Bay signs

[txheat]

My bay signs are not effective. I having issues where customers sit in bay with bucket washing or to dry off and detail car while others waiting to wash their car. Can you guys share your sign ideas/wording? thanks

Signs i have now in bays:

"Please No bucket or Hand washing"
"Please move car promptly out of bay after washing"

 

[slash007]

I have tried many different signs, different placement, etc. Bottom line is that most customers don't read signs, and the ones that do just ignore them. Good luck.

 

[robert roman]

When I was a wand-bay customer, I would always use a bucket and hand dry in the bay when the attendant was not on duty.

I did so because the sign couldn’t slap my wrist. So, I imagine I would act the same regardless of the size or wording of a sign.

Sometimes you just can’t eliminate all of the labor involved in operating a retail store.

How about a virtual attendant?

Set surveillance cameras and design PA system that can be activated digitally so you can yell at customers with a smart phone.

 

[madscientist]

Signs aren't your problem but more importantly, lines at your wash are good for business. You want passersby to see a lot of activity at your wash, not empty bays.

Your customers will figure all this out themselves. Some customers will just cruise on by until they see less traffic, and some will yell at the inconsiderate customers for you. Let them point at your signs and be the rude ones.

As robert has said previously, long lines can make you a sitting duck for a competitor to move in, but nobody is building self-serves these days.

Long lines make me happy (for a minute, and then I stress about potential breakdowns).

 

[slash007]

When I was a wand-bay customer, I would always use a bucket and hand dry in the bay when the attendant was not on duty.

I did so because the sign couldn’t slap my wrist. So, I imagine I would act the same regardless of the size or wording of a sign.

Sometimes you just can’t eliminate all of the labor involved in operating a retail store.

How about a virtual attendant?

Set surveillance cameras and design PA system that can be activated digitally so you can yell at customers with a smart phone.

I would love it if there was some way to speak to the customers from afar. Lord knows how many times I am watching the cameras and I wish I could say something to whomever is in the bay or at the automatic.

 

[MEP001]

My bay signs are not effective. I having issues where customers sit in bay with bucket washing or to dry off and detail car while others waiting to wash their car. Can you guys share your sign ideas/wording? thanks

Signs i have now in bays:

"Please No bucket or Hand washing"
"Please move car promptly out of bay after washing"

IMO, the only effective way to minimize your problem is to be there as much as possible to stop them.

I have tried many different signs, different placement, etc. Bottom line is that most customers don't read signs, and the ones that do just ignore them. Good luck.

What's funny is that if you don't have signs up for that and you say something to a customer bucket washing, they'll sometimes argue that because there's no sign that they can do it anyway. There's no winning.

 

[borumrm]

Not that it helps that much because these days my wash does not seem that busy...too much competition but on my bay meters mine states "when occupying bay - meter must be running"...if the meter is running I don't really care what they are doing in the bay. well I do care but as long as they are not tearing things up or unloading a bunch of mud I don't care...LOL

 

[Jeff_L]

Bucket Washers - tricky conversation because the minute you approach them they are on the defense because deep down they know they aren't doing what's right. They don't care that you're not making money off them bucket washing, heck, it's why they came to a self serve bay, they want to wash their pride and joy on the cheap. My best approach is to explain that the water coming from the sink they just used to fill their bucket doesn't go through my filtration/softener process. Thus, they're doing more harm than good by bucket washing. Of course, this doesn't work if they filled their bucket from the wand. It's at least the most non-threatening approach I can think of and use, doesn't work often though.

Drying off a car - I try to ask them to move out because someone is waiting, but it's tough for me to do it because I don't have a drying area that is covered. So basically I'm asking them to move out into the hot sun and rush to dry their car before the sun dries it for them.

Both are tough conversations, and in my experience, a very low percentage of them end with both of us smiling.

 

[MikeV]

I have "No bucket washing" signs in all my ss bays. When someone is using a bucket, I just point to the sign. That usually takes care of it. Some smartasses will say "I'm not washing a bucket". That's when I go off on them and say "Wrong answer, get rid of the bucket or get off my lot". Some will ask why, then I have to explain the economics of a self serv car wash to them. Most get it, some don't.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

I tell them I sell time and the ultimate goal is a clean car.
So if you want to stay in the bay and finish what your doing please insert enough quarters in the box to finish getting a clean car, that way if someone behind you complains I can point out to them that you are paying for your time, if you do not want to do this then you can exit the bay and use my lot and vaccums to finish up.

 

[slash007]

I am very lenient with bucket washers and dryers when the bays are not full. When they are, I kindly ask them to move out. Most of the time it's not an issue, but a couple of times I've had people argue and continue on like they owned the place. That's when I have to get nasty. Nothing worse then having someone dry their car or detail while a car is behind waiting to get in. I tell them that at this point they are basically stealing from me. I have also had people detail before finishing a wash, and if we are busy I ask them to keep the meter running then do whatever they need as long as the time is running.

 

[chaz]

I have small decals above the control panel, "please exit bay when meter stops and others are waiting" for the most part this, along with customers waiting asking them to move on out its not a huge issue at my wash.

AND, I do have two way audio at my wash connected through my smart phone. The mic at the wash is over the vending area, I can hear mostly background sound, but I can hear if all is working ok. I have a PA speaker in each bay and in the lot to make live announcemts. I typically will announce over my iPhone and listen back with my iPad or another phone, this way I know the announcemt has not been garbled through the Internet.

 

[slash007]

I have small decals above the control panel, "please exit bay when meter stops and others are waiting" for the most part this, along with customers waiting asking them to move on out its not a huge issue at my wash.

AND, I do have two way audio at my wash connected through my smart phone. The mic at the wash is over the vending area, I can hear mostly background sound, but I can hear if all is working ok. I have a PA speaker in each bay and in the lot to make live announcemts. I typically will announce over my iPhone and listen back with my iPad or another phone, this way I know the announcemt has not been garbled through the Internet.

If you could give me more details or even pictures of your setup it would really be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[chaz]

Assume you are asking about the two way audio. If your DVR has this ability, there will be an audio in and audio out on the unit. Just get a $7 avg price, small video monitor ( spy ) mic. It's a powered mic that comes with a small transformer, run with simese cable like on cameras. For PA system, you need an amp strong enough to power the # of speakers you install. Needs line level input to connect to audio out on DVR. My phone/ iPad app has an icon to press for either mic or audio.

My DVR is also set up to send me three stills each time the door to the equipment room is opened.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Perhaps the sign should say: "Customers bucket washing while others are waiting will be shot for being inconsiderate. Survivors will be shot again."

 

[Reds]

I ignore them if no one is waiting. When someone is waiting I am blunt and to the point. I tell them to either put money in the meter or pull outside. If they refuse I write their license # down, tell them that this is private property and they must leave immediately or I will call the cops and have them arrested for defiant trespass ($500 fine). So far they have all left and I don't care if they don't come back. I would rather keep regular customers happy (those waiting) and leave the ignorant ones to go somewhere else. Weep washers I tell to get off the property and never come back. I have had waiting customers beep horn and give me the thumbs up.

 

[toddmullens]

"No FREE Parking"

 

[cleaning up mud]

you cant put up enough signs, they don't read them most don't care

 

[Reds]

I don't tolerate ignorant people very well. I don't want them using my wash. I tell them bluntly but in a polite tone of voice to put money in the meter or leave. If they give me any backtalk I tell them to get off the property immediately or I will have them arrested for defiant trespass ($500 fine). Usually when I write or record their license # they leave. When they say "I won't be back" I thank them. I didn't spend a ton of money to build a facility for nitwits to use for free. Nor do I want other customers inconvenienced by these ignorant people. I have had waiting customers honk their horns and give me the thumbs up when I chase the ignorant ones out. I must admit that I am not as nice to weep washers.

 

[Kevin James]

I don't tolerate ignorant people very well. I don't want them using my wash. I tell them bluntly but in a polite tone of voice to put money in the meter or leave. If they give me any backtalk I tell them to get off the property immediately or I will have them arrested for defiant trespass ($500 fine). Usually when I write or record their license # they leave. When they say "I won't be back" I thank them. I didn't spend a ton of money to build a facility for nitwits to use for free. Nor do I want other customers inconvenienced by these ignorant people. I have had waiting customers honk their horns and give me the thumbs up when I chase the ignorant ones out. I must admit that I am not as nice to weep washers.

And how many times have you called the Police and had someone charged with "defiant trespass"?