I agree. Keep it simple.
Don't make your customer's WORK at figuring out what they want.
Make it easy.
Like others said, if you're new to this forum, then I'd recommend start reading. There is so much GOOD high quality information on this forum that will bring you up to speed with the industry quickly.
In my classes, I teach the guys that attend that want to detail cars for money, (many people attend my classes simply to learn how to detail their own cars), that the way you command higher prices than the guy down the road is because your educated in this craft. When you're educated - it makes it easy to educate your customers and that's really the secret to getting paid a higher price than the guys that charge so little and are here today (ruining the business), and gone tomorrow.
Any hands-on class you can attend is better than trudging along trying to figure it out by yourself and ANY
quality class is a lot better than watching YouTube videos. Not that YouTube videos are bad but there's something to be said for having a true instructor place their hand on your hand as you're running a machine for the first time showing you the simple things. like,
- How hard to press down or perhaps how lightly to press down.
- How fast to move the polisher or how slow to move the polisher over the surface.
- The direction to move the polisher over the surface and WHEN to let the panel be your guide.
- How long to run the polisher
- How to do a Test Spot
- What to do when inspecting the results of a Test Spot
- Dialing-in a successful, prove approach for each car you work on.
- How to tackle a car once you dial in your process.
- The difference in how you work compounds, polishes, finishing waxes and cleaner/waxes.
- Pad selection
- Tools speed
- How to clean a pad on the fly
- When to switch to a new pad
- What to do if a "mistake" happens
- What a VIF is and how and when to use one
That's just off the top of my head and that's JUST for the paint polishing aspect.
There is so much more work to do...
- Washing
- Decontaminating - both chemical and mechanical
- Removing water spots and road film off glass
- Wheels and tires
- Fender wells
- Headlights
- Engine compartments
- Interiors
- Vinyl tops
- Canvas tops
- Chrome, aluminum and stainless polishing
And the above is just off the top of my head...
For you or anyone that is reading this post into the future, if you're new to car detailing, here's a brand new video series that will share TONS of information, education, tips and techniques, just sit back, pay attention and take some notes...
The key thing is learning. In fact in my opinion, you NEVER stop learning. There is so much new technology being introduced at such a fast pace that the only way to be on top of your game it to be what I call and what I practice and that is you need to be
A perpetual student
Good luck my friend...
