Hamilton HTK mobile app worth the price?

[tylerwash]

Hello,

What’s your experience with the HTK mobile app?

I’ve been using the HTK pay station for a couple of years with the silver subscription. But what it offers is very limited.

Last check it cost 6k to have the app developed that offer many more features such as monthly wash clubs and royalty rewards. How does it compare to Dencar, Everwash and other app based apps?

Thank you

 

[Roz]

We have the app. Works fine but do not expect it to sell your wash. Still takes marketing. We have about 1000 downloads of our app but revenue is maybe $2000 per month. Depends on your customer base.
We use the app with our Goldlines.

 

[tylerwash]

We have the app. Works fine but do not expect it to sell your wash. Still takes marketing. We have about 1000 downloads of our app but revenue is maybe $2000 per month. Depends on your customer base.
We use the app with our Goldlines.

I've been selling wash bundle with the HTK - not impressive at all. A customer buys the bundle from the pay station and it just prints out a receipt with a barcode so he can use it for a certain # of times. On a good month, we sell around 30 bundles.

Because I don't find too many topics related to the HTK mobile app in this forum, I guess most folks are leaning toward other third party apps or different pay stations when selling the monthly membership program.

It seems Dencar has done a decent job integrating the membership program into its pay station. I was hoping the HTK could match or does better than Dencar's due to its higher premium pricing.

 

[RSmith]

Because I don't find too many topics related to the HTK mobile app in this forum, I guess most folks are leaning toward other third party apps or different pay stations when selling the monthly membership program.

It seems Dencar has done a decent job integrating the membership program into its pay station. I was hoping the HTK could match or does better than Dencar's due to its higher premium pricing.

I have been wanting to make the switch to Hamilton from the aforementioned. I got my quote back last night for 3 HTK, 3 DAN Transaction Terminals, 9 DTT Controllers, 3 LRP Cameras, 3 DAN Econo G5, 3 Hamilton base kits, 3 wraps, 3 gold subscriptions. Came out to $180,000 or $60,000 per site in my case. I'm not understanding where the value-add is to justify the price over the Commander. The reason I wanted the HTK was to eliminate quarters since the Commander does not give bills for change. I was also quoted $4k for the app if that helps your original question.

Although, I paid to have my own app with D and now they have discontinued updating it, and switched me over to the singular app for all of their customers. The worst part about it is when my customers go to download the new app (they cant update CC information or anything with the old app) they are greeted with a 2.7 star rated app (I've given it 5 stars from 7 devices/accounts on my own so the number is worse still).

 

[tylerwash]

I have been wanting to make the switch to Hamilton from the aforementioned. I got my quote back last night for 3 HTK, 3 DAN Transaction Terminals, 9 DTT Controllers, 3 LRP Cameras, 3 DAN Econo G5, 3 Hamilton base kits, 3 wraps, 3 gold subscriptions. Came out to $180,000 or $60,000 per site in my case. I'm not understanding where the value-add is to justify the price over the Commander. The reason I wanted the HTK was to eliminate quarters since the Commander does not give bills for change. I was also quoted $4k for the app if that helps your original question.

Although, I paid to have my own app with D and now they have discontinued updating it, and switched me over to the singular app for all of their customers. The worst part about it is when my customers go to download the new app (they cant update CC information or anything with the old app) they are greeted with a 2.7 star rated app (I've given it 5 stars from 7 devices/accounts on my own so the number is worse still).

The HTK wasn't cheap even before the pandemic. I should have opted for the the Commander as the majority of the transactions are CC. Back then, it's $15K difference between the HTK and the commander.

I drove by a nearby express tunnel equipped with the latest HTK pay stations few days ago. But it seemed weird to me they used Everwash to sell their monthly membership program. I thought the HTK got all the bells and whistles.

 

[Car Wash Brothers]

I have been wanting to make the switch to Hamilton from the aforementioned. I got my quote back last night for 3 HTK, 3 DAN Transaction Terminals, 9 DTT Controllers, 3 LRP Cameras, 3 DAN Econo G5, 3 Hamilton base kits, 3 wraps, 3 gold subscriptions. Came out to $180,000 or $60,000 per site in my case. I'm not understanding where the value-add is to justify the price over the Commander. The reason I wanted the HTK was to eliminate quarters since the Commander does not give bills for change. I was also quoted $4k for the app if that helps your original question.

Although, I paid to have my own app with D and now they have discontinued updating it, and switched me over to the singular app for all of their customers. The worst part about it is when my customers go to download the new app (they cant update CC information or anything with the old app) they are greeted with a 2.7 star rated app (I've given it 5 stars from 7 devices/accounts on my own so the number is worse still).

Who gave you that quote? I need to talk to them because I was quoted $150k for two but that was with installation.

 

[Roz]

I think you need the Hamilton App with Hosted Solutions to be able to run a monthly program. We have the Hamilton app. Works OK. Our biggest issue is the Goldline scanner that sometimes does not read the QR code immediately. Could be a better app but not their priority. Has a few bugs that they exorcise now and then.

Before you drop serious money you should ask what are my major issues I am looking to resolve or improve. Then see if Hamilton handles them for you. I have seen HTKs with Everwash too. Everwash is cheap to install but you get the headaches on the backend with abuse.

If memberships are your driving issue then you might check out the Dencar paystations as they seem to have a more refined and easier to use system. Frictionless as they like to say.

NRCC is the beginning of October if you can wait to see them or I would call them for a few owners to talk with so you can check them out. I know one small owner with five locations who converted all paystations to Dencar and is very happy.

we have ICS and Goldlines. We converted all our changers to dispense dollar coins instead of bills which has alleviated bill dispensing issues on ICS and made dispensing coins easy in the Goldlines. Our cc percentage varies significantly by location (demographics).

 

[ShinePro]

Commander paystation is cheaper to purchase than an HTK.
I ve been to Hamilton plant and seen them all.
Only difference is change is given in coin.
No bills
We use $1 coins to give change.
I really like the Commander!!!!!!!!!
So do my older Customers!!!!

As far as the App. We are 4 yrs in to the App. 1050 downloads.
People that use the App - love it! And use the shit out of it!
Getting the others to remember or actually use it-(after down loading) is the issue.
About 8-9 % of our washes are sold thru the App.
Signage- direct emails- push notifications-
Nothing moves that needle any so far.

I do know this - Hamilton is going thru an App upgrade- and a Hosted Solutions upgrade. Bringing everything in house- no more out sourcing -( if thats the right term)

I m looking forward with some anticipation to seeing how this all effects my business and usage.


Roz is right- it will not sell your wash!
I have friends in other parts of country with different apps and they arent getting any more app sales than I am, on a percentage basis.

I think folks have app fatigue. I m hopeful that as time goes on that the younger generations - who live on their phones- will get the usage to be more agreeable to cover the expense.

The expenses-
The rewards points are worth $2+ off a wash.
Plus Hosted Solutions and an extra cc account with World Pay and their fees are about 15-20% of sales depending on the month.

Ps
I bought in to this to have something to offer besides the unlimited memberships.
I have no regrets working with Hamilton.
Bob and his staff are great people to work with!

 

[Roz]

I tend to agree with ShinePro. We have about 1000 plus downloads of our app. Hard part is knowing who is still using the app and Hosted Solutions backend is very dated (and I have heard of the upgrade being on the way for a long time). We send notices via the app but have no idea who still has the app on their phone or reads the specials we blast out.

That said customers read little these days. I gave away $5 for our SS bays with the CryptoPay loyalty cards (like a Starbucks card). I can count on two hands how many people asked for the cards even with simple signs promoting the $$ benefits.

no idea if Dencar has experienced their growing pains but what I saw at ICA was impressive.

cannot go wrong with a commander or a Dencar. Really depends on what you seek to accomplish.

 

[ShinePro]

Hey Roz

Last Thursday Hamilton called.

They put me on the new Hosted Solutions as a trial run.
Its nice - very well done.
In the App section you have several new tools to go in and look at usage and log in’s

They are getting close!

 

[ShinePro]

Tylerwash

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