I'm not sure of this is for real or sarcastic - but I disagree. Everyone is judged to some extent by how they look - it's just human nature. This is why you don't see doctors, lawyers, and bank presidents with blue hair and a bone through their nose.
That being said, I consider detailers more like tradesmen or artists and wouldn't have an issue with a guy with a mohawk and gauges detailing my car. Detailers can have a professional image, but IMHO it's not a profession. This is not to take anything away from detailers, as what something is labeled doesn't mean a whole lot in the scheme of things.
I agree with the tradesman/artist statement... but... Not a "profession" really?
I'd think there are those that'd disagree with that statement.
For instance; There are plenty of folks out there, from all walks of life that THINK they can detail a car. And actually... they may be pretty good at it ON THEIR CAR. But put them up against other vehicles out there and they might get lost.
Move on to another 'profession'. Take kids in college going to pharmacy school
they might not know what's going on ( YET ) but they are working on being a 'professional'.
Those of y'all that know me... know that owned a flatbed (only) towing business for 18 years. I specialized in working with insurance companies and hi-line autos. I never got dirty and greasy, kept all my trucks immaculate at all times, even kept a change of clothes in my trucks in the event that a change was needed.
Image is everything!
My business was in transport more than anything. But... for those that worked wrecks on a regular basis there are tons of courses you can take on 'recovery' and how to do it right. There is a lot of science that goes into it when you start working on angles, weights, calculating loads etc. Along with that... are nationally recognized certifications.
Moving back to what I did most of the time though. I literally can't count the times that I'd walk into a dirty, greasy, nasty Police impound towing yard (non of which are owned by any city/county) to pick up a vehicle for a dealership, body shop, insurance company etc. and I'd give the person at the counter the VIN number, tell them I was there to pay out the vehicle, then they'd tell me what lot it was on and ask if I needed photos of it "for your file". I'd tell them I needed them to open the gate so I could get my truck down there and load it up. They'd just look at me and say "
You don't look like a "wrecker driver", you look like an insurance adjuster."
You see... Insurance Adjusters (the "professionals") also go to the same places, and pay out the vehicles, so that later they can send someone to pick it up. It may not be repairable, and in fact may be going to a salvage auction. None the less, THEY are 'professionals' and would pay the charges so as to get the daily impound fees stopped.
Yet when looking at me (
or any of my guys) I'd get the same statement, time and time again. My reply was: "
Well thank you. Actually I am NOT a wrecker driver, I am a Professional Towing Operator and have the certifications to prove it. I think a "wrecker" is the guy that is slipping in the back door to see your wife after you leave for work." :laughing:
You can be a professional, no matter what you do. Call a guy that's a hack, be that a plumber, an electrician, a roofer, or YES someone to detail your vehicle..... and compare their work to someone that works and strives daily to be a 'professional'.
(BTW... electricians SHOULD be a member of the IBEW Union (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) but that doesn't mean they all are!)
I guess the point I'm making is you need to;
- Think like a professional
- Walk like a professional
- Talk like a professional
- WORK like a professional
- To..... BE a Professional
All that aside.... I also don't detail full time, never will. That's no big secret. OTOH, I'll put my work up against ANY so called professional at your local Car Wash or Dealership. (Which are the ones I think you are addressing.)
Because with 'them'... their Full Deluxe Detail isn't but $195. And as is the case with Heritage Cadillac just last week they sent me a coupon for a $60 discount on that "Full Deluxe Detail" that included interior clean, glass cleaned inside and out, carpet shampoo, engine detail (and shined), wheels cleaned, tires shined, paint buffed, with paint sealant.
All for ONLY $130.00!!!! (
After discount)
Considering my
WASH jobs start at $65. :laughing:
That is SURELY NOT the type of 'professional' this guy was, is, and will EVER be.
Although putting my work up (
or yours for that matter) against theirs.... for the masses.... well, that'll never happen. As we AG'ers already know, Joe & Mary Public just do not have any idea what a "professional" detail is. And even worse, they (
for the most part) DON'T CARE.
Remember my thread from a couple years ago.... "you can't fix stupid"? That guy is my oldest friend in the world. But he DOESNT HAVE A CLUE! He actually bought his wife a new MB 350 SUV a few months ago. The Lexus in that thread I offered to touch up for him, so that he could get maximum dollars out of it. Nope... didn't have the time he said. Tried to trade it on the Mercedes... they offered him next to nothing. Put it up on AutoTrader at $15,500 didn't get any bites. Bad ad, bad photos, priced too high. It sat there for 30 days, no bites, extended it another 15 days, still no bites.
I asked him if he even bothered to put any "wax" (
meaning paint sealant) on it before he sold it. Nope...
Don't have the time. Drove it... DROVE IT through the car wash!!!:doh:
Finally, with the car still sitting there, and not getting ANYWHERE NEAR the interest in it he thought he was going to get what did he do? Did he then decide to lower the price to say $14,500
which it would have brought ALL DAY LONG (provided he let me touch it up, do a quick buff on it, and reapply sealant to it)? Nope...
Don't have the time.
Instead......
You're not going to believe this.....
He took it to......
CARMAX!!!!!!!!!!
And sold it for $11,000! I snit you not!
I'd offered to do it (as a favor) for $250. That would have guaranteed him a MINIMIM of $14,000 on that car. In fact... I told him that if paying me $250 didn't get him AT LEAST $500 more that I'd give him half of it back. Still his reply...
Don't have the time.
You Can't Fix Stupid!
