Gloucester County Times
BUSINESS - The Gloucester County business scene
Woodbury, N.J., Friday, November 12, 2004

POLISHED PROFESSIONAL
Williamstown man brings car detailing to customers’ doorsteps.

Frank Canna, of Williamstown, started Mirror Finish Detailing in 1986 as a part-time venture. In 1990, after he left Sherman Industries, a car wash manufacturing company in Palmyra, NJ, he decided to make the business full-time. He was the Quality Control Manager at Sherman for 10 years and recognized the need for personal car detailing.

Canna’s detailing process isn’t different from any other professional detailers, except that he brings his business to his customers. Canna goes out to each customer’s home and personally details their cars. He tries to get to at least two averaged size cars or one SUV a day. “It is as important as changing the oil in your car,” Canna said. “It should be done at least twice a year.” Canna also said detailing a car frequently raises the trade-in value too. He said dealers know when a car has been taken care of.

Detailing a car is a simple process. First Canna goes out to the customer’s house and washes the vehicle, goes over the wheels and tires and polishes the rims. He fully dries the car and puts on a coat of polish or wax, depending on need. He spot shampoos the carpets and vacuums the interior. He cleans and protects the vinyl or leather and then cleans the windows. Canna touches nothing under the hood. “Every car gets the same process,” Canna said. Whether it’s a Porsche or a Saturn or whatever.”

Canna takes care to make sure his customers are happy. He even makes them come out and check the car when he is finished to make sure they are satisfied. “Car detailing is an art,” he said. “The results are all that matters.” Canna works in an area of about 35 miles. He does boat jobs at the shore as well as motor homes along with antique and classic cars. An average car detail can cost over $200 and large vehicles like Hummers are over $300.

He isn’t just a business owner though, he is also in the business of education. In 2000 he wrote a manual on how to start a detailing business. In the manual he addresses business, advertising, marketing, service and quality control. The manual is over 200 pages and costs $199.

In 2003 he put together a 40-page auto detailing guide and also a boat detailing guide for the average person. Each guide takes the user step-by-step through either the car detailing or boat detailing process. The detailing guides sell for $49.

In 2004 he took the educational side of his business online by offering Internet Detailing Classes. “It’s basically a lecture of what’s in the guide,” said Canna. “I elaborate on what someone needs to do to detail their own car or boat.” The online course is basically for beginners. Classes run for four weeks and take about an hour a week to complete. Cost for each course is $59 and that also includes the detailing guide.

Canna is also looking toward the future. He plans to start going out to houses to teach onsite tutorials. Canna said he would reduce the fee for the detailing and actually show the customer how to detail the car themselves. 

Canna has spent almost 20 years building up Mirror Finish Detailing and has enjoyed every minute of it. “It is truly amazing that I’m doing something that I like to do and am getting paid for it.” Canna said.

For more information on Mirror Finish Detailing, Email Canna at canna@verizon.net