Barry Theal
08-04-2011, 08:03 PM
Detailing made simple
Often as a detailer it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the hype of so many products. Over the years I can`t begin to imagine how many products I`ve tried because I thought I needed them or because of some hype created over them. Only later to find that these products just built up in a collection of wasted money. While it feels good to say "I have product A, B, and C," is it worth it? I often end up asking myself "why did I ever by this product?"
Let`s talk about product selection. If you`re anything like me, you have your go to products. So what are go to products? For me they`re the products I use over time that I always go back to. It’s a sense of well being. I know how this product works and how it reacts. It’s a core product that produces not only results, but makes me money. For example, throughout my career as a professional detailer I have always worked in a shop atmosphere. I feel more comfortable in my shop, knowing where everything is. Over the past few years I have since been doing mobile work and one of the things I hate when I`m on the road is not having everything in place like it is at my shop. My first couple of times doing mobile work, when it came to packing the supplies, I always over packed. I felt as if I didn`t have this product, then I’m in trouble. So there I was packing ten different polishes, three different degreasers, and God only knows how many waxes. You would think I was building a carnauba factory with the amount of waxes I would bring! But when it was all said and done, I always over packed and wasted time doing it.
With that being said, let’s talk about Detailing Made Simple. One of the great things that intrigues me about this business is the chemistry behind it all. Often I’m always reading some article on how a certain product or combination is described in depth to the point that its more confusing than anything. While I really enjoy this, to the newcomer in the industry, or your every day enthusiast, it could be challenging. Over the years I have a gained a lot of knowledge on chemicals but I can`t imagine being relatively new to the industry and coming into the game today. I am one who learns hands on, like many in this field, and I would be lost reading some of the things I have come across!
Recently I was honored to tour the 3D Manufacturing plant with the owner of 3D Products International, Tunch Goren. He`s also a chemist, and he gave me a personal tour. Tunch explained to me the motto of 3D "Detailing made Simple." His goal is to make our lives easier. How can he do that? Quite challenging for sure! Seriously, could you imagine trying to make the lives of some of the world`s most anal retentive individuals easier? You are better off trying balance the budget of our wonderful country. So Tunch goes on to explain about how Detailing really can be made simple.
One of the best ways to describe this is to discuss cleaners. When it comes to getting a car clean, you need a wheel cleaner, engine degreaser, wheel well cleaner, and yes a car wash soap. So some questions are- Which tire cleaner are you going to buy? What can I use to clean my wheel wells? You know those engines build up grease and dirt fast, what engine cleaner will break it all down? What about my door jambs, is there a special cleaner for them? How many different cleaners do I have to buy?
So here we are, lost and confused, looking for the perfect products to help us out. Did you know many companies will use the same product and market it in different ways, like only to changing the color or smell? It sounds insane, but when looking into it from a marketing point it makes sense. If I own a product line, my first thing to do is set cost and distribute products. After all, without distribution, no money comes in and I fold. It’s simply supply and demand, and the demand of products is always changing because people are always looking for a faster, quicker, and better product. What they don’t see is the marketing behind it all. So let me break it down for you in simple terms.
Breaking it down from behind the scenes
I start with the name of my company, something that sounds impressive. Now it`s obvious that I can’t produce all the chemicals without the knowledge or a background in chemistry, so I need to contact someone to make them for me. After a few calls to manufacturers or maybe people who just re- label existing products. There are several companies who do this and they cater to the boutique brands. I call them up and say I need a tire cleaner and engine cleaner, and a good all purpose cleaner. So they contact their chemist and say "we got a new account, it’s time for you to start mixing." He takes a previous formula and tweaks it a little. Ok, how is this accomplished? He starts with the previous cleaner he has already made and dilutes it as needed then changes the color and smell. Folks we now have our tire cleaner. It really is just that simple and is done all the time. Now we need a engine cleaner. So he keeps his formula straight without dilution then adds a color and scent. Then he says “ I got my engine cleaner.” Next we move into the general purpose cleaner. Knowing he already has a potent product, he may dilute a little and make it a different scent and color and say "this is your all purpose cleaner." From one product he made three, just like that, for the seller. You have one cleaner sold in three different ways, and people think they have to have all those different products. This makes things seem more complicated than they really are.
Now keep in mind that you may find many different product sellers who use the same formula with different flavors and characteristics and their own labels. And this isn’t done with just cleaners. It’s done with waxes, sealants and other products. Now I’m not saying it`s done a lot, but it happens more often than you think.
How does this affect the consumer, besides making it all sound so complicated? Think about it for a second. This supply guy has to buy in bulk and pay for the labeling and bottles at a rate where the manufacturing company makes money. There is a surcharge. Next you have to raise cost to prove you’re the best, can`t sell anything that`s too cheap! Is cost the best way of determining a products productivity? No it`s not. But people tend to think it is. Even I have fallen into this trap. Then there is the marketing hype to build up the products, and other factors that create an even higher cost. So things don`t only sound overly complicated, they are also more expensive than they need to be.
When has detailing become such a complicated science? I can remember the days when it was all so simple and tons of fun. Did we as consumers fall into a trap of marketing hype over the years? What ever happened to people who care about just making this job simple, without all the complex definitions and so many specialized products? While it`s fun to read about, is it effective? In due time, it will be my job to help make this industry simple. I will be educating the consumer and detailer from a whole new perspective. It`s going to be a behind the scene approach to
Detailing made simple!
Stay tuned for more shortly,
Barry Theal
Often as a detailer it’s so easy to get wrapped up in the hype of so many products. Over the years I can`t begin to imagine how many products I`ve tried because I thought I needed them or because of some hype created over them. Only later to find that these products just built up in a collection of wasted money. While it feels good to say "I have product A, B, and C," is it worth it? I often end up asking myself "why did I ever by this product?"
Let`s talk about product selection. If you`re anything like me, you have your go to products. So what are go to products? For me they`re the products I use over time that I always go back to. It’s a sense of well being. I know how this product works and how it reacts. It’s a core product that produces not only results, but makes me money. For example, throughout my career as a professional detailer I have always worked in a shop atmosphere. I feel more comfortable in my shop, knowing where everything is. Over the past few years I have since been doing mobile work and one of the things I hate when I`m on the road is not having everything in place like it is at my shop. My first couple of times doing mobile work, when it came to packing the supplies, I always over packed. I felt as if I didn`t have this product, then I’m in trouble. So there I was packing ten different polishes, three different degreasers, and God only knows how many waxes. You would think I was building a carnauba factory with the amount of waxes I would bring! But when it was all said and done, I always over packed and wasted time doing it.
With that being said, let’s talk about Detailing Made Simple. One of the great things that intrigues me about this business is the chemistry behind it all. Often I’m always reading some article on how a certain product or combination is described in depth to the point that its more confusing than anything. While I really enjoy this, to the newcomer in the industry, or your every day enthusiast, it could be challenging. Over the years I have a gained a lot of knowledge on chemicals but I can`t imagine being relatively new to the industry and coming into the game today. I am one who learns hands on, like many in this field, and I would be lost reading some of the things I have come across!
Recently I was honored to tour the 3D Manufacturing plant with the owner of 3D Products International, Tunch Goren. He`s also a chemist, and he gave me a personal tour. Tunch explained to me the motto of 3D "Detailing made Simple." His goal is to make our lives easier. How can he do that? Quite challenging for sure! Seriously, could you imagine trying to make the lives of some of the world`s most anal retentive individuals easier? You are better off trying balance the budget of our wonderful country. So Tunch goes on to explain about how Detailing really can be made simple.
One of the best ways to describe this is to discuss cleaners. When it comes to getting a car clean, you need a wheel cleaner, engine degreaser, wheel well cleaner, and yes a car wash soap. So some questions are- Which tire cleaner are you going to buy? What can I use to clean my wheel wells? You know those engines build up grease and dirt fast, what engine cleaner will break it all down? What about my door jambs, is there a special cleaner for them? How many different cleaners do I have to buy?
So here we are, lost and confused, looking for the perfect products to help us out. Did you know many companies will use the same product and market it in different ways, like only to changing the color or smell? It sounds insane, but when looking into it from a marketing point it makes sense. If I own a product line, my first thing to do is set cost and distribute products. After all, without distribution, no money comes in and I fold. It’s simply supply and demand, and the demand of products is always changing because people are always looking for a faster, quicker, and better product. What they don’t see is the marketing behind it all. So let me break it down for you in simple terms.
Breaking it down from behind the scenes
I start with the name of my company, something that sounds impressive. Now it`s obvious that I can’t produce all the chemicals without the knowledge or a background in chemistry, so I need to contact someone to make them for me. After a few calls to manufacturers or maybe people who just re- label existing products. There are several companies who do this and they cater to the boutique brands. I call them up and say I need a tire cleaner and engine cleaner, and a good all purpose cleaner. So they contact their chemist and say "we got a new account, it’s time for you to start mixing." He takes a previous formula and tweaks it a little. Ok, how is this accomplished? He starts with the previous cleaner he has already made and dilutes it as needed then changes the color and smell. Folks we now have our tire cleaner. It really is just that simple and is done all the time. Now we need a engine cleaner. So he keeps his formula straight without dilution then adds a color and scent. Then he says “ I got my engine cleaner.” Next we move into the general purpose cleaner. Knowing he already has a potent product, he may dilute a little and make it a different scent and color and say "this is your all purpose cleaner." From one product he made three, just like that, for the seller. You have one cleaner sold in three different ways, and people think they have to have all those different products. This makes things seem more complicated than they really are.
Now keep in mind that you may find many different product sellers who use the same formula with different flavors and characteristics and their own labels. And this isn’t done with just cleaners. It’s done with waxes, sealants and other products. Now I’m not saying it`s done a lot, but it happens more often than you think.
How does this affect the consumer, besides making it all sound so complicated? Think about it for a second. This supply guy has to buy in bulk and pay for the labeling and bottles at a rate where the manufacturing company makes money. There is a surcharge. Next you have to raise cost to prove you’re the best, can`t sell anything that`s too cheap! Is cost the best way of determining a products productivity? No it`s not. But people tend to think it is. Even I have fallen into this trap. Then there is the marketing hype to build up the products, and other factors that create an even higher cost. So things don`t only sound overly complicated, they are also more expensive than they need to be.
When has detailing become such a complicated science? I can remember the days when it was all so simple and tons of fun. Did we as consumers fall into a trap of marketing hype over the years? What ever happened to people who care about just making this job simple, without all the complex definitions and so many specialized products? While it`s fun to read about, is it effective? In due time, it will be my job to help make this industry simple. I will be educating the consumer and detailer from a whole new perspective. It`s going to be a behind the scene approach to
Detailing made simple!
Stay tuned for more shortly,
Barry Theal