Enter the Car Servicing Industry with a Mobile Detailing Business
As industries, automobile manufacturing and auto detailing go hand in hand. As long as there are cars driving on the streets, there will be a need for auto detailing and car wash services. And business is booming. According to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), auto detailing is an $8 billion industry. What’s more, the industry is said to grow at an annual rate of 1.4% between 2008 and 2018. It is safe to say that an auto detailing and car wash business would be a
profitable venture.
If you are an entrepreneur who is making an entry into the industry, you need to be sure that you have the required knowledge, financial resources for setting up shop, and the right equipment to start your business. If any of these aspects are lacking, it may lead to problems. But you don’t have to put your dream aside immediately. You can still make an entry into the industry by starting a mobile auto detailing business.
What is Mobile Auto Detailing?
There are generally two types of car wash and detailing businesses – fixed and mobile. Fixed detailers(Fixed detailing business) operate out of one location where they provide their services. Mobile detailers usually operate out of a trailer or a truck. Some of the aspects of mobile auto detailing are:
- As the business is mobile, you can move from one area to another to find clients.
- You can choose only the essential equipment you require for the truck.
- The biggest advantage is low expenditure. Using a mobile detailing service will incur low inception costs, and reduced monthly fees.
Get Set to Go Mobile with Auto Detailing
Following these steps can help you get a basic understanding on how to start a mobile auto detailing business.
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Learn the Basics: The first question that you would probably think of is ‘how does someone run this type of business?’ While there are books and web pages to help you on this subject, another simple way is to see it firsthand. Find a mobile auto detailing shop and have them service your car. Observe their entire process, from equipment setup, cleaning and servicing the car, to payment. Strike up a conversation with the owner and learn more about his experiences. You
can enquire about investment, monthly expenses, and price range.
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Complete the Paperwork: Ensure that you have the necessary legal permits to operate this kind of business. You can apply for a business license at your town’s city hall. Check with your insurance provider if he can cover the business. Also, get liability insurance in case any of your equipment gets damaged or needs replacing. You can give your company a name for better business.
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Procure a Vehicle: The best bet for a successful mobile business is using a trailer. On an average, you may pay $3,000 to $8,000 for good quality trailers. The trailer should provide easy access to the rear of the vehicle where you will be performing the detailing work. As you will be travelling around the city, make sure that the trailer provides good mileage and is capable of travelling on smooth and rough terrain.
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Choose Equipment According to Your Services: Provide quality service means servicing both the interiors and exteriors of the car. You need to choose car detailing equipment that will help you complete your work. The general pieces of equipment in a mobile car wash business are:
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Interior:
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- Use steam cleaners for maintaining floor mattresses, windows, dashboards, and side walls
- Purchase upholstery cleaners for seat covers
- Choose quality cleaning products like multi surface cleaners and carpet shampoos
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Exterior:
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- Use a steam pressure washer for cleaning the engine and chassis
- An electric pressure washer will be required for the body and tires
- Air compressor for pneumatic tools
- Generator for lighting the work area and powering your tools
- Rotary buffer
- Washing products like towels, brushes, cleaning agents, etc.
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You will also need a water container with a capacity of 80 to 100 gallons. Make sure you invest in a waste disposal system to get rid of your used chemicals and water.
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Create Your Price Range: Your price range should take all the services that you provide into consideration. Payment for services should also help you to cover expenses on equipment and daily travel.
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Start Marketing Your Company: Create fliers and brochures with your business name, services, and contact details that you can pass around to local businesses. Put up posters and fliers in establishments that are visited by the clientele you wish to attract. You can even place ads in the classified sections of local newspapers.
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Start Visiting Areas for Work: Travel to areas where you feel there is a requirement for auto detailing and residents will be ready to accept your services. Target areas like suburbs or industrial areas where customers will have to travel a great distance to get their cars serviced. You can also target certain types of clients such as doctors, lawyers, business executives, RV dealers, limo companies, and exotic car owners. Provide them spare fliers, brochures, and
business cards to grow your client base.
Last Suggestion
Make sure you have a very good supplier for your equipment. It would be better if you use a well-known brand name as that will increase confidence among customers. One company that provides cutting edge auto detailing and carpet cleaning equipment is Daimer®. The company is known for supplying technologically advanced car cleaning machines such as KleenJet steam cleaners, Super Max pressure washers and XTreme
Power carpet-upholstery cleaners.
Daimer® cleaning equipment can be used for industrial and commercial purposes. The company also helps first time entrepreneurs with leasing and financing programs to acquire cleaning equipment. Start your auto detailing business by partnering with Daimer®. Peruse through the company’s list of Clients.
Keeping all these points in mind, you will soon be on your way to establishing your mobile auto detailing company.