Using customers electricity and water supply

DownSouthDetail

DownSouthDetail

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Do you find that potential customers are reluctant to let you use their electricity and water supply?

Ive been thinking about opening my own mobile business but would have to use the customers electricity and water supply, i feel like i will lose potential customers if i have to do that. I drive a camaro ss so a water tank and generator are not an option at the moment haha.

What are your thoughts on this?

Does anyone on here use all of their customers electricity and water supply and run a succesful and profitable business?

Thank You!
 
Cam32092 said:
Do you find that potential customers are reluctant to let you use their electricity and water supply?

Ive been thinking about opening my own mobile business but would have to use the customers electricity and water supply.
What are your thoughts on this?

Does anyone on here use all of their customers electricity and water supply and run a succesful and profitable business?

Thank You!
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ive been doing mobile detailing and car washes for 2 months now. if youre using words like "succesful" "profitable" and "business" all in the same sentence, then yes, have your own water and have your own electricity.

you will not look professional, and you will not be profitable if they have to provide these things for you. theyre going to want a discount of some sort for providing these things for you. write a business plan, and include these items in it...just my 2 cents. best of luck to you :xyxthumbs:
 
Most customers will let you use it. When a worker comes to your house, do you let them plug their tools into your outlet? Probably yes.
 
mrclean said:
ive been doing mobile detailing and car washes for 2 months now. if youre using words like "succesful" "profitable" and "business" all in the same sentence, then yes, have your own water and have your own electricity.

you will not look professional, and you will not be profitable if they have to provide these things for you. theyre going to want a discount of some sort for providing these things for you. write a business plan, and include these items in it...just my 2 cents. best of luck to you :xyxthumbs:
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I would kindly disagree with every aspect of which you just stated. This is apparently your opinion.
 
I have yet to have a customer complain about me using their water/electricity. One customer even pulled out a super small and dirty 3 gallon bucket for me lol

Although, I will say it sucks that you have to ask where the spigot/electrical outlet is located, you have to fight their crappy hose, gotta make sure you dont mess up their plants, etc... especially if you're somewhere that isnt a house.. you'll have to run a lonnggg extension cord and sometimes you'll still come up short

if you have your own power/water.. you can detial anywhere: house, apartment, business, etc.. you get there, park, unload, and begin.. it sure does cut help cut down on time
 
If you plan to use customers water make sure its not hard water (well water). Using hard water just one time is enough to make you want to get your own tank. Also, not all houses use 20 amp breakers, so keep that in mind if any of your equipment requires over 15 amps. So, if your extractor trips the breaker on the only outside outlet and the customer isn't home your screwed with no back-up plan

IMO, tank and generator is the way to go. Work anywhere, rely on yourself.
 
Clients do not care when I use their power/water. Most of them expect it.

OP, why not just ONR wash? That way you only need a couple gallons of water per wash and can easily haul it around in a small car.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
 
When I started I thought this would be an issue. It really is not. I do have my own hose and 100 ft extension which I feel is necessary and easier for me. That way you do not have to move the clients equipment or have a chance of damaging it.

The breaker can be an issue when trying to heat a steamer and use a shop vac at the same time. That's the only issue I've run into.

It has nothing to do with a professional image. Your professional image is you as a person and how you treat the client and their vehicle. I work in professional environments all the time and having a huge tank of water and generator to me seems worse.

Having to deal with noise and exhaust in my opinion looks worse especially when everyone is so green these days. Again, just my opinion.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using AG Online
 
lol would you like to hear a motor run all day or let them use your elec.

they know you are going to use it.If i had to bring my own the price is going up alot.
 
Wes Bremec said:
I would kindly disagree with every aspect of which you just stated. This is apparently your opinion.
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:iagree: In the years I've been doing this, never once was I told "No you can't". Now I've been told, "No, it's at the camp ground" or "No it's at the boat club".

I may not be as successful as Mr.Clean wants to be but I'm still at it.

As a side note...I do now have a generator permanently installed in my van with it's own automotive exhaust system piped to the rear bumper. That looks quite professional, is quiet and gives me the option of not using the customer's electricity.
 
I've thought about mounting an additional poly gas tank under the passenger side of my van, complete with filler neck and gas cap, but to contain water, plumbed to the rear bumper for doing wheel wells tires etc. and do the rest of the car rinseless.

That would trip people out if they saw me filling that tank up with a garden hose.
 
I remember a thread where this old hag tried to beat a young man out of $50 for use of her electricity/water. Anyone else remember that one?

The fact that I will come to them usually has most folks offering me whatever they have that might make the job run smoother. Not an issue here



*note: If I were going to run an extractor I would make sure the customer was aware 20 amps of power was needed. Blowing a breaker/fuse would make you look irresponsible for sure
 
Never had an issue. Now I am not a big time business but I do some mobile stuff. Like stated most people expect you to use there water/electric.

I will say I that I tend to try not to travel for this reason as I dont have room to carry a pop up canopy and the hassle of trying to work in someone else's single bay garage that's cramped is a pain. I try to make sure most of my clients are local and will come to me so I can use my garage and know that all my stuff is there. Just works out better for my little side jobs. Good luck.
 
Wes Bremec said:
I would kindly disagree with every aspect of which you just stated. This is apparently your opinion.
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yes, clearly i said it was only my 2cents.

thebamboo23 said:
Although, I will say it sucks that you have to ask where the spigot/electrical outlet is located, you have to fight their crappy hose, gotta make sure you dont mess up their plants, etc... especially if you're somewhere that isnt a house.. you'll have to run a lonnggg extension cord and sometimes you'll still come up short

if you have your own power/water.. you can detial anywhere: house, apartment, business, etc.. you get there, park, unload, and begin.. it sure does cut help cut down on time
Click to expand...

:iagree: keyword here is "detail anywhere"

VP Mark said:
OP, why not just ONR wash? That way you only need a couple gallons of water per wash and can easily haul it around in a small car.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
Click to expand...

:iagree: whats up mark!?

tuscarora dave said:
I may not be as successful as Mr.Clean wants to be but I'm still at it.

As a side note...I do now have a generator permanently installed in my van with it's own automotive exhaust system piped to the rear bumper. That looks quite professional, is quiet and gives me the option of not using the customer's electricity.
Click to expand...

there's no need to take anything personal here. the op asked if there was a problem using the customer's water and electricity. i simply told him that i saw a problem with it.. you and other posters might not think theres a problem with it.. and thats fine.. thats your opinion, and youre entitled to it.

op, let me give you an example.. when i had done a couple of detailing jobs and word was getting around of my work.. i got a called from a big attorney office here in miami. they asked me if i can do washes for them. i was in the process of getting my water tank and my generator, and when they called i had neither.. so i asked, "is there water and electricity available?" they said "no, don't YOU supply that to us".that's when i explained that i was in the process of setting up and told them that i would call once i was ready.. a couple of weeks went by, and when i was ready i called and i got that office. that office sent me to another office, and from those offices ive gotten good clients.

now dont get me wrong, i have used the client's water and electricity.. but thats when i go to their houses and a relationship has been established or its offered to me..

i guess what im really trying to say is.. if you really want to be 100% mobile and have no worries if the customer will or will not let you use their water and electricity.. supply your own and that will be one less thing you have to worry about.

also, ive read a couple of yelp reviews that people have left on a couple of different mobile detailer's here in miami.. and trust me, alot of reviews say either "oh, and i had to supply the water!" or " they were professional and had their own water and electricity"
 
honestly, if they do not want you to use it.. you do not want them as a customer.
 
HD.Detailing said:
honestly, if they do not want you to use it.. you do not want them as a customer.
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I couldn't agree more. I do this for higher end clients who will pay more for detailing not for cheap people who worry about using their water or power for a few hours. I'm sure lots would disagree with my strategy but this is not my sole source of income.
 
After reading mrcleans explanation I do see his point, especially if you are going to be doing a lot of work away from residential areas.

That being said, anyone who says you can't use their power or water is going to probably be a client that will cause you issues down the road.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
 
Growing up ive realized confidence and professionalism can take you just about anywhere in life.

With that said. If you act like its common to use the customers water/power you will have no issues. Unless its in an area where they them self dont have water or power access but thats a different topic

Since Nov. ive had my business in the making. For 2 months i about gave up on the idea for your exact concern. But then i asked almost the same exact question as you on here and it gave me back my confidence.

What i learned from every one here is there is more then one way to skin a cat (why you would want to skin a cat is beyond me and why there is more then 1 way leads me to believe some one while skinning a cat ran into difficulties lol) on top of that some of the best auto detailers out there started out using customers water/power and some to this day still do. You can do it buddy just have confidence be professional and offer a damn good service. If you do that the customer wont care what you use. Hell use their phone to make long distance calls to Indonesia if you want. Make AG purchases using their credit card and computer. If they have a pool invite some friends over because boy are you in for a treat. lol jk dont do that hahaha
 
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