WINTER2022_SSCWN_1-68-3

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Around The Wash: Avoiding Pitfalls Avoiding Pitfalls The Pitfalls of Owning a Car Care Business By Rob Schruefer rob@onspotdetailing.com It is the ‘American Dream’ to create and operate your own business. There is a freedom and feeling of satisfaction that comes with working for yourself and being your own boss. Ask anyone and I bet they would say they would start their own business if given the opportunity. What most people do not realize or want to acknowledge is that 8 out of 10 businesses fail within the first year of operation. I don’t have actual figures, but I would guess a self serve car wash would fail because many think it requires little work and is a fail proof business. But to be successful in the the industry it is vital to avoid some of the biggest pitfalls that cause a business to close. The following are some of the common pitfalls that I personally see detailing business owners fall (and sink) into, which would also apply to self serve car wash business owners. ■ PITFALL #1: Not Securing Capital Failing to secure capital to keep the business running is one of the trickiest parts of starting your own business. You need this money upfront in order to start. It could take years for a business to become established and make enough money to support itself, and you. The leap from going from a full-time job elsewhere can be a scary and expensive venture. When I started my company, it was tedious. I spent the first 5 years of the business working at night and on weekends at a bar to ensure money that the company made could be put back into the company. It is imperative to have several months-worth of operating income available to you in case of an emergency. This money can cover you during an injury, bad weather, or just a downturn in the amount of work coming in. If you need capital prior to starting the business, it can be obtained through bank loans, investors, or the Small Business Administration (SBA), just to name a few. ■ PITFALL #2: Ignoring Your Demographic Not knowing or understanding your market can keep you from having loyal and repeat customers and will hurt your advertising efforts. The demographics and needs of the community will ultimately dictate the type of services you can offer, and what you can charge for those services. Do some research, ask around, visit the competition and find out what the majority of the people in your area are looking for in a self serve and are willing to pay. You can find vehicle information, median household income, and other buying habits from the Internet to help you guide your decision. You may find that your main client is going to be women ages 30 to 45, with a household income of $60k, and driving a minivan. Put a picture of a minivan on your website. Have a “Back to School” or “Mother’s Day” special. And be sure to speak to her in a way that makes her want to use your car wash -- this will make the difference between success and failure. Know who your client is and give them the service they want. ■ PITFALL #3: Being Mean If you have an employee, being someone that no one wants to work for will make your business sink. And, if you’re mean to your customers, expect the same. Everyone wants to be treated with respect. Always remember that your employee(s) and customers are people too, and they have fam- Definition of PITFALL: pit·fall /ˈpitˌfôl/ noun a hidden or unsuspected danger or difficulty. A Few Other Pitfalls According to Entrepreneur Magazine, here are a few other pitfalls to avoid: Ignoring the Competition: Never underestimate your competition. Competition can crush your business totally if you aren’t careful, especially if you haven’t taken the time to fully understand it. Startups based around a new idea sometimes get too sure of themselves, neglecting to keep a watch on the markets -- competition isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you need to make sure you differentiate yourself in a way that makes your company seem like the more appealing service. Becoming Complacent: Too many companies have failed because they were overly dependent on one thing. Maybe it was a highly valuable customer, or a very talented and experienced worker. Maybe it was an environmental condition that allowed for the company to be successful. But remember: Customers can opt out. Workers can quit. Environmental conditions can -- and will -- change. If you allow any part of your business to be dependent on anything, you’re setting yourself up for disaster (or at least a huge gamble). Instead, hedge your bets by investing in multiple variations and multiple, complementary dependencies. 10 • WINTER 2022
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Page 4 and 5: CONTENTS Around the Wash: Carwash C
Page 6 and 7: TIPs EQUIPMENT TIP Vacuum Electrica
Page 8 and 9: TIPs MARKETING TIP Get on base! Spr
Page 12 and 13: Around The Wash: Avoiding Pitfalls
Page 14 and 15: FUN& GAMES WHAT’S DIFFERENT? Thin
Page 16 and 17: INNOVATIONS INTRODUCING Inventory A
Page 18 and 19: ''SPARE CHANGE?'' Are you tired of
Page 20 and 21: EXTRA! EXTRA! The Brits are going a
Page 22 and 23: self serve & support equipment SING
Page 24 and 25: TRACK THAT CLICK! CLICK IT IT GOOD!
Page 26 and 27: 2021 CALENDAR OF EVENTS *All events
Page 28 and 29: A LEADING MANUFACTURER OF CONTROLS,
Page 30 and 31: INDUSTRY DIRT HAPPENINGS IN & AROUN
Page 32 and 33: Carwash Boom Assembly MODEL 203 Zie
Page 34 and 35: INDUSTRY DIRT Suds Creative and Ret
Page 36 and 37: Your carwash insurance experience c
Page 38 and 39: 888 920 2646 ETOWAH VALLEY EQUIPMEN
Page 40 and 41: TRICKS OF THE (Note: Some posts fea
Page 42 and 43: TRICKS OF THE There’s a hole in t
Page 44 and 45: TRICKS OF THE Parking lot loot! Doe
Page 46 and 47: THE PUMP WITH 9 LIVES 10 TH JUST GO
Page 48 and 49: TRICKS OF THE Thanks, but no thanks
Page 50 and 51: LET’S GET PUMPED UP FOR A NEW YEA
Page 52 and 53: PUMPED UP FOR A NEW YEAR! That’s
Page 54 and 55: Get Wise About Water Reclaim Some t
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Turns out Facebook isn’t just for
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And, from carwashforum.com, we have
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TAP TO PAY Make accepting payments
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