How to get mobile car detailing contracts?

A

atldeville

New member
I am completely new to mobile detailing, but i do know that i would prefer to get contracts instead of having to find repeat business from new customers. I was thinking about the following sources:

limo companies.
car rental.
car dealerships???
office building employees.

anybody got any suggestions???
 
Welcome to the site from Sonoma County CA


Limo companies are difficult, if those cars are not hauling around passengers they are not making money, and in most cases the drivers clean them

Car lots / dealerships and rental places are CHEAP! and a waste of time, unless you are just a wash wax guy

office buildings can be lucrative but you have to really plan those and some have water regulations for run off.

To build a good customer base takes time, its not something that will happen over night for you, and there are no quick ways to get there IMO
 
If you decide to hit up some dealerships offer to do one for free to show them what you can do. Its always worked for me. Not all dealerships are bad and they can provide you with steady work. Some won't pay over 100 bucks per vehical and don't expect full corrections or things of that sort. If a guy can knock out 3 cars a day at 100 bucks a whack, there's 300 a day and you didn't have to touch a buffer or polisher. You have to decide if you want to do high end work or production type work, or target both fields. There is money in it either way.
 
mrclean81 said:
If you decide to hit up some dealerships offer to do one for free to show them what you can do. Its always worked for me. Not all dealerships are bad and they can provide you with steady work. Some won't pay over 100 bucks per vehical and don't expect full corrections or things of that sort. If a guy can knock out 3 cars a day at 100 bucks a whack, there's 300 a day and you didn't have to touch a buffer or polisher. You have to decide if you want to do high end work or production type work, or target both fields. There is money in it either way.
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I agree but it seems to me that the dealership work is a lot of work for the money, than doing the higher end work. I know the later is harder to get when starting out, its the level of detailing I'm doing.

They both have there plus and minuses IMO
 
mrclean81 said:
If you decide to hit up some dealerships offer to do one for free to show them what you can do. Its always worked for me. Not all dealerships are bad and they can provide you with steady work. Some won't pay over 100 bucks per vehical and don't expect full corrections or things of that sort. If a guy can knock out 3 cars a day at 100 bucks a whack, there's 300 a day and you didn't have to touch a buffer or polisher. You have to decide if you want to do high end work or production type work, or target both fields. There is money in it either way.
Click to expand...

i worked for a dealership before as a employee detailing cars. it was BEYOND hard work, :( for LITTLE pay, so i know how they are, but the knowledge level i have, i prefer production type work at this time.
 
atldeville said:
i worked for a dealership before as a employee detailing cars. it was BEYOND hard work, :( for LITTLE pay, so i know how they are, but the knowledge level i have, i prefer production type work at this time.
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I too have paid my dues working in dealerships. The Chevy and RV dealership that i started off at wasnt too bad. They didnt care how long it look to get one ready for the lot and never cracked the whip on anyone. They just wanted it done right. I went from there to a commercial truck dealership and it was HARD HARD work. I still do a ton of work for the commercial place and its no easier than it was then. Both places paid their detail people near minimum wage. IMO dealerships should pay their detailers what they are really worth. If its a kid washing cars for a summer job, pay them minimum wage. If its a skilled tech with years of experiance and the ability to do whatever needs to be done, pay them enough to make a decent living. It never works out that way.
 
LOL why not just detail for yourself and not look at it as easy money. if you are just doing it for money and get no enjoyment out of it its worthless to do. i love detailing, i dont care if its for money or just helping a friend its one of my passions in life. its not just another way to make a buck to me. and that is why my work is high quality... i'm just confused on why you say you dont have the concentration. if you cant pay attention to details like we do (not trying to sound mean or rude here) but you wont be able to make it at a job where you need to pay attention to the details.
 
It just isn't cut out for some people.... atldeville if you're going to go in it, then give it a lot of thought. There are so many hurdles you need to jump though, you basicly need to eat, sleep, detail, detail, detail... Unless you are fully commited it is not worth it.
 
Addicted2Bling said:
It just isn't cut out for some people.... atldeville if you're going to go in it, then give it a lot of thought. There are so many hurdles you need to jump though, you basicly need to eat, sleep, detail, detail, detail... Unless you are fully commited it is not worth it.
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That's exactly right. Unless a person lives in an area where they can charge ridiculous rates, it takes a lot of work just to pay the bills and living expenses. I've expressed this before on this site, but so many people look at the forums and the "glamourous lifestyle" that many try to portray, and think that all detailers make 400k a year and live like rock stars :rofl Its like a bad joke. Its very hard work, its sometimes disgusting, its hot, its cold, its wet, and sometimes it flat out sucks. If the OP decides its not for him, that's a wise choice to make early on before building a big client base and becoming so married to the business that he can't get out.
 
^^Trust me if I could go back and stay in school and go to college I would. This work definitely aint easy, but somehow I just can't get enough :D
 
I doubt anyone has actually turned auto detailing into a $400,000 a year gig. PM me if you have.Anyway detailing at the retail level really seems to be the best deal. Your doing the work and then the customer is paying for and enjoying the work you have done. They will call you again and also refer you to friends because they got to meet you. car dealers and commercial fleets is an entirely different kind of business
 
opie_7afe said:
LOL why not just detail for yourself and not look at it as easy money. if you are just doing it for money and get no enjoyment out of it its worthless to do. i love detailing, i dont care if its for money or just helping a friend its one of my passions in life. its not just another way to make a buck to me. and that is why my work is high quality... i'm just confused on why you say you dont have the concentration. if you cant pay attention to details like we do (not trying to sound mean or rude here) but you wont be able to make it at a job where you need to pay attention to the details.
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I agree 100%, I may charge 300+ a car but I use top notch products and apply them with top notch precision. Most importantly I love what I do and take the highest amount of pride in my work. That drive for perfection shows in my work, and in my knowledge when I educate my clients on what their auto will need and what to use on it. I do have an great business card but the real business card is the one rolling out of my driveway at the end of the day.
 
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