For the consumer and business owner, this article (and video) may be a sobering reality for both parties when evaluating the value proposition of detailing services.  Two things are often true for people looking at the price of a detail and individuals starting a business.  They forget (or conveniently choose to overlook) that it is a business.

Why does detailing cost so much?  Because it costs business owner quite a lot to provide a legitimate service.  If that business owner CARES about providing real (not pretend) value, that cost can go up significantly.  I encourage customers and people who want to start a business to see the following video attached to this article.

If a business owner decided not to register covertly with the state, what do you think that reveals about his or her ethics in other areas.  Do you trust their customer service?  When a business is paying detailers minimum wage, have you really asked yourself what kind of experience employees who are not paid a living wage are going to give you, specifically your vehicle?  Also, where else do they cut costs?  How invested in finding a product that will perform once they realize margins are tight?  Most, even business owners who started with good intentions, stopped investing in the best products, customer satisfaction, and good results, when reasonable pricing is just enough income to survive?

I think most people already know this typical story.  After a year in business, prices rise and quality is cut.  The marginal increase in price is not enough to incentivize continuing to focus on premium results.  The quality cuts start subtly out of desperation or necessity and then continue via burnout.

I remember when I started, I knew better than a majority of individuals about the financial (among other things) challenges that would come.  I remember being excited receiving a $175 and $300 payment for basic and entry level detailing nearly ten years ago.  Evaluating profits from perceived success, was eye still opening even for me.  I have had 1 person (to my knowledge) in 10 years express disappointment in my interior detailing.  I was rushed by him and the communication with him about his needs was challenging.  I also have a majority of people who booked interior details with me, go out of their way to show appreciation for how I cared for their cars.  I have multiple ceramic coating bottles that are over $200 and $300.  This does not include window ceramic coatings.  Depending on the size of a car, I will often get one or two uses out of this bottle.  Do you want to know how an experienced professional in the industry can gauge how well a product will perform?  I can plausibly assume that a PROPERLY applied 4-year coating outperform will outperform and alleged 10-year coating, by looking at the price point of each bottle.  There is much more that goes into me putting faith in a product, but the saying ‘you pay for what you get’, often starts with the investment the business makes into providing a service.

You also pay for what you get.  A greater price than what many think is reasonable is one part of the equation.  The other part of paying for what you get is taking time to learn about the business and communicate beyond having a seizure to get a price over the phone.