Self Serve Carwash News Fall '19

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Cwguy.com’s ‘Random Thoughts’ The Customer is always Wrong! By Eric Wilson Sure, some customers may have some truths to their stories or stretches of the truth (or just a white lie) ... ... but I would just say the majority of the time a customer just makes up a story so you will call them back. They pad their complaint to make you feel it is more important than it actually is. I honestly appreciate knowing there is any issue, even the smallest little problem with my equipment, but some customers’ stories just make no logical sense. I am not denying self-service equipment can and does make mistakes. We are leaving vacuums that cost over 4k outside and unattended, as well as thousands of dollars in changers and vendors. Are we the ones that are insane leaving an automatic that cost over 150k uninstalled without a guard? So, yes, equipment breaks down under normal conditions…. Also, stuff breaks down because random people use your equipment unattended. Changers sometimes have problems. I remember when a random distributor informed me when my changer was giving 5 quarters instead of 4 for a dollar (which I greatly appreciated.) That incident seemed odd because I did not get any other complaints? But when my changer gave 3 quarters for a dollar, I was stealing food from their dinner table. Or, “I need that 25 cents to pay my water bill!” Another thing I will never understand is if you put a nasty bill in my changer and it jams my changer, shouldn’t you know the owner of the changer will know exactly which bill you put in there? “I put a $20 in your changer and then the light came on and did not give me change.” “My changer was jammed on that side you are correct…. But it was only a dollar.” I also like, “Your changer took my $50.”. “My changer does not take $50s or change them.” And, then I come to discover that the changer does not even have a $50 in it ...we never met in person after that conversation. After all these years of discussion and asking why would you put $30 in a bay that has “Mega Time” for 15 minutes? I have figured out some simple rules for defusing any hostile situation: 1. I always like to check if there was an actual issue with my equipment before talking to the customer. Half the time there is not an issue. I have talked to other car wash owners who will deny a refund if their equipment is working properly. But I believe if the customer is really a customer, they would not come back. Sometimes, customers do have issues with working equipment, or they might not understand how the equipment works. They also might not read the instructions. (Some older versions of timers might also work differently.) 2. Accept responsibility and explain how all equipment sometimes has issues but you are fixing the issue right away. When you accept responsibility the person’s attitude about the issue almost always changes. Usually it will shock the customer and it honestly was your fault if your equipment was not working correctly. Sometimes I relate my equipment to their car and almost anyone can understand general maintenance in that aspect. I always try and put money in my equipment. But I will give a cash refund when this happens. 3. Limit claims to a certain period. This has happened way too many times. When you accept responsibility and admit there is an issue with your equipment, tell the customer you will give them a refund. However, make a limit to how long ago or if you would accept other refund attempts. Example: “This issue also happened 5 years ago.” “Your vendor also did not give me a product 6 months ago.” My answer is always “I wish you told me then. Sorry”. 4. The customer is required to have a car to get a refund. Paying the complainer to leave is the easiest method. But paying them could also cause issues and make them a constant complainer. Also, pointing to a car and claiming it is theirs should not count. Even if they are, “trying to save gas by not driving the car.” 5. Any excuse with the word “laundromat” makes me deflect responsibility and blame them for using my changer and trying to steal business from me. Using my changer costs me money. It is not my fault the laundromat can’t keep their changer working. I am not sure I ever had anyone claim they were also a car wash “customer” either. 6. Automatics and customers…. I believe it is always good to stay calm when talking to customers concerning your automatic or any building damage. You just need to remember when your customer claims your automatic or building broke their windshield and dented their hood, you probably need to be nice to the customer so you can get lots of information from them. This way you can report the damage claim to their insurance company rather than relying on the police to find the customer. Even when a customer is upset, usually talking to them results in them not even asking for a refund. Usually venting and realizing that you are accepting and fixing the issues is enough for them. But I do get irate customers over a dollar or less. I have this dream that one day the whole car wash will just accept credit cards…. No changers, no coin acceptors, and it would be great, but I know that would also come with a whole other host of problems! Eric Wilson is a self-serve car wash owner who also blogs online on the popular and very funny website, cwguy.com. 10 • FALL 2019
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Self Serve Carwash News Fall '19

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