Mobile detailing software: what you actually need, and what to skip

Short answer: as a solo mobile detailer, you need software that does four things. It gives you a booking link customers can use without calling or DMing you, reminds them by text before you show up, gets you paid on the spot, and asks every customer for a Google review. The rest can wait until you have a crew.

I'm Jackson, and I built SolveX, which is one of these tools, so weigh what I say about it. I'll tell you where it fits and where something else might suit you better.

The four things you need

1. 1Step 1

   A booking link

   People want to book while you're working on a car or driving to the next job. A booking link lets them pick a service, add extras and choose a time without calling or DMing you. Put it in your Instagram bio and on your Google profile. Make sure it charges what you actually charge, including extras, so the price they see is the price they pay.

2. 2Step 2

   Reminders by text

   A text when they book and another the day before cuts down on empty driveways. People forget, and a reminder gives them a chance to move the time instead of just not being home. If no-shows still cost you, a small deposit to hold the spot helps, and most detailers take it off the final bill.

3. 3Step 3

   Getting paid on the spot

   You want to be paid by card before you pull away: a QR code the customer scans, or an invoice by email. Check what the card fees are, and whether you can download your earnings at tax time.

4. 4Step 4

   A review request after every job

   Google reviews are how new customers choose between you and the next detailer. The software should ask every customer, about an hour after the job, while the car still looks its best. Every customer, not only the happy ones: Google's rules don't allow choosing who gets asked.

Texts you can copy today

These work with any software, or none. Swap in your name, your business and your times.

When they book

The day before

On your way

After the job

A no-show policy you can paste

Put this on your booking page and in your confirmation text:

Pick an amount that covers your drive and your time. Most customers don't mind a small deposit when it comes off the bill.

Nice to have, once the basics work

• Your before and afters next to your booking link, so people who find you on Google see your work too, not only the people who follow you on Instagram.
• A text back to callers you miss, so they don't ring the next detailer.
• Every customer's history in one place: past jobs, photos and what they've spent.
• Service areas, so bookings outside where you drive wait for your OK.
• A way to text past customers when you have an opening.
• Plans for customers who want you every two weeks or every month.

What you can skip for now

• Sales pipelines and lead scores. They're built for sales teams. A solo detailer needs a calendar and a customer list.
• Crew scheduling, timesheets and payroll, until you actually have a crew.
• Long email campaigns. A text to past customers when you have an opening tends to do more.
• Paying for features one by one. Add up the monthly price with every feature you'd really use, plus card and texting fees, before you compare.

Do the math before you pay

Most of the detailers in our research charge $150 to $300 for a full detail. So software at $99 a month pays for itself if it saves you one no-show, or wins back one caller you missed, each month. Look at last month: how many calls did you miss, and how many people weren't home? That's your answer.

Questions to ask before you sign up

• What does it cost each month, including texting and card fees?
• Is there a contract, and how do I cancel?
• Can I download my customer list if I leave?
• If they build my website or register my domain, what happens to it if I leave?
• Who sets it up: me, or them?
• Is it made for a mobile business that drives to customers, or for a shop?

Test it before you pay

Most apps have a free trial. Use it like a customer would:

• Book yourself from your own phone. Count the taps.
• Read the texts your customer gets. Do they sound like you, and show your business name?
• Pay yourself a small amount by card. See how fast it arrives and what the fee is.
• Cancel that booking and see what happens to the deposit.
• Ask how to download your customer list, and try it.

Not ready to pay? Start free

You can cover the basics without spending a dollar a month:

• A free Google Business Profile with your photos and service area.
• A free booking link from a free scheduling app, in your Instagram bio.
• Card payments through a free card reader app or payment links. They take a fee per payment, not a monthly fee.
• Your phone's calendar for reminders, plus the texts above.

It's more work each week, but it costs nothing until you're busy.

Where SolveX fits

SolveX is for mobile detailers who would rather have it set up for them than spend a weekend in settings. It does the four basics and the nice-to-haves in one app on your phone, plus a website I build for you, where your booking and reviews live.

• Customers book from your link at your prices, add extras and pick a time.
• They get a text when they book and a reminder the day before.
• They scan a QR code and pay by card, or you email an invoice.
• Every customer is asked for a Google review an hour after the job.
• Callers you miss get a text right away, and calls, texts and website messages land in one inbox.

It's $99 a month during the Halloween sale, down from $199. The first 14 days are free, with no card needed. No contracts. Cancel from your portal anytime. Take your customer list with you. If I registered your domain, I transfer it to you free if you leave.

If you'd rather set everything up yourself and want the cheapest option, a free scheduling app is a fine place to start. Come back when the admin starts eating your evenings.