# Valeting Business Took A Dive?



## jayc2012 (May 22, 2012)

Hi people,

I know the weather has been bad & with the hosepipe ban but my mobile valeting business has took a dive, Gone from loads of work to almost nothing, Site is doing well in google, Have paid adverts in top directories.

The phone has stopped ringing & the emails have gone!

Not doing anything different before or after, Is it just me or have other valeters noticed a drop in business.

All the best


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## RaceGlazer (Jan 10, 2007)

Its tough out there for all sorts of businesses, and if you sell/make/offer something people can do without, they will. This is so noticeable compared to last summer.
Household incomes dropped 5% over the last 12 months, people will look hard at where they can save money.


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## Porkypig (Jun 20, 2012)

I have a few regulars that have stayed on but otherwise like you that side of the business has taken a dive.

I am a mobile Dent Repair Technician but also carry out detailing and smart reapirs that can be corrected using polishing techniques. When I set up I started doing valeting to support the business as it is something I new much about and when it was busy it is great, but it has definitely slowed up of late. I have also found it harder selling services, where a year ago I could garantee picking up a job almost just by asking and up selling from there, now I get knocked back more often than not when it comes to price.

That said within the town I live there are 8 drive through hand car washes and carpark wahses going from £3.99 upward!!!  It is not a big town either....


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## jayc2012 (May 22, 2012)

Not just me then, We have a few £5 car wash centers in my area & they are stacked! 

The other thing that gets to me is when i'm out & about, The amount of people who ask for cards & then never call.

It's hard work these days just trying to get the business more than doing the work when you get it.

Any idea's on how to make things better?

All the best


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Far more competition these days. We have quite a few sending in cards into the work all the time.

Some of the ones I see doing pretty well are the ones operating out of shopping centre multi-storey car parks.

Pretty easy when you are on hand and can conveniently do it as they go shopping.


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## jayc2012 (May 22, 2012)

Yes, Some people also do things at the spur of the moment, Big disadvantage of being mobile i guess, Sometimes you need to put your service in front of them even if they are not looking for it.

Maybe i need to park my van by one of the £5 car washes but don't think that will go down too well 

All the best


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## RaceGlazer (Jan 10, 2007)

The issue is education - a clean car is a clean car to so many people, doing what you and folks on here term a proper job costs more and people need to know why.

So you've just got to show and explain why what you do is worth the extra money - and don't give a card out unless they give you something in return eg their phone number or even better, their address so you can go round, see the car and show on a test patch what you can do. 

Its about upping conversion rates if there are fewer enquiries, not dishing out more cards.


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## dcj (Apr 17, 2009)

jayc2012 said:


> The other thing that gets to me is when i'm out & about, The amount of people who ask for cards & then never call.


Doesnt mean theyre not going to call but same as anything else if its not a necessity it can get put on the back burner for a while. I dont bother with cards,just A5 size leaflets that I do on the computer. Harder to lose and more info on them.


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

Simple really blame the fuel costs it has a knock on effect for so much.


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## Porkypig (Jun 20, 2012)

jayc2012 said:


> Not just me then, We have a few £5 car wash centers in my area & they are stacked!
> 
> The other thing that gets to me is when i'm out & about, The amount of people who ask for cards & then never call.
> 
> ...


Just gotta keep pounding the streets and asking for the business I guess dude. I have also found though that advertising that I was doing and statics have generated far less interest recently, part of me wants to ditch it as it is a cost that is not returning by you kind of feel if you do that you will be missing out. .

That said I always maintain that people buy services from people they like so you gotta keep talking to people and close a deal on the day if you can. :thumb:


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## Defined Reflections (Jun 4, 2009)

Try expanding your area.


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## jayc2012 (May 22, 2012)

Hi people,

I have running costs of around £145 p/m before i even get in the van to do any work so things are not so bad but when the business has died so much that it is not even covering that at the moment.

I then start thinking what am i doing wrong & you get abit reluctant to start putting more into it just in case things don't change.

The prices i charge are fair but i am by no means going to give them away.

Thank you all for the info, Will try advice given & hopefully can ride this out, Goodluck to all in the same boat, Hopefully we can come out the other side stronger & better.

All the best & thankyou


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

Porkypig said:


> I have a few regulars that have stayed on but otherwise like you that side of the business has taken a dive.
> 
> I am a mobile Dent Repair Technician but also carry out detailing and smart reapirs that can be corrected using polishing techniques. When I set up I started doing valeting to support the business as it is something I new much about and when it was busy it is great, but it has definitely slowed up of late. I have also found it harder selling services, where a year ago I could garantee picking up a job almost just by asking and up selling from there, now I get knocked back more often than not when it comes to price.
> 
> That said within the town I live there are 8 drive through hand car washes and carpark wahses going from £3.99 upward!!!  It is not a big town either....


From my point of view regarding dents, on occasion I get quotes from smart repairers before sending ex lease cars back, what I have found is that its often cheaper and less hassal and by that I mean time to actually send the car back dented. I don't know if it's a reflection of the whole industry but the difference in dehire damage compared to end of contract charges makes it uneconomical to have them fixed.

As an example, we had the complete side of a focus repainted as it was cheaper than the dehire damage, but I left the bumper scratched, the lease company charged £100 when it would have cost £200 to have the whole thing painted. They charge less than £60 for a door ding no matter how many in the panel.

For me I would pay £60 on my own Car if I could find someone I trust, where I think you are better off is if you could quote for dehire damage on customers who have PCP's quoting repair costs against what a dealer would charge. More people are taking up PCP so I guess if you could scare them enough they might buy into it.


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