High quality work is the only way you will get a good name and bring in good work. You'll find yourself doing extra but in time it will come back. Make the customer feel comfortable.
It takes time and try to stay humble... don't butch out work just for the money if want a good name

I'm just an employee, not an owner, but I do have some insight.

Set a shop rate that you can live with. Don't necessarily shop around and see what the market will bare. I think sometimes people forget when they are just starting that they should want to make a living, not a killing.

I think it's a good idea when you charge t&m to keep a log every day, to show your customer what they paid for. This helps justify your cost, and gives them a little more piece-of-mind.

Then just do what you do, and do it well. Word of mouth can bring you new customers fast. When you're just getting off the ground, take whatever work you can get.

When we first started, we even took jobs fixing farm equipment for some of the locals! But it didn't take long before we did the right jobs for the right customers. Now 4 years later we are SWAMPED.

I think the best way to make more money is to bring in more -of the right- employees. Your shop rate should be static, word will spread fast if you change it. We only increased it enough to cover the increase in our employees' wages.

All of this of course is just my opinion, but let me end it with this. If you treat everyone right, you will eventually be able to pull in the savvy customers. When you have a waiting list that's a year out, you can afford to wait for customers who will pay for the best.

I think that you can take work that's "just for the money." But regardless of who the customer is, or what the job is, do them all to the same standard!

This is the quote of the day right on the money!!!!!!!!!:thumbsup: As a collision shop owner I could'nt say it any better.
The bottom line is many people do'nt understand "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR".. You do'nt get the ROLEX for the TIMEX price.

WOW, I woke up and checked the tread! There's more good advice and wisdom on this board than Ann Landers' column. Sorry if I came across as tooting my own horn, formula98. I felt I needed to prove myself a little to 4cefed. I am scared to death of being misthought of as little more than a hack. I am no Troy Trepanier, but I can hold my own. What y'all have tought me is that I really need work on the business side of things like, HOW to make people FEEL like they are getting the best deal/job at my shop. That is gonna be a real challenge because I am not as comfy going to all the cruise-ins and shows and talking about MY business as I am behind a welding helmet. I wish this grasshopper could give each of you a handshake at least for all the great advice. Now I'm off to work with much to think about.

Micah
Concept Fab and Custom

I hope you didnt missunderstand what i meant by that. I wasnt implying you werent as good as you said you were, i was saying that if you are still in the stage of trying to "establish a rep" that you should get all the work you can get, even if it means putting in more than you are getting paid for because it will all come back to you in the end.

4cefed, thanks for the insight. And I have been doing more than I should for the money I am getting, hence the comment about different prices for different people. Catch 22. I think for now, until I have work 6 months out, eveyone gets the same deal, good, no matter what they ask, just don't tell THEM that! LOL!

Micah