If you are not careful you will bring into your life what you attract.  You can ultimately benefit and learn from being congruent with what you want in your business.

On a community post someone made a critical post about a restaurant on a city community page.  This was within his right and posting honest dialogue is encouraged.  But I considered the criticism to be, with the context he provided, inappropriate, extreme, and petty.  Most of the people agreed with my sentiment that his expectations were incredibly unrealistic.  They, like myself, also questioned his communication skills.  When it comes to realistic expectations, there is sometimes more of an educated understanding with respect to restaurants and other establishments versus detailing businesses.  As many of us know, we struggle sometimes to get reviews and feedback from those happy customers that appreciate that time and energy put into their car.

The restaurant critic who passively complained about not having access to a specialty food item 45 minutes prior to closing, became my encouragement to experience the restaurant for the first time.  Although my expectations were a little different than the critic, I was not only pleasantly surprised by the food quality and service, but also the price (in 2025).  It definitely validated, something I shared with that crowd, a business and staff working hard to maximize patron experience with tight margins.  I did something else.  I wrote a 5 Star review.  I wrote a long and detailed review about my experience at this restaurant.  I mentioned my friendly waiter as well.

For those that complain or ask how they can get more reviews, how often have you left feedback at your favorite restaurant or place that you enjoyed shopping at?  After numerous frustrations, I found a mechanic and maintenance shop which I am comfortable leaving my car to.  I left them a review as well as tagged the business on my business page.  The company that makes my shirts received a review as well.  If you are acknowledging that you have not put out the same effort as a consumer that you desire as a business owner, it is also an opportunity to engage in understanding why others do not leave reviews as much as you like.  It may encourage you to find creative ways to make your business more personable to consumers.  It can also be an opportunity, if you take this advice, to network with other business owners whom you patronize.

With respect to relevance as a detailing business, do you find it annoying that a manager at a dealership becomes an authority to consumers about ceramic coatings with their paint protection plan?  A business nicknamed ‘The Stealership’ with employee references of ‘used car salesman!’ At times they have more credibility with a product and the service sometimes for more money at best is inferior and often beneath our ethics.  Customers trust the expertise of someone who sells cars in his shirt and tie over the actual detailing expert, with respect to detailing.  Read that again.  How do you present yourself?  Do you dress, speak, and conduct yourself like someone important?  Of all people, I am on your side here.  I get it!  No matter what you do, we are going to deal with the cognitive dissonance of ignorant people who look down on detailing businesses.  My point is not to reinforce or encourage those attitudes, with our presentations of ourselves.

With respect to expertise, how knowledgeable are you about what you do?  This is about being an expert in a way that you can explain it to someone who does not understand detailing!  Are you just regurgitating what your coating rep is saying?  If you are a professional, an expert at what you do, did the person booking with you learn something he or she did not know about detailing?