Unlimited for Self Serves

[DiamondWash]

I recently got an upgrade to my WashCard equipment mainly with the UWash app that adds the ability to add an unlimited plan for my self serves and autos, I know Everwash was doing this but haven't seen any washes doing an unlimited for SS.

 

[washnshine]

I recently got an upgrade to my WashCard equipment mainly with the UWash app that adds the ability to add an unlimited plan for my self serves and autos, I know Everwash was doing this but haven't seen any washes doing an unlimited for SS.

Is there an RFID reader and sticker that keeps it car specific? Seems like it would be harder to police and enforce the “one subscription per car” model in a ss. I’m curious how it is done.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Self serv prices are too cheap already.
Our industry needs to find ways to increase prices.
Built our first self service in 1977. Start up price was $1.50 for 4 minutes.
Two months later I raised it to 1.75 because on all the trash and mud. Had to increase trash pickup to 2 times per week. Some complained but when I told them the reason most understood.
My wash price now is $2.50 for 5 minutes. Too cheap but higher than most of the washes I see in U.S.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Built our first self service in 1977. Start up price was $1.50 for 4 minutes.

Wow! My dad's first wash was built in 1969. We were 25¢ for 5 minutes.

 

[soonermajic]

Wow! My dad's first wash was built in 1969. We were 25¢ for 5 minutes.

44 years later, & I am still cheaper than that! $1.25/ 4 minutes!

 

[washnshine]

Self serv prices are too cheap already.
Our industry needs to find ways to increase prices.
Built our first self service in 1977. Start up price was $1.50 for 4 minutes.
Two months later I raised it to 1.75 because on all the trash and mud. Had to increase trash pickup to 2 times per week. Some complained but when I told them the reason most understood.
My wash price now is $2.50 for 5 minutes. Too cheap but higher than most of the washes I see in U.S.

I agree. It would be interesting to see if the laundromat operators feel like their pricing has increase adequately or not over time. I occasionally use one of I have a large item to clean and the last time I used one of the huge front loaders, it cost me $15. I don’t know what they were 20 years ago, but probably a lot less.

 

[Randy]

Most of my laundromat customers have raised their prices to the point that they are right up there with what they should be. laundromats used to be the place that low income people could get there clothes washed rather cheaply, not so much anymore. Now the Self Serve car wash industry needs to follow suit and do the same.

 

[MEP001]

When I first got out on my own, typical top-loaders were 50¢ and the biggest front-loaders were $2.50. Utilities are pretty cheap here.

There are still car washes around here that are a minute per quarter, lots in San Antonio at 50¢ for 3 minutes.

 

[MEP001]

Now the Self Serve car wash industry needs to follow suit and do the same.

I almost feel guilty about how much I'm making. Almost...

 

[Waxman]

I'm three dollars to start. About a dollar a minute is what I get. Credit cards five dollars minimum, $20 maximum.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

My credit card max charge is $9.86.
In January we figure out the high average spent on credit cards and make that the maximum.
If the customer needs more time they have to run their card again and the minimum is $4.00.
This has helped a lot. If customers look at their statement they don‘t question it.
Now I have to get the courage to raise the cash startup time to $3.00 for 5 minutes.

 

[Toms PTcarwash]

Self serv prices are too cheap already.
Our industry needs to find ways to increase prices.
Built our first self service in 1977. Start up price was $1.50 for 4 minutes.
Two months later I raised it to 1.75 because on all the trash and mud. Had to increase trash pickup to 2 times per week. Some complained but when I told them the reason most understood.
My wash price now is $2.50 for 5 minutes. Too cheap but higher than most of the washes I see in U.S.

Not sure where your wash is located, but $1.50 for 4 minutes would have been crazy expensive here in 1977.
I got my driver's license the day I turned 16 in 82. The local carwashes were .50 for 4 minutes.
When I bought my wash in 2001, the price was 1.25 for 4 minutes.
I am now at $2.75 for 4 minutes and need to move to $3.00
If you do the math to adjust for inflation, I do believe you will find you are now charging less than you did in 1977.

 

[Waxman]

The unwillingness to raise prices even when your costs increase is a problem. You are saying that it's OK with you if you make less money year over year. Why would a business do that? One of the most important things in business is to determine the value of your service or product within your market place. It took me a long time to get comfortable with this idea in the car wash and detailing business but it makes for a sustainable business model and allows you the profits necessary to maintain and grow the business. Isn't that why we're in this?

When I priced my new automatic I went from $10, 12, 13, 15 to $16, 18, 20, 22. It seemed like a huge amount to ask a customer to pay for a touch free wash. But when I looked at my self-serve numbers I realized that many customers were already spending close to this to wash it themselves and I know that if I hand wash the car for someone it would be at least $40 for a small car. i've had the automatic open for a little while now and 60% of the customers have chosen the $22 package. So how important is my own opinion on price? It's not very important if it's not based on what the customer is willing to pay as well as my own expenses and desired profits.

 

[DiamondWash]

Since the tunnels recently came into my town with their unlimited programs it has greatly effected my wash and my customers have expressed "why would I pay you $16+ each time vs paying Mister Car Wash $25 a month" nothing wrong with my wash quality it's the mindset of the customer who sees the cost savings in those programs and trying to bring myself to offer an unlimited program at my automatics and/or self serves is a major challenge.

 

[washnshine]

My credit card max charge is $9.86.
In January we figure out the high average spent on credit cards and make that the maximum.
If the customer needs more time they have to run their card again and the minimum is $4.00.
This has helped a lot. If customers look at their statement they don‘t question it.
Now I have to get the courage to raise the cash startup time to $3.00 for 5 minutes.

I don’t offer a credit card option in my ss, so excuse my lack of knowledge, but wouldn’t it be easier in terms of signage and profits if your minimum for both credit card and cash was the same? Again, I don’t have the cc capability in my bays, but it seems like it would just be an easier explanation/communication to customers if it was the same - cash or credit. Then everything could be $4

 

[mac]

The unwillingness to raise prices even when your costs increase is a problem. You are saying that it's OK with you if you make less money year over year. Why would a business do that? One of the most important things in business is to determine the value of your service or product within your market place. It took me a long time to get comfortable with this idea in the car wash and detailing business but it makes for a sustainable business model and allows you the profits necessary to maintain and grow the business. Isn't that why we're in this?

When I priced my new automatic I went from $10, 12, 13, 15 to $16, 18, 20, 22. It seemed like a huge amount to ask a customer to pay for a touch free wash. But when I looked at my self-serve numbers I realized that many customers were already spending close to this to wash it themselves and I know that if I hand wash the car for someone it would be at least $40 for a small car. i've had the automatic open for a little while now and 60% of the customers have chosen the $22 package. So how important is my own opinion on price? It's not very important if it's not based on what the customer is willing to pay as well as my own expenses and desired profits.

Wax man you stumbled on something I noticed a while ago. Many people choose the most expensive wash because the perceive it the best value. We get a good insight into peoples minds running a car wash.

 

[washnshine]

Wax man you stumbled on something I noticed a while ago. Many people choose the most expensive wash because the perceive it the best value. We get a good insight into peoples minds running a car wash.

I think the top wash being the best value is more than perception - it’s reality. Most top package prices are a fraction of what they would be if the add-on extra services were a la cart or even if they were priced at their value as you travel “up” the menu. Waxman’s pricing is $16-$22. I know he has hot wax and ceramic on the top wash. Those two services alone could easily get him $8-$10 dollars (priced at $4-$5 for each). And that alone would get his price to $24 (base $16 plus $4 and $4). And I’ll guess he has trifoam, undercarriage, wheel and tire cleaner and bug or salt remover and other goodies in there too for $22. That is the best value.

It doesn’t hurt that sometime back in the 1990’s we got smart started designing our menu boards with the best package on top. Before that, most washes had the “ regular wash” on the top and then the prices got higher as you traveled down the menu - what were we thinking?!!

 

[Wash4Life]

I can speak from experience in that we tried a self-service unlimited membership. We charged $19.99/month for $30 worth of time. We used Washgear gift cards. We allowed one's unused time to carry over. My father was the one who wanted to implement it. I was against it. I ended up being right for one reason I anticipated and another I did not.

The reason I anticipated was there's too wide of a range amonst self-service customers in what the regular self-service customer pays. They could pay anywhere from the $3 minimum to start to the $12 CC max. If you're spending $3 a buck, it's not a good deal. If you're spending $12 a week, you only get 2.5 uses. There simply isn't a price point to capture too wide of a range.

The reason I didn't anticipate stemmed from the carryover amount. We stipulated cancellations meant the end of the time by the next billing date. Nonetheless, we had those who cancelled furious.

My recommendation is to have a gift card deal.

 

[SanDiegoSS]

I recently got an upgrade to my WashCard equipment mainly with the UWash app that adds the ability to add an unlimited plan for my self serves and autos, I know Everwash was doing this but haven't seen any washes doing an unlimited for SS.

I have washboard also- how has the upgrade been, do you see any difference in usage?

 

[Roz]

Since the tunnels recently came into my town with their unlimited programs it has greatly effected my wash and my customers have expressed "why would I pay you $16+ each time vs paying Mister Car Wash $25 a month" nothing wrong with my wash quality it's the mindset of the customer who sees the cost savings in those programs and trying to bring myself to offer an unlimited program at my automatics and/or self serves is a major challenge.

You probably do not want those customers that compare your touch free Razor to Mister. Mister in our area does a mediocre job at cleaning whereas the family owned tunnel near Mister does a much better job. I think since Mister went public with an IPO they have lost their focus. Your customer base are the people who value a touch free wash versus a friction wash on a belt. There are plenty of people who do not want anything touching their car or do not like the experience riding a conveyor.

Unlimited programs for a 24-7 operation are a losing proposition, just look at the numbers. You have a fraction of the capacity of a tunnel but may end up earning more profit than the tunnel next door given their labor overhead.