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Developing the concept for a service center and workshop is easy. However, carefully planning and organizing the operations so that the business can grow and provide a stable income within the first few months is much more challenging. It’s particularly tough at the very beginning when orders are limited, clients are still being sought, and services are being promoted. Later, as the business develops and the number of orders increases, the execution can suffer, leading to delays, as staff may struggle to keep up with the growing workload.
To avoid common mistakes and maintain control over operations, business leaders can utilize specialized software for service centers. Such programs offer extensive capabilities for all types of record-keeping, order management, and workflow automation.
First Steps to Organizing Your Business
First, you need to define the niche of your business. If it is a service center or workshop, it is vital to determine which types of equipment and manufacturers will be serviced, what services will be provided, which types of repairs will be performed, and who the target audience is. The number of initial orders will depend on the quality of advertising and promotions, while subsequent success will hinge on the quality of work from your service center's technicians.
Special attention should be paid to hiring technicians for the business. It is important to verify the skills, knowledge, and experience of potential employees. They should be able to:
- accurately diagnose equipment;
- identify the cause of device failures;
- determine necessary repairs;
- select the appropriate spare parts;
- perform all types of repairs;
- provide courteous customer service;
- keep track of orders;
- focus on results;
- maintain the company's image.
When opening a new service center, it is not always possible to find experienced technicians. In this case, you can hire a few seasoned professionals and give opportunities to budding specialists. By pairing them together, knowledgeable technicians can assist newcomers in improving their skills, enabling them to handle repairs of varying complexity and different types of devices.
At the initial stage of organizing the workshop operations, it is crucial to establish a basic record-keeping program. If you begin by keeping records in standard files on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, this approach will soon become very inconvenient. It's better to use purpose-built software for the service center from the start. For your first orders, a standard receipt form can be utilized, including the key details:
- client's full name;
- order date;
- phone number and email;
- device manufacturer and model;
- damage that needs fixing;
- order serial number.
Later on, besides managing client and order data, you will also need to handle accounting and financial matters, manage warehouse operations, supervise the entire team, communicate with suppliers, and organize logistics. For this, you'll need a program for service centers and repair workshops.
Information Search
Information retrieval is a vital operation in any service center. Sometimes, a workshop may receive uncommon devices that technicians rarely encounter. In such cases, it's important to search for information online, find schematics, and familiarize yourself with the specifics of the equipment.
Subsequently, all information about a new or rare device can be saved. You can input all relevant data into the workshop management software. When you encounter similar equipment again, you will have the details and repair guidelines readily available.
Equipment for the Workshop
It is important for a service center to invest in quality equipment. It’s not necessary to purchase expensive tools immediately while your business is still growing. Initially, you can start with basic equipment without exhausting your budget. Additionally, technicians will need time to acclimate to the tools, review instructions, and develop action plans.
As the number of orders increases, and with the emergence of new models and complexities in repairs, you can gradually purchase additional tools. It's essential to communicate with your team and find out which orders are most common, what equipment they require, and what tools may need to be acquired in the future. You can create a schedule, allocate budget, and plan future purchases of tools if the need arises. It’s crucial to invest wisely into production and acquire only what is absolutely necessary for the workshop.
Location for the Service Center
Selecting an optimal location for the service center is extremely important. It should be situated in an area with heavy foot traffic. The company signage should attract the attention of potential customers. Of course, some people may initially call for a consultation. Afterward, they will visit the workshop, so finding a location that is easily accessible is crucial.
Regarding the size of the service center, this depends on the number of technicians, the dimensions of the equipment, and the tools. You also need to estimate the number of orders, as ample storage space will be necessary. In addition to the equipment being repaired, spare parts and products for sale, if planned, will need to be stored here.
Specialist recommendations for space allocation:
- 20 square meters for the order reception area;
- 10 square meters for each technician.
How to Manage Accounting in the Service Center
Accounting in the service center is an integral part of any business operation. Your service center will regularly receive an increasing number of orders. To prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, a client and order management program for the workshop will be beneficial. Such software will help in effectively executing core tasks:
- monitoring inventory levels;
- tracking spare parts for repairs;
- reminders of order deadlines, helping to avoid delays;
- maintaining an inventory list all in one place;
- allowing any item to be found in seconds;
- ensuring repair quality;
- attracting new customers;
- automating all processes;
- improving service efficiency.
A management program for the workshop will help increase operational efficiency and eliminate many issues. It’s essential to instill a habit in employees to regularly use the program, input data, and complete reports. This will facilitate the growth of your business in the right direction.
The service center software performs various types of accounting:
- financial;
- accounting;
- order management;
- administration;
- client management;
- inventory management.
Client Management
Initially, the workshop will have a limited number of clients, but this number will grow over time. To avoid manually entering the information of repeat clients each time, the service center management program will retain this data. It integrates with telephony, enabling quick communication with clients. Connecting to Google Analytics helps track the channels through which clients arrive. Additionally, the client profile keeps not only their information but also all their orders, ensuring that all data is centralized.
Order Management
The management software for the service center allows you to categorize orders by priority. This helps to allocate time effectively. When a new order is received, the form captures the details about the device, its model, comments and notes regarding repairs, the acceptance date, and completion timelines.
Inventory Management
Many service centers maintain an inventory where orders and goods are stored. To ensure proper functionality of the inventory, you will also need software for the service center. This software will manage inventory levels. During inventory checks, the system will prepare reports on any shortages and excesses. Now, checking the availability of equipment will be quick and straightforward.
Accounting and Financial Management
The greater the number of orders in the service center, the more financial transactions will occur. It is vital to monitor profits and expenses. All transactions must be recorded in the financial report, for which a workshop and service center management program will be helpful. It not only tracks all operations but also performs the following functions:
- automatic stock replenishment;
- bill payments;
- payroll management for employees;
- transaction tracking.
Starting a business in equipment repair is straightforward, but effectively organizing its operations is more challenging. As the business grows, various issues may arise, but many of these can be resolved through a program for service centers and repair workshops. It automates the entire process, monitors order management, and ensures the quality of work performed by technicians. You'll gain more time for strategy building, analysis, planning, and other essential tasks.
