Auto Detailing News

THE BUSINESS OF
DETAILING
Professionalism
in the Detailing
Industry
If you follow these four simple steps,
you will find that you will be successful,
not only in business, but also in life.
By Rob Schruefer
rob@onspotdetailing.com
Rob Schruefer is the owner of On The
Spot Detailing out of Columbia, Maryland.
He proudly serves on the board of the
International Detailing Association and works
tirelessly to ensure that detailing business
owners receive business development support
to help them achieve their goals.
For many years the detailing industry
has struggled with fragmentation and
in-fighting. There are different schools
of thoughts on techniques and products,
which produce endless amounts of debate
and turbulence. Just a few years ago,
if you went onto any public forum, you
would think that all detailers do is spend
their time putting each other down. Not
only does this look terrible on the detailers
themselves, but the industry. Of
course, there are always exceptions, but
it was difficult to see any type of professionalism
or community in the industry.
Over the past few years, I have seen
the detailing community begin to focus
on creating a united front. Organizations
such as the International Detailing
Association (IDA) have been attempting
to bring the detailing industry together
and legitimize our trade as a whole. No
two detailing businesses are exactly alike;
they can focus on high-end polishing or
car washes, retail or wholesale. What all
detailing companies do need to have in
common is a certain level of professionalism
the clients can count on and learn
to expect. Large and small operations
will benefit from the following four parts
of business: Look the part, act the part,
know the part, and be a part.
Look the Part
The first step to being a true professional
is looking the part. First impressions
are everything, and if you expect
clients to hand over the keys to their vehicles,
or allow you to come to their homes,
it is essential that you appear trustworthy
enough to do so. Detailing is a blue-collar
industry and we spend most of our time
bent over in someone else’s dirty vehicle.
The client would not expect you to arrive
in a suit and tie, but they will expect you
to appear well-kept and clean. Personal
appearance is a key component in any
customer service driven industry. Quite
often you see this simple step not being
taken into consideration. Bathing, trimming/cleaning
fingernails, keeping facial
hair neat, removing extreme amounts of
facial jewelry, and maintaining your hair
are all things that could mean the difference
in whether or not a customer uses
you or the guy down the street.
How the business represents itself is
just as important as how you represent
it. If you are a mobile detailing company,
you want to make sure that your detailing
rig (car, truck, van, trailer) all exude
professionalism. Making sure that it is
always clean, not severely damaged, and
organized inside will give the customer
the impression that is how you intend to
leave their vehicle. Another aspect to a
professional detailing rig is proper lettering
and signage. Not only will this help
with advertising as you travel around,
but it will also leave a more professional
impression when sitting in a driveway
or outside someone’s house for hours at
a time. As a shop operator, cleanliness is
just as important. Customers will look
around your shop, and sometimes ask to
be shown around. Giving the impression
your shop is clean, organized, and ready
for business shows the customer you are a
true professional.
Act the Part
It is one thing to look like a professional
detailer, it is an entirely another to
act like a professional detailer. Every time
you open your mouth or put something
on the internet, you are representing the
detailing industry. The internet is forever.
A statement from 5 years ago could cost
you a potential client in the future. This
means care should always be taken before
making any public statements. The first
instinct in responding to a negative review
is to get defensive and sometimes aggressive,
but that is the worst thing you can do.
If you disagree, ask them to contact you
to discuss the issue. Nothing looks worse
than a business publicly attacking a customer.
That sends a red flag giving potential
clients an idea of what could happen
IF there is a problem.
Acting professionally not only applies
to interacting with customers, but also
to other detailers. The level of bickering
and in-fighting has decreased, but it still
exists on many public forums. Imagine
if doctors, dentists, or lawyers acted in
that manner. Until we still start thinking
of detailing as a professional industry,
and portraying that image, it will never
be taken seriously by the public. There
is a certain level of accountability that
all detailers carry with them. Each detailer
is an ambassador for the industry,
and their dealings with the public should
reflect that. Putting down your competition
publicly or to a potential customer
should always be avoided. You should be
selling the customer on YOUR business,
not disparaging someone else’s. When a
business puts down other businesses, it
looks petty, and could prevent that customer
from using you also.
12 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 5, NO. 1 • SPRING 2020