Starting your own watch repair business is the best idea if you're launching the brand from home. Learning how to repair and fix watches might seem hard, but once you get the hang of it, you can acquire many clients. Watchmaking is expensive, and those who can overhaul the mechanics, design clock faces, and know how to repair a watch make good money. You'll have to do proper market research and learn what it takes to get started. Here are more details about that in the upcoming sections of this post.
Did you know?
Most watch manufacturers recommend that you service your watch for at least 3 years once to keep it in good shape.
How to Repair Watch at Home?
Before trying out any watch repairs, you want to ask yourself if you have the right tools and equipment in place. Depending on the type of watch you repair, you will need specific skill sets and special supplies. Time is your biggest investment, and another thing to consider is your budget. Learning how to repair watches may take time and money, but putting in the work will get you far. Your business will thrive the more experience you accumulate, and planning should be done on how to run your business.
Customers will bring their watches into your shop in various conditions. Sometimes you may have to repair a chronograph or other complex designs. Evaluate your skills and decide what types of watch repairs to base the business on. It is impossible to repair all watches since there's not enough time, so choose wisely which ones matter. Some watches require greater upkeep, repairs, and maintenance than others.
Also Read: Complete Guide On Starting Your Own Mobile Shop
How to Launch Your Watch Repair Services Business
The first step in opening your watch repair shop is to ensure you have the necessary authorisations or permits for that region. Your location should be business-friendly, which means you get clients coming in from that region. If you set up your watch repair services far away or in remote and isolated locations, your customers may not be able to reach you. There are many tools you will need to invest in for carrying out repairs, such as watchmaking screwdrivers, mirrors, magnifying glasses, tweezers, and jewellers files.
Another aspect to consider is who your competitors are and what the state of the target market looks like. You want to do good market research and keep your customers as the main focus in mind. A good way to make your watch repair store stand out is to make it go online. Starting a website can help you establish an online watch repair store, and clients can find you easily. Users spend most of their time on smartphones and often search for terms such as wristwatch repair shop near me and how to repair a watch etc. If you optimise your website with SEO, drive organic traffic, and ensure that page loading times are fast, you're likely to get your brand to show up at the top of search engine page listings. Here are some other tips on how to market and grow your business.
Connect with the Right Distributors
Work with a distributor that will help your brand get spare parts and accessories whenever needed. You don't want to run out of repair supplies, and partnering with the right distributor can make a big difference. Customers shouldn't have to wait or postpone their servicing requests just because you run out of components.
Get Sponsors
Getting sponsored by big brands or reputed companies can help grow your business multifold. You can lend sponsors by marketing your brand online and starting a YouTube channel. You want to focus on raising enough capital as well to reinvest into your business. If you don't have any existing capital or have minimum capital to start with, you can consider applying for small business or MSME loans from non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).
Licensing and Permits
If you are setting up a watch repair shop in India, the main licences and permits you want to apply for are:
- Doing business as (DBA) Certificate
- Certificate of Occupancy
- Tax Identification Number (TIN)
- Business Licence
Get all your paperwork done and visit government offices for verification before offering customers your services. You can create customer appointment slots on your website or app and schedule meetings. This will help you stay on track and let you update customers timely on the state of their repairs.
Popular Watchmaking and Online Watch Repair Certifications
If you can't attend live classes in person, the good news is that you can sign up for certification programs online and acquire the necessary skill sets. Some of the most popular online watch repair certifications are:
CW21 Certified Watchmakers
The CW21 Certified Watchmakers course is one of the most acclaimed international watch repair certifications in the industry. Run by Mattheu's Fine Watches and Jewelry, it is comprehensive and follows stringent standards for doing watch repairs, restoration, and servicing work. The course can be attended online, and it is also Omega WOMEN 1120 Certified.
Also Read: How To Open a Mobile Repairing Shop?
CLOCK & Watch Repair Technician Course by Bharat Sevak Samaj (BSS)
This is one of the best national certifications when it comes to learning how to do watch repairs at home. It is sponsored by the Planning Commission and recognised by the Government of India. The course lasts 6 months and includes topics such as watch repair fundamentals, technical skills, communicative English, and computer basics for shop owners. For those who are just starting out and opening a shop, this is a good introductory course to enrol on.
Conclusion
Once you acquire the required permits and start getting clients, your watch repair business will do well. Now that you're aware of the basics of how to start this business, you can get to work on it.
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