Pricing Help please, customer dispute

M

mgproudfit

New member
So yesterday I went down to Georgia (2 hour trip one way) to detail 3 cars for a repeat customer of mine. They were a repainted S2000, a 06 Si Coupe, and a PT cruiser. I did complete paint correction on the Si and S2000 and a base detail on the PT. We went down there two years ago and I washed one other car for them but did NO paint correction (time consuming and expensive process). So while he's saying I did less work this time, in reality I did more. Also, gas was 1/2 the price two years ago as it is now. When he asked price last night I told him 800.00 which I think is fair for 11 hours of work, 3 cars, 2 paint corrections and 4 hours of round-trip travel. He was not happy, and although paying me, I PMd him last night and wanted to see what he thought, this was his reply:



"Actually last time you charged $600 for 4 vehicles ($150 per vehicle) and we bumped it to $650. This time it was $800 for 3 cars ($266 per car). I can get detailing done around here for $125 to $150 with a 10% discount for multiple cars. I was prepared to go $200 a car but $266 is a bit much.



I should have gotten a firm price from you before you came but that was my mistake and one I won't make again. You let me know what you think is fair and please remember to hold the check until the end of the week. I'm moving some funds to that account but it will be Thursday before I get the check to deposit."



Now, I see where he is coming from, but I feel my time is worth more. After talking to another detailer, Ive decided to wave travel fees, breakdown the price structure, and let him know where I stand, this was my reply:



"Hey Mike-



First off, Georgia...wow; they looked good last night. :thumbup:



Back to the matter at hand



I broke down the prices verbatim on my website at Pristine Auto Detailing - Cincinnati, Ohio and Ill do the same on here so you can see.



S2000 - Base detail price of 125.00

+30.00 for engine bay

+80.00 for paint correction

+20.00 for claybar treatment

+15.00 for leather conditioner

+40.00 for Carnauba Wax application

290.00 Total



Si - Base detail price of 150.00

+25.00 for engine bay

+100.00 for paint correction

+35.00 for claybar

310.00 Total



PT - Base Detail price of 150.00

+0 - Base was all we did on it



Total for work alone is 750.00 not including travel expenses which I have decided to wave for you. I believe where we are misunderstanding is that while I worked on less cars this time (3, not 4) I actually did more work as the paint correction (polishing) is very time consuming and the products are quite pricey for it. That is the reason that this trip wasn't cheaper than the previous. I see where you're coming from and just wanted you to know where I stand price wise as well. I dont want to lose you as a customer as I value the trips down there and your willingness to wait on my availability for the work to be done so Im wanting to try and compromise with you. If 750.00 works for you, then I can paypal the money back to you (50.00+3% for fees) so we can settle up. Let me know and sorry for this misunderstanding, I really am.



-Matt"



Im awaiting a reply but Ive offered to waive the travel fees and settle for 50.00 less as I would like to retain him as a customer. Am I right/wrong/etc?



Thanks

Matt
 
Sometimes, sacrifices need to be made in order to keep work flowing, but at the same time, more economical specifics need to be talked before even prepping the car. I think what you're doing is great, just next time make sure all those "little" details are talked before starting
 
Yea, this is the first time in 4+ years Ive made this mistake. I guess it's true what they say about "assuming". Lesson learned.



-Matt
 
PM I just got. We're all square...



"No need to refund anything. I was simply unaware of the price difference and felt a bit blindsided when you gave me the price - not to mention a bit embarassed since I hadn't put enough in the checking account to cover it.



I need to move some money from the brokerage account anyway for vacation next month so just hold the check until the end of the week and it's all good."



:)



-Matt
 
The big clue here is: He wants you to hold the check until thursday so he can get funds into that account. That tells me he is strapped for cash and in the process is taking it out on your pricing.
 
A 2 hour drive to Georgia from Cincy? How fast are you going? I live 80 miles north of Cincy and a drive to Nashville for me is 6 hours or so.... It's only about a hour from here to Cincy.
 
lol, Im in Knoxville for school. Id be doing 200+ to get to Georgia that fast from Cincy. I just dont update my location during the school year!



-Matt
 
Ehh $80 for paint correction is ok pending on your area. What's throwing me off is why are you're prices different per car. I can see maybe the correction being a different price because one took longer than the other, but why would the engine bays and the clay bar service be different? And you seem to charge extra for just about everything. What exactly is included in a "base detail" I've never heard of a detail that dosen't include waxing. Most automatically come with claybar serivce attached as well. are you saying you never waxed the Si? (not listed) I mean price wise charge what you want, but you're all over the place. I would think something would/Should be consistent.
 
I looked at your site. Maybe it's just me but none of the links work at all. I clicked on all of them the site just flashed a second and sent me right back to the home page. I can't get any of your info to actually show up.





Edit.. Ok I got that rates page to show up.. man I have no idea who helped you come up with that entire mess but it seriously needs help... Unless your customers are some kind of chemical geeks put it out there in plain english. Seriously a sythetic polymer wash??? WHat the hell is that supposed to be? What's wrong with calling it a hand wash? I hate websites that try to sound way more sophisticated than they ever need to be. And again it seriously looks like both of those engine bays should've been the same price by your own listing there. Hand wheel particle removal??? Is that anything like wheeling or buffing of the paint.. Or maybe just simple paint correction to remove minor swirls and imperfections? See where I'm going with this? And there's still nothing on there about what's included in a "base Detail service" Maybe that's listed elsewhere?



First rule of thumb when it comes to a website like that.. Does it make any sense at all to the customer? In your case I would honsetly think it would confuse the hell out of the customer.. Hell I'm in the feild and it confuses the hell outta me.





Edit again.. I got some other pages to finally pop up.. Something is screwy with your site man. But I finally got to see what a base detail is then.. Basically ai simple hand wash and vacuum is your base detail right?
 
Ugg sorry.. Can't help it.. but why did you charge him $125 for a base detail when you have it clearly listed on your site as a $35 charge. More confusion to add... I don;t get the pricing.. Is that supposed to be $35/hr?? if so why is not listed that way. If not why did you charge the guy $125??
 
If you're going to drive for 4 hours, you better make it worth your time, and also you better be sure the customer know what he or she is being charged. $800 is a bargain for what you did for him, as long as the quality was good.







John
 
Yea don't get me wrong on this. I think $800 for 3 cars that far away is probably to low (odd coming from me I know) you're pricing is fine it's just the way your website is set up and worded is confusing. You have one price on one page with no details.. then you have details of the service on another page with a completly different price attached to it.. It's just confusing.
 
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