I just started and I can't believe it!!!!

[Autoimpact]

Hi,
Some of you know my husband and I just open our new auto body shop repair in the Uk and we have been trying to get insurance work or contract, we have ask for some contacts ect... without any success up until someone gave us some info even though they were not supposed too. Anyway, we contact the person in questions who is a Motor vehicle engineere assessor to for insurance companies, we just wanted to know how can we get some cars refer to our place. First thing he asked is where my husband was from. I am french but my husband is from the carribean. So he said: should you not just be fixing carribean people's car? My husband said well I live here in the UK how can I just fix only carribean people's car? Well that said, he said that he deals with 80 cars per week and we ask him if he could not refer one or two a week and he said no. Basicaly he is saying that those car are just for the english and not for us and all we are going to get is just small little repairs people needs to do on their car.

I just can't believe that there are still people like that!
We are right now employing english people that are just so nice and friendly, I can't believe this! At least if he did not want to deal with us just say something like your business is not long in the market to be able to get used as reference but don't come and insult us like that!!!

Anyway we are not discourage we are just even more determined to make it!

[discountedclothing]

Just think positive and everything will be in order

[byzantium]

Europe is quite racist, even more so than the US. The influx of immigrants since WW2 has really thrown them for a loop. If it makes you feel any better, I live in the most diverse city in the US, and the business world here is very segregated, and businesses often cater to very narrow clienteles, sometimes just a single tribe from say Central Asia will be accepted at an auto repair business.

The Slavics have a whole underground economy with heavy Russian Mob infiltration. Most of the TV repair businesses are run by Asians, and they do NOT like white people, they'll take your TV, bang it up, and return it to you, and charge you a couple hundred bucks. The nail salons are run by Vietnamese, and they enjoy giving white people infections. The burger joints are all Mexicans and they speak little English. Everybody has their own supermarkets and car repair businesses. It's not quite to the point where Europe is where even the cops can't go in large parts of the cities, but it's getting there.

In just my own neighborhood there are several illegal Russian auto dismantlers, 3 or 4 houses owned by a secretive extended clan of Pakistanis, the Mexicans down the street who have loud parties all the time and neglect their dogs, the Mexicans on the next street who always have outdoor movie nights, and of course the white teenagers across the street who are borderline psychotic and who terrorize everybody. Everybody has six foot fences and vicious dogs. And I'm in a good area. Diversity isn't all it's cracked up to be. I would recommend biting the bullet and advertising in the Caribbean community, if you want business.

[SIMPLEROBB]

Europe is quite racist, even more so than the US. The influx of immigrants since WW2 has really thrown them for a loop. If it makes you feel any better, I live in the most diverse city in the US, and the business world here is very segregated, and businesses often cater to very narrow clienteles, sometimes just a single tribe from say Central Asia will be accepted at an auto repair business.

The Slavics have a whole underground economy with heavy Russian Mob infiltration. Most of the TV repair businesses are run by Asians, and they do NOT like white people, they'll take your TV, bang it up, and return it to you, and charge you a couple hundred bucks. The nail salons are run by Vietnamese, and they enjoy giving white people infections. The burger joints are all Mexicans and they speak little English. Everybody has their own supermarkets and car repair businesses. It's not quite to the point where Europe is where even the cops can't go in large parts of the cities, but it's getting there.

In just my own neighborhood there are several illegal Russian auto dismantlers, 3 or 4 houses owned by a secretive extended clan of Pakistanis, the Mexicans down the street who have loud parties all the time and neglect their dogs, the Mexicans on the next street who always have outdoor movie nights, and of course the white teenagers across the street who are borderline psychotic and who terrorize everybody. Everybody has six foot fences and vicious dogs. And I'm in a good area. Diversity isn't all it's cracked up to be. I would recommend biting the bullet and advertising in the Caribbean community, if you want business.

Racism is like one of those things that I never really understood.

[byzantium]

Racism is like one of those things that I never really understood.

No kidding. But it's reality. It's great to have the moral high ground, but it's also important to eat and to pay rent. Given the choice, I'd junk the moral high ground in favor of a full belly. If the insurance companies will only send Caribbeans to that business, then accept them. The alternative is obviously going out of business. Entrepreneurs should understand that survival is job one here. No business, no profits, no salary. There's no fallback. It is not cheap to run an auto repair business. Debt can accumulate. If you have customers, and they have money, and they pay their bills, then the rest can be dealt with later.

[sagestatham]

Aahh, for the love of people who see only one way

you keep going in there, if there is one thing to go off, check all of the people that have ever made a success in the world with their businesses ...they always start out with the people in their ears saying...it cant be done...
NEVER EVER BELIEVE THEM! (i dont mean to shout at you...just for encouraging words )

you have more than what it takes, Focus on what you want and how you will get it...its yours for keeps, may take a bit of work...but keep going,, our life is what we make it!

Sage (im gunning for you and your husband)

[Proph]

first of all i am shocked this surprises you. I would have imagined most people, epsecially those in business for themselves, realize that the happy equal world they see on tv is really just fiction. I spent years studying social tendencies and statistics ( i was a criminal profiler) and i could go into a big long speech about why this happens but i am sure that is not the root of your question.

the fact is there is business and there is ethics, the idea of business ethics is often treated in the same vein as military intelligence, an oxymoron. BTW ethics and legality are two seperate things.

However now that you know people in position to create more revenue for you business are thinking along this line you need to adjust your business accordingly. For example you mentioned that you employ "english" people (btw as soon as you label people into groups you have now taken the first step in generalizing a group of people based on the actions of a few, in the future i suggest you think of them as "locals") when you do any type of phone contact in the future have one of them make the initial contact. have them keep it short and sweet and professional (basically letting the insurance adjuster know the business is open and looking to establish partnerships) and move any kind of information sharing, negotiations etc... over to an email conversation. this allows you to be involved in the direct negotiation but the adjuster will always remember the person he spoke to on the phone and won't have any preconcieved notions or biased based on nationality. the employee you have doing this give them a few bucks based on every deal that ends up closing and everyone is happy. you may not like it but as someone early said it is better to go to bed with a full tummy.

[Peter.j.bea]

Do your best to embrace even what may seem as racist comments. These segments people are put into are a neccessary evil. Its all in the numbers and statistics of business and life as a whole. Its the same reason a person may feel less comfortable around a young black teen with baggy pants alone in a subway or feel comfortable and talkative with a young white male with glasses and a backpack on. Profiling is what this world lives by, learn to use it to your advantage.

This leads to one point, image. Do everything you can to make your shop look reputable, busy and professional. And I cannot mention this enough, become involved in the community, or make the community get involved with you.

Here is a bit of free advice, and something I had implemented as a"guerilla tactics" for an auto shop in Los Angeles. Throw a community event, maybe a BBQ a picnic a luncheon. Sell consumable products (food) and have ALL of the proceeds go to a local benefit, the city itself for a new road etc. etc. This will bring the public to you, be sure to OPENLY advertise that they event is being sponsored in full by "Auto Shop" and network like CRAZY. Say hello, give a presentation, hire a guest speaker to come on board to say thank you to the "Auto Shop" for developing community awareness etc etc.

When it comes to small business, look to developing a relationship with the city of community you pay the taxes to. Learn to work with them, repair business owners cars at a discounted rate etc etc.

[strozewskina]

Just stick with it and if you're an honest business owner, you will prevail.

[The Phantom Ghost]

Most people wont throw any helpfull info at you, but dont worry....

Its going to be a tough journey, but am sure you will make it...

gl

[Doodyps]

Ok, so your husband is Caribbean and YOU ARE FRENCH. Thats TWO market segments for you right there. There are French people in the UK aren't there? Embrace the market segments, prove yourself, and once you have experience and a bunch of happy customers, you'll have the right to complain that no one is sending you referrals.

[sam132]

Sounds like they feel threatened by you!

[therightthingtodo]

Hi - Congratulations on your startup! I know how exciting it is to startup!

I have some suggestions. Hope you will find them useful: Firstly, as a general rule, ignore negative thinking/people/views. I would dismiss this person (who said that you get business from your community/race/religion) narrow minded. Secondly, most importantly, customers seek value for money and nothing else. I know of a Chinese groceries store that sells Indian stuff and is filled with Indians despite at least 5 similar stores, but owned by Indians. The Chinese grocer provides the cheapest price, fresh stuff and buy-back (if something is wrong). So focus on finding what may be the real differentiators that might help you lure business away from competition.

From my own experience, auto repair customers value honesty, timely service, pick-up and drop-off service, among other things.

Hope this helps, Good Luck.

[ticky]

Forget about them. If you have a solid business plan, then run on! Best of luck.

[ethan174]

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