Time Crunch - 2 hours

T

Tassadar

Car Detailing Whore
Allright, im going to give you guys and gals a scenario, tell me what you would do.

A customer's car is sttting in your work area, its not filthy, but it needs detailing. You have 2 hours exactly to finish this car. Its a european car, so the brake dust is caked on like chocolate cake and the interior is of course nearly 90% leather.

What do you do?
 
Negotiate?
I can't do a car in 2 hours. Or, I won't do that kind of work, anyway. Can't build customer satisfaction and word of mouth by hurrying.

Maybe do the ext or int only?

Jim
 
I agree with the others. I won't do a car without first agreeing that I'll call when it's done. I estimate 4-5 hours but make it known that it may be a little less or more time depending on condition and size of vehicle. Rushing the job will not allow you to do the detail to your satisfaction and can very well end up with a less than happy customer.

About the only thing I offer that quick is a standard wash/vac/wax which is just what it suggests with a damp mf wipe down of the interior.

Natty
 
put more men on the job

This when you need employees or friends that can handle a shop vac, etc.

You do the exterior while your "grunt" does the interior.
 
I would wash/vacuum the car and tell him to bring it back when he has more time to leave it. I would not charge him for the wash and I believe he would bring it back within a week. Then I would go ALL OUT and charge about $200.
 
Thats just the thing, these clients want this car to be perfect, and they want it for $65.

They want the carpets cleaned, all leather cleaned and conditioner, and they want the outside to shine.

And since they are friends of my mother, I cannot really tell them "Cheap work is not good and good work is not cheap."
 
Sometimes I'ts better just to walk away than to risk a "kick-back" or an unhappy customer. Unfortunately, word of mouth can travel both ways....good and bad. ;)
 
Here is a tip, take it if you like.

DON'T do friends cars or famiily cars!! They want the world for free PLUS they want it done "yesterday"

I charge my family for my services because when I do their cars they never listen to me about washing but instead go to the drive thru or coin op and ruin all my hard work. OR they expect it done again...........for free!

Anthony
 
Damn, Anthony!!! You are ruthless! JK
I do my parents cars for free whenever I go over there. They love it and they are my free marketing source.

I say pass on this one Tassadar. It's too cheap and they WILL want the same thing again for that price and they WILL tell all their friends what they got and how much they paid... You lose on all fronts. Just be polite and decline.
Then go key their car for being cheapskates... Again, JK!!!
 
I think my problem here is my clientel. These are mostly women (I hate detailing cars for women), so they are psycho obsessed with the interior of their car, but not so much about the exterior. I mean litterally, I used Wax-As-U-Dry on the exterior and she thought it looked great, but she went through the interior and started finding problems.

Needless to say, it took some restraint to not say: "Well what did you expect for 2 hours of work on a car that easily needed 6"
 
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