Doing The Full Detail??

Beemerboy

Beemerboy

Just One More Coat
Over the weekend I had one Ford truck to do...it was a pay back to a friend (no charge)...I did the normal thing on the inside...clean, condition, etc....then the outside was not in bad shape...lighter colored brown...not many swirls that where noticeable...so all I did was hit it with the PC and P-w-C.....looked great to me...then I got to thinking...on all my details

I clay...SWR...polish...glaze..seal..wax...seems like a lot of work but that's what I like to do that separates me from the rest of the detailers in this area...most of the shops that I have visited they are doing a once over...and if you want more work done you pay extra.

Your thoughts on the one step over the multi-step processes...Do the customers really see the difference? from the once over to the 6 step process
 
I believe they do...I had a 2000 Volvo to do that was done recently by a local place that just waxed the car...and she thoughit looked good...I said well its shiney but...

but what? I responded let me do the car...if you like it we can talk money...after it was done the car looked adifferent color and she was amazed... I think the customer who truely likes their car notices...
 
Stephan said:
I believe they do...I had a 2000 Volvo to do that was done recently by a local place that just waxed the car...and she thoughit looked good...I said well its shiney but...

but what? I responded let me do the car...if you like it we can talk money...after it was done the car looked adifferent color and she was amazed... I think the customer who truely likes their car notices...
Click to expand...

If you put my cars along side my local competitors you will see the difference...I just wonder if the average person sees the difference from one detailer to another....meaning if he gets it done once or twice a year.... and I'm really talking about the paint only...When I return my cars and start to tell the customers what I have done...they really don't seem to care...as long as it clean and shinny that's all they care about, at least that's the impression that I get
 
I think you have the answers already ...If a person really takes care of their car with detailing every few months and takes good care in between, they will appreciate the difference, but for the person who has it done once or twice a year, they probably would be satisfied with a one step process. The once or twice a year people are the ones who usually go through tunnel washes and let the people dry the cars with dirty towels from the previous cars. Then there are the people who get it detailed a little more often, but you'll see them at the self wash places drying their cars with bath towels. I don't think the majority of people will really care what you do to their car , as you already know, as long as it is shiny and the interior and windows are clean.;)
 
Steve

I do think that you are right about those that have them done...once a year or less....they do not have the trained eye...for me its hard for me to turn back a car that doesn't look right...that said the multi step process....I know that they got the best work that I can do and I don't have to worry about it coming back to bite me later
 
Dave,

i also never cut corners when i detailed, but then again i never had to do a lot of cars in a day like you..one or two were my max , but if you have a shop and a lot of overhead, it may be necessary to do one step work to be able to pay bills and employees.
 
Poorboy said:
Dave,

i also never cut corners when i detailed, but then again i never had to do a lot of cars in a day like you..one or two were my max , but if you have a shop and a lot of overhead, it may be necessary to do one step work to be able to pay bills and employees.
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Steve

I work on two to three cars total in any weekend...no volume for me... back would not put up with it

I agree with you on the high volume places and overhead
 
Client sometimes don't understand the process of detailing. All they think is it's a wash and wax. They don't know about clay, compounds, polishes, sealants etc.

What I do is I intruct them of what they all do combined (prep work) compared to just a plain wax and most of them look at me like a deer stuck in headlights! lol

I show them pics and they get all excited! I use the no BS clause and don't skip on steps...

I don't think it's too much work at all! That way you know customers will be coming back for more!
 
I try to do high volume, at the same time offering a service unlike any other. That being said I have a full detail package that is going to get swirls and small scratches removed with a wax finish but isn't going to get a sealant. I try to charge my details by the hour shooting for an average of 3 hours @ $50 per. If the customer wants any deep oxidation or any heavy paint reconditioning its going to cost them. My phone is either ringing off the hook or at times I feel it's disconnected, either way I have to make the details worth my time.
 
While I still seem to think I need to do a 2 or 3 step process, I do think that it is possible to get pretty good results with several products that are available.
Some that come to mind;
PwC, PwS, Poli Seal, XMT 360, and even Meg's #66, all do a decent job in one step and all seem to have at least some durability.

Whether or not some of you would be comfortable with using only the one step process might be debatable.
I guess I'm not just yet. :)
Keep in mind that the customer is really the one that needs to be satisfied.

Charles
 
CharlesW said:
While I still seem to think I need to do a 2 or 3 step process, I do think that it is possible to get pretty good results with several products that are available.
Some that come to mind;
PwC, PwS, Poli Seal, XMT 360, and even Meg's #66, all do a decent job in one step and all seem to have at least some durability.

Whether or not some of you would be comfortable with using only the one step process might be debatable.
I guess I'm not just yet. :)
Keep in mind that the customer is really the one that needs to be satisfied.

Charles
Click to expand...

Yes there are good one step products and meeting or exceeding the customers satisfaction is the name of the game;)
 
I think paint condition has a lot to do with this also. I know that some of my customers don't always want to spend the money to do a couple extra steps on their paint that is already in good condition. I always recommend otherwise, but in the end it's not my car and I'm not the one paying for the services. I think as long as you make them aware and at least try to explain to them the difference that multiple steps can make to the paint, that your doing your job. I also agree there are some good one step products out there too. My favorite right now is XMT 360. Check the link for a couple of my customers cars that did not want to pay for a clay/polish. I was very pleased with the results and this is now a staple product for my business.http://www.detailcity.org/forums/detailing-showcase/21846-customers-cars-done-w-xmt-360-a.html
 
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