No matter how hard you try.....

[buda]

Thank you Jon. Our clients are primarily large trucks and suvs. Our customers have gravel drives and tow their boats to the surrounding lakes on weekends or to the motocross tracks.

So our new menu signs that are on their way indicatethe $6 is for lightly dusty frequently washed cars. Our bug guarantee is posted on our other three wash packages.

I am slo curious if Bud hand towels. I know of several washes that can hide or diminish the stray bug with a hand dry.

We are a true express.

THE WASHES THAT I MAKE REFERENCE TO ARE IN A METRO AREA THAT HAS BOTH URBAN AND RURAL AREAS SO THERE ARE MANY PICKUPS & SUV'S THAT GO THROUGH THE WASHES.
I WOULD AGREE THAT EVEN IN THE RURAL AREAS THE ROADS ARE PAVED AND WE DON'T HAVE MANY VEHICLES THAT LOOK AS THOUGH THEY JUST CAME OF AN "OFF-ROAD" RALLY.
SINCE YOU HAVE MOSTLY PU'S AND SUV'S THAT ARE EXTREMELY DIRTY, WHY NOT OFFER A "TOP QUALITY EXPRESS WASH" AND CHARGE $7 OR $8 AND DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THEM CLEAN.
WHAT I HAVE FOUND IN MY 40+ YEARS IN THE IN THE INDUSTRY IS THAT TOO MANY CAR WASH OPERATORS FUNCTION FROM A "ME" PERSPECTIVE RATHER THAN A "THEY OR CUSTOMER" PERSPECTIVE.
AS CONSUMERS WE WANT THINGS TO BE SIMPLE, WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A LOT OF CHOICES AND TAKE TIME TRYING TO MAKE A CHOICE. AND A SMART CAR WASH OPERATOR DOES NOT WANT TO HOLD UP THE LINE EXPLAINING ALL THE DIFFERENT PACKAGES TO THE CUSTOMER. YOU WANT TO WASH A LOT OF CARS YOU HAVE TO "GET THEM THROUGH THE CONVEYOR" ON BUSY DAYS. THAT IS, VEHICLES SHOULD BE BUMPER TO BUMPER ON THE CONVEYOR. EXPLAINING ALL YOUR DIFFERENT PACKAGES TO THE CUSTOMER IS COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.
PLUS, BE HONEST, YOU DO NOT READ SIGNS IN THE BUSINESSES YOU PATRONIZE AND I AM AMAZED AT HOW NAIVE OPERATORS ARE THINKING THAT THE CONSUMER IS GOING TO READ THEIR SIGNS WITH ALL THE WRITING AND EXPLANATIONS ON THEM. BE HONEST, MOST DO NOT READ THOSE SIGNS.
TRYING TO GET CUSTOMERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SMALL - MEDIUM - LARGE VEHICLES ARE IS A NIGHTMARE. YOU MENTIONED, SLIGHTLY DIRTY VS REALLY DIRTY. WHO DECIDES THAT? YOU? OF COURSE, BUT WHAT IF THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT AGREE? ARGUMENTS, BAD FEELINGS.

ELIMINATE ALL OF THAT, TURN OUT A CLEAN VEHICLE AND CHARGE FOR IT. IF YOU HAVE TO CHARGE $7 OR $8 TO DO THAT THEN DO THAT.

IF YOUR CUSTOMERS WANT A $5 OR $6 WASH AND DON'T CARE IF IT COMPLETELY CLEAN YOU WILL SOON FIND OUT.

THE KEY IS TO KEEP YOUR BUYING CHOICES SIMPLE AND TO A MINIMUM.

MOST EXETERIOR WASHES IN MY AREA OFFER EITHER TWO OR THREE PACKAGES:

TWO SERVICES

Basic Wash $ 6.00
Deluxe 10.00 (wash, polish 'n wax, undercarriage spray)

THREE SERVICES

Basic Wash $ 6.00
Wash & Polish 'n Wax 8.00
The Works 12.00 (wash, polish 'n wax, undercarriage spray, tire shine)

THEY SELL ABOUT 35% TO 40% OF THEIR CUSTOMERS THE HIGHER WASH PACKAGE

IN YOUR CASE YOU WOULD SIMPLY CHARGE A HIGHER PRICE FOR THE BASIC WASH AND CLEAN THE CAR.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT HOW GOOD A JOB YOUR EQUIPMENT IS DOING ON AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING THE WHEELS AND WASHING THE VEHICLE. IF YOU ARE RUNNING OVER 100 CAR PER HOUR CHAIN SPEED YOU NEED AT LEAST 3 TO 4 PASSES ON THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE TO GET IT CLEAN WITHOUT TOUCHHING IT MANUALLY.

AND YOU PROBABLY NEED TWO SETS OF WRAP-AROUNDS TOO.

WITH THE CORRECT WHEEL CLEANER YOU CAN GET PRETTY DARN CLEAN WHEELS WITHOUT EXTENSIVE EQUIPMENT.

JUST A FEW WELL INTENTIONED THOUGHTS.

BUD ABRAHAM

 

[carnut2]

Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions. Our problem being that almost 45% of our customers get the base wash because we do exactly what everyone says to do. Super prep, wheelwells, front back, etc. We would just like to move a percentage of the customers to higher packages. In our area 8.00 gets no prep, no R/O, half dryers turned off etc. They WANT you to be unhappy with their base wash and purchase a more expensive one.

 

[washnvac]

Just a thought here--you do not go into Burger King and order a hamburger, then expect to get a Whopper.

If your basic wash does the same job as the higher priced wash, then you should only have one wash to sell. It defeats the purpose of having several pricing levels if the result is the same for each.

 

[buda]

Just a thought here--you do not go into Burger King and order a hamburger, then expect to get a Whopper.

If your basic wash does the same job as the higher priced wash, then you should only have one wash to sell. It defeats the purpose of having several pricing levels if the result is the same for each.

WASH 'n VAC: Not a good analogy. When you buy a Whopper you are getting a "better & bigger" hamburger. Than if you buy the "cheapy' burger. The burger and the Whopper are not the same.
eliev
When you sell a basic car wash that is what you get a clean car.

When you buy a more expensive car wash package you are, in most cases, getting a POLISH 'n WAX or undercarriage spray or a better quality wax or a tire shine. In other words you are getting more for the money.

The wash should be the same in however many packages you sell be it 2, 3, 4 (too many in my opinion).

In my opinion, based on working with numerous car wash operators and operating my own wash for several years I believe you need to offer a clean car with your basic wash. The packages contain other car care services.

In Detroit they were offering $2.00 washes, but not really washing the car, or if they did wash it poorly and often with no dry.

To me that is prostituting the car wash industry. Every operator should strive to provide the highest quality wash and charge accordingly.

I am neither right nor wrong, only expressing what I would do in this fellows situation

Regards

Bud Abraham

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Check out these signs with the windmaster frame.
KR will design a sign for you. It's not expensive.
I had them design one that stated these services avaiable on our top package only.
Instantly our top package increased in sales 15% and it ended people expecting us to do those services on the cheaper packages.

http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-7818-frame-for-28-x-44-windmaster-sign.aspx

http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-28292-bugs-birds-destroy-your-finish-windmaster-sign-insert.aspx
http://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-30876-no-excessive-mud-windmaster-sign-insert.aspx

 

[buda]

What he said.

But we also explain that if the second wash does not get results special circumstances exist that require special atention. While we would like to guarantee a clean car these conditions do not permit the process to provide one i.e baked on bird poop, tree sap egg, tar etc.

Once had a guy tell me ABC wish will get it clean . Since they chare triple what we do I told him for the same price we could give these areas extra atention.

I am not advocating that a car wash should remove:

+Baked on brake dust
+Baked on bird-droppings
+Hardened tree sap
+Dried egg splatter
+Excessive amounts of road tar
+Road paint

What you have to do is educate your customers as to what you can do in a basic wash. We have designed an excellent handout that explains the above problems and what the corrections are for these problems, WHICH ARE NOT through an automatic car wash, especially an express exterior car wash.

It is all about education. Which helps to create the proper expectation on the part of the customer.

Regards
Bud Abraham

 

[dlc95]

I start out with a $5.00 basic wash. I will do my best to clean the car of all mud/bugs/snow/ice. I see the higher end washes as more of a specialty. For $7.00 you get under carriage rinse and sealer wax. For $9.00 you add wheel cleaner and foam polish wax. I based it off the model of the operator I worked for years ago. My current employer offers an express wash for $4.00, and our manager makes sure we leave some mud in the wheel wells. Even so far as to shut the guns off before we're done. Not really my style.