Interacting with customers

[cantbreak80]

Spring cleaning and hitting the deferred maintenance check list has caused me to be at my wash a bit more than usual. (That…and all the snow on the golf course.)

I generally stay out of folk’s way since they always seem to be trying to “beat the clock”. (I would too if I had to pay those prices.)

But, I say howdy and thanks and like that. Today, I tried a couple new lines:

Me: “Hey, sorry about the soap thing.”
Them: “Huh?
Me: “I’ve been trying to turn it down but it just keeps coming out really good.”
Them (laughing): “Keep up the good work!”

Or

Me: “If that’s too much soap for you I can turn it down a notch…”
Them (scowling): “What? Are you nuts?”

Maybe I’ll just stay in the equipment room from now on.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I strictly follow the 10' foot rule...if I'm within 10' of a customer, I always smile/wave/say hello...9 times out of 10 it brings a smile to their face.

 

[mac]

I always used to say something like, "Say that's a nice car there." Always got a good response back.

 

[Randy]

After 32 years in the car wash business my tolerance for the general public is pretty low. We go to the car wash at 0430 so we don’t have to interact with customers. When we are there when customers are there I normally look at the customers with disdain wondering what they are going to dump, wash out the bed of their truck etc. It’s the ones that pull in see us and then leave that make me wonder.

 

[MEP001]

I know we're not in a customer service industry, but I try to at least make eye contact with customers. I don't usually say anything unless they do first, but I nod. I figure most of them are there because they want to do it themselves and not be sold something they don't want or need.

I try to treat customers the way I'd want to be treated. Nothing miffs me more than going into a business and having the employees avoid contact with me as if I might actually make them do their job. Say you go into a restaurant and there's going to be a wait, and the greeter isn't quick to talk to you and give you a wait time. Does it make you feel like leaving and going somewhere else? It does me.

 

[pitzerwm]

I would make a suggestion, I disagree that we are not in the customer service business. I suggest that not only do you make contact with them, with "nice car" "to much soap/water/pressure" AND put a token in the meter giving them a few more minutes. Figure out something to say, "you look like you could use a couple more minutes", "You might want to try out X".

It cost you nothing and gives the customer a warm and fuzzy feeling, that will reside in the back of their mind the next time they think about washing their car.

I read where a restaurant would pick an evening out of the week, and comped everyone's dinner. To pay for this, they just reduced their advertising money somewhere else. They reported that it was the best money that they ever spent on advertising.

Something to think about.

 

[MEP001]

I would make a suggestion, I disagree that we are not in the customer service business. I suggest that not only do you make contact with them, with "nice car" "to much soap/water/pressure" AND put a token in the meter giving them a few more minutes. Figure out something to say, "you look like you could use a couple more minutes", "You might want to try out X".

It cost you nothing and gives the customer a warm and fuzzy feeling, that will reside in the back of their mind the next time they think about washing their car.

I guess it depends on how you look at it. It's a self-serve car wash, a place where customers go and don't generally expect employee help. I'm certainly not saying that what you suggest isn't an excellent idea, and I know from experience that just having a body around the wash improves revenue. I'm just not a salesman, I don't have any skill or instinct for it.

 

[pitzerwm]

I'm not a salesman either, think of it as a game to see if you can make them smile. You aren't trying to sell anything, just showing them that you respect them and appreciate the fact that they came and put money in your pocket.

When someone is ****ed and upset about something, at first, I take it as a challenge to see if I can change their "I got ripped off" attitude to "oh, I see, thanks". Of course, if they use a four letter word, especially toward an employee, they are history. FWIW, that is what happened to Pat Crowe, I told him to knock it off on a particular post, and he said F you, that was it

 

[2Biz]

I always try to speak to customers if I catch them at the right time. I Never try to strike a conversation while they are washing.

Sometimes when I'm there and a good customer comes in I will lay a dollar's worth of quarters on top of the coin box and thank them for being such a good customer. They ALWAYS respond with, "You don't have to do that" but I tell them its not much, but its a way to show my appreciation.

 

[gearhead]

I try to greet as many people as I can. On days we are lined up I tallk to alot of people. I say "hello how are you today?" I can tell by their responce if they want to be bothered or not. I will walk the lines and check for magnets or crap in the beds of pick ups and ask politely if I can remove it. Those are good chat starters. I put out extra signage about sales and membership offers on those days. Then I get people rolling down windows to talk to me while they are waiting. I will also buzz the vacs and if I see someone racing around the car trying to beat the timer, I will throw in a quarter or two. Its a personal interaction that can be as brief or as long as the customer makes it. I know it's a good thing because I talk to the same people over and over. I have gotten to know many of my customers by first name this way and have also made many loyal customers with club member sales. Sometimes its just small talk, but I kinda enjoy that myself from time to time

 

[MudMoney]

I agree with Gearhead. I meet people, I talk with people, I read people, I donate a quarter, flirt with the grannies, wash the cars of older people, make change for folks while they are waiting in line. I leave the pump room door open so they know I am here if they need something.

We are located in a small community and customer interactions go a long ways to securing business.

I do have my shortcommings, when it comes to unauthorize dumping of household trash... once I emptied the 30 gallon garbage can back onto the hood of his vehicle.

 

[jprb]

I know that adding a few quarters to a meter is a really good idea!! I STILL remember when a car wash owner did that for me 20+ years ago! I used his car wash until I built my own!

 

[Ghetto Wash]

I know that adding a few quarters to a meter is a really good idea!! I STILL remember when a car wash owner did that for me 20+ years ago! I used his car wash until I built my own!

And 25 years ago I lost $$ in a drop shelf vendor trying to buy a towel. I never went back. I went out of my way to wash at another carwash and is the reason I try and keep EVERYTHING working ALL the time at my washes today.

Amazing one incident positive or negative can have a such long lasting influence.