What makes for a good location?

[Mike Phillips]

What makes for a good location?



Hi everyone,

As we ramp up for detailing classes around the United States, I've been e-mailed from people around the U.S. and even the world with questions about what will work for a good location?

Below is a Wish List of things that make for a good location, not everything is mandatory, but always helpful. Remember that part of the class is educational and part of the class is hands-on.

For this reason, when you think about it, a good location will have space for people to sit down for the classroom portion and room for 20-50 people to gather around a car or two, or three, as we demonstrate and then work on them.

List of items necessary for a good clinic

• * Seating for 30 to 50 people
  * Work area large enough to hold at least one car
  * Proper lighting - People need to be able to see the defects before and the results after
  * Restroom facilities for both men and women
  * Coffee machine, coolers, coffee, cream, sugar, cups, plates, napkins
  * Tables
  * Parking for 20 to 50 cars
  * Electricity

Below are some pictures from classes here at Meguiar's that I think will help you to visualize and understand what we're looking for.
A space for coffee and donuts in the morning




An area for people to gather for the classroom portion is very helpful





A space for pizza and cold refreshments in the afternoon.





An area to work on at least one car with room for people to stand around





Room for hands-on training






On a personal note, I've taught classes here at Meguiar's for as few as 4 people and as many as 50 people. Generally speaking the best classes tend to be smaller versus larger. That said, if everyone that attends the class is there because they sincerely want to learn, (this means they can keep from talking to the people around them during the class), then larger classes can be just as successful as small classes.

The biggest problem with these types of classes is when Bob and Joe decide to talk about the new carburetor Bob has bolted onto his engine while everyone around Bob and Joe are trying to listen to the instructor.

Chitter-Chatter disrupts the class, it slows things down and prevents people who have come to the class with a sincere desire to learn from their goal.

Chitter-Chatter never bothers me, it bothers your friends and peers around you, heck all I do is either talk louder or stop talking and allow everyone to listen the the folks having the private conversation.

If you're not attending one of these classes to truly learn more about the craft of detailing, then out of respect for your fellow friends and peers, perhaps it would be better to pass on the class and open up a seat for someone else fill.

I only point this out after making the above observations from the experience I have gained from teaching the detailing classes here at Meguiar's Corporate office for going on 3 years and after teaching classes for over a decade out in the field.

Plus I've attended similar classes myself and stood next to people talking to one another while an Instructor is trying to talk to a room full of people, so I know what it's like from both sides of the aisle.

Something to think about.

[sneek]

i know a place that has everything on the wish list and much more actually he used to post here member:seandoleer(i dont think hes comes on anymore though but his shop uses all megs) he has a place with parking for about 70 a waiting room, a place for people to eat, room to work on about 5 cars at once plus there is additional areas to wash cars! but its in canada specificly in calgary where we will never get a detailing clinic but we need one really badly because way to many poeple use mothers/turtle wax