People that say they know detailing, but really do not.

GenesisCoupe

GenesisCoupe

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Might be a little rant or a topic for everyone to share their similar experience but here it goes..

This weekend i visited my local O'reilly's Auto Parts store to buy a gas canister for my new pressure washer. While there i noticed that the Meguiar's Tire Coating was on sale for $9.95. I figured i'd give it a try so i bought it.

While in the checkout line, the cashier askes me whether i've used this before. I state that no, and i am going to give it a shot. He then askes me if i know how to remove swirls and small scratches from paint. I was a little surprised as to why he's asking me; maybe it was my AutoGeek Tshirt ?? Anyway, i tell him that i have my own car detailing business and that i do know how to make those swirls and most scratches go away.

His fellow employee hears us talking about it, and somehow get involved in the conversation thinking that I was the one needing help with removing swirls.

He says; You need a rotary machine and you know those sponges that you can buy?

Me; (Acting stupid) Yes i do

Him; Well don't use the sheepskin one, you have to use the sponge version.

Me; Oh really because i know that there are different colors.

Him; Yea you can use any color, they just vary by manufacturer..

Me; Oh Thanks man...

I turn around to the cashier who i spoke to originally and shake my head in a negative way, and hand him my card...

I was so shocked and just in disbelief that someone who thinks they know is teaching people how to get rid of swirls. Image someone using a Yellow cutting pad and a strong compound on a vehicle that might have very little clear left. Disaster!

Anyway..end of my rant..


Anyone else care to share? :)
 
Wow! You should have given the guy with all that great detailing advice your business card!
 
I don't know why this would surprise you in the least. Forget parts store guys who think they know detailing, there are DETAILERS who are hacks working as detailers who know about as much as this guy.
 
There are people who think they know, but don't, in every industry. Downloaded Mike's book on my iPad yesterday, and in the sample video, he states that knowledge is the detailer's best friend.

Knowledge is, quite literally, power. I can clean carpet now, as an O/O with $6k of equipment, better than anyone at the previous company I worked for with their $50k setups. That's all there is to it.

You'll encounter folks that are like this all the time. Your best bet is to create market positioning, and educate everyone around you. By tossing out knowledge, you establish yourself as the expert, and these same folks that don't know what the hell they're talking about can wind up as referral sources in the long term. I've had it happen.
 
Maybe because this was my first ever encounter that i was so shocked. I was thinking about this all day Saturday.. "use the spongy ones" L.O.L
 
Reminds me of: That too often when people become members of the upper-echelon, that they believe they also become: Instantaneously; Yes, seemingly: "Automagically"...electricians/electrical engineers.

Bob
 
And then it can also be the other way around: I'm always getting calls/emails from friends and family who think I "know" detailing and to help them out with products and techniques, when in contrast, I feel like detailing is a skill which is always imporoving and evolving, with so much more to learn!

Asif
 
I hate these type of conversations. I hate when someone starts talking about a bunch of stuff and they don't know what they are talking about. I feel embarrassed for them. I will just keep my mouth shut and let them talk and try to get away.
 
Vtextc said:
And then it can also be the other way around: I'm always getting calls/emails from friends and family who think I "know" detailing and to help them out with products and techniques, when in contrast, I feel like detailing is a skill which is always imporoving and evolving, with so much more to learn!

Asif
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This is a great response. I constantly learn from others. There used to be days where i learned something new every single day. Not so much anymore but it is amazing how much more there is to learn.
 
I have a 2nd job at a major auto parts store, and it is so hard to bite my tongue when people come in and buy some of our products andtalk about what they are using it for. most of my fellow team member just send them to me and I help them out, but I have run in to this situation from the other side of the counter before, and it is painful :(
 
10174932_10202012317929692_2299531176581386744_n.jpg



Hell, most of the time they don't even "appear bright"!
 
Those who think they know everything are annoying to those of us who do. :xyxthumbs:
 
FUNX725 said:
Reminds me of: That too often when people become members of the upper-echelon, that they believe they also become: Instantaneously; Yes, seemingly: "Automagically"...electricians/electrical engineers.

Bob
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Yes sir! I can relate to that Bob.

Being a construction superintendent I deal with this on a daily basis.
 
Most people who post on their model specific car forums detailing section. I always try to give advice which is often overlooked and people try to make it out like I don't know what I'm talking about. Maybe I really don't?
 
goldendodo19 said:
Most people who post on their model specific car forums detailing section. I always try to give advice which is often overlooked and people try to make it out like I don't know what I'm talking about. Maybe I really don't?
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I cringe reading those forums. I don't know why I go back.
 
Loser said:
I cringe reading those forums. I don't know why I go back.
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growing tired of them lol. between the horrible detailing advice and every person modding their car exactly the same it gets boring.
 
runrun411 said:
Sounds like a lot of the people who work at Home Depot. SMH
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That's truth. I went into HD the other day to grab a brass tub nipple and the guy didn't even know such things existed but this is the same place that only had sharkbite angle stops no sweat on types or even typical compressions.

In every industry there are people who are not educated, people who think they have nothing to learn and so on. It goes beyond that though, being more common in people who don't do the task in question on a regular basis. People often find their own way to do things right or wrong and look no further for education on the proper way to complete the task. They then try to pass this on to the even more uneducated. It happens with almost every task under the sun.
 
dirtdestroyer said:
In every industry there are people who are not educated, people who think they have nothing to learn and so on. It goes beyond that though, being more common in people who don't do the task in question on a regular basis. People often find their own way to do things right or wrong and look no further for education on the proper way to complete the task. They then try to pass this on to the even more uneducated. It happens with almost every task under the sun.
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I completely agree. I work in a very specific segment of the IT industry and get it all the time. Often it's from senior management types who have no idea and end up making a decision based on ignorance that causes big headaches later.

I always live by the saying:

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt".
 
DON'T even get me started on this...

1. People assume I know nothing about caring for a car right away because I'm a woman. Regardless of what I've said, explained, demonstrated, etc.

Most times I just keep my mouth shut in these cases.
 
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