Comparing YOU to THEM

A

AquaHawk

New member
Have you ever had anyone compare your prices to other shops? My prices aren't even unreasonable, yet I sometimes get compared and loose business.



Anything I can say to them if they do this?



I've been using Craigslist; maybe their just trying to find a deal.
 
Craigslist is your problem. Ask yourself what you use craigslist for. People use Craigslist to find the cheapest way to get something they want.



On the other hand, if you're getting any business through craigslist it's free advertisement. Just watch out for people trying to get you to lower your prices and being extremely nit-picky for the price they're paying.
 
brownbob06 said:
Craigslist is your problem. Ask yourself what you use craigslist for. People use Craigslist to find the cheapest way to get something they want.



On the other hand, if you're getting any business through craigslist it's free advertisement. Just watch out for people trying to get you to lower your prices and being extremely nit-picky for the price they're paying.
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Thanks, I appreciate it!
 
Whenever someone tells me they can get it done cheaper somewhere else, I simply tell them I don't compete on price, I compete on quality and you get what you pay for. If they still want cheaper, I don't waste my time with them, maybe try to educate them a bit, but I will quickly walk away if they don't get it and keep wanting a "cheap detail".



I would stop advertising on craigslist, you're right, they are just trying to find a deal and with all the $75 "full details" I see on there a good detailer with pricing that reflects their quality isn't going to get any business from it. If you do get calls, they will haggle price, never be happy with the job you do, their cars are almost always trashed and neglected and they expect a miracle for cheap, etc. Just my experience from trying craigslist myself a few years back.
 
I'm in a different service related business. We aren't the cheapest, but our quality is well above average. We no longer use craigslist for anything other than trying to get rid of outdated or lower quality items. Our greatest return on investment is always internet related. SEO, adwords etc. You can improve your internet presence quite a bit without spending a dime.



When someone calls you looking for the lowest price you only have a few seconds to let them know why you charge more. I can usually tell within a few seconds if they just want the lowest price or if they want to hear more about what separates us from the competition. If they don't seem to care I just thank them for calling and move on. It happens in every business.



By the way, if a detailer didn't have a website I would never contact them. The only exception would be a good referral from someone I trusted. Your business is all about image, and craigslist doesn't project a good one.
 
I just had someone try to compare my prices with their old go-to:



Hi Dave, thanks for replying to my message. I'm sure you're worth every penny of that detail price and more. Bob has had an extensive collection of collectible cars for over 25 years and that price is WAY more than any detailers we've ever dealt with. I thank you for your time but that is out of our budget. Sincerely, XXXXXX
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When someone compares my prices to others I simply tell them to make sure they are comparing apples to apples. "Full detail" can include different things. I do what I can to make myself look better without criticizing the other guy. When I come to the conclusion that I'm probably not getting their business anyway I caution them about the risks of using someone who is not legit and/or insured. I ask them "What happens when they disengage the parking brake to clean and forget to reengage it and the car rolls into your house or a neighbors? Are you prepared to cover that cost for them?" Suddenly they realize that there is a reason for a higher price.
 
IF you want to compete on a price basis you must know your costs (including min profit) that should be your lowest price. However; comparing prices is one thing but unless things have changed, people looking for a ‘cheap’ deal are usually ‘one off’ and won’t do much for your business.



Selling a quality product, providing an above average service for a ‘fair price will provide a regular customer base and hopefully referrals, which will keep you in business

 
I don't have a website, but I do have a reputation and I don't argue about price. When they ask about price, I ask what they want. When they tell me what they want, I tell them what that will cost. That's all.



At this point, I don't have many of those calls because people get my number from friends they trust. They know up front what the charge is going to be - for the most part anyway - and the quality of my work. I try to be good value for money, not cheap, and I don't have time to waste explaining to someone who wouldn't be able to see the difference what that difference is. Getting a job you don't want and being busy when the job you do want comes in is worse than taking the pass.



Robert
 
I got good advice from a customer early on (he owned a bunch of strip clubs!) when I offered him a multi-car discount. He said "never be afraid to charge what your work is worth".
 
I explain once the differences in what I offer vs. them.. I am very particular about only going through this once



If after that, my price vs. "their" price is still on the prospects lips, I respectfully decline the business and strongly suggest that they use the other shop. I go further to explain that I am making this suggestion in their best interest. I do not need their money and I do not want to enter a detail that I know they will not see the value in.



My words "I think you may be satisfied with the service the other shop provides and I honestly envy you for that. If I were as satisfied as I believe you will be with their services I would have saved myself thousands of dollars and countless hours. I am going to pass on your business and suggest you use the other shop. Based on the hierarchy in which you are using to pick who works on your car, I do believe you should be happy with the level of service offered by the other guys. I am suggesting this to save us both from an unfulfilling experience at the conclusion of the detail. I don't just want you money, I want you to be happy with the work you paid for and I believe that is a right sized fit for the other guys"



After that one of two things happen, the take my suggestion and go to the other guy but, more often than not they are apologetic and then try to convince me to accept their business but most times I still decline and suggest they go with their initial instinct driven primarily by low price
 
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