Setting up a car valet service. a lot of advice needed

congo_90

OK,
so here's what's going on. Myself and a friend have decided to set up a mobile car valeting company. We know it is going to cost a bit to get going because of equipment, consumables and transport. Also probably some level of insurance.

What I need for advice is things like:
>what bank offers the best deal?
>Where/how do i register my company name?
>I'm guessing public liability insurance or something to that effect
>useful info like suppliers, a reputable place to buy some equip like industrial vacuums.

At the moment our equipment is basic and we're going door to door using A4 sheets with our name, logo and prices. We're talking to the people but I need somewhere to help design something better than A4 sheets on MS works.

Any advice is much appreciated,
Dan.

congo_90

anybody want to help no?

Merrion

The Companies Registration Office has good info on setting up your company and registering the name.

congo_90

congo_90 wrote: »

OK,
so here's what's going on. Myself and a friend have decided to set up a mobile car valeting company. We know it is going to cost a bit to get going because of equipment, consumables and transport. Also probably some level of insurance.

What I need for advice is things like:
>what bank offers the best deal?
>Where/how do i register my company name?
>I'm guessing public liability insurance or something to that effect
>useful info like suppliers, a reputable place to buy some equip like industrial vacuums.

At the moment our equipment is basic and we're going door to door using A4 sheets with our name, logo and prices. We're talking to the people but I need somewhere to help design something better than A4 sheets on MS works.

Any advice is much appreciated,
Dan.

If I were you.....I would do this.
1. Set up as a partnership, not as a limited company. Register your name on www.cro.ie and apply for a VAT number.
2. If you know someone who works in a bank, join that bank because if you have a problem or need something you want to be able to talk with someone you know about it, and not a customer service drone. Banks are not your friend
3. What you need I think for this business to work is not to be going door to door valeting on site, but you need to get yourself inside a busy supermarket carpark (under a roodf) doing the cars while the people are shopping. -constant flow of traffic, and clients. Otherwise you will eventually run out of steam on the door to door sales and you'll pack it in. I made over 2000 door to door sales when I first started out, but I got burnt out and it becomes hard to motivate yourself in the wind and the rain after a certain amount of time.
4. Have you got no mates that do graphic design? or at least have an illustrator program or something? Why dont you get a flier thats in the shape of a Merc, and when you open it up its got your rates etc. Get a mate or go post an ad on a notice board in a design college and ask someone to do it on their computer for 100-200 euro something like that. Go to Walsh colour print to print it, they are the cheapest in ireland i believe.

Think big. Supermarkets, Corporate companies with lots of company cars...parked for the whole day at the office....think events...cinema etc

ircoha

El Rifle, I think you need to elaborate on why u suggest a partnership instead of a ltd Co to the OP.

Some of the other ideas are worth exploring particularly as the mobile 'at home' valeting business is getting a bad name due to the bad eggs in the industry that use it as a front for scoping cars and houses for 'Grand Theft Auto/house'

congo_90

Deleted User wrote: »

4. Have you got no mates that do graphic design? or at least have an illustrator program or something? Why dont you get a flier thats in the shape of a Merc, and when you open it up its got your rates etc. Get a mate or go post an ad on a notice board in a design college and ask someone to do it on their computer for 100-200 euro something like that. Go to Walsh colour print to print it, they are the cheapest in ireland i believe.

We have got a company logo designed. Our fliers are basic and haven't even got our logo on them yet. We're going to use the last of this batch then invest properly. Have you the number to walsh colour print??

Deleted User wrote: »

Think big. Supermarkets, Corporate companies with lots of company cars...parked for the whole day at the office....think events...cinema etc

At the moment we're looking to score a deal with a hotel nearby. 4 star and so far there has been correspondance. I won't say much at the moment for privacey reasons but it looks promising with a high demand there.

ircoha wrote: »

El Rifle, I think you need to elaborate on why u suggest a partnership instead of a ltd Co to the OP.

Some of the other ideas are worth exploring particularly as the mobile 'at home' valeting business is getting a bad name due to the bad eggs in the industry that use it as a front for scoping cars and houses for 'Grand Theft Auto/house'

I understand and respect this and have heard people complaining about this before. We're looking into getting Identification made up. I have somebody doing this as I type. Until then our current reasoning for people is my home address listed on all paper work for customers but not on fliers. This is simply because i don't want 1,000's of people having my home address.

ircoha

ircoha wrote: »

El Rifle, I think you need to elaborate on why u suggest a partnership instead of a ltd Co to the OP.

Some of the other ideas are worth exploring particularly as the mobile 'at home' valeting business is getting a bad name due to the bad eggs in the industry that use it as a front for scoping cars and houses for 'Grand Theft Auto/house'

I would set up a partnership because this is a small business that may not work, and the issues of limited director liability etc should not be prominent here. Its also about 1/20th of the price and doesnt cost any money to strike off the register should things go wrong. If the cpmpany becomes successful then perhaps look to go limited.

you'll get that companies number on the web