Get’s the Most From “Detailer’s Weekend” Event

Any detailer who thinks that after 10, 15, or 20 years, they can’t possibly learn anything new about detailing by taking a refresher course, or periodic re-training is like a winning Super Bowl quarterback who thinks they no longer have to practice with the team to keep winning. I feel very fortunate to be part of Renny Doyle’s Detailer’s Network because he places so much importance on working as a team of like-minded professionals.

I just returned from a 6-day “Spring Detailer’s Weekend” at Renny’s Detailing Success in Big Bear, CA, and there were as many veteran detailers there as there were younger professionals. I can assure you no one was bored or rolling their eyes with derision. We stayed much too busy getting better at what we do!

The rapid-fire evolution of auto appearance products and equipment technology directly affects detailing technique. The downside to technological advancement, however, is the difficulty in keeping customers apprised of their options. They hear about greener technology and durable coatings and waxes, but the messages can be confusing. Since some options are more expensive than traditional methods, customers aren’t sure whether the newest is necessarily best for them.

On Tuesday, we discussed implementing a profitable European model called “Open Garages”, where we open our shops periodically to customers for demonstrating new products and techniques to customers. There is nothing more effective than showing a customer the difference between using traditional chemical-based products, and a newer, greener, more innovative product, or technique.

On Wednesday, we got a good inspirational session on role-playing sales techniques. Sales is a part of the business you rarely learn in most detailing classes, but let’s face it. Without new customers, you see no growth and we discussed ways to educate our present clients in how our continuous training could help them protect the value of there vehicle - without wasting thousands of dollars in a new paint job with our detailing techniques.

By Thursday, we got into hands-on technique. Hand and machine sanding, and scratch removal are intricate, precision processes. When you consider that the thickness of an automobile’s clear coat is less than the thickness of a dollar bill; and over the lifetime of a car, you would never want to remove more than 25 percent of that thickness; you can understand why a process called wet sanding or grit sanding sounds harsh. Add to that a powerful electronic machine that if misused, could burn through the clear coat and paint down to the metal. You can imagine the importance of knowing what you are doing when color-correcting an $80,000 vehicle. I would say that the car owner driving a $10,000 car wouldn’t appreciate it either!

Some fine instruments on the market today actually replicate natural hand-movement, but handling different types of polishers, and understanding under what circumstances to use one over another requires knowledge of each option. With the ever-widening option in polishers on the market today, I don’t think we can ever learn too much about the processes.

Friday, we covered interior detailing. All detailers know that people eat, drink, smoke, play, and sleep in their vehicles. They haul everything from a dirty gym bag full of smelly socks, to garbage, pets, wet beach towels, and muddy boots. Sometimes cleaning the inside of a vehicle with it’s carpets, fabrics, and upholstery; and all its nooks, crannies, and decorative trim, is very time-consuming. We shared ways to get this process down to a science without sacrificing quality. On Saturday, we applied the same theories to quickening our exterior detailing services in order to increase the number of vehicles we can handle in a day.

The weekend ended on a fun note with free ski or snowboarding lessons. For a resident of Southern California’s sunny Orange County, we prefer to keep our skis on the water!

Now, we're back in town as your preferreed professional Orange County mobile detailing specialists, and ready to help YOU.