What Do Mobile Auto Detailers Clean When it Rains?
A mobile auto detailer and their profits are tied to the weather perhaps more than any other business. There are ways to make money even on a rainy day if you are smart. A mobile detailer can do many things. They of course can specialize during these time on the interior detailing of automobiles, SUVs and mini-vans. It might not be as glamorous but there are plenty of latte stains on the inside of the modern American automobile.
Some mobile auto detailers get fewer than one or two complete auto details on rainy weeks. If they fail to market correctly they will perhaps get three interior details a week during the rainy weeks. They will probably discount their prices in fact merely to get the work. Some discount to $45.00 each in order to get the work on a rainy week. If you are a savvy consumer you will wait until it rains and ask for a good deal. If you were to break it down; 3 interior details at $45 is only $130.00 gross revenue, so you can imagine the independent operator is barely surviving.
If it rains for three weeks straight in February, which is already is a short month, then they will spend this on food and gas. At current fuel prices it would not take much for them to show a loss. In other words they cannot make the truck payment, rent or printing (advertising). Without these things the mobile auto detailer competitor is basically S.O.L. . No wonder these mobile auto detailers go out of business each year and eventually find a new trade. Many detailers are detailers because:
There is a sense of prestige working on fine automobiles.
There is a lot of freedom driving around all day.
They can act like big shots with business cards, car phones, pagers, etc.
When it rains, there are no fine automobiles to clean. Their regular customers are not interested and rejection sets in. There is no freedom when you are broke; they can't afford to buy gas. They can't act like big shots when they have to borrow money from their friends to buy gas. Their friends get tired of always buying them beer when they go out. It gets old quick and their friends stop calling. These are some of the reasons for turn over rates in the auto detailing business. There is plenty of work with 1.7 cars for every man, woman and child in America, but once it starts raining there are few takers. The strong survive and the rest take a dive. Think about seasonality in your business, do you have a plan?
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance;
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