Congratulations to Billy Murdock of Murdock’s Auto Upholstery in Brevard, North Carolina for winning The Hog Ring‘s contest for “Comment of the Week”. Billy takes home this week’s prize: 25 yards of black Naugahyde fabric and an 8 oz spool of 270 contrast thread!
Responding to another reader’s question about why auto trimmers don’t charge more for their work, Billy wrote:
If a car will not start, one can’t drive the car. If you get bumped and the fender is pushed back into the tire, one can’t drive the car. If the seat is ripped, headliner drooping on there head and carpet has more soda then a theater floor, the car still drives. Yea we all would like to make more money, but there is always some A hole that under cuts prices and does BAD work. These people come and go but it makes it harder on the ones that take pride in there work.
Billy made two interesting points that are definitely worth further discussion – perhaps in the comments section below or The Hog Ring‘s Auto Upholstery Forum:
1. Auto upholstery is often undervalued and under appreciated by customers because most of the repairs we do aren’t considered necessities. After all, a vehicle will operate the same with or without a new headliner.
2. Experienced trimmers who consistently turn out high-quality work often feel that they must lower their prices in order to compete with less experienced trimmers who undercut them in price.
Of course, there may be more reasons why auto trimmers don’t charge more for their work. However, the points Billy made are the two primary ones that trimmers often leave on The Hog Ring. Which begs the question: What can trimmers do to overcome these obstacles?
Perhaps the answer lies in marketing our services in such a way that the public begins to understand the true value of what we do. Or, maybe we should just start ignoring price-cutting shops and, instead, compete on our reputations and the quality of our craft. Then again, maybe these aren’t solutions at all…
The point is, our community needs to devote more thought to this issue – especially if we’re to overcome it. Thanks Billy for raising this important subject. We hope it’ll be the start of a much larger discussion.
We also want to thank DLT Upholstery Supply – one of the oldest and most diverse upholstery suppliers in America – for sponsoring our contest for “Comment of the Week”. For those who didn’t win, please keep commenting – as DLT Upholstery Supply has generously offered to sponsor another week of giveaways!
To learn more about DLT Upholstery Supply visit www.dltcorporation.com.
WELL ANOTHER POINT HERE IS WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY AUTO TRIMMERS IN ONE AREA, EVERY FURNITURE BUSSINESS HAS UPHOLSTERS AND N.C. IS FULL OF FURNITURE MANUFACTURES OR WAS, THERE TARRY THEM DOWN BY THE TRUCK LOAD IN HICKORY.AND EVERY UPHOLSTER WHO HAS DONE FURNITURE WILL TRY AUTOS AND SOME ARE GOOD AT IT.YOU JUST MAY HAVE TO CUT PRICES IF YOUR GOING TO WORK IN AN AREA LIKE N.C.. WHEN THE ONLY REPLACEMENT WORKER YOU CAN GET IS A TRIMMER WHOS TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM PAYING CHILD SUPPORT AND BACK TAXES FROM FLA. BUT HES GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES YOU HAVE TO MAKE CHOISCES SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES THERE THE WRONG CHOICE. YOU KNOW THE EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DOSENT LIST AUTO TRIMMERS IN THIS GOOD OLE STATE YOUR JUST THROWN IN WITH TRANSPERTATION WORKERS. . IF YOUR THE ONLY ONE MAN OR TWO MAN SHOP AND YOUR RUNNING IT AS OWNER OPERATOR YOU DONT HAVE CHOICES AS THE INC. SHOPS OR EVEN THE CONGLOMERATES HAVE SO WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, IM ALSO FROM THE GREAT OLE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA WHERE THE MORE YOU SHOW YOU MAKE THE MORE THEY WANT.
I think you’re right Edward – in areas where there are lots of trimmers, shops are more likely to compete on price. Especially if the quality of work is comparable.
In an area like yours, where there are loads of trimmers, what do you do to differentiate yourself?