INHOUSE DETAIL FOR USED CAR

[BIG ORANGE]

I'm thinking about doing complete details in house for Used Car. Also thinking about changing pay plan in New Car Detail (at a later date) My idea is flag time for detail and running materials thru shop, and then charging materials out on RO. Wanting to know if any of you all have done this in the past, and are you having good luck with it. Seems like a good way for more gross. Any ideas are welcomed. Thanks

[btk]

We do in house used car and customer pay details for about 5 years-we flat rated our lead detailer-3hrs per used car including if the car needed wet sanding- we charged used car 125.00 per car- about 40.00 higher then an outside service. Of course the used car manager balked a little but the quality was better and we had the support of the G.M.- It was a little tricky at first, trying to find the right detailer- we had a few backdoor jobs occur and we had to replace my first 2 guys because they were doing side jobs. They would end up bringing in a car from the outside and put a hangtag in the car making it appear like it was a service car. Then, the customer would pull around back and pick up the car and pay the detailer direct. Once we had the right guy and we caught on to their ways-it has been great. He ends up on average flatrating about 120 hours every 2 weeks- averaged about 4 cars a day. Hope this helps. As far as chemicals , we would charge a certain amount on the used car repair order.

[fopsdoc]

We have detail teams. At end of the pay period, the hours are totaled and split evenly between them. Team leader is at $10 flat rate, the next guy is at $9 and so on. This keeps our labor cost in check. At one store, they are all at $10.
We charge 4 hrs for a full detail at $95 per unit plus a $5 material charge per unit. Every service done in the detail department has a $5 material charge attached. Most of the time, we have a substantial credit in the material account. Overall, we turn 40 to 50% gross. Occasionally it will drop below 40% depending on the type of services done during the month.

[SVCDIR1]

We have our detail techs on a commission plan also. I created menu's for the used car department that allows the UCD mgr to decide how much he wants on each vehicle. The menu also has an "ala carte" section so he can pick and choose. we use this same menu, priced higher, for our retail customers. This program has made our detail department very profitable. we pay from 1 hour to 4.5 hours for the services, it is on a repair order and prevents the loss of the supplies. The techs are making more, work is being moved out faster and all seems to be working great. I even have a "Detail Form" for UCD and NCD.
we just started a "SPA DAYS" for our retail customers. let's them know we do full details. Has been VERY successful to the point we added 2 more detail techs.

[asekevin]

Tom,
Sounds like you have a very well run & profitable detail department. I really like the "Spa Days" theme. I started a our detail dept. 1 yr ago and besides some issues at the beginning, it has been great. My guys are on commission too.
However, I have never been able to get the CP work I feel we are capable of and, based on the posts I read, I am a little under priced to my UCD.
Would you be willing to send a copy of your detail form and the time paid per job? Or any other info relating to detail..especially on what you are doing with your "Spa Days".
I tried to email this to you direct but the supplied email address bounced back...
Thanks in advance!
Kevin

[Old Irish]

I doff my cap to any detailer who can bang out 4 cars a day. Are these full details---shampoo rugs, polish, wax, steam clean, paint wheelwells,etc...the whole enchilada ?? Does he work extra hours ??

The best I can manage from my detailer is 2 a day....and perhaps getting a start on the third if the first 2 were not total pigs

How do you do it ???

I'd love to double my production in this area

Cheers
DD

[btk]

The 4 a day details is about average-but he does get some help from the car washers- they prep the car-wash the outside-dry,they will clean all the door jambs etc..-also all of our used cars are 5 years and newer and less then 60,000 miles-usually really clean cars-I could see if we were doing high mileage cars it would slow him down alot.

[Old Irish]

Ahhh, yes, that would make a difference.

Our detailers do their own prep work, and we have everything from auction cars with 10K miles to dually crew cabs that the local logging company traded in with 125k!

I feel better now

Cheers
DD

[srvmanrick]

Kevin, I had the same problem. what i did was add the recon menu to the service menu. I also have ny service advisors selling.