Should I feel bad?

[ziggo99]

Alright, so this is what I've got on my mind: I work at a detailing place in town, just the owner and I. I like it alot, but recently I've started to face a dilemma. I've had a couple friends ask me about prices and what not, one is just wanting to sell their car and wants it looking good for pictures, and the other wants a buff job. As an employee, I should be steering them into the business, since the cars we clean keep me employed, plus my boss would be able to point out things I might have missed. On the other hand....I want to do them on my own, at my house and charge my prices since I could make more money that way and I would get to use my own products vs what the shop has.

I dunno what to make of this. Feed back please

[Bates Detailing]

You should feel horrible! J/K - these are your friends?!?! What you do with your friends on your free time has nothing to do with work..... as long as you are not using his products or tools of course. If one of my guys took what he learned from detailing with me and used it to do some friends cars I wouldn't be upset.... I would actually let him/her use the makita or cyclo if it wasn't being used... but not my products though. So don't feel bad at all man.

[ROMEO]

DO them on your own, at your house, and take the money.... THey are your friends, and they are asking you, they could have call your boss if they wanted...

[phoneguy44]

When you not sure exactly what to do..........Always do what right. :idea:

[mswerb]

Take care of yourself 1st. If it's your friends car and you should miss something, hopefully they would understand.

[ROMEO]

Oh, and remember that you are the "expert", so if you miss something, your friends won't know no different (Most likely).

[dad07]

your in a stuff spot,But I think your boss will understand.Don't feel bad about it because this happens everyday! Your a great employee thinking about the future of the place your working for Kudos for that!If they are your friends go ahead,if they have had work done at your place of employment don't!

If you still have mixed feelings about it talk it over with your boss.

Fwiw every employer I'v had never had bad feelings of me doing side work and actually they came and helped out!

Good luck! and let us know how things work out!

[Grizzly]

If its one or two, it shouldnt be problem.

If the boss finds out you have brought home ten over the course of a couple months, he might say ###.

[Kristopher1129]

Your friends come to you, and ask you to detail their cars. That's fine.

Customers come in to your work and schedule an appointment. You pull them aside when your boss isn't there, or not looking, and tell them you'll do it cheaper at your house...that's not cool.

Your friends asked you personally. That's your business. :xyxthumbs:

[HeavyMetal]

You probably already know what's right and wrong. Close friends (and I mean close, not someone you just met) or family ask you for a favor, no prob. Now, if you start steering people you just met or only know casually away from the business, not good.

Also be aware that there does come a point where you need to steer even close friends and family to the business - a quick detail, yeah do it on your own. A full out "show car" correction and detail, direct them to the business telling them you can do a much better job with the shop resources than on your own and the extra cost is worth it.

In sum, be professional. People will respect that.

[PAR Detailing]

I don't think there is anything wrong with moonlighting on a few friends cars. You can do a great job and most likely cheaper than if they went to the shop. I think the owner would be smoking dope if he really expected his employees to turn all their family and friends to the business instead of doing it personally on their own time.

[StoneRaizer]

As long as you're using your own tools, products and workspace (ie: your personal garage/driveway) and it's only for a couple of close friends that's fine. To help ease your mind, I'd give these friends business cards so that when people ask who shined up their car, they're saying "oh, my buddy who works at _________ did it for me!"

[Bates Detailing]

Sounds to me like your trying to make a move on your boss - this is the prelim to a hostile takeover of territory! Let us know how it goes and who wins the war lol!

[Crazy Amos]

I agree, take the money and run....

BTW, love your sig line. That is a great motto.

[ziggo99]

Thanks everyone.
They were only asking "Hey, what do you charge to do X and Y to my car up town?" and I just beat around the bush on that because frankly, I didn't know. Buffs are by quote deal and we've done one since I've started working and the other car I wasn't sure which size class he puts it under and it's better to not know than give wrong information.
About the only thing I don't have at home that we have uptown is Wheel Brightner, a shampooer and a rotary, so going to work mimics what I have at home more or less.