Confusing Price List

[Beemerboy]

My in-laws live in a Del Webb retirement community. This was left in their front yard. I have to say that I have not read something that is more confusing.
Reads like a Ala Carte restaurant menu, I wonder why detailers do this. It confused me and I know what I`m looking at


What`s your take?

[elortt]

hey will they sit on your car for you too? :rolling

[Beemerboy]

OK I got a call back from these guys and here is what they are doing. They come to your house and do the cars in the drive way. Use your water and electric You can choice what ever level cleaning you like, but he was up selling me on additional services.

Then I asked what kind of wax they use, he replies Megs gold class ( I`ve not heard of that one, but I`m not a Megs guy) Asked if they use any machines on the paint, NO everything is done by hand to ensure proper care for the paint. Asked if he had heard of Klasse AIO and he had no idea what I saw talking about.
On the inside I asked what they use he said they use a Armour-all type of product, that gives back a really top quality new car shine.

These guys are mobile wash / wax company and saying they are detailers. His product knowledge is nil, they do not have a rotary to orbital. They have no extractor so the quality of cleaning there should be sub-standard.

I could go on but I think you get my drift!

[Focusedonsound]

Yea that is difficult to read. But on the same note. I want to know everything that is getting done when im spending that kind of money .. As would anyone ...

Someone I know Made a great print out that was like a check list. It was a page long and gave a breif description of what was necessary to be done to the car.

So it would be something like this

[] Wash. Using a high quality auto wash we will wash your car making sure to remove all possible road grime.

[] Clay Bar. Blah blah blah ..

People love it ... I know I do ... but then again .. im the type of person where I can never know too much about any given subject.

[shotime]

Maybe they should hand out a Cliff Note version?

[Beemerboy]

FOCUS

I hear what you are saying but in all the time that I have been detailing cars. I`ve found two things when talking to prospects about their cars.
If you break it down this far, you set yourself up for them picking just a few things, and then not being satisfied with the results. Second, with my customers they don`t care what I do to their cars, all they want is a clean ride back, and that`s what I deliver. Again after talking to this guy I can tell that he is a glorified mobile car wash!!

[dr_detail]

Once Again I quote...

"Hey, I got a Bucket and some towels, some Wax and a Vacuum...."

"I guess I`m a Detailer..."

I guess the more important questions to ask would be....

Are they Licensed and Insured???

However I do add this... It`s been my experience that many like to have services you offer spelled out in plain text, (that is what many of us are conditioned to make decisions upon) and do I detect a little resentment for the fact that their flyer made it there first?? I gotta give them credit for, albeit a so-so flyer, an A+ job in their marketing efforts. Maybe you might want to put together a flyer of your own for distribution, if you want to expand at a pace larger than word of mouth and want to make this a full time business.

[Beemerboy]

DR,

Thanks but these guys are about 120 miles from here. My biz model is word of mouth and I only like to do the full detail jobs. Pickup and deliver, full blowen service. This is the 3rd year for me and during the summer I`m as busy as I want to be. I`m looking for quality not quantiy

[detailbarn]

Originally posted by Beemerboy
DR,

I`m looking for quality not quantiy

[dr_detail]

Not dissing Quality over Quantity...

I`ve ran flyers and advertising many times. Having been in this industry for close to twenty years I have seen detailers come and go as fast as I`ve seen products change. I`ve ran shops that we actually had to turn away business because we just couldn`t keep up with the demand and maintain quality standards. When one gets serious though and wants to expand and clear 70g`s pushing towels, one must increase the quantity of work. In a service based industry as we are, the customer is king, and if the customer is happy with Meg`s Gold Class, or a Turtle-Wax finish for that fact, then that is really all that matters. I`ve seen vehicles so swirlled up it made me sick, and the owners were clueless but they swore that this was the best detailing job they had ever had and wouldn`t have it any other way (of course I`ve shown many the difference).

It`s not what we think that builds our business, it`s customer satisfaction. That keeps them coming back and telling friends. What works for you might not be the best solution for someone else (of course those of us in for the long haul probably will be using products that are by far superior) but my point was that for those who wish to increase their customer base, a flyer has, for me, been the second best method of expansion.

[Big Leegr]

OK. For the most part I`m able to follow their flyer. I am confused on a couple of points, though. They say "carpet shampoo" but you say they have no extractor. Does this mean they shop vac the shampoo out after brushing it in, or is it just a can of foam?
Second, what do they consider a clearcoat polish as opposed to a wax? Do they use an actual polish and leave the finish unprotected, or do they have a "cleaner wax" that they consider different from the hand wax job?
Kind of interesting that the polish is only $8.00 whereas the hand wax is $50.00 and up!

Also, as an aside, Meg`s Gold Class is a "high end" wax available at stores like Wal-Mart (over the counter, not boutique or pro bulk).

[Beemerboy]

DR, I concur on the flyers its a great way to gain biz my concern is that I will be getting the kind of biz that I`m trying to avoid. The kiddie mini vans the supe lift 4 x 4`s. (i`m not set up for those)

I`m very selective about what I take on, and can be its not a full time job.

Big Leeger

I did not ask, its a startup for this guy and his son. They have everything in the back of a station wagon. They have just brought a canopie to work under. Thank God its 105 up there in the summer.

I`d say that they will do OK as a car wash / wax service

[mirrorfinishman]

Originally posted by Beemerboy
DR, I concur on the flyers its a great way to gain biz my concern is that I will be getting the kind of biz that I`m trying to avoid. The kiddie mini vans the supe lift 4 x 4`s. (i`m not set up for those)

I`m very selective about what I take on, and can be its not a full time job.

It is easy to see from that flyer that they want to be all things to all people. They really have no idea of the market that they want to serve. Remember, being in business is all about finding a need and filling that need.

Sometimes business owners think that it`s good to offer their services at different price levels in hopes that they will meet the needs of everyone in all market segments. That kind of thinking is almost always completely backwards from the way most profitable businesses really operate. It is always better to clearly define your market and then simply target that market. If you`d rather do complete high end detailing, then aim at the high end customers who own expensive vehicles. The people who can afford your high prices.

In summary, without a clear mission of what they want their business to be, it`s going to be very difficult for them to gain market share by trying to go after all market segments. In most cases, it just does not work that way.

[bigron62]

somebody should call these guys and invite them to visit detail city.. we will get them on the right track..im personally not interested in low end detailing .. i deliver results that people cannot get in thier driveway with cheap stuff . i invested in an extractor a pc and lots of outstanding products that give vehicles the look that my customers really like .. wow is usually the first thing out of thier mouth when the see there car after im done . they will learn that there is no free lunch in this biz

[Mr. Clean]

Originally posted by Beemerboy
Then I asked what kind of wax they use, he replies Megs gold class ( I`ve not heard of that one, but I`m not a Megs guy)

I guess that you are just kidding here. Never heard of Meguair`s Gold Class Wax?

Originally posted by Beemerboy
Asked if they use any machines on the paint, NO everything is done by hand to ensure proper care for the paint.

No problem on this point. How many of us have done our work by hand for years before the Porter Cable became mainstream?

Originally posted by Beemerboy
Asked if he had heard of Klasse AIO and he had no idea what I saw talking about.

And the point is???

Originally posted by Beemerboy
On the inside I asked what they use he said they use a Armour-all type of product, that gives back a really top quality new car shine.

Since we don`t know exactly what product they use, it is hard to criticize.

Originally posted by Beemerboy
These guys are mobile wash / wax company and saying they are detailers. His product knowledge is nil, they do not have a rotary to orbital. They have no extractor so the quality of cleaning there should be sub-standard.

This seems overly critical. Have you seen their work? You judge his product knowledge as nil. Based on what that he didn`t recognize Klasse? Not exactly a mainstream product. You didn`t recognize Meg`s Gold Class. I guess you`ve never been in a WalMart, KMart, Target, Autozone, PepBoys etc., etc, etc. I don`t use it, never have, but I know what it is. Besides all that, I think that it goes without much argument that our results are more directly related to our technique than the products used. I don`t have a rotary or an extractor, and have only had my PC for @ year, but my work is far from "sub-standard".