safetyman2010
New member
Jakerooni said:
Putting that in writing on a public website isn't the brightest thing you could do. :secret
Are you part of the solution?
- Thread starter reparebrise
- Start date
Putting that in writing on a public website isn't the brightest thing you could do. :secret
backwoods_lex
New member
I can't answer the poll because there isn't a category for "I don't make a lot of money and work hard to meet regulations as best as possible and pay all of my taxes but don't have the money for insurance and just want to make sure that I perform qulaity work, keep my car in the driveway, have a place to live, and have food on my plate".
Detailing for money does not require that you carry insurance (at least not in my state anyway). I don't have a license because one is not required. Instead, I have a business registration from the state tax department which was completed via the internet in a few minutes.
Not carrying insurance myself, I certainly don't reflect badly on you (who are you anyway?). I've only had one customer ever ask me if I was insured, and I promptly responded no. I detailed their SUV the following week. And doing dealer work for crap an hour, I'm not going to spend any money on insurance. If I did purchase insurance for non-dealer work over the past year and a half, I would have made less money than the insurance actually would have cost me. It's important to remember that we all start out somewhere.
Survey says: survey sucks!
reparebrise said:
Detailing for money does not require that you carry insurance (at least not in my state anyway). I don't have a license because one is not required. Instead, I have a business registration from the state tax department which was completed via the internet in a few minutes.
reparebrise said:
Not carrying insurance myself, I certainly don't reflect badly on you (who are you anyway?). I've only had one customer ever ask me if I was insured, and I promptly responded no. I detailed their SUV the following week. And doing dealer work for crap an hour, I'm not going to spend any money on insurance. If I did purchase insurance for non-dealer work over the past year and a half, I would have made less money than the insurance actually would have cost me. It's important to remember that we all start out somewhere.
Survey says: survey sucks!
backwoods_lex said:I can't answer the poll because there isn't a category for "I don't make a lot of money and work hard to meet regulations as best as possible and pay all of my taxes but don't have the money for insurance and just want to make sure that I perform qulaity work, keep my car in the driveway, have a place to live, and have food on my plate".
Detailing for money does not require that you carry insurance (at least not in my state anyway). I don't have a license because one is not required. Instead, I have a business registration from the state tax department which was completed via the internet in a few minutes.
Not carrying insurance myself, I certainly don't reflect badly on you (who are you anyway?). I've only had one customer ever ask me if I was insured, and I promptly responded no. I detailed their SUV the following week. And doing dealer work for crap an hour, I'm not going to spend any money on insurance. If I did purchase insurance for non-dealer work over the past year and a half, I would have made less money than the insurance actually would have cost me. It's important to remember that we all start out somewhere.
Survey says: survey sucks!
I agree with your general point, Lex! I carry insurance only because, if we screw soomwething up bad enough, I don't want to be out of pocket. Other than that, it's just feeding the bureaucratc coffers!! And, since I missed the last eco water fight thread, I'm am going to go straight to the toilet, flush a bottle of old prescription meds, drink a bottle of bottled water, dispose of the plastic bottle in a landfill, pressure wash my engine in the street, cheange oil and rad fluid and allow them to drain in the gutter, throw my used nuclear powered dishwasher on the side of the freeway. If all these eco guys were truly eco friendly, they would be driving a Delorean that is powered on recycled material!! Sheesh, they've been doing that since the 80's in the U.S.!!!!!:grrr
brwill2005
New member
My issue is I DO have a business license and insurance. These things cost me money and are an expense for my business. The license is issued by the county I am based out of. It allows them to charge me the licensing fee ($30) and tax my business property and equipment. Those who operate without licensing and insurance have less expenses and can charge less. It does bother me that those people can undercut me because they are not properly licensed and insured. Detailing, even in one of the richest counties in the US, is very price sensitive IMO. If I have to raise my prices, even a little bit, it can effect the amount of business I get.
brwill2005 said:
Brad,
I kind of agree with you also. Although, I have made it a point to not target price sensitive clients - medium and content makes them aware they likely can't pay what we ask. On those lines, I think, IME, those who are the cheaper detailers "look" cheaper. So, were I the owner of some $150,000 sports car, I would likely not allow Billy Joe Jim Bob with a wooden trailer pulled behind a 1983 Mustang touch my car. I hear all the time "Detailers" claiming that it doesn't matter how they appear, it's the work they do. First, image is everything!! Next, if you are unable to secure the proper equipment - either because of $ or other issues - that sends up a red flag to me!! End of the day, there is plenty of business for everyone. For me, I think that those that provide less than perfect service will be the ones taking care of those who need less than perfect service. Let's face it, most of us on here thrive on our customers who actually acknowledge and appreciate the level of perfection we provide!:woot:
reparebrise
New member
To clear things up, this thread has nothing to do with being green, but all to do with running a legit business. One person said that his state does not require insurance, but honestly your customers should. If you need to ask why do a search back in time about a person who detailed a Lambo, and ruined a molding , had he been insured and above board he would still be posting here.
It's all about working on the same level, in some other threads detailers give prices that they charge, or complain that the competition us severely undercutting them, if everyone had the same base expenses(insurance, taxes, employee benefits....) than we would see more success promoting prices.
We detail mostly for dealers, and charge on average $90 per hour, and customers don't complain about our prices, because we provide a service they need at a quality level they appreciate.
It's all about working on the same level, in some other threads detailers give prices that they charge, or complain that the competition us severely undercutting them, if everyone had the same base expenses(insurance, taxes, employee benefits....) than we would see more success promoting prices.
We detail mostly for dealers, and charge on average $90 per hour, and customers don't complain about our prices, because we provide a service they need at a quality level they appreciate.
TortoiseAWD
New member
(sigh)
A professional detailer can be licensed, have insurance, pay all his taxes, and still be a hack. A weekend warrior might take a couple of jobs a month, pocket the cash with Uncle Sam being none the wiser, and turn out more professional results than some schmoe with framed certificates on his wall. Of course, the absolute reverse is just as likely to be true (quality work from a legit biz, and hack work from a weekender) - it's a crap shoot.
This argument over "what makes a detailer a professional" has come up over and over again in the seven years I've been on Autopia, and it never gets settled. It also often fosters hard feelings between those who make their living by the buffer, and the enthusiasts who take an occasional job to make a little extra cash for pizza, beer, and more detailing supplies.
So, how about we let this thread die before someone starts harping on water reclamation?
Tort
A professional detailer can be licensed, have insurance, pay all his taxes, and still be a hack. A weekend warrior might take a couple of jobs a month, pocket the cash with Uncle Sam being none the wiser, and turn out more professional results than some schmoe with framed certificates on his wall. Of course, the absolute reverse is just as likely to be true (quality work from a legit biz, and hack work from a weekender) - it's a crap shoot.
This argument over "what makes a detailer a professional" has come up over and over again in the seven years I've been on Autopia, and it never gets settled. It also often fosters hard feelings between those who make their living by the buffer, and the enthusiasts who take an occasional job to make a little extra cash for pizza, beer, and more detailing supplies.
So, how about we let this thread die before someone starts harping on water reclamation?
Tort
David Fermani
Forza Auto Salon
TortoiseAWD said:
Tort - You're loosing track of time - your avatar says you joined in 2001. :LOLOL
Greg Nichols
New member
I have a License and liability..........yeah I'm a PRO!
I think this thread is searching out the idea of the IDA or such that will test your skills to give you final creditibility as a PRO with a signed and sealed paper saying so. Let the market decide upon that, if you fail to build the business your not a PRO. I have many plumbers in town, new ones show up, if they are not professional they die on the vine.
I think this thread is searching out the idea of the IDA or such that will test your skills to give you final creditibility as a PRO with a signed and sealed paper saying so. Let the market decide upon that, if you fail to build the business your not a PRO. I have many plumbers in town, new ones show up, if they are not professional they die on the vine.
Accumulator
Well-known member
TortoiseAWD said:
I couldn't respond to the poll anyhow as I don't do this stuff for money and/but I sure don't do it for "fun" either.
reparebrise- If you could somehow dial back the sanctimonious undertones that are so prominent in many of your posts you'd stand a better chance of convincing people to give your perspective due consideration.
As they say, "you catch more butterflies with honey than with vinegar" and nobody likes a scold.
That *is* the point right...getting people to consider doing things your way? Getting more detailers to be environmentally responsible? Effecting a change in attitude and behavior?
Going all Al Gore on folks never amounts to much more than preaching to the choir and/or sounding smugly self-satisfied and condescending. Talk about a "negative image that needs to be overcome"... Those of us who try to be environmentally considerate need to quit being seen as [crabby] tree-huggers who want to spank everyone who doesn't do things our way.
reparebrise
New member
No one is harping on reclaim and enviro stuff, I started this to talk about projecting a responsible image, and level of professionalism. Just because I am the OP people are misled into thinking its a green posting. While my business does respect teh environment, we above all respect our need to be profitable.
reparebrise said:
Why do you worry so much about how others are running their business? If you want a truly even playing field, then socialism might be a good system for you to check into. I prefer to think that we can each make our own way without watchdogging every move our neighbors make.
Accumulator
Well-known member
reparebrise said:
Fair enough. Substitute "professionalism" and related topics for "environmental consciousness" and I maintain the same viewpoint. It's a matter of how you tend to present your case. I'd try to be a bit less off-putting lest you alienate your intended audience, but hey...that's just me. [Insert comment regarding unsolicited advice here
]As a free-market capitalist I certainly understand the need to be profitable but perhaps I put more of an emphasis on the "free market" part. If somebody undercuts you by not subscribing to certain (not legally mandated) practices, then the customers are accepting a greater risk, and/or other negative(s), in exchange for a lower price. Their choice, their (potential) problem. If the market will only support such businesses (as opposed to yours) then IMO your business model isn't well-suited to your target market, which would be a shame.
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
You could also argue that all detailers should be fixed-base, because a mobile detailer may have less overhead (even though he is licensed and insured), and that's not fair to FBO's.