Wash Club
- Thread starter Greg T.
- Start date
For us, it was a good idea. We have them at three of our four locations (one is an IBA system too for a membership program, plus we have a brush conveyor for memberships at that location). Our touch-free LaserWash 4000s and M-5's had a lot of empty times. We clubs to compensate for that. We also had express exterior competition coming in and wanted to get a jumpstart on their memberships. The membership program has proven to be a great weather insurance.
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
Don't have a membership but kicking it around. Due to the cost of an IBA wash, throughput issues,member recruitment hassles etc, it seems like it would be a lot more work for a little more net in my circumstance.
On the surface, when I look at my cost per car to do an IBA wash and the average member usage some have reported I'd likely have to double my IBA volume to maintain the same net. And I always get hung up on that one retail customer (who will net me more than three club members) that will drive off because three members are in line. I realize this is wrongthink but need to dig deeper in the numbers.
My take is If you're a numbers guy and pay your attendant to be there anyway it seems it would have a better chance of being a success. But if you are an owner operator and do most of the work yourself it seems like you're changing the business model and it will require more attention on your part, it becomes partly a lifestyle decision.
There are a couple of members here that swear by it. Would love to hear specifically how they recruit and maintain members.
On the surface, when I look at my cost per car to do an IBA wash and the average member usage some have reported I'd likely have to double my IBA volume to maintain the same net. And I always get hung up on that one retail customer (who will net me more than three club members) that will drive off because three members are in line. I realize this is wrongthink but need to dig deeper in the numbers.
My take is If you're a numbers guy and pay your attendant to be there anyway it seems it would have a better chance of being a success. But if you are an owner operator and do most of the work yourself it seems like you're changing the business model and it will require more attention on your part, it becomes partly a lifestyle decision.
There are a couple of members here that swear by it. Would love to hear specifically how they recruit and maintain members.
soonermajic
Well-known member
This could be a terrific thread
Interesting video about IBA memberships
Thought some of you may like this, interesting take on IBA memberships from someone who consults on them for a living
Thought some of you may like this, interesting take on IBA memberships from someone who consults on them for a living
We are considering adding memberships to our sites to fill in machine slow times
ShinePro
Well-known member
Yes
Almost like the thread in IBA room
Roz
Well-known member
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Unlimited memberships make no sense for IBA unless you have hundreds of members and your average use is under 3. Just need to look at the data taking into consideration all costs (repairs, replacement, lost full ticket revenue due to lines). Tunnels can wash in one hour what most IBA can wash in a 12 hour day.
ShinePro
Well-known member
We could discuss this til hell freezes over.
Like other discussions on here ie soaps, ceramics, which order to apply etc.
Everybody is the same but very different.
Coach in the south is washing clay soils-
I have silty.
Urban vs Rural - everybody has different issues.
Same with apps- memberships -wash cards.
Everybody has different demographics
Affluent towns vs blue collar
I have a wash in a 3500 pop town
They act like I m taking there last quarter
Other town 13,000 pop
But half live in a 1200 sq ft box built in the 60’s
Not a lot of $40 memberships here.
There are washes in other towns not doing as good of job as I am but getting $5. more than I am.
Memberships are going to work for some but not all.
I m sticking with my APP for now!
Like other discussions on here ie soaps, ceramics, which order to apply etc.
Everybody is the same but very different.
Coach in the south is washing clay soils-
I have silty.
Urban vs Rural - everybody has different issues.
Same with apps- memberships -wash cards.
Everybody has different demographics
Affluent towns vs blue collar
I have a wash in a 3500 pop town
They act like I m taking there last quarter
Other town 13,000 pop
But half live in a 1200 sq ft box built in the 60’s
Not a lot of $40 memberships here.
There are washes in other towns not doing as good of job as I am but getting $5. more than I am.
Memberships are going to work for some but not all.
I m sticking with my APP for now!
New Washdog
Active member
We run a busy three IBA bay site and are eliminating our unlimited wash package. We are changing pay stations and our current pay stations did not make it easy to extract the data. But since we were changing our POS we and decided it might be worth the hassle. This is the first time doing so since I started at this wash 8 years ago. Glad we did as we were loosing tens of thousands annually on the unlimited program. The monthly customer washed an average of 7.79 times a month!!
soonermajic
Well-known member
No clue what that means...?
soonermajic
Well-known member
Holy $hitballs. That's losing a LOT of jack.
Why do u think that was?
I think Shinepro meant there is already another thread on the subject.
New Washdog
Active member
My guess is that because we are a rural community with a lot of dirt roads and being Vermont the roads are heavily salted.
