New Windscreen Business

[TruFit-WScreen]

Hi,

I have recently started up a windscreen business, i have had the off customer threw word of mouth but alot of people are asking if i do insurance work sadly the answer is no. Would there be anyone here able to help point me in the right direction on getting insurance work, i have spoke to a few insurance companies and they ask to be an approved repairer and when i ask how the person on the phone isnt really sure, so would anyone have a little better answer. Also i have tried the Facebook ads and im currently going to try the google ads but at £25 a day its an expensive guess if its going to work.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks James Doy
TruFit Windscreens

 

[Fagin2021]

Before you spend money on Google Ads you should focus on your Google Business Profile. I did a search on 'Windscreen Replacement Northern Ireland' and you were nowhere to be seen.

You might also want to consider upgrading your UKBF membership and getting a website review. Even a quick look gave me a headache.

Before you do any of that, the real question is how much of a market is there for an independent (not associated with an insurance company) windscreen repairer/replacer? I have no idea but I do know that if my windscreen is broken/damaged the first thing I do is contact my insurance company and they will point me to an approved repairer. I suspect most people do the same.

 

[fisicx]

Agree with @Fagin2021, insurance deals with my windscreen. Even for chips.

What is very popular are wheel fixers, dents and chips. See loads of their vans out and about.

And yes, your website and GBP needs all sorts of fixes.

 

[WaveJumper]

Sadly I am with the above I would think almost all windscreen work is carried out through insurance companies in the first instance and the big boys within the business have pretty much cornered the market there so trying to get a foot in the door I would guess is going to be pretty much impossibl.

if it was me rather than spending huge amounts on marketing I would try to rent the odd car park space in your local retail parks or supermarkets and do the Chips Away approach and offer instant fixes for small windscreen chips and get your company name out there that way.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Sadly I am with the above I would think almost all windscreen work is carried out through insurance companies in the first instance and the big boys within the business have pretty much cornered the market there so trying to get a foot in the door I would guess is going to be pretty much impossibl.

if it was me rather than spending huge amounts on marketing I would try to rent the odd car park space in your local retail parks or supermarkets and do the Chips Away approach and offer instant fixes for small windscreen chips and get your company name out there that way.

We just had that done - mostly on the back of a very slick after-market process to reclaim on insurance. (They reimbursed us within a day)

OP - unfortunately I can't help, but I suspect as a small operator you will struggle to get insurance approved. One suggestion is that you approach those who are as a sub-contractor?

 

[TruFit-WScreen]

Thanks guys,

Yes there are other independent windscreen companies here, I was going to be aiming for more B2B opportunities as in Fleet places like north gate and enterprise. Also the likes of body shops.

Agree on the website, it was quickly thrown together and there is another one coming shortly.

I have years of experience in the windscreen trade as a fitter just never as a director and getting the work in this is all new to me.

 

[fisicx]

Yes there are other independent windscreen companies here, I was going to be aiming for more B2B opportunities as in Fleet places like north gate and enterprise. Also the likes of body shops.

They will already have contracts in place. The chances of you getting work from the fleet operators is virtually zero. Body shops might be a useful source of business but again they will have their mate who they have used for years.

Spending £25/day of advertising may be a the bottom end of your marketing spend. You may need to invest a lot more. I'd stop spending now until your website is sorted and you have a Google Business Profile set up. But even then, you need a proper marketing plan.

And rethink the business name. If I need a side window replacing or tints adding or whatever I won't call you - because you only install windscreens. If you had a more generic name then you could expand the business to cover other services.

 

[TruFit-WScreen]

We just had that done - mostly on the back of a very slick after-market process to reclaim on insurance. (They reimbursed us within a day)

OP - unfortunately I can't help, but I suspect as a small operator you will struggle to get insurance approved. One suggestion is that you approach those who are as a sub-contractor?

Did you use a non aproved company then? And did you just hand the insurance company the recipt?

That might be one good way to approach it and see the company might realise they could make more money and not have there own vans out on the roads etc thanks for that idea

 

[TruFit-WScreen]

They will already have contracts in place. The chances of you getting work from the fleet operators is virtually zero. Body shops might be a useful source of business but again they will have their mate who they have used for years.

Spending £25/day of advertising may be a the bottom end of your marketing spend. You may need to invest a lot more. I'd stop spending now until your website is sorted and you have a Google Business Profile set up. But even then, you need a proper marketing plan.

And rethink the business name. If I need a side window replacing or tints adding or whatever I won't call you - because you only install windscreens. If you had a more generic name then you could expand the business to cover other services.

I'll look at a Google business profile as well tonight.

My business name I think is appropriate as there's a few business that contain windscreens, eg national windscreens, auto windscreens to name a couple so name won't be changed but thanks for that, and also I dont do window tinting as that's a skill I don't have.

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

Agree with some of the above, sorry to be negative but I think you have a hard task ahead of you here. I have a little bit of experience supplying to Pilkington Glass and couple of Auto Windscreen companies, only as ancillary products but just from some of the conversations I had with them in meetings I know it's a tough, tough game and even a number of the big boys have struggled in recent years.

I would suggest a good, long think about how you position yourself and market yourself. Some ideas I would consider;

- What is the actual cost to most people of making a windscreen claim on the insurance? Is it actually as cheap as people think/assume? Can they actually get it done directly by you at a similar cost, or not much more for a more convenient service? (I have no idea on this, maybe it;s £100 excess and £1000 from you, I don't know!). But maybe you can find an angle....

- The biggest issue (in my past experience) is the inconvenience of having the car off the road. Can you improve on that and make the additional cost of using you worth it to get them on the road. Can you offer a priority service, same day replacement etc? (I know you usually need to order the glass specially from Pilks or wherever). Also if it's side or rear windows how about a same day "back on the road" temporary repair? So go out, clean all the broken glass and tidy the window up etc then apply a temporary cover (usually you see people do this themselves with a black bin liner?!) so that they can use the car for necessities until you return and fit the new glass the next day.

- Ancillary products/services, someone mentioned tinting above (is it something you could learn?), recommend to replace the windscreen wipers whilst you are doing the window (don;t want old, damaged wipers (that have potentially been damaged by broken glass) on a nice shiny new windscreen. Ceramic coating or rain repellent coating, again offer to apply this at the point you do the windscreen. Chip repair set up in a local car park or alongside a local hand car wash, something like that.

I think there'll need to be an element of boxing clever here and trying to get more value out of the jobs you do get and/or targeting a wealthier market where having the car available ASAP is more important than saving x amount on waiting for an insurance approved repairer to do it.

 

[fantheflames]

Hi James, I agree with the above that other vehicle fixes or modifications would be more easier in the market right now to get your business out there. Most of your business would come from insurance and without that set up, you're relying on people that don't want to contact their insurance provider... and those people typically aren't in the market to make fixes. What market research have you done so far?

Without a solid website, your Facebook or Google ads aren't going to work well. You might get a couple of leads, but as you said, the cost to run the ads outweigh the benefits and you need a viable business. Definitely invest in a UKBF membership, I'd be more than happy to review your website. I've already taken a look and there's a lot of major issues that need attention. Hopefully see you in the website review thread shortly!

 

[fisicx]

My business name I think is appropriate as there's a few business that contain windscreens, eg national windscreens, auto windscreens to name a couple so name won't be changed but thanks for that

But that's all they do. You could offer a much wider range of services. The company name limits this.

...and also I dont do window tinting as that's a skill I don't have.

But I bet you know someone who does. You offer the additional service along with everything else (like wiper replacements, headlamp polishing, rubber refurbishment etc.). You then just sub the work out to someone else.

Expand your horizons beyond windscreens. If you are out on the road in your van why not do extra jobs. That little old lady with the cracked windscreen in Armagh would appreciate you fixing the light bulbs, sorting out the wipers and replacing the smelly windscreen washer fluid.

 

[WaveJumper]

I used to attend a lot of big car events (helping out my son who was trading) there was always one offering re-mapping, one doing tints and one doing vinyl wraps, they were rushed off their feet all weekend, there was even a guy offering new re-programmed keys...... no chip repairs, something worth thinking about.

The way our roads are at present you should be in the right business, my windscreen which was replaced only just last year got hit with a stone at the weekend (gutted) and I am now debating get the chip sorted or another new screen, my youngest had van screen replaced three months ago, and my other sons New Tesla took a hit from a passing lorry last week and is booked in for replacement.

So there must be plenty of scope out there, as I say especially with the state of our roads and they are not getting any better

 

[TruFit-WScreen]

Thanks for all the help people, I still belove there is a market out there for my business as there is for anything, I have to just advertise more, I already have a contract foe amazon so there is one good thing.
Defanitly like the idea of adding another string to my bow, so thinking of offering sun strip tints to start with.

Website is crap never have liked it but its out there, but having another one redesigned.

As I used to work for national windscreens I know they offer alot more than just windscreens so just like within my business I offer more than windscreens as I do all body glass, camper van conversions and stone chip repairs .

 

[Chris Ashdown]

You could specialise in a different market like classic cars

 

[TruFit-WScreen]

You could specialise in a different market like classic cars

It could be possible but would need to find out on thst market.
Have been thinking about doing the carpark thing if I could get a couple repairs a hour be ace

 

[cindyhgarage]

Before you spend money on Google Ads you should focus on your Google Business Profile. I did a search on 'Windscreen Replacement Northern Ireland' and you were nowhere to be seen.

You might also want to consider upgrading your UKBF membership and getting a website review. Even a quick look gave me a headache.

Before you do any of that, the real question is how much of a market is there for an independent (not associated with an insurance company) windscreen repairer/replacer? I have no idea but I do know that if my windscreen is broken/damaged the first thing I do is contact my insurance company and they will point me to an approved repairer. I suspect most people do the same.

Totally agree with you. Focusing on your Google Business Profile is super important, especially for something like windscreen replacement where being found locally really matters. It’s easy to think ads will fix everything, but you're right, showing up in local searches is key.

Also, upgrading the UKBF membership and getting the website checked out sounds like a good idea. A website that's hard to look at isn’t going to win any customers.

About the market for independent windscreen services, you’ve got a point. Most people might just go through their insurance, but there’s definitely a niche for those looking for an alternative, whether it’s faster service or supporting local businesses. Figuring out how big that niche is should be step one before diving into any serious marketing.