Career Consultant Says With Recession-Proof Demand, Low-Entry Cost and
No "Hands-On" Work Needed, Automotive Repair Business is Primed For Growth
He has spent years putting other eager business owners behind the wheels of franchise opportunities best-suited to their lifestyles and aspirations. Now, franchise broker David Dolitsky has settled himself into the driver's seat of a concept he says is primed for high performance. The president of Franchise Advisory Group, based here, Dolitsky recently purchased master franchisee rights for Philadelphia from the Tilden Your Total Car Care Center� chain and is now looking for ambitious, business-minded franchise candidates to help him build a network of 10 Tilden automotive repair centers in Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware. Dolitsky will open his first Tilden service center this week in Northeast Philadelphia's Bluegrass Shopping Center, located at 2395 Welsh Rd., just off Roosevelt Blvd. In addition to being a much-needed resource for local vehicle owners, the eight-bay, 5,400-square-foot site will serve as a local showpiece for prospective franchisees and as a training facility for new franchisees and their staffs. While he plans to operate this first site himself, Dolitsky has already secured several additional properties in Philadelphia County, Montgomery County, Bucks County and Berlin, N.J., and is seeking franchisees to operate them. Information on these and other opportunities is available by contacting David Dolitsky at (888) 241-6629 or
[email protected]. A Well-Established Brand in a Recession-Proof Business Motorists have historically had several key complaints about automotive repair. Some have felt dealers might charge higher rates or urge them toward incremental but unessential services. Some viewed a visit to the local mechanic as an intimidating experience characterized by a lack of customer comforts, approachable personnel or straightforward menus of services and associated prices. And those who sought out automotive service chains as a more desirable middle ground found they either focused on just a handful of services, forcing car owners to travel to multiple locations for different repair or maintenance needs, or seemed to be patching extra services onto their core offerings. Tilden, on the other hand, has been known for an extensive list of repair services for many years, and for offering customers comfortable waiting areas, friendly and clean customer service representatives and unconditional national warranties. The company's reputation has helped it expand across the country with more than 60 locations. Dolitsky first became involved with Tilden in 2006 as a business broker, incorporating the brand into a portfolio of businesses that he presents to would-be business owners in search of franchise opportunities. A review of the chain's franchise offering, the automotive repair category and his surrounding market, however, led him to conclude that Tilden has a huge growth potential in Philadelphia. "Auto repair is a recession-proof business. We'll always have cars and they will always need service. Plus, we're driving our cars longer these days, so there are more vehicles needing service to stay on the road. And with more dealerships closing and traditional service stations converting to convenience stores, there is clearly need for a company like Tilden today." Lack of automotive knowledge or desire to get under the hood need not prevent individuals from capitalizing on this opportunity, Dolitsky adds. He says he is looking for ambitious businesspeople with a desire to control their own destinies, the experience needed to run a business and an ability to effectively communicate with people. Tilden will round out these assets with an extensive two-week training program for franchisees, their site managers and an additional employee, focusing on the technical, mechanical, operational, business and management aspects of running a location. "Most people are under the impression that they have to be seasoned auto mechanics to own a repair shop," Dolitsky says, "but the program is designed to let those with more practical knowledge work in the bays while franchisees focus on growing their business and improving their return on investment. We're really looking for people who have an interest in growing a business, a desire to be a CEO/CFO, and the ability to follow a business strategy." The total investment required to open a new Tilden center ranges from $100,000-$200,000, which covers the $25,000 franchisee fee as well as equipment, inventory, operating capital, leasehold improvements, signage, deposits, software and other components of Tilden's turnkey franchise package. Discounted fees are granted for additional franchise licenses acquired at the same time. Franchisees pay a royalty of 6 percent of gross sales, and a fee of 3 percent of gross sales to cover advertising. In return for their investment, Tilden franchisees gain access to a number of benefits developed to help them operate their centers successfully. Tilden has amassed significant buying power for supplies and equipment, and assists franchisees in hiring mechanics and other employees, site selection, lease negotiations, marketing to attract consumers, fleets and other business accounts, and otherwise gaining the knowledge and resources they'll need to run the business the right way, right from the start. "Tilden has been around since 1923 and is a publicly trading company," Dolitsky says, "but it is also small enough to have a great deal of flexibility to accommodate franchisees. Combine that with the fact that I will be there on the frontlines as an operator myself and will be providing local advertising support and operational guidance, and am a business consultant with a network of realtors, financing specialists, leasing companies and other relationships for necessities such as insurance, signs, etc. and we're really providing a comprehensive program for tapping into this business opportunity." About Tilden Your Total Car Care Center� Tilden Your Total Car Care Center� has been in business for nearly 90 years, offering full-service auto repairs, preventative maintenance, and fleet services. The "total car care" center concept provides each Tilden location with the potential to attract a broader cross-section of the motoring public than more niche-focused businesses, to increase per-customer sales via additional services offered at the time of purchase, and to promote retention by giving each customer more reasons to return down the road. For a list of locations or more information on franchise opportunities, visit Tilden online at www.tildencarcare.com. For specific details about franchise opportunities in Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware, contact David Dolitsky at (888) 241-6629 or
[email protected].