3$ wash competition
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1carwash1
Member
LOL, One of my customers referred to the express as a "swirl-O-matic". In all seriousness, the express has really put a hurt on the self servs and automatics here in the southeast. The irony is that they have saturated our market (with more to come) and are experiencing reduced volumes. In addition, it appears that the $3 start price is no longer a viable business model. Many have raised their start price to $5. Recently, some SS operators have noticed an increase in business, is it just the economy improving or are the express washes starting to be played out, who knows? The number of SS and automatic facilities built greatly outnumber express facilities; a definite opportunity for any manufacturer who decides to innovate. As an example, last year I saw a Ceccato Mini Max, it was installed in a thirty foot automatic bay and had a conveyor. If I recall it could wash and dry approximately thirty cars an hour.
Hopefully, we will start to see innovations geared towards SS and automatics.
Hopefully, we will start to see innovations geared towards SS and automatics.
smokun
Consultant - Rainmaker
Improvement Alternatives
As I see it, in-bay automatic washes have options for growth as well as serving a large hand-carwash market. The key enhancements are quick & easy processing (inbay express) and a 3-minute express handwash (utilizing an existing drive-thru bay) that allows drivers to remain in their vehicles. Witness the fact that these concepts are now a viable alternative for well located self-serve/automatics:
http://carwashuk.com/
I genuinely feel that small hand-carwash operations with prudent staffing (2) is a sensible option for well-positioned locations.
-Steve
As I see it, in-bay automatic washes have options for growth as well as serving a large hand-carwash market. The key enhancements are quick & easy processing (inbay express) and a 3-minute express handwash (utilizing an existing drive-thru bay) that allows drivers to remain in their vehicles. Witness the fact that these concepts are now a viable alternative for well located self-serve/automatics:
http://carwashuk.com/
I genuinely feel that small hand-carwash operations with prudent staffing (2) is a sensible option for well-positioned locations.
-Steve
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Earl Weiss
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Negative advertising hurts the industry. When cloth came in some guys put up displays of petrified filamint next to new supple cloth as comparison.
A new lambs cloth type material comes in and they have dispays with lambs cloth next to petrified cloth and petrified filament.
Interesting that the same operator displaying this still operates cloth places.
So what are we telling the public. The stuff is good now but before it was bad and we lied to them?
Instead we should be focusing on any relatave benefits our system versus the competition. If there are no real benefits and we are losing to the competition then perhaps we need to rething our business model.
You didn't say what type of sustem you have, but any new EE may very well have a system that is unsurpassed for safety and efficiency. You would then be hard pressed to explain why yours is purportedly better.
A new lambs cloth type material comes in and they have dispays with lambs cloth next to petrified cloth and petrified filament.
Interesting that the same operator displaying this still operates cloth places.
So what are we telling the public. The stuff is good now but before it was bad and we lied to them?
Instead we should be focusing on any relatave benefits our system versus the competition. If there are no real benefits and we are losing to the competition then perhaps we need to rething our business model.
You didn't say what type of sustem you have, but any new EE may very well have a system that is unsurpassed for safety and efficiency. You would then be hard pressed to explain why yours is purportedly better.
1carwash1
Member
Smokun, i agree with you. I know an operator in Georgia who took an old tunnel and converted it to an express hand wash. It's only been open a short time and he appears to doing some volume (and growing). For those interested he is located between two express washes. One express is about a quarter mile from him and the other is approximately four miles from him. He is a hands on operator and has conveyed to me that many of his customers complain that the express car washes do not thoroughly clean cars, especially wheels and rims.
Earl Weiss
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Now that could be a positive way of advertising.
"Our hand wash gets those hard to reach places others don't" or something like that.
Earl Weiss
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I think some lawyers might start salivating if they saw that one.
smokun
Consultant - Rainmaker
Be positive. No whining allowed!
People are often turned off by negativity or disparaging claims against competition. Sadly, it works in politics, but that system is pathetically awash in sewage.
Instead, if you're staffed for hands-on care, advertise yourself as "Window-Cleaning Experts". Surveys show that windows are the most challenging cleaning activity for consumers... and most carwashes recognize it as their highest complaint. By focusing on your window-cleaning expertise, you win big. The logical assumption is that everything else performed must be very good, too. It creates a very powerful competitive edge against express operations that offer no hands-on service. Not having hands-on after-care services is their greatest vulnerability; Their Achilles Heel!
Another individual positive claim: Expert Interior Cleaning
One critical caution: You better excel at your claim's performance because you'll never get a second chance... at making a first impression!
A PROMISE... IS A PROMISE.
-Steve
People are often turned off by negativity or disparaging claims against competition. Sadly, it works in politics, but that system is pathetically awash in sewage.
Instead, if you're staffed for hands-on care, advertise yourself as "Window-Cleaning Experts". Surveys show that windows are the most challenging cleaning activity for consumers... and most carwashes recognize it as their highest complaint. By focusing on your window-cleaning expertise, you win big. The logical assumption is that everything else performed must be very good, too. It creates a very powerful competitive edge against express operations that offer no hands-on service. Not having hands-on after-care services is their greatest vulnerability; Their Achilles Heel!
Another individual positive claim: Expert Interior Cleaning
One critical caution: You better excel at your claim's performance because you'll never get a second chance... at making a first impression!
A PROMISE... IS A PROMISE.
-Steve
If you think the best way to promote or advertise your wash is to slam the competition maybe you better take a hard look at your operation. Negative advertising not only reflects on your competition but says a lot about you and has a negative effect on our industry as a whole. For some reason it seems that EE's have become the enemy much like c-store washes did when they became popular. Whether you like it or not they are a part of our industry. When you denigrate another form of professional car wash you are also denigrating the industry of which you are a part.
In my area there are many washes that compete successfully against EE's. Hand washes seem to do very well as do a well run flex/full serves and IBA's. I think the common denominator in their success is that they are good operators and produce clean, dry vehicles. There are many different types of customers out there - some just want a quick wash, others want their vehicles cleaned inside and out while still others want their vehicle to be pampered with a quality hand wash. In some cases there are those that do all of the above.
Competition can be a very healthy thing for our industry as long as we don't try to win customers by knocking the other guy. Competition encourages washes to perform at their peak which makes us better as an industry. As Steve suggests, promote the positives of your operation and do the best you can to perform what you are promoting.
In my area there are many washes that compete successfully against EE's. Hand washes seem to do very well as do a well run flex/full serves and IBA's. I think the common denominator in their success is that they are good operators and produce clean, dry vehicles. There are many different types of customers out there - some just want a quick wash, others want their vehicles cleaned inside and out while still others want their vehicle to be pampered with a quality hand wash. In some cases there are those that do all of the above.
Competition can be a very healthy thing for our industry as long as we don't try to win customers by knocking the other guy. Competition encourages washes to perform at their peak which makes us better as an industry. As Steve suggests, promote the positives of your operation and do the best you can to perform what you are promoting.
How about touting your quality, such as;
We get your whole car clean the first time, or
We clean the areas other leave behind.
We have a small chain of washes here which with its name you would think that they really get wheels clean. That however among other things, is their most glaring weakness.
Now as operators, we all know you can't turn a silk purse from a sow's ear, but it is really amazing to me how many operators turn out a really mediocre product. Between wheels and fronts and backs of vehicles, its easy to see why they absolutely die during the off season. Regardless of the money spent, people always seem to expect quality. A continuous failure to deliver that earns you a bad reputation. of course these same operators make arguments like, "What do you expect for $3," or "Its Ok, people just want to get the salt off." People are consumers, they remember when they get poor service or quality is lacking. It is just as important to put out a great product on a 1,000 car day as it is on a 100 car day. Its called consistency and its what brings people back, makes them loyal and gets them to refer you to other people. After all, when was the last time you referred someone to a business with the recommendation that the service was ok but the overall quality sucked. Answer, never. Superior service and great quality are the bullwarks of any successful business. Omit these and yes, you'll wash some cars - when people don't have a choice. But when the weather breaks they'll be washing their car at home.
As a consumer, I never understood the concept of low price and mediocre quality. People are people and they will remember the bitterness of poor quality long after the joy of low price is forgotten.
We get your whole car clean the first time, or
We clean the areas other leave behind.
We have a small chain of washes here which with its name you would think that they really get wheels clean. That however among other things, is their most glaring weakness.
Now as operators, we all know you can't turn a silk purse from a sow's ear, but it is really amazing to me how many operators turn out a really mediocre product. Between wheels and fronts and backs of vehicles, its easy to see why they absolutely die during the off season. Regardless of the money spent, people always seem to expect quality. A continuous failure to deliver that earns you a bad reputation. of course these same operators make arguments like, "What do you expect for $3," or "Its Ok, people just want to get the salt off." People are consumers, they remember when they get poor service or quality is lacking. It is just as important to put out a great product on a 1,000 car day as it is on a 100 car day. Its called consistency and its what brings people back, makes them loyal and gets them to refer you to other people. After all, when was the last time you referred someone to a business with the recommendation that the service was ok but the overall quality sucked. Answer, never. Superior service and great quality are the bullwarks of any successful business. Omit these and yes, you'll wash some cars - when people don't have a choice. But when the weather breaks they'll be washing their car at home.
As a consumer, I never understood the concept of low price and mediocre quality. People are people and they will remember the bitterness of poor quality long after the joy of low price is forgotten.
Thanks everyone,I don't want to do negative promotions.The $3 wash competion has helped,not hurt my business.We have a Powerain touchfree,Istobol 5 brush and 4 ss bays.We are now changing all our lighting, remodeling ext.is our next project.Quality,service,cleanliness has been our goal for 46 yrs. It has worked very well !
