The automotive industry is one among the most booming industries in the world. It has not only left a mark on the economy but also on the world cultures. The automotive industry is greatly involved in the manufacturing, designing, developing, marketing and selling automobiles.

The automotive industry produces automobiles and various gasoline- powered vehicles like buses, trucks, airplanes, motorcycles, and also electricity-powered vehicles such as trains. With the growth in automobiles, there has also been tremendous growth in automotive jobs like: automotive technician jobs, automotive service manager jobs, store manager jobs, auto repair jobs etc. Besides giving lucrative jobs,huge amount of revenue is also generated. The automotive job provides the necessary base for a wide range of other services and related industries.

Today, the automobile has now transformed from a luxury item to everyday necessity. Gone are the days when only a few successful businessmen could think of buying a car. In the days of past, car was more than a need, it was considered as a status symbol. Only the possession of a car was enough to mark the economic stability of a person.

Today, things have changed. There are different types of cars available, from the highly lavish and stylish to the little low budgeted cars that can suit the pocket of everyone who has an average income. Each passing day, with the extensive competition and development in the technology, there are more numbers of different car models are coming into the market. This increase in the models of new cars gives the consumer the freedom to choose the one that best suits his requirements and needs.

With the facility of car loans offered by the banks, it has become more convenient to buy automobile of your own. Due to the high competition and the use of modern technology in manufacturing vehicles, some cars are also available at an affordable price. These factors have also helped a lot in increasing the number of different model cars as well as new jobs on the automobile industry.

These are some reason that shows why there is exponential growth of automotive industry and this industry has become a lucrative business. And if you really are fascinated by the automobiles, then finding yourself a promising automotive jobs can be a good option in the automobile industry.

Auto repair costs at a shop are basically comprised of labor and parts. Labor is typically calculated based on a standard “flat rate” estimate. Flat rate labor guides estimate labor time down to the tenth of an hour. For my example, if a starter for a specific vehicle pays 1.2 hours to change, the labor cost will be determined by multiplying the time by the shops labor rate, lets say the shops labor rate is $90.00 per flat rate hour (1.2 x $90.00=$108.00). Keep in mind that labor times can vary greatly depending on the year, model and engine size. Also automotive repair shop labor rates vary at each shop and from city to city. Labor time does NOT take in to consideration the requirement for special tools, experience or lack of.

Flat Rate or Actual Time

If the actual time it takes to repair the vehicle is LESS or MORE than the estimated flat rate time, the customer still pays the flat rate amount. More experienced auto technicians and techs with time saving tools can most of the time beat the flat rate time (AKA book time). The technician, if paid by flat rate has an incentive to do the job fast and correctly. If he makes a mistake and has to do the job again (commonly called a comeback) he does it the second time for free! Also keep in mind that a flat rate technician does not get paid time and a half for over-time, or for standing around waiting for work or parts. It’s necessary for the technician to be productive and make up for this lost time by learning from his experience and buying tools that make him more efficient. Tools with exception of larger shop equipment items are usually the responsibility of each mechanic to purchase individually.

Parts Cost

The cost of the parts to fix the vehicle will depend on the deal the repair shop gets when they purchase the parts at wholesale, if they are new or rebuilt and how much their profit margin is. The typical markup is 30 to 40%, although this may vary. Yes, some money may be saved by shopping around and buying the parts directly, but most shops won’t install parts provided by the customer. Also as far as the warranty goes, if a part fails that the facility provides, the shop will be responsible during the warranty period. If a part fails that was provided by the customer to the shop, the customer would be responsible for paying the labor all over again and handling the warranty replacement.

I personally would prefer to have a knowledgeable technician work on my car and repair it faster than the book time as opposed to having a less experienced tech work on my car longer to achieve the same results.

Tips for a good auto repair shop experience.

Choose a shop that has a good reputation. Ask to inspect the old parts, ask what has failed or worn. Talk to the technician when possible to eliminate a break down in communication. Ask for a discount, the worst they could say is there is they cannot provide one. Have a written estimate on large repairs. Test drive vehicle before paying if possible. Choose a shop that specializes in the type of vehicle make. Consider if you prefer a national warranty or not.

If you are a business owner and you would like to increase your revenue, it is important for you to understand automotive repair marketing and how this is a key to a successful shop. The automotive industry is said to be one of the most lucrative and stable industries in the business world. Because people from all over the world use autos in their daily life, auto repair businesses are steady and secure.

Automotive repair marketing is as easy as changing the oil in your car. Every few months, you are to check your progress, do some maintenance, and give some added boost and fresh ideas to your automotive repair marketing campaign. The public loves fresh ideas.

Automotive repair marketing is all about taking action. Therefore, you as the business owner should make sure you use the right automotive repair marketing tools. Here are some of the most effective marketing tools for your auto repair business.

1. Direct mail marketing method
One of the most preferred automotive repair marketing tools remains to be the direct mail method. Most auto repair businesses make use of this method by mailing postcards to homeowners in zip codes surrounding their shops. This is an easy way to promote your services to potential clients. However, you will need to mail sufficient quantities to generate a worthwhile response.

2. Start a blog or a website
The internet is probably one of the greatest automotive repair marketing tools you can use. Create a blog and spend 10 minutes each day writing interesting anecdotes, maintenance information, tips, advice, or even car reviews. The more you write, the sooner you will be crawled by search engines, and the sooner you will reach a bigger audience which will essentially result in more business.

3. Social media marketing
One of the best automotive repair marketing tools revolves around social media. Websites with Facebook and Twitter integration are becoming increasingly popular and more repair shop owners are making use of this tool in order to promote their shops and acquire new clients. If you use social media for your automotive repair marketing, you should know that you are instantly exposed to millions of people. So, guess what happens when Jason needs a new transmission and he sees your business profile on Facebook? Voila! You have a new customer. Even though this may sound a little impossible, but social media could be well worth thousands of dollars to your repair shop.

4. The good old word of mouth
This method of automotive marketing is known to be one of the oldest methods of marketing in the business world. However, this is also proven to be one of the most reliable forms of marketing. For example, you started your automotive repair marketing campaign with the direct mail marketing method. Now, because of this, you have just acquired two new clients. If you do a good job, guess what happens? These clients will tell their friends about it, and their friends will tell their friends, eventually forming the perfect marketing campaign you can ask for.

5. Press releases
Most business owners tend to give press releases a complete miss, thinking that there is no possible way that a press release could be of any advantage to their automotive repair marketing campaign. Wrong! In fact, press releases are very effective and can be done either online or off-line. With the off-line method, simply write, or have someone put together a press release on a timely topic and send it to your local newspaper. With the online method, do the same and publish it to a press release service. Press releases are usually ranked higher than normal web pages and blog posts. This can never be a bad thing.

There are several other automotive repair marketing tools available to you. If you are serious about taking your auto repair shop to the next level and getting more vehicles into your shop, then make sure you give these aforementioned methods of automotive repair marketing a try today.