I'm going to be raising my SS bays from $1.75 to $2.00 Any recommendations? Do I just do it and don't give any notice or reason or should I print up a small sign next to each pay box explaining "Sorry but do to the rising cost of Salt, Water, Electricity, Soap, Real estate Taxes, Labor and Natural Gas YOU are going to pay more Ha........So how about that guys?
Need to raise SS price any good ideas?
- Thread starter dogwasher
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I.B. Washincars
Car Washer Emeritus
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Just do it and forget the explanation. An unneeded explanation just makes it look like you are trying to cover something up. You won't get any flack about it.
I have go with I.B Washncars on this. Just raise your price and be done with. That's what I've always done. Does the local gas station give notice that they raised the price of Gasoline? At the same time I'd lower my bay time to about 3:30.
Whale of a Wash
5 Washes 36Bays 2Vectors
I changed to $2 about a month ago. Kept the time at 3min. At the same time made a switch to $1 tokens out of changer. The response has been really good . the customers love the new tokens, and the $10 bill will get them 11 tokens. So i tell everyone a discount is possible. Most of the customers can't think that far ahead and forgo the discount. We have alot of expenses in winter here along with days that we end up closing because of bad weather so unless we had a awesome weather year . The quarter raise isn't going to do anything special for us. If you don't dispense tokens- Change over to them- they will provide a bigger revenue increase than the change to $2.--
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Go to $2 startup and say nothing, after that when you need a raise just lower the amount of time and keep the $2 startup.
For $2 we give 160 seconds since a year ago and sales volume has increased proportionately if not more. Our credit card in bay business is a little more than 34% of the total. We lose a lot less tokens now and don't have to buy many.
It's not the same people washing cars as 15 to 20 years ago. The new customers are young and they're introduced to your price and so they have no comparison to old pricing.
Do what ever you have to do, don't make excuses and don't look back.
In this business 27 years.
For $2 we give 160 seconds since a year ago and sales volume has increased proportionately if not more. Our credit card in bay business is a little more than 34% of the total. We lose a lot less tokens now and don't have to buy many.
It's not the same people washing cars as 15 to 20 years ago. The new customers are young and they're introduced to your price and so they have no comparison to old pricing.
Do what ever you have to do, don't make excuses and don't look back.
In this business 27 years.
Waxman
Super Moderator
You make no sense in raising to $3 without a revenue increase. If I washed out a truck I'd be happy to pay a dollar more to get rid of the mud. Stay at $2 and lower the time then the mud guy might need more time. Also you should post a sign that you charge $50 or $100 for anyone that cleans mud off their truck or tailer.
Waxman
Super Moderator
If I keep the time the same per coin but raise to $3 then all the people who used to spend only $2 now spend $3. Since it costs less than $1 for soap wax and hot water for the additional 1 3/4 min. time given then it would be a revenue increase (but only on the minimum startup price washers I get).
I'm not into posting about fines for messes; not my style. But stay tuned because I am open to becoming more jaded.
I'm not into posting about fines for messes; not my style. But stay tuned because I am open to becoming more jaded.
I keep a $2 startup. My credit card customers spend an average of $5.60. Some, but very few spend $2 about 1 out of 20. Some have spent as much as $22, not often, taking their good old time with no buzzers waking them. I don't know how much the token customers spend but I'd estimate around $4 only because the buzzer wakes them.
Waxman
Super Moderator
That makes sense. The other concern I had was that for $3 and 5+ minutes of time you may actually get a car clean in a cycle if you hustle. Maybe I am over thinking it and I should focus on other things.
robert roman
Bob Roman
My advice is to stand in your customer’s shoes.
For example, a couple of weeks ago, I went to a golf driving range that I hadn’t visited for well over a year.
During this time, the place changed ownership and the price for a large bucket of range balls went up from $8.00 to $10.00.
With the increase, I faced new decisions. Do I accept the increase, hit balls and be happy? Do I accept the increase, hit balls and bitch because it costs more? Do I go somewhere else that’s cheaper?
During my absence, the new owners made changes. They took out the miniature golf course and put in 1st class chip and putt practice areas. They refurbished the grass tees. They installed a canopy over the matted tees. They remodeled the bathrooms in the pro shop.
What did I do? I paid the ten bucks, hit golf balls and “be happy.”
Bottom line, people are generally willing to accept a reasonable price increase as long as they receive some additional value for their money.
Consequently, is there something you can do to increase the value of the products and services you offer when you raise price?
For example, a couple of weeks ago, I went to a golf driving range that I hadn’t visited for well over a year.
During this time, the place changed ownership and the price for a large bucket of range balls went up from $8.00 to $10.00.
With the increase, I faced new decisions. Do I accept the increase, hit balls and be happy? Do I accept the increase, hit balls and bitch because it costs more? Do I go somewhere else that’s cheaper?
During my absence, the new owners made changes. They took out the miniature golf course and put in 1st class chip and putt practice areas. They refurbished the grass tees. They installed a canopy over the matted tees. They remodeled the bathrooms in the pro shop.
What did I do? I paid the ten bucks, hit golf balls and “be happy.”
Bottom line, people are generally willing to accept a reasonable price increase as long as they receive some additional value for their money.
Consequently, is there something you can do to increase the value of the products and services you offer when you raise price?
MEP001
Well-known member
Raising start-up price alone is a revenue increase.blurdgman said:
You're in the minority then. Every time I've increased start-up price I've also increased the time, but the vast majority of the people that just want to rinse out a bed or knock off some mud stop coming in.blurdgman said:
Please explain this comment that contradicts your previous one.blurdgman said:
coincarwash.ca
Washin cars in the GTA
We raised our start up from $2 for 2 minutes 56 seconds(22 seconds per quarter) to $3 for 3 minutes and 48 seconds (19 seconds per quarter)
We did this to combat a new HST tax in Canada. We also agreed with our competiton down the street we would both go to the $3 start up.
Today I drove by the competition and he is back to his original start up and pricing....he didn't even give me the heads up he was doing so....even after promising that he would talk to me before making any changes.
Now what do I do?
I was thinking of running a special for a dollar start up, but charging $1 a minute (15 seconds per quarter)
This would give me the momentum of more volume, and also a larger price increase.
I could end this special at any time, or run it for a long time if I like the results.
Any comments would be great.
We did this to combat a new HST tax in Canada. We also agreed with our competiton down the street we would both go to the $3 start up.
Today I drove by the competition and he is back to his original start up and pricing....he didn't even give me the heads up he was doing so....even after promising that he would talk to me before making any changes.
Now what do I do?
I was thinking of running a special for a dollar start up, but charging $1 a minute (15 seconds per quarter)
This would give me the momentum of more volume, and also a larger price increase.
I could end this special at any time, or run it for a long time if I like the results.
Any comments would be great.
Whale of a Wash
5 Washes 36Bays 2Vectors
I don't know the law in canada, but in the US, we have the Sherman Antitrust law -it was enacted in 1890. It prohibits price fixing,bid rigging, and anticompetitive behavior. While we can talk about our prices here on ACF we can't talk to the car wash down the street about the price we should be at. I would keep the price you hae now. He will probably come around , but lowering your price will get you nowhere fast, with real low prices like the $1 startup. You will then make everyone mad by just going back to $2
If you've got competition some of your customers may leave you rather than pay a $3 startup. You're assuming that they'll all stick with you after you raise the startup. That's why I commented "Perhaps you have no competition".
