This might be the toughest decision an auto detailer makes. Price yourself low and you’ll be busy…but will you make money? Set your prices high, and you’ll make a healthy profit on each car, but just how many cars will you service?

We asked 47 detailers for quotes.

Review responses in this table.

Businesses we found on Google and Yelp in major cities across the USA were sent this email:

Subject:
“Full detail Saturn 4 door”

Body:
I’m selling my car and need a quote on getting my car detailed inside
and out but not the engine.

The interior is a little gross from my kids and the paint is scuffed
up a bit in some spots. What do you think this would cost and how
long would it take?

Erica

The email included these pictures:

Average quote: $215

Highest quote received: $399.
Lowest: $100.

Average time of service: 4.1 hours.

Longest estimate: 7 hours.
Shortest: 2 hours.

Average response time: 86 minutes

Longest time to respond: 10 hours.
Shortest: 10 minutes.

56% of shops didn’t respond at all.

This was alarming. We were expecting roughly a 25% non-response rate. Good news for the “good shops”: half your competitors are lazy.

What it means to you: 2 lessons.

Price matters: don’t be the high bid, and don’t be the low bid.
Imagine yourself as Erica. Your car might be worth $5000. A bid of $399 is not appropriate relative to the value of her car. But with an average quote of $215, $100 is suspiciously low. And she would be right to question that quote: it can’t possibly be a thorough service. She’s going to choose the bids near the middle, read online reviews, and probably call 2 shops before you finalizes an appointment. A few times a year, check in on your competitors’ pricing to be sure you’re where the customers are: the “middle” of the market.

Respond to every email within 3 hours: no exceptions.
Let’s face it…a lot of emails are tire kickers. When I ran Ace Car Reconditioning, only 20-30% of them became customers. But not responding is unacceptable. And responding late–anything past 3 hours–says to the customer “you’re not important to us.” Think of the last time you needed a plumber, electrician, or accountant. Did you hire the late responder? Be sure that all emails reach your cell phone. Check every 2 hours. Every email gets a response, every time.

Robert Keppel
President
Applied colors

• All 3 fields blank = shop did not respond.
• Several shops offered a price quote, but no time estimate.

Data:

The dirtier the job...the bigger the profit.

There are great perks that come with running a detailing business.  You sometimes drive (well, maybe a few feet) the cars you daydreamed about in highschool:  Ferrari, Lamborghini, GT-R, etc.  Good fun.  But for every “cherry” project there’s just as many “dogs”:  flood damage, water leaks, mold, vomit, pet urine, fire damage, etc.  Your task isn’t to make the car beautiful…it’s to make the car USEABLE.

Dismantle…EVERYTHING.

To fix water damage permanently without worry of a “come back,” you must remove everything related to the leak.  The process:

1. Dismantle.  Work from top to bottom.  If the headliner is water logged…it comes out.  If door panels are water damaged…they come out too.  Trunk liner wet?  It comes out.  In almost every case you will be removing the seats and carpet.  If there’s mold…wear a respirator.
2. Dry.  Crack all windows about 4 inches.  Place two oscilating fans in side the car for around 12 hours.  Everything must be bone dry.
3. Track and seal the leak.  One tech in the car with a flashlight.  One outside with a water hose.  Look for drips and seal them with 3M sealant from an auto parts store.  Once the sealant is dry, test test test the repair with a hose or even a pressure washer.
4. Check for mold.  Treat with a mildewcide per directions.  We recommend Steri-Fab.
5. Shampoo and dry everything that got wet.  It helps to hang carpets and even seats so the water drips out.  Thoroughly vacuum the “edge” where gravity takes the water to.
6. Replace carpet padding.  Most jobs will involve wet, moldy padding.  Padding is cheap and can be bought and patched in from any carpet supply store.
7. Completely reassemble.  Check that EVERYTHING WORKS:  seat heaters, controls, window switches, and sunroof…because your customers will.

DOUBLE the money.

Why bother with long  ugly work?  Because you can DOUBLE your hourly rate.  If on average you’re charging $45 for detailing…charge $90 for water damage repair.  Most shops this work away.  In fact, you’re usually bidding against body shops and mechanics with big overhead, so you’re not in a scrap with that wholesale detail shop down the street.

Easier than it looks.

With some basic tools and some time, you can do these jobs right.  There’s nothing technically complicated about them.  One big tip:  schedule a lot of time for water damage repairs.  On average:  5 days.  A lot of time is spent waiting for seats and carpet to dry out.  The #1 thing that got me in trouble on my first water repairs was missing deadlines because the car wasn’t dry yet.

Have a look at water damage DONE RIGHT.

Headliner, door panels, carpet...all OUT.

Carpool Detail is a Richmond, VA water damage car specialist.  Be sure to look at their photos and note how thoroughly they dismantle their cars.

The dirtier the job…the more the profit.

Don’t run from the ugly work.  If you’re a pro, you’re in this to make a living, and you owe it to yourself to pursue maximum profit.

Know your costs.

Do your homework before running a "social coupon" deal.

Simply offering a deal without knowing exactly how much each coupon is going to cost you can hurt you BIG TIME. For example, a local detailer in my city offered up a coupon for a full detail + engine shampoo that they normally charge $184 for a discounted price of $35. 399 of the coupon were sold (399 x $35 = $13965) minus the cut the website takes (usually 50%) which would leave the detailer with $6982.50 or $17.50 per job. At my shop a proper full detail starts at about 4 hours average time per car. At 4 hours the shop would essentially be getting paid approximately $4.38 an hour assuming they are doing what the “deal” actually promised. Not exactly what I would consider much of a “deal” for that business owner considering minimum wage here is $10.25 + employment costs + overhead. KNOW YOUR COSTS before you negotiate any deal you might choose to offer.

Examine the fine print.

There is a lot more to offering a deal on one of these sites than simply the deal itself. You need to carefully consider what percentage of the sales go to the website as a commission first and foremost (Groupon is usually 50% for example). The term within which the deal can be used is equally important. You certainly wouldn’t want to burden yourself with a load of heavily discounted deals during your busiest season would you? Lastly, how and when you are paid should be understood when signing the deal. Sites will usually spread payment for all the deals sold over several payments up to 2 months from the time of the initial sale. Make sure you understand the ins and outs of all the terms of the deal BEFORE you commit to doing anything.

Consider the consequences.

Remember the good old days when all the automakers used to offer 0% financing on cars? Customers got used to those offers and it was extremely difficult for the automakers to break that expectation once it became obvious it was an unsustainable way of doing business. The same may be true if you use a discount or coupon to get people in the door. If the deal is too good, they may expect it all the time because they expect full value for the lower price. Selling too many of these deals can also strain your ability to handle the workload while still maintaining the level of quality and customer service you pride yourself on offering. Lastly, loyal and long-term customers may be offended that you now offer massive discounts that they have not been offered in the past. Take a look at both the potential short and long-term gains and losses before you decide whether this form of marketing is a good idea. Also take a look at how that strategy works with your long-term strategies.

These deal sites have been getting a lot of press but that doesn’t mean it’s right for your business. If you are considering incorporating one of these deals into your marketing strategy, it may be helpful to talk to other businesses that have used it to get insights into what worked and what didn’t.

Author:  Scott Perkin
Owner:  Scotty’s Shine Shop in London, Ontario.

1.  Title must contain the SERVICES you provide and the CITY where your business is located.

There are hundreds of millions of websites on the Internet and many of them are competing against you every time a customer uses a search engine to look for ‘car  detailer’. What the customer sees in these search results is the title of your business website. This title is your first contact with potential customers who, according to this study, spend less than 15 seconds on average, browsing an entire page filled with dozens upon dozens of links before making a decision. With less than a few seconds of attention, your website title must immediately let potential customers know that your business is in or near their city and that you provide the services they are seeking.

2.  Not enough info about you, the owner. 

It doesn’t take a study to know that people relate to people. Your website may be filled with wonderful information, but if you don’t personalize your information with photos of you and your staff, your potential customers might move on to another site that does.  Create an “About Us” or “About Me” page that answers:  How long have you been in business?  How did you get into the business?  Have you won any awards?  What do you like most about your job?  What do you do when you’re not detailing?  Give your customers a little peek “behind the curtain.”  Yes, they want to like your work, but THEY ALSO WANT TO LIKE YOU.

3.  No specials or coupons.

A special or coupon can be that final little push that takes people down from “the fence”:  those customers that just can’t commit to actually booking an appointment. You don’t have to offer a Groupon-like 50% discount to give your visitor a little “nudge” either.  15 – 20% off, offering a free service (like a premium wax upgrade), offering a seasonal service at a discount (interior only detailing in the winter @ 15% off), or combining services (engine deal with premium wax) at a combined discount can work.  Expiration doesn’t have to be frequent.  You can change up your specials and coupons by the season.  So many automotive businesses do this very well:  tire service, brake service, oil/lube centers, transmission shops, etc.  You see their specials in the paper, on their street signs, and on their flyers…because they WORK.  But reconditioners, as a group, can improve on the tactic of strategic discounting. 

You can make these fixes…in an afternoon.

Take the time to gather and email pictures and bios of you and your employees to your web designer. Have him rewrite your title to: “[City] Auto Detailing by [Company Name]. Once a season, find a special that’s PERSUASIVE without being DESPERATE. These tweaks can make a tangible difference in the phone calls and emails your site generates.

1.  Ask the people you know and respect.

Good staff can make or break a detailing business.

You might be surprised how many decent leads you can get simply by asking the people you already know if they have anyone they know that might be interested in a job that they would recommend. I have found lots of hard working, long-term staff members this way.

2.  Hire people that are “trainable.”
I regret several hires that I found attractive because of their “experience.” Often, experience means “experience with the wrong way of doing things.” I’d rather invest in someone with a solid work ethic than one with an unknown work ethic with existing skills. It’s much easier to train a person that has a great attitude that is willing to learn than try and break someone with a bad attitude of his or her bad habits. I personally rarely ever hire “experienced detailers.” I could be missing out on a gem, but when I get an application from an experienced detailer who claims to be great with customers, work like a horse, and have impeccable attention to detail, I have to wonder:  ”why doesn’t he own his own shop?”

3.  Put some time and thought into your “help wanted” ads.
Include all the info the person applying will need and clearly state your expectations. You can weed out a lot of unwanted candidates simply by making specific requests in your ad such as “please reply via e-mail to XXXXXX@jobs.com” and to include work references. We also ask that applicants do not call us – we will contact them after we review their resume. You will be surprised how many people will not follow the simple instructions we give. If you can’t make sure you are doing this when applying, what kind of employee will you make?

4.  Ask applicants to send a resume with references in word or pdf format.
If they won’t readily give you work references, they probably aren’t the person you want to work with. Take the time to check the references they give you. You may expect to hear good things from the reference but they will most likely be honest and forthright with you about their experiences with the recommendation.

5.  Put rules and expectations on paper.
I usually have applicants come by for an informal chat or interview and go over what the job entails, our expectations and a basic overview of our organization. If I decide to give the person a shot I immediately e-mail them a copy of our employee manual and all relevant company policies and have them sign off that they have read and understand all the information and agree to abide by the policies contained within it. This serves 2 purposes – it lets the employee know right from the get go exactly what is expected of them and in the event something goes wrong gives you written confirmation that the employee knew on hiring what the policies are. Have a written manual and make a point of enforcing the policies it contains. Having a uniform policy of enforcement cuts down on employee problems.

6.  Probation.
All employees are probationary for the first 90 days. This allows you to observe and train the employee to do the job. Some people just aren’t cut out for detailing and you will quickly find that despite their best efforts they just aren’t capable of doing the job. Conversely, some really excellent detailers are so cumbersome to deal with as employees that you just shouldn’t keep them around. Use this time to familiarize yourself with an employee’s work habits and if necessary, terminate employment for staff that are sub par within the probationary period.

7.  Hire when it’s slow.
Don’t wait to hire staff until you need them. If you know when your busy seasons are then prepare for it and start looking at least a month before you will need someone so you don’t get caught and end up having to take the first person that applies. Once you get your staff in place keep a file of people that have applied and make sure you keep it up to date in case you need someone on short notice. The worst thing that can happen is the sudden loss of a staff member and not being able to replace them or even worse replacing them with someone that is unsuitable.

My help wanted ad:

Auto Detailer

You’re serious about your career, and rest assured you’ve come to the right place. At Scotty’s Shine Shop you’ll find the opportunities, resources, and support you need to grow and develop professionally. Our organization is concerned with more than just making money; we’re committed to your success and invested in your future. So read on, and consider a rewarding career with Scotty’s Shine Shop.

Automotive Detailer/Auto Detailer

The Automotive Detailer cleans and refurbishes new and used automobiles.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Wash vehicle exterior, using cleaning solution, water, cloths, and brushes.
• Apply wax to auto body and wipe or buff surface to protect surface and preserve shine, using cloth or buffing machine.
• Vacuum interior of vehicles to remove loose dirt and debris, using vacuum cleaner.
• Clean upholstery, rugs, and other surfaces, using cleaning agents, applicators, and cleaning devices.
• Apply revitalizers and preservation agents to vinyl or leather surfaces and treat fabrics with spot and stain resistant chemicals to preserve and protect interior components.
• Clean engine and engine compartment with steam-cleaning equipment and various cleaning agents to remove grease and grime.
• Apply special-purpose cleaners to remove foreign materials which normal cleaning procedures do not remove, utilizing experience and judgment and following recommendations of the product’s manufacturer.
• Paint engine components and related parts, using spray gun or aerosol can and masking materials.
• Apply paint to chipped body surfaces of vehicles, using touch-up paint.
• Apply dyes and reconditioning chemicals to vinyl tops of vehicles to restore color and condition.
• Must follow all company safety policies and procedures and immediately report any and all accidents to a manager or supervisor.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma preferred.
• All applicants must be authorized to work in Canada
• All applicants must perform duties and responsibilities in a safe manner.
• All applicants must have a valid Ontario drivers license.

Positions available for Full & Part Time work. Starting pay is $10.25 p/hr to start.
Please send resume to jobs@shineshop.ca INCLUDING WORK REFERENCES for consideration. No phone calls please.

Conclusion:  Is hiring as important as choosing a wife?

You spend more time with your employees than with your wife.  Be thorough, be deliberate, and don’t commit long term until you’ve found a good fit.

Author:  Scott Perkin
Owner:  Scotty’s Shine Shop in London, Ontario.

1. Wholesale car auction:

Some detailing jobs are doomed.

I received a call from the manager of a local auction requesting that we begin reconditioning wholesale cars for them ASAP as they had heard good things about us from a mutual business contact. I met with the manager and from the get go it was obvious we were on a completely different page about pricing and turnaround time. He claimed he had 100 cars a month for us but these cars were in poor condition. He requested our best effort but understood the cars wouldn’t get the treatment that our retail customers received. His budget and expectations did not intersect. Add to that a 30-60 day wait for payment, and this was a big fish I tossed back into the sea.

2. “Here’s my budget. Do the best you can.”

I had a very sweet older woman stop in the shop and inquire about our services for her badly neglected Ford Focus. After having a look together at her car and suggesting either a full interior shampoo or full detail due to the amount of time it would require to properly detail the car she asserted that she didn’t want to spend any money and this was merely a “treat” for her car as she hadn’t cleaned it in 5 years. Looking at our services list she picked our cheapest service and exclaimed “I’ll take that one”. The service she was requesting included nowhere near the amount of time it would require to even give her interior a proper vacuum and wipe down let alone leaving time for the car wash + windows included. This scenario is a no win situation. You either do a great job and “eat” the significant extra time and effort free of charge or try and whip through the job within the time constraint of what she is willing to pay and try and make it presentable. I know from experience that never works because despite a customer’s assurance of “do the best you can for X dollars and I’ll be happy” they rarely are and were the #1 source of complaints for me early on at my business when we would try and do what the customer wanted. I will usually either offer the correct service and if they don’t want it or can afford it refer them to the local drive through car wash that will tackle jobs like that cheap and avoid the headaches for myself. Bottom line: two adults rarely agree on the concept of “best effort.”

3. “No experience necessary”:

I have at times been asked to do jobs that I really didn’t have the experience or training to properly handle. In these cases you “might” be able to turn out an acceptable result but most likely will spend an unacceptable amount of time for what you are being paid. Worse yet, you can damage your reputation by failing on an overly ambitious project. Customers will respect that you won’t tackle something you aren’t equipped or trained to handle and if the opportunity continues to present itself you can take the time to get training and proper equipment to ensure a satisfactory result. To illustrate this, we recently had to completely wet sand and polish a Maserati that had been improperly sanded by a body shop. The customer was furious and the body shop is now having their reputation tarnished all over the city every time that customer speaks of his experience with them. Lesson to be learned is don’t tackle jobs you shouldn’t be doing.

Declining a job opportunity is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a continuation of an opportunity for an ongoing relationship. Use your refusal as a chance to describe what kind of work is a better fit, and be willing to make a reference to someone in your network who can fulfill their needs and return the referral in the future. Such a discussion might sound something like this, delivered via a phone call, e-mail or in a face-to-face meeting:

“I’m sorry, but it looks like this job won’t be a good fit for us at this time. Let me refer you to another vendor (or two) that is in a better position to handle this (or has more expertise) and would be able to help you out with it.”

There is a subtle art to delivering these words, especially in the midst of any critical negotiation with a new or long-term client. Be sincere, and remember that this will not be the last opportunity you will receive if your conversation goes well.

Author:  Scott Perkin
Owner:  Scotty’s Shine Shop in London, Ontario.

These are stereotypes of reconditioners, and things customers ASSUME ABOUT YOU until you gain their trust.  But you can build REAL trust and credibility with prospects if you pay attention to a few details. Read on…

Building trust and credibility as a reconditioner.  3 Tips:

Uniforms convey professionalism and build trust in strangers.

1. Add RECOGNIZABLE images to your website and business card.

These include:

1.  International Detailing Association Logo
2.  NAPDRT Logo
3.  Local Chamber of Commerce Logo
4.  Autopia Logo
5.   Brands you use:  (think Meguiars)

Remember, that the goal is to appear TRUSTWORTHY at a GLANCE; nothing achieves this in an INSTANT like associating yourself with a trusted image.  something that is trusted.

2. Add your photo to your business card and website.

Every study confirms it:  photos build trust.  You’re asking a STRANGER to trust you with an appliance that sometimes exceeds $50,000 in value…wouldn’t YOU want to see YOUR face?  Women in particular are responsive to photos.  Nothing makes a personal connection quicker than a photo where you’re first discovered (website, business card, or brochure).  Get over your vanity and add a headshot to all of your marketing material.

3. Uniforms and signage.

Always, always wear a uniform the first time you meet a customer.  Could be a shirt.  Could be a hat.  Must be clean.  Must be tucked in.  When you walk toward their home, their office, or their driveway, you have to look like a PROFESSIONAL.

1.  Speak slowly, clearly, and confidently.

How to estimate a car you CAN'T SEE?

Believe in yourself and the product/service you are selling. Customers can sense whether or not you are coming across as having their interest at heart. Showing your confidence in your product will reflect in your conversation. Knowing your product or service inside out and being able to communicate what differentiates it from your competition is key. Practice in the mirror selling a potential customer on the key aspects of your company vs. the competition. Have a basic script ready for when you answer the phone and stick to it. For example: “Thank you for calling ABC Detailing, Scott speaking – How can I help you?” Speak slow and clearly. Call your competitors and listen to how they answer their phone with how you as a customer would think of the person you are speaking with. Use the best of what you hear and avoid the mistakes you encounter.

2.  Control the conversation.

Customers can ramble. You don’t have the time for this, so ask questions that give you control. Here’s two that get the conversation on track:

1. “What size car”?  This reveals how much “real estate” you’re working with: an Expedition is 2.5 times the size of an S2000.

2. Why are you needing a detail? CRITICAL. No one details a clean car. You want to get to the bottom line as to why they’re paying $200+: pet hair, paint swirls, overspray, waterspots, odor, carpet stains, car for sale, etc. Knowing this information will allow you to more accurately sell your customer what they actually need as opposed to letting them steer the conversation to just acquiring prices about different packages that may or may not address their specific needs. ASK QUESTIONS!

3.  Offer appointment times.

After the customer gets the information they need, let them know what’s available this week: “we have this afternoon, all of Tuesday, all of Thursday, and Friday morning available.” You’ll often name the exact time/day they were hoping for and they’ll book the appointment…without calling the next competitor on their “call list.” Spending some time in advance will easily increase the amount of sales you will make on the phone.

Be prepared!

A great example of these tips working well happened when I had a customer call regarding shampooing the interior of her SUV. She called requesting a price but it wasn’t until after I asked some relevant questions that she admitted that she had spilled a large quantity of chili in her cargo area. Getting that information allowed me to know what I was up against and “sell her” on the quality of our service without just throwing out a price on a job I couldn’t accurately price until I saw it in person. She ended up coming down for an estimate in person and ultimately getting the job done because I asked questions, provided the correct information based on what I was told and quoted her based on what she needed as opposed to just giving a generic price.

Scott Perkin is the owner of Scotty’s Shine Shop in London, Ontario.
http://www.shineshop.ca

Determine the car detailing habits of automotive enthusiasts:

• Are they do-it-yourselfers or do they hire professionals?
• Frequency of detailing.
• Average price paid.
• Opinion of professional detailing services.
• Preferred services.
• And more.

Method:

Members of BMW message boards “E90Post” and “M5board.com” were invited to participate in a 15 question multiple-choice survey.  See:

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e39-m5-e52-z8-discussion/197719-survey-what-do-you-pay-car-detailing-2.html

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10864500#post10864500

Results: