Ways to cut costs in your car workshop business

Despite the fact that the UK automotive industry has stabilised somewhat since the COVID-19 pandemic, running a small garage or car workshop business still has its challenges - with small businesses in the UK facing increasing pressure due to inflation, recession, rising fuel and energy bills and staffing shortages, it’s never been more important to ensure that your car workshop business is running as cost-effectively as possible. If you’re a small business owner looking to reduce outgoings and improve profit, consider taking these simple steps to cut costs in your garage or car workshop:

Carefully compare electricity prices

Amidst rocketing fuel and energy rates, it’s essential that you get the best deal for your business. Do thorough research on different electricity providers and carefully compare their rates - if possible, consider switching from your current provider to a more cost-effective alternative.  

Take care of the marketing yourself 

While professional digital marketing services can reliably expand your reach in terms of establishing a presence online, outsourcing marketing can be costly and have a negative impact on your budget. If possible, consider doing any marketing in-house to cut costs - it’s never been easier to make use of social media to promote and market your business, so getting the word out could be easier thank you think.  

Reduce costs by going part-time 

While it might not seem like the most attractive option initially, consider reducing the scale of your business or going part-time. This could enable you to capitalise on busy periods and reduce unnecessary opening costs when the workshop isn’t receiving custom - it could also help you to get another ‘side hustle’ going and generate more passive income in your downtime - you can even work from your home garage and swap your existing coverage for part-time motor trade insurance to cut costs even further. 

Unplug equipment when not in use and be mindful of electricity consumption 

One of the easiest ways to cut costs in your car workshop or garage is to ensure that all tools and equipment are switched off and unplugged when they’re not in use. This can go a long way in reducing electricity outgoings at the end of the month and also maintain the health of your equipment in the long term. As well as unplugging equipment and heavy machinery that’s likely to consume a high volume of electricity, you can check your existing tools to see if they’re still up to scratch - the energy efficiency of many tools typically used in the workshop will naturally decline over time, so consider replacing frequently used older tools with newer models to make further savings in electricity bills and reduce carbon emissions in your workplace.