name?
Are your invoices(which should contain a waiver) printed up?
Do you have your business cards printed?
Are you looking for a durable, profitable long term career, or a quick buck to pay your kit?
Would you be satisfied witha technician that has only 30 practice repairs repairing your WS?
Where did you purchase pre-broken glass?

I don't meen to be rough, but a little patience and effort now can make the world of difference for you, and the longevity and profitability of your venture

All the best

[Delta Kits]

Jeff,

I would highly recommend Yvan's advice of finding an auto salvage yard, and fixing all the chips you can find.

By doing repairs on actual cars at the salvage yard, and you'll feel much more comfortable doing repairs for customers.

Bring your cell phone with you, so you can call us for technical support if needed.

Factory training is an EXCELLENT investment and highly worth it, but by no means does it mean that if you're not, that you cannot go out and do repairs. The training video has trained many people to do windshield repair. Most do excellent repairs based on the training video, some do not. Make sure you are critical of your repairs, and you practice practice practice.

[maxryde]

Jeff5858 I agree with Yvan and Jeff and would like to add that your potential customer WILL be asking questions of you and you should be ready for them!! They will want to pick your brain a bit and how you respond is going to affect their opinion of your business. Study here on repair work and you'll get educated some but there is no replacement for real life experience.

I believe that if your repairs are up to snuff that you would be better served approaching individuals and just coming clean on being a rookie,I.E. Excuse me Sir or Mrs. I am a new repair tech in training and my mentor says I am ready to go out and sell repairs. Your vehicle has the appropriate type of damage for repair and if you're interested I'll repair it for you. I won't charge you unless you're completely satisfied, if you're interested I can bill your ins co and your cost is nothing also. This approach is a good one. Folks respect honesty and they will in turn engage you in conversation and you may get some objections you just have to prepare for it I.E. yes I am very new to WSR but my teacher says I'm a natural and I promise I'll do a great job for you or it's no charge!! Do this only after some practice in the junk yard so you can get the feel of real life repair work on a vehicle, practice glass is great but no substitute for a real car!! Good luck. Scott

[Wright Fix]

I just hung out proverbial shingle recently. I purchased a kit and then rode with a windshield repair gentleman that has been in the business for 18 years. He showed me the ropes of retail, fleet accounts, billing, and the "craft" of windshield repair. I cannot tell you how important it is to let someone show you how to get the best possible repair possible. I have been looking at the windshields the local car washes and lube companies do, and all I can say is that most are not acceptable fixes in my opinion.

My desire is to buckle down and pull for the long haul. I had a professional design my logo, business card, windshiled advertisement and magnets for the vehicle. I have a federal tax number, state number, business license, and am currnetly looking for liability insurance. Once I started out I was able to explain the business, how glass is made, the history and bennifits of laminated, safety glass, and how to explain contaminates, and glass fragments that may cause cosmetic impurities after the resin is injected.

Here is my point. When I show up to bid a job or contract with a fleet. I have my ducks in a row. I can explain most aspects of the trade and present a professional image. I show up with a polo shirt with my logo and a professional looking vehicle with custom forms and a waiver and contract. Because of this approach, I am rarly turned down and looked at as a professional. Spending a little money and time up front will pay off in the long run.

Just my two cents, buy hay you got it for free.

Heath
WrightFix Windshield Repair
Just another new guy.
Blessings

[Chips_Away_Windshield_Repair]

Jeff, where are you located?

[Jeff5858]

I am located in Katy Texas.
I have printed out business cards.
I have registered my business with the county court house.
I have my ein number.

I have a partner who will be working with me me and has fixed a few but not many star breaks.

Ok I am not going to start repairing windshields for a while.

I have asked a recycled place if I could practice on there and I was denied. So I went on to http://www.rockchipkits.com/Training_Materials.htm and purchased 2 sheets of glass. Of course each break was probly the easiest break to fix but I fixed them.

My plans for this windshield business is long term. I would like to setup my own tent at a car wash or a good area where my partner and I could gain more experience.

I have purchased shirts for us and I am very organized with getting this business going. But the training is slim out here. A bunch of compititon but very little training. If anyone is in the area PLEASE HELP!

No I have not made up a waiver yet. Could you help me with this as well.

I do not want to give the windshield repair industry a bad name. If any I'd like to bring a professional, organized addition to my area.

Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated. Thank You

[repare-brise]

Nice to see you are on the right track, and if you wnat to take a trip to Quebec, training is on the house(but so is delta's and they are a little closer)! Here isa copy of our waiver and warrenty for your use if you wish, I am not ssure it would stand up to american laws but here it is fine.

D

[maxryde]

Having been denied at one wrecking yard is not a big deal if you are serious about this business you will have to be persistent or you will not succeed. When you go selling a few no's just means the yes is forthcoming! Don't be discouraged, my son says it well "you can make excuses or you can make money". I also have heard that "the person satisfied with an excuse is the one who gives it" so no is an answer you will hear a fair amount but you just need to seek out the yes's, and they are there, believe it. Oh and since when does a person need a waiver I used one for a bit but I dropped it. If a person hardlines me on a repair that runs I just tell them it's broken glass that is unstable, if the patient die's on the table it is an act of god kinda thing!!!! Good luck, Scott

[Thomas]

Jeff5858
Just a quick thought on the training. I am very new, no kit yet, and no training, BUT, I am leaving to get training tonight.

From my research many if not most of the kit manufacturers charge for training, including Delta Kits when they take their training on the road, but it is free when you go to Eugene Oregon.

That is what I am doing. They have no "on the road" training even close to me so it would be too expensive for me to not only pay for the training but then to have to pay for my own trip to take it as well.

I found my best solution was to take Delta Kits free training in Eugene. I also found my best travel deal was to take Amtrak on one of their rail pass bargains. So it boils down to me getting the training, traveling across country without the worrys of driving, seeing some georgous scenery, and doing it all for less than what I would have spent driving to Eugene.

I guess my point is this, if you are serious about training, there is a way to get it if you look hard enough. I was actually surprised how cheap Amtrak was. I know it isnt as fast as flying but I am considering it a mini vacation.

Best of luck to you in your new venture, and I know I will also need a little luck in mine.

Tom