Opening an auto detail shop??!?!

J

jhall629

New member
I am currently putting together a business plan to open an auto detail shop called Expressions Auto Detail. Finding the location i want, was easy..the problem im having is deciding on where to get all my chemicals and supplies and equipment from. Any ideas would help a lot!!!! Looking to stock the storage room with as little overhead as possible, while using top quality products. :confused:
 
Search........and you shall find what you're asking about. There are as many products and suppliers on here as you would want to find. Everything depends on your target market and target services- not to mention what you want to spend on products.
 
i did some research, but the problem is there's so many, i don't know who to get my stuff from, i wanna cater to ever market..middle class and upper class(higher end cars). where do you order all your stuff from? Maybe its a place i havent looked at yet.
 
I find it interesting that you're opening up a shop without knowing anything about products and where to get them. How can you plan a successful business without 1st hand product experience? Where have you been getting your products from up to now? Who is your targeted clients? Wholesale / Retail / Hi-end?
 
I haven't had to get my products from anywhere, ive been detailing for about 8 years, but ive been working with other people or businesses, and ive asked them about where to get products, and they all say something different, so i figured id turn to you guys for help lol.
 
I am familiar with DP, Chemical Guys, and Meguiar's. and Sudz i am located in Cincinnati, ohio.... also a guy i know who started a mobile detail business, recommended starting out with AutoGeek's Pro Detailer Startup Kit #1 and then finding used buffers and carpet cleaners, and then restocking as I go. my concern is where i want to put the shop is in a high traffic area, where a lot of pass by on their way to work, or anywhere for that matter, so my concern is running out before my supplies get ordered and shipped to me.
 
You're best bet is to find someone local that delivers. Around her we have Sam Brown, Cul-Mac, and another one that starts with a "V" but can not think of it to save my life right now.



If you want something that you have to have shipped I've always liked Four Star Professional Products. But if you have a shop it's nice to have it delivered when you need it instead of waiting days for it and paying shipping.
 
I just looked up Four Star, they dont offer everything i would need..plus ive never used them, im going to start out using products im familiar with.
 
jhall629 said:
I just looked up Four Star, they dont offer everything i would need..plus ive never used them, im going to start out using products im familiar with.
Click to expand...



Really? What don't they offer? They where all I used back in the day.
 
i just did some basic search on them, guess i should do more before i assume they dont offer everything i need. sorry about that lol. where do u currently get ur supplies from now?
 
jhall629 said:
i just did some basic search on them, guess i should do more before i assume they dont offer everything i need. sorry about that lol. where do u currently get ur supplies from now?
Click to expand...



I have a ton of supplies and have not ordered any in along time. But a buddy of mine get's all of his from Sam Brown. They just stop at his shop every couple of days and see if he needs anything and if he does they have it on their truck.
 
I think you need to do much more work on your business plan. You can't just open a shop and expect people to call or drive in. Products are about 10% of the business..if that. Customers do not ask what products you use, they want results and they want trust.



What is your market plan? How will you reach your market? Do you have long term goals?



Who is doing the detailing? You, employees, etc.?



Valuguard is in Blue Ash area for product, but that doesn't mean squat if you have no customers at the door.



Are you only detailing? That's hard. If you have a shop- tint, pdr, wsr, etc.



What is your color scheme, logo, slogan, etc.?



Have you thought about your insurance costs, taxes, and what needs to be done so that OSHA does not come to your door?



Cinci is cheap real estate and I'm sure the cost of a shop is low, but what is the daily drive by traffic- traffic counts?



You mentioned high end and middle end customer- which one? Does this mean you charge more because some people have more money? (ok, that was a bit sarcastic).



Just seems you have a LOT of work ahead of you if you are to make it in this industry.



I would leave the product line alone for a bit and focus on the actual running of the business.



You are leaving the technical world and entering the business world when you go to a shop and open it yourself.



Spokane Auto Detailing & Spokane Window Tinting



There's a shop run by a business person, not a detailer.



Rob
 
Twisted i wasn't sure where to post it, i didnt see this forum column til after i posted in the other one.. and wcd i wont charge more for higher end or upper class customers, im gonna view all my customers as equal..and what you said about cincinnati being cheap real estate...not exactly lol... im in a more upper class suburb of cincinnati, 2,000 a month to lease a 2 garage building that used to be a used car lot lol. I'm actually waiting on insurance quotes from a few places. taxes, i've talked to the city and got info on all the taxes id have to pay. as far as OSHA, ive been looking into that, everywher i look tells me something different, so im thinking i might just call OSHA haha. The location i want to use is a highly traveled road, its the main road that connects a lot of the cities together, its traveled allday long with a constant flow of traffic. I have already called ValuGuard, i plan on going over there on Monday. The detailing will be done by me, and my cousin, we got started together. Other services will be farmed out, such as paint touch up and such, i know a guy who has had his own paint touchup business for about 15 years, so i've been getting advice from him as well. I'm currently in the process of crunching numbers to figure out exactly how much ill need to get going, and figuring out what i can cut out to start at the beginning that i can add later...wow this is a long post haha. As far as the logo and color scheme, i have a friend who is really good with photoshop, he's been working on a few things for me, plus i have a friend who works for a local sign company here, but the signs and flyers, and banners can all be done once i figure out everything else.
 
Trying to treat all customers as equals, in my opinion, is not realistic.



We have super demanding clients that are a pain to deal with but they pay well and never question the costs.



Then we have nice clients who are also a pain because they haggle every cost. Some will even go to other shops because they save $20 for a certain service.



Which ones do you think get.......shall we say, "more attention"? So face it, you're going to have favorites. For some clients you'll do things for but for others you may only consider it.



Some people you will tell to take a hike......others you will bend over backwards to keep.



Anthony
 
jhall629 said:
I am familiar with DP, Chemical Guys, and Meguiar's. and Sudz i am located in Cincinnati, ohio.... also a guy i know who started a mobile detail business, recommended starting out with AutoGeek's Pro Detailer Startup Kit #1 and then finding used buffers and carpet cleaners, and then restocking as I go. my concern is where i want to put the shop is in a high traffic area, where a lot of pass by on their way to work, or anywhere for that matter, so my concern is running out before my supplies get ordered and shipped to me.
Click to expand...



For times like this make a quick drive to the paint store, they will usually have a lot of the stuff you need.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top