Running A Garage Is About More Than Cars
Running A Garage Is About More Than Cars
Table of Contents
Running A Garage Is About More Than Cars
Running a Garage Is About More Than Cars
After more than 60 years in the motor trade and nearly 40 years running Pellon Tyres, I’ve learned that success isn’t just about repairing vehicles. It’s about looking after staff, investing in equipment, managing finances carefully and building trust with customers.
People often assume that running a successful garage is all about fixing cars.
Of course, being able to repair vehicles properly is important. But after all these years in business, I can honestly say that repairing cars is only part of the job.
The real challenge is building a business that can survive the good times and the bad times.
Since buying the first part of the Pellon Tyres site in Halifax back in 1989, I have seen recessions, fuel crises, financial crashes, changing vehicle technology and more recently the challenges brought by electric vehicles and rising business costs.
Yet through all those changes, some business principles have never changed.
Great Staff Build Great Businesses: Running A Garage Is About More Than Cars
If I had to name the single most important factor behind the success of Pellon Tyres, it would be the people.
Over the years I have been fortunate enough to employ some excellent staff.
In fact, one member of staff has now worked for me for an incredible 37 years.
Think about that for a moment.
In today’s world, where many people change jobs every few years, having someone remain with the same business for nearly four decades says a great deal about loyalty, trust and mutual respect.
Good staff are not a cost.
They are an investment.
When you find good people, look after them.
Treat them fairly.
Listen to them.
Respect their opinions.
The best equipment in the world is useless without skilled people to operate it.
Customers Must Always Come First
Customers have always been the lifeblood of our business.
Without customers, there is no garage.
Over the years we have built up relationships with families throughout Halifax, Calderdale, Brighouse, Elland and the surrounding areas.
Some customers originally came to us as young drivers and now bring their children and even grandchildren to the depot.
That sort of loyalty cannot be bought.
It has to be earned.
I’ve always believed in explaining repairs honestly.
If a car needs work, we explain why.
If it doesn’t need work, we say so.
There is no point selling unnecessary repairs because the short-term gain is never worth the long-term damage to your reputation.
Customers remember honesty.
Invest In Equipment Or Get Left Behind: Running A Garage Is About More Than Cars
The motor trade never stands still.
When I first entered the trade, we worked with much simpler vehicles.
Today we deal with advanced electronics, tyre pressure monitoring systems, computer diagnostics and sophisticated safety systems.
A garage that refuses to invest in modern equipment will eventually struggle.
At Pellon Tyres we have always tried to move forward.
Most recently we invested heavily in new MOT equipment.
Our modern brake tester now communicates directly with VOSA systems.
We continue to upgrade our wheel alignment equipment and diagnostic systems whenever possible.
One thing that always surprises me is when customers arrive after having suspension or steering repairs carried out elsewhere, only to discover that the garage did not even have wheel alignment equipment.
How can you properly complete steering repairs without checking the alignment afterwards?
To me, that makes no sense whatsoever.
Look After The Pennies: Running A Garage Is About More Than Cars
My parents often used to say the following:
“Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.”
I have never forgotten that advice.
Running a business successfully isn’t always about increasing turnover.
It is often about controlling costs.
I’ve always tried to run Pellon Tyres sensibly.
That doesn’t mean being tight with money.
It means spending money wisely.
Every major purchase should improve the business, improve customer service or improve efficiency.
If it doesn’t do one of those things, then perhaps it isn’t needed.
The Importance Of Good Banking Relationships
One lesson I learned early in business is the importance of building strong relationships.
For around fifty years I have dealt with Yorkshire Bank, now known as Virgin Money.
Throughout that time they have been excellent.
Like every business owner, I have experienced difficult periods.
Every business faces challenges at some point.
What matters is having people around you who understand your business and are prepared to support you.
A good bank manager can be worth their weight in gold.
Working With Trusted Partners
The same applies to finance companies.
For many years we have worked with Kennet Leasing.
They have helped us finance equipment and continue investing in the business.
Relationships like these take years to build.
Trust is earned over time.
When times become difficult, those trusted business relationships often prove invaluable.
Reputation Is Everything: Running A Garage Is About More Than Cars
One thing I learned very early in business is that reputation travels fast.
A happy customer will often tell a few people.
An unhappy customer will tell many more.
That is why every job matters.
Every phone call matters.
Every customer matters.
The reputation that Pellon Tyres enjoys today has been built one customer at a time over many years.
Final Thoughts
When people ask me the secret to running a successful garage, they are often expecting some complicated answer.
The truth is much simpler.
Look after your staff.
Look after your customers.
Look after your finances.
Invest in your business.
Build strong relationships.
And always remember that running a garage is about much more than cars.
Get those things right and you give yourself the best possible chance of building a business that will still be serving its community many years into the future.