Ceramic coating, PPF or wax: which should you offer?

What does each one protect against?

The three protect paint in different ways, so the answer starts with what the client wants to avoid:

• wax is applied by hand at the end of a wash, in minutes, and adds gloss and makes water run off for a few months;
• a ceramic coating adheres to the clear coat and lasts years (brands advertise three, five or nine); it protects against sun and water spots and makes washing easier, but at about one micron thick it is too thin to stop stones from the road;
• PPF is a polyurethane film about 150 microns thick, the only one of the three that absorbs a stone's impact; fine scratches in the film disappear with heat, and the best films carry a ten-year warranty.

Which one do I offer each client?

Ask three questions before you name anything: how long they will keep the car, where they park it and whether they drive a lot of motorway. Then:

• if they change cars within a year or two, or want it shining for an occasion, offer wax;
• if they keep the car for years, especially if they park it on the street, offer the ceramic coating;
• if they drive a lot of motorway and complain about chips on the bonnet, offer PPF on the front (bumper, bonnet and mirrors) and ceramic protection on the rest, which is what coating manufacturers themselves recommend.

How does the client see the difference without asking?

By reading it in each service's description. In detailmasters CRM, go to Services, tap + Add service (or Edit on a service you already have) and fill in Description (optional). Your studio page shows only one or two lines under the service name, so start with what the treatment protects against, for example: "Film on the bumper, bonnet and mirrors. It absorbs stones from the road."