Chris Collins explains a practical approach for entering a new market for auto detailing: partner with a local detail-supply company to purchase supplies and, critically, secure recurring in-person training for new hires. He recommends an initial weekly training cadence tapering to biweekly visits and emphasizes the supplier as an operational support resource (e.g., help with difficult tasks).
The first thing that I do, especially when I go into a market that I don't know a lot of people, is I find a local detail supply company that provides training. I will sit down with them and I will say, here's the deal. Buy all my detail stuff. We'll buy the floor mats, whatever, like, all the stuff from you. What I need is I need training that I can bring in some, you know, kids that have some ambition, and you're going to turn them into detailers. You're going to come, in the beginning, once a week, and then every other week, but you're going to to train them.
That usually is the beginning of starting something, is having that training and having a relationship with somebody who also, when you get in trouble, can come and, you know, clay a car or whatever.
