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A Wealth of Choices: Big, Small, Close-By, and Eager To Serve Wood... Ecolab is big, but that doesn't make them better; simply bigger. There are dozens of good regional chemical companies in your 3-state area. If you like national companies, a very high profile supplier is Turtle Wax. There...

Overlooking The Obvious Newy... A basic recommendation I offer all my clients with location identity challenges is to install a time & temp because it creates an instant landmark... and everyone passing uses it as a frame of reference. After a while, everyone knows where the clock is located...

The Everything Wash Although I can't argue with Ron's suggestion relating to full-service, it may not be your best alternative if you also offer a quick, no hassle exterior wash. When flex-serve was developed, I suggested TOTAL-SERVICE CARWASH as a more inclusive option. That includes...

More of the same... Tough economic times are the incubator for innovation that adapts to the needs of the marketplace. My carwashes were flourishing, mostly due to my focus on the consumer... and targeting what customers wanted. I was young and confident enough that ignoring convention came...

Chicken Little Shouldn't Own A Carwash [SIZE="4"] Having been in the carwash & detail business for a while, I can assure you that the sky isn't falling... and carwashing will remain a good business for all but the most complacent. I was an owner-operator who also built carwashes throughout...

Right Idea... Wrong Execution Ron... Sounds like you need to consider FLEX-SERVE as your operating platform. That allows you to process all the exterior washes that show up without delays caused by full-service needs. Maintain an easy-in easy-out with no traffic hassles. Upgrade your washing...

Often Overlooked Bright Idea! When planning a new facility... as well as rejuvenating an existing one, I always recommend the use of ample exterior lighting as a very effective attention-getter. Often times, simply washing the carwash building with loads of architectural lighting does the...

Should I pursue a new location and do a ground up, or should I approach the owner and offer a buyout? Do both... and evaluate at your bottom-line costs. The soft costs on the existing site are already included. But do the numbers and see where the balance occurs. That partial valuation...

Not Necessarily The Case You're presupposing the case, but maybe you're frame of reference is a bit tilted. Many feel that an inbay automatic can provide a better wash than a short tunnel, especially if the short tunnel has an operator who throttles the conveyor speed when things get busy...

Hybrid Conveyorized Inbay Is Definitely Outside-The-Box david... I agree that simply enhancing the loading & exiting of an inbay would offer a weak case for ROI. However, by taking control of the vehicle prior to entering the bay, a conveyorized system accelerates the process by incorporating...

Increased InBay Production Earl has it right, whereby the increase is an improvement over the inbay throughput essentially by upgrading an inbay process into a hybrid roll-over/conveyorized system. Different inbay units take varying times to cycle a vehicle, so some units will do better than...

SAFETVEYR Inbay Express Helps The SAFETVEYR INBAY EXPRESS combines a moving-floor flat-belt conveyor with an inbay operation, yielding a 40% increase in throughput. It utilizes a combination of fixed arches and a rollover for an accelerated yet thorough wash & dry, and starts the customer...

Highest & Best Use I understood your inquiry as being directed to structure that best positioned your business to be valued, if you chose to liquidate at some time in the future. Accordingly, I offered some suggestions that would apply to all of the methodology for assessing value. We all...

Simply an option to consider. I agree with your approach but continue to suggest that, if you're adding a new facility, segregate the utilities to gain more flexibility as well as isolate your true costs associated with the addition. As for shared labor, that's easy to manage and earmark...

Multiple profit centers or separate entity? There is a distinction that you may wish to draw that may help position yourself more favorably, given the option of having multiple profit centers under one entity OR establishing separate entities. I designed the flex-serve platform to provide...

Only Limited By Your Own Imagination Like my initial post inferred, you need to think outside the box... and get away from the typical detail shop format. Instead, you must DISTINGUISH YOURSELF! Instead of simply a good "wax job", I said add an EXTRA LAYER OF PROTECTION. It takes very little...

I Love Niches! I've been advising using this marketing tact for decades with huge success. If done right, you can make your clientele rush to have the Special done, and often repeat the process during a harsh season. In fact, a great deal of my phenomenal success in marketing appearance-care...

Wake Up Your Merchandising! No need to discount your basic services as an incentive, especially if they are priced low to begin. Instead, take a look at your merchandising. Most shops make the mistake of continuing a lackluster marketing approach simply because they follow the crowd. You...

What you say makes good sense. I recall the narrator suggesting time-saving fixed arches to condense the process and a fixed air dryer as an option. Some inbay units have the add-ons, but you're absolutely correct about implementing more time-saving features. It's intended to be self-serve...

Conveyors are no longer synonymous only with tunnels. I agree, but leave room for hybrid alternatives. Think outside the box! The premise of this thread was to focus on a hybrid inbay automatic format that incorporates a moving-floor conveyor as a means of increasing production within the...