technician job experiences

Biggest thing about opening your own shop is you have to know the business end of it.

I've seen a lot of guys who've opened their own shop and are good at wrenching close in less than a year because they didn't know how to bill, how to run accounting, how to schedule, how to inventory, or they were just plain lousy in dealing with customers.

I've seen a lot bury themselves in thirty day open ended accounts who go hog wild on supplies, tools, and other things you don't need. And your part's guy's goal is to hit his numbers. That buy six cases of oil get the next six cases for half price may look like a smoking deal, but do you really have the business to move a dozen cases of oil in the next month when the bill comes due.

I can tell you two shops right now, one abused his thirty day accounts and is strictly COD with all parts and material coming from, three different parts stores. He's selling used cars to make ends meet. Another shop who purposely keeps himself COD and he's turning away business because he's so busy.

Remember, too, a lot of it comes with selling yourself. You have to prove how good you are as opposed to the competition, you have to sell the job to the customer, and everything else with making it work.

It's not for the feint of heart and knowing the business end of it helps the most. Wrenching will prove itself. Knowing the business is a lot of on the job training.

Personally, I kept the best of what the Mom and Pop's, the dealerships, and the corporate stores taught me about the business, and chucked what I didn't like and what I knew didn't work.