Relativity of cost with Detail Service

[vicious28shine]

I was researching local detailers sites and there service's offered cost. One detailer was charging 75.00 dollars for a clay bar treatment. Now" I'm currently not a Detail business owner, but strive to own my own business by next year, and I have detailed for dealerships for the past couple yrs off and on, And have down numerous clayings of vehicles and find it to be fairly easy. They called it a clay bar treatment, I Think claying is absolutley neccesary to get professional results, So I think it should almost be a given considering I have prepped many new vehicles for the showroom and found the paint to contain contaniments. So my question is, is claying a treatment such as polishing and waxing, and is 75.00 a justifiable fee?



Thanks nick f

Aspiring pro detailer

 

[WAS]

So my question is, is claying a treatment such as polishing and waxing, and is 75.00 a justifiable fee?

Well, depending who you ask here, you'll get different answers. Most folks here will say that claying is a requirement to polishing. It all depends on the results you're after, IMO. You don't NEED to clay before polishing, you WILL achieve results with just polishing alone, but you won't achieve "absolute perfection". I always explain to customers what the difference is with and without claying, along with the difference between a paint sealant and a traditional wax. The customer then decides what they want. As for whether $75 is a justifiable fee, well, all depends on what you're charging hourly and how long it takes / how much time you spend claying a vehicle. Also depends on what kind of pricing your local market area will allow. Too many factors for any of us to really just say "yes" or "no" to your question.

 

[togwt]

By having various processes as a separate entity it gives you a chance to both explain the services offered and educate the customer why they are necessary

 

[vicious28shine]

That is true, there are many, many factors to consider when approching a detail job. I once worked for a chrysler dealership that had there new vehicle lot located right beside the amtrak line,

So I became very use to claying. The vehicles had this horrible black tar like substance on them. I see what you mean about explaining to customers about the difference between claying and

not claying, you put the information in there hands, it's there choice from that point. I now understand this better.



Thanks nick f.

 

[vicious28shine]

One of the reasons people don't acheive their dreams is that they desire to change their results without changing their thinking

By having various processes as a separate entity it gives you a chance to both explain the services offered and educate the customer why they are necessary

 

[Scottwax]

I included claying into the price of a detail, but that is for normal contamination. Over spray removal is $50 an hour and it takes however long it takes.

 

[Ch96067]

In Greece most people do not know what claying is however they know (or have heard of) waxing and they would be willing to pay 45USD for it. For me claying, in terms of time, takes more than waxing (not considering curing time during which you do something else) and it is also techinicaly more chalenging than waxing.



So I would think that 60+ USD is easily justifiable.

 

[Brad B]

By having various processes as a separate entity it gives you a chance to both explain the services offered and educate the customer why they are necessary

I agree. Spelling out different parts, or different steps, of a process is important to educate the customer. An educated consumer will help you in this case to be able to either 'upcharge' for a superior result or pay more upfront because your standards require that this be done as part of any service. Either way the customer knows he is getting something extra. And that you know your stuff.