FALL2020_SSCWN_web

TRICKS OF THE
Presenting some of the best discussions from the Self Serve, IBA and General Discussions sections of CarwashForum.com. To view more
posts discussing some interesting and common problems, as well as some of the best and brightest solutions, visit CarwashForum.com
Changes for Change
(Note: Some posts feature minor edits for readability.)
Add bonus
time!
Raise vac
prices!
The wash I bought was the proverbial basket case. Hardly anything
worked right, and the prices had not changed since it was built
18 years ago. Three of the bays had Cryptopay set up in countdown
mode. First, I had to get every function working in all bays. That turned out to be more challenging than
I thought. Then I put card readers in the other bays and Dixmor timers to go to count-up mode. Also raised the
startup cost to $2. I didn’t track the coin usage, but the credit card use has increased a little over 60%. Turned
up the pressure in all bays to 1400 psi … When you make mama happy, you know you’re doing something
right. It is so nice to have customers come up and say this is the best wash around, as you can actually see the
chemicals come out. And I am still cheaper than my competitors. - MAC
I have noticed that a higher start price even with
higher time...results in more income and less mess.
I’m $3 start/4 min in bay with credit, bills, quarters
and dollar coins. I have count up on credit
with an average of about $8. My changer dispenses
dollar coins. I do not accept or dispense tokens.
Vacs are cash only for $2 for first 6 min. - CHAZ
You might want to try Bonus time, a super bay or
2, a handheld dryer or 2, depending on vandalism
concerns, bill acceptors in bays. - EARL WEISS
I’m going to assume (hope) you are $1/4min on
vac. Simply raising this to $2 and increasing time
to 6 min...you will see a huge income increase
in $ with no cost to implement …the customers
will have plenty of vac time so no rushing
there. Do make sure and keep vac working well.
I did this 3 years ago.... very little complaints....
and most are thrilled with good working vacs and
plenty of time.... bonus: It keeps some slobs away.
You’d need to lose 1/2 your sales before it would
be a downside....and that’s not likely. I did have
my sign guy make some yellow starburst stickers
proclaiming: “Now more time.” - CHAZ
My bays are $2 for 4 min and vacs are $1.50 for
5 min. What is nice is that the other wash owners
in the area don’t have a clue and the EE just
down the road keeps damaging cars. - MAC
Mac, raise your prices, you’re too low. Go to $2.50
for 4 minutes in the bays and $1.75 for 4 minutes
on the vacs. I’m at $2.75 for 3.5 minutes in the bays
and $1.75 for 3.5 minutes on the vacs. The place is
clean, and everything works all the time so why not
make them pay for a clean facility. - RANDY
Why not round up your pricing to even dollars....
even if u increase time a bit? I’m $2 for 6 min
on vac and $3 for 4 min on s/s. Less time (in my
experience) leads to rushing and not necessarily
more $. - CHAZ
I tend to be very much in line with Chaz except
for one exception ... based on what tends to be my
observation applying my specific geographic area:
Once you add the CC along with even the “easier
to use & administer” Chaz’s higher denomination
coin approach ... as long as the CC is on equal
footing with coin... cost wise for the customers ...
they will almost 100% in my honest opinion tend
to use the CC. Why ... almost all CCs except for
possibly gift cards ... have the “rewards hook” for
the customer. Of course almost 100% of them
will not turn down the “easy cashback”!!!
The other observation is that sooner or later
the fact that a self service car wash can use the
savings from “cash only” on more “helpful to the
customer” needed hiring will come back to make
IMHO the operator the eventual winner among
local competition. - MJWALSH
Problem Solved
The wash I bought last year had many things simply wrong.
One was the placement of the gun and brush handle. The
[insert your word of choice here] put the wand holders in the
center of the bays with some slanted towards the meter box.
So, when a customer started the bay, he or she had to walk 10
feet to the gun, which was squirting their feet. They then put
the brush wands on the opposite wall at the rear of the bay. I
was always coming in and hanging things back up. Then decided
to move the gun holder within reach of the meter box with
the wand slanted away from their feet. Then moved the brush
holders up front on the opposite wall. Been a little over a week
and I have not had to hang anything up. The customers do it.
Simple change that the customers like. - MAC
History of Vending Machines
I’m a big fan of The History Guy
on YouTube. He has a video on
the history of vending machines
that I thought some of you
would enjoy. ERIC H
SSCWN EDITOR CHIMES IN:
Thank you for sharing this,
Eric H! It is great and informative.
Remind me to never buy life
insurance from an airport vending
machine. If anyone wants the
direct link, you can find it at:
https://youtu.be/T6lxjx4ZzBM
FALL 2020 • 27