Pricing feedback

[sudsmobile]

As for personal belongings, I request they be removed, but don't insist on it. Has not been an issue, and I have a tray I use to collect anything I do find to return to the client...

This. We request. Some get it, some don't. No biggie, it takes a few minutes. I tell people all trash will be thrown away, anything that looks good will be put in a bag (excluding large items) and placed in the trunk. If you leave it in the car, you're letting me make that distinction. Don't get mad if I don't think your kid's macaroni art is the next Monet.

 

[ek556]

I just did a quick search on yelp typing in auto detailing western MA, and based on what i saw i strongly believe if you put all your passion and hard work into it you can take over a big chunk of the market. Like you mentioned before there arent many shops offering this service, and what that means to me is that you can be the go to guy/shop that does the highest quality work around. This wont happen overnight and will take years, but if you put in consistent effort you will come out as the top detailer in your area.

When I asked about your experience I should of been more clear. I meant how many customers cars have you worked on so far. Friends and family counts as well because it gives you a sense of how long it takes to realistically finish the service your customer chose at a pace your not comfortable with. I believe this is how everyone starts out as well.

If machine polishing is an area you are still learning I would recommend using final polish, or AIO to incorporate into your exterior package. An Enhancement Package is something I would push to get comfortable learning how much defects an AIO can remove on soft or harder clear coats while building experience. This would be your most intensive/luxury offer for exteriors at this time.

Enhancement package:

clean wheels, tires, wheel wells
wash
Decon with Iron x and claybar
AIO
paint sealant


For interiors, I didnt have an extractor or steamer as well when I first started out so it limited my jobs I could take in and the final outcome. Any spills on fabrics I could not get 100% due to no extra power from steaming and extraction of liquid from extractor to help dry it out faster. With all this said, you can purchase a Bissell Pro heat for around 100 and a Mcculloch1385 for 200.

Facebook helps with SEO, and is a good platform to list your services and pricing. You need 30 likes to get registered to google search engines. I never advertised with FB so i dont have any experience with how much business it generated for me. But yelp on the other hand helped my business grow dramatically. I would fill out all your information on yelp and fill in the specialties section with keywords that you offer. That section is the most important which allows potential customers to land on your yelp page by searching specific keywords in your area.
Google is free as well with google my business listing. Equally as impactful as yelp IME. Hope this helps out and good luck on your business.



Lim

This is great feedback, Lim. Thank you very much. Based on what you said, I'm considering the idea of making the Pro Package contain the AIO polish and not offering the one step at this time. At least not in the pricing sheet. Maybe keep it in my pocket to pull out with family or friends willing to let me practice that.

 

[Cruzscarwash]

So this year I made a very good move and stopped offering washes altogether. I looked at my market and saw that everyone and their moms were doing low end washes and I was not willing to lower my prices to that. It was hard to get work as so many people had so many options to choose from for washes and alot of these guys do amazing work but don't know the value of their time and that's the most dangerous competition because the work is not cheap and is high quality. Now they end up going away because they can survive like that but it can take sometimes up to 2 years for that to happen. So I looked around an no one offered polishing so I took the leap and only offered polishing, it's what really made me stand out from everyone else. I even took it as far as requiring the customer to have the car washed within 3 days before I arrived to work on it. This helped me because I was able to give the mobile washers work and they inturn send me clients for Polish work. So now I'm thriving and have set myself apart from those in my area by offering up what was not common here.

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[Belo]

Thanks for the reply, Belo. I appreciate that point of view. With regard to your question on the wax, I'm assuming you're talking about the Intermediate Package? I've actually been thinking about switching it to a spray wax, since I plan on having a list of individual services that customers can add on if they wish. My initial thought was that it would be more desirable for the customer, but still a step below the Advanced Package, since that has the cleaner wax included.

So lets say I switch to a spray wax at that level. Better ROI, I agree. Also leaves room to potential upgrade to a better wax or an AIO/cleaner wax, while still being under the $200 mark of the Advanced package. On the other hand as you suggested, replace that step with an AIO - same time, potentially better results. But that leaves me at a crossroads with what to do with the Advanced package.

As for the leather conditioner, that's in all the packages except at the express level. Thats simply because I use a leather spray cleaner, and my conditioner is a liquid applied with a microfiber applicator pad. I've just always cleaned, then conditioned. I've never used a cleaner/conditioner in one.

Sounds like we're on the same page. I just don't know many people using carnuba anymore. And to the average customer they'll never know the difference between machine applied and spray wax/sealant. Maybe don't even mention how it's applied. I also don't think the average customer knows what a cleaner wax is. So maybe better terminology would help there. Make it sound fancy and they wont even know. "At this price point you get a combo polish and wax" or something like that.

 

[Cruzscarwash]

I say "paint enhancement Polish, that adds a polymer sealant for months of protection"

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[sudsmobile]

I will tell you that you're wrong. Most consumers don't know the difference between waxes, etc, but they do tend to think that "machine applied" some type of "real wax" holds more value than a spray wax. Consumers are uneducated. As much as I'd like to educate everybody, it's easier to pander to their preconceived notions. I have customers tell me all the time that they want machine applied versus some spray junk. We advertise that we machine apply everything.

 

[ek556]

I will tell you that you're wrong. Most consumers don't know the difference between waxes, etc, but they do tend to think that "machine applied" some type of "real wax" holds more value than a spray wax. Consumers are uneducated. As much as I'd like to educate everybody, it's easier to pander to their preconceived notions. I have customers tell me all the time that they want machine applied versus some spray junk. We advertise that we machine apply everything.

I would agree with this. And I also believe that applying by machine is the most beneficial to me, and the customer. It saves me time, and it saves me product. I can cover more area with less product with a RO. And for the customer, they get a service that ensured more even coverage of the vehicle. Plus a lot of customers will see "machine applied" and not really know whats going on, but assume is a higher level wax application.

 

[Belo]

I will tell you that you're wrong. Most consumers don't know the difference between waxes, etc, but they do tend to think that "machine applied" some type of "real wax" holds more value than a spray wax. Consumers are uneducated. As much as I'd like to educate everybody, it's easier to pander to their preconceived notions. I have customers tell me all the time that they want machine applied versus some spray junk. We advertise that we machine apply everything.

and that was kind of my second though. Just don't mention how it's applied at all. Only mention machine when you're getting into the aio's and polishes. You can certaintly be clever in how you list a service without being deceitful. "final step is applying a brilliant wax/sealant leaving a beautiful shine that will protect for months"

If a customer asks how it's applied you can be honest and if they insist on machine application, you can say it will cost x more dollars.

idk. just coming at this from a customers view and not as someone who offers these services. A year ago I'd insist on machine too, but that's before I saw how nice and easy some of the sprays have gotten.

 

[sudsmobile]

Yeah, we're not looking at servicing DIYers that are familiar with all the products on the market. And like ek said, we prefer to machine apply. Faster, less product used, really no downfalls. Plus, and I'll tell you this without an ounce of hesitation, there's nothing better for business than pulling out the buffer at a job. It brings people out of the woodwork asking for business cards.

 

[Belo]

Yeah, we're not looking at servicing DIYers that are familiar with all the products on the market. And like ek said, we prefer to machine apply. Faster, less product used, really no downfalls. Plus, and I'll tell you this without an ounce of hesitation, there's nothing better for business than pulling out the buffer at a job. It brings people out of the woodwork asking for business cards.

you would rather machine apply and buff off a wax then spray and wipe a lsp?

 

[sudsmobile]

you would rather machine apply and buff off a wax then spray and wipe a lsp?

Absolutely. You're saying "buff off" and then you say "wipe." The silica oxide based wax we use on 90% of our jobs (also an upsell) "wipes off." You're trying to manipulate the answer by skewing the question.

 

[ek556]

you would rather machine apply and buff off a wax then spray and wipe a lsp?

I wouldnt say I'd RATHER do that. But theres a place for each. I'd use a spray wax as a maintenance product to enhance, or fortify an existing layer of liquid/paste wax. I would not use a spray wax if there is no wax on the car at all, or if the car needs to be clayed and polished.

 

[sudsmobile]

And, again, I'm a business. My job is to always be closing. People love seeing the buffers out on a car, makes them want to stop and talk about their cars.

 

[Belo]

fair enough. I am by no means trying to argue, more or less just curious I guess. ek556, I agree that if i'm polishing i'm definitely machine apply my lsp too. Just wondering about the pros, especially the shop detailers if there might be cost/time advantage to using a product like mk 10 minute or sonax spray and seal for the lower price point packages.

i do see the allure of the mobile detailer busting out the machines

 

[ek556]

fair enough. I am by no means trying to argue, more or less just curious I guess. ek556, I agree that if i'm polishing i'm definitely machine apply my lsp too. Just wondering about the pros, especially the shop detailers if there might be cost/time advantage to using a product like mk 10 minute or sonax spray and seal for the lower price point packages.

i do see the allure of the mobile detailer busting out the machines

I dont think we took that as confrontation, I appreciate the different point of views to consider. I have never used Sonax, but taking a quick look at the desciption on Amazon, I take it thats similar to McKees 37 Hydro Blue?

At a lower price point, I'm spray waxes are heavily used. If someone was scheduling my Express Exterior service, I'm spray waxing. I know my OP says QD spray, but I'm changing that to quick wax.

 

[sudsmobile]

I didn't find it confrontational at all. I just think you're emphasizing some perceived increase in speed over actually doing something that is and appears to be higher end. I know what works outside in the sun. I know what people will spend money on as an upgrade.

 

[ek556]

Here's the link my most recently edited pricing sheet. I really appreciate the feedback thus far. I've got Nissan Murano scheduled for Saturday. At the time I scheduled it, the Advanced packed was clay bar + cleaner wax so that's what I'll be doing.

BLUE LINE PRICING - Google Docs

 

[Calendyr]

Not gonna comment on pricing, there are too many factors.

Regarding waxes: I would suggest you use sealants instead, they last longer. Should you use a machine applied sealant or a spray on type? Well that depends on the price point you want to use. Spray sealants can make your packages cheaper because they don't cost that much to use, a quart will cost you maybe 40$ or 50$ and you can do about 30 cars. And it takes about 20 minutes to go around the car and protect everything from paint, to windows to trims. A machine sealant takes a lot longer to apply. The application by machine will take at the very least 30 mins to an hour. Then you have to wait for it to haze up, which can take an other 30 mins, then you need to wipe it off, an other 20 minutes. So because of all the extra work, you have to charge a lot more.

I have no done machine sealants in years. I suggest a polishing if the person wants a nicer job, and I use a cleaner wax to do it (which is a sealant despite the name). I charge 3 hours of work to do that. Results are usually very good. Depends on the paint.

 

[sudsmobile]

I'll just keep doing it my way. You're making a lot of specific claims without even knowing which product people are using.

 

[ek556]

Not gonna comment on pricing, there are too many factors.

Regarding waxes: I would suggest you use sealants instead, they last longer. Should you use a machine applied sealant or a spray on type? Well that depends on the price point you want to use. Spray sealants can make your packages cheaper because they don't cost that much to use, a quart will cost you maybe 40$ or 50$ and you can do about 30 cars. And it takes about 20 minutes to go around the car and protect everything from paint, to windows to trims. A machine sealant takes a lot longer to apply. The application by machine will take at the very least 30 mins to an hour. Then you have to wait for it to haze up, which can take an other 30 mins, then you need to wipe it off, an other 20 minutes. So because of all the extra work, you have to charge a lot more.

I have no done machine sealants in years. I suggest a polishing if the person wants a nicer job, and I use a cleaner wax to do it (which is a sealant despite the name). I charge 3 hours of work to do that. Results are usually very good. Depends on the paint.

thanks. I'm pretty much set with my products and how long each step would take. I'm looking for feedback more so on how my packages are set up and the pricing on each.