parking in wash bay and not moving. any ideals

[cmawash]

what type of complaint can be filed against a person who washes his car in the bay and then refuses to move as they dry and detail their car in the bay and won't move. Lately we have had this happen several times with customers waiting to use the bay and we have had to have the police show up to get them to move. Trying to fine tune our process as some of these people are quite vocal and disruptive as they want they want their own way and claim they because the paid for a wash, they don't have to move, what does a drive thru restaurant use if they buy a meal and then sit there and eat their lunch.

 

[MEP001]

If they're in the bay drying, especially if others are waiting to use it, they're stealing. I've only had a couple people get upset when I ask them to move, and they both got the police called on them. In my opinion, if you don't stand your ground with that type, they'll just get worse.

 

[JGinther]

Just start washing down the bay...

 

[mac]

Welcome to the wonderful world of government educated people.

 

[TurboJet]

Just start washing down the bay...

LOL. I'm envisioning water cannons.

 

[MEP001]

Put pipes along the walls near the floor with some spray tips in them, and post signs that say "Bays are equipped with an automatic washdown feature that turns on automatically when the bay is idle for three minutes. To avoid getting wet, exit the bay when finished or restart the bay timer." Could take it a step further and actually hook them up controlled remotely and watch surveillance from home.

 

[tdlconceptsllc]

just fire up your 9hp Little Wonder leaf blower and blow dust and stuff all over there car they will move. First step is to be respectful and I ask them kindly to move, then they catch a attitude I always say buddy we can take it to whatever level you want sky is this limit. 3rd Call the Police and get them Trespassed because you don't want customers like that around your place bad image for you and your wash and good Customers.

 

[robert roman]

“….what does a drive thru restaurant use if they buy a meal and then sit there and eat their lunch.”

Drive-through doesn’t do anything because it sells a distinct product and provides parking area for customers who want to consume the product inside their car while on the property.

Wand bay may have drive-through design but it is not a drive-through business like fast food, dry cleaners, in-bay automatic, etc.

Consider self-service auto repair business. Business rents space (i.e. two hours) and use of tools, expertise, etc. so that customers can repair their own vehicles.

So instead of selling customers allotment of time that is not sufficient to complete the typical wand-bay wash, charge one price for an amount of time that would.

For example, charge $5.00 for ten minutes.

This will get rid of marginal customers and make in-bay automatic wash look more appealing.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Found a long time ago people don't like being TOLD what to do. First thing I do is sya "Hi, how are you..." Then I say "It's really busy and people are waiting. I would appreciate it if you could move your car asnd dry it over there. On a slow day wit no one waiting it would be OK for you to stay here. If you were waiting I would aske the person to move so you wouldn't have to wait. " Found people more receptive to this, but you can't whup a fart out of a dead mule.

 

[cmawash]

that's what we try to do, there are a few who have an attitude that is different from the norm, this is when the police get involved, what criminal terms or wording could be used in describing to police what we want done. Need to be polite and professional, physical force wont work with these people. some of these are x cons so you do not want be do something stupid. just get the point to them its time to leave the bay and let the next customer in.

 

[MEP001]

Found a long time ago people don't like being TOLD what to do. First thing I do is sya "Hi, how are you..." Then I say "It's really busy and people are waiting. I would appreciate it if you could move your car asnd dry it over there. On a slow day wit no one waiting it would be OK for you to stay here. If you were waiting I would aske the person to move so you wouldn't have to wait. " Found people more receptive to this, but you can't whup a fart out of a dead mule.

You're right, unfortunately when people won't respond to a polite request to move, I feel you have no choice but to get firm with them. I try to remember and say "I need you to move to the drying shed" instead of telling them they need to move.

 

[mjwalsh]

Some more observations & thoughts

that's what we try to do, there are a few who have an attitude that is different from the norm, this is when the police get involved, what criminal terms or wording could be used in describing to police what we want done. Need to be polite and professional, physical force wont work with these people. some of these are x cons so you do not want be do something stupid. just get the point to them its time to leave the bay and let the next customer in.

cmawash,

I know exactly where you are coming from since most self service operators bank on those days when the weather or previous weather helps make up for the slow days that most of us also have. Hopefully, both yourself & local law enforcement will help with a charge of disorderly conduct or a similar misdemeanor ... criminal charges are always technically done by some level of government law enforcement. If the majority of citizens are paying enough attention to elect better people at every level ... there is such a position such as police commissioner ... who can play a helpful role ... I most certainly do agree with your analogy of the fast food line or any other line being unreasonably disrupted ... as a matter of the needed "properly applied rule of law" that is needed for most businesses to be viable & to keep that type of situation & others from getting out of hand. It seems that the key word in the analogy is what is defined in legal code as "unreasonable"

What has helped us over the years approaching these individuals is to calmly & firmly challenge their usual statement that they have been in the bay for only a few minutes beyond the meter time with saying to them "our camera recording does not lie" & that you were wondering about what their defense will be when the now included clear footage & the audio on the recorded smart phone is clearly seen & heard by the police.

As far as the worst type of troublemakers ... there is no easy answer ... it is a discretion thing. You have more leeway if you have someone on standby ... watching at a safe distance ... that you know you can trust ... to mobilize the police in case the "potty mouth" guy tries to grab your smart phone to prevent recording of the audio visual exchange.

Lately, the quick fix for us has been to point to the fact our BLODRY led goes off after 6 minutes of no meter time. We use a PLC to accomplish this but probably some kind of time delay relay could set up a similar quick very visible indication of the down time situation. Below is a pic of our delayed off BLODRY led sign ... the lighted sign hopefully gives them a timely reminder for them to be able to get something for "if properly paid for" meter time after the washing process is done ... if drying is their main concern.

[/URL]

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com

 

[Earl Weiss]

that's what we try to do, there are a few who have an attitude that is different from the norm, this is when the police get involved, what criminal terms or wording could be used in describing to police what we want done. Need to be polite and professional, physical force wont work with these people. some of these are x cons so you do not want be do something stupid. just get the point to them its time to leave the bay and let the next customer in.

Laws vary from place to place, but in most places of private business customers are invitees. As long as you don't violate discrimination laws you have the right to revoke the "Invitation" by telling them that they need to leave. (As posted earlier people resist when told what to do.) I have had more success saying something like "I see you are not currently using the business. You have 5 minutes to finish whatever it is you need to finish and then leave." If they don't leave you can tell tem that they have to leave now. Failure to comply constitutes a lawful trespass. That is what you would tell the cops. You told someone to leave and they refused.

2 caveats. In a place like Chicago the cops would proably come in an hour or two if you called them for this. ALso, you may wn this battle but lose the war finding mysterious damage at some later point.

 

[Randy]

Years ago I had an old car wash operator customer who solved his problem with customers staying in the bay by installing a drip system that would drip water from the ceiling at a rate of about 1 drop every 15 - 20 seconds. This pretty much solved his problem of people drying or detailing/waxing there car. When he caught people doing mechanical work he’d ask them very nicely to leave, they’d always give him a hard time so he’d call the tow truck and the police. When tow truck would show up that get them moving, the police would tell the offender to leave now, if his car wouldn’t run they’d tow it. Any vehicle left unattended at any of our washes we have them towed.

 

[soapy]

If you have a employee have them park in front of the bay and you park in back of the bay so they can't get out. TIme how long they sat in the bay without paying and then when they want to leave say sure, you only have to wait XX time for me like I had to wait for you. It won't get them out of the bay but they may see things your way next time.

 

[U Wash]

You should try posting the signs that say. No bucket or hand washing when customers are waiting, or not at all. That tells them up front your policy. Then ask them to leave. I loved the post about starting to wash down the bay. I am going to try that. If they are hand washing and won't stop I just turn of the power to the bay and if they want to rinse then they have to pay for the time they are in the bay. You are renting the bay to them and they are expected to pay for it while they are in it.

 

[JustClean]

You should try posting the signs that say. No bucket or hand washing when customers are waiting, or not at all. That tells them up front your policy. Then ask them to leave. I loved the post about starting to wash down the bay. I am going to try that. If they are hand washing and won't stop I just turn of the power to the bay and if they want to rinse then they have to pay for the time they are in the bay. You are renting the bay to them and they are expected to pay for it while they are in it.

Sign: Use of bay ONLY while meter is running.