Tired of people complaining about your price?

[imported_Auto Concierge]

I have found that when menu pricing is offered, a customer will hold you to a "T" on what is said and will often expect more as opposed to less. This is why a hourly approach works best in most cases, where the work being performed is sold on a time basis(As is all automotive work regardless of type ie:Bodywork, suspension, engine repair) sans the parts and only labor applicable.

People are already used to this method of automotive pricing thru thier dealership or independent repair facility.

Just picked up the ipad as well...........great marketing tool and the pics are high-res which show the before and after shots much better than a regular digital photo.

[Richie's Custom Detailing]

I have found that when menu pricing is offered, a customer will hold you to a "T" on what is said and will often expect more as opposed to less. This is why a hourly approach works best in most cases, where the work being performed is sold on a time basis(As is all automotive work regardless of type ie:Bodywork, suspension, engine repair) sans the parts and only labor applicable.

People are already used to this method of automotive pricing thru thier dealership or independent repair facility.

.

Couldn`t have said it better.

[grease]

I have found that when menu pricing is offered, a customer will hold you to a "T" on what is said and will often expect more as opposed to less. This is why a hourly approach works best in most cases, where the work being performed is sold on a time basis(As is all automotive work regardless of type ie:Bodywork, suspension, engine repair) sans the parts and only labor applicable.

People are already used to this method of automotive pricing thru thier dealership or independent repair facility.

Just picked up the ipad as well...........great marketing tool and the pics are high-res which show the before and after shots much better than a regular digital photo.

Why do you bold and enlarge everything you say? Do you think its more valuable than others` words or do you think people wont read it unless it grabs their attention...something else maybe? Im curious...

The problem Ive had with this (hourly) approach (at least in this province) is that EVERY detailer works on `menu price` basis, and even with quality work shown to the customer (I only do full corrections), the customer will still gravitate towards someone offering a fixed price. All of my business comes from word of mouth or from impromtu meetings at car shows. Ive found that advertising without a price is a waste of money...
It might also be affected by the fact that this is relatively small community, and the weather dictates that you can use nice cars about 4 months of the year at most...

[imported_Auto Concierge]

Why do you bold and enlarge everything you say? Do you think its more valuable than others` words or do you think people wont read it unless it grabs their attention...something else maybe? Im curious...

The problem Ive had with this (hourly) approach (at least in this province) is that EVERY detailer works on `menu price` basis, and even with quality work shown to the customer (I only do full corrections), the customer will still gravitate towards someone offering a fixed price. All of my business comes from word of mouth or from impromtu meetings at car shows. Ive found that advertising without a price is a waste of money...
It might also be affected by the fact that this is relatively small community, and the weather dictates that you can use nice cars about 4 months of the year at most...

Nothing to be curious about, I like playing with the font/color/size....any questions?.

[grease]

Sorry, I wasnt clear enough. Some of your posts are really hard to read sometimes if not on a big screen...and I love reading your posts.

I do have a question.. You obviously have a large client base, and looks to be mostly very high end cars. If you were in a small market where there may only be a couple 100 nice cars in the area, in a climate that is unforgiving most of the year, with a couple well known detailers who (for the most part) do average work but have a great name, what would you do to get people aware of the kind of the work that can be accomplished? I know 1 other local detailer who does great work, and he`s stopped doing his own thing, and went back to working at a dealership.
Ive managed to `convince` people who were really allready receptive to the idea, so it doesnt really teach me anything.

[Todd@RUPES]

As Todd Helme once told me, "I consider it a complement when someone tells me that I am too expensive." :thumbup:

This is the truth. I would rather have somebody tell me that my work costs too much vs. tell me my work isn`t good enough.

[Street Dreams]

Last thing I want to hear when I give someone a quote is...

`Yea that sounds great!"

I`d prefer a moan or two followed by a simple "Alright Lets book it"


:

[Deep Gloss]

When quoting work I always speak in terms of man hours and then letting the prospect know my hourly rate. Just throwing around figures dollar figures does not accurately convey they amount of work that goes into the process and you are doing your due diligence to educate your customer in all that the job entails of you do so.

If a prospect makes a comment about price and that the ?guy down the street? will do it for a fraction of the price I quoted I very politely and thoroughly explain the difference in services. If price is still a topic of discussion I respectfully decline the business and suggest that the prospect goes to the other guy and tell them that if they are satisfied with the work they receive then they made the right choice for them but, if they are not satisfied with the work they receive they are welcome to give me a call.

I do not get upset if this happens because it simply means that my services are not matched for this prospect so I welcome it as a first indicator that we are not a matched pair.

Luckily, by the time someone calls me they have done their research and know what they want and roughly how much it will cost.

[imported_JSFM35X]

Very interesting point(s) and although I don`t detail for a living I am also in a competitive industry with more than a fair share of bottom feeders. Before I got educated I thought an $89.00 detail was a bargan. Now I realize it is nothing more than an expensive car wash with a rag jockey that can do hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of damage to my vehicle.

It takes time to educate people and build a customer base. You can choose between volume and quality. Rarely do both go hand in hand in any service business where the product is the operater to a large extent. The sales and marketing for these business are different. You can`t educate the customer on why the $ 89.00 detail is a good deal, the price brings them in. Most likley you will loose this customer to a $39.00 wash n wax a 15 year old might do or to a pro if the expectations are not met or the black car comes back swirlzilla.

I think you need to figure out who you are as a detailer, what you want to provide and then make that a good deal by delivering on your promise weather it be a 10/10 job or a 5/10 at the correct price point. Do what you say, and say what you do-no surprises for the customer.

Also, when I started selling for a livng my company sent me to a professional sales training workshop for 3 days. What I remeber taking away clearly from those days:

1. Your competition doesn`t lower your price, you do!

2. Relationships are built over days, months and years and destroyed in seconds. If something goes wrong, recover faster and harder than you think you have to consistantly.

3. You are the only truly unique thing that your competition does not have or can`t get. Spend the time to work on "that" so it is something you can sell and use to your full advantage.

Your not selling a product, you selling an experience that looks like a service from my perspective. Frustrations grow for feeling like your competition is putting you in a box you can exist in for financial or serivce reasons. Keep focused on your plan and build from there. Don`t sweat every single set back, they pave the roads of many sucesfull businessmen.

Good luck!

[imported_JSFM35X]

Last thing I want to hear when I give someone a quote is...

`Yea that sounds great!"

I`d prefer a moan or two followed by a simple "Alright Lets book it"


:

David,

Not sure how you got "it" so fast, but to certianly got it!

[imported_JSFM35X]

No one ever complains about my pricing, they look at my pictures on my website, and give me great tips, so maybe I should be complaining that I dont charge enough ?

Dan F

BINGO..

Raise your prices by 10-15% right away, except for me