Opinion's on free vac

[New Investor]

Hey guy's how are you have not been on here in 4 year's been open 5 now. I'm looking for some opinion's on free vac i'm considering it. I'm not a low priced exterior i'm actually 10-14-18-24 exterior. I believe free vac will help just curious what you guy's think. I feel after the extra cost in trash electricity and cleaning up plus spare motor's for JE Adams Vac's will not be a central system vac's would be push button and free to all customer's don't want to dispense token's from 4 xpt's as that could be an option. When i do all the calculation's i feel i will pick up 2500 car's. I feel that if i cannot pick up 10K car's it's not gonna be a great choice for me. If you talk to free vac guy's they all say 10k car's is what i will pick up i truly believe that is high. I also have not talked to people that have added the vac's just ground up people that had it from day 1. So if anybody has added free vac's to there site some opinion's would be greatly appreciated. I also want to add that i would have 16 vac's.

 

[slamdvw]

We converted FROM free vacs. We may have lost a customer or two, but I feel we didn't want them anyway.

We had people just coming to use our free vacs, then drive through our bays to leave. There are two places in town that have free vacs, and quite frankly... they suck. ( or don't suck, as the case may be. )

 

[Earl Weiss]

Tried it at my SS & Tunnel for a month. Just pulled out the coin boxes and made signs for free vacs that said insert quarters and remove them after they drop. Made no difference. For the most part I don't have the addittional room free vacs require. As long as the vacs work well I don't think they mind paying the extra $1.00.

For 10K cars at a low price EE say $3-$4 the net per car may or may not equal lost vac revenue plus extra costs.

 

[rph9168]

The original thought behind free vacs was to attract customers. While it may do that, it is also giving up some additional revenue. Most of the EE's in our town continue to offer free vacs but it is probably more the price, quality and convenience of the wash that is the main draw for customers. I know one operator that would love to stop offering free vacs but is afraid it will negatively affect his business. I have noticed that less than half the customers use the free vacs at the one I go to.

 

[New Investor]

Thank's for the input guy's i do think it's a formula i've heard all the success story's from people that also are a low prices exterior. I'm a guy averaging 14.50 to 15.00 a car and i've just never heard all the great story's from people with a base of 8 or higher. It just make's me feel like the price of the wash being low is driving and the free vac's is the icing on the cake very tough decision. I do know once i would change i can't go back again the input is great thank's.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I think maybe lower prices by $6-$8 per wash would help get you the extra 10K cars. a $24 wash seems pretty high unless you hand wash it and shampoo the carpet.

 

[BBE]

I wouldn't lower all of your prices by 6 to 8 dollars. With your prices being what they are, you obviously are marketed towards, and are attracting a certain type of clientelle. Stick with that, lowering your price and doing more volume, is just breaking even plus the extra wear and tear on your equipment.

Perhaps adding in a single cheaper wash, say 6 dollars or so, and have it offer far less than your 10 dollar one. Bare bones, no prepping, etc.. Then perhaps you will have something to offer the type of clientelle who are interested in free vacs.

 

[JeffM]

What timeframe are you hoping to get an additional 10k cars, monthly, quarterly, yearly?

Free Vacs are like discounts. They will only attract the price shoppers. Your pricing should be set relative to your market conditions (# of other options for washing, average income, etc.) and should be set to maximize your profitability. Dropping your price will only result in a much higher volume level to maintain current revenues. If your market can sustain a $14.50/car average do not give that up! People will pay for a higher priced, premium service if you can turn out a good looking car every time!

I would begin by looking at the current breakdown of your 10-14-18-24 and determine the percentage of customers buying each and then focus on how to get more out of your current customers. Maybe offer free vac on the $24 package? Without knowing more about your operation, I can only assume so much.

 

[New Investor]

What timeframe are you hoping to get an additional 10k cars, monthly, quarterly, yearly?

Free Vacs are like discounts. They will only attract the price shoppers. Your pricing should be set relative to your market conditions (# of other options for washing, average income, etc.) and should be set to maximize your profitability. Dropping your price will only result in a much higher volume level to maintain current revenues. If your market can sustain a $14.50/car average do not give that up! People will pay for a higher priced, premium service if you can turn out a good looking car every time!

I would begin by looking at the current breakdown of your 10-14-18-24 and determine the percentage of customers buying each and then focus on how to get more out of your current customers. Maybe offer free vac on the $24 package? Without knowing more about your operation, I can only assume so much.

Well guy's i appreciate all the great opinion's this is only a post though about free vac's. I will not be lowering my prices this is not about that if anything i will be going up i'm strictly trying to just figure out if i could get a bump from free vac. You are right about trying to pull more out of my current customer's i'm working on a plan now for that. I'm actually trying to attract some new customer's that may like the free vac concept but there will be no reduction in pricing. I thank you guy's for your thought i don't really think that free vac is for my site but we will see. I feel it's more of the lower priced exteriors that are seeing the big bump from free vac. I also feel that if i had know vac's and i was 3.00 dollars or 5.00 dollars i would probably pick up a ton of car's i believe price is driving the free vac model. I have never heard a big success story of free vac's where the base price is 8.00 dollars or higher.