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  1. #1
    Super Member Eric7810's Avatar
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    Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    Guys,

    Had a customer bring in his Mini Countryman for an interior. I had a good conversation with him about his expectations and what I was able to offer.

    Well, admittedly, I never considered that he hasn’t used floor mats on his black carpeted interior.

    I spent a ton of time trying to clean his driver footwell. Finally, I had to turn my headlamp off and take a more realistic approach to this. I wasn’t happy with it, but it left me wondering whether this is a point I need to bring up when quoting future jobs.

    I called the customer and explained the situation, that I wasn’t able to clean the driver footwell as well as the rest of the carpet, given the quoted price for the job. He was entirely understanding.

    Do vehicles that haven’t been using floor mats give you guys reason to quote higher?

    Eric


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  2. #2
    Super Member DetailKitty's Avatar
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    Not sure if you should charge more...
    But I'd definitely ask and inform them the results may not be perfect.
    2022 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon • 2021 Ford Ranger Lariat •2016 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider • 2006 Buell Lightning-Bolt • 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

  3. #3
    Super Member Coatingsarecrack's Avatar
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    Im not a professional but if you explained that to get it as clean as rest of carpet (if possible) would be X amount or that you could get 80% clean for X amount and gave me a choice.... now end results and price would be up to me.

    Quoting more expensive prices before starting will always give you better end results with customer.

    If not knowing how much time it will take give a range and make sure their OK with the high end of it.


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  5. #4
    Super Member dcjredline's Avatar
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    I do like Monica does. And on top of that if they are on the phone I ask them things like this that I have experienced trouble with in the past.

    How long have you owned it
    How often has it been washed
    How often has it been vacuumed
    Does it have any floor mats
    How many times a year do you wax it
    Does anyone smoke in it
    Pets ride in it frequently

    I may just drive some customers away and when they start sounding annoyed I just explain why I am asking so many questions. I dont charge more cause you didnt use floor mats per-say but the price goes up the more no's I get to those questions. AND finally I do explain that some stains are just that, STAINED. Replacement would be the only way to remedy them.
    "Dirt likes detergent so much better than the surface that it's attached to, it'll leave that surface to go hang out with the soap"...aim4squirrels

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  7. #5
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    As to the future, try the multiple question approach or give a very wide range on the quote. Upon inspection then would establish their expectation and the agreed upon price. Find out what is important to the customer, not what you think is a top notch interior detail.

    Given they do not protect the floors in the car, neither would i except for a light vacuuming. If you can exceed their expectations then do it but not if it eats away your time and supplies.

    IMHO only

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  9. #6
    Super Member Eldorado2k's Avatar
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    Just out of curiosity, what vacuum and which kind of attachment were you attacking it with?

  10. #7
    Super Member Eric7810's Avatar
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldorado2k View Post
    Just out of curiosity, what vacuum and which kind of attachment were you attacking it with?
    Thank you all for your helpful responses.

    I am using an older Craftsman 5hp vac. Used a carpet brush slowly to loosen the matted carpet and a 1 1/4” hose crevice tool.


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  12. #8
    Super Member MarkD51's Avatar
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    All you can do, is the best you can do, nothing more. Hope you at least got a tip for your efforts.

    Me, one time I detailed a white '63 T-Bird, that a friend bought. They, meaning not one, but two people were involved with the purchase of that car. (screw job) The initial agreement was I was to be paid $100 for my work. This was 35 years ago I estimate.

    The paint was atrocious, an Earl Shieb job, I did a two step with compounding with a Rotary, and finish with a high abrasive AIO Carnauba. Let's not forget the dog bath that had to be done, filthy, the tires and wheels, the chrome, the trunk, and even under the hood.

    The interior was trashed. The carpets looked like a beach, so much sand I vacuumed out. Probably a gallon of it, never seen nothing like it.

    They paid $650 for the car, the next day they sold it for $1400. The one guy replaced a starter, was iffy sometimes.

    In the end, they paid me $50 for 8-1/2 hours of soaken wet, back breaking work I did.

    I told them "never again buddies", and they laughed at me. Was a major slap in my face that I never forgot.
    I can't say more, and what I further said, such would be edited from this forum.

    Live and learn is my motto from that experience. Don't let yourself be screwed from your ignorance, or niceties, such will get you nowhere fast!

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  14. #9
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkD51 View Post
    All you can do, is the best you can do, nothing more. Hope you at least got a tip for your efforts.

    Me, one time I detailed a white '63 T-Bird, that a friend bought. They, meaning not one, but two people were involved with the purchase of that car. (screw job) The initial agreement was I was to be paid $100 for my work. This was 35 years ago I estimate.

    The paint was atrocious, an Earl Shieb job, I did a two step with compounding with a Rotary, and finish with a high abrasive AIO Carnauba. Let's not forget the dog bath that had to be done, filthy, the tires and wheels, the chrome, the trunk, and even under the hood.

    The interior was trashed. The carpets looked like a beach, so much sand I vacuumed out. Probably a gallon of it, never seen nothing like it.

    They paid $650 for the car, the next day they sold it for $1400. The one guy replaced a starter, was iffy sometimes.

    In the end, they paid me $50 for 8-1/2 hours of soaken wet, back breaking work I did.

    I told them "never again buddies", and they laughed at me. Was a major slap in my face that I never forgot.
    I can't say more, and what I further said, such would be edited from this forum.

    Live and learn is my motto from that experience. Don't let yourself be screwed from your ignorance, or niceties, such will get you nowhere fast!
    Was this an over the phone quote or in person?

  15. #10
    Super Member rlmccarty2000's Avatar
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    Re: Customer never used floor mats, do you charge more?

    You are missing out if you don’t use Mike Phillips pre inspection checklist. Using the checklist allows you to go over the entire car and then give the customer a price. If you run into a problem area that would take a significant amount of time that would not be normal then call the customer and explain what is going on. I find the personal touch helps everyone feel good about the final outcome.

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