Yearly packages?

vdubbya

vdubbya

Rochester Auto Spa
Does anyone here offer a yearly maintenace package? For example, Joe Shmo comes in and has his Vette detailed. He pays the price of the detail and for 5 more mini's at the same time. Thus bringing him back every other month for a total of 6 times in 12 months. Then repeat the cycle in 12 months. The Vette forever being clean and waxed. Win for me......win for Joe Shmo. It's hard getting people to spend money all year long in the northern climate. But really, winter is where you need to detail the most to save your car from the harsh elements. Comments please.
 
I certainly would do that if I had a heated shop, but since I don't I have no way to detail customers' cars during the winter. I struggle to even keep mine up to my standards!!

The closest thing I do is to offer a special on my polymer sealant package for about the last month of my active season, and that usually gets them through until spring. Then I try to get them to come back 2-3 times during the spring/summer/fall for carnauba applications.
 
We don't necessarily offer maintenance packages; but we do offer a maintenance program. Like the idea of upfront money and quite truthfully, the customer may not redeem all the 'minis' you mentioned. Nice for you but bad for the customer. Our program works as such and has had good results. We offer the customer discounted services for return visits within six months following the detail. We will take 15% off our Wash/Vac/Window package for a monthly return. Then we try to schedule the customer six months out with a courtesy call a couple of days before each appt.. Some customers don't feel the appt./call is necessary and have the diligence to maintain their schedule. They like the idea of the discount for themselves without putting out the upfront money. We like this system since it gives us a reason to call our customers regularly without intruding. We maintain our schedule on a computer which makes the scheduling effortless.
 
you in this line of work to make money. If that system helps you keep customers happy, and gereates a reveneue why not? Also if Joe is happy he will send his freinds. I find those with the sports cars have freinds with sports cars so why not try to get them all. Consider the oppertunity cost to the advertising for youself
 
It's not necessarily a package that a hobbiest could offer. Even a lot of mobile detailers may not be able to sell that. If it was an established shop that I knew would be around for a full year for me to cash in on such a deal I might consider it, but I've found that most people just want to pay the bare minimum and schedule the work to be done when they have time. People in a position to shell out several hundred dollars for a year's worth of work in advance aren't usually the kind of people who have predictable schedules from my experience. I've found more profit in following up with those type customers every three months and asking them if they were in need of more work. It is actually more money that way and less hassle. I hate being in debt to people and that is what you would be in if you sold a bunch of details in advance.
 
I have a car I do every week $25.00 each time or 100.00 per month plus tip. This keeps my customer happy plus it gives my part time operation a small bit of income. I would like to sell a few more of these packages. its easy money.
 
I have forgotten to mention that my shop is stationary and I operate year-round. I have been in business by myself for 3 years. I work a part-time job(evenings)3 days a week for a hospital. I know that it seems like a credit line that my customers are giving me but it assures both them and I that they'll be regulars. Quaranteed income I guess you could call it.
 
Most of my clients are of higher income. Most are professionals that work close to where I'm located (whithin 1 mile). So I usually shuttle them to and from work and that works out very well. Another plus is that my shop is shared with a limousine company. So people will drop their cars off before they leave for a business trip and take the car service to the airport. Then are picked back up and brought back to the shop to their cars.
 
Jngrbrdman said:
It's not necessarily a package that a hobbiest could offer. Even a lot of mobile detailers may not be able to sell that. If it was an established shop that I knew would be around for a full year for me to cash in on such a deal I might consider it, but I've found that most people just want to pay the bare minimum and schedule the work to be done when they have time. People in a position to shell out several hundred dollars for a year's worth of work in advance aren't usually the kind of people who have predictable schedules from my experience. I've found more profit in following up with those type customers every three months and asking them if they were in need of more work. It is actually more money that way and less hassle. I hate being in debt to people and that is what you would be in if you sold a bunch of details in advance.
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:yourrock Sounds like the same thought that went through my mind a couple months ago when I was toying with selling gift certificates for details around the Christmas season. I don't want to be obligated to do any work for anyone that far in advance, since I can't control my or their schedules, nor can I control the condition the vehicle will be in when they come around to cash in on the gift certificates. It certainly is easier to just keep in touch and let them come in at their convenience.
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
:yourrock Sounds like the same thought that went through my mind a couple months ago when I was toying with selling gift certificates for details around the Christmas season. I don't want to be obligated to do any work for anyone that far in advance, since I can't control my or their schedules, nor can I control the condition the vehicle will be in when they come around to cash in on the gift certificates. It certainly is easier to just keep in touch and let them come in at their convenience.
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Gift Certificates are a MUST HAVE if you are catering to the retail sector! The biggest reason, is that if you don't sell them, the potential customer will go somewhere else. Gift certificates are often times an impulse buy. People drive by my store, see the g.c. sign and swing in. Or, after picking up there vehicle they purchase one for a friend, gaining a new customer. It is difficult to 'keep in touch' with a customer you have never met. We sold 9 g.c. the day before Valentines for a total of ~$1400. Not only that, we sold over 40 g.c. for Xmas. Now, I will admit that there are times in the future when I hate it when they redeem them when I was expecting the money; however, there is a plus side. Approximately 25% of the gift certificates are never redeemed. The income generated from the sale of the g.c. is nice to have to get through the winter months.
Schedules can be controlled since I would imagine that appointments are made when detailing. Yes, there is also the disadvantage of not knowing the condition of the vehicle, but there is a solution to that. Write a the dollar amount of the purchase and if the vehicle requires extra work then the recipient will pay the difference or truthfully we sometimes 'eat' it (depends on my mood). There has been occassions when I have added an add'l hour to the g.c. since the person purchasing the g.c. disclosed the condition at the time of purchase, i.e. milk spills, vomit or sap.
 
I do GC as well. They're a great source for new clients. Also in the past I have donated detailing GC to beneffits and such. There are so many ways to reach new clients.
 
vdubbya said:
Does anyone here offer a yearly maintenace package?
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I offer monthly packages to clients after the first detail service has been completed. The monthly packages include scheduled weekly washes and a full detail every other month. The clients have the choice to prepay for the 2 months (at a slight discount), pay a month ahead, or they can be billed monthly for a premium. I charge anywhere from $200 to $250 per month for this service.

Pay ahead = I get cash before the service is performed
Pay via monthly billing = I get more money for the service

Monthly packages are a great way of cultivating a loyal client base. If you have their money, or have them signed up for ongoing maintenance, they will be less likely to bring the car to the corner carwash or allow other mobile detailers to wash their car.
 
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