Are you ready to become a business owner? Then, you should start a quick lube business! The quick lube market is expected to grow to over $16.5 million by 2027. This growth is driven by people driving their cars for more extended periods. The average American holds onto their car for at least eight years. That’s up significantly from previous years, and industry analysts expect that statistic to grow as vehicle prices continue to rise.
Since Americans are holding onto their vehicles for longer, they value efficient and fast car maintenance, like the kind you get at a quick lube business. Quick lube shops offering reliable and fast turnaround service for routine maintenance like oil changes can be very successful. So, if you’re considering opening a quick lube shop, it’s time to research and prepare. We recommend starting with our previous blog on what you need to know about starting a quick lube business.
Can a quick lube business be profitable?
One of the questions you must consider when preparing to open your quick lube business is how to stay profitable. After all, the quick lube business model is built on how many cars you can service and how long it takes your technician to service them. You have to meet a certain quota of vehicles serviced to stay profitable, especially in comparison to traditional automobile repair shops which offer more expensive maintenance services. So, what can you do to help your business grow? We have some tips to share from a recent NOLN article for new quick lube owners.
- Develop a customer service model. One of the things we often see in our industry is quick lube technicians or mechanics who have worked for years in the pit deciding to open their own shops. However, working in the pit differs from dealing with customers in person. To make your quick lube business successful, you must develop a friendly, welcoming customer service model for how you will treat customers. If you can’t handle the customer service aspect of the job, your business will falter. You need to be friendly and welcoming and efficiently explain what your customers need. Also, as the owner, you must set a standard for customer service for your employees.
- Develop a strong business plan. Even if you know everything about maintaining a vehicle or how a quick lube shop operates, you still need help developing a solid business plan to help your business become profitable. Running a small business is different from changing a vehicle’s oil. You’ll need a strong sense of your profit margin potential, expense management, business marketing, and more to be successful. Working with a business coach or operating a franchised quick lube business that comes with help to manage your quick lube shop may help you be more successful.
- Remember the value of quick service. The quick lube industry is so successful because people value fast and efficient service. Customers of a quick lube shop want to get their vehicles serviced without the hassle of booking their vehicle into a shop and dropping it off. As a quick lube business owner, you must maintain a fast turnaround time for each customer while maintaining quality service. Finding out how fast your shop’s turnaround time can be can be a delicate balance. That’s why you must develop strong procedures to standardize the experience for your customers and technicians. These procedures can help improve your vehicle turnaround time so you can service more vehicles and increase your profit margin.
- Learn how to manage people: When you own and operate a business, you must learn how to manage your employees effectively. Good management starts by setting clear expectations of your business’s values and what you expect from each employee to achieve that vision. If you struggle with this, a business or management coach can be a great asset, especially when you’re new to owning and operating a business. They can help you learn more efficient management techniques and better impersonal skills to grow a positive culture of teamwork. Learning these foundational principles, especially when you are just starting, can help set your business up for long-term success, and help you find the right employees to build your team.
- Remember to put your best face forward. You must develop a reputation for quality work and service for your business to succeed. That’s what brings customers back again. Customer loyalty starts with the type of service you offer, so you need to ensure you have the right people representing your business, especially in customer service roles. Figuring out where people work best is a complex skill for business owners. For example, you may have a highly skilled and efficient pit technician who excels at turning over vehicles quickly. But if that employee is terrible at working with customers, they may not be the best person to run your service desk. As a business owner, you have to learn to play to the strengths of each of your employees so that your business is represented well.
Open a franchised quick lube business
Starting a new business is difficult, especially in a competitive market like the quick lube industry. These tips can help your new business grow. But there’s one more advantage you should consider: opening a franchised quick lube business. A branded quick lube business has a lot of advantages for new owners:
- The benefit of an established brand
- Marketing and sales help
- An established supply chain
- Branded materials and goods
- Established procedures
Our Greg’s Petroleum Service team offers quick lube branding opportunities for Chevron/Havoline and Valvoline quick lube franchises. With our help, you can get support as you open your business and the products and services you need to succeed with an established brand. Contact our team today if you want to start a quick lube business!