How to deal with low price, far place?

A

AquaHawk

New member
Someone called me, about 30 mins from me. Anyways, this guy wants me to detail a 14 seat bus. (like a pace bus) which is cool and all, but I think he just wants a wash + black tires + windows + Vacuum + Dash + Possible Stain removal. I found it hard to quote, because I've never done a bus and he wasn't exactly sure what he wanted.


Anyways, Weds, I'm going to go there and give a quote, I already said probably 50 for just a wash.


What should I quote, just for that ^ Hopefully he will want more done, it's not really his van, he was just consulting for somebody else.


I get a lot of calls that are not far, but sometimes I feel not worth the drive for the cash, how do you deal with those types of calls?


(I have a partner, so everything is 50/50. So If I make 80 it's only 40 a piece, not really worth it, if the car is far)
 
Charge them for your trip.

I would be worried that the bus is trashed.

If it's not enough money, it's not worth it.


30 minutes drive is one hour total.

2 guys time for an hour each is 40 bucks.

50 for wash is very low
 
There is a minimum price I will travel certain distances for and I let the customer know that up front.  I also make sure I have a full understanding of what I should expect when I get there and what they want done.  I wouldn't travel that far for just a $50 wash on something that size.  


 


You might want to take a good look at your partnership.  Not sure the details but I hope you are deducting expenses before dividing the profits.  In your scenario for half of $80 you will be spending $8-$10 on gas.  Are you doing all the work and he's making $40 while you only make $30?
 
Try to feel him out for some kind of maintenance agreement where you do a really good cleaning up front and then do regular maintenance on it. Mention that if you apply a good sealant to it that it will make things easier to keep looking clean with your services. 


 


I'd also give them a price range for each thing you're doing outside of just a wash. Like $50 for the wash, then $75-100 for the interior, $200-350 for sealant, etc. 


 


Good luck. I hope you get it. 
 
Thanks for the replies guys.


@Nth Degree We do take out expenses, I was just making a little point.


...Anyways, I don't want to be working for nada, so what would you charge for JUST the things I listed above? (besides Stain Removal)
 
You don't want to quote something, drive out there, then find out that it is a fraternity bus filed with puke.


It scares me when you say that it's not his van, he is consulting for someone else.


How much more difficult would this can be than a car? The roof is extra high. Pure size is a factor. Try and figure if this is 2 or 3 cars work and charge accordingly.


Just the wash might be around 40 to 50. Vacuuming a van of that size is not a small job. Would they want all seats vacuumed? I would charge for everything separate as David suggested.


Wash 40

Interior quick vac and wipe 50

Then you could charge for wax or sealant from 20 to 200 depending.


Definitely up sell the seal as this can protect the value of the van if it is newer.


Also think about premium interior upsells.

They should get it extracted : 50 - 100

Fabric/carpet protection 20



Why would the owner not be calling himself?

If it is a corporate can, this makes sense, otherwise it is scary.


I would be up front with them..... Its going to be a minimum 175 for me to drive out there, but it includes XYZ plus travel.


I don't even know that I would quote for free, if they say no then you have wasted much time and money.


Can they send you pics?
 
@WWWW Thanks for the reply.


I don't know why he wouldn't be calling himself. Should I give him a call back tomorrow and tell him, "Before I go out there, it's going to be an estimated $150 and up, just for the Wash + Tire Gel Application + Windows + Vacuum + Dash."


Figure maybe...


Wash = 1hr+ (little over maybe) $50


Tire Gel = 10-20 mins. $20


Windows = Depends how many windows... maybe 30mins - 1hr+ $40+


Vacuum = Depends how dirty. I assume seats as well. 1hr+ $40+


Dash = Depends how big. 5 - 20mins at most. $10


Total = $150 and that is just an estimation. (If he just wants those services)


(I usually would include Tire Gel with the wash and even the windows, but there is too much area to cover.)


I should maybe even ask him to check with his boss. To see if this is okay for him and that it could run him more.




 
 
Get him to list all the things he wants done.  Make suggestions but don't give prices.  Let him tell you what he is looking for and make sure he understands that he needs to disclose any issues that might require more than basic work or there will be additional charges for surprises. .  Then quote high and tell him a minimum for coming out so he doesn't get you out there and decides just a wash is all he wants or has sandbagged you with surprises. 


 


The reason to quote high is you aren't likely to upsell additional services once you are there since it probably has to be approved.  If he starts looking to cut out some of the things he said he wanted before knowing the price then start thinking "run".  


 


Jobs like this can turn out to be time suckers or can leave the customer underwhelmed.  Make sure you aren't walking into either situation.
 
@ Nth Degree Thank you! Very helpful! What exactly do you mean by "Make suggestions but don't give prices" just so I have a better understanding of how to approach the situation.


This job is giving me knots in my stomach, I don't exactly like how his boss is sending him to do his work, but he isn't 100% what needs to be done. At the end of the conversation, he said something on the lines of his boss will show me the bus, and tell me what he wants. IDK :/
 
What I mean is:  "Are you looking to have the outside just washed or would you like to have it sealed and protected?  Seat cleaning?  Carpet extraction?"  instead of "For $XX.XX more I can seal the outside and I can include the carpet cleaning for $XX.XX."  


 


Then send an estimate.  This is how you will know whether the job is worth the drive or not based upon whether he says "okay" or starts asking "How much if we don't do the carpets?"  I almost guarantee the boss is going to try to low ball you once you get there knowing you won't want to walk away after driving all the way there.  That is why a minimum for just arriving is going to be key on this one.
 
People like honesty.

This is especially true of business owners.


If you come out and say:

"it's 250 minimum for us to drive out there"

If he asks why, you can say two guys one hour driving

Etc etc etc, change 250 to whatever you want.


You can also explain the extent that you are going to

take on his van. This isn't a 1.5 hour job. How long

do you think that it would take two people?


Remember, this is a 14 Passenger van. You can use this to your advantage. This is a fleet vehicle, and surely is heavily soiled. I wouldn't even question adding extracted carpets as a mandatory. It's going to need it. Just vacuum wouldn't cut it.


What other premium services would you like to do?

You could add in seat belt steaming. This can be an issue especially in medical transport vehicles. 14 people in and out daily, think of the germs wound up in every belt. Quote the price including all seat belts fully extended.


If they drive at night, what can you do to improve this situation? How about a glass treatment (wax) on exterior windows for better visibility and anti fog treatment inside?


What about a long lasting odor neutralizer plus bactericide?


If they are calling you, they want something done right.

Explain the drive, and how you must make the most of your trips to their location.

A quality seal or coating will save the company money, or make the work they paid for last longer. However you want to spin it.


Come in with a list of services including why they need them. If you can make it sanitation or medical safety, there is more motivation to get it done. A business can fall negligible if they knowingly danger the occupants of the vehicle. Not that you would ever bring that up.


You can also offer to service the vehicle.

Ask if it needs air filter or belt or anything.

Some detailers cross promote this way.

That way they do a maintenance wash, and regular maintenance. You know how much mechanics charge. Add on site work, and you can see the profitability. It just depends what work you want to do.


Some guys do exteriors only, because they say there's more money in it.
 
I talked to him on the phone today, the guys seems like they really are interested. And there aren't really any mobile guys around my area, so I don't think they will have anyone else do it.


I told him "Just to let you know, so I don't drive out there and you decide you don't want my service, it's going to be about $XXX and up. It all depends."


And he told me something along the lines of, he figured that.


Ill keep yah posted guys!
 
UPDATE: I love staying true to my word, but had to cancel appointment for bus estimation. Weather got extremely bad over night where I live. Nothing like Chicago weather.... :(
 
In general when something like this happens, explain that your time is $xx per hour and seeing as you can't know exactly how many hours it will take, you can't quote it until you see it. If he bucks, tell him 'no thanks'. Sometimes, turning down a job is the best thing you can do for your business. It's not always worth it.
 
@Jean Thanks for the reply! I agree, taking a job sometimes could hurt you. Like, if you take a job and the guy low balls you and then someone else calls you, with a better job, but you cant take it because you're occupied with the low ballers vehicle.


UPDATE: Going out there tomorrow, guy said to just come out, so we'll see what happens. Something always bits me right in the butt, but if he tries low balling me like crazy, I'm just going to walk away. I'm in the business of making money, not breaking even.
 
Asking what his budget for the project is can't hurt also. It may save you a trip. If he says full detail for $125 you know not even to bother.


 


Along a similar vein...


when people call and ask me what I charge for a "full detail" I don't even give them a price anymore. If they don't have the time to inspect who my company is, what we do and the range of our prices, they aren't worth the time. "Sorry, we are booked for 2 months and don't have any availability." -true, but if they are my type of person I will give them my time and make an appointment work for them.


 


Like I said, sometimes it's not worth the time to even try.
 
Update: Grrr, we were having problems with where we receive out water supply. (Frozen) So I told the guy if we could possibly use his, and I explained my reason. And he said that his boss didn't want to use his water. So I told the guy we're going to be running a little late, then the guy canceled and said they're going to find somebody else.


Happy I didn't go, because if the guy is nickel and diming on water, then we would of been low balled. And I, only having 2 hrs a sleep and 1 day of missed sleep, may have of said something really rude and got bad reps toward my business. Anyways, just wanted to update.
 
@Nth Degree I also had a gut feeling, guy was a little rude here and there, but I blew it off. Next time, I will use my gut better. Thanks guys appreciate it! :)
 
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