Walked away from a Detail Job

Did I miss something? How did Obama and crack hoes get involved in this situation. Where did that come from? Obama does not have anything to do with a failed detail job. The economy is not that bad in my area, I just opened my own business, and 2 months in and I have already exceeded my expectations. I have never turned down a job and get good compliments all the time. But if I cannot make something look good, I inform the customer so they will have a better understanding as to why it won't be perfect.
 
Blackthornone said:
It is possible that all these 30 years he has only been working on nice cars. Length of experience does not necessarily equate to breadth of experience. He has basically said that he only ever likes to work on nice cars.
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Absolutely right! I polished a young guys Cobra last weekend, he wanted to learn how to use a pc, so I put him to work.

After going over many do's and don't's, he was off and running. I worked on his hood and deck lid most the day, and I also cut the entire passenger side. He did the rest, granted he did destroy three pads and one backing plate, he still brought his paint back to a condition which ws very near perfect.

Point is, after ONE day with this guy who wanted to learn so bad, I'd take him over a guy with ample experience. I think a lot has to do with who is teaching you, and how eager you are to learn, but if I were working on my own car and wanted the company I'd call him over an "experienced" guy.

Easier to train than retrain I suppose.
 
Bigfoot if that was an attempt at humor it fell flat. This thread is one of the fastest growning most read in the shortest timr threads in the history of the forum. For me it has provided incredible insight into the "BUSINESS" side of detailing. As Brian Stated above anyone can detail but it takes a certain talent and skill set tomake a sustained business out of it. I am still on the fence about whetheror not I would walk away.
 
BenzDetailer said:
Bigfoot if that was an attempt at humor it fell flat. This thread is one of the fastest growning most read in the shortest timr threads in the history of the forum. For me it has provided incredible insight into the "BUSINESS" side of detailing. As Brian Stated above anyone can detail but it takes a certain talent and skill set tomake a sustained business out of it. I am still on the fence about whetheror not I would walk away.
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I'm not trying to be your clown or anybody else's in here, but when you start a thread with detailing business and end up in politics, then threads usually get locked, because they get heated and members usually tend to offend each other. That's exactly what happened here, and I'm sure the same course of action will be taken. If the mods seem to keep it, it's up to them, but I'm telling you the truth about forum discussions, based on my experience on them
 
I read the last 20 post and saw no mention of politics. In fact it is quite on subject. I am pleased to see the opinions of many different leveles of business. As far as politics I believe most people regardless of affiliation appreciate our FIRST AMMENDMENT RIGHTS ! To lock a thread would be almost COMUNIST if not criminal!
 
07ImpalaSS said:
You sound like me. :D
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I even used to have a sign in my office I made joking saying the customer is not right, I am... used to get a kick out of people coming in and seeing that lol. Took it down only b/c I had a nice picture of NY skyline I put up. In my business though it can be brutal, so if I have to I will school the person and put them in their place and tell them this is how it's going to be, this is what has to be done, you don't like it, go somewhere else. I remember one deal where I was meeting with the owner of a company and his board of directors, they were all older and more old school, being picky on so many things. This was for a large capital injection to expands their business. Finally I just told them all if they don't do it the way I had it structured their not going to get any financing, no more bs, you have 20 seconds to make a decision and sign the agreement or I'm walking and won't care if you call me later or tomorrow. I got the deal :D , but thats how it is in my business, sometimes these guys are so used to getting their way or being on their high horse that when I a younger guy puts them in their place their impressed. Now some businesses you can't do that, but in my line of work its either take it or leave it.

BenzDetailer said:
Surfer & 07ImpallaSS you are confirming the point I was making when I started the Thread. In the words of Kenny Rogers "You gotta know when to hold'em..know when to fold'em, know when to walk away and know when to run...."
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Agree, now I don't think it applies to detailing but thats your guys decision, I feel you could get a bad rep etc if you detail for a living doing that but I'm not sure as I don't. I can in my business and have a good rep and people for the most part that come to me are referred and know how I do business and won't play games. The ones that do
I'll school, and their usually so shocked that someone talked to them like that or could careless if they (I) get their deal or not. That usually makes them call back like crazy after I turn them down and tell them to go somewhere else.

But like I said I can do that in my business, thats not really doable in other businesses/lines of work. For example I can look at a transaction request and break it down to see if it can be structured, if I see there's really no way to do it to what they want I'll say no as I know I'll ended up spinning my wheels for months trying to get it done.
 
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BenzDetailer said:
Bigfoot if that was an attempt at humor it fell flat. This thread is one of the fastest growning most read in the shortest timr threads in the history of the forum. For me it has provided incredible insight into the "BUSINESS" side of detailing. As Brian Stated above anyone can detail but it takes a certain talent and skill set tomake a sustained business out of it. I am still on the fence about whetheror not I would walk away.
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Ok, I'll get you off the fence, then. If you say you're going to do something, you should DO IT. If you agree to tale a job, then you should follow through and complete the car, and if he car can't be done to 100% perfection, then it's not your fault, but at least complete the car, and then at least you kept your word. Keeping your word is the best policy with anyone, but with some people, they value it so strongly that they will stop being your client if you back out on a job, and then they will tell all your friends about you. Once people get wind of the fact that you are a detailer who will walk away from a job if the going gets tough, they will be apprehensive about hiring you to do their car. They might think, "I wonder if my car is too damaged for him to want to complete it? Hmm. That would really suck. Then he will leave me with a partially done car, which will look weird, and then I'll have to find another detailer to finish it. Oh, that'll be be inconvenient. I think I will hire someone else instead, who will get THE WHOLE JOB done at once, rather than leave me hanging halfway through."
You don't want to be known as that guy. That is really really bad for business.
You can not accept a job if you don't like it, OR, if the neighborhood you have to do it in is a lot more unsafe than you expected,or if someone starts a gunfight where you are, and the cops show up, then you can stop ;) You can say, you really don't feel safe detailing there, you're sorry. Then you can have the car brought to a safe place to finish it. While it is nice that you gave your client a gift certificate to a restaurant, they don't call you to receive restaurant gift certificates, they call you for detailing.
 
After reading this thread I wouldn't let BenzDetailer touch my car and if I was that client with the half done job I would be pissed. By not finishing, all it says is this guy isn't good enough or doesn't know how to do the job right. Also he does not not have enough experience to know when the job is too much for him, maybe he needs 30 more years for that. By the way he is conducting himself on here isn't helping his reputation either.
 
Dan,

I respect your opinion but you only know half of the story. Have a great memorial day and make sure you thank a veteran for all your freedom.
 
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