Why Shops Fail...

Did anyone read this article in Window Film Magazine? "Why Shops Fail to Make the Grade"

Very nteresting read into the shop owner's mindset. Are you profiting soley off of your labor or are you profiting off of product and labor? What do you think when you look at a roll of film? Do you think "I can do --- amount of cars with that roll because it dosen't cost that much in material..." Do you only look at what the film costs you or do you include the incidentals of running a business such as wages, rent, sdvertising, taxes, ect.?

One way to guage your mindset is by asking have your prices changes in the last 10 years? Up, down, or the same? If you are a new owner, are you bringing in bad traits from previous tinting employments? Are you letting your market be controlled by what your competitors do?

Sad to say that in an industry that takes so much skill and talent, there are a lot of shop owners barely squeeking and others that just plain failed. I enjoyed reading the article, makes you think.

Exactly.

That was a great article. Hopfully more tinters out there will read this and take it seriously.

I'm lucky to to have known the author for a few years now, and because of his advice (and others) I have been able to grow the company to what it is today. Without this kind of mentality, I would have been forced out of the game some time ago...

I've lost count too VC on how many tint shops have gone to the wall over the years.
History is littered with the carcasses of ventures that have had good intentions but no way to pay the bills in the end.
Devil

yes...i did read the article...and it is very informative...and right on the button

I can’t find it online, anyone got a link or is it just in print?

I think it is too new of an issue to be in the online archive yet.

What is the issue date/number for that one?? I'd like to get it - maybe help me along the way with avoiding some pitfalls.


RoAcH

This is what i found:

[edit]

Reason for edit: that article is copyrighted, we can't post it in it's entirety here, just post a link to it, thanks

Here it is.

Why Tint Shops Fail to Make the Grade

Very good article.... I wish I had read that two years ago - things would be much different then how they are now.

But I will agree with what he said as I had that same view when I first started out. If I wasn't also working in the evenings, I would have given up already, but so far I'm not relying on the tinting to pay my bills yet.

Back in the fall when things were winding down I thought about the previous tinting "season" and how things went and that's when I figured out that I was doing things wrong and did not have the right view of how to work things... so now I'm doing things differently, and hopefully will lend itself to being better.


RoAcH

i dont understand you have been tinting for how long.....i am assuming 6 years and you do not rely on tinting to pay your bills...i count on it.....do you have other sources of income?...just courious....

I'm a man-hizzo.

I work at nite part-time, which is what pays my bills... But I think if I had done the money thing right from the start, things would be different. (I've only been on my own for 2 years - 4 years at a shop before that)

Oh well... live and learn.


RoAcH

Why can't I get to that article?

my bro in law friend has been a tinter for 15 yrs. mobile tinter, said to me once its not worth having an over head in this buss. because of the climate we live in. said in montreal hes slow for winter and most of his work are from dealerships.

Looks like either the link is dead, or they moved the article someplace else.


RoAcH

I think Window Film Magazine have now restricted access to the general populous unless you pay a subscription in order to access their publication.
That's probably why it can't be read.
Looks like a new management directive.
Devil

I'd like to read it too. Can't find it.

"Page not found"
How much is a Subscription, and at the time it is paid, do you get imediate access to the articles online ?

For the online back issues, you can subscribe for $19 a day... $39 a month, or $259 for the year.

Don't know about instant access, but I'd say probably.


-R

Hmm.. I might do the day access.... when I have a full day I can just look thru everything. You have access to all the archives...

[quote name='Roach' date='Apr 6 2006, 11:30 AM' post='389321']
Very good article.... I wish I had read that two years ago - things would be much different then how they are now.

But I will agree with what he said as I had that same view when I first started out. If I wasn't also working in the evenings, I would have given up already, but so far I'm not relying on the tinting to pay my bills yet.

Back in the fall when things were winding down I thought about the previous tinting "season" and how things went and that's when I figured out that I was doing things wrong and did not have the right view of how to work things... so now I'm doing things differently, and hopefully will lend itself to being better.
RoAcH
[/quote

Thats a sign of maturity You've lived and learned the hard way.

I can say in my 24 years of experience that I have seen many young guys try to come in and take the business away from me. First of all they were too cocky and full of them selves. Second, when the got their money in hand, they blew it on booze and Dr*gs. Third, their customers complained they couldnt be found to redo the work. Fourth, I redid them and those people tell lots of other people all about the bad work and unreliable hack tinter, and boosted mine ten fold.
My point is, lots of people get dollar sign in their eyes when they see a professional tinter with cars lined up inside and out and think that they can do it also. They dont think of the professionalism side of it; quality, quality, quality. Just how much they can line there pockets and how many "toys" they can buy.
Thats why they dont make it and make it soo easy for me to continue in business for as long as I have and with such great job security.

That is so true TNTLady!!

Wow, it came back from the dead! I'm going to have to re-read the artcle, I forgot what it was about.

If anyone knows where I can read this article, please link me... I tried clicking on the link provided and it says it's not found...

Nevermind, found it...

http://www.usglassmag.com/Window_Film/Back.../Viewpoints.htm

found but subscription required

I thought it was a fair article written from well earned experience to be passed on to others so they wouldn't make the same mistake.

I do know that further informative articles haven't been written by the author because the publication hasn't valued the effort put into writing these types of industry articles.

All that was asked was to receive a copy of the magazine as a reference to make sure topic threads were not crossed over and the request continually fell on deaf ears.
I guess the postage must have been crippling to Australia.
Devil

It wasn't worth the $19 subscription rate...

Short and to the point... basically talks about not having ridiculously low prices as a selling point.

k i don't know how many times there going to change it but here it is. http://www.usglassmag.com/Window_Film/Back.../Viewpoints.htm

and yes very good article thanks for the heads up...