Maintaining Truck Wraps

You pulled the trigger and wrapped your trucks.  They look great.  People are already commenting on them.  Follow these seven steps to keep them looking great.

·       Wash with mild detergents

Use a mild detergent when washing your truck.  Make sure the detergent does not cause bleaching.

·       No brushes

Do not go through a brush car wash.  Do not wash by hand with a brush or abrasive sponge.  This will damage the wrap. 

If you want to use a car wash, go through a brushless car wash.  When washing by hand, use a soft sponge or cloth.

·       No ice scrapers or heated windows

If your wrap includes vinyl over windows, do not use an ice scraper during the winter.  Also do not use an electric defroster.  The heat from the defroster might cause the vinyl to lift.

·       No pressure washes

This is a good way to remove your wrap.  Do not use a pressure wash.   Never.  Never, ever.

·       Use an approved silicone or teflon polish

Be careful with waxes, especially any with a petroleum distillate.  Use a silicone or Teflon polish recommended by the wrap company.

·       Cover when left outside for any length of time

If you are going to leave your vehicle parked outside for an extended period of time, cover it to prevent UV breakdown. 

·       Avoid parking under trees

As much as possible, avoid parking under trees or wires where birds congregate.  If you spot tree sap or bird droppings on your wrap, clean the spot immediately with a citrus cleaner, followed by washing it with water.

For more great ideas, go to our Facebook Page to see truck designs from all over the world. 

Plus, join Service Roundtable today and I'll give you your first month for only $9.95! Enter promo code cmelec10 .  www.ServiceRoundtable.com

‘Dis One, ‘Dis All

An air conditioning contractor in my market loves to call out other contractors and contractor practices in his advertising.  This doesn’t build him up.  It tears everyone down.

Contractors have enough image problems without beating each other up.  The contractor apparently believes people will see every contractor as deceptive, except for him.  He’s right, except for the exclusion.  He gets lumped in with every other contractor. 

It’s like claiming all Pit Bulls are dangerous, except for our Pit Bull, Fluffy.  It just doesn't work that way.  If the breed is bad, then every dog in the breed is bad.  Give the dog time and the aggression will reveal itself.

By mocking other contractors (e.g., calling one folksy contractor, “Dewey Cheatem”), criticizing industry practices like technicians selling, low priced response charges, etc., the contractor creates a perception of common dishonesty within the trade.  Most consumers are not versed enough into the trade’s nuances to pick up his specific criticisms.  Instead, they just get a sense that contractors are deceptive.

Moreover, the sender of messages like this repulses people.  Clearly, not everyone is repulsed or the contractor would be out of business.  However, I’m willing to bet that he turns off more people than he imagines.  Since he appears to use co-op because of his frequent mention of a particular manufacturer, he probably hurts the manufacturer’s sales.

There are ways to build a contrast with the competition without rolling in the mud.  Make positive statements about your company.  Create a unique, distinctive, and meaningful position you can own and defend.  Build yourself up without tearing down the industry that supports you.

Matt Michel © 2014