Rough Paint, Even Tougher Customer

[livinlowkey]

Yesterday I detailed a clients 1996 impala and charged him $140. Here is the process I used.



wash/dry with chemical guys maxi suds 2

polish with pinnacle swirl remover AT 4 ON MY PC 7424 (too hard to get off I wouldnt recommend it for most)

Klasse

wax with chemical guys 3x carnuba sealant

dress exterior with chemical guys trim gel. (great stuff definitely a must have for the professional detailer. A little goes a long ways and its wont drip on paint after a rain storm)

complete interior and engine bay cleaning



It took about 4 hours for everything my client said he rated me a 9 out of 10, but his paint wasnt completely smooth so he refused payment until I came back and repolished his entire car with a more abrasive polish. So I scheduled him for monday. I tried to explain that he did tell me his vehicle hasnt been detailed in 13 months, it has never been garage kept and it sits under an oak tree all year long. So finally after attempting to be tactful but informative he scheduled me for his other 2 vehicles he still insisted I redo his car. I am a new detailing company in the area so I dont want any bad press but I dont want to lose my *** on a job either. So what should I do? Also I cant get my hands on anything by monday unless they sell it at the advanced auto parts store. Do any of you have any recommendations on a product I can purchase this weekend and any suggestions on what I should do in case I ever get another client like this again.

[Bill D]

Regarding the business transaction part of your post, satisfied or not, this customer should have to pay. Negotiating to make things to his complete satisfaction can come next. He wouldn`t get his way if he tried to pull that with other per job professionals such as specialized craftsmen. Doing a detailing job should work the same way.



I think this calls for establishing the use of formal paperwork, not only with a customer like this, but as general practice. The form below illustrates a very thorough walk through of the vehicle prior to the services to be performed are agreed upon and it does require the customer`s signature. It`s more serious once you have that. Use this form to broadcast your professionalism, commitment to performing optimal work, and willingness to educate the customer.



Detailing Inspection Form (http://autoint.com/tips/inspection_form.html)

[ZaneO]

Did you clay?

[livinlowkey]

I did not clay the vehicle. I use that exact form for my detailing and I have the customer sign it after my job is complete so that I have proof of their satisfaction.

[budman3]

I really recommend to clay. This will make the paint nice and smooth. Then finish up with another polish if needed. You may want to use a slicker wax/sealant so that the customer is happy aswell.

[livinlowkey]

If he was looking for a show car finish I would have clayed it but when I offered it to him he wasnt interested. He was a very picky client. I went far beyond the normal standards of a normal detail. He asked me to take the seals off around his doors and clean behind them, also I took off the vinyl side graphics he had on his car. Do you have any suggestions on a good product I can purchase over the weekend thats more abrasive than the pinnacle swirl remover?

[wannafbody]

if you do his other cars clay first

[ZaneO]

If he is complaining about paint smoothness, a polish isn`t really the answer, IMO. The vehicle needs to be clayed.

[budman3]

I still think that there isn`t a polish will get the paint smooth. Clay will give you the best results for a clean and smooth finish and that is what the customer wants. I personally don`t do anything to a vehicle without it being clayed recently, if the customer wants it or not...

[livinlowkey]

I really enjoy stripping a car down and building it back to better than showroom condition but for business purposes and being on a schedule I can only perfom the little extras like taking the haze off headlights and a free leather conditioning. Things like that. And you cant do that with all you clients its not financially sound . But I do agree clay is the only way to get it smooth. He used to have a detailing business himself so he is very keen to all the tricks of the trade and very particular about his vehicle. Do you think I shoul go and clay his car on monday just to keep him happy and get a few referrals or just use a more abrasive polish and go over it a few more times? Also I offer a 48 hour rain guarantee on all $110 dollar details or more, with me living in florida do you think thats a bad idea or a smart marketing move? Thanks for all the input, sorry if Im coming across too strong

[wannafbody]

clay, check for micromarring, polish if neccessary and then wax-consider it a learning experience

[livinlowkey]

Thanks for all the help... I hope doing all this for him will work out in the long run. One last question.... What do you use to shine their tires?

[wannafbody]

Lots of choices-Mothers FX is good, cheap and non slinging

[ZaneO]

I would recommend never deep polishing without claying first.

[SpoiledMan]

Yeah, chalk this one up. Look at it like this. If you go to the doctor with an illness, he prescribes what it will take for you to get better. You`re the paint doctor and it`s your responsibility to find out what it takes to get the paint to where your customer wants it. You just got hit with the malpractice suit for the bad prescription.;)