Long detailing shop rant!

I've seen this before and it sounds childish but that's how most of these idiots operate. I worked at a dealership until I couldn't take it anymore. At any time I could have contacted the managers or owner and explained how he was over charging for "paint correction" and list the reasons that he had no idea what he's talking about and taken over the business, but he has two kids (from different girlfriends) and I'm not a vengeful person. They talk about detailing like its a dick measuring contest, talk about how polishing never really removes swirl marks because it adds them from the machine, talk about how they can melt the clear coat and rearrange it. I could have flipped out and said all off the errors he made and mismanagement, but it would have only helped him if he chose to listen and he didn't deserve the help. The lesson to take home here is that don't take criticism from people so heavily and as if it an objective undeniable truth. If anything take this as a lesson on how not to be, as in ignoring other people's experiences and refusing to improve upon your own process. I find that these people are generally morons and somehow have the ability to skew their own reality in accordance to how they want it to be (confirmation bias). It takes some confidence to walk into that situation so good for you. Working for these types of people who put other people down to cover their own ass almost always comes up fruitless.

 

Ah yes hind sight being 20/20 too bad you didn't just pick up that rotary and have at it (it's practice right) bang that car out the way they wanted it with a minimum of burn through smile and leave.

Never compromise "Your" standards be true to yourself and things will always work out. Funny how the weak and insecure always try and beat you down to their level, good job on not letting them.

 

DirtyWeRX: Your story is the exact reason, I refuse to work for dealers or other detail shops.

 

DirtyWeRX ----

Thanks for finishing out the experience with that last part...

So they want to complete an entire vehicle in 40, yes, 40, minutes! I have seen people do this, and they can only manage to swirl the entire vehicle in that time by using the Rotary with a big pad, on its edge. And of course, we all know what happens when you do that - welcome to the out--of-focus-world-of-Swirl-o-Matic !!! Lots of nasty product, lots of filling glazes, lots of filling waxes. Did he say how many people were doing this vehicle to finish it in 40 minutes?? Of course not !

Still, it would not be pretty - literally, and the first time it got rained on or washed, all the filling would fall out and there you have the best of swirls, holograms, uncorrected paintwork staring right back at ya' !

Well, they are the reason "Production" Shops get the rating they do, compared to Custom Detailing Shops.

Glad you got the experience for yourself, sorry you had to go far and waste time, but now you know how the "other side" works, and are better for it.

Hang in there, as you get more what the Military used to call "time in grade", you will have actually earned your way to that level, through careful study, thinking about it all the time, and good, honest, hard work.

The "right" Clients will find you, and the rest will be history.

Best to you!
Dan F