Raising the Detail Industry's Standards

This is an interesting time to be a part of the detailing industry. For years detailers have been talking about standards and certification to help guide, lend credibility to, and elevate the detailing industry.

While there has been a lot of talk and little done, the recently formed International Detailing Association may help change the image of the industry. I am told that one of its goals is to establish a standards and certification program.

As we know from experience, it certainly won’t be perfect, as many detailers will not participate. Nonetheless, it is a start, and consumers will begin to notice the certificates on the wall of your shops or taglines on your mobile vans or trailers stating, “IDA Certified.”

Considering this will be the first such standard for the detailing industry, association officials are hopeful they can make excellent progress and start to see the industry change for the better.

Why certify?

There is one constant we all know: customers want service from quality, well-managed, customer-focused detailing businesses.

But, what does that mean?

An association’s standards and certification program should be based on universally accepted management principles to provide a framework for detail operations, both fixed and mobile.

Those that apply for and earn this certification will gain a “stamp of approval” in quality systems; service delivery; human resources; health, safety and environmental stewardship; and management commitment.

This designation will take the guesswork out of selecting the right detail business for the consumer.

Why now?

There are many detailing businesses that already provide top-notch quality and service and that’s great. But, there are far too many detail operations that don’t. Like so many small businesses, once detail business owners are caught up in their day-to-day struggle to survive, some don’t pay much attention to standards or sometimes let slip those that they do have. In any case, everyone in the detail industry will benefit from a universal industry standard.

Through fundamental management principles, the basic components of an organization form a solid foundation for the best performance.

Putting the focus back on delivering what the customer wants — efficiency and quality service — detailing businesses will begin to see reduced labor and operational costs.

Pulling together all the right people and documentation for certification will take months, but it can and will be done.

And, with everyone in the industry working together as a team, the development of a certification process will create a centralized way of creating standards across the United States and the world.

What’s in it for you?

Membership in an association like the International Detailing Association will not only be a reference guide for quality detail businesses, it also will provide third-party recognition and credibility to all types and sizes of detail operations.

Certified detail operations will be able to set their businesses apart from the competition and demonstrate their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction.

There is no doubt that certification can be used as a valuable marketing tool.

Having an industry standard helps define high-performance detail organizations and will provide a quality framework for everyone.

The International Detailing Association believes the time for this idea has arrived, and we all should be anxious to see the results.

Are you willing to participate?

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.