Module 9: Products and Equipment

In this module, we look at some useful accessories to add to your kit and other expenses that are involved with running an auto detailing company.

Quantity of Products

The number of products you need will heavily depend on the size of your auto detailing business. To get an idea of how many of each product you will have to order, the first step is to set a plan on how many cars your business will be able to handle each month.

You will also need to know what detailing work you will be completing for your customers, and how much product each of the services requires.

After you conduct preliminary research to answer these two questions, you will get an idea of how much product you will need. However, it will probably take some trial and error to finally settle into your monthly or yearly needs.

Key Products to Always Have

Throughout the previous units, we have covered a lot of the products that are essential to running a successful auto detailing business. There are a lot of products and gadgets that you will need, so let’s go over some of them.

Getting the car interior clean can be tricky. For the best results, you will need a vacuum and blower that can perform well. There are many attachments available for car detailing vacuums that will help you to reach every area of a vehicle.

One of the most common mistakes that novice auto detailers make is not having enough light in their work area. It’s important that you have high-quality lighting in the studio so you don’t miss any scratches or dents on the exterior of a vehicle.

The same goes for the interior. Even if you turn on all the built-in lights in a car, you won’t be able to see everything clearly. For this reason, every car detailing business needs a good quality LED auto detailing light. It will help you to clean the vehicle thoroughly without missing anything.

A good quality wax can go a long way in auto detailing. We have covered wax and non-wax sealants in the previous units. While it’s always a good idea to have several options for your customers, having a good quality wax on hand is an absolute must.

A foam cannon is another key gadget in auto detailing. It can help you get rid of the dust and dirt on the exterior with ease and minimal effort.

Finally, you should always have different cleaning supplies on hand for different parts of the car. There are specialized microfiber cloths, cleaning brushes for reaching all the crevices of a wheel, and much more. Having all these supplies on hand will make the cleaning process so much easier.

Common Sourcing and Logistical Issues

There are several issues you can run into when sourcing products for your business.

Firstly, depending on the kind of service you plan to provide, you will need several high-powered machines, such as a vacuum cleaner, which might be hard to transport.

Once you get all the basics out of the way, you will need to replenish your products from time to time. It is best to have a good relationship with one or several companies that will reliably supply you with all the necessary products.

However, because you have to depend on the third parties to provide you with all the necessary products, you are relying on them to do their job well. If there are any hiccups in the supply, your business might suffer.

Therefore, you should have several distributors that you can rely on, so if one fails, others can come in and provide you with all the necessary products.

Importing Products vs. Buying Locally

There’s always a question of which is better – to source the products locally or import them. Ideally, you should build a good relationship with an auto detailing product company or a distributing company.

However, sometimes, importing the goods can be a much cheaper option. The key to building a successful supply chain for your auto detailing business is to research which option would be the most cost-efficient for your area.

Priorities When Choosing Products

When setting out to start an auto detailing business, it’s important to decide on your priorities. This will play a great role in choosing which products you want to use for detailing.

If you want to run a business that many people can afford, it’s better to find where you can cut costs without sacrificing the quality.

If detailing luxury cars is your dream with your business, you might want to invest in the best products you can find on the market.

More and more people are becoming conscious of their environmental footprint and might want their detailing to be done with the most eco-friendly products.

You can decide if this is the customer niche you want to serve and cater to their needs by providing detailing using only environmentally friendly products.

Other factors that can influence the products you choose for your business include the brand recognition of certain products.

At the end of the day, it is your business, and you can decide on which of the product qualities sit on top of your priority list.

Equipment Considerations

The equipment needed for an auto detailing business varies from the tiniest of brushes to giant vacuums and pressure washers.

You have to consider that it is worthwhile investing in auto detailing equipment. It is better to spend the additional money to buy the best you can, and have peace of mind that they will last you for years.

There will be various smaller pieces of equipment that you will have to replace, from time to time, but the main ones you will be using every day can last for years, such as good quality vacuums, buffers, etc.

Types of Equipment

The key to deciding on which equipment is right for your business is deciding what type of service you will be providing to your customers.

If you want to provide full detailing service, the equipment list for your business will be much longer.

Some of the absolute must-have equipment includes a vacuum cleaner, and a pressure washer, as well as rotary and DA buffers. This is some of the equipment that can get your business off the ground in the beginning stages.

Unique Nature of Auto Detailing

Auto detailing involves so much more than just cleaning a car. When performing a full car detailing, there are lots of things to consider.

As we discussed, detailing most often includes vacuuming the interiors, shampooing the carpets and fabric upholstery, polishing and waxing the paint job, and much more.

All of these duties require the use of specialized equipment, making the auto detailing business one of the most demanding in the automotive industry.

Uniforms for Workers

Aside from the equipment and products directly involved in car detailing, there are other items required to run a successful auto detailing business.

One such item is uniforms for your workers. It is important to have uniforms for your workers to present a unified brand to your customers.

Furthermore, when everyone in the detail shop wears the same or similar professional apparel, it makes the customer trust you with their car even more.

A clean and cohesive uniform for workers is vital to the overall image you present to the customers. When the uniforms are clean and in order, it gives the customer more sense of trust and peace of mind that you will take good care of their vehicle.

Office Supplies

Running any business requires lots of paperwork. You will find yourself doing lots of bookkeeping, taxes, salaries, etc.

To run a successful auto detailing business, you will need to have dedicated space to do such ‘background’ activities.

Your office is also where you can talk to the customers to offer them different packages and products that your shop can perform.

Office supplies, such as a printer and scanner, a landline telephone, paper, stationery, etc. will all be required for you to stay on top of the formal part of your business.

Thinking ahead and putting expenses aside for office supplies will prevent any unnecessary surprises down the line.

Miscellaneous Expenses

Even after you have gathered all of the necessary equipment, products, and supplies, your business may require a variety of items that simply cannot be predicted in advance.

You have to be ready for such extra costs that might not seem significant at first but can quickly pile up. To avoid having your business suffer as a result of such unforeseen expenses, be prepared to set aside a portion of your capital ahead of time.