Start an Appliance Repair Business
Are you good at repairing simple gadgets and instruments like TV remote controls, microwave ovens, refrigerators, washer/dryers, mixers and/or vacuum cleaners? Then perhaps you should start an appliance repair business. Have you ever done it at home? Do you like doing simple appliance repairs? If yes, you can easily set up an appliance repair business, in a matter of days. You’re already qualified, as you are mechanically inclined.
You don’t need to invest in expensive tools and machinery. A basic toolkit, mostly containing screwdrivers (with electrical testers), a set of spanners, pressure gauges, voltmeter(s), pipe-threading tools, etc… should be good to start with. Another important cost of setting up your appliance repair business could be obtaining a license. This becomes extremely important when you’re operating your appliance repair business from home. You need to be taken seriously by people who need a handy person to get their electrical home appliance repaired. To do that, you need to portray yourself as a serious business unit. Ask yourself – would you rather give your 2-year old refrigerator to a nearby teenager to repair or a qualified, certified and experienced professional?
Sure you can become an employee under a leading appliance repairs store in your locality, but, what are the odds of you making a decent living? Besides, you’ll be working according to another person’s terms and during such times when there’s no job to do (or no customer to attend to), you’ll be idly sitting at the store. Instead, picture yourself taking orders sitting at your home office desk, ready with the required tools and go take all the money and put it in your pocket after a successful repair is done. During times when there’s no work, you could probably be doing something else – an additional income stream. Now, if you’re not prepared for all of this, you might want to start out as an employee as a preparation for doing it on your own later.
You could specialize in repairing one appliance or a few electrical appliances – that is completely dependent on your preference. However, it is advisable to be proficient in repairing more than one common household electrical appliance that a majority of the people in your neighborhood might own – a refrigerator, a vacuum cleaner, an air conditioner, a coffee maker, a microwave oven, a washing machine, a lawn mower, an electric gas stove, an electric saw… the list just goes on.
In order to succeed in this simple business, you need to be available at virtually all times and must offer quality repair services. So, when you come across a customer’s faulty appliance, try to identify what caused the fault (probe the customer by asking a few relevant questions – this way, you’re even building a rapport with the customer). In case it doesn’t help much or you just want to be sure about the fault-causing issue, use your toolkit to know what the problem could be. These tools will be able to best help you if you’ve been trained in a vocational training school and have been certified as an appliance repair technician. Before installing new components or starting the repair work, contact your customer and give him/her an estimate of the time required and your charges for the repair service. Most customers feel annoyed when the repair services professional has done the repair and then hands them a big bill. So, don’t do that – those few bucks in the pocket might do more harm than good.
Offer a 24-hour emergency service; advertise it and you will have prospects contacting you. This is a fairly regular kind of business which you can work full-time or even part-time. It actually varies. You will likely make between $15 and $75 an hour, depending on the electrical appliances you focus on.
Also, you should be ready to get dirty at times. There could be some jobs requiring you to work in narrow, dirty corners in an uncomfortable position, but that’s a part of the job. If you love the job, this usually doesn’t even factor in.
Training
The reality of this business is that you will likely have to take formal training, work in the field under someone more experienced, and take some required courses for certification in areas such as refrigeration. One way around this is to hire an experienced appliance technician right off the start.
Marketing
Advertise your business – local newspaper classifieds are an inexpensive way to start. You may also consider taking your vehicle around the neighborhood and knocking on a few doors. Check to see if you need a permit to do this first. Attend community meetings and make mention of your services there. Hand out your business cards to the people in attendance. You can also consider inserting leaflets describing the services offered by your appliance repair business.
One last tip – specialize in one service, but know others. This specialization could land you into higher paying jobs. If you can repair most appliances used in kitchens (domestic and commercial), then you can potentially earn repeat business from restaurants in your community. With a well planned appliance repair business, the possibilities are almost limitless.
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