trying to start a detila buissness for cars

BRANDON HAMILTON

trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 24, 2005 12:42AM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 1

<HTML>i have just decided to start a detail buissness and not really for sure if i can do it there r some things i dont know about it. and have been trying to leran them. if anyone has any advice for me or a good tecnique please fill me in.</HTML>

brandon hamilton

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Superior Shine Dtl

Re: trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 24, 2005 02:16AM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 35

<HTML>
" if anyone has any advice for me or a good tecnique please fill me in. "

Become a plummer.</HTML>

Superior Shine-Covina, Ca.

Please join me in giving thanks to our men and women who serve in the name of our freedom and cannot be home with their families. Please include them in your prayers.

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Ron Ketcham

Re: trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 24, 2005 02:25PM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 641

<HTML>Personal observation.

He should return to school and learn how to spell words.

Ketch</HTML>

Do it right or don't do it at all!

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Paul Apollonia

Re: trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 24, 2005 07:57PM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 241

<HTML>Ron:

All you need is a couple buckets some brushs, towels, dish soap and start knocking on doors!!! LOL!!!!!

If it was easy!!!!

Then you have to try and keep those customers!!</HTML>

Auto Appearances Inc , Raleigh NC (919) 812-4759

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dave rosh

Re: trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 25, 2005 08:22AM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 73

<HTML>brandon dont mind ron aka GRUMPY,do yourself a favor and read as much of this site and other detail sites as possible then think about going to a training session.believe me unless you already have money there is a long and rocky road ahead of you and little room for error.</HTML>

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rsrtuning

Re: trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 25, 2005 09:24AM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 64

<HTML>Hi

We had a bit of cash when we started, but i did come here a lot and read a lot before we opened our shop in spain. I was just an amateur detailer before we started, with a high level of interest and ideas.
I did a 2 month hands on 8-5 training, and learnt and learnt some more.
nothing is impossible, if you have a genuine true interest, and are willing to be dedicated to what you do.
Service minded, and a good knowledge, of treating customers correctly, is also a great advantage, a smile will take you a long way in the beginning, and ofcourse the ability, to do a good promised job is of high importance.

we have now been upp and running for 3 months, and have a good relationship with quiet a few car dealerships in our area, such as porsche, volvo, honda, and a few mixes of other various car dealers.
because we are good at what we have been doing, and always keeping a high quaLITY service, the word of us has gotten around, allthough we do need to work more on getting more private car owners, we are surviving and going forward.

Our largest problem still to this day is the pricing, of where to set the price.
Because the dealers always want to pay less, because here in Spain at least, the dealers usually sell a car in the state it is, and then pass it to us to do a detail, before the customer picks it up, then ofcourse it has become a cost for the dealer.
We are preaching as hard as we can, to make them turn around, and do the detail first, to be able to raise the price of the car instead, but we are fighting a born in system, and allthough, a few have accepted our thought, it will take more time.

We will spend a good 8-10 hours on doing a full complete perfect tranformation of a car, going from wash of exterior, engine, complete polish, then wash again before a wax is applied and then a total immaculate cleaning of the whole interior,all the way back to the bottom of the spare tyre. this is the time it takes for us, to get that car as close to new as possible.

With the quality we have been giving, we have had the trust of dealers to do masseratis, ferraris, porsches, bentlys,, not to forgett we have also our share of other less quality cars, that have looked like they have been to hell and back, before comming in to us, and we have made them look as good as ever possible. before leaving our shop.

stick to quality, is my advice, and allthough it isnt as fun to do a renault as a porsche, never let that show in your end result.
and remeber
We are still learning, and i still check, in here all the time for ideas and advice.

RoB</HTML>

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Anthony Orosco

Re: trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 25, 2005 04:30PM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 466

<HTML>Lets face the true facts here. Anyone can grab a bucket, soap, sponge, towels and a hose and wash cars......anyone.

Few though ever make it past that level if they can't spell well, are not people friendly, bad with math and/or speak in stinkin ebonics!

How can you write out a professional invoice if you can't even spell "detail"? I mean learn some proper grammar so your business letters don't look as if some 8th grade drop out was hired as your secretary.

I see some detailers wearing hats slightly off centered, tons of jewelry, pants real baggy hanging down to their knees so their boxers can show (for what purpose I have no idea) and speaking as if they just came out of the latest hip hop video. They then wonder why they can't ever do anything other than rice cars and soccer mom minivans?

Along with business classes I would also take some spelling and gramar classes. I mean no offense by this but it will help you out a great deal down the road.

I can't spell well either, I'm bad with money also so praise God He allowed me to marry a smart woman!! smiling smiley

Anthony</HTML>

Details, Details, Details....It's all in the details!
www.UltimateReflections.NET

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jon miller

Re: trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 25, 2005 04:56PM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 51

<HTML>The best advice I could offer is "Listen to what these professional detailers are trying to tell you as they "have been there and done that".

The cold hard truth about buisness is only a % depends on how good you are at what you do the rest is buisness smarts( and that intangiable ' a little luck')

I am not a professional detailer, although I detail for money. One of the reasons I would not make a good living at this is that 'I have a passion' for it, which means I will go the extra five miles for a 'perfect' finish, trust me you cannot make a living with this kind of attitude. Having a passion for something and making money doing it are two very distinct things.</HTML>

[ each one / teach one, then student /becomes teacher ]

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Bud Abraham

Re: trying to start a detila buissness for cars
June 25, 2005 09:34PM

Registered: 17 years ago
Posts: 3,550

<HTML>Rob:

Pricing as I have stated numerous times, in my opinion, must be based on what it costs you to operate your business per month, including your salary and benefits and at least a 10% of gross sales for profit. Then you divide that by the number of operating hours you operate per month and that gives you an hourly rate. That rate times the time to do the job is your price. Picking a price out of the air is not the way to do it. If your hourly rate X the time to do the job is less than what the market is willing to pay, by all means charge more, but NEVER charge less.

If you send me your email direct I will send you a presentation I did at the Car Care World Expo on calculating your hourly rate and costs of doing business.

Regards
Bud Abraham</HTML>

buda

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