How slow is your shop in January?

[Gasanddiesel]

I just bought out a failing garage in December....slowly turning it around...

 

Been working on getting it cleaned up, new signage, paint, some cheap advertising, flyers, etc.

 

January Started slow. New years week was bad. The week after new years we were did ok. Last we we were slammed. This week has been slow again. Its a little unnerving, but I know it will pick up in Febuary.

 

What are your shops doing in January? Just paying the bills or turning a profit?

 

Any tips on what to do when its slow? Whats a good way to get some people in the door? My advertising budget is next to nothing. I could do some mailers or flyers. Thats about it.

[Jeff]

It has been tough here also. Generally this time of year in Florida we see the northerners running from the cold. Haven"t seen it yet. And like yourself I don"t have a big advertising budget. Just getting out and meeting people, passing out cards, etc. I signed up for a "Top Shop" listing with repair pal 6 months ago. That has not generated enough revenue to pay for it. I have a meeting set up today to go over the CRM products available through Mitchell. Next step is to get back to sending out a regular newsletter to my existing customers. I stopped sending out letters when I got over 20% returned with no forwarding address or just not deliverable.. The foreclosures and general economy here have not recovered yet. At this point I have gone into survival mode. Will have to see what the next few weeks hold.

[mspecperformance]

Sorry to hear Jeff! The northeast has been pretty cold this January. Things slow down when it gets cold and work flow takes a hit especially the first part of January when I had no gas for my heaters. Things have been ok so far thank god. Good luck guys.

[Joe Marconi]

I am in New York, about an hour north of NYC. By late Jan and Feb is does slow down. The winter storms, heating bill, paying off credit cards from Christmas, people don't go out as much. Combine that with the emotional aspect of winter and it can be tough.

 

Perhaps the best thing you can do is to make sure all year long you do a good job each time a customer comes and leading up to the winter. Identify all future work, tell the customer that you will call them to set up the appointment and make sure that you book all the next LOFs, just like your doctor and dentist.

 

Best of luck, there only so much cleaning and sweeping you can do, you need $$$$

[mmotley]

... I typed a whole bunch, but I went back and read it and it sounded like I was bragging. So I'll just leave it at this. January is already a record month for me.

[ATSAutomotive]

We are slow but it has still been a good month for us.

[Joe Marconi]

... I typed a whole bunch, but I went back and read it and it sounded like I was bragging. So I'll just leave it at this. January is already a record month for me.

 

You can brag....be proud!!!

[ScottyP]

I just bought out a failing garage in December....slowly turning it around...

 

Been working on getting it cleaned up, new signage, paint, some cheap advertising, flyers, etc.

 

January Started slow. New years week was bad. The week after new years we were did ok. Last we we were slammed. This week has been slow again. Its a little unnerving, but I know it will pick up in Febuary.

 

What are your shops doing in January? Just paying the bills or turning a profit?

 

Any tips on what to do when its slow? Whats a good way to get some people in the door? My advertising budget is next to nothing. I could do some mailers or flyers. Thats about it.

I am in nearly the exact same boat as you. I moved into an old shop that had been closed for 4 years, renovated it and moved in beginning of December. It's been up and down, some weeks slammed for several days others twiddling my thumbs. It is nervewracking and I wonder sometimes if I did the right thing. I know come warmer weather it will be busy, it's always been that way. For now though have to financially make it through this brutal winter. Nobody wants to do anything when it's -15 with -35 windchills, which seems like this whole winter. Good luck man, hope you do well, wish I had advice but I'm new here too.

[Gasanddiesel]

I am in nearly the exact same boat as you. I moved into an old shop that had been closed for 4 years, renovated it and moved in beginning of December. It's been up and down, some weeks slammed for several days others twiddling my thumbs. It is nervewracking and I wonder sometimes if I did the right thing. I know come warmer weather it will be busy, it's always been that way. For now though have to financially make it through this brutal winter. Nobody wants to do anything when it's -15 with -35 windchills, which seems like this whole winter. Good luck man, hope you do well, wish I had advice but I'm new her

My saving grace is that I was able to keep my fulltime job, since it is 2nd shift, 4-10s. I've got a great, trustworthy mechanic that runs the place when I leave each day.

We started strong, but an small snow "storm" killed the business. Ended as an off-week. Yeah, weeks like this make me nervous.

[mspecperformance]

My saving grace is that I was able to keep my fulltime job, since it is 2nd shift, 4-10s. I've got a great, trustworthy mechanic that runs the place when I leave each day.

We started strong, but an small snow "storm" killed the business. Ended as an off-week. Yeah, weeks like this make me nervous.

 

 

I am in nearly the exact same boat as you. I moved into an old shop that had been closed for 4 years, renovated it and moved in beginning of December. It's been up and down, some weeks slammed for several days others twiddling my thumbs. It is nervewracking and I wonder sometimes if I did the right thing. I know come warmer weather it will be busy, it's always been that way. For now though have to financially make it through this brutal winter. Nobody wants to do anything when it's -15 with -35 windchills, which seems like this whole winter. Good luck man, hope you do well, wish I had advice but I'm new here too.

 

 

Hang in there guys!!! Some new shop owner have a lot of luck and come storming out of the gate. Location, marketing, built in customer base etc play a large role. I remember years past I used to hate the winter months due to being slower than normal and increased overhead. Focus on the things you do have control over and look into marketing as much as possible. If you aren't blessed with an existing business or having some sort of X-factor like a gold mine of a location then marketing is what you need to get people to walk through the door.

 

Good luck guys and I hope we all have a GREAT February !!!!!

[xrac]

Our January was up about 7% over January 2013.

[Gary A]

Best January in a long time I'm up 39% from last January. Same amount of employees as well. Just had some really good jobs and more cars than last year

Edited February 5, 2014 by Gary A

[xrac]

Gary, that is great to hear.

[phynny]

Income tax checks will be here soon, just hold on and ye shall be swamp'thd.

[Gonzo]

I plan my winter months with restoration projects. Just finished a 56 Willys sent it home last week. The next one is supposed to be here next week. 82 Military Blazer. Leaving the outside all olive drab while the inside is going to be all updated with modern gauges, interior, wiring etc... That's how I make it through the winter. I pretty much stock up on the resto's and schedule them from Nov. through to March. Done this for years. That way I always have a back burner job working. So, when the shop is empty I can spend more time on the restoration.

[GermanCArDEpot.com]

Jan ok Feb Looking good. Check the few shops on this forum that are wondering where the car count is one word of advice. Fix or get a website. Wow i don't love mine but it works.

[CARMandP]

Off 15% but the profit it better. Made almost the same amount in profit this year as last which I guess is good. Getting my margins closer to where the need to be.

[Brent J]

Jan and Feb here pretty much the same as everyone else, slow. Live in Northeast Ohio and this has been a cold snowy winter. I'm in survival mode right now. I remember the old days when cold weather was good for business. People lined up to buy snow tires, wiper blades, batteries etc. a lot of service calls, no starts etc. seems like the newer cars just don't have many problems with cold weather.

[xrac]

Today is as slow as we ever get. I started the day with only two appointments. One was a no show and the other canceled.

[Framingham Auto Service]

We had a good January, but February was completely dead!

It started to pick up on March but it was still in the low side.

Let see what April holds....

 

Junior.