Know it all customers

[ExpressDetail]

How do you deal with customers that think they know the best products and equipment to use?

[Ted S.]

Ask them what qualities the product has that appeals to them. Then carefully come up with an explanation as to why you use the products you use rather than their favorites. Be gentle with them; everyone has a favorite brand, and most people are very narrow minded. Educate them on the benefits of yours vs. theirs.:xyxthumbs:

[C. Charles Hahn]

I don't mind know-it-all customers unless they're dead wrong.

That said, I agree with Ted.

[buddhadog]

If they want you to use their products ,Im open to it . Its a great way to try out new products for free.

Only a couple times Ive declined because the products were poor quality .

[Phinox]

I have to deal with this problem alot at my collision shop. people ask me what brand paint i use. Then ask why or say i should be using brand x because its the best on the market. I politely point out that the product i use is used by many car makers is just as good in quality and that i have been using this paint brand for years and it is cheaper then brand X. Which means i don't have to charge them as much for supplies so they get a cheaper price.

[sensi09]

I'm not a detailer, but as consumer, I like to be informed before making a purchase of most any product. If someone can help educate me during the buying process, even better.

[MDetail]

They could possibly get in the way, but maybe you could turn it around and educate them on your process and why it is better.

[PAR Detailing]

I havent run into that yet, but I would just explain why I like my products and tell them that I would be happy to try theirs out but because I am comfortable with my products and know how they work I may go back to mine.

A certain wax or paint sealant they like doesnt bother me. If they insist on me using their wax that is fine by me but everything else I will always reserve the right to go back to my own products.

[Flannigan]

I just tell them if they aren't happy with the way it comes out with my products then I will do it again with theirs. I've never had to re-do anything so I guess that’s good.

The only time the know-it-alls get to me is when talking before the detail. They want to layout exactly how I am going to do something. So I just politely tell them that they are paying me for my services, not paying me to be bossed around by them. If I wanted that I would go work at a local car wash.

[land]

I have had customers try that. I have told them the story where i used someone elses stuff and it failed. I will do a test spot theirs and mine.Some of my high end customers have some pretty good stuff so I will want to try.

[CrownKote]

I have had a few of those custoers and honestly it doesn't bother me much I am a fairly passive/assertive person so I can let them roll off my back...

I do love it when they request that I use their waxes when this happens I usually end up asking them if I can do half of the car in their stuff and the other in mine... Most of the time they are agreeable but ask will it look different? I generally tell them that they may be able to see a slight difference but not all of the time.

I did this once and I had a guy bring me some TW I swear the stuff had to be OLD but I used it on the passenger side... I coated the other side with Col 845... 2 months go by and he called to set up an apt because the TW had stopped beading and had kinda dulled... He said "Use your stuff please I love the way I just need to hose the car off then blow it dry! I have never seen that before!"

[SeaJay's]

I have run into this several times. Usually it's the "well I use nothing but meguairs do you have any of those products?" So, I explain what I typically use and why. I let them know that if they prefer for me to use only the brand of products they like then I can do so. But explain some of the benefits of other products as well. In the end it's the customer's car and if they want me to use brand X over brand Y for their ride, that is fine with me.

I just don't like being told how I should detail their car. Product recommendation or preferences is one thing but techniques and processes are another.

[CrownKote]

I just don't like being told how I should detail their car. Product recommendation or preferences is one thing but techniques and processes are another.

SO TRUE!!!! That is why my customers (I know not everyone is in a brick and mortar and a lot have to go to the customer's house) are not allowed in the "shop" area...

[ExpressDetail]

Well I have a customer with a Black Skyline. It has around 11k on it and is pretty close to some of the worst swirls I have seen. The customer calls me and says paint is oxidized. I get there and it is heavy swirls, I than play the listen game. He states the swirls are not from him but he is using a brush that he said is nylex and a chamois. He either owns or runs a company that sells these nylex brushes and some detailing products. I am kind of stuck. Seems like a great guy but stuck on what he knows. I told him I use the Swissvax Waschpudel Luxury Wash Pad and he did not seem keen on that.

What is your opinion on the nylex? I don't know what to say because I personally have no experience with this type of brush. But the paint looks so bad that it appears to be from a brush.

[CrownKote]

Well I have a customer with a Black Skyline. It has around 11k on it and is pretty close to some of the worst swirls I have seen. The customer calls me and says paint is oxidized. I get there and it is heavy swirls, I than play the listen game. He states the swirls are not from him but he is using a brush that he said is nylex and a chamois. He either owns or runs a company that sells these nylex brushes and some detailing products. I am kind of stuck. Seems like a great guy but stuck on what he knows. I told him I use the Swissvax Waschpudel Luxury Wash Pad and he did not seem keen on that.

What is your opinion on the nylex? I don't know what to say because I personally have no experience with this type of brush. But the paint looks so bad that it appears to be from a brush.

In this instance I would state "I do not feel comfortable using a product on any customer vehicle that I have never used before. maybe some time I can use it on my own vehicle and see how I like it but because of my time restraints today I can't do that this time around"

That should appease him and let him know that you are game to possibly try it out "sometime" but you can't today...