It has been a tumultuous two-year stretch for many small businesses, and with the number of people working from home drastically increasing, auto repair shops have taken a bit of a hit. While some of that has begun to ease up, we are still in a period of great uncertainty. Here we look at four auto repair shot trends that will impact 2022.
Sourcing Parts
The current state of the supply chain has wreaked havoc across every industry and has been particularly difficult to deal with for auto shop owners. May car parts are made and shipped from overseas, which makes sense given the number of foreign cars on the road. Having to turn away business or extend the length of time needed for a repair can be extremely harmful to auto shops. Ensuring you are well stocked with frequently used parts and have multiple contingencies for ordering new ones is a must for 2022.
Finding Employees
This is another problem that is plaguing many different industries, and the auto repair business is no different. Finding technicians has become increasingly difficult, forcing shops to spend more on recruiting and hiring and increasing pay to ensure current techs stay on with them. This is causing a shift where many shops have to hire entry-level employees and pay to have them trained and certified for the positions they are looking to fill. Ensuring employee satisfaction is going to be a major focal point for owners in 2022.
New Technology
As vehicles become more complex and contain newer technology, auto shops will need to keep pace with the latest and greatest equipment. This also means you’ll need to have employees with more technical knowledge than ever before and have some of your long-tenured employees get up to speed. This is a trend that is going to continue and something every auto shop owner needs to keep an eye on. Being a one-stop-shop for all of a customer’s repair needs is a significant selling point and needs to be maintained.
Additional Services
With the increase in the number of people who lease vehicles and the fact that newer vehicles require less frequent maintenance, implementing new services has become a must for auto shops to remain profitable. This may include adding bodywork, detailing, window tinting, and customization to your menu of offerings. This is another case where you’ll need to acquire additional training or new employees with that expertise. In either case, expanding your business model will be part of the new normal for auto repair shops.
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