How much is to much?

C

Cameron

New member
I keep getting calls from customers wanting their cars buffed and waxed. The first thing I always ask is what kind of car and what color is it? The last few cars have been either black or another dark color. I tell them I would like to look at the car before I quote a price so I don't quote a bad price.



The last two specific cars were a black Range Rover with surface scratches from a car wash and the other was a forest green Jaguar.



I told both customers that if the car only needed a good buff and wax I would only charge about $150. That includes wash, buff, wax, wheels cleaned and shined, basic interior detail(clean all interior with cleaner and apply armor all conditioner) with vuccuum and windows done also.



To me that seems like a good price, yet the range rover guy never brought the car by and just kept saying he would call me this past weekend. The Jaguar guy called me an hour or so ago and I said I would come look at it after my meeting I had to go to. When I got to his area he would not answer the phone or return my texts/calls.



Is my price to high or is this just some bad luck?
 
Just bad luck, or your price is too cheap, and they're worried you won't do a good job. A black range rover for $150 is about 25% of the going rate of a good correction job.





John
 
I was going to say the same thing...quote a price too high and people wont book with you...quote a price too low and people wont take you seriously. Someone once said to me, "charge what you are worth and deliver a result that exceeds peoples expectations"
 
not to mention, your terminology is too "body shop" - paint correction, reconditioning, paint defect removal, etc...all sound much better than "buff and wax"
 
Dumbed down speak can be good and bad. However, considering the clientale and the cars you were discussing you might have sounded a bit of a hack by what you were saying. That's just me, being an outsider and what you posted. The actual conversation and context could have been very different.



Most people on here would understand that Armour All isn't necessarily a bad thing since it's reformulation eon's ago but no pro would mention that as a selling feature to a new potential customer that has a 50,000 plus car.



Doubt your experience is necessarily about price but approach. Getting customers is hard, keeping is easier. The more professional your approach, the better your chances will be of landing them. If you kept just to the - I need to do an assessment to provide you with a proper quote but my rates for a hand wash would cost X and Wax/Synthetic Sealant would cost Y.. quote for defect removal such as swirls marks, scratches etc. typically average about X a midsized vechicle.



Do not start divulging what type of products or brands you use unless asked.

People are busy and stuff happens so might have just been timing.



Sorry but if I had called you, I would have been polite but most likely not have used your services.
 
Black SUV, wash/clay/2 step correction + wax = 325, add full interior for $45.

Dark Jag same process for $275/$45 respectively.



Remember to educate your customer while on the phone with them. Get them to realize that what you're going to do will be so imparitive to the car's well being and then price will be superficial. But yes, it's possible that you were just 'too low' and they felt like it should cost more b/c they have expensive cars. For giggles-call back the SUV and say "I believe I misunderstood you, if it requires more than 1 step of polishing, and the interior needs more than just vac'ing out-it will be $250" see what they say.
 
You're cheating yourself & the industry by drastically undercharging for that amount of work. Especially for these types of vehicles. These people have no problem paying $125-$150 per hour to have their car serviced at the dealership, but won't pay you (a skilled detailer) the same to spend multiple hours on it for chump change.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I am now going to rethink my entire approach. I will point out that I don't actually say armor all. More like interior conditioner to help protect the interior while giving it a nice shine.



Armor all was just a shorter version of that(since everyone knows what armor all does).



Most of the details I've done have been for friends or at previous jobs I have done. I wasn't the one having to win over a new customer. Only here recently have I ventured out on my own to create my own clientel.



Definately not a pro, but I'm trying to learn as must as I can. Recently I've been doing details on the cheaper side to build a portfolio. I'm designing a website and want to have many different vehicle with all types of detail work to showcase. I thought by discounting the cost I could bring in more clients. Just because the cost is less wont mean that level of detial will be less.



I can say one thing is I have been reading through lots of threadds and its like the information I can learn from never ends. I love it.
 
I'm glad you're learning. Try to be atleast in the ballpark of your local competition. People could automatically discount your ability if you are priced considerably lower than everyone else. Retain these types of clients by doing good work and being dependable, not but undercutting everyone else. Much better to have a referral for doing a good job instead of a cheap one. Good luck!
 
My one bit of advice is this... remember one thing in this business, sell yourself on quality and value(which is perceived and not necessarily[read:usually] the lowest price available), not on a price. Someone will always be able to say they can do something cheaper than you. They won't always match your value.
 
Cameron said:
Thanks for all the responses. I am now going to rethink my entire approach. I will point out that I don't actually say armor all. More like interior conditioner to help protect the interior while giving it a nice shine.



Armor all was just a shorter version of that(since everyone knows what armor all does).



Most of the details I've done have been for friends or at previous jobs I have done. I wasn't the one having to win over a new customer. Only here recently have I ventured out on my own to create my own clientel.



Definately not a pro, but I'm trying to learn as must as I can. Recently I've been doing details on the cheaper side to build a portfolio. I'm designing a website and want to have many different vehicle with all types of detail work to showcase. I thought by discounting the cost I could bring in more clients. Just because the cost is less wont mean that level of detial will be less.



I can say one thing is I have been reading through lots of threadds and its like the information I can learn from never ends. I love it.
Click to expand...



Doing things on the cheaper side to get clientele is not a good idea! Once you do those vehicles cheap, they will refer you to people based on your prices, not your work! When quoting someone a price, figure on making at least $50 an hour, and quote a price based on that. I have found that when people with high priced vehicles call and say how bad it is... it usually isn't that bad. Buff and wax is a noobie term... paint correction, 3 or 4 step exterior reconditioning... sounds way better to a guy with $$$!!! Oh yeah... interior dressing isn't included... that is extra...lol
 
Cameron said:
Thanks for all the responses. I am now going to rethink my entire approach. I will point out that I don't actually say armor all. More like interior conditioner to help protect the interior while giving it a nice shine.



Armor all was just a shorter version of that(since everyone knows what armor all does).
Click to expand...



Also, most people don't want shine... for 1, it can be dangerous in causing glare. 2, looks very odd. Most people, especially if you're paying a pro want an OEM look. Almost matte with just a very slight level gloss. Saying shiney interior isn't a good thing, especially if the customer has leather interior :wink1:



Restoration to Original - Like New condition is what almost everyone wants. Hence why some people want leather conditioners that smell like "new" leather scent. If someone picks up their vehicle and it looks like a new car.. they'll be very very pleased. If someone picks up their car and the tires all shiny and wet gloss, interior is all armour all'd and the steering wheel is all slippery from "wrong" protectant being applied and causing a dangerious situation where a person's hands slip off the steering wheel when making a turn :pray:.. get my point.
 
LOL, my friend took his car to the car wash to have the interior done because I was too busy to get to it before he sold it...look at his response



Me: Hey, how did the car turn out?

Him: Goo, but they armor-all'd the F&*# out of it! Its so greasy it sucks, I have to rewipe it myself"



I busted up laughing!
 
toyotaguy said:
... they armor-all'd the F&*# out of it! Its so greasy.."
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Sounds like my ranting last year...except I didn't say "Armor All" as it don't think it's all that bad, at least not compared to the *really* slimy stuff some guys use.



Both of my vehicles that were "detailed" (scare-quotes intentional :rolleyes: ) in FLA had uber-slimed interiors...utterly gross and a bear to get clean.
 
People purchase services first, based on the confidence they have in your business. Second, is quality and price is further down on the list. Making people confident in your company should be part of your marketing plan. This includes your phone demeanor, your website, your marketing materials, car, uniform, etc. All this plays a role in how confident people are in you and your company. As for what you can charge, it depends on your market and your reputation. Make sure you are offering services that your target market really want. Not everyone is looking for correction services. It could be that your target market is simply looking for a clean, shiny, and protected car. Quoting prices for full corrections to the wrong target audience will not get you much business.
 
Thanks for the tip. I read a thread here about the difference in the shine vs matte look. I am going to start doing that instead and see how my customers like it. I do have some that love the "shiny look".



@DetailKnight....I have started thinking about what I "know" about detailing compared to all the info I have read on here. I decided I am a newb. I have actually slowed down on my detailing so I can learn better techniques and the proper ways to do things. I am gonna bedoing a chopper for a friend of mine in a few days. I am mostly focusing on making his chrome finish look as good as possible.
 
paco said:
Also, most people don't want shine... for 1, it can be dangerous in causing glare. 2, looks very odd. Most people, especially if you're paying a pro want an OEM look. Almost matte with just a very slight level gloss. Saying shiney interior isn't a good thing, especially if the customer has leather interior :wink1:
Click to expand...

I would be careful about such a blanket statement that "most people don't want shine". In my experience, 95% of my clients WANT a high gloss interior. I've had people give a multitude of reasons, including that it "makes their car look new, makes their car look different, makes their car look like it's been freshly detailed", etc etc etc. I think we all need to remember that people have very different opinions on things sometimes, and just because we as pros prefer a more subtle matte finish, doesn't mean that everyone else does as well.
 
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