Different ways to offer your services

When a customer contacts a detailer, it is important to know you business. Know your prices and why you charge them. It helps if there is a system you can use to determine what best suits the wishes of the customer and a package that fits their needs.

Different types of services

As a detailer you won’t always get asked for the same job. A customer can ask you to only clean his wheels, or to just wash and wax the car. Different services can be done, and these differences can be used to make packages. You can combine these services in ready-to-pick packages, but you can also offer each service on its own and let the customer make their own package. Having packages to choose from makes it easier for the customer, meaning they have to do less work. And making it as easy as possible for the customer is usually a good thing.

Different services to offer

There are many different ways to offer your service. But in most cases the difference is mostly at what group it is targeted. Are you offering simple packages for anybody? Or are you offering high-end services for those with deep pockets? Both have their advantages and disadvantages. And example of 2 different types of packages are below.

The commercial package

This package is more aimed at all sorts of customers. From the housewife who wants a clean car to the car-club members who want there car to look like new. This type of package has something that suits all types of customers and packages can easily combined.

• Wash and wax
  An entry level service. Just a quick wash and either a wax or a layer of QD
• Wash and decon
  A bit more then just washing. It will include claying and a finishing polish to remove any marring
• Wash and correct
  A wash, full decon and a 2 stage polish to remove most surface imperfections
• Wheels on + arches
  Cleaning the wheels as good as you can, decon, quick spray sealant and a good clean of the arches
• Wheels off + arches
  Taking the wheels off and giving the whole area + the wheels a full decon and a proper coat of protection
• Engine bay clean
  A good clean of the engine bay and plastic treated with dressing
• Glass polish and coating
  Giving all the windows a quick polish to remove any contamination and then applying a ceramic glass coating
• The full monty
  All the works. Perfecting the car from top to bottom, finishing it off with the best product you have
• Hoover and wipe
  Giving the interior just a hoover and a wipe to clean the most superficial dirt and dust
• Wetvac and wipe
  Deepcleaning the seats, roof and floor. Cleaning the fabric in the trunk and giving the dashboard a proper complete clean and clean the windows

The detailer package

This package would be more aimed at those who want their car detailed. Notice how there is no offer for a wash and wax, or other small packages. You can basically choose between getting an average detail done, a good detail done or an extensive detail done.

• Bronze pack
  Giving the car a wash, clay, decon, lights polish, wipe down and protection with a wax or sealant. The wheels and arches are cleaned, decontaminated and treated with a wax or sealant.
• Silver pack
  The car is given the same treatment as the bronze pack, but with more polishing, a better protective product and you can add something like the engine bay, or giving the interior a good clean.
• Gold pack
  The same as the silver pack, but with yet more steps, better products and possibly a few more jobs, like cleaning the underside, polishing headlights, applying glass sealant, etc.
• Silver interior pack
  Only to be combined with another package. Giving the interior a good clean, cleaning the windows, vacuum the inside etc.
• Gold interior pack
  Can be combined with another package, but can also be chosen as single package. Giving the interior a full clean with a wet vac, cleaning the carpets with a tornador, cleaning the windows, applying an air freshener etc.

There are several packages that can be chosen. The difference will be the market you aim at. Do you want to attract all types of customers? Or do you want to attract those who really want their vehicle spotless.

The difference in target groups

In essence there are 2 ways of defining your customers.

1. Those who are really searching for a detailer and want their car spotless
2. Those who are just looking for somebody to give their car a quick wash

The main difference (apart from how they look at your work) is the business end. People who are just looking for somebody to wash their car are easy to find. They are everywhere, you just need to give them a reason to come to you instead of doing it themselves. The downside is that these people don’t want to spent money on it. They just want their car clean without breaking a sweat (and without paying more then they like).
The other group of people are harder to find. The people who are looking for a professional detailer are willing to pay money, but will also need more convincing. They are about to spent good money for somebody who will do an amazing job, they are very critical on who they allow to touch their car. These people are less easy to find but will pay good money for good work. These are more likely to be the car-enthusiasts, oldtimer-owners, carclub-members and people who see a car as a status symbol.

Combining both groups

It is very difficult to combine both groups. One group is more of an exclusive market. People like how they are confronted with a company that shows class, luxury, exclusivity and style. The other group is just looking for somebody with a bucket and a sponge, and are not interested in a fancy website, professional approach and high prices.
Both groups are looking for something different. If somebody who is willing to pay very good money visits a dirty and messy workshop, where some guy in rough work clothes is polishing away on a second hand that looks like its third hand. They might be put off. This is not the appearance of quality they expected to find. Even though the detailer might still be one of the best.
If somebody who just wants a quick wash and wax visits a clean and tidy workshop that looks very expensive, with clean people working an expensive cars, they might be put off. They might assume that this high-end business is more then they can afford.

In both situations the quality of work from the detailer doesn’t even come into play.

Combining both markets is difficult. Most companies that try to cater for both parties will end having just a small group of the people who fall in between these groups.

Never forget

Never forget that it is better to overdeliver, then to overpromise. A customer who is expecting a little bit and gets a lot will be much happier then a customer who gets what they expect.