An honour for me to be to be asked to drive three bridesmaid to church for Flick’s wedding. I used to drive the girls around to horse events all those years ago and now they have grown up and are settling down – well , most of them – and Flick wants me to drive them one last time. So off to the local Cambridge garage where a wonderful Polish man valets a car ready for a princess or bridesmaid.
Took my lunch and the Daily Telegraph along to pass the time and got talking to the owner who had offered me a cup of tea. He was not too keen to be named but the story he told was that he had set out to become a solicitor with his brother taking over the family garage business. Sadly his brother did not survive a kidney transplant so my new found friend gave up the law and took over the family business. He moved it to a new site, ditched the franchises when the main car companies started to run the franchises in great detail to the extent of even interviewing the cleaners. You put up the money and we will tell you how to run your business.! Margins were good and all was well.
Then the Internet started to influence the business about six years ago. Instead of having local customers, he is now a “national” car dealer with an on-line presence on Auto Trader. Glasses Guide which used to be the “bible” of second hand car prices is no longer necessary and Exchange and Mart has lost market share. All the prices are on Auto Trader. People want to see before they buy but now they all arrive with the details all printed out and especially with details of a similar car at a lower price somewhere in the UK. When times were tough, stock of cars were cut back from 100 to 25 by making sure each unwanted car was the best buy on Auto Trader for its type.
But all is not so gloomy because new opportunities have opened up such as breaking cars on and selling the parts on eBay. Just got to pack the goods carefully so no arguments with the carriers over damages. Difficult to argue and win with a carrier!
Also the rescue fleet is all monitored from the iPhone or iPad so whilst the mechanic is out on a dark and stormy night rescuing some unlucky motorist, the fleet can be monitored from the comfort of the owner’s home.
Sad that there is no indication on the outside of the garage that it has moved with the times and has now become an iGarage. It is a family owned business so no need for a business plan resource.
So a valet for my car and a valet for the garage!
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