Big detail tomorrow but rain in the forecast. Have questions.

brondondolon

brondondolon

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I have a client who is my parents corporate attorney. Since im new to the industry he wants to test me out on his daughters Hyundai Accent before he lets me touch his Corvettes and Porsche Panamera. Hes wanting me to do a paint correction, headlight restoration, and full interior detail to test me out and see what i can do. The issue is we have rescheduled twice already and I really dont want to reschedule again. The issue im having is tomorrow is sunny as well as thurs but then its supposed to rain fri-mon. Not only does he have 2 corvettes and a Porsche Panamera but his wife has a Mercedes ML and he is one of the only corporate attorneys in the area so he knows every one. With that said i feel as though he could be a valuable customer as far as referrals go.

So here is what im thinking about doing and i want you guys to let me know if its a good idea or not. Im going to let him know about the upcoming weather and offer the option of rescheduling again but im also thinking about doing the job tomorrow and offering that i come out after the rain passes and doing like a maintenance detail" free of charge. Every one likes free stuff no matter what it is so I think this would impress him more and make him happier then just rescheduling. Plus i could whip out a maintenance detail in about an hour so it wouldnt be any skin off my back.

So what do you guys think about me offering a maintenance detail after the weather passes free of charge to this guy?
 
I was always asked about a "Rain Guarantee" when I was mobile. My response was always that I had no control over the weather, so I could not guarantee something that I had no control over. I would do the work, and just mention to him that it looked like weather may be coming in and that she may want to pull the car in.

HUMP
 
I have done numerous details only to have it rain the following day. You are not doing the work for it to stay clean forever. Either offer to reschedule, or detail it out and let him see the work, that is after all what he is after.
 
Is he paying? It seems so. Simply offer a follow-up rinseless (Garry Dean method) wash and dress tires again, and maybe detail spray. If that gets you to work on all those cars, then do it. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money.
 
Hes having me do his daughters car at his office. As far as his cars I dont know where he stores them.
 
Why not offer to do the work in his garage to avoid having to deal with the weather? Tell him that you value his business and are eager to show him what you can do.

He'll be supplying the water and electricity! :-)

I did this a handful of times last year for customers with exotics when the weather was uncertain and I didn't want to chance a coating to rain.
 
Sicktred08fsi said:
Is he paying? It seems so. Simply offer a follow-up rinseless (Garry Dean method) wash and dress tires again, and maybe detail spray. If that gets you to work on all those cars, then do it. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money.
Click to expand...


Yeah thats what im thinking.
 
It is a nice gesture. The bonus would be more work and referrals coming your way. The negative that he may come to always expect it or his referrals would expect the same. You will loose a lot of time and profit pleasing customers with a rain guarantee.

I would personally not do it. I have done a few where I was doing multiple cars for a person over a 2 day period and an unexpected summer shower came in. If a previously done car was not driven in the rain I would go over with a QD if it sat outside. I also advised the customer it was a courtesy not usually done. They appreciated it but did not expect it.
 
i agree with Parttimer, you can't go back and wash a car for free every time it rains you'll go bust. and if you do it once, he'll expect it every time. chances are the top end cars won't be taken out on wet days, so it shouldn't be an issue with those. and if this is a daily driver then he has to realise it's not gonna stay clean for long. by all means offer a follow up, but for a fee. you could actually use this as an opportunity to discuss a regular maintenance wash :xyxthumbs:
 
I just emailed him. I informed him of the upcoming weather. I then gave him some options. I told him we can reschedule for a later date or i can offer a maintenance wash this one time free of charge. I then told him I dont typically offer a maintenance wash for free as i have no control of the weather but since we have had to reschedule so many times already im sure you just want to get it and i then told him that his satisfaction is more important to me then making some money and never hearing from him again. My email was more professional and eloquent then what i just typed but none the less meant the same.
 
Yes, that sounds perfect and seems to cover all angles with him. Good luck.
 
Nice thread, great advice you got from friends, and you definitively acted the right way.

Rain is always a concern for me as well, I liked the 'out of control variable' argument because it's absolutely true,

But it hurts to deliver a just detailed car in a rainstorm, no? Once a customer called me asking if he could dry the car with a cloth (rained 4 hours after delivering the car)... The best I could was instructing him to 'flood and sheet the water' with a hose, then dry with the softest towel he had available without scrubbing, which happened to be a bath cotton towel lol!

Telling this to illustrate how much this weather thing may influence customers.

Difficult variable to deal, but if constant rainstorm is to happen (and customer care / some DON'T), I may try to re-schedule, even this being inconvenient for both sides.

Kind Regards.
 
Sicktred08fsi said:
Is he paying? It seems so. Simply offer a follow-up rinseless (Garry Dean method) wash and dress tires again, and maybe detail spray. If that gets you to work on all those cars, then do it. Sometimes you have to spend money to make money.
Click to expand...

This 100%.
 
What is your hourly rate...
Is that how you bid detailing jobs?

Ask yourself:
Will the price that I'm charging for detailing the
daughter's vehicle, have any bearing on what is
expected to be charged for the father's vehicles?

Good Luck...
Hope you're able to overcome your
recent physical (& medical) problems.

Bob
 
brondondolon said:
Yeah thats what im thinking.
Click to expand...

He's an attorney, he obviously makes plenty of money, do not do anything for free. If you don't put a value on your service why would or should he? You need to establish yourself yes I understand that , but freebies don't do that. Plus then you'll have a more difficult time asking for more $$$ if you get the opportunity to do his other vehicles. How much free work does he do for your parents company? Just food for thought.

+1 on what Bob said too.
 
if is one lesson i learn at first stage in detailing will be this:
- related with money , even if the people have money or a good job , does not mean he will spend on his cars , or your service.
- related with cars , even if the people have nice cars/ exotics/ expensive cars , does not mean he want`s them wash , or he will care , or want`s to pay more for a better service.

don`t assume , take what`s on your plate now and deal with other stuff later...
who wan`t your service it will find you , get a good job and put your name out.
and you don`t want your name to be "the freebie guy"
 
Cosmin said:
if is one lesson i learn at first stage in detailing will be this:
- related with money , even if the people have money or a good job , does not mean he will spend on his cars , or your service.
- related with cars , even if the people have nice cars/ exotics/ expensive cars , does not mean he want`s them wash , or he will care , or want`s to pay more for a better service.
Click to expand...

:iagree:

My wifes uncle has a Lambo (yellow), Maserati (black), and Porsche 911 turbo (black). They are in terrible shape, the swirls are even noticeable on the Lambo. He has a guy wash them every weekend. I pointed this out to him and asked why he uses that guy. The answer......He is the cheapest. I told him he should have the paint on them corrected, and he laughed saying they were clean.

I forbid his parents and my in-laws from letting him know I do their cars (for free).
 
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