customer plans

**rtbrick** · 07-24-2003, 12:41 PM

For those with a business, how do you plan a customers detailing over the course of time? I mean, the first time in the customer may need the $200 full detail, but a month or so later they may only need the $50 job. Do you recommend a course of detailing periodically throughout the year?

What about those of you that say you only do the high-end cars? Do you always charge the high-end price? Someone mentioned that, to date, they have only done their highest level detail.

**Tassadar** · 07-24-2003, 02:24 PM

I tell my customers that full detail is best around twice a year. So that the interior gets cleaned of any bad crud they put on it, and the same with the exterior. I usually recommend a followup wash & vacuum atleast once a month (low price here), and a rewax atleast every 2 months (no less than 2 weeks after the previous one though, completely pointless).

Hope that helps, I recommend it all the time, doesnt mean they follow it.

**Superior Shine** · 07-25-2003, 07:30 PM

After the first detail you sell the client on a maintenance program. Ask the person a few questions about where the car is during the day, is it garage kept, how often do they wash it and when was the last time (if ever) it was detailed before you got it. Taking all those factors into consideration you can recommend on what frequency to detail their vehicle. I tell them that if the detail isn`t holding up by the time I return we will make it sooner. If it is still in pretty good condition I will schedule them a little later on next time.

**Coastal Eddie** · 07-25-2003, 08:28 PM

"I usually recommend a followup wash & vacuum atleast once a month (low price here), and a rewax atleast every 2 months (no less than 2 weeks after the previous one though, completely pointless)."

You`re right!!

If I`m taking care of the persons car regularly I always tell them that after I do a complete detail I will give them a free rewax at the time of their choosing. Wax on Wax off with a PC goes fast and it`s become a good seller of details for me.

It`s amazing how many ask you to rewax in less than a month while the water`s beading up on the surface.

**Superior Shine** · 07-25-2003, 08:47 PM

I will give them a free rewax at the time of their choosing

A free re-wax???? I do what I do to make money to pay my bills and enjoy life. Why would you wax someones car for free?

**Koop** · 07-25-2003, 08:57 PM

It`s NEVER free. They payed for it in the first detail. If you wanted to do the same just tack on the extra money to the first detail. *shrug* It`s done all the time in the marketing world. Heck just call it buy one get one free for twice the price! What a great deal!

**Superior Shine** · 07-25-2003, 09:04 PM

Originally posted by Koop
It`s NEVER free. They payed for it in the first detail. If you wanted to do the same just tack on the extra money to the first detail. *shrug* It`s done all the time in the marketing world. Heck just call it buy one get one free for twice the price! What a great deal!

My basic maintenance detail (wash and wax) is $95 for a med. size car. You recommend that when someone calls I should tell them that I will wax thier car for $190. And then tell them I will "re-wax" it for free? Sounds gimicky to me.

It`s not my style but if it works out for you guys all the power to you.

**Koop** · 07-25-2003, 09:24 PM

I`m with ya. It`s not for me either. But it has been proven effective over and over again. There are just a lot of not smart yet thrifty buyers out there who look for a good deal. And usualy instead of twice the price you cut a little off sinse it`s gaurenteed return bis. I`ve never done it and prolly never will but as i said that`s the kinda thing the BIG corps do because they have the marketing guys who have done the studys to know what works. Also I believe he was saying after a full detail (say 200 bucks) he would simply rewax, nothing more, for free. It would be a 20 min job when they came back so you wouldn`t be loosing much.

**Poorboy** · 07-25-2003, 09:26 PM

When I was detailing...I would only do a high end car at most three times a year at full price....but if and it was usual case that I was doing a few cars for each of my customers, I would give them a quick wipe down and cleaning which I would incorporate into the detailing job...an hour is an hour no matter what step you`re doing...

For an example..I had a customer who had 13 cars ..most of them show vehicles..he took two days a week from Spring to Winter to complete and keep his cars looking show ready...while I was working on one he would always show me something he wanted touched up on another...this just made my day longer and his price higher....

I personally never like the maintence thing because I`d rather be scheduling full details vs washes and quick clean ups....but to each his own as stated before

**Koop** · 07-25-2003, 09:32 PM

I`ve actualy found profits to be higher on the quick touch ups. The closer to the full detail the better. Almost no time or effor involved and you can charge more per min because it`s going to be less no matter what and that`s what the costomer notices. When i can get 50 buccks for doing a quick wipe down of everything re dress the tires quick vac the seats that`s only 20 min! That`s profit. Plain and simple. Although this is annoying to a heartfelt detailor like most of us here because it`s simplly not about the money. It`s about the restoration! We get our satisfaction in the cleaner car not the moeny.

**Poorboy** · 07-25-2003, 09:47 PM

Yes Koop ..that`s the way I feel..i always wanted my customer to feel that they get my full attention for the day, whether it was for one full detail or the maintenece of many of their vehicles....I didn`t have many if any customers who has less than 3-4 vehicles, that required slow careful detailing....I would always explain to the customer that the follow up detail would be more about the fine details and that if properly taken care of that I could give them as close to perfection as the car or truck would be able to attain....the first detail is all about restoring the finish and making it look great, but if you had half a day to detail a Street Rod engine that was going into competition, the owner could care less about how long it takes or how much it costs...

Now i realize that is the extreme of most detailers who do everyday drivers, but I guess I`ve forgotten about the people who abuse their vehicles ...never liked those jobs...

**Koop** · 07-25-2003, 09:54 PM

Originally posted by Poorboy

Now i realize that is the extreme of most detailers who do everyday drivers, but I guess I`ve forgotten about the people who abuse their vehicles ...never liked those jobs...

I can like those jobs as they can sometimes be the most rewarding. Taking something that looks horrid and making it beautifull can be a real joy. Other times it`s just like....... well......

GROSS!

**Poorboy** · 07-25-2003, 10:07 PM

I think the last GROSS car i did was my wife`s

roflmao

**Koop** · 07-25-2003, 10:10 PM

LOL those women. I`ve found if i give my girlfreind a hard time she cleans her car herself b4 i see it again. Or she does it even faster if i just say "honey your cars really getting dirty again. Could you please clean it again?" She doesn`t do the BEST job but she`s not my wife yet so I`m not going to push anything.