Car Wash Forum
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Cash or cashless for unattended wash?
- Thread starter wash12
- Start date
carwashireland
Active member
I also am looking into that option but I feel there is a process that might confuse customers especially the not tech savy ones and being unattended this could cause frustration on customers not understanding how to use the wash.
Our wash has been cashless since 2014. We run 2 WW Razor IBA's and Unitec C-Start POS. The POS only accepts cards, we don't have any kind of pay by app or other type of system. We've been running this way since the beginning so I don't have any comparison. If I'm at the wash and someone wants to pay by cash I'll take their cash and send them through, happens every now and again so I'd say people still do want to pay cash but it doesn't seem to be a big issue.
Note: we do handle cash for vacuums, one bill changer quarter machine and one vending machine.
Note: we do handle cash for vacuums, one bill changer quarter machine and one vending machine.
I don't understand why anyone running a car wash or any other business for that matter would not be set-up to take money anyway they could get it. Cash Credit, mobile payment or whatever.
CheetahExpress
Active member
We built our wash in 2016 and put in a top of the line Access Machine by PDQ. We do about 60%-40% credit cards to cash in this rural area of Texas. It's self-contained and very safe and solid as a rock. Takes up to $20 bills and gives cash back in dollars. Our wash is a single bay IBA (PDQ Tandem) that's open 24/7 with videos throughout the property.
soonermajic
Well-known member
I'm buying a wash just across the border from me,in far NE Texas, & it does about 40cpd. They claim it is about 35 cash purchases/day!!! Cash is always better. You can take a little out & spend it & don't pay the 6%, or whatever it is... in fees
MEP001
Well-known member
To prevent burglaries.
NitroHouston
New member
I would love to go cashless but don’t have the nerve to make the change. I’m about 60/40 now and I think I would just lose too much business. But if I can get the neighboring gas station to sell my prepaid gift cards, I might make the switch.
I think a big reason is that the wash is unattended.
robert roman
Bob Roman
Cash credit argument is passé except in areas that are poor. Poorer the area, the less checking accounts and credit cards there are per capita. Of course, same applies to carwash.
Future of the carwash industry is automated exterior-only car washes.
So, operators that don’t prepare for digital network, subscription economy, and mobile marketing will eventually face operations risks of generating sufficient gross sales as companies that do hijack their business.
Clone app technology is making this possible. That’s why a tech company with only several employees can come into the carwash industry and compete against the likes of a DRB.
When I started washing cars and pumping gas at night as a kid, cash was king. Today, I have clients that would rather have no cash to handle.
What about Ken Brott’s members-only carwash model. If you are not a member and do not pre-pay (credit only), you can’t use the wash. App technology is making this concept more attractive.
