Why Contracted Service Associates may be Right for You

Service associates also are free to detail the vehicles of their lawyers, accountants, doctors and dentists. This keeps them separated from your company and ensures they are not exclusively doing work for you.

Don’t allow them to do business with one of your competitors, though. The last thing you want is a conflict for their time. It also is difficult to maintain company confidentiality when your service associates are working for your competition. Stay away from this.

One way around the possibility of your service associates doing work for your competitors, or seeking business from your clients, is to do your best to always keep them busy. You can be sure that if they are kept busy and are paid a fair rate for their efforts, they will be happy.

Program Benefits

The upside for contracted service associates is that they enjoy the many benefits that come with owning their own businesses. In addition to preferred tax benefits, each associate also experiences pride of ownership and earns a good income.

Our detailer source says many of his associates own their own homes and live modest, middle-class lifestyles, something many of them would not have dreamed of or been able to achieve just a few years ago.

The financial obligations they take on, such as bank loans and mortgages, are the incentive to keep them going and loyal to the company. If you look after your people in this way and treat them as an integral part of your company, you and your customers will be rewarded with years of loyal service.

Remember, as a business owner, you want to spend your time building the company and its assets, rather than constantly detailing, hiring and training. Instituting this type of a program with your employees will eliminate the wasted energy you spend wondering if they will show up to work.

Letting your employees get a taste of the “American Dream” will provide them with a unique opportunity to sample the same benefits that you enjoy being in business for yourself.

Keith Duplessie is technical services manager for Portland, Ore.-based Detail Plus Car Appearance Systems, in charge of all installations, training and technical services. He can be reached at keith@detailplus.com.

Getting Started

1. Which employees will make good contracted service associates? Ask yourself, “Is this person someone I really want to have representing my company?” Remember, they will be a big part of your company’s reputation, for better or worse.

2. They must prove themselves as competent business people who dress and act like professionals. Make sure they are administratively sound. Do a background check to ensure they are financially stable.

3. Make sure they have training and some form of certification. Specifically, ensure they understand the various technologies in the detail industry. The last thing you want is a detailer with little experience in auto detailing performing a service for your customers.

4. Make sure your contracted service associates carry enough liability insurance and that they have workers’ compensation insurance for their own employees. Ask for a copy of their workers’ compensation and liability insurance certificates on a regular basis to ensure they are up to date.

5. Meet their employees. It is critical you know who is representing you. Create a form that asks them about their work experience and background. Never assume your associates are hiring detailers that meet your expectations and standards.