10 Stops – 10 Shops Shop Tour

Written By: Shane Pennington, CD-SV

The ‘10 Stops – 10 Shops Shop Tour’ was something that I had mentioned in our first 2023 shop meeting. I wanted to see this done in January or February while shops are still in a slower season. I’ll admit, my foremost reasons for wanting to do this were a bit selfish. I wanted our entire team to see firsthand how other shops were run, the challenges other shops face, and to learn from them. Secondarily, I wanted us to be able to be a help to other shops. Not that we are anything special. We’re just a detail shop doing the same things they are when it all boils down, but if we can be a bright spot for somebody, then it was worth it. 

The struggle came when we had to pick the shops we wanted to visit. Since this was our first venture doing something like this, we decided to keep it as close to home as possible, so that we could manage time. We ended up with a list of 10 shops to visit that were spread out over 4 counties and 6 cities! We gave an informal ‘heads up’ call a week before. Some of the shops were nervous, some a little shy, but everyone was excited. None of the shops were IDA shops — yet — but that was no barrier, and that was not our message during our visit.

We picked out shops that were ‘different’ from us for a reason. We were blown away by the forward-thinking of many businesses as they’ve diversified over the years, created other revenue streams, and have a vision for what lies ahead. Our stops included places like boat dealerships, body shops, tint shops, tunnel washes, correction and coatings-only shops, dealership detailers, used car lots, powder coating, motorcycle dealerships, and audio/video shops, all while keeping in mind the details of proper detailing in their operation.  

All in all, we had a great time, and we’ll definitely be doing it again! The shops we visited were all so excited to see us show up, not with an agenda, not with a product to sell, but with a sincere respect for the industry and their business. We got to see the human heart in many of these people. I think we changed some minds and even some hearts as well. For example, our last stop was with a guy who was uneasy about showing us his shop, a bit self-conscious. He is a one-man shop trying to do his best. I’ve been in his shop several times, but he wanted it to look “right” for company like this. I can appreciate that, but I told him we’d stop anyway. He insisted that we not come in. I told my team that we were going to stop anyway, get a selfie shot in front of his building, and then move on. We got the shot, loaded back up, and posted the picture to social media just like we did all the others. The owner of that business posted a comment later that night. “I love you guys!!! All of you are amazing and glad to do business with you and most importantly to call you guys my friends.” That’s what it’s all about. That right there made it so worth it.

I’m proud to be a part of an organization like IDA that has many of these same desires. It’s not about member or non-member for me to reach out. It’s about uniting to become stronger, but we must remember that we are only as strong as our weakest link. I'm not here to preach a Sunday sermon. We’re just detailing cars. But we are all human. Let’s help each other become better detailers, grow and strengthen the industry, and strive to be the best we can. As a gift for each stop, we formulated our own hand soap, bottled it, and created a ‘special edition’ label for it. Something I say a lot to the team as they leave every day is, “be good.” That has stuck, and it was included in the labeling in a small and discreet way to be a reminder.

Here's your reminder, be good.

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