I can't believe someone called me about this

S

Scottwax

New member
I get home yeseterday and one of the messages was some guy who wants to start a detailing business in the Fort Worth area and wanted me to give him pointers to help get him started and maybe train him. :eek:



You have got to be kidding! No way am I sharing my techniques with someone so close by. I can't believe someone has the stones to think I'd do that! I certainly don't mind helping out people here but someone that close to me? No way.



Discuss...
 
People will say or do anything to get ahead. All you can do is laugh and respectfully decline. they will probably go away saying .."THE NERVE OF THAT GUY"
 
I would just respectfully say sorry, but no. You wouldn't want to piss him off and have him go around slandering you. I know your work more than speaks for itself, but to future customers having someone say something bad about you would kinda turn them away from you.
 
No big deal I think.

I'd train him, but make him sign a contract first. 20% of his profits go to me. :)

Might make for a nice retirement fund.
 
take it as a compliment and don't return the call. If he calls again return the call and let him know that you don't have enough time to train him and run your business.
 
I really think this is a great opportunity to earn some well deserved cash.



Scott, the odds of ANYONE truly competing with you is unlikely... in fact, the odds of them lasting more than six months are slim. Train them well, give them all your tips, and be paid well! (For me, that would be 150% of my hourly/daily rate.)



You'll be here (and there) a year from now, but your 'protoge' will be out of business...



Promise.



Jim
 
I've run into the same situation...the first few times I did help out. Just some business pointers and some product/process knowledge more than anything else but it bit me in the arse. I soon found out one of them was going around to some of my clients and offering services at less than half what I was charging (the joy of being able to detail "on the side"). Needless to say the few that did take up the offer now understand why I charge what I do. ;)



I no longer respond to inquiries like that Scott. No one helped us start our businesses...or learn from our mistakes...so why give someone that is eventually going to be competing with us that benefit for free??
 
Easy! Call him up, say sure, you'd be happy to show him some tips on how to detail. Make a promise to him that by the time you're done with him, he'll be able to detail just as good as a dealership or a body shop! :rofl



Show him all of the tricks of the trade that makes body shops so good at detailing. Show him the washing with dirty water method, then show him the drying with bath-towel using a wiping motion method, and be SURE to make sure he knows to NEVER use any type of liquid when using a clay bar. Always make sure the surface is completely dry and use as much force as possible on the bar.



When he's done, tell him to top it with a good quality wax. Those botique waxes are diluted though. For best results, he needs to use your premium trick of the trade. Candles! 100% pure wax!



Then explain to him how important it is that he practices these techniques on his own vehicle before trying it on anyone elses. And if he ever does anyone elses, totally avoid business insurance. It's a complete rip off!



:LOLOL :LOLOL
 
Scott you are your like the Jedi Master Yoda. All of the young Jedi's are coming to you to show them how to use the "FORCE". :)
 
Scott if I was you I would talk to him, Give credit where credit is due, He was honest rather then covert. It's best to keep your enemies close by rather then far away, there is nothing wrong with competition it keeps things healthy and on your toes. When I first got started years ago I did the same thing I went to other Detailing shop to the next town over and told them face to face I'm going to open a Detailing shop and they give me a few tips and ever cents we have been good friends. I wish I had competition gets boring being the only Detailer for miles round.

My ex GF that lives in Waxahachie Tx now and wanted me to move there I said no thanks Scottwax lives there and he’s to damm good and he would just kick my a##.
 
Scott,



Have you thought about training him up and then if he's any good, employing him to work for you and expand your business, and if he isn't, let him go on his own and fold within a year or so?



Ben
 
Scott: I slept on it and here is what I think...







You have been looking to grow your business right? You always mention being so busy and have no time (the whole cable modem thing :)). You could be doing more for yourself. I would think about hiring him as an apprentice. I would sit down with him and see where his skill level is and go from there. Since he wants to start his own, I would make him pay you for working with you for the first week and learning the ins and outs. After that, I would sit down and go over his thoughts with him. If he is good, offer him a position. He might be younger and not know what hes really getting himself in to. He may love detailing and just want to make some extra loot doing it.



I think this is your golden opportunity; your 'calling' if you will. It could be a door opener to a huge business growth. Kick it around for another day before calling him back.
 
Ok, I understand all the above comments, but how do YOU guys have learned the skills ?

Here in Belgium, detailing is very unknown, so the few people that used my skills were surprised to see how good their car can look.

I learned it when working in a body-shop when 16-17 years old and by doing it myself, just because I like clean cars...
 
I have trained a few guys local to me, no big deal really. I am well established and have no worry about others coming in and low balling me out because those are not my type of clients.



Send him my way Scott if you like, he may decline to come out here but you have at least made an attempt to help the guy out.



I am looking into doing more and more training in the future as I can't do detailing forever. As noted already, training others might be a great way to make some extra cash and also give you something to fall back on in the future.



Anthony
 
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