Things to Avoid When On Your Mobile Car Washing Route

Indeed, I guess it goes without saying that your best customers are your regular customers, those people that come into your store each week, and always buy something. Yes, it's nice to get the big orders once in a while, and that sure helps pay the bills too, but it is those steady regular customers that keep your small business going. Now then, to illustrate this point, let's discuss a mobile auto service business, a mobile car wash business for instance.

There are many things you need to avoid when running this type of business. Let me give you an example. Often you will get a call from a very good detailing client, who wants you to come detail their car right now! You know that you can make $150 for a very easy job in less than an hour. Sure you could drop what you are doing and go detail that car, but don't forget you will have a minimum of 15 minutes each way plus that hour, so it's really an hour and a half for $150 or $50.00 per hour. Is that worth alienating your regular mobile car washing customers on your route?

Another issue is trying to up-sell all of your customers on certain types of services that may add a few dollars to their total bill, but will take you a lot more time to complete. Many mobile auto washers will try to up-sell everyone on a vacuum and interior cleaning - I'd advise not to push those services. If you are going to push extra add-on services, push quick-waxes or express details for $45.00 (wash, wax, vacuum, tires) or exterior wash and wax for $28 to $35.

If you are going to up-sell or suggestive-sell additional services, they should be services that are of a high profit margin, not just busy work. Now then, when it is a cloudy or rainy day a mobile car wash operator on his route may up-sell people for interior and vacuum services due to the weather. That makes sense, because anyone getting a carwash that day will realize that if they drive through the puddles of the rain their car will get all dirty again, but at least the interior will be clean.

And it's better to clean the interior than have no work at all. Thus, in that case it makes sense to give them a discount on the carwash, and charge them the regular price per the interior with a few extras. Perhaps even offer a deal on carpet shampoo, leather conditioning, or Rain-X for the window, which will keep their windshield from fogging up when they are driving in poor weather. I hope you will please consider all this because these are tips that I have learned over a 20 year period working in the industry.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, http://www.carwashguys.com/ and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes writing 24,222 articles by July 22, 2011 at 2:22 PM is going to be difficult because all the letters on his keyboard are now worn off now..

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Texas Window Tinting Laws: A Few Useful Things to Know

If you live in Texas, chances are that you will come across professional window tinting. Living in the Lone Star State, burdening heat is simply a fact of life. Window tinting serves as a protection barrier for many. For this reason, it is essential to understand what the laws are beforehand; it can save you a considerable amount of hassle.

At the forefront of regulations on window tinting is the prescribed darkness which is allowed. This measurement is taken in VLT units. This means visible light transmission; it's the amount of light which the film allows to be transmitted. On a vehicle's passenger windows, this measurement is restricted to 25% darkness. Simultaneously, tinting on the back vehicle window is not restricted in terms of darkness. This is the tinting offense resulting in the most traffic stops, fines and citations. Be sure to be in compliance.

Upon taking a state vehicle inspection in Texas, your car or truck will be evaluated for tint compliance. If you plan to register a motor vehicle, this is incredibly important. You will be unable to register a car in Texas if your tint falls outside legal compliance.

Another aspect of window tinting which is regulated in Texas is reflectivity. There is a maximum of reflectivity which is prescribed for a vehicle's windows. In Texas, all windows are required to have no more than 25% degree of reflectivity.

The window tinting laws of Texas incorporate even more than this. There is a broad range of criteria which govern tint standards. For the remainder of this article, we will run you through some important ones.

For starters, the colors of tint are regulated by Texas law. With most motorists sporting traditional black and charcoal colors, this law may be of marginal concern. However, it does pay to know that the colors of amber and blue are prohibited form being on a motor vehicle operating on Texas roads. For those who may receive the impulse, it may not be worth it.

Don't forget the repair in which your vehicle is in either. If you plan on having your back window tinted, be sure that both of your side view mirrors are functional and in good repair. They are required by law.

One thing of which many are not aware are certification requirements. All legal tint sold by manufacturers must be certified. Ask the professional company you use if their film is certified. And finally, a sticker designating that you are sporting legal and certified tint is required.

Understanding the laws discussed above ensures that you will not receive a traffic stop or citation during your daily commute. Be sensible when having your car tinted, and be sure to remain within legal standards.

Robert Coralis writes on topics ranging form automotive to personal finance. Robert is writing on behalf of a service window tinting Dallas vehicles as well as a service providing window tinting in Houston. Robert enjoys fitness and reading in his spare time.

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Ten Things Every Buyer Should Know When Buying New Rims

New rims can reinvigorate the look of a vehicle, whether it's a car, truck, or SUV. There are a few things to keep in mind when buying wheels for any type of vehicles. Here's a look at what buyers should know.

1. Aftermarket rims are the best option for tricking out the appearance of a vehicle and can cost less than factory rims. Replicas are also an option for drivers who like the look of factory wheels but want to pay less for wheels of the same quality.

2. There are a number of companies that offer aftermarket rims, but all are required to follow the proper safety guidelines in order to sell their products, so these days safety isn't a big issue when choosing a rim for a vehicle.

3. The materials used in rims can affect a car's handling. Lighter materials are generally a better choice. Performance vehicle drivers can experience a noticeable increase in maneuverability when new wheels are installed, so it's a good idea to talk with other drivers to get suggestions.

4. The size of a set of rims is an important consideration. It's easy to find pictures of cars with different sized rim options online, and this can be a good way to make a decision about the size of a set of rims, since appearance is the main thing to keep in mind in this decision.

5. Some rims hold their value fairly well and can be resold, but only if they're properly maintained.

6. Alloy rims are the best choice for mountain drivers, and some can even increase brake life through enhanced cooling features.

7. Always shop around before buying new rims, since prices can vary between shops by hundreds of dollars, even for the exact same models.

8. One of the first things to check when ordering rims is the number of spokes in a wheel. This may sound simple, but some car models vary the number or layout of spokes, so this can be a costly mistake to make.

9. Rims need to match the model of a vehicle exactly in order to be safe. Most rim companies will provide a list of vehicle models that are compatible with a specific rim, but it's important to double check before installing a set on a vehicle.

10. Always buy rims from a trusted source. Online rim companies can be a great resource, particularly if they're based in the United States, since their products have to follow consumer guidelines for safety in order to be sold legally. It's also easy to check for reviews of different rim companies when buying online.

The author of this article has expertise in rims. The articles on rims reveals the author's knowledge on the same. The author has written many articles on rims as well.

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