I need a lesson in Tact. Help

[Kris R]

I was reading another post about prices and vented a little and decided to ask in a new thread.

I run into a lot of people that scoff at 100 detail because "This one guy comes around and details all our cars for 20 bucks a car. 40 for a coat of wax." ARGH!!!! I spend more than 40 in product alone. What this $40 dollar guy is doing is NOT detailing. Im sorry.

Ive tried VERY hard to think of a way to educate the ignorant but I get too passionate about it and cant think of a tactful way to deal with it. I cant seem to find the clients that know whats involved and know what goes into it and KNOWS Im by far not the most expensive. I want to do the work but I dont want to do it for free.

 

[Devo242]

I find photos extremely convincing to bring on potential customers in these types of situations, especially if they're of him in bed with a woman who isn't his wife.

Sorry, its getting late and I couldn't resist. I deal with people all day and actually have some constructive feedback on this topic from a general standpoint but I'll chime in with it tomorrow if no one else has.

 

[ROMEO]

Just tell them to go see one of those places, and to come and see you after they are done so you can do a test spot and show them the difference...

 

[killrflake]

I guess we'll have to face the fact that there are tons of folks out there that really have no idea of what goes into a real detailing job. Washing a car with dish soap and and drying it with old t-shirts does not a detailing job make.

 

[Rsurfer]

A photo album or a short video on a lap top can do wonders.

 

[kronos]

A photo album or a short video on a lap top can do wonders.

:iagree: A photo album with before and afters, an explanation of what is wrong with the paint and how you're going to fix it may help convince a skeptical client. If not then they're not worth your time either.

 

[Troy@Protekt]

I was reading another post about prices and vented a little and decided to ask in a new thread.

I run into a lot of people that scoff at 100 detail because "This one guy comes around and details all our cars for 20 bucks a car. 40 for a coat of wax." ARGH!!!! I spend more than 40 in product alone. What this $40 dollar guy is doing is NOT detailing. Im sorry.

Ive tried VERY hard to think of a way to educate the ignorant but I get too passionate about it and cant think of a tactful way to deal with it. I cant seem to find the clients that know whats involved and know what goes into it and KNOWS Im by far not the most expensive. I want to do the work but I dont want to do it for free.

My base detail is $150 and have to deal with customers comparing me to guys who charge $100. Not trying to be rude but it's all relative.

These people who go with these super cheap "details" are the people who don't care about their car and would rather go to McDonald's to eat than Applebies because it's cheaper and they don't have to tip.

Educating them helps, but I usually don't waste my time. They aren't the kind of customer I want anyways.

On another note, if your'e spending $40 in product per car then I think you need to re-evaluate.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I've found that the only way to get top dollar is to educate the customer, help them to see understand that there's huge differences in approaches and the key thing is paint is THIN.

IF the first guy messes up the paint, not only does the job have to be done over but the first guys process will have removed some precious film-build and the guy that undoes the damage will also have to remove a little paint... and the life of the paint is in it's mass.


It's also important to match your services to the right customer, if the car is a daily driver then it gets a one-step cleaner/wax unless the customer is willing to pay for a multiple step process.

If you're doing a multiple-step process to the paint on the car that's going to take you pretty much all day, therefore any other aspect of the detail job, for example the interior, is a different day and a different charge.

In case a customer is slow... all you have to do is explain that if you put the buffer down to work on the interior... the paint is no longer getting polished... then ask them.. what do you want? You want the paint polished to perfection or the carpets clean? You can't be doing both at the same time. If it takes you 8 to 12 hours to do a full-on multiple step show car detail than any other procedure is a different day and a different charge.


The good news is with new technology being introduced all the time, paint correction work is getting faster...

 

[Kris R]

My base detail is $150 and have to deal with customers comparing me to guys who charge $100. Not trying to be rude but it's all relative.

On another note, if your'e spending $40 in product per car then I think you need to re-evaluate.

Not per car. Just certain products I use come to mind that are expensive. I could go cheap on some products but i want results.

Second I very well could charge 150 for my basic detail. I assure you skill level and results are not determined by price. Not with me anyway. If you can get away with it then great.

MIke those are good tips. Also the laptop is a great idea.

thanks

 

[g35_coupe]

Just tell them to go see one of those places, and to come and see you after they are done so you can do a test spot and show them the difference...

And be sure to get a before/after of it for future customers and use that for a marketing tool.

 

[Shade Tree]

Do you have a website at all?

Something mentioned earlier is the photo album etc. Most of my business derived from the skeptical customer becoming the appreciative customer once they've seen the before & after results of some past customer's cars.

I also continue to deal with the "this guy does the detail for this price & does a good job" from at least 1 customer per week. I point out some simple facts & differences between their quality & mine. For example, I'm able to perform the work without using the customer's water or electric or even their property for shade.

I can usually knock out a full wash & wax on a full sized car in about 2.5 - 3 hours which is about the same time taken for the other guy. However, I have yet to find a customer who wasn't more impressed with MY results for the extra $20 - $50 they spent for my work. It's the "seeing IS believing" that becomes the justification of a higher price & quality.

It's all in the end results & how you approach the customer as to whether or not you win them over.

 

[cnfowler]

A photo book is really easy and cheap to put together. That's what I use and I've received great feedback from it. Shutterfly is a great place to use. It is easy to put together a really professional, hardback book. If you go this route, don't cheap out and get a small book. Go for at least the 12x12 so your pictures are easier to see.

Colin

 

[rwright]

I've found that the only way to get top dollar is to educate the customer, help them to see understand that there's huge differences in approaches and the key thing is paint is THIN.

IF the first guy messes up the paint, not only does the job have to be done over but the first guys process will have removed some precious film-build and the guy that undoes the damage will also have to remove a little paint... and the life of the paint is in it's mass.


It's also important to match your services to the right customer, if the car is a daily driver then it gets a one-step cleaner/wax unless the customer is willing to pay for a multiple step process.

If you're doing a multiple-step process to the paint on the car that's going to take you pretty much all day, therefore any other aspect of the detail job, for example the interior, is a different day and a different charge.

In case a customer is slow... all you have to do is explain that if you put the buffer down to work on the interior... the paint is no longer getting polished... then ask them.. what do you want? You want the paint polished to perfection or the carpets clean? You can't be doing both at the same time. If it takes you 8 to 12 hours to do a full-on multiple step show car detail than any other procedure is a different day and a different charge.


The good news is with new technology being introduced all the time, paint correction work is getting faster...

^ That is an excellent response Mike, I love it! That pretty much sums up everything. rops:

 

[daveinsweethome]

i think i would need to be george jetson to go any faster. just got my first pia customer. 11hrs on a prius and
$125 for everything. engine, extract, 2 step and zymol titanium. bitched about a 1/16in black again streak on bottom of pass window. oh well i have seen the same from people at car washes all the time doing this. just my own little rant. she was my physical therapist and helped my knee so i should let it go.

 

[Shade Tree]

i think i would need to be george jetson to go any faster. just got my first pia customer. 11hrs on a prius and
$125 for everything. engine, extract, 2 step and zymol titanium. bitched about a 1/16in black again streak on bottom of pass window. oh well i have seen the same from people at car washes all the time doing this. just my own little rant. she was my physical therapist and helped my knee so i should let it go.

I'll tell you what ......... I have more Prius owners who want everything for nearly nothing. I typically ask them exactly what they want to see from the work & more times than not it tends to keep things in a healthy perspective.

11 hours though??? Really??

You realize you actually dug into your own pocket for what you charged, right?

 

[Troy@Protekt]

Not per car. Just certain products I use come to mind that are expensive. I could go cheap on some products but i want results.

Second I very well could charge 150 for my basic detail. I assure you skill level and results are not determined by price. Not with me anyway. If you can get away with it then great.

MIke those are good tips. Also the laptop is a great idea.

thanks

I didn't mean to offend or to say I'm better. Your area might not support the same prices mine does. My point is there are cheap people period and I tried to avoid them.

Just today I had a client who was cheap with me. I gave her a discounted introductory price and she tried to talk me down another $10 dollars. This is a wealthy person driving a nice black Mercedes. That kind of stuff irritates me. I agreed and after I was done she liked it so much she gave me the $10 as a tip anyways.

i think i would need to be george jetson to go any faster. just got my first pia customer. 11hrs on a prius and
$125 for everything. engine, extract, 2 step and zymol titanium. bitched about a 1/16in black again streak on bottom of pass window. oh well i have seen the same from people at car washes all the time doing this. just my own little rant. she was my physical therapist and helped my knee so i should let it go.

Why do you do this? You really are ok with working for less than $10 an hour? This is one reason I have wanted out of this business. Trying to compete with guys who don't put much value on their time. :surrender:

 

[daveinsweethome]

i understand your point. my fees are ridiculous i know. i am retired and do it for the love of detailing. i have no competitors here where i live. i am a retired businessman and would never low ball people in my field. i feel that almost all detailers are underpaid for their work but thats the ballgame. this one prius lady just hit my button wrong i vented a little. doing a friends black vette this weekend should be all the therapy i need.

 

[Troy@Protekt]

i understand your point. my fees are ridiculous i know. i am retired and do it for the love of detailing. i have no competitors here where i live. i am a retired businessman and would never low ball people in my field. i feel that almost all detailers are underpaid for their work but thats the ballgame. this one prius lady just hit my button wrong i vented a little. doing a friends black vette this weekend should be all the therapy i need.

Maybe I need a lesson in tact too. When people post up things like this I assume it's a young guy with no business sense trying to get work by being cheap, thus ruining the market.

I know that's how I was 20 years ago.

Oh and you're right I am under paid for what I do.

:cheers:

 

[Kris R]

I didn't mean to offend or to say I'm better. Your area might not support the same prices mine does. My point is there are cheap people period and I tried to avoid them.

No worries. My area supports it. There are just too many damn car washers around here that say they are detailers.

I had this one lady tell me i was too expensive and then came back because a guy she let detail her car did a crap job.

What pisses me off the most is the Mercedes/Porsche dealer in town has a full scale detail shop and charges about 500 for a detail. I worked there for 8 bucks an hour years ago and I can honestly say I do better work than that shop. I want those customers!

 

[AndrewBall]

i hear you.

i dont have packages my service is more a la carte. I offer different things to people and each one costs something. for example Ill charge $35 for a wash, $15 for engine cleaning, $45 an hour for clay, and $55/hour for scratch removal (sanding), so on and so on. ive found that this typically equals out to competitive pricing vs other people and i have run into the cheap guy.

Sometimes since im new at this think ive set my price point a little high. but honestly thats what the work is worth to me. if it comes down to it and i want the work badly perhaps ill make some adjustments but that hasnt happened yet.

Anyone whose charging $100 for a wash and wax is either loosing money big time or they are using $5 turtle wax wash drying with old bath towels and maybe they smear some mothers pure carnuba on it with a 2 year old foam applicator that has so many different chemicals in it that they have officially created a new chemical compound.