A few tips on starting a part-time detailing business

[beamerstrumpet]

Production Detailing would be very basic as that's all you have time to do for the money you charge,

Outside
Wash and dry car
Clay paint
One-step cleaner wax
Clean glass
Dress tires


Inside
Vacuum interior
Use a one-step cleaner/conditioner on vinyl and/or leather surfaces
Clean glass
Use a deodorizer or fragrance to impart a fresh clean scent


The above is pretty basic but depending upon what you're charging it's at least a good starting point.

You can do more and better work like cleaning the dash with a dedicated cleaner and then dressing with a dedicated conditioner/protectant, but somewhere you need to make time and cover costs.


Good question...

ONce again, sorry for digging up an old thread. I must have been reading a different one earlier but found this. in your other thread you stated:
Process
Step 1: Machine polish all exterior glass to remove road film and water spots.
Step 2: Clean and dress tires.
Step 3: Wipe vinyl top down and apply dressing.
Step 4: Wipe paint clean using clay lube.
Step 5: Clay paint.
Step 6: Clean, polish and protect paint using a one-step, cleaner/wax applied by machine.
Step 7: Machine clean and polish chrome at end of paint polishing process using same pad and one-step cleaner/wax.
Step 8: Wipe down door, hood and trunk jambs with a little cleaner/wax on a microfiber towel.
Done.

My question is this. In step 5, you have clay. I am wondering if using the Megs Deep Crystal step one cleaner does the same thing as clay? I used this on my car with a black Buff and shine pad and it actullay had some correction properitites. So by using this, and then using an AIO, woulldn't this would give max effect for roughly the same amount of time, or less since the cleaner is machine applied and not my rubbing clay by hand?

For someone who wants in and out windows, Ill be honest and say no matter what I have used I always find streaks or haze on the windows a day later. To prevent this I have always waxed the inside of my front and rear windows for max clearity w/out streaks. I tried the use one MF to apply and One to remove and still had troubble.
I was not using window waffel weave. I will be buying some more of this type and hope for better results with the all window or clear glass cleaners.

Thanks in advance.

[beamerstrumpet]

[Mackertdaddy]

At one point I thought I remembered seeing a .pdf that had an example for a detailing buisness contract with a diagram of the car parts for marking scratches etc before starting the detailing. It also had example prices for example packages. Anyeone know where i could find this?

[MEGAdetail]

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...t.php?p=833787

Mike Phillips VIF? This what your talking about

[Love's Auto]

When a customer comes to our shop I first greet them, then I ask them what are their concerns with their car. I sit back and allow the customer to go over what exactly bothers them and what steps it will take to have the job done right. It's hit or miss but in most cases I stress the importance of protecting the paint because that is the money maker and the most enjoyable part of the vehicle to work on. I bring things to the customers attention, fallout, swirls, overspray whatever I can clearly see before I wash the vehicle. I let the customer know I will inspect the vehicle better after it's clean and I will call them with the results. Up selling is easy. Either they care about their vehicle or they don't. I upsell $1200 jobs at least twice a week and our shop is in a industrial area and we receive 90% of our customers through word of month and the rest from websites like Yelp. Also, watch every video you can possibly find that Mike has made. The way he explains things so clearly will make it easy to up sell. There is nothing better then having a customer believe in you 100% and willing to pay you what you are worth to have the job done correctly. I hope this helps.

[wdmaccord]

I clean them out!

Seriously though, I put all change and moneys I find in a zip lock bag and place the bag back in the cupholder after cleaning. If there is a lot of clutter that is not trash, I put them in a size appropriate shopping bag and put it on the passenger side floor board.

Same here! I put everything from say the center console in one bag, if they have a change holder, I put all the change in another bag. Then I leave the bags in the passenger seat. I tell them it gives them the opportunity to re-organize how they want to...or get rid of some of the stuff too. Better than me just throwing it back in there.

[attaboydetail]

Have done most all of what you said in the post.... however having difficulty with marketing. I'm not very skilled in that area. Can anyway give me tips on the most effective/cost-effective ways to advertise? I know that SEO for the website can take time, and that's partially why I'm on this site.

-Rich Castleberry
Attaboy Mobile Detailing
Attaboy Detailing- Servicing South Florida- Palm Beach County, Broward County

[Mike Phillips]

ONce again, sorry for digging up an old thread. I must have been reading a different one earlier but found this. in your other thread you stated:
Process
Step 1: Machine polish all exterior glass to remove road film and water spots.
Step 2: Clean and dress tires.
Step 3: Wipe vinyl top down and apply dressing.
Step 4: Wipe paint clean using clay lube.
Step 5: Clay paint.
Step 6: Clean, polish and protect paint using a one-step, cleaner/wax applied by machine.
Step 7: Machine clean and polish chrome at end of paint polishing process using same pad and one-step cleaner/wax.
Step 8: Wipe down door, hood and trunk jambs with a little cleaner/wax on a microfiber towel.
Done.

My question is this. In step 5, you have clay. I am wondering if using the Megs Deep Crystal step one cleaner does the same thing as clay? I used this on my car with a black Buff and shine pad and it actullay had some correction properitites. So by using this, and then using an AIO, woulldn't this would give max effect for roughly the same amount of time, or less since the cleaner is machine applied and not my rubbing clay by hand?

For someone who wants in and out windows, Ill be honest and say no matter what I have used I always find streaks or haze on the windows a day later. To prevent this I have always waxed the inside of my front and rear windows for max clearity w/out streaks. I tried the use one MF to apply and One to remove and still had troubble.
I was not using window waffel weave. I will be buying some more of this type and hope for better results with the all window or clear glass cleaners.

Thanks in advance.

At one point I thought I remembered seeing a .pdf that had an example for a detailing buisness contract with a diagram of the car parts for marking scratches etc before starting the detailing. It also had example prices for example packages. Anyeone know where i could find this?

Mike Phillips VIF or Vehicle Inspection Form - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

Mike Phillips VIF? This what your talking about

When a customer comes to our shop I first greet them, then I ask them what are their concerns with their car. I sit back and allow the customer to go over what exactly bothers them and what steps it will take to have the job done right. It's hit or miss but in most cases I stress the importance of protecting the paint because that is the money maker and the most enjoyable part of the vehicle to work on. I bring things to the customers attention, fallout, swirls, overspray whatever I can clearly see before I wash the vehicle. I let the customer know I will inspect the vehicle better after it's clean and I will call them with the results. Up selling is easy. Either they care about their vehicle or they don't. I upsell $1200 jobs at least twice a week and our shop is in a industrial area and we receive 90% of our customers through word of month and the rest from websites like Yelp. Also, watch every video you can possibly find that Mike has made. The way he explains things so clearly will make it easy to up sell. There is nothing better then having a customer believe in you 100% and willing to pay you what you are worth to have the job done correctly. I hope this helps.

Same here! I put everything from say the center console in one bag, if they have a change holder, I put all the change in another bag. Then I leave the bags in the passenger seat. I tell them it gives them the opportunity to re-organize how they want to...or get rid of some of the stuff too. Better than me just throwing it back in there.

Have done most all of what you said in the post.... however having difficulty with marketing. I'm not very skilled in that area. Can anyway give me tips on the most effective/cost-effective ways to advertise? I know that SEO for the website can take time, and that's partially why I'm on this site.

-Rich Castleberry
Attaboy Mobile Detailing
Attaboy Detailing- Servicing South Florida- Palm Beach County, Broward County

Ding dang... just found all these follow-up posts...

Can't get to them today but will try this week. Too much behind the scenes stuff going on right now...

Won't forget though... I promise...

[Toxix]

As everyone said, great post Mike.

This is quite a game changer for me and will definitely be a bit difficult to change the "Show car mindset"

Time to change it up come Spring.

[Mike Phillips]

As everyone said, great post Mike.

Thank you. Like I point out in the first post, I see people getting into car detailing and trying to do "show car detailing" for every customer they get when all the customer wants is,

Shiny paint
Black tires
Clear glass

This is quite a game changer for me and will definitely be a bit difficult to change the "Show car mindset"

Time to change it up come Spring.

It's all about finding balance....