The average cost of many of these bikes can be much greater than the average car and in many cases can reach well into the six figures for the very exotic. We have a client that we maintain his entire fleet of vehicles that includes several high-end autos, his multi-million dollar corporate jet and his four bikes. Of all the vehicles, he only inspects the bikes! This customer obviously has millions invested into his jet and cars yet his bikes are where his passion is found. Take that one illustration very serious, custom bike customers will be your best critic or your worst depending on the quality you offer.

Motorcycles come in a wide range of makes, models and sizes from varied countries. Some are custom ordered from the factories while others are hand built for a specific customer. No matter their brand or cost, your average bike customer will simply demand pure quality.

Types of Bikes

Factory Harley-Davidson Domestic Bikes:

Of the bikes we do within our operations, this is by far the most common name brand and type. With that said, this picture represents just one of several models within the Harley lineup. The sizes and complexity are very diversified but the Harley owner is a proud owner and very dedicated to the correct maintenance of their bikes.

Custom Built Bikes

These bikes are for the very serious owner. The average price for these bikes can range from $50,000 to as high as $250,000.00! You better know what you are doing with these bikes!

High-End Import Bikes

Another very specialized bike with a very serious group of owners! These bikes can cost more than I recently paid for a new Suburban!

High-End Duel Sport Bikes

While many of these bikes see the road, many also see the dirt roads and can be a challenge to detail! While a hearty bike, their owners will still expect perfection when they have their bike detailed.

Touring Bikes

Years ago, Honda was about the only manufacturer of these big bikes. Currently many manufactures build and offer touring bikes and some of the high-end importers are now offering some serious bikes that have a very loyal following.

Sports Bikes

Outside of bike dealerships we perform very little of these due in part that many are owned by young riders that do the detail themselves.

Collector Bikes

Not all that common but when you do get one to detail you need to be careful!

Dirt Bikes

We do a great number of used dirt bikes for bike shops that have these bikes within their showrooms. The required skills of dirt bike detailing are different from street bikes due in part to the amount of plastic you are dealing with.

THE CHALLENGES OF DETAILING MOTORCYLES AND CUSTOM BIKES

Bikes have one difficult challenge that many detail technicians overlook, bikes have a wide range of surfaces to deal with.

• Painted surfaces- Factory and custom paint schemes.
• Chrome - A bike is covered in chrome and knowing how to get it to shine correctly is a true task.
• Highly Polished Aluminum - While aluminum polishing seems basic to truly master bike detailing you better know the art and workings of aluminum polishing.
• Machined Aluminum - Machined finishes will require a specialized polishing method that differs greatly from finishes that are shine finished.
• Stainless Steel - Rub out stainless too much and you may destroy the stainless steel finish.
• Braded Metal Lines - Very time consuming
• Leather - Bikes have leather and that leather is fully exposed to the elements and you need to be confident within your leather skills and knowledge.
• Plastic - Treating any plastic on a bike with the wrong type of dressing could cause issues and cost you a customer!
• Rubber - Now, when you dress a bike you have very key things you do want to do and several you do not want to do and much like plastic dressing you better know the correct products to use.

POSSIBLE SERVICES TO OFFER FOR MOTORCYCLE CUSTOMERS

The service we offer our bike clients are simply easy to sell.

• Motorcycle Deluxe Wash - This is our entry-level bike service. Includes a full wash, a hand drying, basic metal cleaning and dress plastic and rubber. This service for a bike is more costly than our same service for a car! It takes longer and requires more experience.
• Motorcycle Express Detail- This is what we call our basic detail where we do the same services as the above deluxe wash with paint protection added. We also treat the leather/vinyl areas.
• Motorcycle Detail - Again all the same services as the two above services but with paint polishing and also basic metal polishing. This level of service also includes advance wheel cleaning and advance degreasing of all surfaces.
• Specialty Motorcycle Detail Services - When a client desires each and every surface to be detailed to the highest level, this is the service! We polish all surfaces and every inch of the bike is detailed. This is a very serious task and with that is not a cheap process.

PRODUCT SELECTION

Product selection is much more important with motorcycles than one would think. While everyday detail product will work, your results may also be everyday. While your paint products may remain the same with custom bikes, specialty areas such as chrome, polished aluminum, machined metals and stainless steel surfaces will require the best of the best in products. In recent years we have compared common products on the outlined areas of motorcycles vs. the more specialized products and the differences if very apparent. Remember, motorcycle detailing is normally a step above auto detailing in the minds of the average bike customer and what is acceptable within your auto detailing services may not be acceptable with your motorcycle customers so make your product selections wisely.

Watch for our next motorcycle-detailing article that will cover the pricing of services and provide more in-depth knowledge into the marketing of your motorcycle detailing services.

Attention To Details is a leader within detailing services. Our organization also provides custom tailored training for those looking to gain vast experience within the detailing profession. For more information on our services, training or nationwide business opportunities visit our web site or contact our office.

As noted before, when washing a plane or getting ready to detail a plane, two applications for getting that aircraft clean will apply. The method most of us are familiar with is the wet wash, the process in which water is directly applied to the aircraft either with mild pressure via a pressure washer or a standard garden hose. Wet washing has become much more of an environmental issue in resent years. Many airports are now treating the water that is used to wash aircraft as waste water, thus many airports no longer allow wet washing practices or have established wash racks where all wet washing will need to occur. Please be certain to check with your local airport manager's office for their rules and regulations on washing aircraft.

Anytime your working on an airfield and around aircraft it's always Safety first! Make certain you read the first aircraft article posted here in November of 2004. This article covered many safety issues! Secure the aircraft and make certain it cannot move during your service. Make certain all ports and openings are protected and make certain anything you cover, you remove after your work is complete! Your work should never effect other aircraft or others property. Also, make certain to use caution working on or near both pneumatic boots and bright work as products may stain these surfaces and when working with water and landing gears, pressure washer can cause some very costly damage to the bearings and fittings in these areas. We recommend that you clean and detail landing gear areas by hand to insure you are not causing damage to those areas. Anytime you are using pressure washers near aircraft, keep a safe distance from the surface and always see manufactures advisory for maximum PSI recommended for that aircraft. Pressure washers and aircraft can be a dangerous mixture,use extreme caution!

First lets talk about some of the Products and equipment needed for this service.

• All the prep products and supplies mentioned within the last article.
• Appropriate area to wash while considering all airport, local, and EPA issues.
• Safe and effective ladders/scaffolding or man lifts that are the needed size for the job.
• A good quality wash product that is safe for aircraft finishes.
• A high quality nylon brush and high quality wash mitts.
• A minimum five-gallon wash bucket with a grit guard in the bottom for added protection.
• A painter extension pole to secure the brush on.
• Special paint rated squeegee for removing excess water from surfaces when complete.
• A good supply of micro fiber towels.
• Windscreen cleaner
• A tremendous amount of common sense.

Choosing the correct water to use

The water you use on aircraft is a very important step. The last thing you want to do is get hard water spots all over an aircraft finish! In my opinion using tap water is a very poor choice and you will need to perform some due diligence on this topic!

Product Selection

Aircraft are sensitive machines and while their paint is tough, it has very weak kinks that can cause damage that is irreversible. Product selection should be a major concern, using the wrong product could not only limit your success, it could cause damage to the paint of the aircraft or worse, damage to the structure of the aircraft.

Getting Started

As noted in the last aircraft article, the initial prep work is everything. Get the dirty areas cleaned by hand as explained earlier and this step will not only make your work turn out much more professional, it will also save you time from having to re-clean areas that you missed!

Your set-up and prep is complete, now where do you start? I start on the high points of the aircraft. This will be the tail section or possibly the wings on a tail dragger aircraft. I pay close attention to wind direction, if you clean the tail and then the wings and the wind blows over spray onto the tail section as you clean the wings, you just created more work for yourself

I like to get the tail sections complete top to bottom on both sides and then move onto the fuselage. This allows you to move to the high points within the same time frame saving you from having to move your ladder/scaffolding or man lift. When you move these items around aircraft it simple means more of a chance for damage so I move as little as possible when within striking distance of any part of the plane!

On a single engine aircraft, I start from the nose at this point heading back to the tail. I prefer to clean the entire cowling area and then rinse! I travel down the fuselage, breaking the body of the aircraft into washable/reachable sections. I work from top to bottom leaving the belly last within each section. Remember, if you performed a good prep, that belly should be pretty clean at this point and you are simply removing the streaks left behind during the prep process.

If you're working on a jet, I start on the rear area, washing the fuselage and engine cells and just forward of those points. Again rinse as you go, don't leave your soap to dry on the surface! I then do the fuselage above the wings and in front of the wings. When working around the windows "never" I mean NEVER brush the windows. Leave the windows for the last stage and do by hand with the correct cleaner(s). Now finish up the fuselage and the nose section. I finish the body then rinse and finalize that side of the body by washing the entire nose section, saving you a little effort once you get to the opposite side of the aircraft.

An important note- When your doing this first side, reach over the center of the aircraft and down the other side a fraction, this will allow you to wash the other side and rinse without pushing soapy water back onto the opposite clean side that you just finished.

Now I work on the wing on that side of the aircraft. I prefer to start at inboard side of the wing on the front section using overlapping brush strokes. I again continue to the wing tip and if solo I prefer to rinse. I then repeat these steps on the rear of the wing, this is usually where there is a great degree of grime. Again I rinse and also I prefer to rinse from the front side of the wing back using the slope of the wing helps. Make certain you do not splatter the fuselage with soapy water, you have already cleaned the body and you don't want to repeat your steps. Rinse the surface again and move to the bottom of the wing.

I like to spray a light amount of water of the lower sections first and if you did your prep, the dirty areas should be pretty clean. Caution should again be used when using pressure washers near landing gears as noted earlier. I again start at the front inboard and work towards the wing tip. Rinse and repeat on the rear sections of the aircraft. The flaps will usually be dirty and smeared with bugs and gunk so make certain you spend some extra time on the flaps and ailerons!

Congratulations, one side of the aircraft is washed�now repeat this steps on the other side and you will have a clean plane! When you have completed the wash this is the time to remove excess water so that spots and dust don not get trapped on the paint surface. On small aircraft or even large, I like to use the California Water Blade! This does a great job of removing water and when used in conjunction with a shammy or micro fiber you can dry a plane quickly. On larger aircraft we like to use a large 30" water blade that have been designed especially for this purpose!

If the aircraft has boots or bright work, I start drying this area first as these areas can be sensitive to water spotting even when high quality water is used!

Now walk the aircraft, get close and touch the surface. Look for any missed spots and clean as needed. This is also a good time to remove any ports or vents that were covered. I have a check off list that allows me to walk the aircraft and check EVERYTHING! Again, don't forget, remove any and ALL covers that you may have applied and inspect the aircraft to make certain all product containers, tools and cleaners are removed from the aircraft, especially on, in or near the engines!

Next month we will cover getting your aircraft ready for spring!
God Bless and Happy Detailing.

When washing an aircraft or getting ready to detail an aircraft, two applications for getting that aircraft clean will apply. The method most of us are familiar with is the wet wash, the process in which water is directly applied to the aircraft either with mild pressure via a pressure washer or a standard garden hose. Wet washing has become much more of an environmental issue in resent years. Many airports are now treating the water that is used to wash aircraft as waste water, thus many airports no longer allow wet washing practices or have established wash racks where all wet washing will need to occur.

The second method, the dry wash method is quickly becoming more and more of the standard within the industry due in part to EPA standards that's now filtering down to many airports. Dry washing is no new technology, for many years' waterless wash products have been available to not only the automotive industry, but the aviation industry also. Technology it seems is on the move and some great products are out there for all of us to utilize.

Within this article, we will cover both the prep process and the dry wash process, how to prep the aircraft for dry washing along with many helpful hints and also the best products to utilize in the prepping and dry washing processes.

Safety first! Make certain you read the first aircraft article posted here in November of 2004. This article covered many safety issues! Make certain all ports and openings are protected and make certain anything you cover, you remove after your work is complete! Also, make certain to use caution working on or near both pneumatic books and bright work as products may stain these surfaces!

When you look at an aircraft, several areas are subjected to becoming dirty much faster than other parts of the aircraft. Leaks, blown exhaust, hydraulic fluid, all of these items are common clean-ups on aircraft. Of all clean-ups, all aircraft have one single issue in common bugs! I have yet to see an aircraft that can miss these pesky and messy critters that really splatter at 200 MPH plus! No matter what the size of aircraft, every aircraft has the nose, leading edges (front) of the wings, windscreen and numerous other locations covered in bugs.

Also, certain types of aircraft will have characteristics that run common on each model you service. For instance, Beech King Air aircraft produce a great amount of exhaust soot along the engine cells (engine covers) and at the leading edge (front) of the wings, on top of the wings and under the wings. This exhaust is a major reason why King Airs are cleaned they look terrible without the proper cleaning! Many other aircraft types have their own issues, Cessna's love to leak oil and exhaust across the belly and if not cleaned on a regular basis, this can become a chore!

So, where to start? If working solo, I start on the high points of the aircraft. This will be the tail section or the wings depending on if the aircraft is a high wing or a low wing and which way the wind is blowing. I pay close attention to wind direction, if you clean the tail and then the wings and the wind blows over spray onto the tail section as you clean the wings, you just created more work for yourself. Lets say it's a nice calm day, I would de-bug the leading edges (front) of the tail section, first the highest portion, the vertical stabilizer, then I would follow with the rear wings or horizontal stabilizers. Move on to the high portions of the wings and or the fuselage. (The body of the aircraft) Then the landing gear covers, wing and gear struts and any other area of the body that may have bugs! Make certain the flaps are cleaned up good as the flaps really get pounded with bugs on takeoff and landings! Notice I did not mention the windscreen, that's because windscreens are very sensitive to scratching and very, VERY costly! When cleaning windscreens, I am very picky about product selection so read below for what I would recommend!

At this point, what product to utilize should be a major concern, using the wrong product could not only limit your success, it could cause damage to the paint of the aircraft or worse, damage to the structure of the aircraft.

Toweling? The towels you use on aircraft are just as important as the products, so lets cover this topic a tad!
1. What not to use!!!

1. Old T-shirts - Old T-Shirts should be used for one thing, rags! Never use T-Shirts on any part of an aircraft. (Ok, you can clean the gear strut or brake housing but that's it!)
2. Diapers - I simply do not prefer diapers on painted surfaces and NEVER use diapers on Plexiglas!
3. Paper Towels - Another huge No-No!
4. Newspaper - NOPE!

What do we like when searching for towels to use on aircraft!

1. You all know what I am going to say Micro Fiber! These towels are by far the best to use when working with aircraft
2. What about the gunk- waste a micro for that? No, that is another rule breaker, when cleaning the belly or even the cowling or cells, we use a high quality 100% cotton terry cloth that is heavy weight and even the trim of the towel must be cotton! These are the only areas where anything but soft micro Fiber is used! When the gunk is cleaned off and removed, the final wipe is preformed using you guessed it, Micro Fibers!

For removing bugs from aircraft paint, we prefer to use the following.

1. Aeroshell Flight Jacket Touch & Go - This is a great product. It works well, removes bugs and leaves the paint soft and smooth and will not cause damage to either the paint or aluminum metal. It's a great product for fresh bugs and will not remove any wax that may be on the surface. Its only limit is sizing, at this time it only comes in 16oz bottles. Professional detailers doing volume will require larger sizes. A very good seller with many repeat buyers.
2. Wash Wax All - This is a super safe product that is water based and does exactly what the name states, as it cleans it also applies a light wax that is safe and effective. Come in both quart and gallon sizes for the professionals. This product may take a little elbow grease but it's very safe and effective. A very good seller with many repeat buyers! Sized for professionals.
3. Nuvite Citricut is also a great cleaner that can also be used as a wet wash. Cuts bugs and grease. You may see some smearing that is normal when removing nasty bugs! Sized for professionals.

4. Got Stubborn Bugs? What if you have caked on bugs that have been there awhile? You have several options.

1. Wash Wax Belly Cleaner gets the bugs off.
2. Wash Wax All using their Aero Scrubber product. A light scrubber that removes the bugs but not the paint!
3. Long Haul Bug and Grease Remover, which cuts the bugs even when aged. Safe for paint and aluminum and really cuts the bugs right off the paint and both are very affordable.
4. APC Cleaner. Safe for paint and aluminum and really cut the bugs right off the paint.

5. What about the bugs on the windscreen? There are several options. Do you desire to just clean the windscreen or do you desire to clean and wax the windscreen? Simple cleaning is usually performed in between flights or during a simple wash service. Cleaning and waxing or protecting the windscreen is either preference or as a "up Sale".

1. AVL Plexiglas Cleaner - This is a great Plexiglas cleaner that is very affordable!
2. Wash Wax All - A greater cleaner for windscreens while adding a light protective wax! Again, one of the safest and mildest aviation products on the market. A very good seller with many repeat buyers!
3. Aeroshell Flight Jacket Plexicoat - This can be used as a cleaner, but is also a great polish/sealer. It dries to a haze much like a wax or sealer and it does have a mild abrasive, which will remove light surface scratches. This product has a long life once applied to the windscreen. A very good seller with many repeat buyers!

OK, the bugs are gone, now what? I like to get the real dirty areas of the aircraft cleaned up at this point. The belly, engine cells and the areas where exhaust soot, oil and grease collect.

Dried oil and aged exhaust soot seems to be the hardest of all the areas of the aircraft to clean and where most simply use the wrong products. Aircraft paint is very sensitive to chemicals and the wrong chemical can cause serious issues!

I like to get on my creeper and presoak the real dirty areas on the belly. I simply spray the areas with one of the following products and wipe the area clean.

1. Wash Wax All Belly Cleaner - The name says it all, belly cleaner that is Safe and comes in professional sizes!
2. Long Haul Bug and Grease Remover - If you have heavy grease and gunk, this stuff works! Will leave some light haze that will need to be wiped clean but removes even heavy gunk with little effort.
3. Nuvite Citricut - A multi use product that really cuts the gunk. On heavier oils, it may leave a haze that will need to be wiped clean. Large sizes for professionals available!
4. APC Cleaner. A multi use product that can be used on several areas of the aircraft and it really cuts the gunk. On heavier oils, it may leave a haze that will need to be wiped clean.

Next, the engine cowling or cells - These areas can really be a mess. Remember earlier we spoke about the King Air's and how the exhaust really gets messy? Well these are the areas I hit next! Again, I use the mildest products first; again aircraft paint is not as sturdy as auto as auto paint so a soft touch is important

For Mild to moderate oil & exhaust, try these products.

1. Wash Wax All Belly Cleaner - It says belly cleaner but it cleans the engine areas with little effort! Safe and comes in professionals sizes!
2. Aeroshell Flight Jacket Touch & Go - On mild oil and exhaust, this product leaves a nice smooth finish.
3. Flyers Speed Wax � Will bring the paint to a very nice shine without the need for a second wipe over. This product does have a mild wax for added protection. Available in professional sizes.
4. Long Haul Bug and Grease Remover - Will cut oil and exhaust but may leave a slight haze.

For Heavy oil and exhaust on the cowling and cells. We use these products.

1. Wash Wax All Belly Cleaner - It says belly cleaner but it cleans the engine areas with little effort! Safe and comes in professionals sizes!
2. Nuvite Citricut - A multi use product that really cuts the gunk. On heavier oils, it may leave a haze that will need to be wiped clean. Large sizes for professionals available!
3. Long Haul Bug and Grease Remover - Will cut oil and exhaust but may leave a slight haze.

Now that all the heavily soiled areas of the aircraft are clean, its time to move on to getting the entire aircraft clean, smooth and shining! Start from the beginning, from the high points down start wiping the surfaces. Remember your toweling, your choice of towels is important and you know what towels to use right Micro Fibers! Make certain to not over spray product, apply to a small area and wipe clean! Make certain to turn the towel often so you always have a cleaning towel in contact with the surface being cleaned. You can spray your towel with your desired cleaner or you can spray the aircraft surfaces, several situations will assist at your decisions.

1. Sun Light - Will the sun dry your product to quickly?
2. Wind, will the wind blow the product onto other parts of the aircraft or onto other aircraft?
3. Are you working near openings on the aircraft? Ports, vents and inlets should be 100% protected!

Products for that perfect final finish! These three products are among the best we have tested and we have tested over 100 dry wash products thus far!

1. Wash Wax All - This is a super safe product that is water based and does exactly what the name states, as it cleans it also applies a light wax that is safe and effective. Come in both quart and gallon sizes for the professionals. I like this product because it does contain a mild wax which ads further protection! Can be used on all parts of the aircraft.
2. Aeroshell Flight Jacket Touch & Go - This is a great product. It works well, removes bugs and leaves the paint soft and smooth and will not cause damage to either the paint or aluminum metal. It's a great product for fresh bugs and will not remove any wax that may be on the surface. Can be used on all parts of the aircraft.
3. Gloss Highlighter - This product is produced by Race Glaze and works great! No wax but leaves the surface smooth and clean.

Now stand back and inspect your work! Any areas you missed should be viewable if you look at all surface areas from many standing points! Don't forget, remove any and ALL covers that you may have applied and inspect the aircraft to make certain all product containers, tools and cleaners are removed from the aircraft, especially on, in or near the engines!

God Bless and Happy Detailing,

Welcome and thanks for reading this opening article about aircraft detailing. During the coming months autodetailingnetwork.com along with Renny Doyle of Attention To Details will be bringing you monthly articles pertaining to aircraft cleaning and detailing to further assist mobileworks site visitors at growing their businesses.

A little about the author, Renny Doyle has been detailing aircraft since the age of 15. He is the founder of Attention To Details where they service a thousand plus aircraft a year and his staff has even provided services on Air Force One. In 2004, Renny was a speaker at The Oshkosh Air Event, Sun & Fun Air Event and the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Associations Annual Conference and is a product development consultant to several major manufactures.

Many detailers contact me and ask, "Is aircraft detailing really that difficult"? My answer is nearly always the same "Yes and No" the work is much the same as working on an automobile but the products sometimes vary greatly and the risk, liability and chance for damage is much greater".

I am afraid that the quick money of detailing an aircraft is a lure for many detailers and they fail or simply do not understand the risk, products needed or science of cleaning an aircraft. You can either become educated or you can become broke when it comes to aircraft detailing! If you are not trained and educated on aircraft detailing, its not if you will make a mistake and damage an aircraft, its when will you make a mistake and damage an aircraft! Knowledge is power and when it comes to cleaning aircraft, knowledge can assist at keeping you out of the courtroom.

First, if you are planning on detailing an aircraft, make certain you do your homework. Utilizing aviation safe products is a good start. Even simple household cleaners and degreasers can cause major damage to aircraft paint, aluminum skin and most disturbing the airframe and major structures of the aircraft. Just ask the US Army who has lost several aircraft by the misuse of unsafe and untested degreasers.

Aviation Insurance is a big deal right now and in many cases, its difficult to obtain insurance unless you look for affordable options that are available, but you will need to be serious and willing to obtain training for affordable insurance options. While insurance has become outrageously expensive, there are other options to explore that make it realistic for those that are serious about this business. If you are working on aircraft, insurance is one tool you should not be without in my opinion.

Any time you come in contact with an aircraft, you must pay close attention to every action and move. While we view aircraft as fast, strong machines, they can be fragile and it is very simple to cause damage and in some cases, even minor damage can run into the tens of thousands of dollars to repair.

Prepping An Aircraft

Any craftsman will tell you that proper preparation of a job is key to the final outcome. Aircraft detailing is no different; prepping the aircraft surfaces properly is key to having your efforts turn out with fantastic results! Again, when dealing with aircraft, always think safety first!

I. Prior to cleaning your aircraft, there are steps that should be taken to protect both you and the aircraft from possible injuries or damage.

CAUTION! ANY TIME YOU COVER ANY PART OF AN AIRCRAFT, YOU MUST REMOVE ANY AND ALL MATERIALS USED TO PROTECT THESE ITEMS FROM DAMAGE. FAILING TO REMOVE COVER MATERIAL COULD CAUSE ADVANCE DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT OR MALFUNCTION OF INSTRUMENTATION DURING FLIGHT, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH SITUATION AND POSSIBLE DEATH OF ANY OCCUPANTS.

As we discussed within the opening article, the RV world within the US is not simply alive and well, the market is growing at a steady rate which could be good news for a few of us detail professionals.

Let me qualify a few things about RV detailing before we dive in. RV detailing takes skill and knowledge of products and techniques. Using one incorrect product or technique can cause damage that could cost thousands to repair so this article is intended for those professionals that have the knowledge or skills needed to perform at this high level.

A caution to many:
Before we dive in, allow me to caution those reading this article. While conducting studies for this series, I was amazed at the lack of knowledge within our industry about RV detailing. While most shops showed great interest in offering services, few had the needed knowledge or experience to work on these expensive vehicles. Most had no clue on the correct products to utilize and few had any knowledge on how to price such service.

RV's have a host of sizes, styles, services needed and values that all play an active roll within the pricing structure. Knowing your business and your related cost will assure you are operating within your means and pricing a job correctly. For those that like to be the low bidder to assure you get the job�the RV industry may not be the place for you as these owners are not looking for the cheap options, these vehicles can be very valuable, many being worth well over one million dollars.

Many skilled detailer's have found out the hard way just how difficult RV detailing can be when not educated, I would highly advise anyone looking to offer these services to be very sure of there knowledge and skills before jumping into this line of service.

Pricing out Rv services
Like any vehicle we service as detail professionals, RV owners will have specific needs and desires. Some will desire a simple wash, others an interior detail, many will want you to perform a complete exterior detail while a few will desire the entire coach be decked inside and out! Size, type and value will play a huge roll in the pricing structure on RV's and having a vast knowledge of RV's will assist you greatly.

Airstreams

A common trailer type is the Air Stream type of aluminum trailers. These owners are very faithful about the upkeep of their investment. We see many services with these units ranging from basics washes to full interior and exterior details. WARNING: This aluminum skinned RV takes special care in detailing. While many of the older units are a "polished" aluminum, the newer units are more of a machined finish that requires a special polish be used.

Prices on this type of RV are varied greatly with the wash being the only balanced item. Washing these units range from $2.00 per linier foot to $5.00 per linier foot. The shorter the unit, the higher the cost. Some of these units can be very small so at times a flat rate fee will need to be established.

Detailing the outside of these units can be very time consuming and artistic. A fully polished finish on the older units can require 50-100 man hours to complete and the owners of such collector pieces will desire a true mirror finish that is very hard to achieve and takes a true craftsman to accomplish. The price on this service can reach as high as $5,000.00 for a mid-large sized Air Stream.

Fifth Wheel

The fifth wheel trailer represents a great number of the RV's on the road today. The pull behind style can also be in a standard trailer form instead of the firth wheel style. Most commonly the owners of these types of RV's perform their own washes and will call in professionals for a full exterior detail. A full exterior detail on these units will run anywhere from $8.00 to $12.00 per linier foot depend on the condition and the location within the country. Within communities that have a healthy economy, we are seeing numbers within the $10.00- $12.00 per foot range.

Small to Mid Sized

This is a very common RV for detailing and can range from 10 feet in length to over 35 feet in length. Across the country this type of RV is very commonly detailed. Services offered vary from basic washes to full detail service.

Wash prices for these units range from $2.00 - $4.00 per linier foot. We found fixed locations that specialize in RV's and work on volume are on the cheaper side of the spectrum. Also truck washes can charge as little as $1.00 per foot but the quality is usually questionable at best.

Full exterior details on these units range from $8.00 per foot to as high as $12.00 per foot. Again we found that truck washes and RV dealerships can offer what many professional detailer's would call an "express" detail for as little as $125.00 for any size. This is usually a poor quality detail that is not much above what we offer within our wash service.

Interior details on these common RV's are basically a combination of auto detailing, aircraft detailing and the efforts of cleaning a home all combined. Many detailer organizations we have spoken with were overwhelmed at the volume on RV interiors. Many different materials are present and caution must be used on the products and materials you utilize on these interiors. Interior details on these types of RV are in the area of $5.00 - $10.00 per linier foot. In special cases where an RV is clean or very dirty, the price may change as needed. Again, we have witnessed RV interiors being cleaned for as little as $2.00 per foot but the results were armature at best.

Common Large RV

As the RV sizes grows so does the amount of work. Not only by length and square footage but by obstacles found on the surface and roof. Once we get into this size of RV, the materials can change drastically. Usually more bright work such as chrome and aluminum can be found and the number of air conditioning units and storage doors along the bottom of the RV. All of these items can slow your progress and should be considered when pricing out a unit. We have witnessed all to many detail businesses price out a RV such as this and then cut corners once they realize the amount of labor involved in correctly detailing such a vehicle.

With our talks with successful RV detailers, few if any were performing washes for less than $2.00 per foot and full exterior details on these units were hard to find for less than $10.00 per linier foot. When you add chrome or aluminum, that price climbed greatly to as high as $15.00 a foot.

Ultra High End

More and more often, we are seeing these very high-end coaches within our shops. When you get to this level, perfection is simply a must and the skills it takes to properly detail such a vehicle are varied. As you can see in the pictures, some of these coaches have vast amounts of polished aluminum that requires the highest of skill to properly polish.

Wheels are usually a high point for these owners and will also test your skills. The time needed on such a vehicle can be tremendous. As for pricing, we determined that so few detailers understand such a level of work that few were able to properly price these beast and many undercut to simply "get the job". The folks that undercut are the same people we see cutting corners to save time and money and end up with a very dissatisfied customer. Pricing an exterior detailing on one of this large custom RV's is difficult. Again within the shops we feel are in the know, most priced washes at $3.00 per foot with all the bright work and details started at $12.00- $20.00 per linier foot depending on the condition and the required amount of work!

The interiors on these units are over-the-top! Ultra Suede silks and soft leathers everywhere. Granite counter tops and floors are common along with wool carpets and other plush amenities. One word to describe what is needed to service these extreme machines, skill!

Like the exteriors of these coaches, the interiors are difficult to price. Most we have noted are in the area of $5.00-$15.00 per linier foot depending on condition and the amount of detail the customer desires.

Within the United States the recreational vehicle (RV) market is alive and well. Many families see modern modes of travel to be costly, time consuming and risky. Long lines in airports and the security risk have simply seen many younger family's turn to RV's for their weekends out and about. What does this mean to our industry? When people purchase RV's this usually means they have at least a modest supply of disposable cash for not only the purchase of the RV but the maintenance of the RV. Regular cleaning and detailing of an RV is a critical part of maintaining the looks and value within this investment.

RV's come in an array of types and sizes. Some our more common with what as kids our parents had while many are much more like private estates on wheels. The price range within the RV market is much like it is within the passenger vehicle market. You can purchase the basics all the way up to a premier hand built unit with a price tag of over a million dollars!

POSSIBLE SERVICES TO OFFER FOR RV'S

When it comes to cleaning and detailing RV's, several services can be offered and will need to be explored. Within our locations we provide everything from simple RV washes to in depth interior and exterior detailing services. Most common will be the exterior wash and exterior detailing. Many detailers sweat doing RV's because of their size. RV's can range from 10' to 60 feet long and there is a tremendous amount of square footage involved.

• We often service RV's with a good exterior wash only! Within our operations across the country this includes the entire exterior including the rooftop. This is a very common request and we receive a very fair price for a simple exterior wash.
• Exterior details are by far the most common service we perform. Again do not let the size intimidate you. We look at an RV as a massive car and go to work! Systemizing RV detailing is very important as this insures quality, time efficiency and safety for both you and the RV!
• Interior details on RV's can be very challenging. Like an aircraft, some of the interior surfaces can be very basic to very exotic and extra care will need to be spent on these areas as if you are not careful you can cause some costly mistakes!
• Specialty RV detail work includes items like polishing aluminum surfaces, aluminum wheels and interior work.

TYPES OF RV'S
RV's sizes, types and shapes vary greatly. Here are a few samples.

Airstreams

Dating back to the 30's the Airstream has been a part of the American passion to explore. As they did several decades ago, these rolling pieces of art still require detailing service to maintain their brilliance.

Older Airstreams will have special needs for polishing and some have made small fortunes restoring the vintage models into works of polished art. We recently finished such a project for a collector with a total of 200 man-hours into the polishing job alone. Newer Airstreams have a protective coating over the aluminum that require a specific type of polish with special application procedures.

Fifth Wheel

This is an RV that we all see on the American highways known as a fifth wheel RV. These units can be made of several materials. Most common materials are:

• Gel Coat (High quality)
• Aluminum (Machine finish & polished)
• Painted Aluminum Siding
• Fiber Glass Panels (entry level quality)

Small to Mid Sized

This is a very common RV for detailing and can range from 10 feet in length to over 35 feet in length. These units can be made of several materials. Most common materials are:

• Gel Coat (High quality)
• Aluminum
• Painted Aluminum Siding
• Fiber Glass Panels (Entry level quality)

Common Large RV

This is a very common RV for detailing and can range from 20 feet in length to over 45 feet in length. These units can be made of several materials. Most common materials are:

• Gel Coat (High quality)
• Aluminum
• Painted Aluminum Siding
• Fiber Glass Panels (Entry level quality)

High End

Now you're talking your palace on wheels that can be over 50 feet in length. These units can be made of several materials and often have a blend of both high quality Gel Coats and bare polished aluminum. Most common materials are:

• Gel Coat (High quality)
• Aluminum
• Painted Aluminum Siding
• Fiber Glass Panels (Entry level quality)

Ultra High End

Now your talking even more $$! Wild color schemes and a blend of multiple materials make these machines a little more of a challenge to detail to perfection. Plan for lots of extra time because the aluminum polishing can be a real job.

EPA ISSUES

RV's can be HUGE. Check with your locally City, County or State office to make certain you are adhering to all EPA rules and regulations for your community. Lots of water on one of these units and you need to know what you can and cannot do in your area.

SAFETY

• Be certain to wear both eye and ear protection.
• When on the roof, the surfaces can be slippery so use caution!
• Remember you are on a very high vehicle, watch for obstacles such as power lines and other items that could cause serious injuries.
• Make certain the RV is secure and unable to move!
• Try and work as a team with another technician, especially when working on ladders or on the roof.
• Be careful of power washer hoses as they can mark and scare the RV surface if not careful. Certain items on RV's can be fragile. Pay close attention to what you are touching and what you are allowing to receive weight.

WHAT PRODUCT TO USE

In recent years, Attention To Details has performed detail work on hundreds of RV's. One of the big surprises for us was that the detail products we use on cars, trucks and SUV's was not always the best products for RV surfaces. We have noted that many RV's have color schemes that not all products work great with. When you work on an RV, do your homework and test a few products out. We have found that while one product may work great on the lighter colors that same product will looked smeared or allow less gloss on the brighter or darker colors. Over the course of five years, we have found several key products that supply the best results. When dealing RV's, you are going to need to do your homework to be certain you are applying the best product for the finish being treated.
Using the correct or incorrect products on an RV detail can either make your job a success or a failure and with high-end vehicles like RV's, you can't afford to fail!

Our Next Article will cover how to price RV detailing jobs!

"I am just getting started in this business and I feel pretty confident about my skills. Why do I need training?"
Attention To Details: Confidence is a great thing, and combined with experience it is a powerful force. Professional training will provide you with skills and experience that may take you a long time to obtain on your own and possibly, only through trial and (costly) error. Investment in training is an investment in your most important asset... you!

"My friends are skeptical about my desire to get trained. They all tell me that anyone can wash a car.I'm starting to wonder if they are right?"
Attention To Details: Our answer is simple. Are your friends professional detailers? Think about it, if you were the customer and you owned an $80,000 sports car that needed a paint job, would you trust an auto body repair person who learned how to paint because "anyone can paint" The paint finishes and interiors of modern cars and trucks require knowledge and skills to maintain or restore. It's a safe bet that most of us were not born with that knowledge and those skills. Great technicians are trained, not born.

"How can I tell which training courses or companies have the best training?"
Attention To Details: Part of the answer is in your definition of "best". For some people, best is described as cheapest and quickest. For many others, it is described as the most value for their dollar. You should look for training that offers value now and for the long term. Some companies cater to larger, group types of training while other companies provide one-on-one instructors and personalized instruction. Much depends on your preference for personal instruction and long term value.

"I was told that I don't need to learn about high-speed buffing or special paint correction methods because it is too much work and body shops take care of those types of paint problems, not detailers. Is this true?"
Attention To Details: Some of the finest detailers are also the finest paint correction experts, not auto body people. The reason for this is simple. An expert detailer will spend thousands of hours polishing and correcting paint defects and flaws. Most body shop technicians spend most of their time removing dents, sanding flaws and preparing vehicles for new paint. An expert detailer who has learned how to use a quality, high-speed buffer with the right selection and grades of pads, polishes and compounds, is the professional that the smart consumer turns to for paint correction and defect removal. It is also the process that will allow you to correct paint problems and provide a service that can mean additional income to you.

"I have been detailing cars for about six months and I never had any formal training in business. I feel like I am stuck in low gear and want to take my business to a higher level and gain new customers. Is there any training that combines serious, business skills with the technical skills needed to help me grow my business?"
Attention To Details: It is not uncommon for any small business owner to reach a near-term slump in their business. The excitement of the first six months of a new business coupled with friends and family cheering you on or providing work for you quickly fades away. The next six months or one year is where the business skill, experience and knowledge "rubber meets the road". The good news is... yes, there is in depth business training available based on many years of detailing business success. Notice the emphasis on detailing. It is important to find a training company that has a proven, long term track record in this industry, and one that can provide you with the tools that you can take home with you and quickly put into use. Ask questions about what tools and knowledge you will obtain on growing your business. Nearly anyone can tell you how to start a business. You should learn from those that can show you how to start, maintain and grow your business and who also provide advanced, technical skills.

"It seems that training costs range all over the place. How can I tell which is a fair price or the best deal?"
Attention To Details: We answered part of this question earlier in the definition of "best". Much like the car shopper who chooses a 4 year old Kia versus the shopper who purchases a 1 year old Acura, the answer is mostly in your definition of "best deal". Of course, everyone has a budget but, what do you desire from training? Is it just basic knowledge and a group overview of the techniques and skills? Or, are you looking to gain personally from the experience and knowledge of professional, business instructors and experts? Again, ask questions. What does the price include? Will you have to add in the price of a rental car? How about a hotel, living expenses and meals while at training? Are those included? And always ask if you are going to receive personal instruction or group instruction. The answers to these questions will indicate the value that you will get from training.

"A friend of mine went to training and he said that they seemed to be more interested in selling their products than explaining how to detail a car. Do all the training companies sell products and what should I look for?"
Attention To Details: Some training companies also sell products and equipment and it is just smart business to offer those products or other services to their trainees. That alone should not present a problem to the student. However, it all depends upon the focus of the trainer. If training is mostly viewed as another method to sell products or equipment, then you might expect less information and actual training and a lot more selling. Ask if the training requires purchase of products or if the training relies upon one product line only? Again, there is nothing wrong with that approach and some companies are successful with it. But, if it is not the type of training experience you are looking for, then shop around and ask questions.

"I am interested in cleaning and detailing Aircraft. What do I need to know to about the differences between aircraft and automobiles?"
Attention To Details: There are important differences between the two types of vehicles including, the issues of safety for the aircraft, owners and pilots. There is a significant list of items that must be understood and addressed when cleaning and detailing aircraft. There are other requirements for use of specific products and product types, as well as an understanding of the types of coatings and paints used on aircraft. When looking for aircraft detailing training; look for a company that has access to aircraft for real-world, hands-on training. Also ask about how the training company addresses the business aspects of this market. Aircraft owners and pilots look for detailers who "speak their language" and who understand their needs. Learning about the aircraft and pilots viewpoint and how to speak their language should also be part of the training.

"What does is take to start a detailing business that can actually be profitable in the real-world?"
Attention To Details: We are often asked this question by those interested in starting their own Detailing Business. Our answers are based upon 20 + years in the business of detailing and are straightforward, honest and practical.

1. A desire to learn from professionals and successful business mentors
2. The ability to promote and market yourself and your services
3. An appreciation of products and equipment that produce quality results

Starting any new business is hard work but, starting and growing your new business is hard work that requires knowledge, experience and planning. If you have the desire to be the best, then you deserve to have the facts, the tools, the knowledge and the road-map that will give you the greatest opportunity for success. The total cost for a Detailing Business Start Up can vary but, costly mistakes can be made in selecting the wrong equipment and cheap products. And attempting to restore the paint and finishes on modern cars without professional training in the proper skills and techniques will cost you time, money and in the worst case; valuable customers.

Renny Doyle

Attention To Details

www.detailingsuccess.com

 During the past ten months of 2005, I have kept a running log of commonly asked questions I get from all levels within the detail business and the question I am asked far more than any other is,

Should I go with a fixed detail location or should I build a mobile detailing business?

While there are countless articles, postings and threads on the subject, I feel few provide the needed details and unbiased knowledge that will provide the entrepreneur or prospective entrepreneur the depth and fact based specifics to make a sound decision. While the greatest numbers asking these questions come from those looking to start their own detail business, I am shocked on how confused many with years within the detailing profession are when it comes to taking action on such a large aspect of their business.

As we wind down 2005 and look to start a New Year, I along with a number of others within our profession that operate either fixed locations or mobile operations will provide the reader with a wealth of information that we believe will assist in allowing many to hear several different opinions to the mobile detailing vs. fixed location dilemma that seem to keep many up at night.

I have asked several individuals from within our industry for comments, input and statistics that will assist others within their decision-making. The individuals you will hear from are all from various points of the industry, many have years within their businesses, some are just ending their first full year in business while others are only a few months old and just starting their rookie year. A few of us with decades of experience not only within the detailing trade but business in general will also be sharing what directs us within our decisions to go with a fixed detail location or a mobile detailing business.

Each and every person taking part within this series does so because we desire to provide clear and accurate reality from our own prospective and experiences within the detailing industry. I am personally excited to be interacting with so many true professionals from within the ranks of our industry and over the course of the next eight weeks, each of us desire to assist you at missing many of the pot holes of business that we have already dealt with in our own detailing business.

Every couple weeks during the months of November and December we will post an article so be certain to stay tuned as we bring you this informative and interactive series. We are sure there is something for everybody to learn no matter where you are within your detailing venture.

Nearly a decade ago I received a call from a fellow car enthusiast and friend who had an associate who needed a vehicle polished for an upcoming event, five days from now! My buddy pleaded with me that this was the kind of guy that could be of real help within my businesses and not only should I polish the classic collector vehicle, it was in my best interest to meet this businessman. Dave went on and on about how this guy was within key circles that just happened to be my ideal clients and he knew everyone that I should know. So, knowing my buddy and how he has a tendency of getting into the right circles, I worked a fourteen hour day just to fit this collector vehicle into my already overbooked schedule.

For months following the service, I continually ran into the new client at several spots where he and his circles frequented. Like many busy professionals, this guy is BUSY, with a capital B but yet he took the time to chat with me every time we ran across each other. This is a guy who could not remember names for five minutes yet he would openly approach me and even introduce me at social events or business gatherings.

Knowing a tad about his passions from our earliest conversations about cars, planes and bikes, I picked something up at an industry show that had his name all over it's a ten dollar gadget that just had to be on his desk! The next time I ran into him, I handed this item to him and upon opening the box, he nearly fell over laughing. Nearly a decade later, he still talks about that silly gift and from what I understand that one silly gift is still in his office. By honesty thinking about his likes, I added a new dimension to our relationship, I took the relationship to a new level and did so very openly and honestly with no expectations of a "return" from my acts of kindness or plain old good service, this guy was cool and someone I could hang out with and that attitude relaxed him.

You see, I never pushed business on him; I treated him as I myself desire to be treated by those that provide services to me. We took the time to get to know him as a person, his passions, his goals and his successes. We as a company attended to his detailing needs as he requested and at the highest level possible and we earned his trust over a long period of time.

About three months after I gave him that small personal gift, this client provided me with a lead that turned into the most profitable contract we had ever received. You see, this client introduced me into circles that solo I would have never been included within. We had finally built one of the most important factors within a relationship, the trust factor.

Later, this client told me that it was our entire staff's sincerity that impressed him most. All that we expected was his satisfaction and in return he told us that while he rarely discusses the businesses that perform services for him, he felt compelled to tell all close to him about our organization and the services we offer.

You may ask, what did Attention To Details or Renny Doyle do that made the difference? What did we do that "compelled" him to help build our business? We treated him like a real person, not a networking source or a dollar sign, a real person that we sincerely delivered to at the level he expected and in return he told others about us and the services we offer in a very big way.

Many business people see networking as strictly an opportunity to sell, yet true and effective networking is better termed relationship management. While networking groups and other events have proven fruitful, the highest returns within the varied businesses I have ran come from meaningful relationships centered on appreciation, respect and trust. Appreciation, respect and trust are not always easy to earn and many business people become discourage and fail to finish the task of building proper relationship before the rewards of such as relationship can be realized. To realize returns at this level, it can take years to build the foundations but that's ok. it takes years to build business correctly.

After a decade of servicing this one client I am pleased to inform you that we continue to do business with this gentleman. While the lifetime value of this one client is substantial, the real value of this client dives much deeper then the amount he has spent with us, he has become a friend and an ally to both our business and me. More sales are made with friendship then pure sales skills alone as I am living proof of that statement and a firm believer in proper relationship management.

Within this session, Dan Ekenberg, the founder of Auto Detailing Network along with Bud Abraham, Founder and President of Detail Plus Auto Care Appearance Systems and yours truly (Renny Doyle) will address many of the issues important in the early stages of your auto detailing business start-up.

Well before you decide on a mobile or fixed operation, several important steps should be taken. Below you will find helpful information provided from three individuals with over 75 years of detail business experience collectively.

Locate Mentor(s)

Over the past twenty-five years I have evaluated well over three hundred business start-ups, both as a professional with Oldcastle Company where I was Director of Business Development and within my own business ventures. My wife and I are active not only in the detail industry but have business ventures within a number of industries and recently closed the successful sale of one of our business. No matter how basic or complex one of our businesses may be, we are both firm believers in mentors. I utilize mentors within every aspect of our businesses and my personal life. This is important, run what you know thus far about the detailing industry by this person or persons and ask for their involvement. For me I had several past business partners and customers that had the type of success that I was looking to achieve. I have about four mentors and have found that receiving mixtures of input usually assist me at arriving at the best conclusion.

Market Evaluation

When starting a new business, the primary concern for me is profit. Will that business thrive within the desired market? Bud Abraham adds, "What you have to first do is consider who your market is. Will it be dealers, fleets or the general public?"

Bud Abraham offers, "If it will be the dealers then you need to know how many dealers are within your area and how many are performing detailing in house and how many already have a detail company doing their work. Then you must ascertain if you can secure any business from dealers doing their work and/or if you can be successful at gaining the desired dealer work. If fleet work is your goal you need to ascertain how many fleets are in your market and what chance you would have of obtaining business from those fleet accounts. If the general public is your target, you need to focus in on who the real potential customers are. Realizing that not all of the public is your customer now or ever. Rough statistics tell us that only about 20% of the motoring public are detail service customers. So you have to focus on who they are; where they are and how do you reach them and what do you say to motivate them to use your business."

When we evaluate a new market we are very concerned with disposable cash, which in most cases will be directly related to income. Detailing is a luxury service, not a necessity. People must have their vehicle's oil changed, tires replaced, windshields replaced but they do not view detailing as a must in most cases! Why do I say most cases, in our locations we educate our customers to the importance of detailing and have systems in place to remind clients it's time to detail again, our clients began to hate their vehicles to be dirty. Over the course of 2-3 years we can change customers habits with proper actions but nevertheless, detailing remains to be an option, not a necessity and it's your job to locate those within your market that will be trained to keep their vehicles clean.

Are all markets created equal? That is a very easy answer, no! In some of the markets we are in, our margins (profits) are 25% greater than others. This is due to a number of reasons, acceptable levels we can charge for our services and cost of labor. What will your market bare?

Research the environmental aspects of the industry within your area

Knowing what is expected in the early stages is a must. Look to federal, state, county and city authorities for input. Once again Bud Abraham shares with us the environmental issues as he sees them and with nearly forty years within the industry, he is a man in the know. "Detailers traditionally do not want to know these regulations because the cost to adhere to the laws of the land are too expensive for most undercapitalized detail operations. The laws do not vary; the clean water act is the same for all states and municipalities. The unfortunate thing is that local governments are not consistent in their enforcement and it gives FALSE signals to the detailers that that it is OK to violate the law. It is not and when you get caught, it is like getting caught with your pants down."

Evaluate your financial needs

While many concentrate on sales within the business, most business people look at the bottom dollar. If your sales support the business early on but not you're personal needs, maybe staying within your current career for a period may be a viable option. I see so many young entrepreneurs desiring to go full time into their venture yet they have no conception of what sales and profit volumes will be needed to sustain both the business and their person financial needs. I like to work reverse mathematics. I take the needs of the company, the needs for my personal finances and add these totals together. If you're realistic that number will illustrate what your monthly total volume will need to be.

An example of this type of check and balance

Let's assume you are opening a fixed location and you have the needed capital to lease, tool and outfit your business but you need to know what kind of sales volume you are going to need, here is how I figure that total. Please note this is simply a sample and does not constitute any real world financial situations.

Month 1

• My personal monthly financial need - $5,000.00
• Building Lease - $1,000.00
• Utilities - $150.00
• Common area charges for the building - $100.00
• Insurance (Building & Liability) - $200.00
• Estimated Product Cost $400.00
• Equipment upkeep - $100.00
• Basic monthly expenditures = $6,950.00

Let's assume your average invoice charge is $150.00. $6,950.00 divided by $150.00 equals a minimum of 47 details a month or over eleven details a week to simply meet the minimal needs of your business and yourself. In addition you will have taxes, pay roll charges, workers comp, marketing expenses, phone charges and unforeseen expenses to add to those needs and the above list is simply a sampling of cost. You can see how quickly your hard earned money can be eaten up and why looking at realistic numbers is so very important.

"When we were looking at the financial side of the business, we know what level we would need to perform within short term, mid-term and long term time periods" adds Andy Milligan. "We did not base our price on our competitors prices, we had our own financial requirements for our proposed business, obviously we entered the business and we did so with our own pricing requirements that allowed us to cover expenses while making a profit" said Milligan.

Worry about you, not your competition. Within the local markets we serve, the best thing that can happen is our competition changing their prices, if they lower their price, our team is viewed as a better detailer, if they raise their prices, well it allows me to increase my price which in turn provides for higher profits and higher wages for our staff.

Competitive Shopping

The founder of Auto Detailing Network, Dan Ekenberg has some solid input when it comes to comp shopping. "Part of any business marketing plan should include Comp. Shops (Competitive Shopping).
I first learned the benefits of Comp Shops when I was a manager with a major retailer. As a manager I was required to do Comp. While the specific objective of the shop would vary from week to week the goal was the same, to study the competition and to learn from them."

• How did they advertise?
• How did they present their products?
• What were their prices?
• How was their service?

I compiled the information for each of the competitors and evaluated how my company may be able to implement ideas or modify the way we were operating to maximize efficiency and profits.

I carried this practice with me to my detailing business as well. While it may not be as easy to "visit" every competitor I can still make phone calls. How do they answer the phone? Are they professional? Are they able to answer my questions? Did they ask for the sale? Did they return phone calls? Some may find it uncomfortable making these calls but you need to know what your competitors are doing. Don't make the mistake of only looking for what they are doing wrong but what are they doing right! If you visit their shop, is it clean? Are they prompt in greeting you? How are they dressed? Are their prices posted? Are they busy?
Today you can research many competitors via the internet. Having said that, be sure your site is professional, informative and easy to navigate. Remember when you answer your phone it may very well be a competitor!

Dan's points are critical in my opinion and something we continually do throughout the year within our locations. We have a list we have developed with the key points we look at within our competition.

1. How are they operating, mobile, fixed or both?
2. Pricing structure?
3. Environmental compliant?
4. How long in business?
5. How busy are they?
6. Market share within your market place?
7. What is your overall perception of that business?
8. What marketing efforts are they utilizing?
9. How effective is their sales effort?
10. Did they attempt to close the sale?
11. Try and locate some of their customers or better yet, become one of their customers. Many times when we enter a new market, we have several vehicles detailed to get a better understanding of whom we are dealing with competition wise. This allows us to see first hand the level of quality and customer service.
12. We then tally how many detailers are within the market, how many vehicles are licensed and what type of vehicles and the habits of consumers within the market. If you see many dirty cars running around town, that does not always mean opportunity, it may be a simple fact of that market and your efforts may not bare fruit.

Bud Abraham offers another viewpoint when it comes to your competitive shopping. "Personally I do not worry about the competition unless they are really good. In my opinion very few detail shops are worth worrying about if I know I am the best and offer the best service, that is all I would be concerned about, Abraham offers. " Certainly you might want to know about how many detail business there are in your area and what kind of service they provide. This only to support your confidence in what you are doing" , Bud explains.

Business Plan

When I was young, I always dreamed of becoming a Sheriff�s Deputy in the mountain communities near where I grew up in Southern California. In 1990, I joined the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and was accepted within the Mountain Rescue Team. While I had used a map and compass during my flight lessons as a teen, using a map and compass within rough terrain or at night was a whole new story. I quickly realized if I was going to keep myself safe and not lost when trying to locate the lost. I had better master the use of a compass and map. A business plan to a business is much the same that a map and compass is to a Search & Rescue Team Member or a pilot; a plan is the eyes and ears of a business and a must! As a business plan is the eyes and ears, the marketing of your business will be the lungs of your business and without lungs we cannot breath life into our business. Add in your sales efforts which I categorize as the heart of your business, remove the heart and your entire system or business in this case will fail, you need all of these items wrapped up into your business plan.

I asked Bud Abraham, what should a business plan include? "Nothing unique, just a good solid business plan that is specific enough to relate to the detail business and not be some cookie cutter plan off the internet or from a local book store. What is important for lenders and investors is revenue projections. The problem with most detailers is they think to small. You have to think big when you ask for money and you have to justify the request with excellent revenue projections. Banks and investors are interested in big loans and big returns. An investor is not investing in your detail business to help you, they want a 15%- 20% return on their investment".

Marketing Plan

Within my business plan I include not only the design of the organization, but the operations of the business, the revenue projections, the marketing plan and the sales plan. I identify whom, where and how, who are the company's desired customers? Where these prospects within the localized market and how will we gain their business? Will we best reach this level of customer with direct mail, cross marketing with other service providers, Newspaper ads or numerous other sources that are nearly endless. Research and describe which marketing media will reach these desired customers.

I asked Mr. Abraham his thoughts on the marketing and sales plans and he added these comments. "Detailers need to spend more time understanding what this means and how to develop a marketing plan than which wax or compound to use. The marketing plan is your road map to success. Without it you are a ship or boat without a rudder floating aimlessly on the sea of mediocrity and ultimate failure. You cannot have someone else do the marketing plan unless you are a part of it and understand what it means to you and your success in business. Which means you have to know how to use it. An extractor is no good to a detailer who does not know how to use it' so too a marketing plan." I then asked Bud to share his line of thinking when it comes to a sales plan within a business plan. "That again is part of the business plan and relates to revenue projections. You need to know what it will cost you to run your business and just as important, where this money is going to come from. That is what your plan helps you to identify where the business comes from and how much".

Sales Plan

When I sit down to start a new Attention To Details location or a new business, I lay out the avenues I will use for marketing. I identify other marketing sources and every possible way we can share our services with potential customers that we call suspects. That can be anything from a yellow page ad to a flyer we leave at a body shop. We then have a sales system in place, when the calls come in we have a very direct way we discuss business with prospective customers. We have a series of questions that we ask and a close that has over a 90% capture rate which means that over 90% of the calls we get for detailing turn into an actual customer�a sales plan is very important!

Sales and Profit Projections

One of the most difficult tasks within a start-up will be accurate projections. We use several sources but rely on years of operating businesses and recognizing resourceful markets simply by traits they hold in common with markets we already fully understand. We turn to real estate values, gross income per household and census data. First year projections are the most difficult, often evaluating our competition can assist us within our projections or looking at like markets that we have contacts within. The same tools are available to all, you simply need to find them!

I asked Bud to respond to the projection question�what and how do you do a projection. Bud provides us with a simple answer. "Projecting is the skill of knowing how much business you are going to get each month. Some months will be good, some bad and some mediocre. Therefore you need to prepare for the good months as well as the bad months. You need to have sufficient space and people to handle the potential or you revenue will suffer."

Financial Needs

As Bud mentioned earlier, detailer's in general dream small. I am at odds with many within the industry on this subject. Many feel that a small investment is all that is needed yet it's those that are undercapitalized that have captured the largest failure rate. Your needed funding will depend on many aspects of your business; are you going mobile or fixed, are you using trailers or vans, will your site need much tenant improvement (TI) and what size operation are you starting. You need to take every possible expense into consideration; plumbers, electricians and signage can get very expensive and adding your insurance and first order of products to the mix, not to mention equipment, the cost can and will soar. Be realistic in your projections and if do not know the answer; seek guidance from someone in the know. While many visiting forums and offering assistance mean well, what do you know of their success? When taking advice make sure the source is deserving of providing you with guidance and successful within the area you seek advice.

Evaluating A Location

Many times I see people �leaping� into a new location with very little pre-thought. Leasing a building can be a very serious action and is not a cheap venture. Some that I train desire location. While location is important it may not be a major concern and you could save money by not having a visible site. Those performing wholesale work should not be as concerned about location as long as you are near dealerships. If you intend to be a retail operation, the old saying location, location, location will many times apply, but not always. You need to apply math to the lease and make certain the expense will pencil out.

Detailing Education

I am a firm believer in training in one form or another. You have two viable choices when it comes to training and a third that is simply small business suicide.

• On The Job Training, One sure way to gain knowledge, skills and confidence is to go to work for a quantified detail organization. Learn the needed skills while you earn and your chance of true success once you start your own business will greatly improve.
• Real World Professional Training, The reason I say "real world" is simply due to the fact that there are many training options available for those looking to gain knowledge but I personally feel few offer training that adequately prepares most for success within their start-ups. Pick your training carefully and make certain the training is simply not an infomercial for the organizations own private label products and equipment, remember the reason you are investing in training is for skills, the product side of the business is easy when you have the needed skills so base your training decisions on the skill level of the training. If you're not spending 90% plus of your time actually doing the work I feel this is not training, it's an introduction at best. You must ask yourself, do I desire to gain a limited introduction or do I desire to gain knowledge based skills? I am a detailer that has over 10,000 details under my belt ranging from everyday family vehicles to exotic yachts, aircraft and Air Force Oneï, take it from me, take your skill based education serious because I watch more detail entrepreneurs fail simply due to lack of experience than any other reason and some of these so called schools are teaching to some extent but I am certain not many are teaching factual detailing skills that allow the averae student to prosper. In my mind there are four true trainers, note I did not say schools I said TRAINgERS! Choose your trainer carefully.
• I learn as I go, You think I can tell you this, it can be done but the failure rate is 99.99%. I simply do not understand why someone would desire to invest within a business, even if it's a small investment and not know what he or she are doing? Again I have those that feel, I am too hard on poor souls that are simply trying to get ahead. No I am being realistic and my projections are 100% on target, enter this industry knowing very little and your chances of failure are overwhelmingly towards failure. I have heard it all; the most common being that I have detailed my own cars and friends cars for years and everyone rants and raves on how good I am. Once you start charging professional rates watch how quickly you start hearing complaints. Again this is the avenue I call "small business suicide, or ,ignorance on fire". Many within the industry state they have invested very little yet have had success. To these individuals I would challenge their definition of success. I have currently have four shops I own and another three affiliate locations so I know a thing or two about launching a detail business and its much more involved than many tout.

Business Education

This is a huge concern for me as I see so many desiring to be business owners with little experience. Lack of experience in itself is not bad, but lack experience to know when you need help is what sinks any desiring to become entrepreneurs. There are several sources for business training; your local Junior College can be a great course along with a host of books and public groups. Knowledge means greater chance of success.

Self-Evaluating Your Talents & Abilities

I have critics of this next statement but I strongly feel that not everyone is cut out to be a detailer (at least a good detailer) and to the next level no everyone is meant to be a successful entrepreneur. This does not mean that these people will not succeed; you just need to be honest with yourself on where your weak points lie and take action on those issues. Being truthful to you and your abilities or lack of experience is a must for all of us that desire to be successful within our own businesses. Many times entrepreneurs sell themselves on just about anything they get excited about. Make certain you're true to yourself and your true abilities or capabilities are understood from within.

Product Selection

I enter this topic line in protest. The products they will use consume so many new detailers. That is what pros like myself can teach you. If your going to a respected training provider, the correct product usage will be part of that training, as Bud indicated earlier, spend more time gaining skills and knowledge which will prove to be much more challenging than product usage.

Within this session we have introduced you to the basics. Starting a business is an in depth series of actions that takes courage, knowledge, skills and careful planning. Once again I thank Bud, Andy and Dan for their input.
The next session within this series will cover the positive facts of establishing a mobile detailing business. I am excited to bring this series to our industry and I do so with the full intentions of making a better industry for all of us, once again Happy Detailing and God Bless.

This series has been developed to induce advance thinking when it comes to the launching or the expansion of your auto detailing business. Attention To Details along with Auto Detailing Network thanks you for visiting this session.

Future sessions on the topic of mobile vs. fixed location:

• Effective First Steps That True Business People Utilize
• Positive Facts About Mobile Auto Detailing Operations
• Positive Facts About Fixed Auto Detailing Locations
• Possible Drawbacks Within Mobile Auto Detailing Operations
• Possible Drawbacks Within Fixed Auto Detailing Locations
• A Final Conclusion and Overview of The Mobile Vs. Fixed detailing Operation Series

If you would like to express your input within future sessions on this topic, please share your input with me. While I can't guarantee I will use your information, I would enjoy hearing your knowledge-based thoughts. Please email me at admin@detailingsuccess.com.
I would like to thank Andy, Bud, Jim and Matt for taking part within this session.

Renny Doyle
Founder
Attention To Details
www.detailingsuccess.com

This document was created and written by Renny Doyle and cannot be reprinted or distributed without written consent.
2005/2006