June Article from Detailer's Digest and IDA Newsletter

Name: Mike Dickson

Title: President, International Detailing Association; CEO, Professional Detailing Products

Certifications: CD-SV, RT (Certified Detailer-Skills Validated, Recognized Trainer); RTC (Recognized Training Center)

How long have you been on the IDA Board: Since 2013.

Business Name and City/State: PDP (Professional Detailing Products), Canton, Ohio

How did you become involved in the IDA? I first served on the Certification Committee in 2011.

Why did you get involved with the IDA Board? It is the best way to serve the industry that has served me for 37 years. 

How has your involvement with the IDA, and specifically as a Board member, affected your business? 
About 3 years ago, I applied the phrase “A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats” to explain how service to the IDA helps everyone in our detailing industry. I keep coming back to that phrase because it still sums it up, and rings true. By giving time and effort to the general good of detailers everywhere, you end up, receiving more than you give. You meet new people who widen your horizons. Doors open where there were walls. Intangible benefits are real, and turn into tangible benefits for your business and for you personally.

How has industry-activism been positive? 
Detailers and the detail profession are finally getting the recognition and value they deserve. My Dad first started distributing detail products to car dealerships in 1970; I joined him in 1980. The detailer’s skills have been undervalued – by the consumer and by employers ¬- for decades. The IDA has not only raised awareness of the science, artisanship, and knowledge needed to properly detail a vehicle, but has also raised the self-esteem of detailers and the pride in their profession. The IDA Board’s efforts have swelled over a tipping point, and we still have a long way to go, but it’s a very exciting period - with many possibilities before us.

Additional comments? 
The IDA certification testing is the core program that in every way reflects what the IDA is accomplishing. Certification shows the consumer that they are receiving a quality product from a skilled professional. It shows dealerships, detail shops, and car wash management that they are receiving quality personnel that can produce qualitative results. And it validates the skills and effort put forth by the detailer, creating well deserved recognition, which completes the circle. A worker or entrepreneur in any business, after putting forth so much effort, must receive recognition and validation of their efforts, to continue and keep ascending to their own personal and business goals.

It is gratifying to see the IDA’s efforts for our industry accomplish our goals and go beyond. The tide is rising, and from the crow’s nest, the IDA Board can see many more plateaus, for the future of the IDA and our detailing industry - the industry that not only supports us, but gives us strength.

For more information about the International Detailing Association, its programs, training, and membership opportunities, contact the IDA at (651) 925-5526; email us at info@the-ida.com; or visit our website at www.the-ida.com.

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