I recently purchased a small two bay car wash and am working on really bring this thing up to snuff. It was shut down for a few years and was neglected but it now running I'm not really doing much business as I just put a open banner on it. However today I took a big ad in the paper of this wash now being open so I'm hoping to start gaining more business. I have had a car wash in the past and have learned some things but would like tips on what I can do to start pushing business. My demographic is the town is about 4 to 5k people the other wash does a lot of business it is 4 bay and a pitiful automatic it isn't in the best shape and people complained a lot before I bought this one. Anyways that's the competition..... I am curious if I add credit card capabilities is that a great way to help increase revenue I haven't really seen anything statistics on this the other was does not have this capability. I'm looking to get to only around 2 gross a month as my expenses are really low and this is a small 2 bay wash. I might jump around as my add kicks in but does anybody have any ideas of ways to help drive business and does a credit card system worth the investment. I appreciate all your time.
Credit card???? To add or not to add.
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Earl Weiss
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Is "2 Gross" $2000.00
You can get cryptopay for around $350 for the central unit plus $365 per bay. You also need internet which is hopefuly available and will cost you about $70.00 per month.
You can do one bay and see how that works. (I started with half my bays and after a year did the other half.) I don't know if you'll have a cost to increase your timers or not.
If you are looking at $1000 per month per bay and it boosts revenue 10% after internet fees and CC fees you make an extra $25.00 a month. That is a little over a 3 year break even. If the experiment works ad it to the other Bay. Now your net is about $125.00 / month and you've recouped your investment in under 9 months.
If it doesn't work with the one bay experiment it was a $1500 gamble or so figuring internet costs.
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
Do a grand opening price limited time only for 1.00 to start up we did this at a site we took over and it did well, a week or two later go back to normal price. Something else to consider is to put in a automatic later if you only have one other crappy automatic as competition. Something to think about one IBA can do more than the two self services could ever do if your town population could Suport it.
Yes 2000 gross. Your rational is absolutely plausible. It only makes since it is only a 1500 dollar Investment. I guess for whatever reason im just got gun shy on this wash rather I can make it make money or not. Don't usually have this problem need to do it and be done. Thanks
I have thought about the automatic i know that one is a hunk of junk and a lot of poeple use it. Problem I'm having on dropping prices is this county is stuck in 80's on car wash prices there all .75 to start which I realize will have to change to use credit cards I thought of having a grand opening free day with donations to the local cheerleading club as they have little funding. I really would like to raise the price on my wash our expenses are low but wow..... I only have one in this town to contend with but the other towns are .75 cents as we'll for 2.15 minutes. I appreciate all the imput I just feel the more ideas I get the better off I'm gonna be.
chaz
Active member
So, basically your pricing is $1.50 for 4.5 minutes. First thing I would do is at least raise start price to $2.00 and reduce start time to 4 minutes. This is still a buck less than my wash, but about what the others in my area are charging. As far as I am concerned, the guy down the street can have the 75cent customers and the mess they leave. I am ok with being more expensive, even if I wash 1/2 the cars at my higher price, I will make the same money with less wear and tear. Your good customers will be ok with paying more for a clean, well run and perhaps less crowded wash.
MEP001
Well-known member
Like chaz said, if you run the best wash in town and charge the most, the best customers are going to use it.
Once you raise your price, the only thing you'll be worried about is how much more money you could have made if you'd raised it sooner.
Many people don't carry cash at all anymore. They don't like to stop somewhere and withdraw money and pay a hefty fee before they go to wash. They love to swipe their credit card and wash as long as they want, and in my experience they'll spend about 20% more on average.
Once you raise your price, the only thing you'll be worried about is how much more money you could have made if you'd raised it sooner.
Many people don't carry cash at all anymore. They don't like to stop somewhere and withdraw money and pay a hefty fee before they go to wash. They love to swipe their credit card and wash as long as they want, and in my experience they'll spend about 20% more on average.
Eric H
Well-known member
Wait, wait, wait! Stop the bus! Hold on a minute!
Tell us more about this location.....Does it have multi coin acceptors? Bill acceptors? Tire cleaner, Presoak, air dryers, etc? Vacuums that actually work well. I would have bill acceptors and air dryers before I would have Credit Card.
Tell us more about this location.....Does it have multi coin acceptors? Bill acceptors? Tire cleaner, Presoak, air dryers, etc? Vacuums that actually work well. I would have bill acceptors and air dryers before I would have Credit Card.
The was has presoak,foam brush,tire cleaner,spotless rinse no air dryers And the vacuums work we'll but I don't like them they are tough as he'll but they are manufacturer here in oklahoma but just not my cup of tea. No multicoins acceptors just sensortrons. I am curious about the air dryers though how they work I never have had any experience with them any input would be great.
robert roman
Bob Roman
“I'm looking to get to only around 2 gross a month”
If the goal and objective is not profit maximization, I would not invest in credit card acceptance.
In fact, if you are taking the low road to profits, I would not invest more than paint, light bulbs and elbow grease.
Make sure vacuums suck and charge $0.25 less than competition. Cut back chemical to point where the stuff works and charge $0.25 less than competition.
Keep the place spotless, functional and you should have no problem generating $2K a month or $24K gross per annum.
If profit maximization is objective, I might consider knocking the wand building down, plop down a pre-engineered building, stuff it with a nice in-bay and gross $150K.
If the goal and objective is not profit maximization, I would not invest in credit card acceptance.
In fact, if you are taking the low road to profits, I would not invest more than paint, light bulbs and elbow grease.
Make sure vacuums suck and charge $0.25 less than competition. Cut back chemical to point where the stuff works and charge $0.25 less than competition.
Keep the place spotless, functional and you should have no problem generating $2K a month or $24K gross per annum.
If profit maximization is objective, I might consider knocking the wand building down, plop down a pre-engineered building, stuff it with a nice in-bay and gross $150K.
Earl Weiss
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IMO if the vacs work well there is no reason to charge less than the competition for vacs. The 25 cent lower price will not be a big draw.
I.B. Washincars
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I'm in total agreement. I don't see this drawing in anywhere near the amt. you would need just to break even for what you would lose on those that just buy one cycle. Also, the lower the start-up price in the bays, the better for the bucket washers. Make reasons to have a higher price, not lower.
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
Air Dryers are awesome I have One at my 10 bay carwash had it two years and only have two bays with credit cards but the Air Shammie I made sure to put it in my busiest bay typically beside equipment room and changers with credit card. It does really well need to add another one Motorcycles drive to my wash just for it and Burn it down ...I know mine has payed for it self. Just think about it your just using electricity no water or chemical just as much profit if not more than a vacuum no cleaning bags or getting nasty its just there making $$$$ Wish I had enough money to add 3 more.
Stuart
Member
My Thoughts. Spruce the wash up and have at least the same options as the competition.
Price at $1 for 2 minutes to start for limited time. Be sure your ads state limited time on this price. Buff up the vacuums and price match for 30 seconds less time than the comp.
Buy 2 new coin acceptors to take multiple coins. Get some tokens and have the local high school clubs sell the tokens for you to get things going= now this is just a suggestion and out of box thinking so use your imagination with what may work. 2 acceptors at ~$150 each and about 2k tokens at ~$750.
Now that you are at this point, the work really starts. Keep the wash clean, take care of customer complaints ASAP, keep equipment working, keep trash empty, find the best chemicals for your wash, give the customer a bit more show on chems and pressure.
Price too high and they might not try you out. Get the customers started to your location and then in 4 months raise time/price to your delight.
Have signage installed up front about do's and dont's at the wash that you want to control. If you do not want truck bed wash out- have a sign about that and others. This is just a start to get things going.
Blow dryers are a great profit point and really attract some customers. Especially motorcycles. They are expensive but I think getting one at first will help traffic.
Just thoughts hope this helps
Price at $1 for 2 minutes to start for limited time. Be sure your ads state limited time on this price. Buff up the vacuums and price match for 30 seconds less time than the comp.
Buy 2 new coin acceptors to take multiple coins. Get some tokens and have the local high school clubs sell the tokens for you to get things going= now this is just a suggestion and out of box thinking so use your imagination with what may work. 2 acceptors at ~$150 each and about 2k tokens at ~$750.
Now that you are at this point, the work really starts. Keep the wash clean, take care of customer complaints ASAP, keep equipment working, keep trash empty, find the best chemicals for your wash, give the customer a bit more show on chems and pressure.
Price too high and they might not try you out. Get the customers started to your location and then in 4 months raise time/price to your delight.
Have signage installed up front about do's and dont's at the wash that you want to control. If you do not want truck bed wash out- have a sign about that and others. This is just a start to get things going.
Blow dryers are a great profit point and really attract some customers. Especially motorcycles. They are expensive but I think getting one at first will help traffic.
Just thoughts hope this helps
JMMUSTANG
car wash owner
I would raise your prices, add Bonus Time to each bay that gives the customer more FREE time if they deposit a certain amount of money
(such as $5.00 receive 5 FREE additional minutes).
I would add the credit cards to the bays because it shows that you are improving the wash.
Give a boat load of soap. The customers will love it and the benefit is it will take them longer to wash off.
(such as $5.00 receive 5 FREE additional minutes).
I would add the credit cards to the bays because it shows that you are improving the wash.
Give a boat load of soap. The customers will love it and the benefit is it will take them longer to wash off.
Stuart
Member
I have 3 at my 5 bay however I put them in the 3 slowest bays. The traffic in these specific bays had increased significantly. Now instead of the bays closest to the ER being the bay of choice I have multiple bays of choice. People actually using the farthest bay with all other bays empty. just my 2 cents
I believe we should give people as many ways to pay as we can. I would'nt lower prices, I think it shows you don't think your wash is worth the charge. Our wash was 50 cents when we got involved, now we are at $1 start and didn't have any noticable drop in customers. We made numerous improvements to the facility and chemicals we use to improve the wash and make it well worth the extra money. We offer credit cards in every bay and are in the process of having bill acceptors. We did the CCs one bay at a time and will do the acceptors the same. Works for us.
robert roman
Bob Roman
“IMO if the vacs work well there is no reason to charge less than the competition for vacs. The 25 cent lower price will not be a big draw.”
This is a “two” bay facility in a small market with a competitor that has four wands and in-bay.
Without looking, the competitor can be judged as at least three times more attractive than the two-bay wash based on SF alone.
Here, SF represents distinct competitive advantages in terms of wash capacity, vehicle stacking and waiting times, customer segment, implemented services, revenue potential, etc.
“If “profit maximization” is objective,”
Clearly, this is not cap’s objective because his expectation is to make only $1,000 per bay or gross $24,000.
Benchmark, often used as basis for pro forma, for two bay is gross $40,000 almost double cap’s expectation whereas benchmark for 4 + 1 is gross $160,000.
Credit and bill acceptance, phone line and merchant account, hand dryers and in-bay automatic are not needed to make $1,000 per wand.
For example, if expected gross is $500K, rational people do not build $3.0 million wash. Instead, they build for $1.7 million or so.
This is a “two” bay facility in a small market with a competitor that has four wands and in-bay.
Without looking, the competitor can be judged as at least three times more attractive than the two-bay wash based on SF alone.
Here, SF represents distinct competitive advantages in terms of wash capacity, vehicle stacking and waiting times, customer segment, implemented services, revenue potential, etc.
“If “profit maximization” is objective,”
Clearly, this is not cap’s objective because his expectation is to make only $1,000 per bay or gross $24,000.
Benchmark, often used as basis for pro forma, for two bay is gross $40,000 almost double cap’s expectation whereas benchmark for 4 + 1 is gross $160,000.
Credit and bill acceptance, phone line and merchant account, hand dryers and in-bay automatic are not needed to make $1,000 per wand.
For example, if expected gross is $500K, rational people do not build $3.0 million wash. Instead, they build for $1.7 million or so.
Earl Weiss
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The competition near my wash is .75 for 5 minutes. I charge $1.00 for 3 minute and I'm doing a lot more vac business than they ever thought of doing. The key is keeping the vac's in good condition. We clean them 3 times a week and test them everyday.
There's no way I'd ever consider putting bill validators in a bay or on a vacuum. I've seen and repaired to many destroyed with pry bars, water damaged etc. There is to much temptation for the scumbags. The last one I fixed they pulled the coin box out of the wall, over $3500 in damages. His insurance didn't pay any of it, didn't make the $5000 deductible.
There's no way I'd ever consider putting bill validators in a bay or on a vacuum. I've seen and repaired to many destroyed with pry bars, water damaged etc. There is to much temptation for the scumbags. The last one I fixed they pulled the coin box out of the wall, over $3500 in damages. His insurance didn't pay any of it, didn't make the $5000 deductible.
