Customer perceptions...

P

Pander5

Tampa, FL
In my opinion I think customers get sort of unconscious feelings after a detail. When the average Joe or Jill shows up and sees their vehicle clean, buffed, polished, dressed etc. I think they get almost unconscious but good reactions to headlight restorations (if applicable), wheels really clean and tires dressed.

I'm not saying they don't see the paintwork but I think the entire vehicle presentation is much more favorable when some of the things that don't really register in their minds are things like cloudy headlamps turned crystal clear again, dirty wheels turned new again and tire and well dressings. Some customers notice, some don't mention those things

Just a caffeine induced introspection...
 
I think most people are actually more impressed with an immaculate interior than a headlight or wheel.
Most people spend most of their time sitting in their cars not looking at them. When they see a nice clean dash and all the nooks and crannies gleaming at them, they feel like it's as close to new as they remember. :)
 
Pander5 said:
In my opinion I think customers get sort of unconscious feelings after a detail. When the average Joe or Jill shows up and sees their vehicle clean, buffed, polished, dressed etc. I think they get almost unconscious but good reactions to headlight restorations (if applicable), wheels really clean and tires dressed.

I'm not saying they don't see the paintwork but I think the entire vehicle presentation is much more favorable when some of the things that don't really register in their minds are things like cloudy headlamps turned crystal clear again, dirty wheels turned new again and tire and well dressings. Some customers notice, some don't mention those things

Just a caffeine induced introspection...
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I think that's a true statement.
The first thing a friend of my wife's commented on when I did her Trail Blazer, (which she had done professionally, previously), was the windows and interior. She than asked if I was able to do anything about some specific flaws in the paint. When she could no longer find them, she then commented on the look of the exterior.
My point being, you need to do it all. One person notices wheels, another the paint, someone else might be very conscious of the windows and interior. Do it all and you keep them all happy. :)

Interesting to me that while she was unhappy enough with the previous detailer to mention the windows and interior to me, she never said a thing to that shop.
Well, not directly. She didn't go back so I guess that was a pretty strong statement.
(I have done it again so she did come back to me.:D)
 
I had a customer pick up her fully detailed vehicle this morning and what I was referring to in my original post was their initial reaction when they first arrive. She didn't even look at the interior until I pointed it out to her. I agree the interior is where they spend their time and will notice that as soon as they get back in it and start to drive away. I was just thinking of the customer's initial psychology and the "little" things subconsciously register without them making any overt reaction to it.

I like the "do it all and they'll be happy" statement and that's what I do every time. I also agree with the point that customers react differently but my experience this morning was what most of my customers do i.e show up with a filthy vehicle and are amazed at the transformation. That's better than the payment sometimes!
 
Poorboy said:
Sounds like you might be coming out of retirement :notme:
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No way!!!
This is the best job I ever had. :D
I still keep fairly busy, but I start when I feel like it, take a break when I feel like it, quit when I feel like it and only do what I feel like doing.
Think about it. Wouldn't that be a great job to have? :)

Besides that, today is the first day of Spring.
It's up to 36 degrees already. :yay:yay:yay
 
CharlesW said:
I start when I feel like it, take a break when I feel like it, quit when I feel like it and only do what I feel like doing.
Think about it. Wouldn't that be a great job to have? :)
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:lol2: that is my job :rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl
 
CharlesW said:
No way!!!
This is the best job I ever had. :D
I still keep fairly busy, but I start when I feel like it, take a break when I feel like it, quit when I feel like it and only do what I feel like doing.
Think about it. Wouldn't that be a great job to have? :)

Besides that, today is the first day of Spring.
It's up to 36 degrees already. :yay:yay:yay
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Yes and where I live we have a Winter Storm Watch for tomorrow :wall
Man I'm ready for Spring :bigups
 
For me at least people seem to notice wheels and tires first, especially when you get those cars whose rims look like they were powder coated with brake dust, and tires were a nice brown color...

If I put a high gloss on them and the rims are polished and nice coat of wheel wax on them, thats the first thing they seem to notice...
 
black bart said:
Yes and where I live we have a Winter Storm Watch for tomorrow :wall
Man I'm ready for Spring :bigups
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It was supposed to snow tomorrow here too...its been alot of rain lately, now they are saying partly cloudy...what I have learned is spring is never coming...I hate winter, I need to move south...
 
I find a few reactions in customers...the ones that are blown away by the work and walk around the car in awe about how good / new it looks again...Others key on an area or two that maybe they thought would not come clean again...and the last one because they are paying quite a bit more than the car wash they use for the most part they become a critic, point out areas that you might have missed or stains in the rugs that are NOT going to come out.

When I deliver a car back to a customer...I open up the car doors, pop the trunk, hood if I have done the engine...open the gas door...etc...I do this in efforts to show the work off point out the level of work that I do on the cars...its called adding value to the detail so they feel like they have got their monies worth...and then will tell their friends, family and neighbors:D
 
Beemerboy said:
and the last one because they are paying quite a bit more than the car wash they use for the most part they become a critic, point out areas that you might have missed or stains in the rugs that are NOT going to come out.
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Ahh the critics...my favorites, and for the most part critics are the ones whose cars were disasters to begin with....I find it hard to be a critic when they give me their car in the horrible condition that it is...

I guess its their right as they are the customer...but it still amazes me...
 
Stephan said:
Ahh the critics...my favorites, and for the most part critics are the ones whose cars were disasters to begin with....I find it hard to be a critic when they give me their car in the horrible condition that it is...

I guess its their right as they are the customer...but it still amazes me...
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Stephan

Not sure how you handle the quoting process but I have learned on new prospects to point out the areas that you know are going to be problems....This helps greatly when you deliver the car back so they are not expecting a miracle....I tell people in a joking manor that I am a detailer not magician :D
 
Beemerboy said:
Stephan

Not sure how you handle the quoting process but I have learned on new prospects to point out the areas that you know are going to be problems....This helps greatly when you deliver the car back so they are not expecting a miracle....I tell people in a joking manor that I am a detailer not magician :D
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I try to be upfront with them ahead of time, on both the inside and out of the car, point out scratches or defects that cannot come out, or stains on the interior that might still be there...for the most part they come out or are reduced enough to where the customer is grateful and thankful that you were able to do such a good job...but you always get the few that know about it, but still respond, oh you couldn't get that stain out...
 
Beemerboy said:
I

When I deliver a car back to a customer...I open up the car doors, pop the trunk, hood if I have done the engine...open the gas door...etc...
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I thought maybe you do this to show them they still have seat, a spare, an engine and a gas cap after you are done with their car:lol2::rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl
 
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