First unhappy customer...

L

LeadingEdgeDetail

New member
I detailed this guy's black Silverado on May 25th... He called today saying there are swirls, and I instinctivly replied with "Yeah, its about that time again... Want me to do a quick re-polish?" and he replied "No, this is from your polishing"...



I don't really know what to think... I just said I'll have a look at it as soon as you can, so we're meeting up tomorrow at 4...



Is it really possible to keep a black truck swirl-free for more than 2 months? If they are rotary holograms, I'll re-do it no charge, but I'm pretty sure they're just swirls from him washing his truck...



How long should a detail on a black silverado last for? I'll have more information tomorrow, but for now here's the only pics I took:



Only before picture I got unfortunatly....

IMG_0459.jpg


After:

IMG_0477-1.jpg


IMG_0464.jpg


IMG_0490.jpg




I used my rotary with a foam 6" spot cutpolishing pad and Menzerna PowerGloss Compound, and approx 1200rpm.



Then I polished out the rotary marrs with my PorterCable, Burgundy Meguiars pad, and Meguiars SwirlRemover on speed 6. I sealed it with Klasse AIO. Is AIO not durable enough to last more than a month or 2? I thought it would last for 4-5 months?



I guess I really gotta use the Sealant Glaze after :rules:
 
Oh, perhaps the Megs swirl remover was just hiding swirls that you hadn't removed completely. That's the risk with using polishes that contain fillers.
 
Unless you are an Autopian, it is impossible to keep a black vehicle swirl-free (even hard for most autopians). Let's say you were able to get the vehicle 85% swirls free (unless you take off 3/4 of the clear, hard to do better than that)...I'd say if he is washing the vehicle himself, the vehicle would have noticable washing swirls in about 3 washes (but this is obviously hugely dependent on how he washes it) - most car washes will induce moderate to heavy swirls in a single wash. An average Autopian can probably wash the black vehicle 7-10 times before washing swirls are noticable.



Of course if it's rotary halograms that's an entirely different story.
 
I'm not sure I know of a glaze that would last over 2 months? As such he should have seen the holograms (if there were any) before now. It sounds like he's just put some swirls in himself and it's time for another light polish.
 
You will know real quick when you look at the swirls. If they are holograms, either you left them, or someone else buffed the truck and left them. Your process sounds OK to me, but I would have used the polishing pad with #9, then LSP. IMO, the AIO would have stripped any fillers from the surface so if you inspected post detail and did not see holograms, I would call BS.
 
That makes sense too, if there was fillers hiding holograms, the AIO should have removed them?



I'm assuming they're washing marks, but I do remember using the cutting pad and PowerGloss, and then jumping right to #9 is a pretty big leap... Optimally, I would like to PowerGloss, DACP, #9, AIO, and SG. But thats a lot more steps than I want to do on a fullsize black Silverado for $250cdn
 
It sounds like a situation where it could be either or. Normally I would do call backs up to 4 weeks. Maybe 5-6 for a long time repeat customer. Evaluate the situation and if you get the right vibe re-do it. Then suggest re-evaluating his maintenance program. Sell the call back as a sign of needing a more intensive program. Explain to him why, how often and what you will do. Then do this as you do a test area for him.



When he asks you how much. Look him in the face and tell him this call back is 50% off, free, 75% off whatever. Bring up his need for a 2-3 step sealant, possibly just have him cover cost.



Many people have high expectations, but do not understand how they get to that point. How you bring and groom your customer is key. I can not tell you how many of my long time customers in the carpet industry had initial call backs. Some customers want to know how a vendor will resolve issues, Some really simply need to be groomed to understand the reality of the situation. I can tell you, that most callbacks are not a customer trying to get something for free. They have genuine issues to them. They need clarification, or in the rare cases a full revisit. Take the time, explain, rework invest that 2-6 hours of time and make a life long repeat customer.



So for instance if it is wash induced marring. I would start out by “well sir i miss judged your maintenance needs. The swirls you see are washing induced, not rotary. I thought i had put enough of a sealant layer to service your vehicle for x amount of time. It seems your driving and maintenance habits require a different regimen. I will Go ahead and revisit this, wash clay troubled areas, light polish and re-apply a sealant layer. The next time i will need the car for a bit longer that way i can Adjust the number of layers of sealant to better fit the cars needs."



Shake his hand and get to work.



M2C in a world of $$$$$
 
on blacks I use menzerna po106ff final polish with a white pad on a pc. That takes all the swirls completly out and adds an unbelievable gloss. Then I use fk1's 185 or 217. Locks in the shine and adds super protection. Try this combo you will love it!!!!!
 
StumpyDetailing said:
Then I polished out the rotary marrs with my PorterCable, Burgundy Meguiars pad, and Meguiars SwirlRemover on speed 6.
Click to expand...





You used the burgundy pad to work #82? This might be part of the problem.
 
I was thinking the same thing....too aggressive a pad for a light product....anytime when using the burgandy pad, i always have to follow up with a lighter pad and polish to remove the marring/dullness from the burgandy pad
 
Thats what I'm thinking too, but I'm not 100% sure what I used.



I am pretty sure I did 2 steps, but it could have been 3... I might have used #66 on a white pad after the burgundy, as an LSP...



Either way, I didn't do it as well as I could now :wall
 
I hear you...not many people at all are willing to pay what it takes to do black properly; and large black SUVs are a complete nightmare in this regard - I won't touch a black SUV with a compound of any sort for anything less than $350 (usually more).



StumpyDetailing said:
That makes sense too, if there was fillers hiding holograms, the AIO should have removed them?



I'm assuming they're washing marks, but I do remember using the cutting pad and PowerGloss, and then jumping right to #9 is a pretty big leap... Optimally, I would like to PowerGloss, DACP, #9, AIO, and SG. But thats a lot more steps than I want to do on a fullsize black Silverado for $250cdn
Click to expand...
 
Talked to him again, it is defintly rotary holograms...



I just can't believe I didn't realize that I needed something between the rotary with a cutting pad and a PC with a polishing pad!



Next time I'm gonna do a pass with the PC and Medium-Cut Cleaner to make it perfect :xyxthumbs
 
For me black is a 3 step polish. HC and OP by rotary and then OP by PC with a OW wipe is the fastest way i have found.



Also do not promise perfection unless they are willing to pay for it.



If they are buffer swirls, they will be uniform.
 
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