Packages VS A La Carte

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Irkie500

New member
Its been a huge personal debate on what route to go. I feel that packages are great for organizing things for the customer yet I feel that going A La Carte helps keep the initial price down which may be a concern for some customers. The disadvantage however, is that it may look like you are trying to nickel and dime them which is obviously a very bad thing in this field. The way my prototype flyer is set up now has a Hand wash for $15, that just includes the wash and outside windows, no tire dressing, no chrome polish or anything like that, its all optional. On the other hand I feel a solid basic wash package is a nice starting point but $30-$50 may be a bit of a shock for people who are not used to private detailing, such is the case where I live in upstate NY. So to all the successful owners and operators out there, what are your opinions for getting a solid customer base when starting out?
 
Packages make people happy. It gives them the sense that they are getting more for their money. You have to glorify it a bit though; it' not just a hand wash, it's a professional and thorough de-greasing of the body paint and windows through a meticulous hand application technique.
 
I believe offering a few packages is the way to go. It does depend on your market and what types of customer's you are targeting.
 
Definitely packages. If someone buys your hand wash, and didn't pay for tire dressing, the car won't look good and customer won't be happy. If someone says "you charge how much for tire dressing"? As in, they know how much a bottle of tire dressing costs, and you're trying to get a few extra bucks out of them, they may feel you're ripping them off. Best of luck.





John
 
To be honest with you I used to have one set price for a size of vehicle (it ranged on the vehicles). I didn't want to lower my standards for a cheapo glorified car wash, but times got tough and with the inspiration of autopia I changed my pricing up to 4 different packages. It starts with a basic which is wash, dry, spray wax, interior vacuum, windows cleaning, engine spray down. Than it has a couple other packages, but my top of the line package includes basic plus clay bar, 2 stage polish, sealant and wax, tire dressing, door jambs waxed, seals treated, engine dressing and some other services
 
packages for the simpler/routine stuff like wash and waxes and light interior work, and hourly for the paint correction type work/full interior cleanings - give a $100-150 range estimate is what I do. You never know how the paint will react given the setting you are working in - temp, humidity, etc
 
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