Besides all the relevance technical usage above here are a few sales tips:
When in presence of customer, invite our customer to take a look themselves what we find.
Most pigmented leathers would developed hair lines crack either micro or macro at the crease or frequent flex areas.
Then take a look at the stitching and perforated holes especially cars look for split holes.
If we find the above splits and cracks and our customer do acknowledge them.
Then it’s our opportunity to educate “structure conditioning” besides our standard cleaning as an option.
Explain further that leather upholstery contains between 15 to 30% of fatliquor.
These negative signs shown are the result of the original fatliquor drying up, including unnatural creases.
Without replenishing the fatliquor these splits or cracks will become more visible and may be more easily rip or snag.
Or worse after cleaning, when leather is wet and afterwards dries, it becomes stiffer and weaker without re-fatliquoring.
There will be a great difference (Those of you have fatliquor5.0™ should try it out and verify this practical fact).
If our customer values their leathers, they would want it to be fatliquor (structure conditioning) too!
And since they are interested in “structure conditioning” to softness and strength their precious leather,
we go ahead and introduce what is “surface Conditioning” and their differences.
Explain to them that since it is already a “protected leather” further protection makes no sense.
A standard leather protector application still requires to be “surface conditioned” as well to enhance the sensuous leather further not only gives a non-stick surface, a classic leather scent but more importantly it will reduce either dry or wet rub because of the soft natural buttery feel our customer will enjoy.
A test will verify the fact, have a same piece of leather half your protector and half leatherScent’B™.
Next day sign your name with a standard ballpoint on the protected half and next to the “surface conditioned half”.
Do same with permanent marker, then remove them with d’Ink7.7™ aka ink7.7™ and also your regular ink removal stuff as well and compare the result. Let us know your findings those of you that have the CCDO leather kit.
And since they are interested in the “surface conditioning” too, educate them further that it is better to play safe with the cleaning as well.
Explain what leather safe is (pH 3-5).
Why we are different from just any leather cleaning company that totally disregard the leather pH chemistry integrity of the leather.
As there are still soft spots as the microscope reveals than cleaning solutions will definitely be absorbent into the structure and expose the pH chemistry balance in the leather.
Explain to them that this leather structure chemistry are all acidic in nature, in the pH range 3 to 5, including the tanning agent, fatliquors, preservatives, dyes if any.
Explain to them that we are using leather safe system products too, in harmony with the leather chemistry while removing all foreign soiling safely and effectively.
Ask our customer whether they like to upgrade from a standard “clean and protect” service to a premium leather safe system.
(We can call it bait and switch if you like - as long as it benefits the leather and benefits your pocket).
(Who is to say that it is unethical?)
We offer both coventional service and breakthrough service and let oour customer decide.
So, these additional add-ons will pay back many times over our cost of this instrument if we used it as a selling tool.
To me using the microscope as a sales tool is more profitable to our business than the technical side of it.
To sell premium leather services is the ability to translate the entire confusing technicality (this forum) into reality our customer can appreciate and pay!
Otherwise, as Ian has posted “do we waste too much time on forums”
Have a profitable leather day!
Roger Koh
Leather Doctor® System
