economy helping s/s

[robtl]

Lately I have talked to a few owners and they all noticed the self-serv part of the business is having a better increase in sales compared to the automatic washes. I believe it is because the customer likes the cheaper wash with the s/s than the higher priced auto wash.
Have any of you others noticed this happening?

 

[Jim L.]

I've seen just the opposite here. Autos, vending & vacs are slightly up this year, but SS is down so much that through April I'm down 3% from last year. The bottom fell out of home building and our spanish-speaking construction workers have vanished. I used to see them all the time in the SS bays.

 

[Greg Pack]

opposite here too. Dry SS bays while auto business is fairly steady.

Anyone noticed credit cards purchase percentages shooting up? I was up to 73% credit/ debit on the last pull date. Historically I am usually 60-65%

 

[mac]

In south FL it's like someone turned off the lights and went home. Didn't even have a good love bug season. I fully expect to see many of these newer investors that overpaid to just walk on many of them. The bright side is that the banks will probably sell them for a price that will positive cash flow. There are still some doing almost as well as last year, but they are the exception, not the rule.

 

[Waxman]

There's no denying that SS washes offer a great value to a certain type customer. If those customers are present and active in your market, you'll see activity in the SS bays. I notice lots of younger people using SS. They wash, vac, and use vending.

I am so freaking happy that I economized when I built and have a very reasonable note. If I had shot for the sun, moon and stars with my building and equipment, I'd be singin the blues

On another bright note, the detail shop is the busiest I've ever had in my 14 years at this location! I guess a crummy Winter for carwashing equals a huge Spring for the detail shop.

Any of you operators who are hands- on enough should really try detail if it's an under-developed business model in your location and you are properly motivated/staffed !

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I am thinking I am going to start up some detailing in my city. I have had like four people ask if we detail. I agree that with the economy the way it is we should see an increase in business, but like everyone else, I haven't seen anything real great yet. My bays are at 1.50 for 4 minutes and we started a dollar tuesday which has helped get new business in. We are really trying to push token sales and hope that we can get some repeat business. Good luck everyone!

 

[I.B. Washincars]

IMO, you have gone the wrong way. You should go to $2 and increase the time a little if you think you need to. I don't think backing off to $1 is going to bring in much if any. If the car doesn't need washing at $1.50 I can't see people being enticed to wash by the lower price. Another thing to think about is those customers that buy just one cycle, you're going to get 1/3 less out of those. If 1 in 5 just buys one cycle, how much new business will you need to lure in just to break even on the "one cyclers"?

I've never lowered prices and hope I never do.

 

[Joe]

SS & Economy

I sure wish I had a $1.00 start around here... I live on a gravel road.... and would love to blow the dust off when I get off the gravel... but nooooooo everyone has to go to $2.00 because they want more money... guess what... I only wash my car once a week.... and now I mostly do it at home or on the road where I am working. So... they get nothing off of me. Otherwise, they would get at least a $1.50 a day.

I guess the other thing in all fairness is that they don't increase the flow on the pre-soak to give you enough to make it worth my time to put it on when I do wash it. I can p e e more than they put on... and it just isn't worth my time. I have ask if they could do something about it... and they don't seem to care.. so I don't either.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Joe, you are looking at it from only one side, yours. For every "dustoff" like yours there are more pickup beds to wash out, clumps of mud to knock off, greasy parts to clean up, or whatever. We are in this to make money, not to be a public servant for a buck. Damn right we want more money.

I gotta agree with you on the pre-soak pressure. It is pretty wimpy most everywhere. I wouldn't burn my time using it at most washes.

 

[Joe]

My side....

Of course I am looking at it from my side.... my side is the customers side. I am the customer... for them to get my money they have to provide a quality service. If you are not giving them what they want then they aren't going to be giving you the cash out of their pocket.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I did it to increase the amount of 'catch' traffic I could get. There is a new Meijer and Menards that went in about 1/2 mile south of me and that has made quite an increase in traffic. I am coming into my fourth week now and have seen income on those days increase roughly 10% per week. For Tuesdays, I am 30% above my median income on a regular Monday-Thursday. I am sure that this will plateau eventually, but I have received numerous compliments and have increased my business. I feel that we made a good sound business decision, but realize that everyone's wash is different.