What do YOU do?

RTexasF

RTexasF

Pay Attention Boy...
I'm not a pro but I'm asking the professionals here..........



You have cleaned/detailed a customer's car and it looks like a million bucks. THAT day or the very next day it rains and trashes the car. Do you offer a discounted service for the next time, call Tough Sh#t, act like it didn't rain at all, what?



Frankly I feel bad that they didn't even get one full day to enjoy their nice clean car but I don't want to give away the farm either. It pisses all of us off when we clean our car and it gets trashed the same/next day but we're not out any money to speak of, just effort. It's not the same for the guy/gal that just dropped XXX dollars for a spiffy ride.



I'm torn here....my business sense says one thing, my heart another. What do YOU do in such a case? Yes, I do realize it depends on the customer. Let's say it was the first time.
 
well IMPO if i just got done doing a full detail on a car, it should never need that kind of attention again as long as the customer keeps it clean and/or keeps coming back to me for washs and such.....so!....as long as i was the one who detialed it then yes they will get a better deal but only because not as much work will go into getting it that clean again....



is not my fault it rained so if i did do another full detail why should i give a discount?....i have a living to make too
 
I offer a Free Wash and Vac if it rains within 48 hours, that way I can sleep at night and protect the bottom line as well.
 
I dont offer any free washes within a curtain amount of hours because I dont feel that it is necessary. When we detail a persons car we are perfecting the paint by removing scratches, swirl marks, and applying protection to the paint.



I always mention that I offer washes to the customer when I finish there car so if they want to return often they can. I have in the past had a coupon on my invoices that say 50% off wash if used within a month, but I didnt get any returns on it so I removed it.



Greg
 
I'm not saying that it was a full detail necessarily. Consider that it could have been a general cleanup OR a full detail. Either way, you made their car look nicer than it was and it got garbaged from rain or storm, but flocks of birds don't count. :sosad
 
RTexasF said:
I'm not saying that it was a full detail necessarily. Consider that it could have been a general cleanup OR a full detail. Either way, you made their car look nicer than it was and it got garbaged from rain or storm, but flocks of birds don't count. :sosad
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Thanks for clarifying. I still however wouldnt honor a free wash. Although some rains storms are unpredictable the majority are in the forecast so I dont see it as my fault that their car was rained on. Also they get to see the tight beading haha.



Greg
 
The Superior Shine Rain Guarantee – If your vehicle is rained on 48 hours after we service it, I guarantee it will get wet.
 
like others said....its not your fault, they could have had their car done on another day when it wasnt going to rain....not your problem, you just get to charge for a wash and vac again
 
BucketsandBubbl said:
I offer a Free Wash and Vac if it rains within 48 hours, that way I can sleep at night and protect the bottom line as well.
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Ditto, I agree 100%. Chances are they wont take you up on it anyway (As was last weekends experience). But you should always spend a little to protect your assets..... :getdown
 
toyotaguy said:
like others said....its not your fault, they could have had their car done on another day when it wasnt going to rain....not your problem, you just get to charge for a wash and vac again
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Like weatherman are 100% accurate? Bottom line, protect your assets. Im not talking a complete wash even. How long does it take to QD or NRWS/Easy Wash a car? 15 minutes? Never forget, customer service should sell 1/2 of your sales.

Heres a recent email exchange with a client of mine:

"Hey, do you and ****** need me to come over and quick

detail both cars, due to the rain?"



Reply:

Thanks but I spruced up the cars yesterday myself. They look great (again!). My

friend Bruce will be calling you. He has a Boxster and Prius.



Glad you liked the event. Only in SoCal.

Customer service folks........... Do consistant offers like that instigate referrals like this? I would think they help.....
 
My rain policy is if I finish you pay, even if I finish in the rain. Now in reality if someone had me detail their car and called because it rained, I'd go out and wash / spruce up the outside for them. For regular customers if the subject comes up I tell them this. The rain won't hurt much as long as you don't drive in it ;) I do let them know though if it rains and the car gets messed up give me a call, I'll come out and fix it. In 16 years though I don't think I've ever had someone take me up on it. It may have happened and I don't remember. A few times I've drove by and seen a regular customers whose car got messed up in the rain and washed it again for them. I rarely am unable to finish a car because of rain. Especially on details I'll check the radar to get an idea of how much time I have before the rain starts. If I think I'm going to get rained on, I'll just reschedule and enjoy the day off.
 
Superior Fine said:
The Superior Shine Rain Guarantee – If your vehicle is rained on 48 hours after we service it, I guarantee it will get wet.
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:LOLOL Pretty much my guarantee too.



If the weather is iffy, I call the customer and see what they want to do. They always have the option of rescheduling if the weather looks bad. That way, if rain does get their car dirty, it was their decision.



I do offer a rainy day special though, either 10% off or an exterior wash the next time I am in their area. Beats making $0 when it rains.
 
Some customers are easily affected by the weather. Those types of customers will usually call ahead and reschedule. When in doubt, check in with your customer a day before just to confirm the appointment. Don't mention the possibility of rain after the detail. That phone call will give your customer the chance to back out due to the possibility of bad weather. And you will begin to identify which customers are weather sensitive and which customers don't mind when it rains on their freshly detailed car.
 
LOL ...I like superior shines garantee.



It would be a great marketing idea for a fixed location. But I cant do it as a mobile detailer. You would end up servicing those washes and not bringing in money and scheduling would become a nightmare.
 
I'll give my customers a free regular hand wash if it rains within 24 hours of picking up their vehicle, for exterior detail services only, and they have a week to use it.



I don't do it because I feel bad about it raining, I do it with the hope that this might keep them from canceling their appointment when bad weather is in the forecast.



I should add that i'm fixed, not mobile.
 
If people are willing to work for free/discount just because their customer's freshly washed car got rained on than they should also have the right to get it re-washed because it got dusty too. IMHO - I think it doesn't make good business $ence to offer a rain guarantee.
 
David Fermani said:
If people are willing to work for free/discount just because their customer's freshly washed car got rained on than they should also have the right to get it re-washed because it got dusty too. IMHO - I think it doesn't make good business $ence to offer a rain guarantee.
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I dont put mine in writing. I simply call the client and ask if theres any way I can help "since it rained" on their freshly detailed auto. I think it makes perfect business sense. Im not going to automaticaly run over there and wash it for them. Do you ever tell your client to please inform you if there was something you may have overlooked? I mean it happens to all of us, smudge on a window, a water drip/spot on a wheel etc.? I encourage them to call me if they notice something in a day or two. I just dont see what the big deal is to run over to a clients house and spend 15 minutes wiping down a car..........Like the saying goes" if you dont, someone else will"......
 
When people walk by me while I am polishing and say "it's going to rain later" as if everyting I am doing is pointless, I usually take the time to tell them that claying, polishing, wax/sealing it's about making it look good "until it rains" it's making it look amazing every time you wash it.



If one of my customers seems worried about rain, like they won't be able to show off their car to friends or whatever, I tell them that as soon as it's washed it will look as good as when I am done with it, and if they want to bring it back to me to have it washed that's fine, but it's full price. :)
 
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