How do I check a bike shop’s spring tune-up backlog and booking system?
Ask to see the current queue of booked and waiting bikes, with dates, deposits and who is assigned. Compare it with how many bikes the mechanics can finish in a week. Then check how bookings are recorded and whether the system and customer list transfer to you.
Spring is when a bike shop’s workshop is fullest, so the backlog tells you a lot. Ask for the list of bikes in the shop and those booked ahead. Note how long the wait is and whether customers have been told. A long queue can mean strong demand, or it can mean the shop lacks the hands to keep up.
Compare the queue with capacity. How many mechanics are there, how many bench stations, and how many jobs do they finish on a typical day? If the shop depends on one person, a vacation or illness could stall everything. Ask what happens to customers who are waiting during a change of ownership.
Look at the booking system itself. Is it paper, a calendar or software? Who has the login, and does the account move to you with the sale? Check deposits and prepayments, because those are promises you will inherit. Ask whether work already paid for will be done at the seller’s cost or yours, and settle it in the purchase terms. Ask also how customers are told when their bike is ready, and whether that communication would carry on smoothly if you took over mid-season.
Key takeaways
- Review the full queue, including deposits, wait times and what customers have been told.
- Compare backlog to mechanic capacity during a normal busy week.
- Confirm that the booking system, its data and any prepaid work transfer clearly.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAfter buying a business, what is the next step?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentEquipment valuation: How to do it
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