I turned down a customer and I don't care....

[A List Detail]

Today I was working in a customers driveway and my A-Frame sign was displayed at the end of the driveway. It has my business logo, business name and info on it clearly denoting I'm a detailer.

He pulled up and asked how much. For what I said. He followed with, "that tan gmc Acadia back there. How much to make it nice?" I'm thinking oh my god....here we go. So I tell him wash and wax with light interior (keeping it simple for him) is $80-100 for his size vehicle. He says, "oh. Wow. Well how much without the wax?" I'm thinking seriously guy? I said $80 even. (This btw is a very nice neighborhood)

Apparently that's insane to him and his face showed it. I have him a card, he said it's too much and I said ok (literally) and walked back to my job.

I didn't push the sale, I didn't lower my price and I don't care. Wrong attitude? This is part time work for me because I really enjoy it and give really nice results. I don't need to destroy my price points to earn $30. I'm not insulted because he didn't know what to ask but I'm not a $30 car wash service! And his house was a 20 mile drive. He wants a detailer to wash his car he's gonna pay for a detailer.

Thoughts?

[Mike Honcho]

Stick to your guns. Quality work gets quality pay.

[DetailKitty]

Nothing wrong with that at all. Whether you are a part-timer or full-timer you shouldn't lower your prices because some people don't see the value in what you do. If they want cheap, let them go to the local White Glove. My service fees aren't "negotiated".

I'm to the point where I don't quote anyone anymore. I tell them I have to inspect the car. I also started telling people I specialize in paint creation, so if they just want a wash and wax I'm not interested.

I would rather help a friend out for free then to have some putz low-ball me to detail his/her car. Like you, I do it part-time because I enjoy it.

[Dapper Don]

I think you just started down the path of showing that your integrity and the value of your work actually mean something. Many people fail at this in any business they are in and slit their own throat for the sake of a degraded sale because they continue to compromise with themselves and their principles. The fact that you got it right out of the gate shows a sign of better things to come. Best of luck to you and may you have all the side work you can manage this year.

[ScottH]

You did exactly what I would have done. I always remind people that if they think a professional is expensive, hire an amateur, and then you'll see what expensive is when you don't get the results you expected and have to then pay a professional to do it right.

[Calendyr]

I would not have done much differently. I have no interest in low paying jobs. For me, going out to do 100$ detail requires a lot of effort, I really hate those jobs. The exception to that would be single service like doing a headlight correction or engine detail. Doing an hour of work with little to no setup time and cleanup for 80$ is fine by me. But doing a full exterior with basic interior that will take me 3 hours for 100$... no thanks.

[JeffM]

There is a saying , never bid a job just to win it.

Ya gotta turn a decent profit.

[Paul A.]

I have a similar story...

I was at a NYE party and a friend of a customer asked me how much for a yada yada. I answered it depends on 2 things, what you want done and the condition of the vehicle. He said "it's just outside, do you want to look at it?". Sure and out we go. I gave him a quote based on what he wanted and he immediately balked. No way he thought. Ok by me. People who pay me know what they get and it isn't $75-$100 for a good days work! As i assessed his vehicle and talked about what i do and the proper approaches i use i got the feeling he really couldn't appreciate it. That's ok by me.

It was funny when later in the evening my customer was talking to this potential client saying how professional my services are and he's never found anyone that does his black Escallade like me.

I used to low ball some people when i was first starting out to get some work. I now do NOT lower my rates. Ever. I have enough people paying me what i value my work to be. And they are happy. Your time invested in learning, practicing and becoming proficient in what i consider to be the highest standards (Geek standards!) is expensive to some and a worthwhile value to others. I simply focus and cater to the latter.

[vantagesc]

I'm not a professional detailer but as someone who knows a lot of people that don't know the difference between a quality detail and the $20 hand wash offered in our business parking lot, here's the problem with what you did.

You did nothing to educate him on why you might be worth the cost. It would have taken you no time at all to say something like "no problem, if you are looking for something a bit less thorough than my services, there's a car wash place over on _____". There's probably something better to say than this and chances are he will never use your services anyway, but surely there's something you can do at least explain why you charge what you charge in 30 seconds.

On the flip side I know there are times you feel like the person would never use your services anyway, so why waste the breath. But still worth considering for reputational reasons, word of mouth, etc.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Nothing wrong with that at all. Whether you are a part-timer or full-timer you shouldn't lower your prices because some people don't see the value in what you do. If they want cheap, let them go to the local White Glove. My service fees aren't "negotiated".

I'm to the point where I don't quote anyone anymore. I tell them I have to inspect the car. I also started telling people I specialize in paint creation, so if they just want a wash and wax I'm not interested.

I would rather help a friend out for free then to have some putz low-ball me to detail his/her car. Like you, I do it part-time because I enjoy it.


:iagree:

I couldn't agree more. Those of us here here on this forum, whether it be pro full-time, pro-part-time or hobbyist for privately owned vehicles understand that the level of work and perfection is beyond the typical car wash and a few high school kids who wipe the car down after it leaves the tunnel.

I like to classify my work as "boutique". I think it's a great term that defines the quality of work performed regardless of the car. Meaning, you don't have to own an AMG for the quality of my services.

AGO provides high quality products, that do come with a price, along with the knowledge transfer from the experts, Mike Phillips, Nick & many seasoned forum members. All of that amounts to value.

There is a fine line between giving the customer what they want, charging a fair price and or turning them away when what they want doesn't fit the model of your business or what you are willing put your name on.

[dcjredline]

I am not sure that 75% or more of my customers would be able to even tell if I put one ounce of wax on their car (nor would they really care) they just want to see it clean. I had someone come back one day after I had only washed and clayed it and they said "oh are you done already" then when they saw it after another 3 hours they didnt seem too blown away LOL.

I dont do this to eat so my opinion differs from the OP who is doing this for a business. I will take a little less and deliver a great product to them. Its not about money to me.

[Eldorado2k]

I also started telling people I specialize in paint creation


Wow what kind of pads do that?! Please share the secrets😜😂lol.

[mwoolfso]

Seems to me he was looking for "car wash" rates on a "detail project"; under the guise of a "drive-by-quote". You did fine.

[expdetailing]

∆∆∆∆∆ What he said.

[FUNX650]

To care or not to care...

•Yes...psychology was at play; and perhaps there
is something bizarre going on with a person saying,
or implying, that you charge too much.

•When a person basically says: "that’s too much!"...
-I believe that they’re verbally acknowledging an
unconscious comparison---a comparison they are
making by measuring your prices against something
else...and you don’t even know what the heck that
something else is!!

-Getting to the root cause of this comparison is
probably best left to clinically trained Dr.s.


•So...in this layman's POV...(and I don't know for
sure, since I was not there during this incident)...

-It appears that you were discussing prices,
before clarifying the RESULTS this person wanted.


•When a prospective Customer asks "How much?"...
-why not just (silently) refuse to directly answer
that question at first.

-Instead, say something like:
"You know, I really don’t know what it will cost
because we haven’t discussed the changes you’d
like to see in your vehicle, and as a result of our
working together on this project.
But if I can ask you a few questions first…"


•Once you help them "paint the picture" of the
changes they want, and the impact those changes
will have on their vehicle...then would be the time
to offer 2-3 different options on how to go forward,
at different price points...but, of course (and as a
matter of principle): sticking to your detailing-menu's
cost structure.

•This way, IMO: you’ll get much more interest.
-If not immediately, perhaps in the future.
-(You never know, who they may know!)

•Also, IMO:
-It’s always best to sidestep the request to lay your
cards on the table at the beginning of negotiations.

-If you answer right away: you’re pretty much inviting
a meaningless cost comparison, as I mentioned above.


Bob