ZipGlass.com, headquartered in Orange County CA, has completed the second phase in its shop acquisition and expansion program by consolidating more than 70 mobile auto glass shops under the control of a single entity.
Now covering the California South Coast area from Ventura to San Clemente, ZipGlass.com provides mobile auto glass replacement and windshield repair to a market of 10 million consumers and businesses.
According to owner Rob Houglum, "The ZipGlass.com model is the future of auto glass replacement. Instead of waiting for our customers to come to us, we go to our customers. They appreciate the convenience and time savings in their busy lives and we like the overhead structure".
By drawing auto glass parts from regional distribution warehouses, ZipGlass.com is able to maximize value to its customers by obtaining volume pricing and timely delivery of its services to an increasingly busy consumer and business base.
"Not having to take my car to a glass shop and dropping it off for the day and then finding a ride to work and back was a blessing", says ZipGlass.com customer Miranda Garcia. "By having them come to my office and finishing the work in time for me to pick up my daughter at the baby sitter, it saved me a lot of time and hassle".
While the overhead structure is different from a fixed-location facility, the cost is about the same. "Where we pick up an advantage", says Mr. Houglum,"is in the efficiency of a constant workflow versus having a glass installation crew sitting around waiting for a customer to drive up to a shop on Main Street".
"Because our system provides our customers more flexibility in their scheduling, it also gives us more flexibility in ours and that translates into higher efficiency in our operation".
Another advantage is the ability to grow the auto glass business geographically. "Our expansion plans include San Francisco and the entire West Coast up through Seattle. With fixed locations there are logistical problems such as rising rents, property taxes, utilities, and maintenance to deal with. Our mobile ZipGlass.com model reduces all of that to vehicle maintenance issues and fuel prices", Mr. Houglum explained. "And that makes it easier for us to build our presence in strategic auto glass markets with the highest potential return on investment".
Mr. Houglum says the first leg of the expansion plan has already begun, with initial glass service now being provided in and around San Francisco. That rollout is expected to take approximately twelve months to complete.
"After we've reached equilibrium in the Bay Area, we'll continue our march northward through Portland and into Seattle. Our timetable will depend on how fast the economy recovers and how soon we feel comfortable with the next leg of the expansion project. We're not rushing this and will take it one step at a time", said Mr. Houglum.
Staffing each area with qualified technicians is the biggest challenge, according to Mr. Houglum. "We welcome resumes from certified technicians who want to be a part of a growing operation based on superior customer service. Our technicians are carefully selected to be the very best in every respect, especially in the area of consumer safety. After all, they're the first and last person our customer sees and we believe this will put the very best face on our business and that is terribly important to us”.
Contact information:
Rob Houglum, CEO
ZipGlass.com
27702 Crown Valley Pkwy
Ladera Ranch CA 92694
800-927-2882
www.zipglass.com
robh ( @ ) zipglass dot com
No comments:
Post a Comment