Attendant In-Bay Prep & Upsell

[Bubbles Galore]

We had a stellar weekend last weekend and I was up there directing traffic and such. While helping people at the Razor, I was able to upsell quite a few customers and it got my wheels spinning. What if i were to offer an attendant that could prep and upsell washes? Are any of you doing this currently? What may be the pitfalls in this? I'm open to all opinions.

 

[smokun]

People-Power: A Gift... and a Curse.

Welcome to the world of customer service. Be advised that it can be a slippery slope!

Having an attendant provide assistance (sales and prepping) is great, providing that person is pro-active and has a pleasing personality. The good thing is that you will enhance your operational performance... and make customers happy.

However, the moment you offer this service, customers who like the attendant will expect that service every time. And after you offer it, expectations will be that when the attendant is not there to serve them, the value of the washing experience is devalued. It's not wise to disappoint customers. So, if it's a part-time thing for week-ends or certain times of the day, be consistent and let your customers know "when and why".

I agree that having an attendant on-site to engage customers is an excellent feature. And if someone other than the owner fills that role, there is a corresponding cost.

Just like owners of conveyorized washes have long experienced, prepping is a huge benefit... that is required all the time... or not at all. It's not a sometime thing to consumers. Offering it is a big plus. Taking it away creates a void in expectations. You can not spoil customers with hands-on care... and then punish them by taking it away.

So, unless you decide to have a full-time "person" engaging your customers, be prepared to create a potential shortfall in satisfaction. It's very difficult to take something away... once it is liked and expected.

Hope this helps.

-Steve

 

[Waxman]

I am on site every day at my detail shop. I offer a self-serve towel dry station and customers love it.

Offering extra hands-on services is tricky because it must be consistent. To me, offering it on weekends only is not consistent enough.

Though it could help throughput, an attendant gets expensive; I know.

Don't fall into the trap of making sweeping decisions based on your busiest days; they are balanced out by many lower-volume days, as you know.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Thanks for the input guys. Steve, you said it best when you mentioned a slippery slope...I need to determine the perceived cost benefit as well as what the customer perception will be and act accordingly. When looking at my competition, this is something that would really set my wash apart and I think it would help generate more repeat business...hmmmm...

 

[Waxman]

The idea will not work, IMO, if done only certain limited times, like weekends, because it then becomes 'most weekends' then 'some weekends' then 'by appointment' then 'not at all'.

Either do it properly or not at all. Properly is staffed 6 days/week every week and offering set detail (or if you're Smokun, 'aftercare') menu choices. Express customers will want more, like hard wax, buffing, glass restoration, headlight restoration. You want to be able to say yes to as much business as possible, because you will need the revenue stream nice and strong to afford all payroll-related costs.

You create a business plan for this. This is called operating a carwash with a detailing business. Many carwashes do it. Some great, some not so great. Get to work.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

The idea will not work, IMO, if done only certain limited times, like weekends, because it then becomes 'most weekends' then 'some weekends' then 'by appointment' then 'not at all'.

Either do it properly or not at all. Properly is staffed 6 days/week every week and offering set detail (or if you're Smokun, 'aftercare') menu choices. Express customers will want more, like hard wax, buffing, glass restoration, headlight restoration. You want to be able to say yes to as much business as possible, because you will need the revenue stream nice and strong to afford all payroll-related costs.

You create a business plan for this. This is called operating a carwash with a detailing business. Many carwashes do it. Some great, some not so great. Get to work.

Wax,

Your points are all spot on. I think you may be confusing 2 of my posts though. This post is specifically for an attendant to help direct customers, upsell washes though the auto, help maintain cleanliness etc. The express detailing aspect is a different project/idea completely. As always, the feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

John

 

[raisetheprice]

Because you're IBA/SS, be careful not to add services your customers may already be paying for, meaning some may pay to prep in your SS bays and move to the auto to finish the job. Another drawback could be throughput with 1 IBA...10-12 cars an hour may not justify the expense. Some may use your facility because they don't have to interact with anyone and when you begin greeting them, some may react negatively. A uniform clearly identifying your brand will help in that regard.

However, clean up of the entire facility would improve, but set your expectations upfront with your employees, train, train train, and retrain them and do not deviate from the training plan. I consider it a victory if I can get an employee to consistently do things 80% of the way I would.

I like you always want to improve our customers' experience, but budget constraints mostly stimee my wants to constantly improve our service.

 

[jimbeaux]

Bubbles Galore, I bought a wash that had an attendant that basically pre-washed cars before they entered the automatic wash. Although we kept him on for a while, when a new wash was built 1/2 mile from us we lost about 20% of our business. That hurt the bottom line and also it is almost impossible to find someone honest and dependable that will be there everyday. To us it was not worth the hassle and expense.
We did not get our business built back up until we put in a new automatic and raised prices. Having that service can be a slippery slope. It may work for you but I will never do that again.

 

[bigleo48]

To add to what has already been said...I find some customer just don't want the interaction. I strongly believe you are selling convenience. People can get their cars washed quick while they eat lunch, talk on the phone, listen to music, etc.

We have an attendant to help when help is needed. If we have a long lineup (over 3 cars, the they are to offer customers a dash wipe. That 'breaks the ice' for customers to ask questions, or offer comments, etc. If a car has bad bird droppings or heavy bugs, we have a pressure spray can with organic presoak he can prep with.

Bubbles, you gotta remember that it was a nice busy day...you were in a good mood to see a return to high winter volume. That rubs off...but won't always be the case, especially with an attendant.

When I do help people out, like when something won't come off the car and we need to wash it in the SS bays with stronger chems, we explain why and when its clean I like to say "try getting that from .... wash". That reaffirms our ability to serve the customer.

Lastly, how to pay for an attendant. Yes an attendant will be expensive, but can free you up to drum up business, keep the place clean and humming, interact with customers (promptly address problems), sell gift/fleet cards. It also allows you to offer more services. At my wash we have the following services. IBA, SS bays, Vacs, Petwash, detailing, skate sharpening, vending (drop & coil, Air, windsheild washer dispenser, etc). Coupling revenue from a few smaller revenue generators pay for my attendants We have attendants 7 days a week. Sometimes, I have to go to the wash and help out as the attendant is too busy.

 

[robert roman]

John,

Consider what is possible from what is available. Here is a quick and dirty analysis.

All washes require some level of attention so there is no such thing as a truly unattended carwash.

Assume an owner’s average time to cover basic duties and responsibilities for a self-service is say between 25 and 30 hours a week. This is regardless of whether you pay yourself or not.

If you add a part-timer for 20 hours a week at $8.00 to help lighten the load, and this person was not involved in any activities that generate additional sales, all you have done is create labor cost of $640 per month plus any payroll expense.

In this case, I not involve this person in the in-bay production process. Instead, use attendant to educate customers on the loyalty/card club program (increase sales per customer), demonstrate how to use the equipment, hand out brochures to explain benefits of in-bay’s total body protection or tire shine program (these are profit centers requiring no labor).

If you want to add labor to in-bay production process, you would want to make a profit from doing so. 40 hours at $8.00 is $1,280 a month plus payroll expense.

Let’s assume you can add on two services. One requires labor. The labor service generates additional sales of $4.00. Typically 25 percent of customers would buy this. The other involves a loyalty program (accepting prepaid sales and coupons/warrants). This increases loyalty from 10 percent to 15 percent or a 15% increase in base sales.

Let’s assume your base is 15,600 cars washed per year or 50 cars per day. This would equal design hour of roughly 12 cars an hour or requiring one in-bay with average cycle time of 5-minutes. Say, 15,600 times average sale of $6.00 equals $93,600 gross.

25% average extra sales would yield $1,300 a month less labor $1,280 leaves profit of $20.

If you add on the $1,170 generated from implementing loyalty program brings earnings up by $2,470 ($1,300 + $1,170) less labor of $1,280 leaves profit of $1,190.

If you didn’t want to do loyalty program, then you would need to do double the volume in $4.00 service, meaning you would need to almost double the sales rate (very difficult) or the in-bay capacity.

The real payoff from adding the additional labor would come from buy a faster machine.