What makes you think you’re a great Detailer?

David Fermani

David Fermani

Forza Auto Salon
What makes you think you’re a great Detailer?



All too often I can’t help but to see people both on various forums as well as in everyday life bragging & showing off like they are God’s gift to the detailing world. But, after either a quick review of both their after pics or how they handle themselves uneducatedly during a discussion you can immediately pick up that they have a lot to learn. Way too many keyboard detailers and people thinking they know how to detail when in fact they are nothing more than a well versed newbie. I can’t help to chuckle when I hear people say I’ve been detailing for XX # of years when in fact they’re really only been doing mostly everything wrong thing for that long.





So I ask you…..why do you think you *know* how to detail to the fullest extent? Years in the business? The car’s you’ve detailed? The people you’ve detailed for? The training classes you’ve taken on detailing? The great Master Detailer you once worked under? Above and beyond these aspects, being 100% competent/capable at detailing is more than just thinking so in your mind. Being able to think outside of the box and adapt to a multitude of situations with precision is only one of critical traits IMHO. So share with us you’re thoughts on what it takes to be a real world proficient best of the best detailer. If you don’t think you’re of that caliber then tells us what separates you from the best in the business?
 
When a client calls and says, "I hear you are the best." I just tell them thats what they say. My clients will always be the final judge of me.



I still feel that I have a lot to learn.
 
You, david have told me I'm a great detailer........lol



About the time I "think" I have a handle on things, I learn there is much to learn. What makes me a great detailer is that I continue to learn, I put myself in places I can learn from the best, and I'm willing to test and try almost anything.



I've had the chance to work with Kevin Brown, in the short time I had with him detailing cars, I learned more than at any one time..........



Cheers,

GREG
 
Excellent responses guys. Keep em coming. Both of you guys are great detailers as well as awsome people in real life. :lol1:
 
I always learn new things and don't want to say am the best, i want my work to show what i do even though sometimes people don't want to pay the amount for the show results but still want me to do them the work they want me to do, they know they pay for what they get even though am trying my hardest to make them and me happy! In trying to create the best outcome in every situation to have a win win between you and a customer... ;) GIVE THE BEST OF YOURSELF!
 
Is Nigella Lawson a GREAT chef????:razz::razz:

I don't know.

Does it mean her cooking is the best? Certainly not.

But she sure looks great on TV with a great personality!

To me, that's being GREAT:smile1:



It's what customers and our audience think of us



Great can mean lots of things:



1. Super-friendly, highly accommodating, very helpful and very nice to talk to?.... or

2. Produces stupendous results that no others can achieve?.... or

3. Makes a truckload of money vs other professional detailers????

4. Highly sociable and well-known by many other people due to time spent on socialising via face-to-face or Internet???



A detailer's apparent "greatness" might not only be his detailing skills and results generated.



His PR skills, his eloquence, knowledge level, the impressiveness of his business setup, the type of cars he does, his type of clients, his courtesy, friendliness, helpfullness etc all combine in his customers' minds...to form an impression of him.



If a newly discovered mechanic managed to solve a stubborn, persistent problem for my Porsche that has lightened my wallet for a long time,...I might be so impressed, appreciative and elated, I'll instantly call him as GREAT...to all my friends.



But this mechanic might not be seen as GREAT by his other customers...merely someone who gets the job done.
 
I guess to me "great" means not only doing excellant work but coming up with solutions first, being willing to spend time experimenting with products/techniques and willing to share with others for the benefit of all. I'd have to say Kevin Brown and Todd Helme are amoung the "great" in that respect. But, if you ever talk with them or email them, you'll find that they consider themselves just working guys and there is no holier than thou attitude.



I have a saying cut out and taped to my work station, I don't know the author so I can't give the proper credit, it reads:

An over inflated sense of ones self worth will always be ones demise.



Getting back to David's point - I think there's a few detailers that would be better if they took that saying to heart.
 
"Great" is too broad a word. Its like "fabulous" or "stunning". Tough to nail a definition to.



But I can tell you what makes me believe someone may want to use my service over others who provide the same or similar.



1. I have painted hundreds of cars. I understand sprayed urethane coatings and how to mix, prep, apply, and perfect them.



2. I have two relatively famous collectors as clients and they wait as long as it takes for me to get free to work on their collections.



3. Repeat business. Repeat business. Repeat business.



4. Word of mouth is my only advertising. I do not market myself as a detailer to friends or business contacts. My site is an atrocity and I rarely post on forums any longer.





The end results may only constitute 80% of the experience for some customers, less or more to others.

A lot of people I have worked for just want a reliable and honest person they can trust.
 
Yes, learn the hard way ( no one helping or teaching and no internet ) But even with so many yrs under the belt, there's always new products and/or ways in doing detailing from other folks.
 
David, I was going to write a fairly long and detailed response but just didn't get enough sleep to think clearly through it :). I will probably edit it later when I fully wake up.



Here's the short/summarized version:



I think the word "detailer" is being generalized here more than the word "great". You can either be asking about a detailer as a skilled craftsman or a detailer as a businessman. When first reading your post I assumed you were talking about the craftsman part so here goes...



I believe that the main thing defining myself or another person as a great detailer is what Greg said above... a willingness to always learn and improve. Obviously you must be at a level of skill and knowledge that produces great results and can be commended by your peers, but having the mentality that you're never done improving is what defines me as a great detailer. I guess you can say that one must think there's always a greater level of greatness, and one should always aim to get to that next level. I believe the only way one can be defined as a great detailer by his clients' positive reviews is ONLY if his clients are well educated on the craft of detailing and have the knowledge/information to justify calling you great.



As for the businessman side, it's exactly opposite. You are defined by how much money you make and how many clients you can bring in. The work doesn't have to be at any, as we like to say here, Autopian standards, rather good enough to make your clients happy. In other words, the art and craft of detailing goes out the window and you focus on successfully making more and more money while providing satisfactory results.



As a whole, a great detailer is someone who can combine the two detailers within and be a successful businessman running a high quality detailing shop/business. I believe at the moment I have probably combined the two Ivan's at about 60/40 craftsman/businessman but I try and improve daily and feel that makes me a good detailer. The moment you think you know everything, you're immediately limiting yourself as a detailer.



Well that was a bit long either way... oh well, back to bed :)
 
LUSTR said:
The moment you think you know everything, you're immediately limiting yourself as a (fill in the blank).
Click to expand...



Great reply here, and I think you could use this line in just about every aspect of life. I wish more people lived by that.
 
Great thread David!



Experience...



I would agree that someone who has been detailing cars for 30 years could still have no clue how to properly detail. But, I think most will have picked up at least some valuable knowledge along the way, which no internet detailer could simply from reading posts. I also believe most of us seasoned detailers started out doing high volume work. I think the biggest key there is whether or not the person knew what they were doing was the wrong way to do the job. I would hope most knew this and simply did the best they could with the time and tools we had.



I started out in high volume and I've never been afraid to tell people that. In my opinion having started out in high volume has helped make me a better detailer. I learned many time saving techniques during those years as well as some do's and don'ts.



Another trait that makes me a better detailer is that I pretty much grew up in a body shop and I have a good understanding of body work, paint, and wet sanding. I can usually spot a repainted panel a mile away too. ;)





Education...



As noted above, a willing to learn and also help/teach others! When I decided I wanted to move away from high volume work and detail cars my way, I started looking at forums. The amount of information on the web is overwhelming. I applaud the guys like KB and Todd Heleme for taking the time to experiment, then share there finding with us. I also spend much of my time helping others on various forums, the DI Blog, and have even held a free training day for forum members. To me it's a way of paying it forward for all the tips/tricks and detailing info I have learned from others over the years. I'm not a fan of C&B posters who won't answer questions about their process.



Reputation...



I fully agree with Bryan! There is nothing like getting a call or email from a customer and having them say "I hear you the best". My business is also all word of mouth, and don't even have a web site running yet. All my work comes from referrals or from forums.





Communication skills...



I feel good communication is a very important skill that every great detailer needs. While this area is probably my weak spot, I am improving. I sometimes have a hard time talking and listening to strangers, though once I get to know them this is not really an issue. I'm always very friendly and polite but I can often fumble my words trying to explain things to my customers (correction or car care processes). I've found this to be worse when they come to pick up their car and I'm just finishing up. To help with this I now try to give my self more time to wind down and clear my head before they arrive.







Most important...



I never stop trying to learn new things! The day we stop learning is the day we get past by the others and left behind!



Rasky
 
mikenap said:
Great reply here, and I think you could use this line in just about every aspect of life. I wish more people lived by that.
Click to expand...



Funny you point that out as I was thinking the same thing, but figured I'd leave it on topic. Great advice either way.
 
RaskyR1 said:
Great thread David!



Experience...



I would agree that someone who has been detailing cars for 30 years could still have no clue how to properly detail. But, I think most will have picked up at least some valuable knowledge along the way, which no internet detailer could simply from reading posts. I also believe most of us seasoned detailers started out doing high volume work. I think the biggest key there is whether or not the person knew what they were doing was the wrong way to do the job. I would hope most knew this and simply did the best they could with the time and tools we had.



I started out in high volume and I've never been afraid to tell people that. In my opinion having started out in high volume has helped make me a better detailer. I learned many time saving techniques during those years as well as some do's and don'ts.



Another trait that makes me a better detailer is that I pretty much grew up in a body shop and I have a good understanding of body work, paint, and wet sanding. I can usually spot a repainted panel a mile away too. ;)





Education...



As noted above, a willing to learn and also help/teach others! When I decided I wanted to move away from high volume work and detail cars my way, I started looking at forums. The amount of information on the web is overwhelming. I applaud the guys like KB and Todd Heleme for taking the time to experiment, then share there finding with us. I also spend much of my time helping others on various forums, the DI Blog, and have even held a free training day for forum members. To me it's a way of paying it forward for all the tips/tricks and detailing info I have learned from others over the years. I'm not a fan of C&B posters who won't answer questions about their process.



Reputation...



I fully agree with Bryan! There is nothing like getting a call or email from a customer and having them say "I hear you the best". My business is also all word of mouth, and don't even have a web site running yet. All my work comes from referrals or from forums.





Communication skills...



I feel good communication is a very important skill that every great detailer needs. While this area is probably my weak spot, I am improving. I sometimes have a hard time talking and listening to strangers, though once I get to know them this is not really an issue. I'm always very friendly and polite but I can often fumble my words trying to explain things to my customers (correction or car care processes). I've found this to be worse when they come to pick up their car and I'm just finishing up. To help with this I now try to give my self more time to wind down and clear my head before they arrive.







Most important...



I never stop trying to learn new things! The day we stop learning is the day we get past by the others and left behind!



Rasky
Click to expand...



Very well said. You're definitely in the minority based on the detailers I've met coming from high volume work. They generally tend to stick to their old routines and always look for shortcuts. You did great by not simply following your old habits, but utilizing them to efficiently do proper detailing work. Great post.
 
"Great detailer" can cover a broad spectrum.



This is what I aim to offer my clients.

I listen, then do my best to deliver.



Am I a great detailer? Erm...I try my best to be.
 
The difference between a great detailer and a good detailer is something that can be erased by driving the "detailed car" a few hundred miles. :smile1:
 
RaskyR1 said:
Most important...



I never stop trying to learn new things! The day we stop learning is the day we get past by the others and left behind!



Rasky
Click to expand...



I thought it was posting pictures of other detailer's work and calling it your own? :think:



Seriously, I agree with everything Chad said, especially that quote. I am nothing close to being professional, but I feel his post is spot on.
 
I am not a "professional" detailer so the business aspect means little to me. Just knowing that I do the best that I can with the resources available to me is good enough. Am I a "great detailer?" Don't really know and don't really care. I do know that by using what I've learned over the years and always looking to learn more, my vehicles are a cut above others in looks and appearance. My oldest vehicle is a 2001 black Grand Cherokee with nearly 200k hard miles on the odometer and it still looks almost brand new. That is the real reason why I detail, not to be considered great by myself or anyone else. In the end, being called "great" or even a "detailer" rarely crosses my mind.



Now am I the only one who sees the irony in the use of "uneducatedly" in the 1st post? :har:
 
For me, everytime someone ask me if I think I am the best...I always tell them no. I know I have not been detailing near as long as some or in business for myself as some or have this HUGE cliental sheet of the rich and famous like some. I tell them no, but I do say I am better than most out there(the hacks who call themself detailers.) I take pride in what I do and now what is a good job and what is a hack job. If I come across something that I can not solve I stop and do research to get ideas of what others have figured out, then test it myself to understand it and apply it when neccessary. I do not believe anyone is perfect when it comes to detailing, now one knows everything as the game is always changing. New paints, chemicals, buffers, pads, techniques, etc. But I am always learning, trying to find new information, testing these things out myself and always better my ability. Then when I have a customer that is more than happy with there vehicle afterwards and tell me they want to go ahead to plan in a wash/wax when it needs, says a lot. Then it says even more when a few days, weeks or months later I get a call from someone who was referred from a customer to me says something in itself.



Now granted I would love to be on the scale of some of the companies on this board...but its just not possible. With the economy down, I have to work a little harder to get my reputation out there and bring in more business. I would love to be as large as some companies on here, but those on here who have 20 $400+ details each month have paid there dues and proven themselves to stand above the rest around them. Its the nature of the game.



Hell I am also the type of person who is going to take a vacation to Autogeek to take one of there detailing classes, just to see if I can not learn something new. Better upon something I already knew that could give that slightly better result or make a step I have been doing correctly, slightly more easy or slightly faster. Or test/see a product I have never used that could result in a better outcome from the process.
 
simply put, satisfied client at the end of the day.



just because you dont know how to wetsand doesnt mean you arent great. Maybe you dont offer paint correction and have ZERO need for sanding...



Just because you dont offer interior detailing, doesnt mean you arent great. Maybe you just focus on a perfected exterior for all your clients.



just because....you get the point! Its all in the market you cater towards...if you have 99/100 satisfied clients at the end of your time with their car, you are great!
 
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