ED Autocare
Mobile Car Detailing
The Starting Point
Running bookings through Facebook DMs with no system to manage enquiries or availability.
- Taking bookings via Facebook Messenger
- Managing everything from one long note in the Notes app
- No online presence beyond social media
- Weekend-only availability while still working full-time
What We Delivered
A professional website with integrated booking that lets customers self-serve.
- Professional website that builds instant trust
- Self-service booking with real-time availability
- Automated email reminders to reduce no-shows
- Service pages with clear pricing
- Local SEO for Stockton and Middlesbrough areas
"Before Ricardo, I had no site, no system. Literally managing everything from Facebook messenger and notes app. Now my site is first page on Google and my calendar stays full."
The Story
Ethan and I worked together as fibre splicers in telecoms engineering.
I left to pursue web development. Six months later, he started ED Autocare and eventually left splicing too. That’s how we know each other. And that’s why I understood exactly where he was starting from.
Where He Started
When Ethan launched the business, he was still working full-time. Detailing was weekends only. Saturdays and Sundays.
He didn’t have a work van. Clients had to provide access to water and electricity because he’d turn up in his BMW with all the cleaning kit in the boot.
His entire booking system looked like this:
- Facebook Messenger for enquiries
- One long note in the Notes app on his iPhone
- Local Facebook groups around Stockton and Middlesbrough to announce availability
Friends of family would book. Strangers would enquire. Everything lived in that one note.
It worked. Until it didn’t.
Messages got buried. Enquiries got missed. There was no way to show availability without back-and-forth DMs.
The Turning Point
When we caught up, I told him straight: without a website and a proper way to manage bookings, he was losing enquiries he didn’t even know about.
Someone sees your Facebook post, clicks to check you out properly, finds nothing, and books with whoever has a professional site instead.
Or they’re ready to book, message you, but it’s Sunday night and by the time you reply Monday afternoon, they’ve gone with someone else.
We agreed to start small.
Building the Site
We went through a few versions as the business grew.
Started with something basic on System.io. Budget was tight, but it gave him a URL to share and somewhere to list services properly.
Rebuilt it in Framer when things picked up. Better looking, easier to use. Clients started telling him his site was the best they’d seen for any detailer in the area.
That’s when we knew we were onto something.
Current version is fully hand-coded. Loads fast, looks clean, no clutter. The kind of site that makes someone think “this person knows what they’re doing” before they’ve even read a word.
What Actually Filled the Calendar
The website got attention. But the booking system filled the calendar.
Most mobile valeting sites in the UK still use contact forms. Name, email, message, wait for a reply.
People expect instant booking now. They’re used to Deliveroo, Just Eat, booking a table in two taps. Why should car detailing be any different?
What We Implemented
We integrated SimplyBook.me. Now customers can:
- See real-time availability
- Book themselves
- Receive automatic reminders
No DMs. No back-and-forth. No chasing.
The booking app syncs to his Google Calendar. He rarely opens the app itself. Just checks his calendar in the morning and knows exactly who’s coming.
That alone cut his admin time dramatically.
The Results
| Metric | Improvement |
|---|---|
| Bookings | +47% because customers can self-serve |
| Admin time | -60% because the system handles scheduling |
| No-shows | -35% because of automatic reminders |
Ethan’s gone from weekend side-hustle to full-time detailer. He’s got the van now.
And we’re actually working together on building a booking system specifically for UK detailers. Because the market gap he spotted is real.
Why This Worked
Ethan didn’t need a website. He needed a system that let customers book without him having to be available 24/7.
The site looks professional, which helps. But what actually moved the needle was removing friction from the booking process.
People see his posts, visit the site, pick a slot, book. Done. No waiting for replies, no back-and-forth about availability.
That’s what fills calendars.
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If you're in auto services, expect similar results when we apply the same system. The approach that worked for ED Autocare works for any mobile service business.