How's business ?

A place for professionals to network and discuss the business and technology inside the shop.

User avatar

No Turning Back
Posts: 599
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:49 pm
Location: England
Country:
United Kingdom
PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 10:34 am
Has the credit crunch/recession of the last 3 years had much impact on your business ?
If so,where are you noticing the differences...insurance work ? private customers ? restorations ? custom work ?

Here in the UK in my area pretty much every bodyshop is struggling,half empty workshops,employees on short time etc.
I personally am only doing 50 % of the work I was doing 3 years ago.
As you guys in the USA would say,it sucks :cry:

User avatar

Board Moderator
Posts: 9878
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:40 pm
Location: ARIZONA
PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 1:20 pm
I only do restorations and side jobs but of the last 8 jobs I have quoted - none have come through yet.
The material prices have gone up over 60% in some cases over the last 4 years and with people having access to the internet and thinking $40 dollar a gallon paint is just as good as $240 gallon paint - it makes things much tougher.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31



Fully Engaged
Posts: 180
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:14 am
PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:00 am
dont do insurance work as its too much hassle; not knocking it but for us it was more trouble than its worth. i imagine they will be really hammering the bottom line now. esp with that cr4p they keep coming out with that they spend £1.20 for every £1 they receive in insurance premiums.

private customers repairing smalls stuff has dropped; scuffs and scrapes dont bother them as much as it used to when there was that credit card party going on.

we have seen an increase in "preparing cars for sale"; sort the scuffs and scrapes out on their range rovers etc before they trade them in. car last week was a RR sport supercharged. needed a new light at the back; usual scuffs round edges; a few deep scratches. deep clean of interior etc.... worth considering this market. most of our cars are ones where they have to give them back to the lease company but dont want to get hit by penalties because it looks like a dog. aim for companies with lots of on the road sales people. this is a new angle for us and although not very lucrative it keeps things ticking along nicely.

we dont have time for proper detailing! however i was considering talking to both the council and local college about how i can train someone up on detailing and paint correction. an apprenticeship really. i know there was a scheme available that they would pay you £14k if you train & employ someone. that £14k would go towards their 1st years wage; after that hopefully the guy will be making his own wage.

also trying to get a council contract for their vans & work vehicles. but trying to get anything through the council without knowing some backbenchers is hard.

we where thinking of vehicle wrapping at one point (its not very difficult) but had a company open up a few units down that does that now. leaving that to them.

User avatar

No Turning Back
Posts: 599
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:49 pm
Location: England
Country:
United Kingdom
PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:45 am
Rafsen,that's the thing with diversifying,there's already loads doing it,wether it be vinyl wrapping or smart repairs etc etc

Have you noticed how many damaged cars are running around these days,the owners just aren't bothering (can't afford) to have them repaired



Fully Engaged
Posts: 180
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:14 am
PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 1:56 pm
aye i have noticed them but when it comes to selling time those scuffs & scrapes knock a fair amount of wonga off. if they trade it in its worse so at that point they dont mind investing in repairs to make more back. most people dont like smart repair guys (there are very few good'ns) so if you have a shop they already feel comfortable of getting a good job.

do you do any advertising?

User avatar

No Turning Back
Posts: 599
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 3:49 pm
Location: England
Country:
United Kingdom
PostPosted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 9:36 am
No,for 20 years until 2008 I had been able to pretty much pick and choose my work,it mostly came from recommendation.
I don't think advertising will help much, EVERY shop in my area is suffering,there just aren't the customers any more :(

User avatar

Settled In
Posts: 79
Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:05 pm
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 6:13 pm
It sucks bad right now. If I actually get any work I have to bargain just to get the job. I just do stuff out of my garage, but it's dropped off to almost nothing at all lately. I've told people they can buy the supplies for me and I'll only charge so much for labor. After looking at the cost they change their mind. People want you to epoxy a fuel tank for $40. The chemicals cost that much. Or they want a dent fixed for $50 and you look at not a dent but a crease in the metal and want it pdr. The busiest people in my area are the salvage yards. Their business has picked up.

I've even been applying at shops that have business (slow but steady). They want a guy with 10 years experience and pay him $10/hr. It's bad all over. Most places aren't even paying commission anymore, just "salary" ($10/hr or so for 40hr week).


FYI - I'm willing to move anywhere if there is good work/pay to be had. :wink:

User avatar

Board Moderator
Posts: 9878
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:40 pm
Location: ARIZONA
PostPosted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:33 pm
pebcakpro wrote:. . . FYI - I'm willing to move anywhere if there is good work/pay to be had. :wink:


I here China is booming. :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

They are making (and receiving for free) tons of money off the USA and then lending it back to us with interest.
1968 Coronet R/T


ACTS 16:31

User avatar

Board Moderator
Posts: 6672
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: central Ohio
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:48 pm
Actually, there's some good news on the China front guys... American Furniture manufacturing concerns and several other industries are starting to leave China. Why? Well, if you dial in the inceasing wages wanted by their workforce, steadily climbing inflation, and the fuel costs which are increasing shipping costs China is not the deal it once was. Economists say that by 2015 that it will be CHEAPER to produce items in your own country rather than even consider outsourcing to another country. Interesting, huh?
Metal, wood, fiberglass, we work it all... www.furniturephysicians.com We can restore the irreplaceable!



Top Contributor
Posts: 1665
Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 11:31 pm
Location: Northeast
Country:
USA
PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 3:21 am
Economists say that by 2015 that it will be CHEAPER to produce items in your own country rather than even consider outsourcing to another country. Interesting, huh?


It's about time things started reversing. This outsourcing has been going on for too many years. My uncle was in the garment union in NY City for over 20 years until 1971. He loved how the union got higher wages and benefits. That is, until they priced themselves out of jobs.
His factory closed, then the owner opened a new shop using illegals who would work any amont of hours for 75 cents an hour, not being paid by the piece like the union members.
The owner couldn't afford the high wages anymore, and the union basically told my uncle, "too bad, sucks to be you."
He ended up buying an ice cream truck, which as it turned out, was profitable that pressing dresses. Most of his co-workers didn't have such a happy ending.
Eventually, the city cracked down on what became sweat shops, so factory owners just moved the operation overseas, where wages were even lower than illegals were willing to work for. This is the same type of thing that happened to steel mills and other factories.
Today's economy reminds me of other recessions, where tardesmen were taking jobs in fast food restaurants, and/or plying their trades for whatever they could get.
I'm glad I'm retired, I went through that twice, which was two times too many.
Next

Return to The Pro Shop!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 42 guests