ryrichardson

[ryrichardson]

Week 12 Progress

Good Evening Friends and Family,

These twelve weeks have flown by, this response will most likely be the second last “Check-in.” I would like to thank everybody that has been here throughout the journey and to extend my appreciation to all of our amazing customers. This week was clean up week, we had a great schedule but I tended to be spending more time in the organization aspect and brainstorming ways to take our services to the next level. Over time implementations will take shape but as of this report there hasn’t been any huge significant changes. I have focused on ensuring a thorough and clean service history is available to all of our customers if needed. Our motto is to help people that need our services but for our customers selling their vehicles there is no better feature than a well serviced vehicle with the proper documentation. My business partner is very good at document management. I upload each service to our business cloud, with information including mileage, inspection sheets, and recommendations for any repairs that may be needed. The information from the cloud is put onto paper and stored in a file with the customer's name and vehicle information. Earlier, I mentioned it is important to always have a back up plan. Not only are the paper files stored but they are online as well to ensure confidentiality and trust. Throughout this week, I have still been thinking about the idea’s I have for pricing adjustments, it is hopeful I will come to a conclusion by next week. I continue to learn every day, as well as make mistakes. I always need to ensure each customer is satisfied. It is imperative to maintain the customers vehicle to our true potential. However, it is even more important to also make sure they are doing well.

[ryrichardson]

Good Evening Friends and Family,  

Reading last week’s blog, I wanted to improve my marketing skills as well as improve our promotional strategy. Throughout this week, I have been taking the time to brainstorm potential incentives and ways to make the company more appealing than it already is. With the reward card, I have some plans to improve it and make it more beneficial. I would like for our reward card to provide more to our clientele and to make it a clear example of where to trust servicing your vehicle. One thing I have learned throughout starting this company is that there is always work to do. Whether it’s on-site or behind the scenes there is always space to improve. The difficulties that Customer One were experiencing in comparing prices with competitors has been successfully overcome. As of this report, our larger services are $135 and our smaller vehicle services are $99. In the upcoming weeks, I expect our prices to rise by close to 20%. With a pricing adjustment, my opinion is there needs to be an implementation of another service that can improve our oil change services. There are many ideas that have come to mind that may be beneficial. Although we may want to increase our service profits it is imperative we always put customers first and to always hear their opinion. In today's economy. If customers were to be given a poll, I believe that many customers would choose to keep prices the same. I agree, if nothing is changing prices should not rise. However, if the service package is more beneficial then it makes it much easier to sell. In regards to these 12 weeks, I have learned a lot about myself and have made many mistakes. Overcoming the mistakes presented has not only helped me grow my entrepreneurial spirit but also helped me grow my company, Customer One. I continue to look forward to improving the company and being available to as many people as possible.

[ryrichardson]

Customer One Week 11: Check-in and Progress Update

In the 11th week of our Entrepreneurship Project, I have recently been focusing on our promotional strategy, and customer engagement, as well as brainstorming potential ways to make our services more appealing to customers' eyes. During this check-in, Customer One is doing very well and we are accurately completing the amount of work our final report will present. In today’s economy, healthy finances are crucial. With the consistent strive for improvement and success, we must ensure our pricing remains competitive while making a profit. Recently, I have been taking more time researching our competition. Many quick service centres are available. However, Customer One only competes with these centres to an extent. There aren't many services that quick lube shops do that Customer One doesn't already provide. A key challenge recently has been researching all our potential competitors and determining a great all-around price. Throughout the first few weeks of this project, I mentioned the potential for a charge account with local supply store companies to help with costs. I am grateful to be in the eleventh week with a secured charge account. Before a charge account was secured, the purchasing of workplace supplies from local stores was affecting our profitability. Looking ahead with Customer One there are always things that can be tightened up. However, it is important to always work to our full potential. I have begun setting goals for myself to achieve many business improvements. This week's goal that I have for the company is for our social media to be easily accessible soon and to dedicate any time that is needed to improve potential customer reach. I have learned so much about myself throughout this company and am beyond grateful to experience a dream daily.

[ryrichardson]

Update on Progress of Business Venture

 Nearing the midway point of Week 10, Customer One has been consistently improving the way of our operations and efficiency. There are many aspects that Customer One has perfected, required tools and supplies to complete the job in the provided time frame is always available. While checking in with our amazing customers, we recognized that our oil change services lack one thing, Reminders. Scheduling has been working very well with ensuring the amount of work can be completed. Many different vehicles require different maintenance intervals. For example, some vehicles will go 5,000 kilometers before they need their oil changed while other newer vehicles require servicing around the 10,000-kilometer mark. We have been researching ways to provide reminders to our customers and have come up with the idea of label printing. Many quick lube shops and other vehicle service locations will provide a mileage sticker on the windshield for your next service. I believe the label printing idea would work well as every time the customer drives the vehicle, they recognize it. For newer vehicles with advanced computer systems, the maintenance reminders are typically set in infotainment systems and when they are approaching their service interval the vehicle will remind them that they are due for service. It is up to us, to make sure we keep up to date with vehicle histories and not over service vehicles. Every day presents new challenges that our amazing team will overcome and research ways to improve. In this check in, Customer One has been experiencing some issues with travel costs. I believe we will need to sit down with our financial advisor and determine what ways we can improve our profits while still travelling from job to job. I believe setting aside fueling costs per job or by kilometer range will help with our revenue and not just setting aside the same amount for each service. Overall, I feel like Customer One is doing very well. There are some areas where we need to tighten up our financials and make the services more efficient. Throughout these 10 weeks, I have learned a lot about myself, I have strong and positive enthusiasm for our scheduling and customer clientele. I may experience weaknesses in the follow up aspect as well as maintaining healthy financials. However, this is the first time I have ever owned my own business and am just grateful to live and learn.

Customer One

[ryrichardson]

Customer One Online Showcase Part Two:

Thank you again for your valuable time. I would just like to close off our online showcase with just a quick explanation regarding rewards and business cards. Many automotive service companies in the field always focus on the bottom line, making money. At Customer One, we dedicate our focus to quality, value, and the best customer satisfaction. With a Customer One rewards card, you will begin to enjoy savings, free accessories, and special offers to keep your vehicle in great condition. Wouldn’t it be nice to get your vehicle taken care of while keeping money in your pocket? Vehicle servicing, for the most part, should always be stress-free and customer-centered. We take the extra step in providing the best premium care and unbeatable perks. Customer One isn’t just a name, it’s a promise and “The Only Way To Service”.

[ryrichardson]

Customer One Online Showcase Part One:

Professor Smith

March 17th, 2025.

Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time out of your day to learn more about Customer One!. My name is Ryan Richardson, and I am the CEO and founder of Customer One. Located in the heart of Barrie, Ontario I am beyond excited to announce a new and more efficient way of servicing your vehicle. At Customer One, the response so far has been amazing. I am beyond grateful to already recognize the convenience of mobile service work. With our number of customers growing daily, the strong relationships and thorough feedback are what power our strive for success. I really enjoy talking with customers and checking in; no matter what situation they may be in, I always try for a smile. Throughout my online showcase, I hope to show you what Customer One is really all about. My first post involved in the showcase is our brochures that have mostly all business information available. I really wanted to explain a little bit about us, what we do, and how we help. Competitive pricing is imperative in today’s economy; packages A, B, and C are all priced competitively to other service centers that require the vehicle to come to them. When the business idea was first starting to come alive, my main goal was reaching as many people as we could that could benefit from our services. Having just one way of contact won’t help with reaching the max amount of customers. So far, I have provided brochures, an email, a phone number, business cards, and coming soon booking at customerone.ca. Customer One’s rewards cards and our business cards serve the same purpose to our customers. The reason is we want all of our customers to receive the same treatment. Anyone that requires our services will be provided with a rewards card if wanted. As Customer One continues to improve, I look forward to creating stronger relationships and meeting many new amazing people. Customer One will always be there when you need us, and I ensure our efficiency and convenience will ensure your trust for many years to come.

[ryrichardson]

Start Up Venture Progress:

Starting a business is a huge learning curve. There are many things on the business end I am still learning. The main concept of Customer One is working well; however, there is always room for improvement. Our beginning clientele absolutely love the convenience, and word of mouth is beginning to pick up. During these first services, I have also been looking for ways to make our services more efficient and quicker. With any business come struggles; marketing and scheduling are two departments I need to tighten up. For myself, marketing has never been something of my strong suit. I find it challenging to reach the right amount of people and to be able to provide eye-catching incentives. For my amazing customers, I have implemented a rewards program for people that enjoy our services. After your third service, you get a free Customer One Air Freshener, keychain, and interior clean. I have recognized that the same people that don't have much time for service work don't have time to get their vehicle detailed. For someone that always focuses on keeping my vehicle clean, I believe it is a great reward. However, we are a service company, not a detailing shop, and for vehicles that are very messy, it can impact our scheduling. It is impeccable we let the customers know it is an efficient interior clean and not a full interior detail. I am learning a lot about entrepreneurship as my company continues to progress. With marketing and scheduling not being my ideal strong suit, it only leaves room for improvement. Our motto has always been customers come first, and I have recognized that is the biggest truth. I have learned a lot regarding business startups, but I have also recognized that I enjoy solving problems and ensuring that a consistent amount of learning is always there to succeed. Overall, I am very happy with the beginning of Customer One, but without proper company maintenance and keeping an eye open, improvements cannot be assessed.

Sincerely Customer One

[ryrichardson]

Beginning Financial Plans

Opening a mobile oil change service company can be a fun opportunity and a well-put-together lesson on learning how to maintain my own business. With the company’s initial investment being around $50, without proper investment research, we may require third-party funding sources. Loans aren’t something I have ever been interested in; however, for the company, a small loan may be necessary for growth. A financial institution will likely be my last resort. I will talk with family members and close friends to determine if I could borrow a small amount of funds if needed. Personal funds would be the first place I would use if needed. Excluding any personal funds, an ideal investment for the company would be approximately around $300. With prices in today’s world, I would still be purchasing tools used or purchasing new when on sale. If I were to have an initial investment in that financial range, I would still treat it like only having that $50. It is very important to me to have a backup plan when needed. Having money on hand is very important. Accidents happen, and if I am borrowing money from a close family member, I need to start paying that back as soon as possible to maintain our relationship. If money was provided to me through a financial institution, I would treat it as the same. If I were to apply for a business loan, I would focus on providing the best detailed business plan as well as explaining our proper use of PPE, always ensuring a low-risk workplace. Although that isn’t an issue for Customer One, the bottom line is I don’t like borrowing money from anyone, especially institutions with high interest rates. However, financial capability is crucial, and it is imperative to always have money on hand. As there is a great potential, we may need additional funding at some point. With proper investments and genuine relationships, I strive to make Customer One the company everyone recognizes.

[ryrichardson]

Business Operation's Plan

As I have been recently preparing to bring Customer One to market, my main priority is on ensuring smooth and proper operations, achieving the required permits, and researching the best locations for stock. With Customer One becoming available very soon, it is critical all needs care met. I have already begun outsourcing the required supplies. For launch, I will need the oil and filter for the vehicle to service in addition to all the required tools. A drain pan, Wrenches, and work ramps were provided to me by friends at the local Barrie flea market after I donated some unneeded items. The vehicle we will be using is just about ready to go, I am behind grateful to use my friend's extra vehicle to make my dream come true. Customer One will maintain the vehicle whenever we can to keep it in good shape. The City of Barrie has a well put together website for researching our required permits. Our business application is almost prepared. Once we are approved, I will be able to focus more on ensuring all requirements for smooth operation’s is complete. Until the company really begins to come alive, I will be the only occupier on the company’s insurance. I will not be hiring any employees as of now and I don’t want to promise employees work to then lead to bankruptcy trying to pay them for their valuable time. As we are hoping to be easily accessible soon, I have begun to conduct some test runs for supplies. In Barrie, the two locale’s I have researched are Napa and CarQuest. Both automotive supply stores have just about everything we need in stock. I asked, what if they aren’t in stock? The advisor assured me that if the store lacks what we need at the time of purchase they have one day shipping. Once the business application is refined, we then will determine how in-depth environmental permits we may need. With a vision of success, I am hoping to prepare a website and social media page. In today's environment, I believe it is crucial to stay up to date with all social media trends to provide more insights. Scheduling will be taken care of on my computer and when I decide to hire an employee, the schedule will be easily available through an online application. With Customer One coming soon, it is critical in securing everything I need for not only the smoothest of operations but the highest level of customer satisfaction.

Sincerely Customer One

[ryrichardson]

Advertising Exercise

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[ryrichardson]

Customer Persona

On behalf of Customer One, our company’s focus is on customer satisfaction. With a focus on achieving the most satisfied customers, I have focused on creating a proper and well-researched customer persona. With a persona, it is important to not just provide one suitable candidate. As an example, I will use the name Jake. Jake represents many representatives that are hardworking professionals with a very busy schedule.

They have a partner and two kids at home. One kid is an infant, and the other is busy with extracurricular activities. Jake and their partner are an average income household and, just like many other families, can only afford one vehicle. The family vehicle is always on the go, whether it is to work, dropping the kid off at school or other daily requirements. It never stops. With it being the family’s lifeline, it needs to be safe and everything needs to be in good working order to ensure safety.

There is no better company for these individuals than customer one. We will provide you with efficient service work and safety reassurance in the driveway of your own home without disrupting your busy day. Our example, Jake and his partner only make up a small amount of people that could really benefit from mobile services like Customer One. With many people working at least 8 hours a day, that is only work. There are always household chores to be completed. Whether it’s taking care of your family or completing other tasks, the average household with one vehicle does not have the time to come sit and wait somewhere.

 It doesn’t matter the line of our customers' employment, we genuinely understand that no matter the line of work, you may have a lot going on. We dedicate our time to helping people in need and achieving a relationship of trusted and efficiency for many years to come. Contacting us will be easy and quick, returning customers will have the option of a text message line as well as online payment options to improve efficiency. We look forward to hearing from not only one person in need but the large amount of people that could really benefit from our mobile service company.

[ryrichardson]

Competition Analysis

Being able to work on someone’s vehicle is a privilege. It takes many appointments with trustful knowledge as well as creating a trustworthy relationship. In today’s world, not many vehicle owners have the patience to attend dealerships for a maintenance routine. People are always looking for a way to receive services faster so they can continue on with their day. Although it is no secret that quick lube center's exist, it is now time to recognize our key competitors and begin to brainstorm our plan to surpass them.

Quick Lube Service Centers

Locations like Jiffy Lube, Take 5, and Mr. Lube are some of our main competitors. With quick oil changes and small service work, many stores do very well due to the efficiency of their team. Upon looking deeper into these companies websites, one key aspect they all have is advertisements of savings or promotions to benefit the customer. I will spend some time looking into the potentiality in providing ways we can benefit our customers financially. With franchises like these being as big as they are, they will be around for a long time. 

Mechanic Shops 

As our company will be mostly specializing in mobile service work, we do have limitations as to how in-depth our work can be. Many privately owned mechanic shops can complete the services we do and more. They have hoists, large toolboxes, and a building to complete the job. As many mechanic shops have close to all the facilities the dealership has but at a lower hourly rate, many are booked out for weeks.

Dealership (Vehicle’s Manufacturer)

When people purchase a brand new car, many owners will attend dealerships for maintenance. They have state of the art equipment providing some beneficial packages including free services. While you are waiting, they have wifi, a nice waiting room, and more. Depending on where you reside, there is a good possibility that there is only one dealership of your vehicle’s brand in your city or town. With that being said, it only takes one experience where the customer wasn’t satisfied enough to attend for service work again. Almost all manufacturers have applications for booking service work online. I believe it is a very important feature in providing efficiency.

The three main competitors that I have listed are companies that have provided trustworthy service work to many people throughout the years. Vehicle owners over time will develop relationships with their service provider and will only let them touch their vehicle. We as a company are not looking to poach customers or talk people out of the place they trust. We are here to assess the target market of people that haven’t received that sense of comfort and/or have had many inefficient experiences.

[ryrichardson]

This is the Message Map I prepared for one of my favourite companies and OEM Manufacturers, Subaru. The amount of them on the road every day might tell ya something!. The Application I used to create my message map didn't have the option of the star shape so I wasn't able to do the six stars. (Yes I already tried)

[ryrichardson]

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths,

Working Under Pressure - Having Multiple things on the go may not be ideal for some. However, I enjoy balancing many things throughout a work day as it isn't the same thing every day and I find myself to be much less anxious in stressful times. Always having something going on makes the day go by much quicker.

Dependability - Being late is something I could never be, I am always leaving early for everything no matter the circumstances and value absolutely everyone's time. It is unfair to show up to work when your coworkers are waiting for you.

Organization - I like to be prepared, have everything ready when I need it and make sure everything is put away at day's end. When things are not organized, it's a whole extra step of wasted time before getting to the task at hand.

Weaknesses,

Speech - Having a speech impediment is not something I could ever change, Stuttering, speaking too fast, unclear speech, and locking up haunts me to this day. On times when I need to say something important or try to say something at a specific time many times I am unable too.

Memory - When learning new tasks at hand I take everything in during training to make sure I can do it in the best way possible. There has been a few times I've caught myself rushing in certain aspects to get to the end result without remembering the amount of care that should be put in before. Sometimes it is important to take a deep breath.

Perfectionism - As someone with a consistent aim to be the best at what I do sometimes things just don't go as planned and not everything is going to be perfect. Not everyone in the world can be pleased and sometimes in the moment can bother me. I find that some ending results of many products may not be perfect and at times it isn't the applicator.