Mobile detailing

Have a phone that you answer, or has voicemail, and return calls every day.
Have an email address that you check and return emails every day.
Make a schedule and stick to it.

Oh, and don't swirl my paint then cover it with wax so I don't find out for a few days.

 

Also (as someone who has run a service business more than once) this sadly took me a long time to learn:

Make a commitment now to always doing your best work. Even if the money isn't there on your first jobs, that's the way that one day it will be.

 

Attention to detail.....

In other words, know how to get into an exotic without rubbing the bolsters. Don't have any objects on your body that could cause inadvertent damage to the vehicle. Explain exactly what you are going to do and why. This shows that you have thought through your process and are comfortable with the steps you are taking.

 

Be a perfectionist. If you don't settle for "good enough," you will impress your clients and earn repeat business and referrals.

 

You need to figure out whether you are going to serve the masses and do as many cars at a reasonably price or are you going to be develop a reputation for doing great quality work and charge for it.

I would rather have somebody that does quality work and pay a little more for it.

 

Have you looked into how many vehicles are your target market within your area of service. I'm guessing your want to only work on Ferrari, and Lambo. Maybe Porsche too? I think every mobile detailer aspires to only work on top end cars, but that comes with experience. Cut your teeth on owners' daily drivers, and slowly work your way to their exotic. whats your plan to get owners to switch from their current service provider?


Something to keep in mind....
I do custom garages, and closets. I make more money from a $4000 job, than I do from a $60k job. Sure the $60k job looks good on my portfolio, and I'll win an award, but the $4k job is easy, quick, and the customer is thrilled. When someone buys a garage from me, I give them a car detailing gift certificate from a very reputable mobile car detailer here in Toronto. The hope is that the customer ends up using their services, so he gets a long term client. I do it as a thank you for spending 20-30k. I'm not sure why, but people dont claim it often, and sometimes they dont want to switch from their current detailer.


One podcast I listen to is the "mobile detail podcast" Its interesting to listen to when walking the dogs, or at the gym. I enjoy keeping up to date on the detail business, and can often steal ideas for my own line of work.

To answer your question though on what annoys me on car detailing ( I dont have exotics) I always happen to see the one spot not detailed properly..... Under the front bumper, inside the area where the convertible top folds up. Top of wheel wells. Inside rear cup holders. I always seem to stumble upon these areas by coincidence too. For instance, I drop my keys at the front of car. I bend over, and see the lower bumper isnt cleaned proper. Or my dogs flip the rear cup holder down by mistake, and when I'm flipping it up I see its got dog hair in it..... I know I'm a perfectionist... But I want a detailer to blow me away, and say they cleaned an obscure part of the car I wouldn't normally see Wow me....

In the mobile detailing podcast the host does say to ask your potential customers what their pain points are on their cars / current detailers and to focus on that. ( I do it with my closet customers. Its basic NLP)


I love watching Ammo NYC. I actually want to go to NYC and shadow him for a couple days. Not to start a business, but just to enlighten me on how to take care of my cars.

Shaun.

 

I would wear a felt apron..
and cover fenders and roof with microfibre fenderliners
keep a feather duster and supply one to the owner as a gift.

Show you care about the paint more , much more than the owner does.

 

I let them detail my DD F-150 first with the garage door open so they can see my other cars. One is a black beauty and I am not letting any amateurs near that Jag.

I have not found anyone in my area that can do a good enough job on my truck to let them near my other cars.

They have:
Left sticky residue on the dash that I knew would come off with the proper solvent.
Complained about the heat. (This is Florida BTW!)
Missed/cancelled appointments.
Failed to clean some areas at all. (My truck bed and low areas as was mentioned.)
Left water spots on the glass.
Left an "air freshener pod" under my drivers seat without asking me, big sucker too!

I did detailing in college way back before it was even called detailing and have taken care of my own cars all my life, so I know what can be done.

Now, I am looking for someone who will take the same care that I do with my cars. Using a DA buffer for a few hours makes my older hands numb!

Promise little and deliver a lot. Exceed expectations. Be on time. Answer your phone or at least return calls quickly. Do not upcharge!

And please, don't be condescending, some of us know a thing or two about how to properly detail a car.

That is about all, I gotta go clay a fender or two!
Alden

 

^^This.

You're dream come true will be in the future, when your current customers tell their friends "oh him?", "I've used him for a long time, he has always been the best"

 

All great points. We've had monthly mobile clients for the past 6-7 years since going into business (80% of our work is at the shop and 20% mobile) and they all say the 2 top things (1 is higher on the list to some than the other) is the attention to detail and customer service.

I've always run my business worrying about doing as perfect a job as possible while still making money to stay in business, rather than worrying about making more money, especially with exotics. This attitude has worked really well for me and my business and I think it's definitely a good foundation with which you can start.

 

It bothers me on the SL500 that the ribs on the air intakes are still dirty. Same with the coolant overflow on the left side. The engine cover doesnt look clean either. I can see that it is when you compare to the before pic, but its not glossy as I personally like to see.

Just my thought.

 

Deepak -

Look no further than this for the engine compartment....

Sonus Trim & Motor Kote, acrylic protectant, black plastic protectant, engine dressing