The competitor or a nut.

D

doged

New member
We recently ran a ad special for $49, hand wash and spray wax. At the end of the ad we listed all the other services the company provides. This “nut� calls and demands that I do a full detail for her at $49 because the ad was misleading. I then explained what a full detail was and quoted $160. She then explains, 5 other girls in the office want a “full detail� at $49 too. At this point in the conversation I surmised this was a competitor or a nut. I then explained that my competitor was “desperately� looking for work and would bite on such a offer, then the phone went dead. :chuckle:
 
doged said:
We recently ran a ad special for $49, hand wash and spray wax. At the end of the ad we listed all the other services the company provides. This “nut� calls and demands that I do a full detail for her at $49 because the ad was misleading. I then explained what a full detail was and quoted $160. She then explains, 5 other girls in the office want a “full detail� at $49 too. At this point in the conversation I surmised this was a competitor or a nut. I then explained that my competitor was “desperately� looking for work and would bite on such a offer, then the phone went dead. :chuckle:
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:LOLOL Nutty competitor! Sounds like you handled that call well.



I had a gentleman call me last month who was referred by "this guy." He asked all sorts of questions about pricing on a GTI and Suburban, what was included, how long before I could get him in etc. I told him I was finishing up with another client at the moment and that I would like to call him back. He gave me a number and his name. The number differed from the CID on my cell. I called it anyways and it was nonexistent. :rolleyes: So... I waited a few days, called the CID back and the guy answers the phone saying his name, which differed from the one he gave me. I told him I was returning his call about the detail inquiry. He hung up.



It sounds like you haven't much to worry about (competitively speaking) as they are calling and screwing with you, assuming thats who it was. If it was a crazy lady, steer WAY clear!!!!
 
I've received call I am sure are from competitors calling around to check on prices. Got one the other day, either it was a complete moron or competition. They called and said they had talked to me "the other day" and wanted to know if my $29.99 price to detail his interior was still good. I asked who he talked to and he said "you answered the phone". I told him none of my prices end in less than whole dollars and my cheapest interior details are $50 for two seaters. It got real quiet on the other end then the line went dead.



Just part of the business.
 
Scott, I don't know how many detailers there are in your phone book, but I get people who call me at work, who are going down a list of companies trying to find something, and you talk to them for a few minutes, tell them you will check and get back to them, and they say "what company is this?" and I'm like (to myself) "hey YOU called me!". All I'm saying is they might have called some other guy, and didn't remember who, and thought it was you. Or it could have been your competitor...:p
 
Mike-he specifically said he talked to me and I am the only one in the Yellow pages with a "Scott' in the name of the business.
 
It's annoying but quite funny at times. You also see it on forums where someone will ask you what you charge, what you do for that price, what products you use, where you get them from, how long it'll take you etc etc.



You then get the people who are a one brand detailer and claim you're crap because you don't use brand X's product. I had a guy the other day on a forum tell me I was irresponsible using Autoglym Super Resin Polish because all I was doing was "polishing the paint away". :geez



I asked him how much paint I was actually polishing away as I was dying to hear, and was also ready and waiting to respond with Joe's thread on how much paint you remove with #85/wool pad/rotary etc. Needless to say he couldn't answer, and just said some flippant comment about Autoglym not being "the best"... (I bet you can't guess what products he uses! :D )



Like I said I find it funny at times (when I'm not busy) as I like to run with it and bully them into a corner they can't get out of. However, when they call mid-detail then I'm a bit shorter with them.



Ben
 
Yep I get this too, but you also find it on forums that guys try and ask you everything you do, how you do it, I mean everything.



Now I just tell them to look on here or the detailingworld (uk site) and they will find out. I hate people stealing my ideas. lol!
 
I don’t understand the price issue with competition. If we charge more, then why do they want to charge less? People in “general� don’t go from one detailer to another for a few dollars, more or less. If the competitor knew this, they wouldn’t be calling us acting like a nut. When a new client calls, we take the time to educate them on the process of detailing. Do you know the difference between a polish and a wax, or sealant vs wax? Hand wash vs machine wash? If you take the time to properly educate the customer, price becomes less of a issue. I have a great time with price only shoppers and you should too!!!
 
:bigups
BenP said:
It's annoying but quite funny at times. You also see it on forums where someone will ask you what you charge, what you do for that price, what products you use, where you get them from, how long it'll take you etc etc.



You then get the people who are a one brand detailer and claim you're crap because you don't use brand X's product. I had a guy the other day on a forum tell me I was irresponsible using Autoglym Super Resin Polish because all I was doing was "polishing the paint away". :geez



I asked him how much paint I was actually polishing away as I was dying to hear, and was also ready and waiting to respond with Joe's thread on how much paint you remove with #85/wool pad/rotary etc. Needless to say he couldn't answer, and just said some flippant comment about Autoglym not being "the best"... (I bet you can't guess what products he uses! :D )



Like I said I find it funny at times (when I'm not busy) as I like to run with it and bully them into a corner they can't get out of. However, when they call mid-detail then I'm a bit shorter with them.



Ben
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That's funny Ben! Autoglym make some really, really good products (in particular their polishing and paint protection products).
 
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