After 15 years managing independent garages, Luke Blyth wanted to work for himself but faced a familiar challenge for technicians considering self-employment: securing enough work to make the move viable.
The co-founder of North West-based L&O Vehicle Services says ClickMechanic helped give him the confidence to take that step, providing access to additional jobs while he and his business partner established their mobile operation.
“I’d always wanted to work for myself, but the timing never felt right,” said Luke. “In the end, I got talking to someone who later became my business partner. We just decided to go for it, and ClickMechanic was the push that gave us the confidence to step out on our own.
“Knowing there were jobs sitting there waiting for us meant we didn’t have to lie awake worrying, ‘Where is the next job coming from?’ if the phone went quiet.”
For technicians leaving an employed workshop role, building a customer base is often one of the biggest hurdles.
Finding customers, preparing quotes, managing bookings and chasing payments all take time, while fixed marketing costs can put pressure on cash flow before a new business has established a steady income.
ClickMechanic offers an alternative, with no joining fee or monthly subscription.
Instead, mechanics pay commission on bookings they accept and complete, giving them access to extra work without committing to ongoing platform costs.
Filling gaps in the diary
A year after launching, L&O Vehicle Services runs a popular mobile van service across the North West, using ClickMechanic to supplement its direct retail work when capacity allows.
Luke typically takes on five or six platform jobs a week, adjusting the number according to demand from his own customers.
“We use it primarily as a gap filler,” he said. “We’re busy with our regular retail work, but ClickMechanic easily gives us five or six jobs a week when we need them. Some days we’ll take two bookings; other weeks when our own diary is packed, we dial it back. You aren’t tied into quotas. It’s completely on your terms.”
That flexibility allows the business to make productive use of available time without relying on one source of work.
The jobs are not limited to routine servicing. L&O takes on higher-value repairs through the platform, including clutches, cambelts and diagnostics.
Less time quoting, more time on the tools
For mobile technicians, time spent away from the tools can quickly eat into a working day.
Pricing jobs, communicating with customers and securing approval for repairs all add to the workload, particularly when there is no office-based team to handle administration.
ClickMechanic’s automated quoting system is designed to simplify that process.
Technicians select the required repair, the platform generates a quote and sends it to the customer for approval.
“The automated quoting takes all the headache out of it,” said Luke. “You select the repair required, the platform prices it instantly, and sends it straight to the customer. They approve it either right then or later that day, and the job is locked in. It keeps the van moving without eating into our evenings doing paperwork.”
For a small mobile operation, reducing the administrative workload can free up more time for billable repairs while helping keep jobs moving from quote to completion.
Getting the right cover
Luke also stresses the importance of having the right qualifications and insurance in place when setting up independently.
ClickMechanic vets applicants against its entry requirements, which include a minimum NVQ Level 2 / City & Guilds qualification, backed by at least five years of professional industry experience.
Technicians must also hold public liability insurance and motor trade insurance that covers road tests and collection and delivery.
Having managed garages before launching L&O, Luke understood the importance of appropriate cover, particularly when carrying out road tests and diagnosing complex faults.
“Starting out, we focused on small jobs until we built the capital to secure our full motor trade policy,” he said. “Coming from managing garages, I know you simply cannot road-test a vehicle or diagnose complex drivability issues without proper road-risk cover.
“ClickMechanic enforcing that standard protects the customer, but more importantly, it protects professional technicians.”
A flexible option for new businesses
For Luke, the platform’s value lies in being able to access work when the business needs it, without taking on another fixed monthly expense.
“To anyone sceptical about the commission, I’d say it doesn’t cost you a penny to have it sitting there in your back pocket,” he said. “There are no monthly fees and you take high-value work; we’re doing clutches, cambelts, and full diagnostics. If you are an early-stage business finding your feet, it is a no-brainer.”
Technicians interested in joining the network can find out more at www.clickmechanic.com/mechanics/home.
