Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Billy Baldone
I’m chiming in. I just became Skills Validated last month. I love the idea of the IDA, but the certification process is too easy. It needs to be more comprehensive to actually get your SV. I hope that changes going forward. I believe that Mike Phillips does not certify anyone that has no actual class time.
Mandatory class time`s a step in the right direction, but still leaves too much room IMHO. Detailing classes are typically a few days, or a week tops. You can`t learn enough in even a week to have enough skills to try and be a professional. Well unless you`ve been actively detailing for a good while. Nothing beats experience. And your idea could be a slippery slope. I know Mike would never do this, but other IDA skill assessment guys might say "oh, you want to be IDA? you need to take the class I offer 1st so I know you`re the real deal" In most areas there`s going to be no more than 1 person who will test you.
Certifications are next to meaningless to me, the worst mechanic that ever worked on my car was ASE. And I`ve known a bunch of MCE (Microsoft certification) who I wouldn`t recommend to anyone I know to let them do anything to their computers. Meanwhile I`m not MCE, but I`ve been on computers for 40 years and can do just about everything. The general public might know ASE, but they`re not going to know 99.9% of other acronyms. And if you have to explain to someone what an acronym badge on your shirt stands for, it shouldn`t matter enough for it to influence their decision.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Retired for over 10 years. Back in 1989 was one of those who helped found the first organization--PDA.
Over the years, worked with, got to know very well many who are officers, etc in the IDA and all are very successful, honest, ethical people.
So, once in a while some request my sharing of the decades in the business with the organization.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
[QUOTE=Mike lambert;2170319]That is certainly not what I said, and if you sir were that concerned about the quality of your membership, you would’ve pm’d me. But by the tone of your responses , you must not be that confident in your certification process.I have seen the written test and was not impressed. I have several shops in my area that are supposedly ida certified shops using your logo. Again we have repaired the work. Maybe my standards are a little above just car cleaning?[/QUOTE.nothe Not just about how good one does a vehicle to anothers standard,etc. It requires decades of constant exposure to the public to gain the confidence of a percentage of the public, it requires expensive advertising to get their attention. The IDA promotes ethical and honesty when dealing with customers, provides business expertise, guidence in many ways to members.It is NOT about how one person does their work or their egos. If one overlooks such, can not see years in the future, it is not for them.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
I truly believe that in time, the IDA will be what it should be. Right now, it’s still getting it’s legs. Like anything, there are growing pains, and as long as they get addressed going forward, it will be fine. So far, I believe I have $600 invested to get to be SV certified. Not terrible by any stretch. The IDA seems to have a mantra of “how you can help the IDA” .... As a new member, who is finally after 10 years of doing this on side, going full time mobile. I’m not sure what I have to offer at this time. In the future I hope to be an active contributor to new people starting out like I am. Until then, I feel a bit better knowing there is a community I can reach out to any time I hit a roadblock.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
When or if you go to the IDA web site, there are the corporate sponsor who donate to IDA.
Many well known and respected detail manufacturers and distributors.
It costs them heavy dollars to show their support of IDA and it`s world wide mission.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Quote:
Originally Posted by
quebert
And I`ve known a bunch of MCE (Microsoft certification) who I wouldn`t recommend to anyone I know to let them do anything to their computers.
Boy, was that ever rampant back in the Tech-Boom era. Take a boot camp online, take the tests and BOOM...Microsoft Certified (or Novell). Resulted in a lotta book smart folks that lacked practical, real-world knowledge.
HR Departments would then look for those certs when pre-qualifying resumes, so it did have some value when dealing w the Gatekeepers but that was about it for many of newly certified folks.
Maybe certifications are like foam cannons; questionable as to actual value but if you`ve got the time and motivation it certainly can`t hurt in any way.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
I don’t know about foam cannons,but I find my foam gun to be invaluable.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
i don`t see how the average consumer is supposed to know about the IDA to even ask a detailer about it. With that being said, certifications are by no means a measure on how good a person is at whatever they are certified in.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RZJZA80
i don`t see how the average consumer is supposed to know about the IDA to even ask a detailer about it. With that being said, certifications are by no means a measure on how good a person is at whatever they are certified in.
I agree with the last part of this statement 100%. That said, if your technician can’t pass the basic/advanced tests to become certified (short of some medical/mental condition or treatment) it might make you want to take a look at them a little more closely.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
I wouldn’t want a specialist physician who isn’t certified in his/her area but medicine and detailing are widely different fields....
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Some Certifications are iron-clad assurances of competence, others are worthless nonsense. You simply cannot generalize.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Sounds like the IDA is working toward making certification iron clad in the detailing field
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mike lambert
I was interested, but when I repaired several jobs done by a past president of the ida, I decided not to be associated with them.
That is my issue too and I`ve seen poor work by an "awarded" member in the past. I`m 100% on board for continuing education (just came back from two advanced PPF classes), but at the end of the day just because someone passes a test and becomes an IDA member doesn`t mean they will choose to run their business ethically and by those standards. Some people don`t care, just focus on money, or whatever their reason is for doing poor work, lack of education/understanding often has nothing to do with it. Same goes for a ASE certified mechanics. Sure it`s nice to know an individual is educated and understands the vehicles they`re working on, but at the end of the day who I choose to go to is going to be based on reputation and WOM.
Perhaps the IDA has to implement a way to weed out the bad apples? Routine audits (undercover)?
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Collision repair bodyshops, for years have depended on I-CAR for sharing, training, etc. The major vehicle manufacturers, paint suppliers, etc all work with them to provide the latest repair information, they have certification classes held all over. Many insurance companies also work with them, etc.
They have the same issues as ASE, etc, do their job right, but there are always shops that do just enough to get a high rating but once attained, do not enforce the correct methods.
That said, if someone asks me "what body shop should I chose?", I inform them to look for the Silver or Gold rating usually listed in their ads and signage on the outside of the shop.
Even so, sometimes the shop may be a dirt bag, not adhering to the ethics and standards of I-CAR.
Re: IDA - International Detailing Association
Just about every field has bad seeds among them. Incompetence, bad ethics, laziness....whatever "bad" it is, it is. People have it. Period. Seems there is no field of "work" that is exempt from this. From the judges in the courts, the lawyers, the corrupt police. Bad doctors, teachers, mechanics.
I do applaud the IDA and what [i think] they stand for. It would be nice to see certification.
It would nice to see some standardization as well :) Like foam pad colors!!!