SS Credit Card systems -what time/price are you providing?

[Greg Pack]

I finally got the Etowah Valley Credit Card Systems System up and running I installed several months ago. BTW,once the cabling was in place it's easy as pie to program. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what pricing works best. The system is fairly flexible and will perform in count up or countdown mode. However, I've already encountered confused customers

I'm currently in countdown mode -2.00/3:30 minutes cash and 4.00/7 minutes credit, with each additional swipe worth a buck of credit.

So here is what I understand so far:

It could cost me up to .40 to process a single credit card transaction, making a low ticket customer (2.00) undesirable. Is that really a problem?

Count up nets more, but I hvae heard it has more customer complaints due to the customer failing to halt the transaction.

I really like the idea of 2.00 startup & 2.00 for each additional swipe. I think that would usually mean at least a 4.00 ticket and reduce confusion. But maybe I'm missing the boat.

Any thought from CC guys out there? BTW, would love to see any signage you guys have developed.

Thanks!

 

[Rudy]

I've had a countup system in place for over 5 years (WashGear system). After the initial $2 startup, the customer is charged by the second. The transaction stops when they press "STOP"

I've had exactly TWO complaints in all these years (about having to press the stop button).

Not to bad I'd say.....

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Don't sell yourself short, you know the right way to do it. Count up all the way! How much gas would you pump if you swiped your card for $5 and had to keep swiping?
For starters, you technically can't price yourself $4/7min if your cash start-up is $2/3.5min. If you read all the fine print in your Merchant Agreement you'll see they don't allow that.
If you do go count up, however, you will field more calls regarding the authorization of their card rather than people not hitting stop. We use EV's system in count up mode and have our maximum set to $25. Problem arises when people use a debit card that has less than $25 available. Even though they only spend $5, the $25 authorization puts them into an overdraft situation. Very hard to convey all that to the customer via a decal or sign.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Frankly, in your attempt to reduce confusion I think you have made it more complicated. Count up is as simple as it gets, wash til you're done and stop. I agree that the multiple swipes would most likely work against you and cause customer frustration. I also have Washgear and the forgetting to push "stop" is not much of an issue, but agree about the debit card statement. Change to count-up, you'll be glad you did.

I thought the Etowah system would turn itself off after the bay was turned off for so many seconds?

I'm $2 for 4 1/2 minutes, $20 max.

 

[Kirb]

I have the EV CC in my bays and vacs. I use count-up with min of $2 for bays and $2 for vacs and count down. I have very few $2 charges and most are $7 to $8 in my bays. I have signage next to the meter box saying Step 1 swipe card, Step 2 Begin wash, Step 3 Go to stop when complete. I tried to keep it very simple and I have had one issue in almost 2-years where a customer did not stop the wash.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I.B. you are correct about the EV system. If the customer turns the rotary to the Stop position and leaves it there for 5 or 10 seconds (I forget exactly) it will stop the CC charges. If the minimum has not been met yet, it will tell them it will quit at the minimum. The customer can end the transaction with either the Stop button or the rotary. The problem would be if the customer leaves the switch on a function like alot of them do, but it really hasn't been a problem. Plus, people need to pay attention with their money. Their lack of attention is not our problem.

Kirb, what has been your experience with the EV readers on your Vacs? What is your cash price/time on the vacuums? Are you using the wireless feature or are they wired? Would you spend the money on vac cc's if you had to do it over again

Thanks

 

[Bill Manke]

I use washcard and count up in self-serve. Have no minimum. Preauthorize at $10.00. Vacs I swipe once for a $1.00 charge to start vacs. Anyone using a washcard gets double time on vacs. Get a few complaints from people thinking they got charged $10.00 if they check with their bank statement right after they came to my wash. Most of the time I explain it to them that it is a $10.00 preauthorization not actual charge amount and they understand.

 

[Kirb]

Go Buckeyes,
I have had the vacs in for about 3-months with good experience. My cash is $1 for 4min on vac, 2:48 turbo, 2min shampoo, and 48 sec. fragrance. With my CC it’s a $2 start with $1 for extra swipes. I'm using the wired setup and would purchase the option again on the vacs.

 

[Greg Pack]

Thanks for the replies, looks like count up has been "no big deal" for y'all. I sure would like it better. I've only had mine running ten days but my tickets avgs are very low right now. I bet count up would help.

Kirb did I read that right? You're count up in the bays and count down on the vacs?

 

[Kirb]

CFCW,
I do count-up with bays and count-down on the vacs. The reason I do this is because when you switch functions the meter can't calulatute the time change in count-up. With count down you can vac then switch and to shampoo time will drop by 50% and back to vac and time will adjust back.

 

[MEP001]

I just re-ran the numbers for credit card vs. cash - customers spend 25% more per car washed with credit card. I've set it count-up, $1.50 to start for 3 minutes, then 36 seconds per coin. I feel you'd be missing out on the biggest advantage of in-bay cc acceptance if you stay count-down, which is the customer swiping and washing as long as they want. All the comments I get are how they like not having to add more money.

The Hamilton D.A.N. has a separate "STOP" button which customers routinely fail to press to end the transaction. I've used a PLC to allow the stop position to end it and eliminated the button. No one's had an issue with it since.

 

[Greg Pack]

Changed to count up today with same minimum start as cash 2.00. I like it already. I also tried the copy feature to chnage the other bays. kinda neat, but I could have done it quicker the old-fashioned way.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I just re-ran the numbers for credit card vs. cash - customers spend 25% more per car washed with credit card. .

Please advise what % of customers use credit vs. Cash. I think this is an essential part of the cost / benefit analysis.

Example would be if you have 500 customers per mont per pay and they spend $2.OO each. If you add credit cards and 50% of customers use them, that would be 250 customers spending an extra 50 cents or an extra $125.00 a month per bay. Of course you may get new customers who don't carry cash as well, for an addittional ????.

So, in theory even if it cost $2000.00 bay for equip and install that would be a 16 month payback less credit card charges.

 

[MEP001]

30% of our customers are using credit cards now. That's grown immensely over the last three years, where after the first six months it was barely 10%. Given my actual numbers the payoff for $2,000 per bay of equipment is less than a year, minus fees.

 

[Earl Weiss]

30% of our customers are using credit cards now. That's grown immensely over the last three years, where after the first six months it was barely 10%. Given my actual numbers the payoff for $2,000 per bay of equipment is less than a year, minus fees.

So, follow up question. If customer CC usage started at 10% and went to 30% did you see a 20% Jump in revenue, since the start figuring the first 10% was simply cash people who started with CC and next 20% was new business? Or did you see a 7.5% Jump in revenue meaning the entire 30% was switchover from cash but now spent 25% more? Now, external factors may make it impossivke to determine this.

If you assume it's all people switching from cash, then the expected net increase would be 7.5% with the 30% spending 25% more.

If bays averaged $2000 / month (gangbusters comapred to industry published average) before adding CC then you would expect an inc of $150.00 / month (before fees) or a payback of a little over a year. Still not bad. If you average a different amt /month / bay you would have to figure your payback accordingly.

 

[MEP001]

Both cash and credit card income is up over the last three years, so I can't answer the first part of your follow-up question. The addition of credit card acceptance included new and much clearer labeling for everything including bill acceptance, which also improved but hasn't been tracked separately from quarter income, so that complicates it even more. The only thing that's down is changer use.

 

[lighthousecarwash]

I also just installed Jim's system and run mine in count up mode. I had some signs made up and placed them right beside the meters. My opinion is if someone complains that it hit the $10.00 maximum, then I have a sign that told them to turn it off. I have not had any complaints in the last month that I've had them installed and have not seen any transactions hit the maximum. Everyone looks up at the ceiling, surprised that the car wash talks to them now, but I think that is kind of cool!

Lighthouse Car Wash

 

[Earl Weiss]

I also just installed Jim's system and run mine in count up mode. I had some signs made up and placed them right beside the meters. My opinion is if someone complains that it hit the $10.00 maximum, then I have a sign that told them to turn it off. I have not had any complaints in the last month that I've had them installed and have not seen any transactions hit the maximum. Everyone looks up at the ceiling, surprised that the car wash talks to them now, but I think that is kind of cool!

Lighthouse Car Wash

You expect your customers to read and understand signs not to mention having to follow them? CAn I have your phone number so you can explain this to my next customer who believe in this? (Just Kidding).

 

[teamplex65]

Count up is great. People that use CC want ease of use. Having to swip every few minutes is the same as having to deposit quarters, and gives the person to think about how much they are spending. When they use the CC they are much more relaxed and never feel rushed washing there car, thus giving them a better wash experience.

 

[lighthousecarwash]

I agree about the customers reading the signs, but if it's posted 3 inches from their head when they are standing at the meter, then I don't feel obligated to refund anything or have sympathy.

Lighthouse.