"FULL SERVICE" DETAILING - What Does It Mean?

[smokun]

Whoever coined the term "full service" detailing screwed up... unless it also is intended to mean needless delay and inconvenience and a vast list of "oh no, we don't do that" stuff. Over the years, it has been redefined and updated, mostly by suppliers that have new stuff that isn't part of the vernacular.

Ask any five detailers what "full service" means, and you'll get a puzzled and delayed explanation; each one differing from the other. I read it once again in a magazine article written by a respected "expert", and decided to once again address the misnomer. How comprehensive do you need to be... and when is enough, truly enough?

Is there a better phrase to coin what a highly skilled detailer with a comprehensive set of skills and capabilities can offer? One of the issues that detailers are confronted with on a routine basis is projecting competence to potential customers who seek reassurance of performance and confidence that they're "at the right place".

Sorry, but I'm not looking for "experts" taking space to pontificate. SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER PLACE AND TIME, GUYS.

Instead, just passionate hands-on professionals who do this stuff day-in & day-out.. and have some suggestions that they've applied with great success.

Please STEP UP.

 

[Waxman]

I can come up with names if you want. The detailer is to the vehicle's appearance what the mechanic is to its operational characteristics.

Think of the services you get for your car:
1. Mechanical.
2. Autobody.
3. Appearance care, washing, polishing, detailing and cleaning.
4. Registration and Insurance.
5. Storage.
6. Customizing.

If we look to these other industry segments, maybe we can decide that way what to call a detail shop.

Some name deas:

1. Polishing Cleaning and Detailing Shop.
2. Car Maid Service.
3. Auto Butler (taken)
4. Car Concierge Center.
5. Olde Tyme Detailing and Carraige Care Centre.

To solve the "we don't do that here" statements, Our shop has a list of approved businesses who are our peers which we recommend for: window tinting, paintless dent repair, glass replacement/repair and vinyl/leather/fabric repair.

To further this idea of 'total service', I can recommend: a roofer, plumber., electrician, notary, real estate agent, lawyer (as long as you're not suing my S Corp), mortician, tire shop, mechanic, body shop, storage place, motorcycle mechanic, oil change place and massage therapist.

Most of these I listed I have memorized the phone number or it's in my Rolodex.

You want fries with that, Mr. Okun???

 

[mjc3333]

We have never used the word full service detail in the 20+ years of detailing.

With that said, every customer has a different idea of what they want and or expect from "detailing".

We use words like "Deluxe Interior" or "Deluxe Exterior". All customers new and old get a brochure that is written in detail (no pun intended) all of the services that are included in each package. If they want both the outside and the inside package done simultaneously we end up calling a "Preferred Package".

If something is not listed on the brochure, it is not done within the scope of the packages, i.e. wet sanding, headlight restoration, ozone application, etc.

I truly think that the general public will always have their own conception as to what the "full service" detail really means..........

 

[robert roman]

Although I am old, worn out and no longer a professional detailer, I still rub on paint occasionally so I believe this qualifies me to speak.

“Reconditioning” is a simple term. I believe it encompasses just about everything that is not “express detail.”

 

[Pro-Techt]

Excellent article Steve Okun -
There's such a scattered mentality in the detailing industry. So many people are the "Jack" at so many ala carte facets, but never few are the "Master" of all. Every detailer thinks they do "High End" work, but barely any have the knowledge or clientele to fulfill this level of work. It's all how you try marketing yourself and under what venue you do it under. Hard to do high quality when your shop does Express or Dealership detailing. And the same goes for the opposite scenario. And let’s not get into the whole dichotomy of Reconditioning.....that's a drying breed these days. What I think every detailer/shop owner should strive for is educating yourself and your workers to as much of what is out there in the industry. And I'm not just talking about PDR, Windshield, Paint and Trim Repair. Every detailer/operator should have a good understanding of correct odor/mold removal, wet sanding, paint correction, interior cleaning to name a few. There are so many shops where the blind is leading the blind just for the almighty buck.

 

[robert roman]

“Hard to do high quality when your shop does Express or Dealership detailing.”

How can you make a blanket statement like this? There are many carwash operators and detailers who produce high quality express and wholesale work.

“And let’s not get into the whole dichotomy of Reconditioning.....that's a drying breed these days.”

There may be fewer detailers today capable and/or willing to do reconditioning work (not as in restoration of a collector car) but this does not mean the need for this level of service no longer exists.

“There are so many shops where the blind is leading the blind just for the almighty buck.”

The blind can lead the blind in detailing simply because it is so easy do so.

If I was a detailer today, I would welcome a competitive environment full of the “blind” because it would make it a lot easier to distinguish my business.

Conversely, I do not believe it is necessary for every small business operator to have a PhD in detailing to make a decent living wage.

For example, a mobile detailer that I have patronized occasionally pulls down over $50k a year. Although he is capable of a lot more, he only offers full-service wash, hand-wax, shampoo, a two-step exterior and paint sealant.

 

[Pro-Techt]

“Hard to do high quality when your shop does Express or Dealership detailing.”
How can you make a blanket statement like this? There are many carwash operators and detailers who produce high quality express and wholesale work.

Please re-read what I said…...I didn’t say it can’t be done. I said it’s “hard to do”. Coming from a high volume background and now catering to high end detailing, I have a good understanding of how a shop needs to be set up to produce both kinds of work. “High Quality” is in the eye of the beholder. You could be the biggest hack out there, all the time while making every one of for customers happy, but still not be offering “high quality” in a real world sense. High volume is all about minimizing touch times with maximum results within that time. When this is your mainline focus, it is “hard” or should I say counterproductive at times to cater to the longer, more hands on jobs. It can also be a logistical nightmare from a chemical product standpoint too. Your staff and your building layout would have to go from doing 1, maybe 2 high end jobs to say 3-5 volume jobs per person daily. It’s the difference between cutting corners and correcting, polishing and sealing them. This can be especially difficult when your shop is set up in an assembly line style rotation.

“And let’s not get into the whole dichotomy of Reconditioning.....that's a drying breed these days.”
There may be fewer detailers today capable and/or willing to do reconditioning work (not as in restoration of a collector car) but this does not mean the need for this level of service no longer exists.

Exactly, but in retrospect to say 20-30 years ago, it’s gone by the wayside with most shop’s focus. Cars back in the day in high volume shops cars got compounded with wool pads. Now it seems like they’re getting glazed.

 

[Pro-Techt]

“There are so many shops where the blind is leading the blind just for the almighty buck.”
The blind can lead the blind in detailing simply because it is so easy do so.

And especially with so many crappy bulk chemical companies servicing them. For example Auto Magic. Many people might think that their products are great and industry cutting edge. In reality, they are the cream of the crop of the bottom of the barrel and haven’t come out with a new worthwhile product in almost a decade. Same goes for Carbright too. All their dressings sling, their polishing compounds fill and they offer excessively overlapping choices between their lines. Hey, but the high volume and express shops love them! To each is own.

If I was a detailer today, I would welcome a competitive environment full of the “blind” because it would make it a lot easier to distinguish my business.

I totally agree. And I benefit from these hacks on a regular basis. When I sit down with a potential client that takes extreme pride in their vehicle and go over the differences of what I do to what another person does, it’s usually a home run sale unless they are only interested in price. And if they are, I usually filter them out early on and handle it accordingly. Case in point, I take car of the wife’s car of the owner of a very sucess

 

[Pro-Techt]

Conversely, I do not believe it is necessary for every small business operator to have a PhD in detailing to make a decent living wage.

Necessary…..NO. Helpful…..YES. Most operators (or even detailers for that matter) don’t know the difference between a wax and a polymer paint sealant. Most scratch their head in confusion when you tell them about a paint coating. And they also don’t know the difference between a water based and solvent based dressing and when/where each should be used. Oh, and the ones who have heard the term “filler” probably believe their products are all filler free. And then there’s leather and the how most think that it should be shiny after a detail. So, making them more knowledgeable only helps them and the industry move forward in a positive manner. It also makes people’s cars look better.

For example, a mobile detailer that I have patronized occasionally pulls down over $50k a year. Although he is capable of a lot more, he only offers full-service wash, hand-wax, shampoo, a two-step exterior and paint sealant.

Not to look down on this person because being a full time mobile detailer in Florida has it’s challenges, but if this person is considering doing this for the long haul, $50K per year in this region is a drop in the bucket and he’s setting himself short. Florida is the mecca of high end cars and high end clients. I’d be willing to bet that if this person did some research and got some pointers on growing his business, be could probably double his income rather quickly. It’s about working smarter, not harder.

 

[robert roman]

“It’s about working smarter, not harder.”

It certainly is.

Most people begin with a value proposition. For example, to clean and dress inside and outside, polish and wax.

If the business model is a one-person mobile operation, the trade area can be quite large.

Consider your “Mecca” of high-end cars like Miami or Orlando. Let’s assume the size and segment of these two markets support a price of $300 for a complete detail.

In Tampa, segment can support a price of $300 but size of market is much smaller as compared to Miami or Orlando. So, it makes more sense to target public need, lower price, where the size of market is greater (my mobile detailer example).

If the business model is store front, there will be a limit to how far customers will drive.

For example, let’s assume size and segment of market in Miami supports the cost to open and operate a small boutique shop that caters to $300 price.

In Tampa, the same shop is not commercially viable. What is the solution?

Design a shop that targets public need for $300 price (lower volume) as well as lower price (higher volume).

This isn’t hard to do. For example, Steve Okun would probably suggest using after-care design of flex-serve carwash.

Years ago, I advised a detail shop owner making transition from boutique.

His property is 10,800 SF, building 2,100 SF. Wash queue wraps around building, car washing and express are completed in front-yard, there are three service bays plus wash rack.

A busy day for this shop is gross $3,500, where as the boutique format would starve to death.

Of course, in Miami, you would make even more money.

 

[rph9168]

One of the best and most successful set ups I have seen was a operation in the suburbs of St Louis. The owner had purchased an old car dealership building and operated a high quality detail operation in one half and a body shop in the other half. When a vehicle came in he was able to steer it to the proper side. In other words sometimes when the condition was really rough he would recommend that the body shop do the work and in others he would refer it to the detail side. It was a very profitable operation. He did a lot of both dealership work as well as individual jobs.

A sidebar to this may have to do with location. He was so successful with this operation he opened up a similar shop on the other side of town. It failed miserably and I believe he eventually lost the original shop due to the financial burden the new one caused. I think this may show the importance of building your business around the needs of your potential customers in the area.

 

[Waxman]

RPH

That's the exact scenario I think about when people tell me I need another location. I'd rather maximize one spot (one property tax bill, elec./gas bill, insurace bill) and make it the best it can be.

 

[buda]

Full Service Detailing

For years "detaililng" meant a complete reconditioning of a used car to a "like new condition" as possible.

It was a service done for or by the auto dealer to get used cars ready for resale. Many auto dealers still refer to what is called detailing as "recon."

This was what detailing meant for years.

HOWEVER, this changed in the late 70's when the consumer demand for more appearance car services increased.

What the car wash industry, the major recepient of the consumer demand for "detailing" found out was that many customers did not need full reconditioning of the vehicle, they needed nothing more than a maintenance wax or maintenance carpet shampoo.

And, what was born was the term "express detaililng."

A confusing oxymoron.

How do you do something fast that typically takes up to 4 hours?

What became needed was a clarification of terms.

To clarify the difference between what was called "detailing" among auto dealers and those shops doing work for dealers and what the car wash industry was calling "express detaililng," new terms were coined.

The terms that were coined were:

Full Service RESTORATION Detailing Services - traditional detailing

Express MAINTENANCE Detailing Serviced - a maintenance wax or carpet shampoo.

Does not seem to be any confusion among those I know in the industry with these terms to differentiate between the two types of services.


Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS
buda@detailplus.com

 

[rph9168]

When I became involved the the industry back in 70's selling reconditioning supplies the term predominantly used was reconditioning. There were very few retail detail shops around. When a vehicle was reconditioned it often meant painting the engine, possibly the trunk and the vinyl top and trim. Replacing the rubber floors and trunk mat and normally doing some compounding and waxing as well. I sold a lot of engine, trunk and vinyl paint, rubber flooring and trunk mat material. Today none of that exists.

The original detail was a little like they used to do for reconditioning. The real change occurred when Blue Coral came out with their Hand Wax program in the middle 80's for car washes. We developed a product that could be applied on a wet surface and removed quickly so two employees could do it in less that 15 minutes. It was a big hit and made a significant increase in extra service sales for car washes.

This evolved into much like what we see today with quick waxes and interior work. I really think that many consumers are still a bit confused between the traditional and express detailing except that one costs more and takes more time than the other. I took one of my vehicles into a local hand wash/detail shop last month for a detail. I got a chuckle when the owner was trying to explain to a customer the difference between the two. I still don't think the customer understood the difference even after a good explanation by the owner.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Hell, detailers don't even agree on what the differences are, do they? I can imagine why a customer wouldn't understand. I know I don't know the difference between detailing, reconditioning, express, express plus, sealants, conditioners, wax, or whatever other fancy terminology is used in place of "wash and wax". All that being said, I don't give a rats a$$ either, so that may have something to do with it.

 

[buda]

Ron

That is why one must get a common language in our industry, I have no problem explaining it to customers when I use the terms:

RESTORATION for full service detailing, that is rebuilding the engine.

MAINTENANCE for express detailing, that is turning up th engine.

If the industry used those common terms there would be no confusion.

Of course the professional detailer does not even have to consider the phrase express maintenance detailing because they operate a full service detail business.

Express services are unique to a high volume car wash.


Regards
Bud Abraham

 

[smokun]

Confounding Translation = Miscommunication

If a term used within the automotive community for decades is borrowed and used by a sub-set niche of that same community, the risk of misunderstanding renders the usage confounded and ineffectual.

Such is the case with RESTORATION. While the dictionary definition seems to fit into the carwash component understanding, it is in conflict with another more established component; collector and classic car enthusiasts.

Restoration has long been recognized by automobile collectors and classic car buffs as meaning a level of restoration on a collector or show car, that being the process of rebuilding or returning a vehicle to its original condition with authenticity through cataloging and VIN number uniformity. It is actually one of the qualifiers when being judged in a Concours d'Elegance. A "ground-up restoration" refers to taking a vehicle completely apart for cleaning, refinishing, etc.;basically rebuilding or taking a car apart and putting back together again as it once was at original completion and sale.

Many restoration artisans balk at the detailing reference because the term is contradictory; an oxymoron.

At most, commercial (and to a lesser extent, enthusiast) detailing tasks seek to render their goal as REJUVENATION, the process of "making young again" or renew. I suggest that you augment that terminology into the detailing vernacular because it doesn't seem to be in conflict within the commercial or enthusiast community. Once again, I suggest that everyone makes REJUVENATION a term in the detailing lexicon.

Hope this well-intended suggestion helps clean up the language!

All The Best...

 

[robert roman]

Yes, restoration best fits Okun’s description as in antique, classic and collector vehicles, always has.

Recondition is still suited to describe the process of returning the new-car look and smell to a used vehicle (for sale or owned and operated).

Lost art or not, there is pent-up and growing demand for reconditioning because more people are keeping their vehicles longer.

There is also more demand for the elements in reconditioning, commonly referred today as exterior and interior detail.

Is restoration and reconditioning equivalent? Is “complete” detail and reconditioning equivalent? I don’t believe they are.

So, it seems making the distinction between detail, reconditioning and restoration would help reduce confusion.

“Express” in detail is simply time as in 15-minute oil change.

Anyone that has the capacity to wash the outside of a car and an extra parking space can provide profitable express detail services if they are willing to.

Detail and reconditioning requires more.

 

[smokun]

Depends On Where You Are

Bob...

I've found that geography has a lot to do with the terminology reference. In the Northeast and Central states, reconditioning was the benchmark term. In the West Coast and Pacific Rim, detailing was the terminology of choice.

Similarly, mobile detailing was a West Coast thing that gradually spread across the country. Geographic location and weather has a lot to do with the development of automotive appearance-care initiatives.

Detailing took on a higher profile with San Diego-based Judd Smith's innovative concept d/b/a car conditioning center that changed hands and identity when Bud Abraham took over and renamed Judd's packaged concepts as Detail-Plus. To his credit, Bud created the brand and kept the concept going with a relentless commitment to make it work. And he eventually did.

 

[smokun]

Care, Rejuvenation & Repair

Here's a suggestion for classifying detailing into 3 distinct categories:

• APPEARANCE-CARE - normal preventive maintenance of washing, cleaning and protection of interior & exterior surfaces. Routine application of surface conditioning products.
  
• APPEARANCE REJUVENATION - More intensive cleaning and restoration of interior & exterior surfaces such as buffing, steam or extraction shampooing, malodor removal and removal of industrial or environmental fallout.
  
• APPEARANCE REPAIR - Correction of moderate to severe damage or decomposition of interior & exterior surfaces such as paint or plastic oxidation or stain removal, interior upholstery repairs, invasive damage such as scuffs, scratches and paint blemishes... and just about everything short of paint refinishing at a bodyshop.