Bass boats and PWCs, pontoons, and trolling motors — a watercraft repair business keeps everyone on the water, from professional fishermen to the weekend warrior, having a safe, fun time. This business is quite lucrative if operated efficiently. Here’s how your watercraft repair business can be the best around.
Location, Location, Location!
Waterfront or near-water locations are typically more expensive, but many boat owners are willing to pay more for the convenience of not having to load up and drive great distances to service their boats. You can bolster business by offering waterfront boat service and maintenance, so that the customer doesn’t even have to put their boat on the trailer. If space permits, marinas for off-season storage are an excellent source of side revenue for boat repair shops.
Consider Branching into Other Repairs during the Slow Season
The tools and skills needed to repair boat engines and PWCs are similar to those required for other small engine repair work, including ATVs, motorcycles, and lawn mowers. You can boost your revenue all year long by offering other small engine repair services, and keep busy during the colder months by offering hunters repair, service, and maintenance work on their ATVs. RVs are another great source of revenue for repair shops to consider, and many customers use their campers year round.
Get Help Answering the Phones
Unless you have a large staff working for you, you’re not likely to be able to manage incoming calls while keeping up with customer repair work. A business telephone answering service is an excellent alternative to hiring a full-time receptionist, and for less money you can get services like 24-7 live phone answering, appointment scheduling, and Spanish speaking call takers. This relieves your staff while offering the best customer service possible.
Use these tips and tricks to take charge of the watercraft repair market in your area.
