How to ease the shock from buffing costs to customer?

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heckhole

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When I have walk ins, or schedule inspection appointments, I probably only close 25% of the deals. IMO, I am not doing a very good job with it. I'm personable, friendly, have my car/truck ready 100% of the time to show case my work, along with photos, Facebook albums, etc.

However when I drop an hourly rate, or go for a complete price, more often than not I get the "I'll get back to you" or "what??? The other shop will do it for $130". Naturally I go over the difference in steps. The one thing I do not do is say "I can do the same job as them for that price". They are being told they will have full swirl removal, etc. I know they are being lied to. I've always asked what their expectations are, I have body panels in the shop with various degrees of polishing to show the differences and they do help with the sale at times.

However, what are some ways to soften the blow of my hourly rate, or complete job price? I've put together package pricing with listed out steps and they just seem to confuse everyone no matter how simple I make it.

I really want to eliminate the shock and awe. I realize there will always be a large group of potential clients who will turn around, fly out the door and go buy some OTC products and brag how they spent $30 on materials and 3 hours of their time and feel they can do what I perform. But, for those I think I'm honestly scaring away, what will help?
 
First of all, 25% closing rate is awful. Perhaps you need to get some sales training?

I would consider simplifying your pitch... a lot. It should take less than 90 seconds from start to end, not counting any questions they might follow it with.

You need to be offering a free test spot on their car, not showing only what you have done to others. It makes a huge difference when it is not someone else's vehicle but their own.

Also... I know some will disagree with me, but I feel like hourly pricing is a huge double edge sword in detailing. They don't want to hear "I charge $45 an hour labor, I think it will take 8-12 hours.". They want to hear, "It will be, $450 total, taxes included.". Simple, basic sales pitches and pricing makes customers feel comfortable, people will not buy if they feel uneasy!

Are these people coming in specifically inquiring about paint correction, or are you trying to sell it to them without them inquiring? Most people do not care about and do not want to pay for paint correction, they want a shiny clean car. Real money is in up sells such as odor removal treatments, glass coatings, fabric coatings, ect..

More info please!
 
Are these people coming in specifically inquiring about paint correction, or are you trying to sell it to them without them inquiring? Most people do not care about and do not want to pay for paint correction, they want a shiny clean car. Real money is in up sells such as odor removal treatments, glass coatings, fabric coatings, ect..

More info please![/QUOTE]

Amen to that. You can't sell or educate a potential customer who has no understanding or care about what swirl free concours level paint is. They don't care and they won't maintain it. You will continue to lose business at the medium level until you give them what they are looking for, a shiny car. Like Mike P has posted here many times, the AIO is the life Bread $$$ of production detailing.

Today I parked next to a $90,000 Jag, it was black and it was a mess. A Black BMW 535 was parked next to it, it was filthy, swirled out, nasty brake dust etc. So there was like $140,000 in two cars and they were trashed. My $30,000 Nissan looked way better and it's white and it hasn't been washed in a few weeks! Those people could care less.

You will starve if you're going to take the approach that you're going to educate the average person to be a OCD like the rest of us here. We are a small microcosm. Do quality work, do it fast and make a good living, give the customers what they want, a clean shiny vehicle and slightly exceed their expectations and stop there. Like he said above, make your money on the add ons, and maybe give them a complimentary one on their first detail. Give them a frequent customer discount, like on every 5th detail a 10% discount and create a referral program with a 15% discount to them for every paying customer they refer.

I've been in commissioned sales for 25 years, and if I had a 25% closure rate I'd have been fired form every company I worked for which is only three since 1988. 50% won't cut it. I'm not saying that to be mean but to have a customer walk in to your place and let them leave w/o closing a deal is insane. No matter what it takes. You know the old saying, a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.

If that person said to me the other guy said he'd do it for $130.00 I would have said I'll do it for $125.00 can I schedule you for tomorrow or is their another day that would be more convenient? And I'll throw in a free air freshener blah blah what ever.

And I'd blast thru that car in 3 hours or less. Try to maintain an average of $50.00 an hour.

$125.00 / 3 = $41.60 hr with meeting / cutting the price.

3 cars a day @ $125 = $375.00 x 5 days a week $1,875.00 x 50 weeks = $93,750.00.

Not a bad living for a wax jockey and you have 2 days a week off.

I know a guy who makes $150,000 a year tinting windows! He is a genius to be sure but he has it dialed in.
 
I have been in sales for 13 years. That is my primary busiess. Lol. These people are coming in asking about polishing. Anyone who inquires with questions seems to be a stroker and seems they've been to other shops first, so my rate or package price just immediately scares them off.

I have done many test spots for free, those always close the deal. However with the rates the other shops charge for 'buffing' being dirt cheap, I find myself explaining the difference and that helps a lot - but still watch a lot of people walk away and I'll see their cars at the other shop getting the AIO treatment that was sold like a total swirl/scratch removal/improvement and the cars look horrid.

I'm not trying to up sell, not trying to push. I believe the market here is different than many since the cost of living is so high, that there is less desire for a true polishing job on their cars.

The hotrod customers & the OCD customers are an easy sell. Options, price, portfolio & appointment is booked. The every day walk ins looking for a light polish, or spot repairs with a wash and wax choke every time when I come back with "5 hours, $x". Obviously includes wheel cleaning, dressings, etc.
 
Build your business on cleaner-wax details.... they are quick and you have a better chance of getting repeat customers.... and some of them will grow to understand your unique selling points and appreciate them enough to have you work on their vehicle and potential to up-sell will surface.
 
You should know in 3 minutes if you can close the deal or not,and agree don't mention the hourly rate.If you and the customer have time ,do a sample so they can look at it all the time it never fails when you do a sample.And expectations play a big role as well for pricing like a 1 step or 2 step etc,you have to find out where there head is at is it perfection or just a production detail.First thing I ask is what there budget is ,then go from there this industry is very educating to the consumer they think it's one flat price for any car or truck.
 
custmsprty said:
Are these people coming in specifically inquiring about paint correction, or are you trying to sell it to them without them inquiring? Most people do not care about and do not want to pay for paint correction, they want a shiny clean car. Real money is in up sells such as odor removal treatments, glass coatings, fabric coatings, ect..

More info please!
Click to expand...

Amen to that. You can't sell or educate a potential customer who has no understanding or care about what swirl free concours level paint is. They don't care and they won't maintain it. You will continue to lose business at the medium level until you give them what they are looking for, a shiny car. Like Mike P has posted here many times, the AIO is the life Bread $$$ of production detailing.

Today I parked next to a $90,000 Jag, it was black and it was a mess. A Black BMW 535 was parked next to it, it was filthy, swirled out, nasty brake dust etc. So there was like $140,000 in two cars and they were trashed. My $30,000 Nissan looked way better and it's white and it hasn't been washed in a few weeks! Those people could care less.

You will starve if you're going to take the approach that you're going to educate the average person to be a OCD like the rest of us here. We are a small microcosm. Do quality work, do it fast and make a good living, give the customers what they want, a clean shiny vehicle and slightly exceed their expectations and stop there. Like he said above, make your money on the add ons, and maybe give them a complimentary one on their first detail. Give them a frequent customer discount, like on every 5th detail a 10% discount and create a referral program with a 15% discount to them for every paying customer they refer.

I've been in commissioned sales for 25 years, and if I had a 25% closure rate I'd have been fired form every company I worked for which is only three since 1988. 50% won't cut it. I'm not saying that to be mean but to have a customer walk in to your place and let them leave w/o closing a deal is insane. No matter what it takes. You know the old saying, a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.

If that person said to me the other guy said he'd do it for $130.00 I would have said I'll do it for $125.00 can I schedule you for tomorrow or is their another day that would be more convenient? And I'll throw in a free air freshener blah blah what ever.[/QUOTE]

I totally understand your perspective. Don't you feel that you are under selling yourself though? I won't work unless I can profit. If I under cut the 2 shops on the same strip, they will under cut once they see quoted cars at my shop. So what happens when AIO's turn into a $110 job that include washing, wheel cleanings, dressings?

I can't have that. I need creative ways to sell my expertise. The buffing is not my bread & butter at the shop, interiors are. My average polish job is around $325, it's been extremely healthy profit wise, but I would like to set my guys up with some AIO'S, but I can't justify the heat, electric, water & their hourly wages for a few extra $120 jobs.
 
mwoolfso said:
Build your business on cleaner-wax details.... they are quick and you have a better chance of getting repeat customers.... and some of them will grow to understand your unique selling points and appreciate them enough to have you work on their vehicle and potential to up-sell will surface.
Click to expand...

:dblthumb2::dblthumb2::dblthumb2:
 
I can't have that. I need creative ways to sell my expertise. The buffing is not my bread & butter at the shop, interiors are. My average polish job is around $325, it's been extremely healthy profit wise, but I would like to set my guys up with some AIO'S, but I can't justify the heat, electric, water & their hourly wages for a few extra $120 jobs.[/QUOTE]

Then you need to let that business go and do your best to focus your marketing on what your shop does best and you can make the most money at. It may take some time and be a painful process but hopefully it will pay out in the long run.

I have daily situations where I have to decide whether to meet/beat competitive quotes or proposals and I completely agree with you. I take each one on a case by case basis and walk from some, but not before torching it to the ground!!! Sometimes my competitive nature gets the best of me. :props:
 
If your prices are the highest around I would consider have a price range thats a little lower until you get your name out there. Offer cleaner wax details and concentrate on aio polishes/sealants for the majority of the lower end details.

wasodetail
 
Maybe going mobile would be a option for you,getting rid of all those expenses and work by yourself and a larger exposure audience.
 
You guys that mention test spots for the customer: where is the best area of the car for a test spot? You guys have a specific area you like to do it?
 
If it's white I don't bother doing a sample,but when I do always on the drivers side upper door or fender or quarter panel depends on the model car ,you want a big flat surface when they approach the drivers side.
 
GSKR said:
If it's white I don't bother doing a sample,but when I do always on the drivers side upper door or fender or quarter panel depends on the model car ,you want a big flat surface when they approach the drivers side.
Click to expand...

Thanks, thats what I wondered. Put it where they have to see how much better there car can look.
 
GSKR said:
If it's white I don't bother doing a sample,but when I do always on the drivers side upper door or fender or quarter panel depends on the model car ,you want a big flat surface when they approach the drivers side.
Click to expand...

In Florida where the sun shines bright I always do a test spot on the hood, it speaks Volumes!

 
I love this time of the year down here in West Coast Florida, the sun rides low on the horizon for the next 5 months, it exposes the sides of cars when you're out driving around and the swirls they do abound. The point being the average population could care less about swirl free paint and wouldn't maintain it even if they paid for it.
 
custmsprty said:
I can't have that. I need creative ways to sell my expertise. The buffing is not my bread & butter at the shop, interiors are. My average polish job is around $325, it's been extremely healthy profit wise, but I would like to set my guys up with some AIO'S, but I can't justify the heat, electric, water & their hourly wages for a few extra $120 jobs.
Click to expand...


Then you need to let that business go and do your best to focus your marketing on what your shop does best and you can make the most money at. It may take some time and be a painful process but hopefully it will pay out in the long run.

I have daily situations where I have to decide whether to meet/beat competitive quotes or proposals and I completely agree with you. I take each one on a case by case basis and walk from some, but not before torching it to the ground!!! Sometimes my competitive nature gets the best of me. :props:[/QUOTE]

I try to figure out who they are, what they do, who they know. If I sense referrals coming from them, then yes I will play with the cost.

I have done some advertising aimed specifically at car enthusiasts and that has been my most success with closing deals.

It's funny because anyone who walks in for buffing, wants swirls removed, has been to other detailers before, they weren't happy and here they are at my shop.

I will not start my machines for anything less than $100. All in one is a total of $150 for cars $175 for large suv/truck. I will compound areas that your eyes hit and make it look better under Windows and maybe on small hoods or trunks if it's so severe that it'll look terrible compared to the rest of my work on that vehicle.

But I rarely do AIO, I can't close that AIO deal. If anyone asks for compounding or a real quality buff, it's sold without hesitation, they generally start around $300 & if they want me to go crazy, it's $50hr until I'm done.

I've thought about not offering the AIO to the public & only the dealer. The dealer will pay significantly more for an AIO.
 
GSKR said:
Maybe going mobile would be a option for you,getting rid of all those expenses and work by yourself and a larger exposure audience.
Click to expand...

Mobile is not an option because of location & this being a 2nd business for me. My primary business is much more lucrative financially. This is more for 'fun' and extra breathing room financially. The interior side is fantastic. It's a steady stream of $$ and repeat customers, new dealers, new customers. The polishing side, is much harder to sell to the average inquiring customer who isn't much of a car enthusiast, but still wants a rich looking vehicle.

If interiors went away, the polishing side would cover bills, just from the work I can handle at night. I feel like the AIO'S that I can't ever close would generate more $, get my guys some extra income, but it's so cut throat that I can't justify the expense that goes with taking on the local $130 rate for a full exterior detail & AIO.

The shop has only been open for about 5 weeks. It was an instant money maker. Maybe I should just bite the bullet on a few AIO'S for the local $130 rate and with a hand full of those cars & referrals going around, I will be able to get the rate I want regardless of the other shops.
 
Why not charge $150.00 with a free follow up exterior only wash within the next xxx days? for new clients. Still keeps you from a price war and gets them back in to reconsider additional services.
 
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