Keeping Busy When Business Is Slow Courtesy ERA Forum Recently an Electrical Rebuilder’s Association member posted the simple question, ““What do you do when busi- ness is slow?’ As usual, forum users stepped up with some insightful answers: “We go after the odd stuff when we’re slow—approach companies that use DC motors and try to convince them to let us rebuild their cores. We picked up some lawn care companies’ pump and winch motors; they usually buy new by the pallet load. We can rebuild about one in three, which is gravy for us and a savings for them.” “When business slows up and stays that way for a few days we use that time to prospect for new commercial cus- tomers with phone calls, mailings and personal calls. We also call existing cus- tomers, offering to pick up and rebuild their excess cores. You can always build stock, but that can be expensive if overdone. Most of our work is rebuilding, including DC motors, don’t do much on-car work. We have always rebuilt small DC motors, but when some of our forklift and indus- trial cart customers converted to electric equipment three or four years ago, we asked for and got the opportunity to rebuild the 72 and 90-volt motors used in their equipment. Our existing employees had no trouble learning to build the motors and the only equipment we had to buy was a tester. To test these motors with a series of 12-volt batteries can be very dangerous. Finding sources for parts, usually the motor manufacturers, takes a little work, but when found they are usually anxious to sell us their parts.” “T have started repairing hand power tools when things are slow. In my area there was no one doing this sort of thing. There is a large tool repair shop 35 miles to the south of me that I talked to as a source of parts. They are more than three weeks backed up so the owner told me that he was glad to sell me parts if they didn’t have to do anything else. It has worked out really well now for almost a year. I tell people that drop off tools that I only work on tools when I have no other stuff to do so not to expect any hurry up job in that department. I only stock a very bare minimum of parts such as cords and chucks and bear- ings that are common to most of the tools. Everything else I order from the tool repair place. He gives me a discount so I can make a bit on the parts as well as labor. I charge a dollar a minute to work on this stuff so the money is good with little expense. It is easy to have an hour of labor in the repair of a drill or saw if, say, the field coils are burned up. I only work on the high end tools as the cheap stuff isn’t worth fixing usually, and costs less to just replace the entire tool. (Milwaukee, Dewalt, Bosch, Porter Cable to name a few of the good ones.) Parts are usually available for these but you need make, model, and serial number and series if there is one. It is a good sideline that fits in with your regular customers and there doesn’t seem to be any lack of broken tools that need repair. Only thing I don’t like about it is the tools that are 110 volts AC, they kind of scare me when I have to do testing on them while hot to find the problems. I really don’t like getting shocked with 110V-” “You may find that by looking around your shop, you might want to start fixing some of the components you purchase new, when it gets slow. Repairing field coils and solenoids rather than buying new comes to mind.” “Are you sure that every truck and transport outfit, every fleet, freight yard, every school, police department, fire department and cab operator knows your business name, your name, what you can do, where you are and how to get hold of you? We know a number of rebuilders who make sure the counter men at every parts store knows who they are too, so when they can’t help a cus- tomer they can at least give them a clue on who can.” “About semitrucks: there are 20 per- cent more on the road today than there were just 10 short years ago. The recent hurricanes have caused a major problem moving freight around the country, they’re tied up and very busy. There’s enough trucks available but there’s a big shortage of drivers—they can only drive so many miles a week, so they’re driving to the limit. What the heck did I bring that up for? Trucking companies are making a ton of money and their stuff has to run and be maintained, they can’t afford downtime now, with bad alterna- tors and starters. They may not be calling you to let you know so maybe you need to call them so they know you’re ready and willing to supply units.” “Speaking of the hurricanes, Penske, Ryder and U-Haul had a huge demand for rental trucks that they couldn’t meet and now things are slowing down a bit and those rentals are coming back, tired and in need of service.” For more great technical and business infor- mation, go to www.electricalrebuilders.org.