My 3-bay SS car wash is in a small town of about 4,000 +/-. My "monopoly" as the only car wash is ending. An existing gas station is about to add an automatic car wash. I don't yet know which type. I'm looking for ideas about how to compete.
My SS has 2 regular bays, 1 high "truck" bay, and 2 vacs on about 1/4 acre. I have good highway frontage and signage, and am well positioned directly across the street from the dominant supermarket. Lots of traffic in my area. The new competitor will be about 1/2 mile away, with similar highway frontage. There are two other gas stations in town, one major brand and one independent.
My typical customers are primarily passenger vehicles driven by locals, but also contractors with trucks, RV's, and motorcycle/ATV enthusiasts. Passenger vehicles obviously are a lot of the client base. My nearest competitor is 12 miles away with a 3 bay SS and an automatic. I have known for years that some locals drive past my wash to go use that automatic.
Long ago, I looked at installing an automatic. Even in the large bay, the entrance would be tight, both width and length. And it would kind of foul up access to the two regular bays. And my car wash bays are narrow. From memory, I'm guessing maybe 14 feet. I previously sized up it might require a variance from the County for necessary permits, if I could even squeeze an IBA into the larger truck bay. So an ability to do that is uncertain. I am also in an area of freezing temps in winter, which adds another possible dimension.
Currently, I don't do any marketing other than my highway sign. I do have Cryptopay installed, but have not ventured into loyalty cards.
The bad news is new competition is coming. The good news is construction has not yet started, so I have some time to prepare.
What ideas might you have about new things to do, new ways to position, and ways to compete in this new environment?
My SS has 2 regular bays, 1 high "truck" bay, and 2 vacs on about 1/4 acre. I have good highway frontage and signage, and am well positioned directly across the street from the dominant supermarket. Lots of traffic in my area. The new competitor will be about 1/2 mile away, with similar highway frontage. There are two other gas stations in town, one major brand and one independent.
My typical customers are primarily passenger vehicles driven by locals, but also contractors with trucks, RV's, and motorcycle/ATV enthusiasts. Passenger vehicles obviously are a lot of the client base. My nearest competitor is 12 miles away with a 3 bay SS and an automatic. I have known for years that some locals drive past my wash to go use that automatic.
Long ago, I looked at installing an automatic. Even in the large bay, the entrance would be tight, both width and length. And it would kind of foul up access to the two regular bays. And my car wash bays are narrow. From memory, I'm guessing maybe 14 feet. I previously sized up it might require a variance from the County for necessary permits, if I could even squeeze an IBA into the larger truck bay. So an ability to do that is uncertain. I am also in an area of freezing temps in winter, which adds another possible dimension.
Currently, I don't do any marketing other than my highway sign. I do have Cryptopay installed, but have not ventured into loyalty cards.
The bad news is new competition is coming. The good news is construction has not yet started, so I have some time to prepare.
What ideas might you have about new things to do, new ways to position, and ways to compete in this new environment?
