PMM talks to mobile mechanic, Louise Baker, to find out more about her newly-launched business – Womanic.
“I just want to give a good service at a good price and I’m able to do this because I have no overheads. With everyone caught up in busy lifestyles, I can offer a hassle-free service with free collection and delivery. Customers don’t have to worry when they’re at work or when their kids are at school.”
Armed with years of industry knowledge – acquired from exposure to both the independent and retail sides of the aftersales sector – Louise Baker launched her mobile mechanic business, offering collection and delivery services in the Birmingham area, seeking to exploit the niche of being a female technician.
PMM: What’s you career background?
Louise Baker (LB): I started out fixing up my first car with my Dad at the age of 15. At 19, I asked Fletchers Autostore to sponsor a car club I had started at the time, which they did, and they also offered me a job in the performance department.
After six years there I was made redundant, and so launched my own online tuning company selling parts, before getting a job as a technician. I worked my way up the ladder, becoming Centre Manager and running the entire garage for five years and then on to being an automotive sales manager.
At this point I felt that certain aspects of the motor industry had taken a major dip, and no one was really moding cars anymore, especially around Birmingham. It just died off and, because the internet had really taken off by this point, no one wanted to go in the shop and buy stuff, because it was too expensive compared to online. That’s when I made the decision to move out of the automotive sector and work as a night manager for a popular retailer instead. I still worked on my own cars in the meantime as a hobby.
PMM: How did Womanic come to be?
LB: It was an idea I had thought about for a number of years. After the birth of my daughter, I had stepped down as night manager to general assistant. I was filling shelves one day, thinking, this is not for me. I can’t have her working this same life. So, I started up Womanic, which has been non-stop ever since. I still work four nights though.
PMM: Feelings of intimidation, and fear of overcharging are among the biggest worries for motorists when it comes to getting their cars serviced. How do you overcome this?
LB: These days everyone wants cheap. I just want to give a good service at a good price and I’m able to do this because I have no overheads. With everyone caught up in busy lifestyles, I can offer a hassle-free service with free collection and delivery. Customers don’t have to worry when they’re at work or when their kids are at school. They can go to work safe in the knowledge that the car will be brought back when it’s done.
In my experience, people are very understanding. When you let people know the score from the outset and tell them the truth, they don’t mind. People don’t want to be lied to. If you keep a good reputation and you’re reliable, you’ll always get work. I’m booked two weeks in advance at the minute!
PMM: Female mechanics are few and far between in the automotive industry. Is it a predominantly female clientele you attract?
LB: My unique selling point is obviously that I am a female mechanic, but it’s actually more men that I deal with – about 70% believe it or not. Men don’t care about having their car serviced by a woman anymore. Women know just as much!
PMM: What does the future hold for the mobile mechanic?
LB: The thing with having your own garage is that there are too many overheads, so you can’t keep your prices right. I can keep my prices nice and low, whilst offering quality services. Eventually, I would like to franchise the business out. When it’s your own business, you’re naturally more passionate about it, you want to get out of bed early, you want to work until late, you want to work seven days a week, 365 days a year, because it’s yours. Although any potential franchisee would be buying into a brand, they would own their own business so they’re more inclined to do well. That’s the plan anyway.
