Member Spotlight: Tony Seara

Each month we feature a Member Spotlight. This month we're talking with IDA Board Member, Tony Seara, Vice President of GlassParency.

International Detailing Association (IDA): How did you get into the detailing industry?
Tony Seara (TS): Towards the end of 2015 our parent company, CFT Products, decided to market our glass coating into the aftermarket automotive industry.  From glass shops, body shops, window tinters, and detailers – the detail industry seemed more receptive to the product as it fit into the blossoming paint coating boom.

IDA: Please tell us about your business.
TS: Our business story is very similar to that of many of the IDA members and certified detailers.  In 2001, our CEO, Ray, made the decision to put himself and his family first and get out of the automotive dealership finance business. Although it was very lucrative, it consumed too much of his life. He started CFT Products, working out of his garage, later moving on to a small office with a closet, and finally to our beautiful, waterfront office and warehouse facility on Long Island’s south shore. Our Authorized Installer Network now nears 3000 shops, both domestic and international.  

IDA: In what products or services does your company specialize?
TS: We manufacture hydrophobic coatings for glass. Our product comes with a 3 Year Warranty and 3 years of included maintenance. The maintenance is what drives our Customer Retention Program, which helps detail shops see their customers multiple times per year, helping them build better relationships with their clients. At SEMA last year, we also launched our warranty program, TRANSPARENT.  It gives our network the opportunity of offering their clients industry-related warranties that help protect their clients’ investments.    

IDA: What do you think is the most important factor to being successful in the detailing industry?
TS: Being a company people want to do business with. Having a personal touch. With so many great products and manufacturers in the industry, what separates you from the rest is customer service. There have been some rough times for us, as with any manufacturer, but I have always remained available and accessible to our Installers. Offer quality products and services at fair pricing, so it makes sense to do business with you. I also believe, that you have to have FUN. Fun and laughter are contagious which brings me back to, “be someone that others want to do business with”.  

IDA: Are there any awards or certifications that you or your business have earned?
TS: Nothing official – YET!!!! But the most rewarding accomplishment to me is earning the respect of both our Installers and the other manufacturers out there. Another thing that comes to mind is being a part of the Air Force One project that Renny Doyle and the Detail Mafia partake in. I consider Renny a friend and enjoy seeing and working with him, his wife Diane, and the Detailers of AFO. It’s amazing, and I was upset that it had to be postponed until next year.   

IDA: What is the best advice you ever received?
TS: Through my professional career and my coaching “career” (youth soccer), I’ve received a lot of great advice. One thing that sticks out in my head and is ironic considering it was told to me 20+ years ago, long before I was involved in the detailing industry, is this: Working as a Service Director for General Motors, a well respected rep from GM showed up at a training seminar. It was a service related seminar, but the main goal of a dealership is to SELL CARS. Service is responsible for getting the car ready for delivery. He ended his speech with this, “The day the customer picks up their brand new car, that car should NEVER look better than it does that day!” I agreed 100%. But I also realized that with the quality of detailers in dealerships, it was close to impossible. Many times I, myself, went and touched up a car, wiped off residual wax, cleaned a streaky windshield, or wiped tire shine off of a quarter panel. 20+ years later in the detailing industry – there’s no better advice than that your customer’s car should never look better than when they come to pick up their car.  

IDA: What tips do you have for the new detailer? For the experienced detailer?
TS: New detailers – it’s gonna suck – real bad at times. Stay focused on you and your goals. Don’t look to achieve acceptance of the industry, do the right thing by your customers and you’ll earn the respect. Do not be tied down to one product or one manufacturer. Experiment, be humble, ask for advice – learn!!!! Get certified! You are in the “customer service” industry. Always remember to listen to your customers, identify their primary concerns, set realistic customer expectations then exceed them. Offer GP!  

Existing: The same as new – right?  Don’t forget where you came from and how you started. Remember the struggles. Maybe offer advice to a new detailer. Be someone to look up to, but do not lose yourself in the glory of being looked up to. Stay grounded, stay focused.

IDA: What has been your funniest business moment so far?
TS: Way too many to comment. I love the interactions I have with our installers when we ship out orders. I like to draw pictures on the boxes we ship, making fun of the installer and/or myself. If I’ve witnessed tough times for my installers, I love to try to make them smile when they open up their order. We travel a lot to shows as well, so the personal interactions have been awesome. 

IDA: Why did you decide to get involved with the IDA?
TS: As I’ve overstated before, I am an ASE Certified Master Automotive Technician. When I first got certified, a lot of the “ole-timers” laughed and said I was wasting money and time. “It’s a piece of paper," they would say. To me, that piece of paper was tangible evidence that I cared about my craft. I wanted to be the best I could be. Only a few years later, ASE Certifications were REQUIRED by most manufacturers for their technician training. I believe in the IDA and getting detailers certified. As Board liaison to the Marketing and Communications Committee, I have witnessed and hopefully played some part in getting the IDA and what we are about, out to end consumers. It is important for the industry to be recognized as a skilled trade and not just  “johnny buckets” car washers. I want to see the IDA not only certify detailers, but educate consumers on the importance of choosing a certified detailer.