for those of you who are dealers
Moderator: Queue Moderator
for those of you who are dealers
for those of you who are dealers of emergency lighting equipment. how much up front cost is it? how is the profit? is it hard? and also what would one have to do to become a dealer?
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thebigphish
- Posts: 1477
- Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2003 10:10 pm
- What radios do you own?: AM/FM
it's just like any other enterpreneur-ship in any field...it's all about networking, who you know, what you can do, and how you can play the field. If you have good people skills, and can work deals all over the place, and you have the right connections, you can make really good money - even without ripping people off.
You may do an install for someone (provided you know how!) and they may say..."oh you can just keep the lightheads" granted they may be old stainless steal Par-46s, but some enterprising young probie may want a set of starter lights ... and you can cut a REAL good deal with him on those lights for say, $30 bucks installed.
Throwing in a set of Par-46s and a switch takes, what...an hour? no expense to you, limited install time and a $2.49 Pep Boys switch, and you've made $30 bucks cash. Betchya a dollar, that when he wants more lights next time around, he'll call you first.
Other than that, some of the other pros around here have some REAL good war stories on starting up jobs, ask them they'll tell ya, like Chuck @ StationHouse or someone like that...(crap, i think i just sold Chuck's experiences w/o asking, sorry bud!)
You may do an install for someone (provided you know how!) and they may say..."oh you can just keep the lightheads" granted they may be old stainless steal Par-46s, but some enterprising young probie may want a set of starter lights ... and you can cut a REAL good deal with him on those lights for say, $30 bucks installed.
Throwing in a set of Par-46s and a switch takes, what...an hour? no expense to you, limited install time and a $2.49 Pep Boys switch, and you've made $30 bucks cash. Betchya a dollar, that when he wants more lights next time around, he'll call you first.
Other than that, some of the other pros around here have some REAL good war stories on starting up jobs, ask them they'll tell ya, like Chuck @ StationHouse or someone like that...(crap, i think i just sold Chuck's experiences w/o asking, sorry bud!)
"How do you plan to outwit Death?"
"With a knight and bishop combination; I will destroy his flank." --Antonious Block
"With a knight and bishop combination; I will destroy his flank." --Antonious Block
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Station House Products
- NOT ALLOWED TO BUY/SELL/TRADE
- Posts: 727
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2001 4:00 pm
No problem Chris. Hell, I've been in this business for a while both as an installer for an /\/\ shop and on my own for a few years. I personally have over $35,000 tied up into my start up costs for some of my major lighting franchises (Whelen, Sho-Me, Fed-Sig, SVP just to name a few) but usually the initial up-front investment comes as inventory and not just purchasing the franchise name like with other businesses.
The reason some of them are as high as they are is because they want to know that you are serious and a real "player" so they are'nt wasting thier time. My Sho-Me/Able2 was several thousand dollars up front and to get the best pricing on the lowest tier my minimum orders have to be $500.00 or better. If I want to save a few more bucks and have them ship it to me at no cost, it is $1,000.00 minimum order.
As for the installation end of it, we get $40.00 an hour for in house and if we travel more than 5 miles, there is a travel fee as well based on mileage. Now, that may seem like a bit, BUT our insurance policy just for liability in the event there is a mistake or faulty install (lightbar falls off, car catches fire, drill a hole in the wrong place) is over $3,000.00 for my shop (And that's with a $750.00 deductible). Then I have the other insurance such as theft, fire and personal injury to cover the store, vehicle insurance on the service vehicles, etc, and that is an additional $3,000.00+ a year. The one thing that I do have to disagree with that Chris said is about installing something for free. Your time is money, don't short change yourself by doing labor for nothing. Offer advice if the customer needs it, but don't do the labor for free. They'll come to expect it and start taking advantage of you. Take it from personal experience.
The biggest thing that Chris said (which I can't agree more with) is that you may do install "if you know how". It's not something I would reccomend without a good mechanical and automotive electrical background, especially on todays vehicles. I regularly get updates from vehicle manfacturers regarding new or changing technology and there are also little quirks on multiplem vehicles that you learn over time. (Example: International trucks with the new electronic dash systems are set at the factory to sense particular amps and volts. By adding items to the fuse panel (as is sometimes done), you can (read: will) overload the computer that drives the dash and it will blow out.)
We had a customer that purchased a Whelen Mini Edge bar which I knew was going to be on the roof of a frequently fast moving vehicle (I know the guy and the way he drives) I had put on the reciept in big letters "NOT FOR USE ON THE HIGHWAY OR WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING" He snickered and said that the magnets should hold it and out the door he went. Needless to say, he was back within a week holding what was left of the bar in a box and was ranting and raving that the bar blew off at, get this, a speed of 45 miles an hour. I asked him where it happened and the answer was on Interstate 84 (A 65 mile an hour interstate). I asked him if he honestly expected me to believe that he was doing 45 miles an hour on a 65 mile an hour interstate and he said yes.
Besides this, the bar bounced off a car behind him and broke his windshield. (If he were traveling at 45 MPH, the bar would'nt have made it past the bed of the truck or at most, if it did, it would have hit the street first unless the car was right on his bumper.) To make a long story short, he wanted to sue untill I pointed out that the reciept and the manufacturer's instructions state that the bar is not to be used on a moving vehicle. The point is, you have to know your customers (I knew this guy was going to drive around at speeds in excess of 85+ MPH because he does so on a regular basis) and you have to cover your @$$ if you think there may be the potential for a problem down the road. If I did'nt, I would have had to pay for a light and a windshield.
As for the amount of time involved, I am either at the shop or on the road for a MINIMUM of 60 hours a week. (Some weeks are 80+ hours) We also service two way radios and have contracts where we are sometimes required to go out in the middle of the night to reset a console or check a tie line. Besides all of this, you have to make yourself available to the customers, be a salesman, be a service advisor, etc. The first couple of years are going to be the hardest when it comes to having cash in your pocket and free time, and we're a small shop.
If you are serious about getting into the business, I would STRONGLY reccomend going to work for a service or install shop for a few years before venturing out on your own. The experience is priceless, you'll have a steady paycheck in your pocket and if you decide it's not for you, you're not out anything other than your time (which you will have gotten paid for anyway). Hope this gives some insight and feel free to ask away if you need anything else.
The reason some of them are as high as they are is because they want to know that you are serious and a real "player" so they are'nt wasting thier time. My Sho-Me/Able2 was several thousand dollars up front and to get the best pricing on the lowest tier my minimum orders have to be $500.00 or better. If I want to save a few more bucks and have them ship it to me at no cost, it is $1,000.00 minimum order.
As for the installation end of it, we get $40.00 an hour for in house and if we travel more than 5 miles, there is a travel fee as well based on mileage. Now, that may seem like a bit, BUT our insurance policy just for liability in the event there is a mistake or faulty install (lightbar falls off, car catches fire, drill a hole in the wrong place) is over $3,000.00 for my shop (And that's with a $750.00 deductible). Then I have the other insurance such as theft, fire and personal injury to cover the store, vehicle insurance on the service vehicles, etc, and that is an additional $3,000.00+ a year. The one thing that I do have to disagree with that Chris said is about installing something for free. Your time is money, don't short change yourself by doing labor for nothing. Offer advice if the customer needs it, but don't do the labor for free. They'll come to expect it and start taking advantage of you. Take it from personal experience.
The biggest thing that Chris said (which I can't agree more with) is that you may do install "if you know how". It's not something I would reccomend without a good mechanical and automotive electrical background, especially on todays vehicles. I regularly get updates from vehicle manfacturers regarding new or changing technology and there are also little quirks on multiplem vehicles that you learn over time. (Example: International trucks with the new electronic dash systems are set at the factory to sense particular amps and volts. By adding items to the fuse panel (as is sometimes done), you can (read: will) overload the computer that drives the dash and it will blow out.)
We had a customer that purchased a Whelen Mini Edge bar which I knew was going to be on the roof of a frequently fast moving vehicle (I know the guy and the way he drives) I had put on the reciept in big letters "NOT FOR USE ON THE HIGHWAY OR WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING" He snickered and said that the magnets should hold it and out the door he went. Needless to say, he was back within a week holding what was left of the bar in a box and was ranting and raving that the bar blew off at, get this, a speed of 45 miles an hour. I asked him where it happened and the answer was on Interstate 84 (A 65 mile an hour interstate). I asked him if he honestly expected me to believe that he was doing 45 miles an hour on a 65 mile an hour interstate and he said yes.
Besides this, the bar bounced off a car behind him and broke his windshield. (If he were traveling at 45 MPH, the bar would'nt have made it past the bed of the truck or at most, if it did, it would have hit the street first unless the car was right on his bumper.) To make a long story short, he wanted to sue untill I pointed out that the reciept and the manufacturer's instructions state that the bar is not to be used on a moving vehicle. The point is, you have to know your customers (I knew this guy was going to drive around at speeds in excess of 85+ MPH because he does so on a regular basis) and you have to cover your @$$ if you think there may be the potential for a problem down the road. If I did'nt, I would have had to pay for a light and a windshield.
As for the amount of time involved, I am either at the shop or on the road for a MINIMUM of 60 hours a week. (Some weeks are 80+ hours) We also service two way radios and have contracts where we are sometimes required to go out in the middle of the night to reset a console or check a tie line. Besides all of this, you have to make yourself available to the customers, be a salesman, be a service advisor, etc. The first couple of years are going to be the hardest when it comes to having cash in your pocket and free time, and we're a small shop.
If you are serious about getting into the business, I would STRONGLY reccomend going to work for a service or install shop for a few years before venturing out on your own. The experience is priceless, you'll have a steady paycheck in your pocket and if you decide it's not for you, you're not out anything other than your time (which you will have gotten paid for anyway). Hope this gives some insight and feel free to ask away if you need anything else.