Bucket washers

[Earl Weiss]

My Bay signs say "No bucket washing if someone is waiting. " and I kind of let it go when things are slow, but chased 2 away Saturday. I luv it when they say something like "I do this first then I will put money in". Asked one guy if he brings his own sandwich to the restaurant and sits at a table and just asks for coffee. So, I am looking for new wording. One local guy simply says "No Bucket washing". Of course this doesn't stop weep washers and Foam brush freeloaders (even with wobbleheads) Thinking of something like " Meter must be running to use this facility. Please start meter promptly after entering and leave promptly when it stops. " Looking for other suggestions.

 

[Waxman]

I had a guy in Sunday who drove in and gunked / scrubbed / washed his engine. He was quick and spent money. No one was waiting behind him.

I know alot of operators don't allow this, but I want their money. I don't want to be the jerk who runs a good wash but looks for reasons to get aggravated. I smile alot more now since I went to $3 for 3:12!!!!!

ps; people don't read signs, so I think new ones are a waste.

 

[Earl Weiss]

ps; people don't read signs, so I think new ones are a waste.

I was going to just cover that portion of the panel with the new wording. They may not read it at first but I like to point to it when I tell them they need to put money in.

 

[Greg Pack]

"bay may be used only while meter is running" or something similar. It covers bucket washing, towel drying, whatever. Few heed it but when you have to ask them to move you can point to it.

 

[soapy]

"All time spent in bay must be paid for". Today It was raining and a guy came up and asked to rent one of the SS bays to install a motorhome window. He specializes in Motorhome windows but was from out of town. Just the fact that he asked me first and was willing to pay me lead me to let him use a bay for free.

 

[Alpine Dreams]

This bay may only be occupied if the meter is running.

They will either read it and not care or simply not read it at all. This is one of those things that require someone to be present in order to enforce it. And if someone is there, then signs are not necessary. I have signs that say no bucket washing and I have about 50 a week. I've thought about taking all signs down except for my instructions and some signs that talk about not washing, abandoning or dumping oil, paint or any other hazardous materials on this premises. I think that one would be the most important and the more signs you have the less chance there is that anyone reads them.

 

[MEP001]

This is one of those things that require someone to be present in order to enforce it. And if someone is there, then signs are not necessary.

You'd think that would be the logic, but I can't count on both hands and feet how many times I've said we don't allow bed washing and had the customer tell me "Well, you need a sign if you don't allow it!" I told one guy, "First off, I don't need a sign, I just told you and now you're informed. Second, it's right there on the meter door two inches from where you put your coins in." Even had one woman tell me she was going to keep using the changer for her laundromat coins until I posted a sign saying it's for car wash customers only. I let the police inform her that she'll be arrested next time she sets foot on the property.

 

[Alpine Dreams]

..."Well, you need a sign if you don't allow it!"

People like this are going to do what they want and will say something no matter what.

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I don't get it a lot but I'll let it slide if no one is waiting. I'm like Waxman....take that money no matter what.

 

[sparkey]

Whats the big deal? They still pay to rinse the vehicle off when they are done and alot of them will even fill the bucket with soapy water from your wash. I may say something if they take forever washing their car and people are waiting in line. Its not like the trash dumpers that don't spend a dime and block access to your bay for a half hour at a time.

 

[Alpine Dreams]

Whats the big deal? They still pay to rinse the vehicle off when they are done and alot of them will even fill the bucket with soapy water from your wash. I may say something if they take forever washing their car and people are waiting in line. Its not like the trash dumpers that don't spend a dime and block access to your bay for a half hour at a time.

I agree. I don't say anything unless all of my bays are full and I have people waiting. And because of that, I may remove my signs. If all of your bays are full often with a line, then you should raise prices.

 

[Damoni88]

You'd think that would be the logic, but I can't count on both hands and feet how many times I've said we don't allow bed washing and had the customer tell me "Well, you need a sign if you don't allow it!" I told one guy, "First off, I don't need a sign, I just told you and now you're informed. Second, it's right there on the meter door two inches from where you put your coins in." Even had one woman tell me she was going to keep using the changer for her laundromat coins until I posted a sign saying it's for car wash customers only. I let the police inform her that she'll be arrested next time she sets foot on the property.

This is OUR property no sign is needed but these morons just DO NO CARE. I have a 10ft sign saying NO BUCKET WASHING they still do it, then when you tell them they catch an attitude. Same with loud music. This just drives me nuts. Why is it that people think it ok to play loud a$$ banging music at a carwash???? I had one guy ask where my sign is at! I said this is private property i do not need a sign and if you dont turn it down i will call the cops so they can come tell you to turn it down.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Whats the big deal? T........... I may say something if they take forever washing their car and people are waiting in line. Its not like the trash dumpers that don't spend a dime and block access to your bay for a half hour at a time.

That is exactly the situation. A few minutes - I would not care. But when you see several buckets, brushes, even long handle ones and several different types of soaps and products across the bay floor you know it took them several minutes ust to unload that stuff and reverse the process to load it all back up. Then of course you have the time using each item.

 

[soapy]

What are we really selling at our car washes? does anyone know? TIME is what we are selling plain and simple. When they bucket wash in bays they are stealing the thing we sell in that bay TIME I dont run them out if we are not busy but I have found that when you let themduring slack times they will come in during busy times and expect to do the same thing. Our hard cost in a bay is maybe 5 to 10%, soap, water etc. so we loose 90% income when they are in the bay not paying for it.

 

[SLEDGE]

I generally won't say anything or run them off if we are not busy, but when I do I usually get a smart a$$ remark or stink eye comment. They will never understand the concept of a carwash business.

 

[MEP001]

Whats the big deal? They still pay to rinse the vehicle off when they are done and alot of them will even fill the bucket with soapy water from your wash. I may say something if they take forever washing their car and people are waiting in line. Its not like the trash dumpers that don't spend a dime and block access to your bay for a half hour at a time.

I watched a guy this past Saturday tie up a bay for over an hour to spend $3. I saw at least six customers pull in and wait behind him before moving to another bay. I didn't get a plate but I got great video of him and his car, so I'm watching for him for both the theft of service and that he tied a dog up to a picnic table and left it. Cops said they want to prosecute.

 

[AZcarwashman]

My Bay signs say "No bucket washing if someone is waiting. " and I kind of let it go when things are slow, but chased 2 away Saturday. I luv it when they say something like "I do this first then I will put money in". Asked one guy if he brings his own sandwich to the restaurant and sits at a table and just asks for coffee. So, I am looking for new wording. One local guy simply says "No Bucket washing". Of course this doesn't stop weep washers and Foam brush freeloaders (even with wobbleheads) Thinking of something like " Meter must be running to use this facility. Please start meter promptly after entering and leave promptly when it stops. " Looking for other suggestions.

Our policy is absolutely no bucket washing. Signs are clearly posted and yet, as we all know in the self service business, customers don’t read nor care. What we always say to customers when bucket washing especially with their own soaps etc. is “you wouldn’t goto McDonalds and order fries but bring your own hamburgers to cook on their grill” it always takes a moment for the customer to understand the point, but when they do, it’s a hard one to argue. Of course they still are usually real a$$ holes and inform me that they spend “lots of money” at my wash and now I’ve lost their future business and they’ll tell all their friends not to come also. Lol. They always say the same thing. Fine with me, those are customers I do not want. Here is what I have posted outside the bays as well as inside the bays.

 

[Earl Weiss]

“you wouldn’t goto McDonalds and order fries but bring your own hamburgers to cook on their grill”.

true story. Back in the Full service Gas Station a guy asked my father to check his oil. It was low and the customer opened the trunk, took out a quart and asked my father to put it in for him. My father informed him we only put in products purchased there. The customer said "but I bought gas." My father Said " Would you go to the diner next store, order a cup of coffee and hand the grill man a couple of your own eggs and ask the grill man to cook them for you?' To which the customer replied "You sell eggs here? "

 

[John J Spokas]

Restrict access with doors, meter boxes outside.........kinda expensive though.......

 

[mac]

These are the same people who voted for Hillary and O’Bama. No sign or reasoning will have any effect. Try Mace.