Bucket Washing

[pitzerwm]

I like it when they look at the sign and then say "You don't expect me to read that **** do you"?

That's when I say " I don't care if you read them or not but you are going to live by them, now clean up this mess or I take you court and show you how expensive stupid can get".

 

[Red Baron]

If you want to make your own rules at a car wash, go grab $500,000 and build your own.

...and when you do, I'll be your customer, cause I need a good place to wash the nails out of my bed.

 

[Red Baron]

I like it when they look at the sign and then say "You don't expect me to read that **** do you"?

That's when I say " I don't care if you read them or not but you are going to live by them, now clean up this mess or I take you court and show you how expensive stupid can get".

Yeah that's irritating alright. I usually tell them: "Go drive 80 mph down the highway and when the trooper pulls you over, tell him just what you told me, that you didn't read the sign. It's my responsibility to put them up, it's yours to read them."

 

[lighthousecarwash]

At what point was that stupid saying invented, "the customer is always right"? Yesterday's society would never complain about 90% of what today's society does. I wish I still lived in a small town like I did when I grew up. That way, when that idiot washes out the nails in the bay, he has to look me in the eye and shake my hand the next Sunday at church. It's amazing how people think that they will never see you again so they don't care.

Lighthouse.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I liked what one operator did when a customer was washing out a bunch of nails in his bay. He called the customer on it and got the response "It's just a few f%#*ing nails". He went and got his own truck and blocked the exit so the customer would have to back through his own mess. When the customer asked him what he was doing, he told him "You can back out, it's just a few f%#*ing nails."

 

[Red Baron]

I liked what one operator did when a customer was washing out a bunch of nails in his bay. He called the customer on it and got the response "It's just a few f%#*ing nails". He went and got his own truck and blocked the exit so the customer would have to back through his own mess. When the customer asked him what he was doing, he told him "You can back out, it's just a few f%#*ing nails."

Priceless!

 

[packerscw]

I watched a guy who was a builder. I watched him take a bucket of nails and try to use the wand to spray out his bucket of nails because they were dirty? rusty? who knows. He ended up poring them down the drain inside the bay. People are completely crazy. How do you think would be the best way to confront that guy. haha

 

[Jeff_L]

by handing him a magnet to retrieve all the nails?

 

[Red Baron]

I watched a guy who was a builder. I watched him take a bucket of nails and try to use the wand to spray out his bucket of nails because they were dirty? rusty? who knows. He ended up poring them down the drain inside the bay. People are completely crazy. How do you think would be the best way to confront that guy. haha

The best way, or my way? They are different, ya know? Depending on how much stupidity I've endured to that point, I would have 2 different approaches:
1. Shrug, shake my head, get on Autocareforum and tell y'all about it. or;
2. Tell the guy he's too stupid to be at a car wash by himself and he needs to leave.

 

[Tom Thumb]

Had a customer ( if you can call him one) bucket washing one day and I ask him did he not see the no bucket washing sign, said he would not do it anymore. Few weeks later I was at wash and saw him come into bay, watched on camera as he got his bucket filled and ready to wash, I got a small cup of cat oil and walked by the bay and poured it in his bucket and keep walking, being as smart as he is he keep washing his truck before long I heard him cussing , to my knowledge he has not been back but he did spent a fare amount to get the cat oil off his truck.

 

[Waxman]

I hope you are joking.

 

[Tom Thumb]

This no joke, some people have no respect for others property and I give them the benefit of the doubt until they cross the line, and that is when I will act , and care less
about how they feel about it.

Just because we live in this world, it does not mean we have to tolerate all of the a--hole of the world.

 

[Waxman]

You're certainly allowed to run your business as you see fit. This is America, not Cuba.

However, your actions sound very 'passive aggressive'. Sure, you communicated clearly the first time but to then, on the second incident, do something like that was underhanded.

I have several people I need to constantly ask to modify their behavior (all types) at the wash. I see it as a trade off; they pay money to use my place. Once in awhile I speak very very frankly to them if they push too far.

Where do you draw the line once you start behavior like yours? Not my cup of tea. Too passive aggressive and not my style at all.

 

[Red Baron]

Nine times out of ten after I chew someone out, I feel bad about it and try to undo it. Saturday I watched a guy use my Bug Brush at the IBA to scrub his car then drive into the SS bay. I told him that the sign clearly states that the BB is for SS custs only. He shrugged, I shrugged. I go into the ER and watch the cameras as he proceeds to dip the hogshair foamy brush in foam on the bay floor (very abrasive), rub it around, then start scrubbing his wheels with it...the meter still not running.

I blew a gasket on the poor guy and told him to put money in the meter or get off my property. Three minutes later I was handing him a $9 tokenote and apologizing for being such a jerk.

Every time I run my mouth it costs me money.

 

[Tom Thumb]

Let me explain something here.
I try to provide a car wash that is very clean and keep equipment in very good operating condition, if a customer has a problem I will go out of my way to make them happy because I want them to feel confortable and safe at my wash.
On the other side if a customer abuses my wash or equipment I will try to work with them and explain why I have signs on the bays to make them aware of what I expect from them , if this does work and they say" What the hell it's just a damn car wash" this is where I draw the line and will not tolerate it and do what is neccessary to prevent them from coming back. This is the type of person that will leave a bay in such a bad condition that no other customer will want to use it.
It is not that I am trying to be a==, but some people do not have any morales or value of others property.

 

[Waxman]

I agree with everything you said. I disagree with the act of adding oil to a bucket of water someone is using. I've got your position clearly and I agree with you. I just wouldn't sabotage a wash bucket. Sounds crazy to me and one may argue that there are other remedies besides the one you chose.

I bet you run a top notch wash. Sometimes we all shoud follow the motto; 'ya betta check ya-self / before ya wreck ya-self', waxman included.

 

[Tom Thumb]

Waxman,
Thanks for the reply, I guess we are all are trying to acheive the same goals just going about it different ways.

Have a great day.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I have no patience for cheapskate a$$hole bucket washers. I wish I had the cahones to do what TT did. The guy did it a second time after he was told not to. F@#& him and feed him fish heads! He got what he deserved.

 

[pitzerwm]

I guess, I'd agree with fighting fire with fire.

Red, you have got to get some procedures written down, so you know what to do in certain situations, then follow your own procedures. Sounds like you don't have a plan, so depending on your frame of mind you are inconsistent, sometimes over reacting and then having to eat crow. Give my way a try and see what happens, it couldn't get much worse

 

[MEP001]

This no joke, some people have no respect for others property and I give them the benefit of the doubt until they cross the line, and that is when I will act , and care less
about how they feel about it.

I feel the same way; bad customers have to travel a pretty long way to cross my line. I wouldn't have had the cajones to do what you did, but I certainly would have told the customer in no uncertain terms that their "business" was no longer welcome.

As far as bucket washing goes, I don't understand the zero-tolerance issue. I don't give it a second thought unless the bays are full, then I say to them politely that if someone has to wait for a bay they have to start the timer. I've only had one person I've had to tell twice, and I told him calmly that I wouldn't approach him a third time; I'd call the police and file criminal tresspass charges on him. He still washes and doesn't use a bucket at all anymore.

I understand that everyone has their buttons, but unless there are customers waiting or they're using your chamois sink and a jug (or your weep) to rinse for free, is it really a big deal?