Updating old wash (credit/debit)

[wASHN4FUN]

It has become more apparent to me that I am losing money by not offering the ability to "swipe". Unfortunately the cost of changing the bays,themselves, over to Cryptopay is out of my reach. I wonder about installing a Hamilton changer that has credit card swiper ability. Especially with all the headaches that seem to be coming from the Cryptopay systems. If some of you had it to do all over again, would you pick the Cryptopay in the bay over credit card changer, and what are the benefits of one over the other? Thank you guys for all the help over the last year....my old car wash is now debt-free after one year!!!

 

[BBE]

Do you have vacuums as well? We have both a credit card/token dispenser as well as swipers in each bay at our wash. There are pros and cons of each one. The in bay swipers are more convenient for customers, and with doing count up, usually result in customers spending slightly more money. However if you have vacuums on site, and do not have swipers on each vacuum, then the only way for your credit card customers to use your vacuums is going to be with a credit card swiper on your changer.

 

[Earl Weiss]

You don't need to change all the bays at once or at all. I just half at first to get a feel for the ROI. It wasn't a reel feel since I have no idea who just switched from cash to CC. Put up signs that said "These Bays Accept Credit Cards". After about a year I decided to do the rest. Have not done Vacs. If you need to convert your timers that shifts the equation.

I have no headaches with Cryptopay.Other than a few complaints about transaction cost I haven't heard of headaches. I wish everything was that simple and dependable. . The benefit of in bay acceptance is convenience. If you are going to a changer that gives Tokens for CC you lose the "Count UP" sales advantage.

 

[wASHN4FUN]

I do have vacuums, that are, like everything else, old.

I can see what a headache turning everything over to tokens would be and I don't have room on my ER wall to have two changers.....so it looks like adding Cryptopay, one bay at a time would probably be the best way. What do I have to do to my timers. I only have one Dixmor, but plan to replace them as needed, to Dixmors........

 

[MEP001]

To post a photo, you'll need an image hosting site (I prefer imageshack.us which is completely free). Upload your images and then using the imsert image button paste your link. Links to files on your hard drive won't display.

 

[wASHN4FUN]

View attachment 556 View attachment 557 View attachment 558
This is what I have now!!!

 

[Kevin James]

Why don't you convert over to Tokens and put a credit reader on your changer instead of on all the equipment.

 

[wASHN4FUN]

This is what I had..... View attachment 562 View attachment 563

 

[wASHN4FUN]

Can I put a reader on my American Changer?

 

[Kevin James]

Can I put a reader on my American Changer?

I don’t see why you couldn’t. We put a couple on our Hamilton changers.

 

[cwguy.com]

Can I put a reader on my American Changer?

American actually uses the same controller in a lot of their changers.... American might sell a credit card add on?


UPDATE: It seems like they do. They look like wireless usatech units. https://secure.americanchanger.com/ViewProduct.cfm?CatID=24#P288

 

[Ric]

Yes, American Changer does make an add on swiper. You would then dispense tokens. You would have to have the ability to accept tokens in all your equipment.

 

[cwguy.com]

Yes, American Changer does make an add on swiper. You would then dispense tokens. You would have to have the ability to accept tokens in all your equipment.

Yes good point you have to dispence tokens when accepting credit cards.

 

[mac]

I think you need to just bite the bullet and add credit cards to the bays. Here's how I sell these systems to my customers. I simply ask them to show me ANY business within 10 miles that does not accept credit cards.

 

[MEP001]

It has become more apparent to me that I am losing money by not offering the ability to "swipe". Unfortunately the cost of changing the bays,themselves, over to Cryptopay is out of my reach.

What kind of timers do you have in your bays, and how many bays do you have? CryptoPay units are about $300 each, and work directly with some timers. Depending on the timers you have, it might cost about the same to add CC acceptance to your bays as it would to add a CC/token dispenser.

If you have a dual hopper changer, another option would be to put tokens in one hopper and a CryptoPay reader along with a programmable relay to make a CC swipe pay out a certain amount of tokens.

 

[Waxman]

What kind of timers do you have in your bays, and how many bays do you have? CryptoPay units are about $300 each, and work directly with some timers. Depending on the timers you have, it might cost about the same to add CC acceptance to your bays as it would to add a CC/token dispenser.

If you have a dual hopper changer, another option would be to put tokens in one hopper and a CryptoPay reader along with a programmable relay to make a CC swipe pay out a certain amount of tokens.

Remember: easier for the customer is always better. Getting them to walk to the token dispenser is one more thing for them to do. It's much easier for customer to swipe in the bay, wash and press stop.

You'll benefit in the short and long term this way.

 

[MEP001]

Remember: easier for the customer is always better. Getting them to walk to the token dispenser is one more thing for them to do. It's much easier for customer to swipe in the bay, wash and press stop.

You'll benefit in the short and long term this way.

It says it best that you're in the best position to "train" customers in something like that and still think it's not a good idea.

 

[wASHN4FUN]

I have really old timers that can't be bought anymore, except for my mud bay. I had to have KLEEN-RITE build me a new face plate, complete with new DIXMOR timer, and I bought the retro face plates to do the others, as needed. I haven't bought all the timers, switches, or horns for the others, and don't want to until the old ones die. So I guess I will have to switch that face plate with my #1 bay, and add the CRYPTOPAY to that one for now. I still have to get the cable company to run line for my internet, too. Any idea what my actual, initial cost might be to start this next step?

 

[mjwalsh]

I think you need to just bite the bullet and add credit cards to the bays. Here's how I sell these systems to my customers. I simply ask them to show me ANY business within 10 miles that does not accept credit cards.

Just to provide a bit of balance to this discussion ... it might be wise for some of us to also budget for the cost of updating to the chip style credit card swipers because there most certainly appears to be movement in that direction. There are some of us who are living proof that an ATM is also a viable alternative to solving the chance of a customer being low on cash. Going deeper into debt without enough certainty to take care of the debt might be a slight gain in convenience to our customers but not necessarily to everyone's long term financial health. When the weather co-operates, the business will tend to be there regardless of credit card when it comes to SSCW. When the weather does not co-operate then the business tends to not be there. Just sharing based on our first hand experience. Being possibly too much at the mercy of garnishing bill collectors should be considered.

Mike Walsh www.kingkoin.com

 

[Randy]

If you want to add a Credit reader to your existing Bill Changer it is possible to install a eport reader on your Bill Changer, it’s been done here. http://www.usatech.com/eport/ it’s actually pretty easy to do. But be forewarned, it is my understanding that the mag stripe credit card could is going away towards the end of 2015.