How do you handle these types of people

**brondondolon** · 07-28-2014, 11:51 AM

Got a call from a guy putting his car in the car show out here. Its an el camino show car with a custom paint job, custom interior, and the engine was all chrome. He wanted the engine detailed and polished the interior looking brand new and the exterior detailed and waxed. I gave him a "sight unseen" quote for $160 and he said I was astronomically expensive. Then he said that every one else is charging about $50 and $60 for the detail. So i said "for interior and engine too?!" and he said yup. So i told him " well you know you get what you pay for. I use only the highest end products available and know what im doing. Be careful though with those guys and good luck."

I personally felt like i was giving him a great deal at $160 or am i crazy? I was quoting him so low because i figured id make his car shine like never before and then people would ask about how he got it so clean and hopefully id get some referrals.

**trekkeruss** · 07-28-2014, 11:59 AM

There is always going to be someone cheaper, and there is little you can do to dissuade someone from going that route if they are shopping on price.

**Romach** · 07-28-2014, 12:08 PM

I real tight ass.

We all get them, I make a point of doing like you but if someone asks for discount or a cash price I tend to say thanks but no thanks!

I has a £1k job on a lambo and the client told me no photos or videos and I had to start it at 8am and finish by 530 over 2 days.

He asked for the best price so I gave home the same price as any other customer but promised to add a carpet protectorant and a free wash and wax for his wife's mini.

Mike Phillips · 07-28-2014, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by brondondolon

I personally felt like i was giving him a great deal at $160 or am i crazy?

I wouldn't have touched the car for that kind of money...

In Renny Doyle's book on how to start a car detailing business I have section as a guest contributor on page 125 called,

The Learned Skill of Turning Down Work

Read that section if you have the book. If you don't have the book the I'd recommend getting it.

Originally Posted by brondondolon

I was quoting him so low because i figured id make his car shine like never before and then people would ask about how he got it so clean and hopefully id get some referrals.

He sounds like he doesn't know anything about quality work when it comes to car detailing and at that price and his knowledge level he wouldn't appreciate all your hard work and thus wouldn't share it with anyone.

Like Kenny Rodgers says...

You have to know when to hold em, know when to fold em and know when to walk away...

**builthatch** · 07-28-2014, 12:17 PM

i'd put together a quick list of exactly what you'd do, nothing crazy - a four-five minute bullet point list and provide that. that will legitimize your estimate on paper and give him something to use against the other guys. there is no way the other guys will be able to do that, let alone to a high degree, for those prices.

sometimes i see prices on this forum that boggle my mind. i look at expenses on a granular level for my business so i know exactly where i'm screwing up (not a detailing business). so, even if you break it down to a pretty basic level, how many dollars per hour are you making with your quotes? i am not asking for that answer, but i'm just saying, it's most important when comparing your work to others. sometimes you just have to turn the work down if it's below your profit vs. time standards.

**Guessless** · 07-28-2014, 12:20 PM

I don't say this because I'm not a detailer by profession, but with people like that you are better off just walking away. They either don't understand your work or they do and try to squeeze you, either way they usually turn out to be a pain in the....

You're better off doing the job for someone who appreciates your work too....

**Romach** · 07-28-2014, 12:25 PM

I once had a customer who thought he was doing me a favour by offering me £50 for a detail so I googled the local drive through cash wash and explained he would save money there as his BMW x6 takes a full day.

But the guy made the big mistake of talking at me not to me, so I learned mikes lesson of why and how to turn down jobs and how to remain calm

**HUMP DIESEL** · 07-28-2014, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by brondondolon

Got a call from a guy putting his car in the car show out here. Its an el camino show car with a custom paint job, custom interior, and the engine was all chrome. He wanted the engine detailed and polished the interior looking brand new and the exterior detailed and waxed. I gave him a "sight unseen" quote for $160 and he said I was astronomically expensive. Then he said that every one else is charging about $50 and $60 for the detail. So i said "for interior and engine too?!" and he said yup. So i told him " well you know you get what you pay for. I use only the highest end products available and know what im doing. Be careful though with those guys and good luck."

I personally felt like i was giving him a great deal at $160 or am i crazy? I was quoting him so low because i figured id make his car shine like never before and then people would ask about how he got it so clean and hopefully id get some referrals.

If I look at this, I would have scared him away. For the engine alone, I would not have touched it for less than what you are asking for the whole thing. If it has chrome all over it, you need to polish it before a show. He is asking for the interior to look new, even with it being half a car, it is still a job that could take 2-4 hours depending on how it is now, are the carpets stained? What is the seat material? Getting into the gauges, radio dials and such, so another 100-200, then the exterior. You have to clean it, polish it with one step and then wax. Another 6-10 or more hours if we are being meticulous and getting something ready for a show. What about the wheels? What about the chassis area inside the fender wells, what about the fender wells? If you are using premium products, you are using 25-50 in just material, not including wear and tear on equipment.
We really do as a group need to start making the distinction between ourselves and others and price accordingly.

HUMP

**fq_22** · 07-28-2014, 02:08 PM

Sounds like 8+ hrs of work. Guess that guy thinks detailers make less than minimum wage

**RevitalizeAutoSpa** · 07-28-2014, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by HUMP DIESEL

If I look at this, I would have scared him away. For the engine alone, I would not have touched it for less than what you are asking for the whole thing. If it has chrome all over it, you need to polish it before a show. He is asking for the interior to look new, even with it being half a car, it is still a job that could take 2-4 hours depending on how it is now, are the carpets stained? What is the seat material? Getting into the gauges, radio dials and such, so another 100-200, then the exterior. You have to clean it, polish it with one step and then wax. Another 6-10 or more hours if we are being meticulous and getting something ready for a show. What about the wheels? What about the chassis area inside the fender wells, what about the fender wells? If you are using premium products, you are using 25-50 in just material, not including wear and tear on equipment.
We really do as a group need to start making the distinction between ourselves and others and price accordingly.

HUMP

This, this, and this.

Disclaimer: I'm part-time, but I won't even consider a job if I'm looking at less than $30 an hour. It isn't worth my free time, and time away from my wife and kids. I wouldn't have quoted that guy less than probably $700/800 for a concourse engine bay, interior, and one stage polish and LSP.