Switched to count up today

[GoBuckeyes]

It is so weird to see the money count up on the display now and the way it scrolls on the LED6 it looks like the old rotary dial gas pumps. Uh Oh. You can now see that I must be "old".

To those that are count up, do you display the $ or time used? We have always displayed the time because I was worried that seeing the dollars add up may make the customer hurry up and try to finish quicker. On the flip side, seeing the dollars run up most likely prevents customers from driving off without ending the sale. Just curious how one versus the other affects the average ticket.

 

[Waxman]

Timer displays $$$ spent.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Waxman, have you always displayed $ spent vs time? I was curious if anyone had tried both and then settled on one for whatever reason.

Timer displays $$$ spent.

 

[Robert2181]

It may be just me, but I think the only way is count up. People will use more time and spend more.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

It may be just me, but I think the only way is count up. People will use more time and spend more.

its one of the settings, atleast on an LED6. You can either choose $ displayed or time.

 

[Waxman]

Waxman, have you always displayed $ spent vs time? I was curious if anyone had tried both and then settled on one for whatever reason.

no i always displayed $$ spent. that way seems better for the customer experience. some people have limited $ available on their card.

 

[Greg Pack]

Waxman, have you always displayed $ spent vs time? I was curious if anyone had tried both and then settled on one for whatever reason.

I had a system that did count up time, people definitely like the $$$ display better. With time displayed , no one is really sure how much they have spent until they end their transaction. I think it causes them to stop the meter quicker than if they actually knew. An informed customer is a happier customer, and hopefully they will translate in a better overall experience, and higher revenues in the long run.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Just switched my one location to display the $ spent on count up rather than time. I want to see what kind of effect it might have, like possibly a lower avg ticket or less people forgetting to stop the charges. To me it looks like a run away train the way the dollars add up. First guy that uses it spends about $9, puts the wand in the holder, turns the switch to stop and drives away. His $9 wash just cost him $15 as that’s my maximum. I would try to call the guy and refund him however another customer pulled in and used that remaining $6. So.....so far, no change.

 

[OurTown]

It has not even been two weeks but I wanted to look at what the average ticket is now. It has gone up only 7 percent. I'm happy that it has increased but it is not much. What is worse is that now about one in four people appear to stop it early before the minimum start amount and then have to swipe again. (hopefully I'm explaining this right) I have seen this myself watching people and the individual swipe data confirms my suspicion. If I take those minimum start amounts off then the average ticket went down a tiny bit. I'm sure people will get the hang of it and most must be reading the fluorescent orange sign about the change. Maybe people are not spending much right now because it is winter and they just want to spray and go. Hopefully when warmer weather comes they will spend more time in the bays. (on the meter that is)

 

[I.B. Washincars]

must be reading the fluorescent orange sign about the change.

Why did you put up a sign?

 

[MEP001]

I would have put up a sign too, since count-down customers would be used to pressing the button to add time, which now stops the count-up. I think that's why he's getting people stopping it early and re-swiping.

 

[OurTown]

I would have put up a sign too, since count-down customers would be used to pressing the button to add time, which now stops the count-up. I think that's why he's getting people stopping it early and re-swiping.

Our customers have been trained for several years to add time by pressing the button so I'm not sure why we would not put up a sign. I'm sure somebody reads them.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

My reasoning for not putting up a sign would be that they would keep washing until finished, on their dime. The sign IMO, makes them think they need to learn something else, when in actuality, you removed unnecessary steps. Maybe a sticker reminding them to push the "green" stop button. Regardless, they'll learn quickly.

 

[OurTown]

My reasoning for not putting up a sign would be that they would keep washing until finished, on their dime. The sign IMO, makes them think they need to learn something else, when in actuality, you removed unnecessary steps. Maybe a sticker reminding them to push the "green" stop button. Regardless, they'll learn quickly.

We are trying to get into the minds of self serve car wash customers but we will never know what is really going on in there.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

but we will never know what is really going on in there.

Sadly for many, not much...

 

[OurTown]

I'm happy to report that our average CC SS bay ticket has gone up about 43% compared to our average on count down. It is possible that summertime has played into that though. Looking back I guess we left a dump truck load of money on the table the previous three years to switching.

 

[Josh Corp]

Thank you for the feedback. I just purchased a LED6 and the swiper stuff. Probably will.be up and running within a month! I'm excited to see how customers accept the CC and count up!

 

[Nuphoenix]

I'm happy to report that our average CC SS bay ticket has gone up about 43% compared to our average on count down. It is possible that summertime has played into that though. Looking back I guess we left a dump truck load of money on the table the previous three years to switching.

You will see more in the colder months. I did. Cash stayed the same, but CC usage went way up. Even more after I added undercarriage.