should i discount?

[dr_detail]

Originally posted by central
... mini`s last an hour upwards to 2 hours... quarterlies last about 2-3 hours... think I`m under/over charging?

I`m not sure what you consider a "mini" and a "quarterly," :dunno but I think the pricing sounds about right for a wash n wax @ $50-60. Sounds to me though that the processes and cycle times might need some improvement. On a well maintained vehicle for a wash and wax here are some breakdowns on the cycle times I have surmised over the years: vacuuming takes about 5 minutes; wiping down the interior, 2-3; washing & drying, 10-20; applying wax, 5-10; dressing 2-3; removing wax, 5-10; windows 2-3.

Total time -- 31-54 minutes or an average of 42.5 minutes. This is based on one professionally trained person using a self contained mobile unit; with two people, cycles may overlap allowing for a vehicle to be completed in 22-36 with an average time of 29 minutes.

Side note: I once bet an employee when I managed a detail center, who insisted that it could not be done in less than 45 minutes, that If I could get out there and wash and wax a car in not only less time than him, but in less than 30 minutes, and maintain a satisfied customer, he would no longer work for us... If he did it, he would have a weeks paid vacation... It was quite the uproar in the shop, and the towels were a buzzin` --

I don`t quite know what ever happened to him, but I did wish him well on his future endeavors. :-p

[mirrorfinishman]

Originally posted by dr_detail
I asked this question for some ponderance... and to help in calculating pricing structures. If a wash & wax takes 45 minutes, and one charges $55, that`s a labor rate of close to $75/hr. Thus when one transfers that to a full detail which will take 3 hrs, why only quote $30/hr? Since the profit margin is greater in doing quick wash & waxes, why not charge a little bit more for the complete`s --
Just thinking out loud I guess :cool

This is a very good point.

You would be leaving money on the table if you provide one service at a labor rate of $30/hr and another at $75/hr. One way to equalize the difference could be to offer your complete detailing at a `List Price` of $225. That`s based on 3/hrs of work at $75/hr.

Charging $75/hr may seem like an overly inflated price to many detailers. However, that`s just the `List Price. It`s a starting point. If the vehicle is either detailed on a regular basis or in like new condition then you could always adjust the price down by offering a lower `Discount Price`. On the other hand if the vehicle is going to require at least 3/hrs or more to complete then you would be certain to be fully compensated for your work.

In summary, I think it`s important to understand that if a customer is willing to pay you $75/hr for a wash/n/wax service there is also a good chance that same customer may be willing to pay you $75/hr for a complete detailing.

Just my thoughts...

[Jngrbrdman]

I think it just depends on what the market can bear in your area. I charge $40 dollars an hour for what I do here. I might be able to get away with charging more than that if I lived in a nice place like Dallas or somewhere that the weather was a little nicer for a little longer than here. When the people know that its going to rain once a week or snow at any time they generally want to go as cheap as possible and still get quality.

As long as you are staying competitive with the rest of the industry in your area then you should be fine. If every other detail shop in the city charges $80 for a full polish and detail then you are going to look pretty silly trying to charge $120 for the same job. I charge $40 an hour because that`s pretty close to what the rest of the shops in town charge. I stay a bit below them just to have the edge, but I think I am going to do the same kind of job at possibly better quality for that price. It takes usually 2 hours for a full interior detail and exterior wash and wax. Usually 4 hours for a wash, clay, polish and wax. Prices are handed down accordingly. Unless I`m doing a full detail (with clay and polish and all that fun stuff) on something like a van or SUV with a ton of paint, then I`m not usually going to charge more than $150 or $160 for a detail. I`ll discount that for regular customers because I know I`m going to get their business again and its good customer service to give loyal clients a break.

The key is just being able to really nail the estimate on how long its going to take. If you quote $80 for a job and it ends up taking 5 hours to do then you just ate a lot of money. They may not have hired you for a $200 job, but why waste 5 hours of your time to not harldy get paid anything? Unless its an excellent photo opportunity vehicle that you are going to test out several products on then its just better to give an accurate estimate on time and price.