It is fun to look back every so often and see if the industry analysts where correct or not. More often then not they are incorrect. Hindsight is always 20/20 as they say. The oil change industry is no exception either. In January of 2002 there were some pretty aggressive predictions made in the fast lube industry.This was right before a major player Penske Auto Services at all the local Kmarts, took a big hit with 500 Kmart stores closing. I also see a new trend with Wal*Mart lowering prices and killing business due to the cost issue. Everyone want a good deal and an oil change from Wal-Mart is just that at $12.95. According to the bureau of statistics there is a shortage of over 60,000 auto technicians in the industry now and growing; big problem for service. No one seemed to mention the shortages leading up to 2000. Unemployment is also a significant factor because people were be cutting costs, that means going to Wal*Mart for $12.95 oil changes instead of industry averages of $26.95.Training is also still an issue. Turn-over was an issue but may not be in the future. For the most part add-on services kept the business alive in 2001, but did not really propel it, rather more participants and increased competition hurt many owners and old owners did better than newer stores, except in expanding areas. I have to say however I am quite excited about the upgrade in that industry; no more Mickey Mouse places everything is professional now. Even in the truck oil change business Speedco is doing a great job of customer service, even though the price is a little out of line, the service makes up for it, also the quick turn-around time makes since for many drivers. I think a mobile oil change business such as the the Oil Change Guys can really build on this model on the mobile side of the industry, after all it is still relatively young and nobody gets it yet.Isn’t it interesting to look in hindsight at the real factors that shape an industry rather than the yearly predictions of wannabe Futurists in every industry who make predictions or wishful thinking based on what they desire to get out of an industry from a vendor standpoint, operator standpoint, insurance or Lendor standpoint. Think on this, I often do.
Liability Insurance For Automotive
You have worked with cars all your life and now are finally in a position to open up your own small automotive repair shop. As your business begins to build you will most likely always have one or several cars belonging to your clients on your premises. Just as you would never consider driving a car without the right insurance you must protect your business with the right Small Business Commercial Liability Insurance. Dealing with the public like you will be, makes you extremely vulnerable to lawsuits by the owners of the cars you are commissioned to fix.Protect your livelihood and your investment by taking a few minutes to find the best Commercial Liability Insurance for your small business. One simple lawsuit can cause you to close your doors and your dreams for good. Even a temporary closure due to fire or theft could leave you unable to recover lost wages. You have put a lot of thought into every detail of your upcoming venture. Make certain you have covered all bases by protecting your hard work.You and your family have no doubt willingly made sacrifices that enabled you to get this far. Make sure you eliminate the stress of unforeseen circumstances by taking a few minutes at the end of the day to research Commercial Liability Insurance Coverage online. All it takes is a few simple clicks of your mouse to make sure your families livelihood is protected if something were to happen to your or your business.Get all the facts you need about the right Commercial Liability Insurance in the comfort of your own home. Once you have checked out several options, the ball will be in your court. You will be in a position to choose the best coverage being offered right online. You can pick the one that is best suited for your business and be ready on opening day. Celebrate day one with family and friends knowing you are covered if something happens. You can feel confident that you will be able to continue supporting your loved ones even if there is an interruption in business operations.As your business grows your Small Business Liability Insurance Agent will be there to make certain your coverage grows with you. You have enough to worry about making sure your clients are being taken good care of. Much of the your time will be spent in your auto repair shop or dealing with other business matters. You can ensure that your leisure time will not be spent worrying but rather relaxing with family and friends.It doesn’t take much time to fire up the laptop over your morning coffee to select the best Commercial Liability Insurance Coverage. Do it today and give yourself permission to spend that little extra time enjoying your family. They are in this with you also and will appreciate knowing that if anything were to happen their financial security would not be taken away.
Australia’s First Dedicated LED Lighting Business Opens for Trading
Now nearly 2 years old and still very in its infancy, The LED Shop has had to learn some harsh lessons about marketing LED technology and the experience has proven extremely valuable. The LED Shop Australia is gaining a solid reputation for service, quality, reliability and honesty. Of the many benefits that the Internet has brought the most refreshing would have to be the importance of truth and honesty.Cyber merchants go broke very quickly if they’re not truthful, reliable, communicative and honest when cyber trading. Word gets round quick if your goods are unreliable and the necessary backup service doesn’t happen. The LED Shop Australia is only too aware of this and is keen to maintain their growing reputation for supplying quality LED products at a fair price.The business grew out of sheer need, The LED Shop team live in a remote part of Far North Queensland Australia where households are alternately powered, low voltage solar power with backup generator being the standard system. The first thing that bush people notice when they come to town at night is the sheer brightness and amount of unnecessary lighting being used, we need to light our houses so we can adequately function within them not like its lit for a gig.And it doesn’t just stop at being environmentally conscious; people these days also need to look hard at the amount of light and power they are currently using. On a power budget you could sacrifice indirect brightness for strategic placement of LED spotlights thus increasing time between battery charges.Using a halogen MR16 gives you far too much brightness in small areas such as caravans and mobile homes whilst also contributing to heat risks in confined areas. Most of our customers in small housing have previously used halogen MR16’s pointed towards the roof as they were simply too bright to use, these units are usually consume a massive 50 watts of 12 volt power.For the tech heads – we found that the area directly in front of the LED MR16 lamp had a much higher Lux reading than using a 40w fluorescent although the fluorescent gave more surrounding light of course though the difference in power consumption is astronomical.A typical ultra white MR16 lamp consumes between 1 to 1.5 watts of power and gives a Lux reading of 150 Lux at 1 metre / meter. A 50w halogen lamp uses 50 watts of power and has a Lux reading of 80 Lux at 1 meter. In short if placed properly LED lights were just as bright as fluorescents and used a fraction of the power plus they gave us colourful options we hadn’t dreamed of.Trial and error sampling of potential product can really eat into the finances of a young business and you can’t imagine the number of times The LED Shop had to pack up defective product and send it back to the manufacturer. We realized this has a twofold benefit though in the sense that the manufacturer raises their standards and The LED Shop keeps its good reputation.Since those early days The LED Shop has increased its range to include a growing automotive, domestic and outdoor range. Early prototype models have been improved upon by consistent testing and customer feedback – for example the new 8 LED bulb torch due early February will retail at $25-00 from the website and is twice as bright as the previous 6 LED bulb model, it has sturdier features and is available only from The LED Shop. In domestic homes our 240 volt AC LED bulbs will adequately light hallways, bathrooms etc whilst the beautiful colour changing LED bulbs will be handy anywhere in the home.We also sell motorcycle LED’s, LED tail lights/LED brake lights, inside, overhead, glove box and trunk LED lights, LED park lights, landscape LED low voltage bulbs, outdoor LED lights [http://www.ledshoponline.com/mr16bulbs.htm], LED flashlights and LED torches.All our products carry a standard 12 month replacement RTB warranty.The business isn’t limited to Australia and welcomes enquiries from individuals and resellers worldwide, Australian to worldwide destination postage rates are very reasonable, all large packages are automatically insured.For more information, or to view our complete range of products, visit our website at Led Shop Online – LED Lights or send us an email [email protected]