To those who own a detailing business

**ziggo99** · 03-13-2010, 12:14 PM

In my speech class, we were asked to give a speech on a job that is interesting and I picked an automotive detailer and we have to give sources of where we got information. If some of you wouldn't mind, could you answer the following questions to help out? You can PM me or simply reply to this post. Please provide your name and business name, and I can post the speech after I've completed it to show where I can you credit. Thank you.

What got you interested in the detailing business?

What are the responsibilities you have on a day to day basis?

Why do you offer so many different packages?

What is the most satisfying part of the job? The least satisfying?

What is the average annually income? Benefits?

What is the work schedule? Is it a 9-5 or call your own hours?

**Mirror Detailing** · 03-13-2010, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by ziggo99

In my speech class, we were asked to give a speech on a job that is interesting and I picked an automotive detailer and we have to give sources of where we got information. If some of you wouldn't mind, could you answer the following questions to help out? You can PM me or simply reply to this post. Please provide your name and business name, and I can post the speech after I've completed it to show where I can you credit. Thank you.

Michael Cunningham
Mirror Detailing

What got you interested in the detailing business?

-To me it was the idea of knowing that nothing showed off a car better than a perfect paint job. There is tons of mechanics out there for performance and building cars that are great at their job, but show car detailers are few and far between.

What are the responsibilities you have on a day to day basis?

-To manage my business. Make sure my customers are completely satisifed. Check all places I sponsor for questions and/or emails.

Why do you offer so many different packages?

-Because no one package is good are all cars. Each car may only need certain things, or certain customers way only want certain things done. Also for some people they dont want to spend to much at one time, or you even get some people who want the most expensive thing...just because they can afford it.

What is the most satisfying part of the job? The least satisfying?

-Least satisfying is going to car shows and instead of apprecating the beauty of the cars, I am looking at the paint to see in what condition its in. I guess occupational hazard :lol: . Most satisying is taken a car that has been keep in poor condition, doing a full paint correction on it and see the customers reaction when they see the difference.

What is the average annually income? Benefits?

-Hard for me to answer this one since my business has only been around a year. But when I was doing production detailing years ago it was around $50-60k working 50-60 hour weeks.

What is the work schedule? Is it a 9-5 or call your own hours?

-Tuesday, Thursday-Sunday 9-8

Hope this helps. I would imagine some of here who have had their business for a few years will be able to give more detailed answers.

**ziggo99** · 03-13-2010, 12:43 PM

Forgot one question: How many cars come through a day or week? And thanks Michael.

**PAR Detailing** · 03-13-2010, 05:30 PM

Jon Leidgen
PAR Detailing

What got you interested in the detailing business?

-My father owns a leasing company so I was filling a demand at first. Now I do anyone and everyones vehicles. It started out at a means to make money, but now it is a passion which happens to make me money

What are the responsibilities you have on a day to day basis?
-Not too much, It depends on how busy I am. I am a full time student and part time detailer. If I am busy then it is just keeping the garage clean and getting the vehicle done

Why do you offer so many different packages?
-I would like to appeal to the various customers out there. Right now I do everything from minivans to mercedes so I want to accomodate my customer

What is the most satisfying part of the job? The least satisfying?
-Most satisfying is either looking at the finished product and knowing you made a major change, Seeing the WOWed customers reaction, or the paycheck.
-Least in my opinion is would have to be cleaning up the garage after a long day of work or emptying the vacuum

What is the average annually income? Benefits?
-Right now not a ton since I am part time and probably will always stay that way. Annually probably around 7-10K

What is the work schedule? Is it a 9-5 or call your own hours?
-Its my company and I am the only employee so I work whenever I want and when it works for the customer.

**JonMiles** · 03-13-2010, 08:06 PM

Jon Miles
Detailing Excellence

What got you interested in the detailing business?

I have always had a need to keep my own cars clean, and learned how to detail them the right way. When my friends and parents' friends started seeing how shiny and flawless my paint was they started offering to pay for me to work on their cars. Down the road the people i started with told all their friends about me and I figured this would be a good way to make money on my time and at my convenience. Being a full time student, I can make my own hours and make a good handful of cash on the side.

What are the responsibilities you have on a day to day basis?

My only real responsibility is to check my email and answer my phone in case somebody wants their car worked on. As long as I don't spend too much time at the bar before an 8am appointment with someone its all good.

Why do you offer so many different packages?

Most people only want one thing or another to be done for their car. One car may be a brand new mercedes with swirls that need removing so I offer paint correction. Another may be a show car that has flawless paint, but the interior is a little messy from driving to shows, so I offer a full interior. Others are DD's and need the works, so I offer full detailing. Basically the customer makes the package, I just offer my advice and make a price.

What is the most satisfying part of the job? The least satisfying?

Most satisfying, taking a POS and turning it into something better than new even if it take 3 days and more buffing than any person should ever have to do. The least satisfying, rainy days can screw up everything. And in Florida, the summer kills my business.

What is the average annually income? Benefits?

Avg annual income is about 30k, and that working less than 20 hrs a week.

What is the work schedule? Is it a 9-5 or call your own hours?

whenever I want

**ziggo99** · 03-14-2010, 07:58 PM

If I could get one more, since we have to have four different sources, that would be fantastic, maybe from someone who's owned their business for a few years?