Car wash options menu
- Thread starter wash4me
- Start date
madscientist
Member
There is absolutely no reason to make your top wash $9 instead of $10. If a customer is using $1 bills, it's roughly the same amount of work. If they are using bigger bills, they have to put more than $9 in anyway so paying $10 is easier than paying $9 and having coins returned. If they are using a credit card, most won't even think of the $9 vs. $10 argument.
If you feel that the wash you are offering for $10 is worth $10, then charge $10.
If you feel that the wash you are offering for $10 is worth $10, then charge $10.
I.B. Washincars
Car Washer Emeritus
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I think it is too complicated. I think the rundown of each choice should be in words, not something they need to "figure out". "Triple pass front" and "Triple pass rear" is on there twice, complicating it more. A car wash owner may know what you mean, but I'm guessing you won't get many of them. Also, I am puzzled about the tri-foam on the cheap wash. No-brainer on the $9/$10 conundrum, make it $10.
Waxman
Super Moderator
I agree; the sign needs to be more simple. The dots and detailed descriptionsd aren't necessary. You don't need 'soak' etc. The customer wants to know the basics: 3. wet wash 2. underbody/2 presoaks/foam polish/wax/blow dry 1. underbody/2 presoaks/foam polish/sealer/spot free/blow dry.
Customers don't read the finer print items; heck; they barely read the bold/large type on cw signs.
Re-do and make far simpler IMO.
Also, no need to be $9; go to $10 and don't worry about the gas station wash. Make yours worth the $10; that's all.
robert roman
Bob Roman
Menu is a crucial element in marketing a wash. Good menu design alone (reader board and POS) can increase average ticket by several percentage points.
Menu is both business card and salesperson.
Appearance of menu should fit the personality of the wash, color scheme, style, etc. It should be very easy to read and emphasize what is being sold, not price.
Your menu is formatted as a long list that places emphasis on the “items” instead of the solutions (washes).
When I visit fast-food, I have problems, hungry and thirsty. I order double burger, fry and drink. This place sells packages and fry and drink is small, medium or large. However, on menu is an “eye magnet” for special super burger deal.
When I visit carwash, I have problems, dirt surfaces, dull appearance, etc. I usually buy a wash package that includes wheel cleaning and spot-free. However, the POS prompts me with “eye magnet” on screen for “extra-pay” wax before asking for credit card. So, I buy that too because I like to protect my car.
Your menu has no such emphasis on what most operators would like to sell more of, extra-pay services.
TSS makes great signs and many of my clients and friends have them. However, I can’t remember that design work was ever included in price.
On the www, you can find hundreds of professional online businesses that offer menu design services for small businesses like restaurants, dry cleaners, car wash, etc. starting for as low as several hundred dollars.
Price strategy is an issue separate from menu.
Why let the guy down the street dictate price. If a market can bear $11, charge $11. Question is, do you know what market can bear?
Menu is both business card and salesperson.
Appearance of menu should fit the personality of the wash, color scheme, style, etc. It should be very easy to read and emphasize what is being sold, not price.
Your menu is formatted as a long list that places emphasis on the “items” instead of the solutions (washes).
When I visit fast-food, I have problems, hungry and thirsty. I order double burger, fry and drink. This place sells packages and fry and drink is small, medium or large. However, on menu is an “eye magnet” for special super burger deal.
When I visit carwash, I have problems, dirt surfaces, dull appearance, etc. I usually buy a wash package that includes wheel cleaning and spot-free. However, the POS prompts me with “eye magnet” on screen for “extra-pay” wax before asking for credit card. So, I buy that too because I like to protect my car.
Your menu has no such emphasis on what most operators would like to sell more of, extra-pay services.
TSS makes great signs and many of my clients and friends have them. However, I can’t remember that design work was ever included in price.
On the www, you can find hundreds of professional online businesses that offer menu design services for small businesses like restaurants, dry cleaners, car wash, etc. starting for as low as several hundred dollars.
Price strategy is an issue separate from menu.
Why let the guy down the street dictate price. If a market can bear $11, charge $11. Question is, do you know what market can bear?
wash4me
Member
Some great input here. I will definitely rework the menu and go with the $10...or more. I think the tss design fee was $300.
GoBuckeyes
Self-Serve and Automatics
While you're at it...you could simplify your menu by eliminating that $6 basic wash. What percentage of customers buy it? Hopefully not a lot, you don't even use any soap. Have you tried it on your dirty vehicle? I can't imagine it cleans very well. My bottom wash is $9 and it accounts for about 5% of any months numbers. I'm dropping it and adding a version of my top wash with hot wax for an additional $4-$5. Now is your opportunity to try it, you may surprise yourself.
DiamondWash
Well-known member
Here is what we have just designed
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robert roman
Bob Roman
As potential customer, I wouldn’t be very excited about prospect of paying $8.00 for wet wash, no drying cycle. $4.00 express wash includes drying as well as free vacuum.
I can get clean tires and a dry car but it will cost me another dollar plus I get underbody.
For another dollar, I get tri-color foam (whatever that does), a double pass (of what?) plus total body but then I lose the clear-coat sealant.
As consultant, I see a header titled “Soft-Gloss Wash.” This is the “feature” but the menu uses the term foam brite.
Works adds free vacuum, tri-foam and total body. This means you are getting only one dollar extra for your high-end, higher cost, products.
Moreover, the most expensive product and one with the most margin potential, total body, is buried as a line item in the works recipe.
Convention is to establish three or four-tier level of service that varies in price based on value and services they deliver.
Price should be determined upon the operator’s assessment of the customer’s subjective value and price sensitivity.
Typically, it’s common to offer a loss leader option for struggling motorists (basic wash).
Next, a reservation price (good) or the price the business must get to make a normal profit and then a price that will generate above normal profit (better).
And finally, there is a price that generates windfall profit (best).
If you want to gain some insight, there is a link on my website that discusses basics of price setting.
http://www.carwashplan.com/pricing_for_purpose
Hope this helps.
I can get clean tires and a dry car but it will cost me another dollar plus I get underbody.
For another dollar, I get tri-color foam (whatever that does), a double pass (of what?) plus total body but then I lose the clear-coat sealant.
As consultant, I see a header titled “Soft-Gloss Wash.” This is the “feature” but the menu uses the term foam brite.
Works adds free vacuum, tri-foam and total body. This means you are getting only one dollar extra for your high-end, higher cost, products.
Moreover, the most expensive product and one with the most margin potential, total body, is buried as a line item in the works recipe.
Convention is to establish three or four-tier level of service that varies in price based on value and services they deliver.
Price should be determined upon the operator’s assessment of the customer’s subjective value and price sensitivity.
Typically, it’s common to offer a loss leader option for struggling motorists (basic wash).
Next, a reservation price (good) or the price the business must get to make a normal profit and then a price that will generate above normal profit (better).
And finally, there is a price that generates windfall profit (best).
If you want to gain some insight, there is a link on my website that discusses basics of price setting.
http://www.carwashplan.com/pricing_for_purpose
Hope this helps.
DiamondWash
Well-known member
I was doing some research with customers today and asked them if they read our wash menu before pulling up to the coin box. I want to say 60% of them said they knew the menu so well they don't need to read it and the other 40% said they read it "BUT" all they wanted to know is if it would Wash n Dry their vehicle and then look for the price as for the description of services some/most didn't even know what they meant such as "Triple Color Foaming Conditioner" fancy name for 3X Foam Wax or even FoamBrite Wash so the KISS meaning is weighing heavily on me as I too am redesigning our menus.
portski
New member
Lots of good advice here. That menu was more than confusing to me, it was downright indecipherable (sp?) as an operator. Sorry that was my impression