Anyone else getting slow, due to high fuel cost/economy?

B

bdaly84

New member
One thing is for sure, my phone is definalty not ringing like it always has. Even my regulars have cut back from seeing them every two weeks to almost just once a month. Even the "well off customers" have dropped back slightly. Anyone else feeling the reduction in work? I have never advertised much (back of the truck) but my business has been based on referrals. My demographic area is mostly high-end, so I would think the economy wouldn't be a factor. Some of my regulars have been with over four years.



I know my wife and I have cut back on a lot of things. My detailing business is just part time, but its still part of my yearly income. My 50 hour a week salary position is in trucking and warehousing. Our company is paying upwards of $10,000 a day in fuel cost. So I know we are taking it in the shorts, but the fuel costs are being past on to the customers, and then eventually the consumers. Are fuel surcharges are upwards of 50-60%. So everyone is feeling the fuel crunch.



Hows everyone else holding up???
 
sorry to hear that bdaly84 I would have taught high end customers wouldn t be affected by the economy. But I am sure the more you go high end the more the demand is inelastic in regards to economy. You could try to start advertising to higher end customers...

hope this helps good luck!
 
We always slow down the first few weeks of June, seems to coincide with many family vacations as well as high school letting out.
 
It seems that lately I get more RV/Marine owners calling than car owners.



I think that if they can't afford the gas for a road trip, they at least want that 35FT monster to look clean sitting in their driveway all summer long.
 
My detailing venture is a part time "paying hobby" ( pays for vacations and flight lessons). I haven't seen any changes in my business.
 
I thought you meant, "are you guys driving slower on the streets now that gas it rediculous".

Slower acceleration, sticking to speed limits = better MPGs.
 
I'm getting slammed. 4 calls today that turned into appointments. Only thing that ever hurts me is the weather, other than a 6 week slowdown right after 9/11.
 
Scottwax said:
I'm getting slammed. 4 calls today that turned into appointments. Only thing that ever hurts me is the weather, other than a 6 week slowdown right after 9/11.
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I'm with Scott, I just set up 3 more today and currently booked solid till July 4th and my wife won't let me detail on that day otherwise it would be booked too....:argue:LOLOL



Josh
 
JoshVette said:
I'm with Scott, I just set up 3 more today and currently booked solid till July 4th and my wife won't let me detail on that day otherwise it would be booked too....:argue:LOLOL



Josh
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Looks like things are good in Texas... I wish we had the weather that TX has. We are doing normal for our shop, we just moved from a 1 bay garage to a 300 Sq Ft building and are under a different name about 20 mins away from our old shop and on a main road that rush hour traffic into and out of Pittsburgh travels on. Since we have only been here since december we are working on growing our customer base. We have seen many more higher end customers and many of our cars are >50k vehicles now. With that said, the rainy weather does hurt.
 
Ive noticed that it has weeded out the normal DD crowd, the high end is still there, but the mini vans and honda crowd is starting to dwindle. Which I guess is a blessing in itself, because most of them dont want the highest level detail, aka, the most money making.
 
I've been meaning to post this exact same thread! I've been in business less than a year so I don't have a huge following yet, but just in the last month, the new customer phone calls have dropped dramatically. Gas prices are the only thing I can think because I'm getting good feedback from the people I've detailed for. I went from getting 3-4 phone calls a day during the spring, to getting 3-4 phone calls a week this month.
 
Hey guys, I'm moving to Texas. :bigups



After I posted this thread yesterday, my phone rang last evening and I got three more appt's myself. It just seemed odd this last month or so the reduction in calls or inquiries.



I agree with 2K2blackWRX, that vacations and school letting out could have something to do with it. I just dont ever remeber in last 4 years I've been in business, it ever slowing down as much as it has in the last month or so....ever since the gas spiked to $3.80-$4.00/gal.



Eventhough my business is part-time, I still have to say that I'm gald I'm mobile and don't have to worry about a fix location with bigger overhead. One plus of being mobile.



On the positive side of the gas price and economy, hopefully it will ween out the hacks in my area!!
 
I haven't had a single day off since the beginning of March and I'm up in Michigan. I actually just had to hire more help because I'm getting burnt out on all the work lately. there have been somedays that've I've only had 2 or 3 details to get out instead of 4 or 5 details. But I haven't had a day off in months..
 
Seems like everyone is on the up and up at this point. I was booked through to next monday by 1 or 2 PM yesterday!!!! That is a great sign. I have never had alot of camry's, Accord's etc. so I cannot speak for that type of client base. My clients are mainly BMW, MBZ, Porsche, etc. and they are still just as frequent as before the fuel costs increased.



I think it is correct to assume that the high line car crowd is not effected by fuel or economy issues as much as the lower line car crowd would be.



Great thread. Interesting to know whats going on from state to state.
 
I am fully booked out about two weeks now and a few on call if I get a cancellation. I do have weekly regulars but now I do all their cars on Thursday through Saturday instead of having them spread out all week. Gives me 3 full days a week (4 if I want to work on Sundays) for details.
 
In my area, we are getting a lot of new people moving in from NY (the island), and California. I have done a few details for these folks lately, and they just eat it up. They keep telling me how cheap the cost of living here is compared to where they came from, so they seem to have a lot of disposable income to spend on luxuries such as detailing.



There is also a car club that I am the sponsoring detailer for, and they are keeping me busy as well. In this case, these guys have no problem spending money on their cars.



I have found that just because the economy is tough, I have just had to gear my services towards people that still are willing to spend on their cars. I will admit I am not getting a lot of run of the mill cars now (Accords, Camrys, etc...)...mainly pleasure cars, and luxury daily drivers.
 
All is well in Indianapolis. June was our best $ month in our six years, and that is after a 15% price increase in April.



Jake, nice to hear things are good in the Flint area...



Jim
 
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