The Detail Dialogue

In This Issue

President's Letter

Member Spotlight

Sponsor Spotlight

IDA Education Opportunities and Committee Volunteering

Headlight Restoration Kits

New Members & Newly Certified Detailers, March 2020

Website Tips & Tricks: COVID-19 Resources

*The views and opinions expressed in the accompanying articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the IDA.

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Thank you to our Sponsors!

Diamond:

Platinum:

Gold:

Autopia Car Care

Detailers Dictionary

Mobile Tech RX

PRO Products

Superior Image

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IDA Board of Directors

DJ Patterson, CD-SV
President

Alan Medcraf, CD-SV, RT
Vice President, Operators

Bob Myers, CD-SV, RT
Vice President, Suppliers

Phil Todd, CD-SV, RT
Treasurer

Jonathan Munsell, CD
Immediate Past President

Bob Eichelberg

Jim Goguen, CD-SV

Mark Johnson, CD-SV

Justin Labato, CD-SV, RT

Mike Phillips, CD-SV, RT

Jason Rose, CD-SV, RT

Tony Seara

Kenya Williams, CD-SV

Sheryle Hazard, CAE - Executive Director

Upcoming Events*

IDA Certification Event - Phase I & II (CD-SV) presented by Majestic Solutions Distributing: Friday, June 5, 2020

IDA Certification Event - Phase I (CD) presented by PRO Products: Saturday, June 6, 2020

IDA Certification Event - Phase I & II (CD-SV) presented by Gtechniq : Saturday, June 6, 2020

IDA Certification Event - Phase I (CD) presented by Dr. Detail : Friday, July 10, 2020

*The IDA is monitoring the COVID-19 situation and registrants will be notified of any changes to all scheduled events.

See all event details on our calendar!

Meet & Greets

If you would like to host a Meet & Greet, click here!

Click here to view the IDA Meet & Greet policy.

Start an IDA Chapter!

Are you interested in establishing an international Chapter of the IDA in your country or region?  Click here to learn how to form an IDA Chapter and discover all the benefits of doing so!

IDA Merchandise Store

Show your IDA pride wherever you go!  Order IDA logo-wear and proudly represent your professional association at the shop, events and tradeshows, client meetings, and beyond!

By DJ Patterson, CD-SV, 2020 IDA President

Hello IDA Community!

April has been quite a month for the detailing community! I feel that this pandemic has brought us closer together as an industry. For me personally, it’s opened my mind to so much. I’ve found myself relating with numerous detailing professionals and with the feelings of having a fresh perspective on life itself since the world has slowed down. This pandemic has forced a lot of us to be truly present in the world around us.

It’s been incredible hearing all the stories of how so many of you detailing entrepreneurs have pulled up your boot straps and pushed forward in a time that was very uncertain. There can be a lot of fear and anxiety surrounding these times. Trust me, I get it! I don’t recall a time in life where I’ve had to make so many BIG decisions in a matter of weeks. That can give anyone anxiety. I believe one thing to be true, though — we will ALL have a story to tell after this. What will yours be? There are a lot of beautiful things that can come in a time when things look so grim. You just need to have eyes that are open to seeking positivity over the defaults of negativity.

The month of May is quickly approaching and many states will begin to reopen, mine included. I applaud those of you who have been properly educating yourself through the many opportunities and resources that have been made available lately. It’s important now more than ever to do YOUR OWN research in regards to all products and methods as you navigate this pandemic. There is no one better than yourself to make informed decisions on how you should operate.

The IDA staff, board members, and committee volunteers have been working diligently to bring you relevant information and resources during these times. In April, we increased our webinars to multiple times per week in order to bring you up to date information, resources, and ongoing emotional support during this time. I’d like to acknowledge Jason Rose, CD-SV, RT, and his efforts in the IDA Group Sessions series that have been held weekly. It’s been a great resource for those of us who simply want to talk about the feelings, thoughts, and decisions we are currently faced with. Another major thank you to all of the volunteers who took place in the COVID-19 Panel Discussions! They were incredible, and I highly recommend you go check them out on the IDA website if you missed them. Don’t forget that you get one credit towards recertification for attending any of the webinars —  that’s a win-win!

Lastly, keep a close eye on our e-blasts and social media pages. We’ve got some more great things in the pipeline for our members! I look forward to reporting back to the IDA Community next month. Go kill it!

Connect with me on IG and Facebook: @djpatterson

Sincerely, 

Each month we feature a Member Spotlight. This month we're talking with IDA Vice President, Operators, Alan Medcraf, CD-SV, RT, Founder of AMDetails .

International Detailing Association (IDA): How did you get into the detailing industry?

Alan Medcraf (AM): While I was serving in the Royal Air Force, I got my driving license and crashed my first car. I had my friends in the aircraft paint shop spray the car to fix it for me. Well, the finish was not that great, so I imported a Porter cable to the UK from Autogeek and followed the Autopia forums. Fast forward nine years, and I leave the air force as I have Crohn's disease. I saw a gap in the market and thought, "let's give this a go." 

IDA: Tell us a bit about your business.

AM: I started mobile, working out of a Ford Fiesta. Then I moved into a barn at the bottom of an old airfield, which had a loose stone floor that was mostly mud. From there we found Unit 5, a dusty, scabby shed in Elgin. It’s had many make overs to bring it to what we are now. A four-person, energetic, and driven team of people who deliver your car care needs, in Elgin, online, and as crazy as it sounds, around the world. (Read more)

This month, we chatted with Eric Garves, Co-Founder of Gold Sponsor Mobile Tech RX .

International Detailing Association (IDA): How long have you been with this company? Were you a detailer prior to becoming a supplier?

Eric Garves (EG): I co-founded the company in 2014. Before becoming a supplier I was the co-owner of a PDR business before coming up with the idea for Mobile Tech RX.

IDA: What made you switch to becoming a Supplier?

EG: In the first few years, we were building an app for our own company. After a few thousand people began using the app, I realized we had an opportunity to support the industry in a larger way. I switched to working full-time so we could hire the team and raise the money to build a world-class app for the detailing industry. As an industry veteran, I knew how valuable a great detailing job was but every detailing friend I spoke to complained about not making the money their work was worth. That was the tipping point to build our business management app for the detailing industry.

IDA: What type of training does your business offer?

EG: Our training is focused on making you a business expert. We offer a 1-on-1 walk-through for every person who tries our app. This way we can show them how to use technology to look more professional, work more efficiently, and make more money. We also publish content like our COVID-19 resources page to make sure detailers have up-to-date information on how to react and address current issues that's specific to their industry. We're currently creating a show called Prescribing Growth, where we interview the top minds in the industry so that you can learn from their experiences.

IDA: What makes your company unique compared to other suppliers?

EG: We're unique because we're the only technology company with venture-capital funding that comes from the auto reconditioning industry. We build technology that solves the problems that business owners face because we were those business owners. We have the resources and team to tackle the big problems and are starting by making sure detailers are able to make the money they're worth. Even under uncertain times, we make detailers look like the business moguls they are so they can take advantage of the downtime.

IDA: What are some of the struggles your company has overcome to get to where it is today?

EG: We released our detailing app just five weeks ago. It isn't easy launching a new product in a new industry, but we're working hard to get to know detailers all around the country.

IDA: Why does your company believe it is beneficial to support the IDA?

EG: As former PDR professionals, we've seen the value of standardization. When PDR businesses adopted standardized pricing, the entire industry grew. We support the IDA because associations like this one have the power to increase the quality and value of the entire industry.

IDA: As a supplier, what changes would you like to see made in the detailing industry?

EG: We want to see business owners think like entrepreneurs just as much as detailers. Our goal is to help detailers upgrade their skills in finance, pricing, professionalism, and organization. Our research shows that the average prices of a detail are dropping as competition enters a market and decides to undercut price. We want to see the industry rally around charging the prices their skills are worth and educating customers at the same time. We built Mobile Tech RX to make every person at every detailing company a Perfect Estimator.

Disclaimer: Mobile Tech RX is a 2020 Gold Sponsor.  The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the IDA.  If you are interested in becoming an IDA Sponsor, please click here to learn more.

It is no secret to anyone at this point that we are in strange times. Many companies are dealing with financial struggles, have questions with no answers, and/or just don’t know what they should be doing right now, both professionally and personally. Throughout the course of COVID-19 so far, those of us at the IDA have been doing our best to make sure that we are providing the best resources and benefits to our members as possible. If you haven’t had a chance to jump in on some of the IDA webinar sessions through March and April, the good news is that most sessions can be found online.

The IDA has now hosted three panel sessions to discuss current COVID-19 questions in the industry and create a forum for our members to come and ask their questions to be answered by some of the top figures in the industry. Along with these panels, the IDA is hosting a weekly Support Group Session hosted by Jason Rose, CD-SV, RT, and the current IDA President, DJ Patterson, CD-SV. These sessions are opportunities for detailers, both members and non-members, to come together and discuss some of the things happening around them and how they are dealing with all of it. Let’s be honest, a lot of people in the world don’t handle change very well, and it seems everything has changed so much recently we never actually got back to what normal once was for most of us . (Read more)

By Steve Winfield, Senior Application Engineer at Auto Magic

You see them every day—they are all around you… headlights that have yellowed or become foggy because of exposure to sun and the elements.  What’s worse is that these damaged headlights distract from an otherwise perfect detail job.
 
From a customer standpoint, restored headlights offer increased light output for improved safety at night and during bad weather—and nighttime visibility is critical to highway safety.  According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) about half of traffic deaths occur either in the dark or at dawn or dusk.  In addition to safety considerations, restored headlights increase the resale value of a car and is significantly less expensive to restore a headlight than to replace it.  (Read more)

 Please welcome our new members!

• Aaron Allen
  
• Kyle Aluisa
  
• Mario Antic
  
• Brian Bates
  
• Frank Bottini
  
• Marshall Bryant, CD
  
• Mark Busse
  
• Joseph Butler
  
• J. Michael Calingacion
  
• Nicolas Calvo
  
• Malik Cavin
  
• JP Clarke
  
• Nicholas Costa
  
• Jerold Dulis
  
• Robert Durkin
  
• Eric Emery, CD
  
• Sheridan Frost, CD
  
• Duncan Gordon
  
• Joseph Grice
  
• Sylvester Jeffries
  
• Patrick Johnsen
  
• Joseph Kienath, CD
  
• Daniel Kinder
  
• Jeff Kinder
  
• Rodolfo Lobera
  
• Ed McIntosh
  
• Frank Meleo
  
• Spencer Nash
  
• Brynjar Ögmundssom
  
• Gilbrim Olipas
  
• Robert Phillips, CD
  
• Denver Powers
  
• Christopher Register, CD
  
• Joshua Anthony Reyes, CD
  
• Robert Sarty
  
• Jacob Schor
  
• Andrew Scruton-Wilson
  
• Eric Silver
  
• John Rodel Solon
  
• Gene Steele
  
• Jonathan Stone
  
• Andrew St-Pierre
  
• Ahmed Syed
  
• Chase Thomas
  
• George Torbinski-limbach
  
• Miranda Turner
  
• Diego Valdivia
  
• Kent Williams
  
• Dakota Wilson
  
• Mark Woloshin
  
  

Congratulations to our newest Certified Detailers!

• Steve Becker, CD
  
• Marshall Bryant, CD
  
• Welington Carvalho, CD
  
• Timothy Deichler, CD
  
• Matt Eager, CD
  
• Sheridan Frost, CD
  
• Joseph Kimball, CD
  
• Rick Kolb, CD
  
• Beau Kue, CD
  
• Kjell Arild Lierhagen, CD
  
• Saurjya Mitra, CD
  
• Ian Rammelkamp, CD
  
• Joshua Anthony Reyes, CD
  
• Joe Wetzel, CD
  
• Derek Wright, CD
  
• Joseph Zeidler, CD
  
• Sviatoslav Zolotariov, CD
  
• Luiz Zonatto, CD
  
  

For more information on any of our new members or for a full listing of our membership, please visit the-ida.com. 

As we all continue navigating these uncertain times together, the IDA will remain a resource for all detailing professionals. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of helpful resources that we hope will provide you with useful information to get you through this challenging period. You can find the full list through the red “IDA COVID-19 Resources” button on our website home page, or under the “Detailing Resources” dropdown menu. You can also click here to access the list directly. (Read more)

International Detailing Association
2345 Rice Street, Suite 220
Saint Paul, MN 55113
Online: www.the-ida.com
Email: info@the-ida.com
Phone: 651-925-5526
Fax: 651-317-8048

Have a question? Contact us here!