Charging a price.!

A

alloutdetailing

New member
Ok this lady calls me up today and asks me how much would I charge for a full detail on a ford Taurus and another car in it's class. I asked her what she thought a full detail means? She said she wanted the interior spotless and she wanted one done on one day and the other on another day. I charged her $100 per car and she said she would let me know. She said there is a shop across the street from her job that would do it for $85.





My wife had asked who called me today and I explained to her everything that happened on the call and she said I was crazy for not countering the $85 from the people across the street!



I'm slow now and I'm not working much what do you guys think? I mean I have the time but then when you charge less people will tend not to be happy but be in a picky *** mood after!
 
I guess it just depends on if you really really need the business or not. I personally NEVER match prices with other detail shops.





John
 
I'd rather have $85 X 2 than zero. Chances are you could have upsold her on other stuff.



Biggest thing I feel you must do when people call you:

*Get their name & phone number*



If you still have it, call her back and tell her you'll do it for $75 just to earn her business.
 
Discounting can get you into trouble......If you discount for one, eventually word gets out and you will have to discount for all. You prices are dirt cheap......Even car washes with fixed locations charge more than that. As you said yourself, those that get a discount eventually are the pickiest of all, and end up expecting a restoration let alone a detail. Eventually one of those jobs will bite you in the *** and you will end up loosing.....make sure you perform a complete inspection of the vehicle, note anything broken or damaged and have the customer sign. Nothing worse than giving a discount and then the customer tell you that you broke something that was already broken....then your $$ profit goes down the drain.



I dont know if you get Auto Laundry News, if you dont you should. They just did their 2010 Detail Survey in which the average retail price for a complete interior/exterior detail is as follows....



Free Standing - $194.00

Car Wash combo - $159.74

Mobile Service - $190.00



All of these are actually on the low end, but they serve as a reference for your basic detail depending on who does it.



Your much better off performing a really good "Mini Detail" at that price, and give the customer just a little extra so they feel like they got a deal.
 
Well here is the thing. I do dealers at $85 for a full detail. On cars and SUV's but there a quick fast make em look good kinda thing. But when I go out and do y personals I charge what I feel my time is worth. Now I do need money but if I charge them $85 now I will be stuck with this price every time they need me. Or I can do it and swing em to do regular washes every 2 weeks or whatever. IDK
 
The same article quoted wholesale prices as well.......



Free Standing - $ 134.25

Car Wash combo - $ 134.04

Mobile Service - $ 126.00



This is an ok figure considering dealers have a budget to work with. Unless its highline or black with extensive paint defects these fees are good if there is volume.
 
alloutdetailing said:
Well here is the thing. I do dealers at $85 for a full detail. On cars and SUV's but there a quick fast make em look good kinda thing. But when I go out and do y personals I charge what I feel my time is worth. Now I do need money but if I charge them $85 now I will be stuck with this price every time they need me. Or I can do it and swing em to do regular washes every 2 weeks or whatever. IDK
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You make it sound like that's a bad thing? Volume, volume, volume...$$$ Get them coming back and you'll have no problem implementing a slight price increase when needed.



If you're doing full details for $85 on beat up dealer cars, doing an interior for the same of less should be a no-brainer.
 
EliminatorXP said:
Discounting can get you into trouble......If you discount for one, eventually word gets out and you will have to discount for all. You prices are dirt cheap......Even car washes with fixed locations charge more than that. As you said yourself, those that get a discount eventually are the pickiest of all, and end up expecting a restoration let alone a detail. Eventually one of those jobs will bite you in the *** and you will end up loosing.....make sure you perform a complete inspection of the vehicle, note anything broken or damaged and have the customer sign. Nothing worse than giving a discount and then the customer tell you that you broke something that was already broken....then your $$ profit goes down the drain.



I dont know if you get Auto Laundry News, if you dont you should. They just did their 2010 Detail Survey in which the average retail price for a complete interior/exterior detail is as follows....



Free Standing - $194.00

Car Wash combo - $159.74

Mobile Service - $190.00



All of these are actually on the low end, but they serve as a reference for your basic detail depending on who does it.



Your much better off performing a really good "Mini Detail" at that price, and give the customer just a little extra so they feel like they got a deal.
Click to expand...



I agree. I got caught up in this crazy price circle once when I first started, never again. You can educate the caller as much as possible, but if they are price shopping you have to just let a few go if that is what they are fixed on. I have had some of the people that went to 'the other shop' actually come to me at a later date because they were not happy with them. Be very nice to them, because you never know.
 
wow. i feel your pain ALLOUTDETAILING. Right now i'm really slow. I have never been this slow since i started this business and it is pretty spooky. I sometimes get stuck in your situation where you must decide . . . .



A) stick to my original price and risk losing the business



or



B) Lower my price which will guarantee me the job.



You have to be a good judge of character. You can tell them i usually don't price match or you can tell them i'll give you a first time client discount and do them for $85 but in the future my normal rates will apply.



You can also try and up sell them on a couple things which would help make you a profit.



Right now $85 depending on the size of the vehicle will get you a wash and wax on a small suv like a BMW X3 but people here are just cheap.



They want the lowest price and not the quality of workmanship.



I feel that my time, knowledge and products are valuable but nobody here wants to pay for it and that is why the hacks keep busy around here while they charge $50 or less for full details.



I hope things get better for all those that are struggling as i keep my head up high in hopes that i don't have to stop detailing due to a lack of business.
 
David Fermani said:
You make it sound like that's a bad thing? Volume, volume, volume...$$$ Get them coming back and you'll have no problem implementing a slight price increase when needed.



If you're doing full details for $85 on beat up dealer cars, doing an interior for the same of less should be a no-brainer.
Click to expand...





Yes I know what you mean. But to be honest with you the dealers don't care about the end result as long as it looks good. Personals will rip you a new one on everything you missed or assumed was not included. All you guys are right in your own way.
 
vtec92civic said:
wow. i feel your pain ALLOUTDETAILING. Right now i'm really slow. I have never been this slow since i started this business and it is pretty spooky. I sometimes get stuck in your situation where you must decide . . . .



A) stick to my original price and risk losing the business



or



B) Lower my price which will guarantee me the job.



You have to be a good judge of character. You can tell them i usually don't price match or you can tell them i'll give you a first time client discount and do them for $85 but in the future my normal rates will apply.



You can also try and up sell them on a couple things which would help make you a profit.



Right now $85 depending on the size of the vehicle will get you a wash and wax on a small suv like a BMW X3 but people here are just cheap.



They want the lowest price and not the quality of workmanship.



I feel that my time, knowledge and products are valuable but nobody here wants to pay for it and that is why the hacks keep busy around here while they charge $50 or less for full details.



I hope things get better for all those that are struggling as i keep my head up high in hopes that i don't have to stop detailing due to a lack of business.
Click to expand...



It pisses me off to see that others have a full line of Walmart,autozone,target products and here I am buying stuff that will last and is better for the car and people can care less. Plus I use my own water and Electric even when people allow me to use theres just for the simple fact that I don't want anyone crying at the end that I used there stuff so why not discount. I hate this!!!!!!



She works for an insurance company so I might end up calling her for a quote and see if I can swing this my way a little bit and tell her I will do it as a first time customer special as mentioned above.
 
alloutdetailing said:
I just came across this! I mean come on honestly? Maybe I should call him to do my truck I live about 50 miles from him. This will kill us all.





professional detailing work offered
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wow that is really cheap.



I don't wet sand but i can tell you that $5 per panel is way to cheap. If you have any accidents you're already in the negative and owing the customer money.



wash,clay, 2 step buff and wax- 55.00 cars 65.00 trucks :wow:



i mean seriously . . . . . it takes like 5+hrs to do a 2 step buff how can you only charge $55?



What kind of products are these people using that can also allow them to yield results and a profit?



$55/5hrs = $11hr where can you profit there?



We all hate hacks, how do we get the rest of the world to understand that having them work on their cars is not the wisest thing to do.



:thx
 
wash, spray wax, folex carpets, foam agent on seats, windows, wheel outers, tires dressed = done in less than two hours! get them both on the same day so you only have to make one trip!



NOT EVERYONE WANTS PAINT CORRECTION AND A BALLS TO THE WALLS DETAIL WITHOUT PAINT CORRECTION! no wheel well cleaning, no wheel inners(could save you 1-2+ hours in some cases) Some people want a quick cleaning at <$100...its easy money if you can get 4-5 per location. But for all that goes into it for just one a day, thats the rough part!



I dont price match, but I did run a special through December and now I am stuck with it all January because it was a hit and I am booked through the 18th right now...not such a bad thing!!!!
 
alloutdetailing said:
Plus I use my own water and Electric even when people allow me to use theres just for the simple fact that I don't want anyone crying at the end that I used there stuff so why not discount. I hate this!!!!!!
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someone asked me that one time



him - "so how much is the discount for using my water and electricity"

me - "here's two bucks back because thats all I might have used up, but you now need to pay me for the travel fee of 10 bucks that I didnt charge you before...think we can work something out?"

him - "touche, touche"
 
toyotaguy said:
wash, spray wax, folex carpets, foam agent on seats, windows, wheel outers, tires dressed = done in less than two hours! get them both on the same day so you only have to make one trip!



NOT EVERYONE WANTS PAINT CORRECTION AND A BALLS TO THE WALLS DETAIL WITHOUT PAINT CORRECTION! no wheel well cleaning, no wheel inners(could save you 1-2+ hours in some cases) Some people want a quick cleaning at <$100...its easy money if you can get 4-5 per location. But for all that goes into it for just one a day, thats the rough part!



I dont price match, but I did run a special through December and now I am stuck with it all January because it was a hit and I am booked through the 18th right now...not such a bad thing!!!!
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That could be true but where in that list that you made did it include the 2 step buff :)



What special did you decide to run that worked out well for you?



Also, do you have cases where you don't clean the rims or the inner rims?



toyotaguy said:
someone asked me that one time



him - "so how much is the discount for using my water and electricity"

me - "here's two bucks back because thats all I might have used up, but you now need to pay me for the travel fee of 10 bucks that I didnt charge you before...think we can work something out?"

him - "touche, touche"
Click to expand...



that's hilarious! i have been fortunate enough to never have anyone grumble about using their electric/water . . . . . never had complaints, never was asked for a discount of any sort or anything.
 
Hey guys, lest we forget we live in a free economy, which promotes competition.



Everybody is free to charge whatever they feel like. Unlike other trades that require safety licenses or professional certifications, detailing could be performed by anybody where law permits.



Supply and Demand dictate that the price should be set at exactly how much the customer is willing to pay, and the amount the supplier is willing to accept. This depends on the demogrpahics, quality of work being offered, and generally your luck.



The people charging $65 for a full detail job is probably not expecting to detail Porsches or Ferraris. If you are looking to offer proper detail to your prospective clients then you should not see 65-dolla-detailers as your rivalry. They are in a different market than you are. They are looking for cheapskates that do not know the difference, or those that simply do not give a crap.



On the other hand, if a $65 detailing job could yield proper results, then perhaps you should ask yourself if you are overcharging for your services.



The whole point of being self-employed is so that detailers could be paid based on their skills (in both detailing and marketing) and luck. In capitalistic America we are not guaranteed happiness, but only the pursuit of it. Let others charge [and pay] whatever amount makes them happy.
 
Its hard to say no to money.



Don't worry about people that are both picky and cheap.

When they nit pick - remind then of the price. If that doesn't work, throw them out. Really.



I recenlty declined work on a Ferrari 355 spider as the owner was over the top picky.

I got the impression that the delivery of a finished product would have been hell. Just someone who is never happy.



Don't get me wrong, if I needed the money for something, I'd suck it up and do the work.
 
Also, make a mental note for yourself.



When people tell you about a second or third car after you do this first one, ask to see them all first.



A lot of people are stupid and think you are going to drop your pants on price because the thought of future income is on your mind.



The elusive "second car" line...

:sosad

Just keep an ear open for it.
 
toyotaguy said:
NOT EVERYONE WANTS PAINT CORRECTION AND A BALLS TO THE WALLS DETAIL WITHOUT PAINT CORRECTION!
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WHAT!!! Some people are ridiculous! Every car owner should spend $800 on a clean-up.:LOLOL







I agree with you though. For a great majority of people, a "market priced" 1-step produces better results than most people can ever imagnie. I really cant accomodate any new work. But I took in a 4hr 1-step to keep myself busy while at home waiting for a furniture delivery. That single customer has sent me 5 clustomers since December 22nd (its now Jan 8) who I unfortunatley can not serivce until later in February if they are still in the market.



At $500-$800, I'd not know these customers. (Keep in mind, the tunnel car washes around here change $125-$175 and the one fixed location detailing shop I know of charges $250 and up. There are no mobile guys to be found)
 
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