Evening Post Article

‘Fitting rewards for dedication and hard work’

 Business editor Michael Ribbeck meets a self-made businessman who extols the virtues of trust and good service.

For someone who left school at 16 with no qualifications to speak of and went straight into the world of work, Lee Fletcher is doing pretty well for himself.  The 40 year-old from Keynsham runs Mobile Carkit Solutions, which employs five people and, in the face of economic turmoil, has steadily grove his business from scratch.  Lee has always loved cars and in his time was one of the top mechanics in Bristol but almost a decade ago he spotted a gap in the market and grasped the opportunity with both hands.

He is one of those people who has gone into business and has been forced to teach himself as he goes along.

His firm specialises in fitting just about any electronic gadgets to a car, from sat-navs to sensors which pick up the presence of speed cameras.

The demand for his products is huge and Lee, with the help of a network of engineers across the country, has a constant stream of work.

The inexorable march of technology means there are always plenty of new products on the market and people still seem more than happy to spend their cash on the latest gadgets.

Customers can evens have games consoles fitted in their car to keep the kids quiet on those long journeys and there is a constant demand for extras such as parking sensors and navigations systems.

He runs his thriving firm from a nondescript semi overlooking Keynsham and there are few clues about the military precisions behind the operation when you step through the front door.

He said: ‘I left school as soon as I could because I just wanted to out there and get a job. I was always good at fixing things and I have always been a very practical person, it just made sense to go into car mechanics.  I worked for several firms but the trade has got to the stage now where it is just plug and play. Basically, garages plug a car into a computer which diagnoses the fault and they replace the part.’

He said: ‘I used to really enjoy fixing cars, finding out what the problem was and then sorting it.  The new models coming in took all the fun out of it.’

He began fitting hands-free sets in cars for a national company and it was during his time with the firm he decided that he could do a much better job of it himself. He took the leap in 2003 and has never really looked back.

He said: ‘I really had to think about it.  It was quite frightening to go it alone but I had a lot of contacts in the business and I have never had a problem getting work.  I knew if things went wrong then there would always be a fall-back for me. I had built up a reputation and what we do is all about trust.  If someone needed a job going they got in touch with me.  It is about getting your name known in the industry and not letting people down.  Quite often a dealer will suggest us as a cheaper option than paying extra for factory-fitted items.  It is amazing how paying £700 extra for a hands-free kit or a fitted sat-nav can put someone off buying a new car.’

The key to what Lee and his company do is all about customer care.  Rather than squeezing customers for every last penny, he always does his best to ensure that his customers get the best service and go away feeling happy.

He said: ‘There were a lot of cowboys out there just looking to make as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time.  The recession has seen a lot of outfits disappear has times have got tougher but we have actually seen our business pick up.’

Lee added: ‘You have to realise that when someone gets a new car, they want it kitted out as soon as possible.  We try to get to people within a couple of days and, when we install the equipment we leave no trace.  For a lot of people, their car is their pride and joy and they don’t want someone to come along and make a mess of it.’ 

Lee and his team cover the South West but there is a network of small outfits across the country that passes work on to one another.

The advent of the internet has seen a lot of the bookings done by email and the key now is to get your company at the top of the search engines.  Lee now spends a lot of his time working on the firm’s internet site and trying to get the attention of potential customers.

He said: ‘You just have to teach yourself as you go along, I have learned so much over the last couple of years and you never stop learning.  These days you cannot afford to stand still you always have to be looking for the next development.  There are all these advances and you have to be ready and willing to take advantage of them.’

For someone with no formal training Lee has taken to running his own company with aplomb but he insists there is no magic formula.

He said: ‘Anyone who runs their own business will tell you that you have to work long hard hours.  There is no easy way round it and no short cuts.  If you want to do something well then you have to put the effort in I am a normal bloke and I like going out with my mates but sometimes have to make sacrifices.’

For someone who is so committed Lee can also see a time when he will not be working around the clock. 

He said: ‘The plan is to get to 50 and then put my feet up.  I have no intention of working these hours for ever.  I love what I do but there is an exit strategy in place.

‘It is about getting your name known and not letting people down’

Lee Fletcher

Mobile Carkit Solutions