As the operator of a mobile detail unit, you need to be prepared to work on an assortment of cars each day. As soon as you turn the keys in your van every morning, you’re completely on your own. That van needs to have everything you require to get in, do great, quick work, and then get out – all without ever having to leave the job site. What this means is that you’ll be lugging around a huge number of items – things which you’ll have to get out and use at various moments during the day. The added time it takes you to find the perfect paint or right type of sanding paper can really add up. In some cases, this added time might amount to the time it would take to get one more job done in a day.
Meticulous organization will always pay off in less time per job, and thus more jobs per day. A mobile reconditioner could always use a mild case of obsessive compulsive disorder when it comes to keeping his or her van in an ideal working condition. The organized car detailer exudes professionalism – they’re in and out of the van in a flash with the tool they need as well as the tool they’ll need next. Being hyper-organized can be fun, and will definitely enable you to get your detail-time down to a point where you’re detailing more cars every day than you once thought possible. Here’s a few words of wisdom that will help you keep all your tools organized.
Inside the van, it’s more than just the drivers’ seat which should feel ergonomic. Your shelves and tool boxes have to get arranged in a way that they fit your unique reconditioning method. Organize your shelves and tool carriers with frequency of use in mind. Find the best arrangement, and don’t deviate from it. With time, you’ll have a vision of what equipment you need to access at every stage of the detail. Most mobile reconditoners begin with the hard-hitting dirt beating tactics – the brute removal of buildup with high pressured water. If you begin by giving the car you’re working on an all-around exterior wash, don’t place your power washer behind a bunch of toolboxes. This part is really pretty straightforward. You will ideally be able to get into the back of the van, blindfolded, and find precisely what you need.
One common downfall of mobile detailers is that they don’t have a dependable inventory system. As a detailer, you must be armed with enough of each color paint you may need. The same thing goes with your cleaning solvents. There is really only one way to be sure you’re loaded – and this is by checking the levels of what you’re working with every day and then ordering supply of any color or chemical that is below 3/4 full. The inventory system must be color coded or similarly organized so that you don’t have to spend time unscrewing the tops to bottles of paint or by rooting through different drawers in search of the correct size paint brush.
Source by Bob Keppel