how to go full time, hire help, stay busy

E

Envious Eric

New member
here is the deal, I want to take this part time business full time. I am currently getting my management degree and only have 6 classes left, so in about 8 months, school will be over and detailing will need to be in full swing. I dont want to still be booked with only 3-4 details a week, but more like 12-20 per week! How long did it take you full time detailers (only job) to become stable enough to just run your business? Obviously I would need to hire out and employ some people, which brings me to my next question:



how do you find reliable employees? Where did you look for hiring? Did you run an add? word of mouth? I cant keep hiring friends to help me out because I believe you cant mix friends and business and still remain friends. As much as I like having my friends there to help me out when I need it, I would rather have them as a friend rather than an employee!



another question: Did you start out just doing detail work details only, or did you get started working for a delearship, used car place, or car lots first? I was thinking that maybe to make sure I have a steady income that I might look into detailing for a dealership, or used car place better yet as it might provide more stable income. Then once I get enough private details starting to book up 2 weeks in advance, then branch off into my own business. any thoughts?



what about store fronts? Worth it right from the start, or build up a client base first, then get the store front? I see it two ways: have to charge less than the other guy to get the business to get started and pay for the building and utilities, or hold fast to my pricing and let the customers come to me and hope I get the job over the cheaper guy to pay the bills/rent. Or stay mobile and create as much business as I can through word of mouth rather than have a store front creating business for me through walk ins and drive bys on a busy street? opinions?



besides reading the key to repeat business sticky, and the saying do great work and the business will find you, what other means are there to repeat business. I get a lot of people saying I do a really good job, yet no one calls and says "hey johnny sent me, or I saw johnny's car and I want you to do mine" but I get business from the same people over and over, just not new clients like I had hoped at this point. The few new clients i did get are not the type to go off and tell the world about my detailing, and somewhat price shoppers...



I have only handed out about 75 business cards on sporadics cars here and there, and walked house to house to about 500 houses passing out postcards, and from those 575 handouts, I have about 4 detail clients totaling over 200 dollars, but its not enough obviously to allow me to "quit my day job" (I waiter as my main source of income right now while in school full time)



anyone have any personal experience advice to hand out to me, either through PM on here, I would appreciate it.
 
toyotaguy said:
another question: Did you start out just doing detail work details only, or did you get started working for a delearship, used car place, or car lots first? I was thinking that maybe to make sure I have a steady income that I might look into detailing for a dealership, or used car place better yet as it might provide more stable income. Then once I get enough private details starting to book up 2 weeks in advance, then branch off into my own business. any thoughts?
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I dont know about where you are but here in houston all the dealerships have a "make ready" section in the back where they prep the car when its sold. i used to work in one and there idea of a "detail" was something to laugh at BUT they do that their. Used car dealer ships usually have the same or a carport like thing where they give the car a quick wash and wax. I have tried both types of places and its very difficult to get their business cause they have one of their employees do it for far less than what a detailer charges.



toyotaguy said:
what about store fronts? Worth it right from the start, or build up a client base first, then get the store front? I see it two ways: have to charge less than the other guy to get the business to get started and pay for the building and utilities, or hold fast to my pricing and let the customers come to me and hope I get the job over the cheaper guy to pay the bills/rent. Or stay mobile and create as much business as I can through word of mouth rather than have a store front creating business for me through walk ins and drive bys on a busy street? opinions?
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Starting a mobile detailing is hard enough and I'm coming to find out expensive enough. I wanted to own a shop but starting out you have a TON of overhead (from what i have gathered...i may be wrong) so i would start out mobile first and then jump into it unless you have good credit and can get a great loan.
 
When I started my mobile detailing business back in 1986, it took about three years before I got things to the point where I could run the business on a full-time basis.



It is not going to be easy to find reliable employees. Advertising does not do much and neither does word of mouth. And hiring friends is almost always a big mistake. One avenue to explore is to contact your nearby technical school and let them know you are looking for a few good people. Automotive training schools may also be helpful.



I started out doing details for reatil customers only and that is exactly the way I run my business today, 100% retail customers only. No dealerships or other wholesale work. I never liked the idea of doing wholesale work for dealerships or used car lots. Hey, why should I hand over part of my profit to someone else?



The problem I see with starting out doing some wholesale work is that you have to face the fact that when you are starting a business, you are also beginning to create a position for your business in the marketplace. You are establishing an image that your business will represent in the minds of consumers.



Let's face it. You cannot be all things to all people. Especially, when it comes to detailing. Personally, I have always maintained a high profile image for my company. One that is completely opposite that of the volume oriented detailer down at the dealership or the local car wash.



It is important to understand that true professional detailing is an upscale service business and it should never be confused with low priced dealership work or car washing.



About store fronts. You cannot have it both ways. If you plan to build up a client base first, then you may face the problem of a certain number of customers who may not be willing to travel to your detailing shop after you establish a fixed location. And your focus on having to charge less than the other guy does not make very good business sense. Especailly when it comes to making a reasonable profit and trying to grow your business.



Establishing either a mobile detailing business or a fixed detailing location requires two completely different business models. They are two completely different situations and you will need to figure out and plan which way you intend to go from the very beginning.



There are plenty of good ideas in that 'repeat business sticky' at the top of the Pro detailing page that you can use to get people to refer new clients your way. A couple of ideas are to make sure you let your current customers know that you want them to tell their friends and family. Get that printed up on your flyer and newsletters. You can also encourage them by offering them a $20 gift certificate for every referral they make that becomes a new customer. Talk to your current customers when you are on the job and let them know that you are trying to build up the business and that you need their help in finding more new customers.



Sticking business cards on cars and leaving post cards at houses is basically just wasting your time. You need to get out there and personally talk to people. Figure out your target market and talk directly to those people who you think will have a need for the upscale service you offer. Talk to at least 25 people per day and you will gain at least one new customer. Take my advice. Stop littering and just go out there and talk to people. Most of all, have fun!



As always, my comments are based on my own personal experience.
 
I think your focus should be on building a repeat customer base and if need be turn away business before considering adding an employee. You may need to find a reliable part-time job to suppliment your income till you get the business to be self supporting. Doing fleet work may also be another option.
 
mirrorfinishman said:
I started out doing details for reatil customers only and that is exactly the way I run my business today, 100% retail customers only. No dealerships or other wholesale work. I never liked the idea of doing wholesale work for dealerships or used car lots. Hey, why should I hand over part of my profit to someone else?



The problem I see with starting out doing some wholesale work is that you have to face the fact that when you are starting a business, you are also beginning to create a position for your business in the marketplace. You are establishing an image that your business will represent in the minds of consumers.



Let's face it. You cannot be all things to all people. Especially, when it comes to detailing. Personally, I have always maintained a high profile image for my company. One that is completely opposite that of the volume oriented detailer down at the dealership or the local car wash.



It is important to understand that true professional detailing is an upscale service business and it should never be confused with low priced dealership work or car washing.
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Frank-

I think your opinion on wholesale/dealership oriented detail shops is somwhat rediculous! 1st of all, one CAN protray a very professional image doing work for dealerships and wholesale customers. Maybe you can't, I'm not quite sure. I did this for well over a decade with great sucess. Some examples of the things in which I measure sucess or professionalism is by the way I carry myself, the quality of work I continue to generate repeatedly, the building of strong client relationships, continued growth, market share and profit in the marketplace. You're apparantly measuring it by the types of clients you detail for. I never met a person or client that looked down on me because I did work for dealerships. I guess through your experiences you have? I positioned myself to do all detail work for anyone and everyone, not just one set of people like you apparantly do. I guess you're just limiting yourself and leaving money on the table for others. I would kindy take it and run.



Sorry that this post is somewhat off topic(kinda), but I'm insulted by most of Frank's comments(especially the last one highlighted). It seems like most of time he posts, he rubs somone the wrong way.
 
Just like I figured Frank. Afraid of conflict when someone calls you out on your over the top eccentric "professional" opinions. I guess no response means that you're wrong?



Toyotaguy: I'm very sorry to hi-jack your post. I'll try to provide worthwhile input after I calm down a little.
 
The major problem you're going to deal with in your location is beating out the *undocumented workers* who will work 12 hour days for $6/hr.....



Unless of course you hire them as your minions & exploit the hell out of them.... :)
 
David Fermani said:
Just like I figured Frank. Afraid of conflict when someone calls you out on your over the top eccentric "professional" opinions. I guess no response means that you're wrong?



Toyotaguy: I'm very sorry to hi-jack your post. I'll try to provide worthwhile input after I calm down a little.
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:aww: Why do YOU need to be so antagonistic? :hairpull Let's follow our simple "No Bashing" rule and all have a nice weekend. :dig
 
Hey bud. There are a lot of ways to make this a successful business out of gig...and I'm still trying to figure out how I can make it pay big(er). I personally never liked the idea of employinig a bunch of low-wage workers that would go out and perform my detailing for me...I know a couple people that run operations like this and the work produced by his employees is anything but top-notch (but it really depends on what you're looking to do)...and part of this is certainly his fault, as I don't even think he's capable of properly training his employees.



I've only been detailing here in San Diego for less than a year (I've only lived here a year now), but I already have more work than I alone can handle. Frankly, I attribute my rapid rise in this town primarily to the fact that I perform better work than anyone else around. No advirtising necessary, though you do need to find a way to establish a client base, from which most of your new clients will spawn. If your personable, professional, and perform stellar work, your clientelle will grow exponentially. Slowly but surely your customers will tell others about your "stellar" work, and in-turn each of these will tell some of their friends - eventually you'll have enough work for you and a co-worker. The real catch will be if you're able to someday "transfer" your loyal customers to your employees...not an easy transition for sure...obviously is a vastly different situation if you are a mobile detailer or h ave a detail shop (the detail shop scenario is easier to transition into a "burgening" business, but is a hard way to go in SoCal). Send me a PM or call me and we can talk more.
 
RAG said:
I've only been detailing here in San Diego for less than a year (I've only lived here a year now), but I already have more work than I alone can handle. Frankly, I attribute my rapid rise in this town primarily to the fact that I perform better work than anyone else around.
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I have a friend who has a detaling biz in SD, only works on private collections. You probably never heard of him :)
 
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