Start an Automobile Service Station


Due to advancement in technology automobile servicing has improved over the years. We have powerful diagnostic and power tools to ease the work. This has increased the efficiency and standard of the average mechanic.
Automobile service stations are now high tech, well ventilated centers. To run a center you need good location, equipment and training. The staff should have professional certificates and good technical knowledge of vehicles.
Specialty Repair, Garage or Service Station
There is a difference between a specialist repair shop, garage and service station. They differ based on types of tools they stock, location and scope of work.
Automobile Service Station
Types of Service Stations
The service station is a garage that repairs faulty vehicles. A garage is graded as small, medium, large or big. They are one spanner stations, two, three or those that service trucks.
A small garage might focus on a particular range of vehicle. They carries out replacement, adjustment, servicing. Half of the staff is usually qualified professionals.
Medium range garages have 2/3 highly qualified staff while larger ones have hundred percent qualified staff.
Functions of a Service Station
The functions of a service station are lubrication, minor repairs, and mechanical service. Others include washing, cleaning, and painting. They can do body work, change tires and perform major repairs. They also adjust and replace small and major components.
Other services are car air conditioner servicing, electrical jobs, wheel balance, and service oil change and alignment. They can offer preventive maintenance, brake, periodic and operational maintenance services.
  • Lubrication
  • minor repairs
  • mechanical service
  • washing, cleaning
  • body work
  • change tires
  • perform major repairs
  • replace components
  • services car air conditioner
  • electrical jobs
  • wheel balance
  • service oil change
  • alignment
Tools and Equipment
The tools found in service stations are to numerous to mention. However they stocks lots of hand tools like spanners, wrenches, pliers and screw derivers. They have hammers, feeler gauge, pullers, spark plug spanner and piston ring tools.
More are hydraulic jack, wheel balance, riveting machine. They stock engine repair equipment like grinding machines, boring machines. They need vehicle hoist, car washing machines, lubrication equipment, and air compressor.
  • Spanners
  • Wrenches
  • Pliers
  • screw derivers
  • hammers
  • feeler gauge
  • pullers
  • spark plug spanner
  • piston ring tools
  • hydraulic jack
  • wheel balancer
  • riveting machine
  • grinding machines
  • boring machines
  • vehicle hoist
  • car washing machines
  • lubrication equipment
  • air compressor
Automated Service Station Software
Medium to large stations need customized automated software. The software is used for inventory, sales and service. Other functions is billing, repair history and job cards.
It provides customized reports, work orders and general billing. You get to know items in short supply including repair history of vehicles. You get a comprehensive way to maintain history of employees, vehicles and customers.
When a customer brings a vehicle a job card is entered. The job card covers details and selects spare parts and other provisions. An invoice is then generated for the work based on the parameters entered in the job card.
You also get to view the vehicles repair history. The system also performs spare parts inventory management, service details.
Hire staff
The staff requirements are administrative staff and mechanical engineers. You need trained auto mechanics to handle the vehicles. Administrative staff include accountant, store managers, secretary.
Marketing
It is essential to promote your service station. Use local newspaper publications, magazines, auto blogs and yellow pages. Print flyers, posters, banners and signboard. Distribute your call cards and offer discounts for frequent customers.
  • local newspaper publications
  • magazines
  • auto blogs
  • yellow pages
  • flyers
  • posters
  • banners
  • signboard
Automated Service Station Business Plan
The business is very profitable with a significant increase in automobile repairs and servicing. The working hours are flexible depending on your business template. The job is technology driving and a sound knowledge of mechanical engineering an advantage.
An investor looking to start a service station needs a business plan. You also need a feasibility study of the business environment. Here is a basic business plan and feasibility study.
A Simple Business Plan
Industry overview
The automobile industry is selling more cars than ever before. The vehicles once purchased will require periodic maintenance and servicing.
General scope of work includes body work, painting, replacement of parts and installations. The same applies to used-cars because they require even more maintenance.
Executive summary of car service center
The company is a startup that offers repair, replacement and servicing. Our company offers outstanding experience with our well trained and qualified members of staff.
Our company location offer convenience and hassle free repair service. We have a fully stock spare parts store that caters to a wide range of vehicles. We also offer shuttle and towing services within our geographical area.
Our Product and Services
A professionally trained workforce can handle domestic and foreign vehicles. Our dedicated staff, superior and excellent service differentiates us from our competitor. We are dedicated to long strong customer relationship, integrity and trust.
Our products and service are wheel balancing, car condition service and alignment. Other services include car wash, electrical jobs, mechanical jobs, battery service. We also do car body polish, oil change, sales of spare parts and accessories.
Our vision statement
Our vision is to build a world class service center. We strive to offer quality products and services.
Our mission statement
Mission statement is quality service, personalized experience. We use computerized software monitoring system for thorough analysis of a vehicles history.
We offer a full range of spare parts and services. We leverage on technology for seamless diagnosis and repairs.
Our business structure
The company has a chief executive officer, human resource and admin manager. We have service supervisor, accountant and sales/marketing executive. We have client car service executive, car service engineers and wash attendants.
Roles and responsibilities
Chief executive officer
The chief executive officer oversees training, orientation, job selection. Other functions are recruiting, counseling, coaching, communicating values.
They carry out disciplinary actions, formulate strategies planning. The officer directs the business, sign checks, implements the organizations vision and appraises job results.
  • oversees training
  • orientation
  • job selection
  • recruiting
  • counseling
  • coaching
  • communicating values
  • disciplinary actions
  • formulate strategies planning
  • directs the business
  • sign checks
  • appraises job results
Service supervisor
The job of our service supervisor is to develop strategic planning through automobile technology. Handle budgets, allocation resources, accomplish subsidiary objectives and result oriented.
The individual coordinates procurement, technical service policies, marketing and production. They facilitate communication between technicians, maintenance engineers, employees and management.
The individual needs to establish personal networks attend professional workshops. They are mandated to enforce ethical standards, collaborate with host community and build the companies image.
  • develop strategic planning
  • budgets
  • allocation resources
  • accomplish subsidiary objectives
  • coordinates procurement
  • technical service policies
  • marketing
  • production
  • communication between technicians
  • maintenance of staff
  • establish personal networks
  • attend professional workshops
  • enforce ethical standards
  • collaborate with host community
  • build the companies image
Sales and marketing manager
The duties of the sales and marketing manager include proposal writing, negotiating fees, develop leads. The individual manages external research, analysis volume of transaction, identifies and develops opportunities.
They execute, evaluate and develop strategies to increase sales and motivate sales team to meet targets.
  • proposal writing
  • negotiating fees
  • develop leads
  • manages external research
  • analyses volume of transaction
  • identifies and develops opportunities
  • evaluate and develop strategies
  • increase sales
  • motivate sales team to meet targets
Human resources and administrative manager
They are in charge of appointments, arrange travels, evaluate and appoint employees. Other functions are recruitment, staff induction, organizes meetings and appointments. They are in charge of training and the running of the office.
  • In charge of appointments
  • arrange travels
  • evaluate and appoint employees
  • recruitment
  • staff induction
  • organizes meetings
  • in charge of training
  • smooth running of the office
Technicians and car service engineers
 They handle repair services, replace engines and perform general repairs. Other functions include repair brakes, work on transmission, automobile electrical repair and wheel alignment. They repair radiators. Replace mufflers, carry out maintenance servicing, repair brakes.
  • handle repair services
  • replace engines
  • perform general repairs
  • repair brakes
  • work on transmission
  • automobile electrical repair
  • wheel alignment
  • repair radiators
  • replace mufflers
  • carry out maintenance servicing
  • repair brakes
Cashier and accountant
 They are in charge of the payroll, handle financial transactions and tax. Other functions are managed financial systems, risk analysis and accounting report. They prepare budgets, financial statement, conduct marketing research and carries out the internal auditing.
  • in charge of the payroll
  • handle financial transactions
  • tax
  • managed financial systems
  • conduct risk analysis
  • accounting report
  • prepare budgets
  • financial statement
  • conduct marketing research
  • carries out the internal auditing
Client service executives
Answers enquiries, contact clients and manages administrative duties. They are information driven and answer direct enquiries.
Car wash attendants
The adjust water pressure in hoses, mix soap wash vehicle. They wax, polish, clean and replace car mats, polishes interior of cars. They dust, dry and arrange vehicles in an orderly manner.
  • adjust water pressure in hoses
  • mix soap
  • wash vehicle
  • wax
  • polish
  • clean
  • replace car mats
  • polishes interior of cars
  • dust
  • dry
  • park vehicles
The car service Center business plan
The plan should have Market analysis, target market definition SWOT Analysis. The SWOT Analysis should focus on the strength, weakness, opportunities and threat.
Target Market
The target market is transport companies, blue chip companies, individuals and households. Others are manufacturer, distributors, haulage companies, schools and corporate organizations.
Payment option
The company should explore different payment options. Common ones are bank transfer, POS, online banking. Others are mobile payment, cash, debit/credit card payment.
Our competitive advantage
Our competitive advantage stems from offering clients total service experience and customer satisfaction. Employees are rigorous trained and leverage on strategic marketing to attract new patronage.
Advertisement strategy
The advertisement strategy involves advert placement in newspapers and magazines. We distribute flyers, organize road shows install billboards. We use social media, electronic media. The staff promotes the business through branded t-shirts and the company uses an official website.
Checklist
The check list to follow is business name availability and incorporation. Others are online payment platform, corporate bank account and application for a business license.
Others are startup capital generation, writing of business plan, drafting of contacts, conducting of feasibility study.
More parameters are recruitment of employees, drafting employee’s handbook. Leasing, building of website, purchase of software and business PR. The company should also work on health and safety of employees.
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