Auto Repair Continues to be in High Demand

Auto repair seems as though it is a business that will always be in demand. With more cars on the road than ever before the need for specialized services is high.  Fixing the various electrical and computer glitches along with the more mundane repairs of things like spark plugs or muffler work can offer more than auto repair manuals can cover. An auto repair shop these days needs to be able to diagnostic work in addition to the repair work.  The auto repair tools may not have changed all that much, but with new tools like auto repair software, the shop can possibly offer diagnostics and repairs that it couldn't before.

Auto repair shops can be specialized and this can be a good thing if your niche is one that can feed your customers on a steady basis.  For example, oil changes are preventative maintenance, but they are a recurring need and that means repeat customers for the shop that does the work. 

Some shops that take insurance work can have more work, but generally at a lower rate than the job would be billed for without the insurance.  While the lower rate is not great, being able to do more work might be worth having the bigger profit. 

Auto repair can be a great career choice if people are mechanically inclined and possibly can follow auto repair manuals or can learn while watching someone else do the work.  Being a quick study never hurts because a busy shop needs people to be able to do their work efficiently and with no errors. If you own a shop, a good way to get new workers is to give entry level positions to students or new grads from training programs.  You may have to take a bit of time to train the new people, but having them learn the way your shop works can be valuable as they become a fully trained part of the team.  This investment is in the workers and not in equipment.

Keeping your team up-to-date with new techniques and auto repair tools that may have changed with the newer cars coming in for repairs. Taking classes online and attending single day workshops or weekend intensives can give a good basis for the new techniques and uses for the tools.  Some auto repair software is used now, as well.  From diagnostics to how to programs there are features that can save time and possibly money.  Organization, invoicing and even doing insurance forms can also be done on the computer with the right software.

Once your team is trained in something new or re-certified in a repair, let your customers know.  While some items are not going to be things that will interest your clients, per se, being able to see that you are always becoming more expert in your field can make them choose your shop over another that does not have current visible training.  Posting completion certificates may seem like an unneeded step, but since many professions need continuing education, your customers are bound to be impressed with all of the work that your team completes and will understand that it is not easy to find the time to do and be as timely with the repairs.

Auto repair is a multi-faceted career that requires some specialized knowledge and of course, good old fashioned hard work.  With the use of new technology and tools, the repair shop can perform more than basic oil changes and brake replacements.  There are tons of cars on the road, make sure they can find your shop when they break down.