before/after photos for the customer?

**pixelmonkey** · 12-10-2012, 09:23 PM

Every vehicle I`ve worked on has a large photo catalog, documenting a customers vehicle before and after touching said vehicle.

This is insurance. In most cases, almost all the customers are in shock about the looks of their vehicle and dont care about anything beyond their auto.

Here is my process.

step 1. Customer contacts me and we view the vehicle together. It`s easy to delete a few photos if the to-be customer backs out, so I start snapping a few photos before any paperwork is completed.
step 2. When snapping the photos, I like to get each panel and share a verbal note with the customer on each imperfection, scratch, ding. I will also snap a photo of my finger next to any damage while going around to each panel.
step 3. Paperwork is complete, and I have a good idea of the trouble spots. From here, I wash/strip the car before taking a full detail photo catalog of the vehicle.
step 4. Work on multiple 50/50 shots from around the vehicle. Shows the condition of before & after without any wax, sealant or coating.
step 5. Photos of the completed job. I have a standard format to take photographs for each type of vehicle, and use an overlay of hotspots for the photos. At this same point, I will take special photos for each damage/ding noted with the customer from first seeing their ride.

Now the question. After snapping all those photos, how many of you offer the before/after pics to the customer?

It could make them all warm and fuzzy with pride, and leave them wanting to share the difference with other possible customers. OR...

It could give them some leverage if they wanted to pull a damage claim. NOT LIKELY, but possible in a few rare cases.

Just a little curious.

chris<pixelmonkey>

**Rx79394** · 12-10-2012, 09:44 PM

As a consumer, I would love to have photos that you have taken. I think it will just go to show you what you have done initially and just show o. As long as the after has no actual damage, then I would say you shouldn`t worry about it. However, I am a law abiding citizen who doesn`t look to "get-one-over" on people.

**Ron Ketcham** · 12-10-2012, 09:48 PM

First things first.

Did you do the photos for "you" or the customers in the past?

Take some time to go back and consider "who is your average customer"?

"Why did they come to you for the service"?

What percentage of them, in "reality" really appreciated the photo`s?

Or, were they just "surprised" at how much a change there was in the before and after? ( if they were, that is something that makes it a winner, but then you must find a way to entice them to share the great changes to their circle of friends and family)

Key is, as you and I posted, stated, "showing them to their friends and family", which would mean they have become a "sales person" for your company.

My advice is to take a shot of the worse of the vehicle, dirty, you never touched it.

Not just outside, but inside.

One of the before of the outside, one of the "worse" of the interior.

Then the photo`s, one of the outside, one of the inside area that you cleaned.

Don`t over do it, just get a "pop" set of pictures, that show before and after.

The customer is not going, 99% of the time, and take them to a house party to show.

I would guess-ti-mate, if you get 5% to even show the photo during their "brag" session, that is a winner.

I think it is a good marketing tool, if done correctly.

Just some thoughts.

Grumpy

**Nth Degree** · 12-10-2012, 11:12 PM

Photos can definitely protect you when a customer tries to blame you for damage. Then there are those who try to claim you didn`t do enough to earn the money and refuse to pay. Check out this thread: Stopped Payment

I try to take photos of most vehicles I detail. I usually post a number of them online as a form of advertising and often send a link to the customer via email. Since it often takes some time to get the photos edited, watermarked and posted the customers often are amazed to again see the improvement... I get to impress them all over again.

**Concours.John** · 12-11-2012, 01:01 AM

Since I started in 95 the company I worked for always gave before and after pics.. Even today I give a disc to every client. Much is done on a tripod for before and after to give a better perception without the camera being moved now. It is also a great reference for myself.

**JSFM35X** · 12-11-2012, 08:13 AM

Not sure what your charging but I find that the picture process really slows me down. I would, if I were a pro, take pictures to cover my a$$ from people trying to get me to repair their damaged vehicle and before/afters to market myself. That is it. Offering pictures to your custoemrs is a noble gesture but will cut into your profit /per hour. If you are a premium or super premium service charging above the market and getting it, perhaps the photos are another value added service that keep s them coming back? If not it is a huge expense that most don`t appreciate -IMHO.

Again-I am not a pro, but I have paid for a detail before and not trying to become a proficient self service detailer for my own cars. Photos are a big time hog at least for me.

**Nth Degree** · 12-11-2012, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by JSFM35X

Not sure what your charging but I find that the picture process really slows me down. I would, if I were a pro, take pictures to cover my a$$ from people trying to get me to repair their damaged vehicle and before/afters to market myself. That is it. Offering pictures to your custoemrs is a noble gesture but will cut into your profit /per hour. If you are a premium or super premium service charging above the market and getting it, perhaps the photos are another value added service that keep s them coming back? If not it is a huge expense that most don`t appreciate -IMHO.

Again-I am not a pro, but I have paid for a detail before and not trying to become a proficient self service detailer for my own cars. Photos are a big time hog at least for me.

If you consider <5 minutes to take some before and after photos of basic 5 hour detail (~10-20 photos) to document the before and after condition it really is a tiny amount of time. Now ~15 minutes on a full correction that takes 20 hours is still pretty tiny percentage. Am I charging the customer for that time? No. I consider that time my advertising cost. The photos reinforce for the customer the improvement I made on their car and they also provide good advertising for me. It is far more cost effective than any flyers or ads I could run. If I get just one new customer @ $200 it has covered my cost/time of taking photos on every car I have detailed in the past 6 months. Needless to say the return is far greater. I have had many customers tell me they found/selected me through my forum write-ups or Facebook page.

**JSFM35X** · 12-11-2012, 04:14 PM

If you really can do it in 5 minutes then it is worth it I guess. I know how long it takes me to take, edit and post pics in a simple write up do infrequently. But then again, I am old! LOL

Originally Posted by Nth Degree

If you consider <5 minutes to take some before and after photos of basic 5 hour detail (~10-20 photos) to document the before and after condition it really is a tiny amount of time. Now ~15 minutes on a full correction that takes 20 hours is still pretty tiny percentage. Am I charging the customer for that time? No. I consider that time my advertising cost. The photos reinforce for the customer the improvement I made on their car and they also provide good advertising for me. It is far more cost effective than any flyers or ads I could run. If I get just one new customer @ $200 it has covered my cost/time of taking photos on every car I have detailed in the past 6 months. Needless to say the return is far greater. I have had many customers tell me they found/selected me through my forum write-ups or Facebook page.

**Scottwax** · 12-12-2012, 02:38 PM

I do take before and after pics of most vehicles, but I don`t go overboard. Just too time consuming to take, edit, upload and do a write-up when 75-100 pics are involved. Try to get 4-5 good befores and afters that are directly comparable when doing paint corrections and 5-10 after shots. I find if I can keep it to 20-25 pictures I am more likely to post it up quickly and also forward the pictures to the customer.