A customer in our shop said something about clear coat that I can't shake

This was maybe two months back, a guy brought in his 2018 Ford F-150 for a fender repair. While I was mixing the base, he was just watching and said, 'You know, I don't think most people get that the clear coat is the real armor.' He told me he used to work at a boat factory, spraying gel coat, and saw how a thin, hard top layer made all the difference against salt water. He said we were doing the same thing for his truck against road salt and sun, just with different chemicals. It stuck with me because we talk about paint matches and panel gaps all day, but he framed the whole job as protection, not just looks. I've started explaining it that way to other customers since, and you can see it click for them. Has anyone else had a moment where a customer's background gave you a better way to talk about what we do?

3 comments

3 Comments

leewalker2mo ago

Man, that's a great way to put it. I've been calling it the "shiny sealant" for years, which sounds like a floor wax. @ward.kim calling it a force field is way cooler, and that boat guy's "armor" line is even better. It makes our whole job sound less like arts and crafts and more like actual science. I'm stealing both of those ideas, my explanation game needs the upgrade.

ward.kim2mo ago

That "clear coat is the real armor" line is perfect. I bet that guy could sell ice to a penguin. Now I'm just picturing him at the boat factory, looking at some fiberglass and going "ah yes, the truck of the sea." But he's totally right, we're basically putting a force field on people's cars and half the time we just call it "the shiny part.

phoenix_lewis2mo ago

But is it really armor though? I get the idea but clear coat still chips and fades pretty easy, especially on daily drivers. Feels like we're calling a raincoat a suit of armor just because it's the top layer.