Do you guys ever turn down work?

C

civcklr

New member
Here's the sitch.....A friend of a friend called and said her dad had a friend who was looking to get her car detailed.I called the woman, and she has a 1976 cordova she has in paper for sale, so she is looking to get it cleaned up.She goes on to tell me the car is "very oxidized" and has not ben taken very good care of...Fine, no prob.Now, she made it clear that she didn't want to spend a lot of money getting it cleaned up, so I remember the friend who gave me her number said she thought I would charge around $85.00, so thats what I quoted her (Normally $125.00 is probably what I would quote without seeing it) Well, she then proceedes to give me prices from other places she has called. One of the local drive through style shops said $45.00 to wash/machine buff/vacuum....So after explaining to her that after seeing the car there price may go up..?, anyway so once Im down to $70.00, she agrees that it would be nice since I would come to her house instead of her having to drop the car off for the day at the other place. Now, Im not one to turn down work, but I have plenty of detail work to do on my days off, and I doubt this lady will be a repeat customer, plus $70.00 is much lower then I would normally charge... :bawling: So Im thinking about just calling this lady back and telling her I cant help her.... Damn drive through car washes :gun_banda ... Thanks for letting me vent.
 
It depends on what you did or did not commit to.
If you have told her you would do the job for $70, you need to do it.
Chalk it up to experience.

If you haven't made any commitments, then I would avoid even getting involved.
Let her take it to the $45 dollar place.

Cwcad's motto which is some thing like "Say what you do, do what you say", seems to apply here.

Charles
 
One way to approach the situation would be to do $70 worth of work on your normal schedule. If a wash with some waxing and interior work normally get up around seventy dollars than why not just stop there. Charles is right in saying that you should probably honor the comittment that you made. However i wouldn't modify your rate schedule for a one time customer and end up losing out on your normal customers. $70 to remove heavy oxidation then seal it is definetly way too low, as we all know what type of time consuming activity that will be. Furthermore, if she is ready to go to a drive through type of detail place then her expectations for the final product can't be that high. I for one like to treat a customers car like my own so i can understand if you have a problem leaving the vehicle less than satisfactory, but at the same time you are a business and you must adhere to the principles that will make you successful. I say, upon sight of the vehicle, discuss with her the necessary steps to reclaim the finish or her goals for the finished product. If you can not agree on a price for the results she desires than you may have to recommend that she go elsewhere.
 
You obviously already have doubts about this. If you've got better things to do then I'd tell the customer no can do.
Personally, I don't like helping people like that. I'm not a pro so I don't do this for a living, but I do it often enough to know that I want people to appreciate what I do one way or the other. My work is worth whatever I charge. I'm sure it's the same for you. If the car is really that oxidized, it's not difficult but it's a big mess to clean through not to mention most of it will end up on your pads.
CharlesW is right, though. If you committed to it, then you have to consider what your word is worth.
 
I too agree with Charles that if you made a commitement then you should honor it. I also agree with getright that she should get what she is paying for. I would look at the car and say "OK. For $70 this is what I can do for you . . . for $xxx I can make the car look like new." Personally, if I did not know this lady I would not have budged on the price at all. However, I think the important thing is that you find out what her expectations are for your work and that you tell her what you would be willing to do for $70.
 
I agree with Charles.
But I've taken 8-10 hours on a highly contoured highly oxidized car. $70 is ridiculous, and I couldn't do a wash, one-step polish, & wax for $70, except for someone who could leave their car for a couple of days so I can do it during down time.
 
Commitment or not, call her back and turn it down. Let her take it to the car wash and get a bad wash. I turn down business all the time. A alot wealthy Mexican Nationals live here and when they call or see me detailing an expensive car, they'll ask "how much?". I give they the starting price and they have the nerve to say, "I'll give you $5 if you can do it now!".
 
SA Detailer said:
Commitment or not, call her back and turn it down. Let her take it to the car wash and get a bad wash. I turn down business all the time. A alot wealthy Mexican Nationals live here and when they call or see me detailing an expensive car, they'll ask "how much?". I give they the starting price and they have the nerve to say, "I'll give you $5 if you can do it now!".
Click to expand...
What happens between you and some people that are trying to get something for nothing is totally different than his situation.
IMO any time you make a commitment, it should be honored.

Charles
 
i think you erred by not viewing the car 1st. if it's in all day job for $70.00 all you can do is tell her your commited to other vehicle's and it will take some time to get to her's. i had this incident with my neighbors van $100.00 for 2 days work never again but this is what i told her and i did the job every nook and crannie. one heck of learning exp $$ and i hope not to make that mistake again.
 
I have turned down work just by talking to the individual. I am not in the business of letting a customer negotiate my prices. If after seeing the vehicle I agree to do the job cheaper then that is my choice. If you let customers, especially one time customers, dictate to you prices then you will never make what the job is worth. I can't skimp on services either just to fall within a customers pseudo budget. I agree, that you have already made a committment then suck it up and do the job. I rely a lot on referrals, and one upset potential customer can come back to haunt you.
 
I've turned down a few people for wanting a discount or a deal. And i've turned down a few that i know will not be happy no matter what. I've never gone against my word though.

If you already told her you would do it. Then you need keep your word. You don't want anyone out there bad mouthing you.
 
Honestly when peopel tell me that they can get a full detail from a drive through wash place for 50 bucks when I charge 150 and they really make a big deal of trying to talk my down i just tell them this:

Do you want a 50 dollar detail or a 150 dollar detail. I know that chances are they will spend 50 bucks with the cheap one and then have to pay another 150 for me to repair the vehicle.

$70 bucks is waaaay to cheap for oxidtaion removal. Dont lower your price to make one customer happy. YOu know that your prices are worth the end result and if you have other work lined up then dont waste your time.

Greg
 
Yea, Thanks guys. The good thing is that I did tell her I would have to see the car before I could commit to the $70.00, so Ill stop by in the morning and take a look, then Ill try to feel her out a bit and see if she is interested in having it done right instead of taking it to the drive through place. The only reason I budged in the first place is the guy who sent her my way is the lender Ill be using to start my fixed location. :censored:
 
If this is the car you are talking about:

there is a lot of real estate, lots of curves. For me, and perhaps I'm not a master, 4-6 hours anyway.
 
to sound like a broken record, if you commited, GO THROUGHT WITH IT. if not turn her down. NEVER cheapen your prices. it will cheapen your reputation. many items or services are rated by the price charged, you don't want to get a rep for a cheap price, meaning cheap quality. not everyone will liek your price. the ones that don't won't like anyones price that is reasonable.
 
I once quoted a guy ( a family friend) a price of $60 to detail " his little red truck with a little oxidation on the hood"(exterior only) without seeing it, well it turned out that the truck was so faded and oxidized it was pink, I was not excited about the work but I was obligated to follow through, I also spent about twice as long as I told him and he was so happy with the result ( and that i spent extra time) that he tipped me very generously. He also told his neighbors about me and i had a lot of work from that neighborhood for a while. HONESTY< COMMITMENT< WORK ETHIC,
Dont be afaid to let customers know when there getting more than their paying for. ( and act happy about it) :lol:
 
I'm gettin' old.

If I know a detailing project is going to take more than 5 hours, I won't take it.

Therefore,

No Full-Size Trucks
No Large SUV's
No Vans
No Trashed Mini-Vans....

Gimme them Vettes.... I'll do-em all day long for free!!!! (j/k j/k j/k !!!!!) :t :t :t
 
Word of mouth is so important in your line of work.
I once read something like: A happy customer tells someone else, an unhappy customer tells 10 people. Not too far off, IMO.

Charles
 
HELL NO! You know you will just regret doing it while you work on it. Why should you lower your price just because she "doesn't want to spend a lot?" Sounds like she should have taken better car of it if she didnt wan't to spend a lot to make it look good.

My point of view,
Shaun
 
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