TECHNICIAN vs BUSINESSMAN

Many detail business owners believe that the technical compentency they have will translate into business success. While some level of technical competency is certainly necessary, it seldom ensures success in the business for the long haul.

A detail business owner maybe be good at detailing cars, but there is much more to running a business than providing a good detail.

A detail business involves accounting and finance, marketing and sales, production and delivery, management and administration, and much much more. A detail business requires a broad skill set to function successfully.

Certainly these skills can be hired, but most, if not all detail business owners wear all of these hats, whether they want to or not.

Regardless, the owner must possess some level of knowledge regarding these areas if they are to be successful. They are the final decision maker, and without a reasonable level of knowledge they will be unable to make competent decisions when faced with challenges in these areas.

In other words, your technical expertise will not help you when it comes to making decisions regarding finance or marketing or administration.

The failure to acquire this skill set, whether through your own education or by hiring or getting someone else is THE DOWNFALL OF MOST DETAIL BUSINESSES.

Using a footbal analogy, the detail business owner is the head coach. The greatest head coach is not an expert in every aspect of the game. His primary job is to hire experts, designate responsibilities and then organize the entire staff and team. He is responsible for the final decision making, but he does not need to micromanage every aspect of the team.

This is true of even those football coaches who were great players, that is superb technicians. An all star football player will not necessarily make a good coach, the two roles are vastly different.

The coach must be able to organize, teach, encourage and lead. The same is true of a detail business owner.

Which are you?

Regards
Bud Abraham

best piece of advice ever given bud, totally agree
this is why I am only running my shop in summer and in USA during our aussie winter

svr73 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> best piece of advice ever given bud, totally
> agree
> this is why I am only running my shop in summer
> and in USA during our aussie winter


Agreed. Its very sound advice.

I'm very concerned for the winter months here. We have had unusually bad winters here for the past two years and now they are forecasting another one. I was speaking to my wife about me possibly heading somewhere with clement weather for a few months but we have a very young daughter and its not really that feasible unless I got a very lucrative contract. Seriously, I think it could kill my business off and even lots of returning customers in the new spring weather wouldn't resuscitate it. It's a sickening feeling but from a business perspective I might not have a choice in the matter.

Profile :
I don't know of any detailer who has found an answer to winter weather. My only ideas involve offering some sort of winter services that might induce people to venture out into the cold to see you. Some of these are more maintenance than detailing, admittedly. Examples :

* Salt-removal wash with battery test and washer fluid top-up

* New all-weather floor mats with vacuum and carpet cleaning

* Winter ready package : New beam-type windshield wipers that ice won't jam, lube all hood / door / trunk / tailgate hinges and locks as well as parking brake cable . Treat door / trunk weatherstrips with silicone grease ( SylGlyde ), test and clean battery and terminals , top up fluids. Replace or clean floor mats. Air up tires

* Seal paint with long-lasting polymer sealant to battle road salt. Wheels extra.

Doug, thanks for that. I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Some of that is already in place. But there are one or two ideas that I certainly will use.