Trying to explain dealer prep to a customer...ughh....

M

Mitchubishievo

New member
I've been detailing for my main client for coming up to two years now. He likes his cars washed very often, I mena he will drive it once, and it has to be washed.



He picked up an S8 on tuesday, asked me to wash it in the crazy cold weather that chicago has been having. Well, it was above freezing, so whatt he hell, I was up for it.



Just like any other day, I had a three bucket set up (rims, soap and water for body, and rinse for body) and a hose.



I'm using sheepskins, gentle pressure, and rinsing the mitt after every panel. I dried with clean waffel weave microfibers as usual.



Later that evening, I get a call frim him, saying he;s beyond dissapointed with my work. "The hood is scracthed/swirled like crazy!!!" "It was all you!!!"



The car was picked up only two days ago from an Audi dealership. It underwent the typical prep, with a rotary and polish to take off adhesive from the plastic, we all know that. He denies this, and says he saw the "detailer" "waxing it by hand". Does that even matter? God knows what kind of rag and pressure this guy was putting on that paint. Not to mention, what sort of FILLER WAX these companies use to hide everything!



So I attempt to explain this to him, but he continues to say he "inspected it for swirls on the spot". He was insulted with the dealer prep comment from me, and I doubt I'll have to polish the hood and whatnot back to perfection, but it's a matter of principle to me....I've been working for this guy for almost two years, and he can't accept my word on a subject I know and he doesn't?



Give me your take people....
 
He knows your quality of work right? You have a client relationship with him and he obviously trusted your work for 2 years over the dealer. Correct the hood, prove to him its perfect and corrected not just masked. You could then tell him to go back in for something routine so that you know the car will get washed( say an OBD light was on for a bit) then show him that in fact it was the dealer and not your that inflicted the damage.



Inform him that while the "detailers" get paid on the hour and therefore are not reliant on the quality of work to make the difference in pay or not, that you must have top quality work because you will not have a steady flow of work without that quality.



Just do your best to explain the differences in your work vs an output type work from a dealer detailer.



And let him know that in the 2 years you have taken care of his cars, that nothing else has happened.
 
Perfecting the hood and then having the owner take it back to the dealer to get swirled in order to prove your innocence is just dumb, IMO. I think you just have to tell him that this wash was done the same way as you always do it, for him and other customers (as well as your own car), and that logically if he has never had this problem with your wash techniques, it's unlikely that you caused it. Likely there is a reason he uses you instead of having his car washed by the dealer on a regular basis, so he must see value in your services. You might try to educate him about glazes or lighting that might have caused him to not be able to spot the swirls at the dealer (be careful not to tell him that the swirls were there and he didn't see them, that they were perhaps masked by a glaze and invisible, that this process can even make swirls invisible to experts such as yourself until solvents/washing are used to remove the fillers). And then, if he is really your "main client", you're going to have to suck it up and fix it for him for free.



Just curious whether you knew he was getting this car and tried to dissuade him from having the dealer prep it?
 
The only reason I suggested it is the oddity of this client somehow become insistant and apparently quite stubborn. Even if mitch fixes this for free, which I suppose wouldnt be that big of a deal, wouldn't he need to tell this client to be more aware of the car next time it comes back from the dealer(which might accidently come off as suggestive, but almost neccesary for proof in a way)? Clearly something is a bit different considering its this one car and hasn't happened before..
 
Show him how you can mask the swirls, and then show him how you remove them. Although, even if you show proof, some people will just never believe you. If the guy doesn't have enough faith in your work after 2 years, I don't think he is ever going to believe you.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Perfecting the hood and then having the owner take it back to the dealer to get swirled in order to prove your innocence is just dumb, IMO. I think you just have to tell him that this wash was done the same way as you always do it, for him and other customers (as well as your own car), and that logically if he has never had this problem with your wash techniques, it's unlikely that you caused it. Likely there is a reason he uses you instead of having his car washed by the dealer on a regular basis, so he must see value in your services. You might try to educate him about glazes or lighting that might have caused him to not be able to spot the swirls at the dealer (be careful not to tell him that the swirls were there and he didn't see them, that they were perhaps masked by a glaze and invisible, that this process can even make swirls invisible to experts such as yourself until solvents/washing are used to remove the fillers). And then, if he is really your "main client", you're going to have to suck it up and fix it for him for free.



Just curious whether you knew he was getting this car and tried to dissuade him from having the dealer prep it?
Click to expand...



I definately wont fix it and send him back to the dealer, it's a waste of both our times.



I ALWAYS say avoid dealer prep, but this was a quick splurge buy, and the car had been sitting at the dealer for a bit already, so I'm sure they ahd done a PDI when it got off the trailer.



I know it was glazed, we all do, because although he doesn't have my eye for swirls on lighter cars, dark is easy for him, and I believe him if he says is was perfect upon inspection. He doesn;t get the concept of fillers though :nixweiss .



Perhaps the weather has aleryad gotten to him, he was in Miami for near a month and also stress from his company lately is in the mix, and I guess he decided to take that "anger" out on me. Its beyond aggrivating to me, because I spent 2 hours in 36 degree weather washing these cars.



I'm surprised no one has demanded pics yet, here's what I washed yesterday:

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Thanks for the input guys. If anything, I now have a post with other respected detailer claiming the same exact thing I've been saying over and over.
 
Wow, that Lambo is gorgeous...but I can't take those black wheels on it! BTW, I don't see any swirls on the S8 in that overcast, it looks great to me! ;)
 
I've been detailing for my main client for coming up to two years now. - NO RESPECT FOR YOU. LOSE HIM AS A CLIENT.





Later that evening, I get a call frim him, saying he;s beyond dissapointed with my work. "The hood is scracthed/swirled like crazy!!!" "It was all you!!!" - THE GUY NEEDS SOME....BUT OFFER TO FIX IT FOR HIM TO COOL THE MOMENT.



He denies this, and says he saw the "detailer" "waxing it by hand". -NOW HE HANGS OUT IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF AN AUDI DEALERSHIP?
 
As a small business owner I can sympathize. You might point him to a site that discusses the problems with his car and how it is the dealers fault. You might try doing half the hood and having him take a look so he can see the difference before you finish the other half.



Some customers can be a royal pain, but that's part of business. The fact that he has used you for two years should say something (one would think) about his opinion of your work. Sometimes it takes extra effort to educate your customers, and unfortunately some refuse to be educated.
 
I'd go ahead and polish out the swirls. What do you have to lose-an hour? If he's happy you'll have a satisfied customer, if he isn't just cross him off your list.
 
Here's the thing, I always do a final walk around on any car I work on even just a wash. B4 I leave, I go over any scratches, swirls, or concerns with the customer or at least write in on the reciept if they are picking up later. So my question to you is were they there after you washed it? Did you see them and just not mention it to him? Do you think maybe he went over it with somthing after you left that caused it? I think it would have been a lot better if you brought it up to him after washing (if it was dealer prep that caused it). By you leaving and then him calling you, it looks to him like you caused it since you didn't bring it up, or worst case scenario: he caused it by going over it with somthing and is hanging you out to dry. I don't know what you should do about this case, but I'd start doing a final inspection and report any concerns, defects, etc. to the owner at delivery. Sorry you are having trouble, that is a suck situation.



EDIT: I do like the idea of glazing a portion so he can see what you're saying.
 
Sorry to hear you're having some issues with the client, I am sure it will all be sorted out in the end since you've been working with him for so long.



In regards to your pics, forget the Lambo, that S8 is pure SEX!!! What a machine...
 
if I were you, i'd fix the hood...



if it was masked before and you exposed the underlying swirl marks, i'd say you are 80% responsible for correcting them....
 
Well I saw the car again tonight, and told him next time I'd glaze half the hood to prove it. It was riddled with halograms and swirls thay no one could ever cause by hand washing. He's done venting, and in the end he wants it washed again, but now he also wants it spray waxed after every wash (as if that'll do anything). Regardless, Duragloss Aquawax for a a bit extra and he'll be happy.
 
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