HELLO from New Jersey

My name is Frank Canna and I started my own mobile detailing business in 1986. Prior to starting my own business I had worked as Quality Assurance Manager for a car wash manufacturing firm for more than ten years. My experience, quality methods and marketing knowledge have led to the growth and success of my business.

My mission statement is to specialize in protecting and enhancing the appearance of cars, trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles, antique cars, classic cars and boats. Mirror Finish Detailing is proud to be one of the original "at your location...only by hand" detailing services in New Jersey.

Automobile Detailing clients utilize my detailing service at least two times a year. Once in the spring to protect against the UV rays of the summer sun and again in the fall to protect against winter snow, ice and road salt. Many of my clients have their vehicles detailed as many as three to four times a year. Usually with the change of each season.

Much of the competition, which includes car washes and detail shops, rely mostly on wholesale work from car dealers. Wholesale work can sometimes result in the focus being placed on quantity. That`s due to the lower price charged and less time spent per vehicle. This can lead to sub-standard quality where retail clients are concerned. In order to up-hold my high quality standards, I only service retail automobile detailing clients. I do not service car dealer wholesale accounts.

Antique & Classic Car clients utilize my detailing service mostly during the car show season. However, since almost all antique and classic cars are stored indoors, many owners also have their cars detailed during the winter months. Since all work is done by hand, antique and classic car owners know they can trust Mirror Finish Detailing when it comes to taking good care of their collector cars.

Boat Detailing clients utilize my detailing service every year from early spring through the summer boating season. Boat owners know that it`s important to have their boat cleaned, polished and waxed on a regular basis. That`s because detailing not only enhances the appearance of their boat, it also helps to protect all surfaces from the hazards of the environment.

Most of the competition, which includes boat dealers and marinas, are at a disadvantage when compared to my business because they usually do not offer boat cleaning and detailing at the client`s location. I only service retail boat detailing clients. I do not service boat dealer and marina wholesale accounts.

The advantage that separates my detailing business from the rest of the competition is that "all of the detailing is done at the clients location and all of the cleaning, polishing and waxing is done only by hand".

I look forward to offering my assistance here and learning from other members.

welcome aboard frank:badabum :welcome :dj

Happy to see you over here. I`ve enjoyed and profited from your posts on Autopia so I`m looking forward to your knowledgeable posts here as well. :)

Welcome to DC. I`m going with what JimS wrote.:welcome

:welcome
Gee...with all the pollution in New Jersey, you would think everyone needs a detail once a week!!!
jeff

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Originally posted by detaled by hans
Jersey Frank .... so i guess all of us have to ditch our rotary`s and PC`s ..... and do it all by hand ..... because the competition uses those dirty ole machines.... :rolleyes:

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detaled by hans,

Thanks for the reply.

Certainly plenty of people can achieve equal or better results by using rotary`s and PC`s. It is just that although I have been in business since 1986, I have never really considered using any type of mechanical polisher. I have always perferred to do all of the polishing and waxing only by hand.

It has always been my feeling that in order to be successful in business you have got to somehow figure out a way to separate yourself from the competition. In my case, that difference is simply that I do everything by hand.

Think about it this way. How many detailers still do all of the polishing and waxing only by hand? When you operate your own detailing business it is all about the way a consumer perceives your service. It is important to understand where your detailing business fits into the marketplace. What I do is simply focus mostly on high priced, well cared for vehicles. I do not do any low priced wholesale dealership work. And since I do everything by hand, that alone makes the service that I am providing unique and different. This fact alone has helped to successfully position my business in the marketplace.

I believe that in order to suceed in business you must first `find a need and fill it`. In other words, you could use the best products, do the best work, have the lowest price, but if there is no need for your service, then you are nowhere.

In summary, hang onto those rotary`s and PC`s. There will always be plenty of work for all good detailers.

Welcome Jersey Frank! Darn glad to cya here at DC. :beer

Jeffbruce.....LOL, you know all that great airborn pollution that we send up into the air heads your way, right?

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Originally posted by mirrorfinishman
I believe that in order to suceed in business you must first `find a need and fill it`.

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The company I worked for prior to retirement was very successful doing just that.
Price was not a big factor in their success. We aklwasy felt if we were within 10% to 15% of the competition, we could sell the customer on our service.
Stop and think about it for a minute.
Where you buy your groceries, clothing, appliances, vehicles is most likely not the cheapest place you could find. The product and service are much more important to most of us.

If you want cheap, you would go to Wal*Mart.

If you are in business, you don`t try to "out Wal*Mart, Wal*Mart."
Pretty hard to do.

Do what you do well and charge accordingly.

Charles

Hey Frank

Didn`t we meet somewhere else before? Great to have you here as well. DC is a fun place to learn! Looking forward to seeing you here, also. Take care.

Gary