I went by a tiny little car lot today, out in the country. I think they had four or maybe five used cars for sale. A few pennants were flapping in the breeze.
I kept going but I started stewing over how small a car lot could be and still have it pay off. Like what if you only had one car to sell, that's it? One car on the lot, with a few light bulbs and pennants strung around to make it look like a proper car lot. Maybe a modest sign, "Gus's Used Cars -- Let's Deal."
So you pull in, assuming you have a car to get there in, and you check out the selection on the lot. It doesn't take long. So of course Gus comes hurrying out, wiping his mouth and hands from eating chicken. Both of you have your eye on the car -- both you and Gus -- because that's all there is. You're trying to think of something nice to say, perhaps, or maybe you're really interested in the car. And Gus is sizing you up for the angle that will be most suitable to make the sale.
We'll leave you standing there...
I went by a car rental place one time, and the way I remember it they only had one car. Take it or leave it. There it set, waiting to transport the first customer wherever he wanted to go. I was thinking that everyone has to start somewhere, but still it seems like you would start with at least two cars. But if you need to start with one car and build a fleet, or maybe you simply want to stick with one car so the work load won't be so great, it's up to you.
Personally, just speaking for myself, if I ran a car rental place I wouldn't want to disappoint all the other customers who might show up, assuming they would. It's great to have one satisfied customer, sure, but not that great, in my opinion, for the rest of the town to be complaining. Or making fun of a car rental with only one car.
It really struck me ... one measly car.
You could start a taxi service easy enough with just one car -- if you could manage to successfully negotiate all the city waivers. Then to disguise your tiny fleet, every other trip across town you could put a different advertising sign on the doors and people would think there was more than one car. Although, again, it'd be bad for business if you started getting more calls than you could handle.
They'd be saying, "We've seen taxis all over town. What'd'ya mean it'll be four hours?"
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