Why should customers choose my services over the local Mikes Car Wash?

9

96 328ic

New member
Im finally getting my business up off the ground and just needed a little help. What do you guys tell your customers when they ask why they should choose your service over the local car wash place? I know the answer to this but I'm not sure how to explain it to other people. It would also be nice to include in my flyer. Any and all help is appreciated!
 
96 328ic said:
Im finally getting my business up off the ground and just needed a little help. What do you guys tell your customers when they ask why they should choose your service over the local car wash place? I know the answer to this but I'm not sure how to explain it to other people. It would also be nice to include in my flyer. Any and all help is appreciated!
Click to expand...



I don’t know what you do or what Mike does that’s different. Please tell us so we can fine tune you. List your benefits and how they effect the clients.
 
sorry, forgot to clarify. Mikes is one of those places where they spray the car down, send it through the automatic washer and then "clean" the interior. A little nicer than the drive through car washes at gas stations.
 
Things that come to mind are personalized service, attention to detail. I'm sure you will tailor your service to how dirty your customer's car is and what extras he asks for. The guys at the car wash are just looking to get the car in and out as quickly as possible. They are not going to notice that paint could use some polishing and recommend that, or a particular area needs a little extra scrubbing or cleaning.



Also, are you in a fixed location, or do you go to your customer's place?



In the end, "You get what you pay for." That's true for many, many things. It's just how much someone is willing to pay for.



Good luck with your business.
 
What is your full detail process compared to Mike's? What products do you use compared to Mike's probably generic bulk products? Who is doing the work? You or some minimum wage kid at Mike's?
 
mention the car wash proccess to them and the damage automatic car washes can do. if its touchless the car wont be as clean and will strip the car of wax, Or if its touched explain all the fine scratches (swirls).
 
Have you ever used Mike's service? You should have first hand experience if you are going to debate against it to someone that may actually like Mike's service. Once you have seen the job up close, critique it and see what you do better.

Also, take note of what he may do better than you and address your "flaws."
 
Mike's is the market leader in my area. They employ a special swirl inducer, that seems to be quite effective :).



I often tell my clients that while Mike's may be a necessity in the winter, "Mike's is OUR friend, not yours."



I certainly have never felt a need to compare our services to Mike's! Folks who don't understand the difference simply are not potential customers... Never will be.



Jim
 
BigLeegr said:
Have you ever used Mike's service? You should have first hand experience if you are going to debate against it to someone that may actually like Mike's service. Once you have seen the job up close, critique it and see what you do better.

Also, take note of what he may do better than you and address your "flaws."
Click to expand...



Exactly.. bring a car (doesnt have to be yours) to Mike's. You see their process, prices, and when completed. You see all the good and bad of his service
 
I grew up in Ft Wayne, home of Mikes, and have met the owners before. They do a good job at customer service, employees are polite, professional and well-dressed. They make a very good impression.



They don't do detailing, and as Jim said, they use big swirling "soft cloth" in their car wash, which does a great job of swirling cars, especially black. If people don't understand the difference between what you do and what Mike's does, you don't want them for customers. Of course, if you are just washing cars, not detailing, you do need to explain the superiority of your services.
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
Mike's is the market leader in my area. They employ a special swirl inducer, that seems to be quite effective :).



I often tell my clients that while Mike's may be a necessity in the winter, "Mike's is OUR friend, not yours."



I certainly have never felt a need to compare our services to Mike's! Folks who don't understand the difference simply are not potential customers... Never will be.



Jim
Click to expand...

Not only that, but a scratch inducer, down to the metal... This guy got these when he ran it through Mike's :scared:



post-41-1115514009.jpg




Applied touch up paint:



post-41-1115514071.jpg




Some other areas that were scratched up after wet sanding (notice the horrible blend in from the repaint?) :



post-41-1115514585.jpg




After touch up, wet sanding, and polishing:



post-41-1115514146.jpg




post-41-1117990525.jpg




post-41-1117990487.jpg
 
In the mailings I'm sending out for this season, I'm going to mention that Mike's-style detailing does not remove bonded contaminants, fix scratches and swirls, and provide long-lasting surface protection like I do. I'm going to have a little comparison chart with blue book values on a common vehicle (I'm using a 2003 Volvo V70) and the difference in values between vehicles that have been detailed throughout their lifetime by me (blue book excellent), those that have been detailed by Mike's (blue book average), and those that have not been maintained (blue book poor).



Although I might have to play a little fast and loose with my numbers, I aim to prove that my services will save people money in the long run, so even if they don't care how their vehicle looks, they will come to me out of financial self-interest, and I'll be looking at a whole new market that I hadn't targeted before (people that see cars as an investment, but not in an Autopian way).
 
One of my new clients (young lady) took her new Cadillac with keyless remote, satellite security, etc,etc to a local car wash. She asked the manager to make sure they did not touch the buttons. While she is in the waiting room OnStar calls her and say’s the cars security has been activated. She advises them she is at a car wash and goes to check on the car. Go figure they screwed around with the buttons and the car disabled itself. My client had to get a tow truck and have the dealer reset it. I love that car wash!!!
 
How about simply telling your cutomers that Mikes doesn't give a s h i t about thier customers cars. They are after to money only. They get you in and get you out.



You, on the other hand, are insanely careful with each car and that nothing but the best products and MF will ever touch thier car. Say hey, Mikes does 10 cars per hour, where you might take 4 hours per car. They can figure it out on thier own from there I would think.



As soon as I move into a house, I would like to start detailing other peoples car for a decent charge. I need a house and a PC. : )



What do you guys charge for say a detail like this one:



Wash

Clay

Klasse AIO

Klasse SG (2 coats)

Four Star UPP wax

Clean Tires

Clean Rims



150 - 200 or more ??



Thanks!!
 
And Mike's always leaves those little back window wiper condoms on when people drive off - see half the SUVs in Indy with them.:) Took me over a year to figure out what they were until I was behind a car pulling out of Mike's and it was still on there.
 
96 328ic said:
Im finally getting my business up off the ground and just needed a little help. What do you guys tell your customers when they ask why they should choose your service over the local car wash place? I know the answer to this but I'm not sure how to explain it to other people. It would also be nice to include in my flyer. Any and all help is appreciated!
Click to expand...





"The person you talk to, is the person that is going to do the work"

not some min. wage kid in the back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top