Cool things customers have done for you other than tips

S

Scottwax

New member
Today was a first. I had a RAV4 and RX330 to detail and an MDX to wash/wax so I already knew it would be a long day. After I had finished the interiors, my customer came out to check on me. I told him once I finished washing all three, I was going to grab a quick lunch if that was alright with him. He told me I didn't have to go anywhere, his wife would make me a sandwich. I told him as long as they didn't mind, that would be fine with me.



I am finishing up the MDX (already had washed the other two) and was also going over it with OCW (shokar-ed it in early April) and he said his wife said to ask me if I'd like a steak and home fries for lunch. :eek: I asked him if he was serious and he said he was, they had bought a bunch of rib-eye steaks in the fridge.



I finished the MDX and went inside, had a nice medium-rare rib-eye and some truly excellent home fries...and got to watch the Hollywood Mythbuster's special on Discovery while eating!



:woot:
 
A few of my customers are straight out of Desperate Housewives, but fortuneatly (or unfortuneatly, its all perspective) I havent gotten any of those sort of propositions.



I detailed a '95 Yukon for a woman who owned a tanning salon, and she asked me if I'd like a free tan (it was a mobile detail at the salon). It's nothing I'd ever pay for, but the Mainer in me can't turn down anything free. Came out pretty nice too, good to get a base down before I build up my annual farmer's tan.



-Tim
 
Tim-I have a lot of customers with Desperate Housewife-looking wives too. I guess when you have the money some of my customers have, you get a better looking wife. ;) Never mess with another man's wife though, especially when you do business with them!



I regularly get Rangers tickets from two of my customers. One is a season ticket holder and the other hosts a sports talk show and calls some of his connections at the Rangers and I pick up tickets at will call. I've had a lady bake me cookies too. :)
 
I got to drive a few clients cars with their permission. (z06 vette, 68 shelby mustang , 2002 z8 alpina) I got a mail order lobster dinner, a bottle of conyak <sp?>, and gifts for my baby girl when she was born.
 
I must not do very good work...the only thing I've gotten is a five dollar tip :lol



I really don't think people around here understand that this is a "tip-able" service. Oh well.
 
We've had a couple really nice things. Best is probably a customer who was very impressed with our service and invited us to an interview with a local magazine. We ended up getting a free paragraph printed about us and our contact information, here is a link to the article:



http://www.aperfectshineservices.com/detailing/spaces.shtml



Last week I had a customer buy me a beer and we hung out for about a half hour after the detail.



Also had someone tip one of my guys $100 after he spent the whole day (12 hrs) detailing a dirty F350.



We put up christmas lights and last season we had a customer buy us (6 of us) pizza, made us hot chocolate and home made cookies.
 
I've had a customer order pizza and then pay me less at the end of the day (12h worth of detailing)...



When people come to my house I usually offer them drinks and take them out to lunch.



But yea, not too many people I have dealt with have tipped me or given me something 'extra'.



Guess I could be doing a better job? I dunno.
 
I have had a customer make lunch for me before. It was an organic grown salad with some nice cuts of meat to go along and some home made lemonade. Another customer tips 30% every time I do work for him. I usually get at least a $5 tip but more often it's $10-$20.
 
$100 tip was the best and I have got a few sandwich before but I am a vegetarian so I take them home for the cats to eat :).
 
I think people in Texas are Cheep. When I lived in Southern California I had Doctors giving me free Drugs. People feeding me. Big Tips and one of my customers would take me to Laughlin every year for Beer Boating and Gambling.
 
This car I do regulary, the owners wife always cooks lunch for me. When they make juice (whatever is in season), I end up bringing home a gallon. I did a 4runner for a girl who owned a bar and everytime I go in there she always gives me free shots.
 
I've gotten many various meals and even a nice sit-down, homemade lunch, like you Scott. Other than that just very nice kudos to their friends :).
 
Dent's & Details said:
I think people in Texas are Cheep.
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Note that I live in Texas. ;)



I get free allergy medicine from one of my Doctor customers and he used to do the check-ups on my kids for free when they lived with me.
 
Lots of customers stay while I'm doin a detail, so they usually expect to go out for lunch. I'll drive 'em there, and we'll sit down to eat. They usually pay for me, so I don't mind.



I've gotten $10 tips, but thats the extent of it. I've had many customers when I got mobile ask me to stay for dinner, but I usually don't take them up on that, since I just don't feel comfortable doing that. Most people always want to take me out for a rip in their cars afterwords. :)
 
Oddly enough, one of my regular customer takes his vehicle to a touchless car wash a few days before I come. Keep in mind the service I perform for him regularly is a wash/qd/tire/wheel/interior quickie...so I politely told him that he probably doesn't need to do that anymore.
 
Folks here in GA are very generous. I would say that at least 75% of my clientele tips...even on multi-car and multi-step details (i.e. expensive detail packages). I pretty much always get offered water and soda...which I usually decline. I have one monthly client that has been with me since the beginning that gives me a bottle of wine every Christmas.



The best thing though that my clients give me that is better than tips...REFERRALS!!!!! :bow :bow I haven't had to do any significant marketing since '03 because of this.
 
1 Clean WS6 said:


The best thing though that my clients give me that is better than tips...REFERRALS!!!!! :bow :bow I haven't had to do any significant marketing since '03 because of this.
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Same here but 1996. Haven't put out a flyer since then. Just a phone book listing and added my website a few years ago but no active marketing.



Making your customers brag to their friends about you is so much cheaper!
 
Scottwax said:
Same here but 1996. Haven't put out a flyer since then. Just a phone book listing and added my website a few years ago but no active marketing.



Making your customers brag to their friends about you is so much cheaper!
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Thats all my business, and I'm booked everyweeked, and sometimes all week for interiors and such. :)
 
I just recently did my first wash/wax job for free for someone my mom works with. I picked up her car and brought it to my house to do, and on the way back, I am still not completely sure what happened, but the radiator/hose blew, and the engine began to overheat, smoke, and coolant was all over the ground. I had only asked for $35 for the job, but she insisted on giving me $50, and still gave me $50 even after her car went bad on her. She said it has happened before though.



I've gotten two tips from her though: $15, and more importantly, her word about how good I did :)
 
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