Certification?

Should there be certifications or standards set?

  • certification is a good idea

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • certification is a bad idea

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • some sort of basic standard should apply to all shops

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • no standards or certification

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
jsatek said:
You would need an association with a BIG advertizing dollar to sell that idea (certified detailer) to consumers.



For it to mean anything, consumers, not hobbyists, would need to know it's value to them. Getting this message to them is INSANELY expensive.



Once it is on the tip of the consumers tongue, people will know it's value.
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Agreed.

I mean just about every shop has ASE certified mechanics working. I have met some I would let do anything to my car and some I wouldn't trust to change my spark plugs. I think the same would be said for a detailing certification.
 
mirrorfinishman said:
Standardization through certification would help true detailing businesses . . .
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I can't tell you how sick I am of that phrase.



I detail for grins and beer money on the weekends, and by all accounts, I do a better job than the hack shops that would be the likely target of certification programs. If you send the hacks to class, when it's over, they'll just be hacks with a certificate they can stick on the wall. Will they be "true" detailers working for a "true" detailing business then? Or just the same butchers of paint with pretty framed pieces of paper hung on the wall?



Feh.



Tort
 
and how would you innoculate the standardising?



meaning who would maintain/administrate the standard? and how would you prevent them from becoming a particular company's "darling" as it were?



For example, if the National Association of Vehicular Detailers in America, or NAVDA ;p is formed... who would populate it? Individuals? Business owners? Company reps from Meguiars and Armor All?



and then, how would they dictate policy? Would individuals only work from their own experience? Would Business owners and Company reps promoted things that furthered their own activities?



There's alot of wiggle room for abuse here...
 
Meguiars could pull this off.

Imagine a message at the end of every Meguiars TV show, "As always, we recommend you bring your car to a Meguiars Certified Detail Specialist. Log on to Meguiars dot com to find one in your area"



"Log on or call 1-800 Meguiars today to learn how to become a Meguiars Certified Detail Specialist"



Ohh thats powerful!!!!



IF there were big money in this NADA or ASE could pull it of also.



Im now regretting typing this idea. I think it is such an income gererator. I wish I would have pitched it to Meguiars myself..........
 
jsatek said:
Meguiars could pull this off.

Imagine a message at the end of every Meguiars TV show, "As always, we recommend you bring your car to a Meguiars Certified Detail Specialist. Log on to Meguiars dot com to find one in your area"



"Log on or call 1-800 Meguiars today to learn how to become a Meguiars Certified Detail Specialist"



Ohh thats powerful!!!!



IF there were big money in this NADA or ASE could pull it of also.



Im now regretting typing this idea. I think it is such an income gererator. I wish I would have pitched it to Meguiars myself..........
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I guess I would need to start using Meguiars to get some more business then? :soscared:
 
Scottwax said:
Be careful what you wish for, Frank. You'd probably be expected to use clay and a buffer. ;)
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Interesting poll results.



An overwhelming 22 votes indicated that certification is a good idea and that some sort of basic standard should apply to all shops.



On the flip side, only 9 votes indicated certification is a bad idea with no need for standards or certification.



Looks like the majority voted in favor of the need for certifications and standards.
 
Although some of you may disagree, THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE...



PERIOD. Anyone can use the "proper" technique, high quality materials, and say they are a pro.



In my opinion, the only difference between the worst and best detail job is STANDARDS. Most people don't have standards... The few who DO have standards dont need a certification....their work is certifying enough.....
 
Just thought I would throw in a couple pennies of my own here.

I have never once had a customer or any of the dealerships I work with even ask me if I had any type of certification.

I think certification to the general population means that the person doing the work is not going to foul something up in the extreme. For example if someone takes their car to a "certified mechanic" for a transmission service they feel that the "certification" means that the person is competant in what they are doing.

However if it is something that they feel cannot cause significant harm then they don't care. You don't see gas stations boasting about their certified gas-pumping-technicians.



Which brings me to my main point. I doubt very much that most of the population even has the foggiest idea of the amount of serious damage that can be done through poor detailing. I beleive that the general population thinks detailing is basically washing everything SUPER DUPER GOOD and getting every little nook and cranny clean, and with that there is not a danger to their automobile.

Very few of my customers comprehend what I do. When they check their car at the end they simply look in between the seats to make sure I vacuumed down there, and then look in a couple of panel junctions to make sure there is no caked wax or anything.



If people don't comprehend the risk in getting a poor detail then certification doesn't matter.
 
I guess I should also point out one thing I missed. Painters at least most of them, are certified. They go to continuing education classes. A friend of mine owns a bodyshop and they go a few times a year to classes on new techniques and to brush up on old ones. Compounding/polishing techniques are a part of these classes. They do great body and paint work but their finished products are always swirled like crazy. Heck, he evens has me detail his personal cars. So, there you have a certification in automotive body repair and paint and a guy that can lay paint with no orange peel and have the smoothest looking painted parts coming from the booth...but can not finish a car without swirls.
 
Scottwax said:
Be careful what you wish for, Frank. You'd probably be expected to use clay and a buffer. ;)
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You don't clay? how else do you get all the grim out of the paint? buffer? is there another way to polish? or are you just washing and putting a hand wax on the car? to me that is just cleaning a car not detailing.....:ignore
 
Thanks for all the input I just wanted to know if there where others like me that feel some sort of standards should be set for detailing, other wise your just a car wash. :waxing:
 
I have found this thread to be one of the best that I have read and I do more reading than writing here. I believe that this forum is best served with this kind of a discussion than which wax is better than which.

Happy holidays to you all.
 
Mr. Magic said:
You don't clay? how else do you get all the grim out of the paint? buffer? is there another way to polish? or are you just washing and putting a hand wax on the car? to me that is just cleaning a car not detailing.....:ignore
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Just to be clear, you know I am talking about Frank and not myself, right?
 
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