Different levels with different products

[ferg]

ok, so i have been doing some thinking about starting my own business and i have a question. do you guys feel it is a good idea to offer different levels of detailing (when i get to that point) with different products. such as:

Base level: wash n wax with OTC product

Mid level: little more then wash, wax, interior with say tropicare

High-Mid level: full detail with adams

High level: full detail with swissvax prodcuts (this would be reserved for high end clients ONLY)

i know thats a lot of money invested but i feel if i go this route (again, when i get to that point) i can target a larger demographic because i will be able to tailor my services based on the customers needs and have products that would be more suitable for their income level, or do u guys think im spinning wheels here?

[Ronkh]

When you look at the price per application, there is very little diffefence inprice (ex swisswax) Even of your cost per applicaton is 2.00 is it going to make a big difference if it`s 4.00/app? The eyeball is worth more than the 2.00.

[GearHead_1]

I think not, I believe you can vary the level of your offerings by adding additional products and procedures but once you find the products that meet your needs a level of efficiency develops and you want to stay there. It gets to a point where once you`ve found your favorite products and incorporated them into your process you develop a rhythm and don`t want to look back or step down so to speak. I know this is the case with me when it comes to polishes. I do occasionally use different finishing products and from time to time have tried the latest and greatest thing out there. That said, I usually end up with my tried and true favorites. I`m also quite sure this keeps Steve happy.

[ferg]

bear with me here. what i think you are trying to say is why spend 500 on kit X from Company X when you can get the same results from OTC products? am i way off here?

basically what im thinking is its almost like a pair of jeans. you have your jeans from sore x that cost $20 and you have jeans from store y that cost $200. they are both jeans at the end of the day, but you are more or less paying for the name attached to them. kind of the same principle. oh and nice avatar btw!

[GearHead_1]

bear with me here. what i think you are trying to say is why spend 500 on kit X from Company X when you can get the same results from OTC products? am i way off here?

basically what im thinking is its almost like a pair of jeans. you have your jeans from sore x that cost $20 and you have jeans from store y that cost $200. they are both jeans at the end of the day, but you are more or less paying for the name attached to them. kind of the same principle. oh and nice avatar btw!

I don`t believe that this is the message Ron was trying to relate (he can straighten me out if I`m wrong here). I think you`ll be hard pressed to find professionals that are using OTC products in bulk. What I`m saying here is that the man making a living in this business isn`t walking into WalMart and walking out with 10 bottles of Turtle Wax Ice. They either buy "cheap" in large quantities or bank on "boutique" (using this term just for Charles) products because of the results they achieve. Making this decision can certainly be approached from two different mindsets, for instance: how inexpensively can I put a decent shine on a vehicle or what quality products do I need for the ultimate end result? Don`t misunderstand what I`m saying, I believe you can achieve excellent results using products you pick up at AutoZone (Mother`s Professional Line for example) but I think other products can deliver equal and usually better (either in shine, durability or speed) results when purchasing products from manufacturers that specialize in products with the Detailer in my mind instead of the occasional user.

I also believe what Ron was saying, once you figure out how much it costs in product to achieve your goals, buying Professional Lines isn`t much more expensive. This of course means you aren`t purchasing your products in pint sized bottles. Give Troy a call and look into his bulk product pricing. I think you may be surprised.

[JSFM35X]

I have been chasing the magic bullet for quite some time. I have a garage full of 3/4 full bottles of everything. Why? I like to try the newest things, am looking for a better weapon and the best looking car.
I can really tell you that if you prep the car properly the LSP is going to look awesome weather you use P21S or Turtle wax.

Durability and ease of use aside. Your client, unless he is very decerning cannot tell either. I know some guys have better eyes (read experience) than me, but for 99% of the world it look drop dead awesome.

For the other 1%, I see those guy at a local shop paying $ 900.00 and up for a 3 step and LSP. Cars look sick but for me not worth the extra coin. If your lucky enough to have that market-hit them hard but deliver the perfectest product man can achieve. I have seen some write ups by some guy in Florida Bella Machina-he is wild. I do not know him but his write ups are PHD quality thesis papers. Its about more than his work, it the presentation and the sale of the perceived value. Again-not for everyone wallet.

Something different drives each customer. I loved the carnubas for a long time. Now I am looking for a optically correct reflection that only a sealant gives me. Thats my opinion and my mentor feels differently about his black 5 series BMW and we are both right.

In business you need to cater to your customers percieved value and specific needs. I think I would diferentiate based on services levels provided not on products provided. You can get great results with any one of many nubas from 10 bucks to 500 and same for sealants.

If you get a guy who talks the talk, use whatever he wants as long as you can make it work.

Good luck!

Focus on delivering a wow product. If you want to charge more, get paper mats, disposable covers, send them home with a how to clean bird bomb kit with instructions from you. Follow with a thanks you note with a referal discount plan. Send informative e mails on new services you offer or winter maintenance. keep in touch. Sell touch up detailing products as aposed to sending him to AutoZone.

Good marketing + delivering the percieved quality = Steady Customer (Read Money) Stream

[Ronkh]

I have been chasing the magic bullet for quite some time. I have a garage full of 3/4 full bottles of everything. Why? I like to try the newest things, am looking for a better weapon and the best looking car.
I can really tell you that if you prep the car properly the LSP is going to look awesome weather you use P21S or Turtle wax.

Durability and ease of use aside. Your client, unless he is very decerning cannot tell either. I know some guys have better eyes (read experience) than me, but for 99% of the world it look drop dead awesome.

For the other 1%, I see those guy at a local shop paying $ 900.00 and up for a 3 step and LSP. Cars look sick but for me not worth the extra coin. If your lucky enough to have that market-hit them hard but deliver the perfectest product man can achieve. I have seen some write ups by some guy in Florida Bella Machina-he is wild. I do not know him but his write ups are PHD quality thesis papers. Its about more than his work, it the presentation and the sale of the perceived value. Again-not for everyone wallet.

Something different drives each customer. I loved the carnubas for a long time. Now I am looking for a optically correct reflection that only a sealant gives me. Thats my opinion and my mentor feels differently about his black 5 series BMW and we are both right.

In business you need to cater to your customers percieved value and specific needs. I think I would diferentiate based on services levels provided not on products provided. You can get great results with any one of many nubas from 10 bucks to 500 and same for sealants.

If you get a guy who talks the talk, use whatever he wants as long as you can make it work.

Good luck!

Focus on delivering a wow product. If you want to charge more, get paper mats, disposable covers, send them home with a how to clean bird bomb kit with instructions from you. Follow with a thanks you note with a referal discount plan. Send informative e mails on new services you offer or winter maintenance. keep in touch. Sell touch up detailing products as aposed to sending him to AutoZone.

Good marketing + delivering the percieved quality = Steady Customer (Read Money) Stream

You are still looking for the magic bullet. Face it, thats why you spent the better part of 8 hours dedicated to to making your car look like a million bucks.

And I gotta admit you did it great !!! even though I would have loved to add another coat of sealant and then a few layers of xxxx.



With that in mind, I have a question for you. If your products were not higher caliber, then your customers would be going to home depot, wouldnt they>

[JSFM35X]

With that in mind, I have a question for you. If your products were not higher caliber, then your customers would be going to home depot, wouldnt they>[/QUOTE]

Good question. I think my business is sucessful because i go out to my customers, walk the facilities and figure out what keeps them up at night and solve that problem or problems. I know what is every box and bottle i sell and what it does. i can train their people on how to extract the performace they need from each product I sell. i can`t tell you how many times i show up and a potential customer says we tried a similar product and it did not work. I demonstrate mine and it worked. if you ship a swirl remover and dont show the customer how to break dowbn a polish it wont work will it. Not bc the lack of effort or work ethic but lack of knowledge. i am the Jerry Mcguire of the business. I am all about personal conserige service. Try finding someone to ask a question to at Home Depot. My customers can get me on my cell 24/7. If they cant the batery is dead or I am! Case closed.

[njcarting1]

If you do good work whatever you use the people will be back. After all, who knows how long any wax will truly last. I buy from 1 guy products are good and the product support is outta this world. This reason in itself is worth a higher price to me. Use what you like mix and match and know your costs that`s good business.

Home depot, I am happy with my stock in the company. Some people gotta have the design to feel important. oh and a cell phone they cant operate...

[Beemerboy]

Let me add this without reading the whole thread...product is 10% application and experience is 90%

The most expensive products in the hands of a novice / beginner will still produce beginner results....IMO


I can also add that the average customer knows so little about products and even less about detailing, it wouldn`t make a rats tail end difference to them.

Its the reason they are allowing you to detail there car to start..if they cared they would be doing it themselves

Offer them a wash wax a full detail and cut it there...deviding it up into a menu of items will cuase more confusing and people will pick you apart and in the end you will be working for nothing