Do you get discouraged?

[Crash 02]

I have been thinking about starting a detail business. I have always loved cars and keeping them spotless. My friends have said I should start my own business. My main problem is I just can`t shake the thought of spending all day making someoneâ€â„¢s car look better than the day they bought it if they aren`t going to take care of it. For example someone wants you to detail their 95 SUV that they haven`t washed in 4 months and who knows if they have ever waxed it. The interior looks more like a cross between a veterinarian office and a lunchroom after a food fight. I would hate to spend all that time and effort in something that won`t really be taken care of. Don`t get me wrong I know the owner will appreciate the job that is done but that doesn`t mean it won`t have a super size amount of fries under the front seat in a month. I also know if they had taken care of the car I wouldn`t be doing the detail in the first place. I guess you should look at like it`s just business and if they don`t take care of it they will be back. Even though I realize those things I think it would get to me sometimes. Do any of you ever think like that? Do you just smile and take the money and never think about the car after it leaves?

[ZaneO]

For the most part, people are bringing their cars to you because they don`t want to or don`t know how to care for their cars.



Generally, they are going to mess them up again, but if they are happy with your work, they will bring them back to you.



It is disheartening to see your work screwed up, but it`s what the business is.



You can always make an effort to educate and promote good maintenance (pamphlets are great for this), but some don`t care or have time.



P.S. Offer a good maintenance program where they let you care for it regularly.

[mgm2003]

They have to care about their cars a little to be willing to spend $$ to have them cleaned up. Otherwise they`d just spend 10 bucks at the local vac & wash tunnel and be done with it, or do nothing at all.



Remember, you`re making $$$ doing this so don`t feel to bad about it. Actually it`s a good thing because if you do a good job, they`ll bring it back to you to do again in a few months.

[blackntan]

Dude! That`s guaranteed repeat business!!!



Love it! Embrace it!



:xyxthumbs





What I do, to keep my head up, is to find a group of friends or auto enthusiests, who you know are gonna take care of their cars, and offer to do their cars at a nice discount, in return for endorsement and referrals...



This way, I always know i`m working on some cars for people that care, and the others are purely for revenue...





The faster they mess it up again, the better!! :bounce :bounce

[benpocock]

Look at it this way - if they knew how to maintain it you wouldn`t have a business opportunity opening itself up for you right now. Yes it`s sometimes a pain when you have to detail a total sh!tt3r, but do a good job and hey presto - free marketing!



Ben

[Flexin]

For me I only worry about them liking it when they pick it up. If they are happy I`m happy. Its going to get dirty again. There is no way around that. If they take care of it they might not need me anymore. Its all worth it when you busted your butt all day working on someones wrecked car and they tell you it didn`t look that good when they bought it. It can be stressful and fun at the same time.



James

[Scottwax]

Messy people are job security. Yeah, it sucks when you see it trashed again but at least you see it again, right?



I do get frustrated at time when I see nice vehicles get trashed so quickly though. One time I had just finished detailing a new Suburban and was finishing up their truck. They all came out to go somewhere in the Suburban and the husband is holding an open bag of tortilla chips and abn almost filled to the brim bowl of salsa.

[Superior Shine]

My first responsibility is to feed my family and pay my mortgage;-- yes I smile and take the money.

[WrxRob513]

Originally posted by Scottwax

Messy people are job security. Yeah, it sucks when you see it trashed again but at least you see it again, right?



I do get frustrated at time when I see nice vehicles get trashed so quickly though. One time I had just finished detailing a new Suburban and was finishing up their truck. They all came out to go somewhere in the Suburban and the husband is holding an open bag of tortilla chips and abn almost filled to the brim bowl of salsa.

:nono



:angry



these smilies describe how i feel about that. plus a :barf:.

[Flexin]

What I find hard is not doing more when someone doesn`t buy a clean and not a detail. Some have nasty paint and want to do something about it so bad but what can you do?



James

[blackntan]

Originally posted by Scottwax

Messy people are job security. Yeah, it sucks when you see it trashed again but at least you see it again, right?



I do get frustrated at time when I see nice vehicles get trashed so quickly though. One time I had just finished detailing a new Suburban and was finishing up their truck. They all came out to go somewhere in the Suburban and the husband is holding an open bag of tortilla chips and abn almost filled to the brim bowl of salsa.

Hopefully you made some off handed comment about scheduling an appointment for tomorrow to remove the stains that he`s going to cause within 5 minutes of their trip...



I know I would`ve...



:xyxthumbs



But hey... I`ll never argue with someone doing something that`s surely going to pad my wallet...



Hmm.. Maybe i`ll start giving away leaky cups of coffee after every detail.... :wavey

[Crash 02]

Thanks for the responses. I guess just smile and take the money is the best way to look at it.