chas

Welcome! Where in NoVA are you?  I'm in the Sterling area.

Here ya on that, I'm in the DC area also.

That looks incredible, just stunning work from you and your team.

Interesting. My experience has been the exact opposite.

Winter-prep on the 4Runner.  Iron Remover > Visco Clay > Glass Sealant > Ceramic Boost 
 

 
Didn't bother doing anything with the tires, whatever junk the dealer put on it is going to take an obscene amount of T&RC and elbow-grease 

We have usually two sales per month when new items hit the dock or have been bottled up and ready to launch, sometimes three if it's a 5-week month. We're not the only company to do something like this, but I have zero control or say into how our sales work. Retail clothing stores (both online and in-store) have sales almost every weekend, grocery stores have sales each week, etc. Prices are in-line with other premium products in our industry, and if you feel that they did not meet your expectations for performance or results, that is why we have the 110% satisfaction guarantee.
 
We will not be at a price-point of store-bought products, unless we reduce the quality and types of chemicals we use, which then reduces ease of use and results. The focal point of the company is to offer premium car care products, but we still need to make some money to keep the doors open. Shoe cleaner and other extremely limited promotions are done as fun promotions and tests to gauge reactions and reach out to people that may have never heard of our company before. 

Our number of sales and hence our number of customers is constantly growing now. When new products are added to the website, they may go 'live' for a few minutes while we publish the page for testing, and then taken back down for a few hours or overnight while we finish things up. This is why you can find errors and so on. The page for the hat for example was just edited from a previous version of a hat that we sold that had the circle logo. I was out on travel for the new HQ grand opening and then Barrett-Jackson, so I didn't have a chance to proofread any product pages. I only do updates to pages for new kits, new chemicals, etc, and the marketing team usually handles the ones for merchandise.
 
Price for the IK Multi Sprayer was most likely 'fat-fingered' with a '1' instead of a '2', as you can see that most other online retailers sell it for around $29.99 as well. It's still an awesome sprayer at that price, and much cheaper than the $49.99 Colad pressurized sprayers that we had before (I believe we may phase those out now), so we are actually trying to find more affordable products for our customers whenever possible.
 

It was not a posting for early birds, but it was simply a mistake in publishing the product page this time, as they were rushing to get everything posted for the sale. For those that got it at $19.99 instead of $29.99, consider it a great deal, and to my knowledge we're not going to cancel those orders or make the customer pay the extra amount for it. The website does have some odd quirks that we have to work out from time to time, and if anyone ever notices anything out of the ordinary, it's best to give us a call at 866-965-0400 or send an email over to orders@adamspolishes.com and we will address and/or fix things as quickly as possible.
 
 
I'm not sure why you were told you this, but it's best not to spread rumors. Retail pricing are not changing. There was one $10 price increase on the IK Multi-Sprayer, as it was originally published at the incorrect price. Our wholesale program for dealers is going through some changes in regards to requirements and discount amounts that they may receive - it is up to each individual dealer if they choose to sell our products for higher than the MSRP - they are not permitted to sell below retail discounted sale prices though.
 
Locking this thread down since I don't want it continuing down a path of incorrect information being posted.

Let's clear something up, we would not intentionally do any sort of price hiking.
 
Single Soft Towels went from $8.99 to $9.99 when we changed the supplier to the much higher quality towel that we have now, with satin edging and a higher GSM count, about 2 years ago.
 
H2O Guard & Gloss has always been $19.99 for the 16oz bottle, unless when it goes on sale for $14.99 for a daily special or other sale price.
 
Leather Conditioner went up to $29.99 with the new formula change several months back, more expensive chemical for higher quality and longer durability. This is why we also introduced the 8oz bottle since we did realize that $29.99 is on the high side. It will occasionally drop down to a $24.99 sale price as well though.

Dude, its called inflation... 
 
Leather Conditioner was $24.99 for at least the last 4 years (per my invoice from March 2014).  The price did not increase yearly like prices typically do.  It was not until a new version was released that the price was increased on the improved version.  So at about 2-3% inflation each year, a larger price jump would be expected if the price only changed after many years at the same price.
 
For the Single Soft, I think the $1 increase is well worth it for the current version that has the satin edging, plus the inflation aspect is also true.

Hey, Cedric. While disagreements happen, being disrepectful is generally not something you'll find on this forum, and especially not from the moderators. I've worked directly with Dan and that's not him. He was actually the moderator that announced the flash sale here and here. From one fellow member to another, I'd encourage you to chalk this up to a simple misunderstanding of how you read his post.
 
If you haven't already, you might also consider following the Members Only forum. Click the Follow button in the top right of the page, select how often you want to be notified, and you're all set. Hopefully you'll see announcments faster that way and be able to take advantage of them.
 

Awesome!  Eager to see more!

I like using the Wheel Woolie too to get way back in there on the wheels and around the rotors. 

As we’ve been talking about hosting our first clinic, it got me thinking about all aspects of detailing and business ownership. I frequently see people here who are thinking of opening their own business and it inspired me to share some thoughts and lessons from our first official year in business. 
 
First though, a little back history. I believe to understand where you’re going, you need to understand where you’ve been. So to understand Detailed Reflections and our story, the history becomes important. 
 
I have a successful career as a firefighter/paramedic. Detailing for me has never been the way to “pay the bills.” What my career provided for me though was a means to explore something that I’d always wanted to do with minimal risk...owning a business. 
 
Like many, I started detailing my own cars. Once friends found out that I did that, and could do it well they started asking for “help” detailing their cars. In other words, they asked me to detail their cars. As I went along, I learned all the time. Suddenly I found myself finally feeling confident I could do this and charge money for it. Not to mention, I got tired of giving away time frequently. Like many, I have a family and activities I enjoy.
 
Next thing I knew, I was collecting cash for detailing cars here and there. I realized how much time and money I kept reinvesting. New product, tools, etc. At that point the idea was hatched that I would go out on a limb and open my own business.
 
I’ve use the “I” a lot so far, and there’s a reason for that. When I talked to my wife about opening a business, she suggested I partner with the husband of someone she works with. He was working as a detailer at a small shop that did production detailing. Think more car wash than true detailing.
 
I was a little apprehensive about bringing someone else into the mix. Little did I know it would be one of the best things I could do and the strength of a friendship born through a common interest and business venture. After some conversation over dinner, “I” became “we.” He didn’t have the financial means to invest in everything needed to take on business ownership, but he brought an incredible work ethic with him and has grown tremendously in our time working together. I still hold ownership (for now) but he’s every bit of a partner a business owner could ask for. 
 
This was lesson one. Don’t be afraid to take a chance. It might not work, but it just might lead to the best decision you’ve ever made. To watch Marquis grow in his craft has made it worthwhile. His knowledge of the business side is growing and his worth ethic is among the best I’ve seen.
 
Now that we had a legal LLC, it became a game of constantly navigating new tasks. Paying sales tax, tracking EVERY expense, scheduling, acquiring clients, ordering product, shopping for price. The list goes on. 
 
Which brings us to lesson two. Track EVERYTHING. Literally, save every receipt. Track mileage. Be diligent in recording expenses. You want to know where every dollar is going. You’re not spending, you’re investing. Most of the money we take in goes back to the business. Advertising, product, etc. You also want to know if you’re profitable. 
 
Lesson three...it takes time to be profitable. You’re going to make ordering mistakes. You’re going to need to grow your equipment to set yourself apart. You’ll need to try different products to see what you like and what you don’t like. You need to set yourself apart from the competition. 
 
Lesson four...don’t sell on price. You can easily get sucked into a low cost bidding war. Some people will walk because they can “get it cheaper elsewhere.” Let them go. The price customer isn’t likely to become a client, and they usually expect the most for the least. If you don’t value your time, product and knowledge who else will?  That being said, don’t gouge people because you can. It’s poor practice and will bite you. 
 
Lesson five...clients and customers are different people. A customer is a one time transaction. A client is multiple times. They come back. They talk to people. They engage with you. These are who you want to be your clients. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. Customers are still good revenue, but don’t provide the continued returns that a client does. 
 
Lesson six...know your costs. This is a cost of operating. And it’s how you establish an hourly rate to estimate pricing. How much is your time worth?  How much do you pay your employees/partners?  How much is your product?  How much does your business need to make to grow?  How much are your expenses (rent/insurance/phone/etc)?  Once that’s done, work it backwards. You should have an hourly rate you try to achieve on every job. 
 
Lesson seven...sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. In the end, make the client happy. There’s jobs we’ve misquoted and done for little to nothing at the end of the day. There’s jobs we’ve made more than we thought. Keep the client happy. It’s how they return.  Don’t sweat the small things. A job that doesn’t make money is simply a mistake. Learn from it. 
 
Lesson eight...be honest with customers and clients. Under promise and over deliver. It’s better to wow a client with more than they expected than to disappoint them by promising something you couldn’t deliver. An unhappy client will tell everyone. 
 
Lesson nine...don’t give clients what they didn’t pay for. Does this mean never throw someone a bone?  Not at all. If someone pays for a one step polish, that’s what you need to give them. You can’t do a two step for the price of one. You’re not doing your business any favors. That being said, if a small spot needs more attention, just do it. The customer will thank you and it’s a few minutes. 
 
Lesson ten...buy smart. Research products. Reach out to vendors to see what they can offer you. Reducing costs is a good way to improve profit margin without increasing costs to clients and customers. You owe it to yourself, your business and your clients. It’s how you offer a fair product at a fair price.
 
Lesson eleven...you’ll make mistakes. Own them. Fix them. Learn from them. Move past them. That’s all there is about that.
 
Lesson twelve...growth takes time. Experiment. It’s not easy to acquire clients as the new guy around. Word of mouth is the best advertising. Incentivize people to send business your way. Try new things. Network. You never know what great connections you’ll make. Talking to people is the best way. 
 
And thirteen...have fun. If you’re not enjoying it, it’s not for you. The friendships you’ll make are invaluable and don’t have a price on them. 
 
And on trying new things, we are working on a clinic!  All of the topics here will be in play. Well, except price. The clinic is free. But the networking, sharing knowledge, etc. All will be on display. 
 
If you’re thinking about owning a business...do it. There’s enough work to go around and it’s rewarding. Even if you weren’t successful, you will have done something few people dare to do!
 
Anyway, just some rambling thoughts from a first year business owner. Hopefully you guys will be putting up with me for a while!

With the Rinseless Wash you can get the time under 30 minutes.  You can do the 'bucket of towels' method that Ryan mentions, or the 2 bucket method that James referenced, the choice it up to you.  
I am able to wash and apply H2O G&G to my wife's Accord in 20 minutes, this includes a quick wash of the wheels with the 2 bucket method.  But that does not count setup time or cleanup time. 
With the 'bucket of towels' (or Garry Dean method) you can leave the towels in the solution for a week or so, and never need more than 1-2 gallons of Rinseless solution, so about 1 oz. of product.

Welcome Tyler!
 

I'm very sorry you're disappointed with the forum lately Brian. I've been trying to keep my personal life private, but it's apparent that my absence here has been noticed, so I will give an explanation.   My father had a massive acute stroke to the right side of his brain. I have essentially been unreachable to anyone other than immediate family, Adam's Team Members, and email for the past 3+ weeks due to this unexpected and very difficult event.
 
As Adam's begins to grow, especially during these peak summer months, I've been answering phones, emails, and live chat tickets from 730AM to around 7PM EST Monday to Friday nearly nonstop, with an occasional break for lunch or to stretch. The time I have not been doing this, I have been spending the evenings in the hospital, then at my parent's home once my dad was cleared to come home, driving him to doctor's appointments, taking him grocery shopping, and so on. Now that he is starting to improve, I will be back to dedicating more time to the forum.
 
I'm sorry that you feel that I'm making excuses Chris. Hiring summer-time/temporary help for customer service is not always an easy proposition, as we would need to take more time to train the person on how to use systems, and they must have expert knowledge of our products to answer questions correctly. We recently hired more people onto the shipping team to handle an increased amount of orders, which increases our overhead expenses.  We will be looking into having more help on the forums as well.
 
While part of my job responsibilities are to oversee the forum with the other volunteer moderators and admins, there simply have not been enough hours in the day to devote the time needed here lately, and I do apologize. We strive to answer all emails as fast as possible. Some days the emails come in faster than we are sending replies out - calls and emails take top priority, because those are the best two ways to reach us about problems, order issues, and so on. We will work on prioritizing the answering of forum questions into the customer communication workload in order to provide the personal feel that the forums provide to our customers. 
 
With new products, I cannot post answers about a product until I physically have it in my hands. I will not sugarcoat, guess, or make up an answer to a question - I will only answer questions if I have physically tested the product and can give a 100% truthful answer. I will work with Adam and the shipping team to make sure that new products get sent out to me and the other testers in a more efficient manner, so that we can answer questions immediately upon a new product release, and so that we do not have these problems in the future.
 
For the foam cannon, I received mine this afternoon at 2PM, so I immediately went out and verified that it works well with a 1.3 GPM, 1700 psi electric pressure washer. The specs were then updated accordingly on our site. The original specs were recommended from the manufacturer for best results. I was 98% sure the Foam Cannon would work fine with lower GPM pressure washers, as I have tested other brands no problem, but I was not going to post that until I was 100% sure and physically tested the unit. Again, better planning and earlier testing on my part would have provided an answer more quickly, but my mind was occupied on other things. For new product ideas, input, and issues, again I will make sure I find time to address these as well. All of these things do not sit on my mind lightly, as I do want to provide the best customer experience possible.
 
For the Mystery Box for Canadians, that is completely up to adamspolishes.ca as to whether they want to take part in those promotions, and it is best to contact them directly. Our Canadian team is even smaller than our U.S. team, and mystery boxes are a lot of logistics to plan, package, and make sure each one is fair before it ships out. I will reiterate to the appropriate people again about this issue and the thread that I forwarded to them. I never posted a response because I did not have a good response to post.
 
I am sorry that the forum is different than when you joined Brian, and I will strive to make it great once more.
 
Respectfully,
Daniel Tyger

anti-money laundering global financial crimes investigator 

Spent this past weekend giving my new Jeep the works and the attention it deserved.  The paint was mostly flawless, but hit spot areas with Paint Finishing Polish where minor imperfections resided.  
 

 

 
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Spent this past weekend giving my new Jeep the works and the attention it deserved.  The paint was mostly flawless, but hit spot areas with Paint Finishing Polish where minor imperfections resided.  
 

 

 
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It probably took longer to register for the forum and type out that long first post on here after hanging up with Ben today - than it would have if you just asked if you had the option to get a 110% refund on your payment method when you were on the phone or live chat with him lol

Such a tragedy, too many tragedies in Orlando these last few days.  I agree with Rich, we must not cower during these times, rather, remain active and normal.  We admit defeat if we alter our lives.  Doesn't mean we can't be vigilant at the same time.

Nice job!  Looks superb.

They look great!

I do a WW wipe down on my GTO after every drive or if it sets too long in the garage. You can apply BG as much as you like, it will not build up like wax will.

Such a tragedy, too many tragedies in Orlando these last few days.  I agree with Rich, we must not cower during these times, rather, remain active and normal.  We admit defeat if we alter our lives.  Doesn't mean we can't be vigilant at the same time.