Am I crazy?

OCD Detailing

OCD Detailing

New member
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
167
Reaction score
0
Just an introduction: My friend and I started a mobile detailing company 2 months ago with nothing more than an education from youtube, google, and autogeek. When I say education I mean I spent many nights up until 5am reading up when I had to be at my normal job at 6am. I also bought Mike's book and have read it a few times. We also did full paint corrections for free on a few friend's cars.

The business is going well. We don't attempt anything that would risk the cars but with the Rupes (we bought the 21, the 75 and the Duetto) it seems even rookies like us can do a good job. Well at least until we got our first Jet Black BMW 7 series. But that's a different story. :buffing:

My problem, at least one of them, is washing cars that don't look much better after they are done. The ones that were so neglected that nothing can make them look good. I literally feel like crap when we are done, like we are no good at what we do and the client is going to hate it. So far all of our clients have been overjoyed with our work which is great, but it still messes with my head. Is that normal?

On a related topic, even when a car does look good when we are done, it never looks good enough to me or my partner. We constantly think this is the client that isn't going to be happy. Yet, like I said they have all been extremely happy with our work and referred us quite a bit and that should be enough.

Just curious if this is something that will pass once we get a lot of details under our belts?

On a side and totally unrelated note, We bought the Metro Blaster a few weeks ago and it's amazing how fun it makes drying cars. I actually look forward to the car wash just so I can use the blaster. Strange how watching water blow is fun.

:props:
 
Many years ago I had a cabinet shop. I was rarely pleased with anything that went out the door. It could have always better. Should have done this or should have done that. There was always a detail that should have been better.
The client walks in and thinks it's great, just what they wanted but better. It took me a number of years to realize that perfection is not necessary.
As you work on those cars you have your nose on the paint and see every little defect as I did with woodworking. At best the customer will be at arms length and see nothing but great work. As mentioned by Dennis you care about the quality of work you provide and that is important. Hopefully at some point you will get a feel for where to draw the line and be comfortable with that level service.

Ralph
 
You could gently use the occasion for a little upsell later..."You might consider a little paint polishing to remove some additional aging. It makes the car even shinier and the wax tends to last a bit longer"

It might also be that the customer's budget doesn't allow fully turning you loose, or that they are auditioning you on an 'easy' job before turning you loose on a full correction.

If you're doing what you promised, for the agreed upon price, there is nothing to feel guilty about.
 
Remember as long as you set the right expectations for a car wash with exactly what you will be doing and the outcome your customer will expect, if you meet that, they will be happy. As long as your customers arent expecting you to wash away swirls, you will be fine. But use that as an opportunity to sell additional services.
 
Rarely, do I find myself walking away from a job saying to my self, "I couldn't have done that any better." I'm constantly looking in my own rear view mirror, either analyzing or beating myself-up, mentally, about how I should have "seen it coming", or "I should have known better," For example, cleaning the car in the wrong order, or not really seeing spots I missed earlier, etc.
I did this too when I was a mechanic. I do it automatically, but I have to remind myself to ignore my own thinking tendencies. It happened again today; I literally had to remind myself over and over to just accept the situation for what it was instead of how I wished it to be.
I don't know if what I just wrote is paralell to what you're saying; if not, I think you'll adjust in time and realize you can't always achieve what you would like too, which is near perfection, probably. However, your skills will improve, insight to technique and product knowledge will continue to grow, which will allow you to detail faster/more efficiently. When I experience this, my details are more satisfying.
Good luck; keep honing your skills.
 
I have to say this and it may come off not so nice. If your only education is youtube and books you have no business being in business or touching anyone's car but friends and family cars for at least one or two years before you should even touch a customers car. There are so many people on this forum starting detailing businesses with no real training or any work experience at all. I did friends and family cars for 4 years before I went full time and learn a lot in those four years. I feel know I can handle almost anything that comes my way. I'm so tired of people asking the most simple things in detailing when you should know most of this stuff way before you ever touch any customers car ever. To many people think they can start a detailing business with no experience or training. Reading and watching videos doesn't make you a detailer at all real hands on experience does and time. I've seen to many people on here doing things they have no business doing on a customers car and then they post on here how do I fix this.
 
Pureshine said:
I have to say this and it may come off not so nice. If your only education is youtube and books you have no business being in business or touching anyone's car but friends and family cars for at least one or two years before you should even touch a customers car. There are so many people on this forum starting detailing businesses with no real training or any work experience at all. I did friends and family cars for 4 years before I went full time and learn a lot in those four years. I feel know I can handle almost anything that comes my way. I'm so tired of people asking the most simple things in detailing when you should know most of this stuff way before you ever touch any customers car ever. To many people think they can start a detailing business with no experience or training. Reading and watching videos doesn't make you a detailer at all real hands on experience does and time. I've seen to many people on here doing things they have no business doing on a customers car and then they post on here how do I fix this.
Click to expand...

BOOOOOOO HISSSSSS TWO THUMBS DOWN!!!!!!! :bash:
 
"A true artist won't be satisfied. So I guess that's the sacrifice." -Macklemore

Sent from my N9810 using AG Online
 
I detail cars for friends and family and I have NEVER been happy with my work. In my eyes I can see everything I missed (real or imagined) or beat myself up over a stain/etching that couldn't be removed.

Like mentioned above, it just means that you take pride in your work and are always trying to give 110%. Even though I KNOW they are not show cars or garage queens, it still doesn't allow me to do less than my best.

PS: and oh yes, you ARE crazy
 
Pureshine said:
I have to say this and it may come off not so nice. If your only education is youtube and books you have no business being in business or touching anyone's car but friends and family cars for at least one or two years before you should even touch a customers car. There are so many people on this forum starting detailing businesses with no real training or any work experience at all. I did friends and family cars for 4 years before I went full time and learn a lot in those four years. I feel know I can handle almost anything that comes my way. I'm so tired of people asking the most simple things in detailing when you should know most of this stuff way before you ever touch any customers car ever. To many people think they can start a detailing business with no experience or training. Reading and watching videos doesn't make you a detailer at all real hands on experience does and time. I've seen to many people on here doing things they have no business doing on a customers car and then they post on here how do I fix this.
Click to expand...

OP, please disregard this post.

Pureshine is well meaning but disregards the fact that not everyone has a chance or desire to spend years preparing to do relatively simple tasks in detailing.

A big part of ANY business is risk, and while I 100% agree that you should not be performing tasks that you are not experienced in such as wet sanding, correcting heavy defects, red stain removal with heat, ect. a good 70% of the detailing process is relatively simple tasks that just require a lot of patience, a little bit of knowledge, and some common sense to do correctly.

This is why you are having such success! Even though the cars you are doing are not perfect in your eyes, you are doing the things that you do offer really well! It's a big first step in realizing how important quality is when doing this.

Keep going forward my friend! If no one ever started from the bottom and worked their way up by taking risks and diving in there would be no real experts at all in this industry.:dblthumb2:
 
Your results will earn either repeat customers, recommendations or no customers at all. Only time will tell if what you are doing for the money is what people want. Customers dictate your results by coming back or spreading the word. You have to settle for results based on price and promise.
 
Coming from someone who spent 6 years in an apprenticeship before being allowed to go out on his own, I do see the value in working under someone more experienced than you to learn the trade.

If you have the opportunity to work part time with an expert, then I would embrace that as part of your learning/journey. But, I'd say Pureshine's arbitrary delineation isn't necessarily true.

But, to address your OP, I think it is healthy to be simultaneously proud of what you have done but also realize that you can improve. If you spend your time dedicated to your trade and constantly self-reflect, then you're doing it right. (This is a general philosophy that is widely applicable.)
 
VP Mark said:
OP, please disregard this post.

Pureshine is well meaning but disregards the fact that not everyone has a chance or desire to spend years preparing to do relatively simple tasks in detailing.

A big part of ANY business is risk, and while I 100% agree that you should not be performing tasks that you are not experienced in such as wet sanding, correcting heavy defects, red stain removal with heat, ect. a good 70% of the detailing process is relatively simple tasks that just require a lot of patience, a little bit of knowledge, and some common sense to do correctly.

This is why you are having such success! Even though the cars you are doing are not perfect in your eyes, you are doing the things that you do offer really well! It's a big first step in realizing how important quality is when doing this.

Keep going forward my friend! If no one ever started from the bottom and worked their way up by taking risks and diving in there would be no real experts at all in this industry.:dblthumb2:
Click to expand...

I wouldn't disregard my post! This is the biggest problem in our industry is people starting detailing business with no training or knowledge of what their doing.
 
Pureshine said:
I wouldn't disregard my post! This is the biggest problem in our industry is people starting detailing business with no training or knowledge of what their doing.
Click to expand...

That is an issue, but spending 5 hours watching autogeek videos and half a day reading forums makes you 100x more knowledgeable than the average swirl shop throughout the country. Lack of knowledge is completely relative in this industry. Just being on this forum makes the OP more qualified than most of the guys running production shops out there.
 
There's a lot of good information out there on forums, youtube, et cetera but I have to agree with Pureshine. You can only learn so much without having someone teach and mentor you. I'm not saying you won't do good work, and chances are you will be doing as good or better work than those who detail at your average dealership. BUT, I feel like there's a big difference between detailing and professional detailing. The issue isn't so much that customers won't be happy with your work, its that the market is extremely saturated and professionals are having a harder time getting paid properly for their work.
I've said this before, but its very similar to professional photography. Of course anyone with a camera can take some photos for you, and they may even be good, but when they only charge a couple hundred bucks it screws over the professionals.
If you care about your work, spend the time and money to learn as much as possible. Make sure you're holding up detailing as a profession, not a hobby.
 
To be an "under-study" under a "professional detailer" is not necessary to break into the detailing scene. Enough information of technique, products, and paint differences can be learned from the internet in a relatively short amount of time. Practicing on your own car, friends cars, and family member's cars IS enough to get you started.
You can be wet sanding as soon as you have watched enough quality videos on how to do it. You can experiment with cutting and polishing as soon as you have seen enough quality videos to guide you.
Sorry, but I have wet sanded my entire van with oem cc, have compounded it, polished it, and, gee-wiz, only videos and forums are where I learned from. Trust me, my van looks great. No, you couldn't make it look better.
The need to be an "under-study" makes me want to laugh and shake my head.
 
It's not necessary, but there is a lot that can be learned outside the web. I've met many in the business who have worked for 15-20, even 30 years and still make beginners mistakes. To continue learning you have to be teachable, at all stages.
I wet sanded my 2 year old VW the first year I started detailing, learned all of it off the internet. I was really happy with the results, it looked brand new in the end. That being said, after a couple years of detailing on the side, I started a full time job and learned a whole lot more from someone who had been doing it for 30 years. It took me a couple months before I was willing to be taught more, but I'm much better for it now. Of course you can break into the scene very quickly, but it doesn't make you a professional. There's loads of good information on line, but theres also certain things taught best in person.
 
I don't think the OP was claiming to be a professional. I'm sure everyone here is willing to learn, including the OP. The OP doesn't need negative, inaccurate comments about how he should stop detailing for the public. That's just absurd.

OCD Detailing, you're being charged by Pshiny and the minority to put your buffer on the ground' and come out with your hands up. Your attempts to earn a living at a relatively easy task are in violation of the Pshiny code of delussional thinking, article VRG, section 3401.
 
I agree! There's no reason to stop or shy away. As in most industries, its all about pushing yourself to try new things and continue learning through all available options. I think its good that OP is only offering the services they feel confident about, and even better that they want to continue working harder even past their customers expectations.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top