Hire Help?

[Bullitt]

I'm a mobile detailer in Houston,Tx and with the weather last week was my best week ever in terms of profit. I use the Internet as a marketing tool, and aquire many clients this way, but mostly people who just want a clean car, not total paint correction. It only took a few of my best clients to spread word throughout auto forums about my work and then the High-End clientele started to find out. So here I am now booked up for the next 2 weeks and having to turn people down, people who will pay big to get a detail. These are the people who email me with how many cars they have and want the best package I have for all of them, the people who call are usually bargain hunters who can't appreciate all the work that goes into correcting the local corner car washes mistakes. Sorry for the long intro but my question is do I hire someone to help me out with jobs so I can do more cars and grow the company? I just don't want the product I have worked so hard and put my name on to be blemished. If I hire someone, what is the rate I should pay them? Should I expand and put another unit on the road? You guys can answer this better than me because I'm sure alot of you have crossed this road before. I could go on and on about how much I should pay someone and training them properly. I guess to grow this company I'm eventually going to have to hire someone I can trust and that is willing to learn, I'm just not sure how to go about it? Any input from the pros would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Envious Eric]

I am hoping to be in your shoes, and this is my plan:



I will stick to the higher end details, the paint correction ones. I will have a team of two (I will train, pay one guy more to be a supervisor type) and send them out to do the car washing, the wash and wax details, and the easier, time consuming stuff. Any polishing/compounding will be done by me.

 

[A.P.D.]

two years ago i was in your shoes and hiring was the best thing i could have done. Lets face it your side kick can do the easy or stuff you do not like doing!!! however find his or her weakness and figure out a routine and double check their work, good luck

 

[Bullitt]

Thanks for the replies. You guys are on the same page as me. Since I posted this I've received more calls, all from people viewing the Car Club threads. So far these threads on the Car Club forums have givin me my best clients who really care for their cars and aren't afraid to spend. None of them ever ask about price, and most of them email me and tell me what they want on each car and who to make the check out to. Just got off topic but hiring somebody is going to be a task in itself to find a trustworthy person. I just want somebody I can train to be a clone of me and let them supervise someone else and do the regular details and washes etc. and that will leave me time to do the jobs that require more skill. I also got an offer to set up shop at one of the High End hair salons in Houston. The owner says all his clients always are asking him about detailing. He wants me to set up there on certain days of the week, but I'm not sure about this. The only way I could do that is if I didnt have any cars that day or if I hired help and just let them sit up there and pay them hourly. I know you guys have all been there and done that and know the business better than me, so if any of you have any advice, that would be great.