It Happened to me

bodavenport

bodavenport

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Might get hammered up here but just wanted to put out a post of be careful, I detail cars on the side and have a full time teaching gig, but after doing this for a few years I was detailing a truck the other day and had my young son with me (3 years old) and just did a rush job but did not realize it at the time. Did not get under the doors very well and a little grit left in the seams of a seat, the owner politely called me out on it, I delivered it while he was not home he had it detailed to sell so to the newer guys don't get so caught up in the process that you miss the not so minor details. Slow down and take your time because it takes months and years to build a reputation and only one job to ruin it. Luckily this gentleman had seen other vehicles I had done and has since brought his wife's car to me but if you are making money of detailing take your time treat each vehicle like it is your only car of the day, when you clean one thinking of the next one you will miss things and if will come back and bite you.
 
Great reminder, not just with detailing but anything. Take your time and check your work.


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as one manager told me " cross your t's and dot your i's"...
 
Take videos prior to detail.Detailed a rat Volvo and the guy just sent me picks about acidic Presoak damage .Well I have it on video prior to detailing it.First thing I do is document damage prior to working on it.I knew this guy was gonna be a problem so I made him pay me in advance of 320.00.
 
And Im not fixing it either.He is one of theses guys that talk about detailing there car for months and never works out.Finally he made a date to do it then it fell through without even calling me.If you can't afford to detail your car do it yourself.Im done with him.
 
I give 2 strikes and your gone.lose one customer gain 10 no loss.
 
bodavenport said:
Might get hammered up here but just wanted to put out a post of be careful, I detail cars on the side and have a full time teaching gig, but after doing this for a few years I was detailing a truck the other day and had my young son with me (3 years old) and just did a rush job but did not realize it at the time. Did not get under the doors very well and a little grit left in the seams of a seat, the owner politely called me out on it, I delivered it while he was not home he had it detailed to sell so to the newer guys don't get so caught up in the process that you miss the not so minor details. Slow down and take your time because it takes months and years to build a reputation and only one job to ruin it. Luckily this gentleman had seen other vehicles I had done and has since brought his wife's car to me but if you are making money of detailing take your time treat each vehicle like it is your only car of the day, when you clean one thinking of the next one you will miss things and if will come back and bite you.
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don't be too hard on yourself. IMO nothing like the above is going to ruin a reputation. Stuff happens. I agree with treating them like they are my own cars. I do that and know that when I lose that feeling it's time to stop selling my services as the fun will be gone and my heart won't be there. They key to the details like what you described is not so much about residual dirt left behind but potentially not being "game-on" all the time could lead to damage. ie. if you get grit from an uncleaned door under a pad or hit a leather seat with too much steam or break through paint, etc.
 
When I was landscaping, I walked around with the customer prior to leaving the job site whenever possible. If I finished and it was getting dark, I tried to set aside a time to stop back and go over everything in the daylight. A happy customer tells two people, an unhappy one tells 200.
 
It happens. I did a job where I got super involved cleaning one section of the car and missed a door jamb entirely. The customer called me out on it within seconds. I was mortified. Don't beat yourself up over it. What I actually do now is use one of Mike's inspection forms as a checkoff while I'm working around the car. It has helped streamline the process and I know where I've already been and what is left.
 
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