You Charge Too Much

D

DT08

New member
How do you guys on here handle dealing with people who say, "You cost too much?" When I first started out two years ago doing this as a hobby I would get a little frustrated. A wise person told me not to change my prices. I stuck to those words.



Well I was doing a car today and the person said that a wash and wax for $50.00 was too much. Since summer is coming to a close I'm doing summer specials. I usually charge $75.00. Then when he really took a look at my price listing he said a full detail $100.00 was too much(original price $120.00). So when I'm finished with the car, the guy tells me that he only has $35.00. To just get away from this guy and his car I took the $35.00 and left. I know I got cheated, but my goodness......what do people expect?



Next year I'm looking at making this official and no longer a hobby. So how do you guys handle dealing with the "You cost too much" syndrome?
 
DT08 said:
So when I'm finished with the car, the guy tells me that he only has $35.00. To just get away from this guy and his car I took the $35.00 and left. I know I got cheated, but my goodness......what do people expect?
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That is when you take the $35.00, pour the dirty wash water back on the car, grab a handful of dirt and throw it at the car, then piss on the wheels.





As your leaving, tell the guy that he got his money's worth. :heelclick
 
there's a saying... "you get what you pay for" and with car care, you most certainly do (we've seen all the hackjobs from other detailers). if you can educate a customer about what's involved (the prep stages, etc), they might get a better understanding and not feel that it "cost too much"...
 
I have learned to see people such as that coming from a mile away. If I sense someone is overly price sensitive, I bring the conversation to an abrupt end. Make sure to promote thet fact that, although your price maybe higher, it is a better value. People want value for their money.
 
I think a printed invoice with what you are going to be doing and what its going to cost looks professional and inspires confidence, that way, you both have a record of what is being performed. Have the customer sign it, and take before after pictures too just in case you get some fraudster.



I had a small roof repair job done recently, the guy was awesome, he went up on the roof, took pictures, placed them in the invoice and emailed me the pdf of the work he was proposing to do. It was great since I couldn't go up on the roof to look.
 
Tell them to shop around, then they'll come running back. It's been working for us for three years so far.
 
If the agreed price was $100, I did the work, he was happy with it and offered to only pay $35.00, I'd give him his keys when he got back from the ATM with $65 more. There are less expensive options, if he is happy with the quality of work they provide them by all means, he can frequent them.
 
Picus said:
If the agreed price was $100, I did the work, he was happy with it and offered to only pay $35.00, I'd give him his keys when he got back from the ATM with $65 more. There are less expensive options, if he is happy with the quality of work they provide them by all means, he can frequent them.
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thats exactly what I was thinking. legally your offering a service. that was actually theft of services. Which can be a fleony in some states. Now I work out of my house fulltime. I have video cameras at all entrances and ill tell ya what I would have said Exactly what picus said. pretty much your car isn't leaving. Seriously would you go to sears to buy a tool and say I olny have 35 when the tool is 100. there not gonna giveyou the tool!
 
Try to target your market I know its hard,but hang in their and once you find that right person that truly values his vehicle the ball will start rolling. Try not to sell your self short quality cost and they will soon see that. Good luck
 
DT08 said:
Next year I'm looking at making this official and no longer a hobby. So how do you guys handle dealing with the "You cost too much" syndrome?
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I ask them how much a car mechanic charges for their work. Generally works.
 
You'll get it all the time. If they ask just reply with how much do you think my time is worth? Then inform them of the hackshop down the road that could better suit their budget needs. Don't fall into the "I need the work so I'll take the hit this time" routine. Because the only thing that is doing is letting this guy off then he goes and tells all his freinds that they just need to haggle you down and you'll cave... Slippery slope.
 
I've heard people say that(to me only a few times).



I tell them...

1) They get what they pay for

2) If they want an uninsured hack spending 1 hour on their car for $75 as opposed to me spending 3 or 4 quality hours on their car for $175 they are welcome to go somewhere else.

3) YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. My professional time is not cheap.
 
I haven't gotten the "you charge to much" yet, but I have had a lot of people ask me how much I charge, and they just kind of walk away after. People don't know the time and work that goes into it, so if you educate them it'll help sometimes.



If you ask anyone what they are willing to pay, it will always be less, if anything, than what you need to pay the bills.
 
u have to explain what actually is involved. living in the Pocono area, i deal with detailers that do full details for 80 dollars and up, and people get a **** job. People are generally really unaware of what goes into the process, if you explain the process in depth, after you quote them the price, they will be saying that is all? I usually was booked all 5 years for about 2 months out, but i guess with the way things are it slowed down to a couple weeks. I did cut back a little on my prices, but i also learned how to give customer pleasing results while saving time, so it is a win win.



Say it used to take me 6 hours to do a suv detail for around 200 bucks, i figured i can do the same job for 150 in about 3 1/2-4 hours. there are alot of different options on dealing with people who say you charge to much. The one i like to use is, "okay ill do it for that, what day are you free so we can both work on your vehicle, they usually look confused and then laugh later.
 
also in addition to what i and everyone else have already said, you can mention that if they go to someone else that is "cheaper", they may do a horrible job in which you may have to fix, and that means more clear removed. get it done right the first time...
 
Generally, you and the customer decide on a service and a price before the work is done. So why can't you ask them to pay up front?
 
I just tell them to go to the other shop if they don't like my prices. I was detailing a Lincoln one day and this guy stopped by and went on and on about his black Lincoln and how awesome it was and he wanted to get it detailed. He asked how much and his response was, "I can take it down the road for $75!" I told him to take it down the road. That was back before we started doing express details though. My price WAS high for the bargain shoppers looking for a 60 minute detail.
 
It is amazing how most folks still don't understand what a "detail" is. Most people consider a once in a while treat. Kinda like getting a massage. Few people get one and don't even know what to expect. I have more calls where people tell me I'm to expensive, but then again, I have my repeat customers that I detail their vehicles 3-4 times a year and some of them think I'm to CHEAP! Bottom line is, I have figured out what my costs are and what my profit level is. THAT is how I determine my prices. If I did $100 "full" details, I'd be losing so much money. I'm in this to BETTER my life. Not to just pay the bills. My $1000000 liability, garage keepers insurance and auto insurance don't cost peanuts. BUT I can show a customer a proof of insurance any time they request it. I encourage them to ask the same of any other detailer they call for prices.
 
Quality detailing services are purchased by people who a). have disposable income, and b). care enough about their cars to pay a premium to have them cared for properly. Unfortunately these types of people are not all that common. This is what makes me want to re-do my business model sometimes.
 
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