AeroCleanse said:
Every car should be clayed before touching the paint with anything like a polish, compound or wax.
And people should eat healthy, yet McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and Krystal's is making billions off of people....(or used to...you get the idea)
What is ideal and what people want/expect are two different things. This is something I am starting to really understand now that I work a large property of upper-middle class tenants. People who make great money and have nice cars.
If you find someone wanting the ideal detail(the real autopian stuff), chances are they are A: a car guy or B: Incredibly wealthy. I am starting to think that the C: type that the majority of people are is the type that wants a premier job at a premier price, just does not exist.
Instead, type C: is the majority of people who just want their car shiny. I believe there are odd groups that are a mixture, but they are very small groups. (speaking of car owners, not dealerships)
Instead of cutting myself out of work but only catering to a single group, I offer something for everyone. I do not offer a $20 int/ext package. I do have my own limits. But for the property where there are a lot of people who make everything from worker-bee/gopher money up to upper-class money I offer it all. An int/ext wash for a coupe starts at $35. That takes a little less than an hour and I can offer extra services to up sell the job. It's easy to take 1 hour and bill $60.
Working smarter not harder is nice. But sometimes, in this economy, you have to work harder too. There is no single "best way" unless you've already got a slammin' clientele that isn't going anywhere(even then, never say never). Chances are to get that clientele you had to do it all at one time anyways.
When I saw this thread I wanted to give my .02. I believe there is room for everyone. The $15 wash guys will probably run themselves out of business. No worries tho, someone will come fill their shoes. Truth is the people using the $15 washes will never become any worth-while portion of your business. So the point of them using dirt cheap "car washers" over you is moot. But some of the guys here are hurting themselves by insisting that an owner does everything perfectly.
Explain what is ideal to the customer and the prices. When they say that cost too much as them what
they want out of a detail and how much they are willing to spend? Create a package for them to get as close, if not spot-on, to what they want in that price range. Explain that by leaving out certain steps what the results will be. Then do everything they are paying for the best you can. I mean, don't say you'll clean leather that will take 1 hour for $10 and give them a shoddy job because they aren't paying as much. Either clean it right for the right price or say that you can't give it proper attention for that little money. Do it right or don't do it. But leave up the customer what they want to leave out. If they don't want claying, which most people give a "what?" look over anyways, don't give it before a coat of wax/sealant. Give them what they ask for. Worse case the paint needs a polish sooner than later, who are they going to call to fix that???
(it was their choice after all)
I used to only offer perfection with paint correction or nothing. That was killing my opportunities to get new clients. I now offer a single step that doesn't look as good as full correction, but clients are happy with it. That's all that matters.
There is a fine line between making a customer happy and seeing their business again, and making yourself happy with how a vehicle looks. If I had to make myself 100% happy with every detail/wash, I would not make money. Because I know how it
could look I wouldn't be happy with any "basic wash" I offer clients on my own car. But if I were to have a detailer wash my car I'd be paying $100 for a wash. I, personally, would fall into that group of car guys who will pay for quality.
Know
who you're going after in business and cater to them. That's exactly what those $15 mobile car wash guys are doing.
