ICA question

[mac]

I keep waking up in the middle of the night with odd questions running around the old cranium, and I got to thinking about the ICA. The cost to attend the show has really bugged me, and others I suspect. I wouldn't mind some small fee, but this seems out of touch. Are the ICA books open for auditing? Just how much do they make on th show? Do they get a cut from the hotel recommendations? Should the show be completely sponsored by the exhibitors? Because I work for an exhibitor, I get in for free, but you should see how they have clamped down on the free passes. I suspect by next year you will need a DNA test to get one. I am all for making a profit, but somewhere there is this feeling that the ICA should be supporting the people who make the industry. I know of many operators here in FL that are not going due to the high cost.

 

[MikeV]

As a distributor, I also get in free, but its kind of sad that there always seem to be more sellers than buyers and I'm sure its because of the high cost to attend. I think this needs to be looked at from an auditors point of view.There is the cost of the booth, more for tables, chairs, electrical and on and on. Then the cost of the hotel...which always seems to be more than you can get a room at any other time. yada yada yada

 

[Dean Taylor]

Hi Mac,

Try being an exhibitor one time... $2,200.00 per 10' X 10' booth space. Oh you want chairs and a table, that will be $300.00 for 3 days, thank you very much. Carpet, $150.00...

Oh yea, I better get a card reader for $300.00. Oh, you have a card reader, you're going to need electric to run it, $ 150.00....it just goes on and on.

Not to mention all the travel expenses for each person you send there.

But hey, I look on the bright side, at least I get in free! (or do I?)

 

[Earl Weiss]

The ICA is a private business. It's primary mission is to promote the ICA. Would you let your customers see your books? You / we are the customer. If anyone thinks they can do better for less they can compete with ICA.

I consider ICA to have failed miserably on a few of counts. We were facing an eminent domain action from the city. I asked that they write a letter of support espousing environmental benefits etc. Since both they and I are located in Chicago, I thought anything might help. They refused to write a letter for me.

Every year (April 19, 2008 this year) has an Earth Day. What a great day for a tie in with the environmental concepts of Car Washing. ICA has never done it.

At an ICA show they ran a promo piece they have done saying something like 1 in 4 Americans have seen the spot. Asked 40 people at the show if they ever saw it. None had. Where are those 1 in 4?

 

[pitzerwm]

As for the books, yes they do show and print the books, I haven't bothered to look at them for a few years but they are shown. There is a board of directors that are all car washers. Lisa Lyons was one of them or is one of them. IMO as things go Smith Bucklen is doing a good job. Is it perfect maybe not, but other management companies are a lot worse. The board of directors have total control including firing them. In 92-93 I thin that is exactly what happened the other group, after 30 years got canned and SB was hired. If you are not happy talk to the president and the B of D.

 

[mac]

It's just nuts. There are a lot of new things that will be at the show. A lot of these things would be purchased by existing operators, who would normally take the spouse and maybe a kid or two. This year many of those operators are not going. Just had a customer leave my shop that said, "Why would I spend $220 to take my wife there for the day?" These's going to be a lot of missed sales due to this. I can see a small fee to keep the street people out, but not this. Maybe if enough pressure were put on the ICA, things might change. Remember, these are the wonderful people who paid Al Franken to enlighten us a few years ago.

 

[Ric]

It's just nuts. There are a lot of new things that will be at the show. A lot of these things would be purchased by existing operators, who would normally take the spouse and maybe a kid or two. This year many of those operators are not going. Just had a customer leave my shop that said, "Why would I spend $220 to take my wife there for the day?" These's going to be a lot of missed sales due to this. I can see a small fee to keep the street people out, but not this. Maybe if enough pressure were put on the ICA, things might change. Remember, these are the wonderful people who paid Al Franken to enlighten us a few years ago.

I agree with Mac. Years ago you could enter the expo floor for a minimal or no charge. Now it's $100 plus. It would be $500 for me to check out the expo floor with my wife and two (adult) kids for one day. I scrounged up a free pass for myself. I wonder why attendance is declining...duh

 

[Ben's Car Wash]

I wonder how sucessful this show will be? Central Florida and the SE Coast is down a lot in business.... cash on hand seems to be a problem.

I got a pass waiting for me at the booth by a rep.

 

[phred113]

Many of the exhibitors have a "free" code # they can give you for online registration. It's a little late, but this was a way for a free pass.

I'll be at the show lookin' for Mac.

 

[mac]

You can read the other posts about the show, but I did hear some very interesting news about the show and the ICA. I don't know if this is public news, so I am not going to announce it now. Let's just say that the exhibitors have gotten together and have a proposal for the ICA that will get their attention. Sort of like the old joke about how do you get a mule's attention- you hit him in the head with a two by four. Should be fun to see how things play out.

 

[Mel(NC)]

I don't know anything about the ICA other than what I have read here. Is it really a private for-profit company? That is surprising. I would have expected it to be ran by the members.

$100 / person would definitely keep away anybody that is not planning on making a large purchase (including me).