splitpit;27972 wrote:I wouldn't encourage anyone to get into this business anymore. Most market areas are already way too saturated with windshield repair techs. That along with lowball marketing has driven the ability to do well way down. Also, the cost of doing business has risen considerably over the last few years. Older established windshield repair businesses are still doing well but new guys fall by the wayside each day or are barely getting by scratching out a living in a tough market. If your education or background gives you viable options other than windshield repair, I recommend that you consider those other alternatives.
I have been hearing the same negative argument for 10 years, but from my chair I know that simply is not true. In fact, I believe it was much tougher 20 years ago when I started as no one knew what windshield repair was. We had to educate the consumers as well as the insurance companies, and that was no easy task.
Every month we see new windshield repair technicians start and run very successful businesses. We also see some that struggle for awhile, and some that don't make it at all, but that is the nature of any business. Some will succeed and some will fail, but there is always room for smart technicians that do high quality repairs and aren't afraid of a little work.
I can understand why established technicians would like to discourage new technicians in hopes of limiting competition, but based on our 25% increase in sales last year it's obvious that there are many new technicians doing better than ever.
I have started and operated a number of small businesses over the years, and none are easy, but windshield repair still represents an excellent opportunity for success. What other business can you get into for under $2000 (including training) that gives you the tools and supplies to generate over twice your initial investment before having to purchase "anything" else? What other business opportunity can you get into that offers a money back guarantee on equipment? I have tried window tinting, pin striping, interior repair, pressure washing, and glass replacement, to name a few. I have also owned a mobile tool sales franchise, a yard service, a UPS shipping center, a truck rental business, and have been involved in several multi-level marketing businesses. All had potential, but all had a considerable learning curve, and none provided the income that windshield repair did, and I didn't make as much repairing windshields as many of my customers now do.
Do people fail in the windshield repair business? Of course, but I think if you compare the success rate of windshield repair technicians to the success rate of "any" other small business startup you will find windshield repair technicians are far more successful on average, and the gap widens even more when you compare windshield repair to other businesses that cost less than $2000 to start.
As for low ballers, they have always been here and always will be, but seldom stay in business long. Of course as soon as one goes out of business they are replaced by another one. I have said it many times before, but I will say it again. I was always the highest priced windshield repair technician in town, and I always had the most business. I lived in small towns, and there were several repair only guys in addition to every glass shop in town offering windshield repair, but it did not stop me from doing quite well, and it is not stopping anyone else that has the right attitude.
I always find it interesting that when two new technicians start a business in the same area at the same time, one will call me to say how great things are going, and the other will call to tell me how horrible the market is. Usually what I find is that the guy that refuses to bill insurance companies, refuses to accept checks or credit cards, refuses to pay a location fee, refuses to come to training, and refuses to try different marketing techniques, is the same guy that calls us every day to tell us that the market sucks. That guy isn't going to make it in any business. On the other hand, the guy with an open mind and a can do attitude will do some if not all of the things above and find that there is always a market for his services.
If you want to be successful you have to do what successful people do, and sometimes that means stepping outside the box. You also have to quit listening to the negative Nancys and start thinking positive if you want to get ahead in this world.
I think it would be great if I had no competition as well, but the truth is that I do a better job because of my competition. I have to if I want to survive, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Sorry, I didn't mean to write a book here, but this is supposed to be a forum to help people, not scare them away from an industry that has been quite good to the majority of us.