OZinstaller

On 6/1/2019 at 4:49 AM, XPEL Jeff said:

 

We're sorry you feel that way, but yes, we do provide different levels of support.  Our reps' time is in heavy demand, so they tend to spend their time in the areas that they get the most return.  This doesn't always mean the biggest shop.  Having said that we do have a minimum purchase level to be listed on the dealer locator.  If a shop is below that minimum, they tend to get less support (unless they are fresh out of training or new to XPEL).

Man i hate this mentality from companies. Look after the big guy and let the little guy to fend for himself. Perfect example of why its so hard to start a business and survive which sucks. If someone isnt getting the sales you want then you help to build them so they can make the purchases they want. They arent making minimum purchases because they want to im sure, its because they are trying to build their business, customer base so they can, trying to survive and pay the bills. 

Such a $hit way to look at dealing with business 'partners'. Lets help the guys that bring us in the most money, give them the most discount, send more clients their way so they can continue to make a ton of cash and drive around in their ferrari. Meanwhile the little guy is trying to pay the bills and keep the doors open.

Once a place is buying a lot of product, making heaps of cash, has a good customer base then the focus should go on the little guy, help them build, see what you can do discount wise to make it easier. The big guy continues to make cash and you help build the little guy to make you more money. Makes a lot of sense, how many little guys went under when they could have been the next big money earners for you.

Cant comment on the XPEL guys there but doesnt seem good to me getting on a forum saying buy loads from us or you get crappy support and we wont list you. I know here when i wanted to look at XPEL the reps were arrogant and i feel i dodged a bullet there. they can have the 'name' id rather install a film that is just as good with a loyal team behind it.

What ever happened to this one? suddenly remember it would be good to check out the final product and see the videos and features that were created for it but i cant seem to find anything?

Sorry for the thread dig but just wanting to see what peoples latest thoughts are on a good insurance company. This thread mentions GIO as a good one but i have a major issue with them currently. I switched to them a couple of years ago from another company as the price was better. Of course i wanted to be insured for damage to customers cars and also if i need to drive them. Came to just over $150p/m.

I must admit i didn't check the policy each time but decided to check it to see what i need to bump up since. I was shocked to find that there is 'DAMAGE TO CUSTOMERS CARS - NOT COVERED' listed and no mention of driving the car. In fact all that i am covered for is under $30k worth of stock and public liability! Effectively i have been paying out my a$$ for insurance i could get for $20. I am dumbfounded and it makes me cringe at all the cars i have had in since this policy and the potential bad situation i could have been in.

Does anyone have a good insurance company recomendations for Motor trade that doesn't cost a fortune?

19 minutes ago, jason@aerotect said:

There are certainly significant costs to building and maintaining a good pattern database, and as such, 3M would certainly like an installer to provide 3M PPF as part of their product offering to the end customer.  

Which is why I find it hard to believe its free. Can you elaborate more on the 'would certainly like an installer to provide 3M PPF'?. What I am getting at is, I become an approved installer, I get access to the database, I then decide not to use 3M film. What happens to my access? surely you are not saying I get to keep using it for free (no penalty) and they do not cut access (i'd consider this a major penalty)?

Bit misleading isn't it? I assume you cant just use 3M's software with out using their film (*free). By free you mean 'buy our film and you get the software for free' and id imagine there would be a certain quota to buy per month to allow this. This is the same with Suntek, the PDF you show has it for free also but again they don't just hand it out for free.

Hey Pro-tect, How do you find the fitment of the Suntek kits, I assume they are good considering you do a lot of work and have satisfied customers? I am looking to get into PPF over here but want the freedom to have multiple films without the overhead of multiple software's. Setup my business model and run my business how I want, instead of being dictated by big corporations. Now that's a novel thought isn't it.....

There are varying levels of hydrophobic coatings and I would have thought it is a benefit that any films comes out with some sort of coating even if its only a short term one. I'd imagine if you want some sort of long lasting coating you would go and get Opticoat or some other coating put on.

I use a short term coating on my car that benefits are good for roughly 3 months.

+1 a template will save you a heap of pain!

Hmm will have to look into this product. I usually get the apprentice to get the adhesive off the glass  

Most businesses are about the bottom line but when your bottom line relies on independent installers that's when you have to be careful and get the balance right. without them you don't make money.

They have had a hard time gaining traction in Australia. They switched to a new distributor with a pretty poor rep for how they do business a year or so ago. I guess this distributor made promises to installers and probably XPEL on what they are going to do. Apparently the price they are selling the film for makes it hard for the installers to land as many jobs as they could with the film. The tint places I talk to seem to land more work with other films at a decent price then the ones that use XPEL. When other films can be sold as just as good seems a bit silly.

The other places I talk to that use XPEL are getting increasingly unhappy as the distributor seems to be just going anywhere to try get installers to join, even their neighbours, just to increase their profits instead of helping to increase the installers business. The distributor is even doing installs now, even with one shop 6km away! another only 25km. This has annoyed some as they are taking away customers that would usually call the independent installer, they also get film cheaper and probably the cut software to. Bigger profits then independent installers or offering cheaper prices is like a slap in the face to the installers.

I have thought about adding PPF to my tint business but seems to be a pretty oddly run world. Seems if you are an existing installer then all you need is a place to buy film and use it, no fuss. That's why most places here seem to use Suntek, Premiumshield or have even switched back to 3M. I may look to get training off one of the shops that does PPF through our network of tint shops but I have to say it seems safe to stay away from XPEL....

Interesting and understandable when you put it like that although im sure you can see how different sets of rules for one place and not another can get peoples backs out.

Doesnt seem to explain Australia, There is next to Zilch Australian cars in the database. I was looking into DAP to consolidate a few other databases that i use and checked it out at another detail place when on a trip. Was impressed but the lack of Australia cars meant i needed to keep other databases anyway. From what i have read on here Australia will be in the same boat as Europe but clearly not for the costs to create a new database when it is just broadcasting what is already there. Makes me think it is to try and get people to have to use your films in 'emerging markets'....

I would have liked to use DAP but by the sounds of it i cant. I guess i dont need to since i have never had a customer complain about fitment of the kits i cut from other databases. I guess you have to ask yourselves, now with film choice becoming less of an issue due to brands getting closer are you that confident that your designs are needed that much that people will convert.

I wouldnt mind adding XPEL to my range except the film pricing in Australia is ridiculous, have heard its even more expensive with the new distributor and you seem to have chosen a distributor that hasnt got the greatest Rep. Again i have no great need to and i think you forget there are many installers that also have no need to, so you are missing out on monthly DAP fees from them.

That is a good point and is the same in any industry. A new film comes out, looks great, feels great but there is no indication of how well it stands the test of time and how removable it easy. Its easy to get excited over something on face value until you remove it 5 years later and the paint comes off with it...

Its interesting to read about Stek, i first heard of them through an email to me about their product. As i didnt sign up for anything and i receive plenty of spam from companies overseas with their cheap product i put it down to spam and always deleted the email