New Auto Glass Business
Starting a new business in any field can be a pretty tall feat. Setting up your own glass shop comes with its owns challenges and unique struggles. Without researching and looking into the industry someone would be dooming themselves to failure before they had the chance for success. GlassBiller is composed of auto glass industry professionals who have owned their own auto glass shops and work with owners, technicians, and sales people everyday. Let us shed some insight into the auto glass industry so you can assure you’re bringing in the deals in this 8 step guide
1. Have The Expertise
Before you invest your time and money into any project, make sure it is within your reach. Make sure that you have the expertise and skills required to properly run a shop. Technical schools who teach about auto glass can be a great starting point to entering the industry. Otherwise, you should start by working in a shop to get your feet wet. Observe all the processes and see what is working and what isn’t. There is no better way to understand the inner workings out auto shops than by getting first hand experience.
2. Do Your Research
There are industry specifics to the auto glass industry that you will want to be aware of before you launch your business. You will want to get setup with insurance networks so you are able to do the most common type of jobs. Sometimes this process can be overwhelming to new shop owners. This is why GlassBiller helps all our clients get setup with the major insurance networks. Make sure you are in an area that you will be successful in. Any extra information you can study up on before launching could be the difference from your business failing and being extremely successful. A great recommendation would be to look for a digital marketing firm to help create a strategy.
3. Create A Business Plan
The key to success is planning. The more you prepare for, the less you need to scramble when you might go into a dire situation. Having a plan and sticking to it is what will allow you to track progress. Is your business growing in the ways you want? Do you know who your core clients are? All these are critical questions that you will want to answer and study to assure you are ready for all the variables that are thrown at you when running an auto glass shop.
4. Find Funding
Now that you have your plan together, it is time to put it in action. You will need to find funding so that you will have the necessary money to purchase a space, pay employees, and buy equipment. Don’t let the threat of not getting your money fast enough ruin your business. GlassBiller is partnered with Lightning Capital, LLC which is a factoring company dedicated to specifically helping the auto glass industry. Let us make sure that funding is not the reason you don’t start an auto glass shop.
5. Decide: location
Deciding where to locate can be central to how much business you get. If you are in a large area with frequent auto shops, think how that could affect your business. Look for a need and see if you are able to fill it. Another key factor is thinking how centralized your shop is for when technicians travel for jobs. A central location could end up allowing you to do more jobs!
6. Decide: Buy or Create
Buying and creating your own auto shop can be much more expensive that buying a shop already in business. By buying a shop you allow yourself access to their previous clients and location. You will be able to setup your shop and start making money much faster than if you needed to setup a whole new shop. This being said, you will also want to make sure you are not inheriting a place with a poor reputation as that could damage your sales before you even begin.
7. Decide: Need Factoring
You have your shop setup and ready to go. Now you need to decide is if you are in a position to be able to float business for 30-90 days. With most insurance jobs this is how long it will take from you submitting your invoicing to getting paid. This can be too long for some small businesses which is why there is Lightning Capital, LLC. Lightning Capital is an auto glass factoring company that is dedicated to assisting small auto shops keep up with the national chains. A consultation with Lightning Capital may help you decide what the right path for your business is.
8. Implement GlassBiller
Start your auto glass business on the right foot by using the GlassBiller software. We are used by hundreds of shops around the US to make their business more automated. By using GlassBiller as your customer management software, you are putting your shop in the hands of experienced veterans. GlassBiller has staff that has run their own auto glass shops so they know what it takes to run a successful business. We focus on being a totally cloud based software, paperless, and gives you access to the NAGS database which is critical to any successful auto glass shop. Once you have this done you are ready to successfully run you auto glass shop with a fully optimized system and support team behind you.