Vac pricing

[chaz]

Ok... It's time to adjust my vac prices.

Just spent over an hour cleaning one vac full, I mean full of concrete, just wish I took a picture. I'm guessing someone sucked up a bag or two of dry mix, followed by someone sucking water. What a mess!

Currently my Vacs are $1.00 first four minutes. 25cents each additional minute.

My change machine dispenses dollar coins. My vacs are cash only but take quarters, dollar coins, ones and fives.


Options I'm considering:

1) 1.25 first four minutes. My thought is everyone has a quarter in their change cup. But my hope is folks deposit $2.00

2) 2.00 first six minutes (keeping everything in dollar increments)

3) 2.00 first 8 minutes (keeping price as current but forcing the minimum spend to $2.00)

Four of my 8 vacs are in front of S/S bays, so another thought is only adjust those vacs, to encourage use of the perimeter vacs.

Comments........ and your location, I'm in Norwood (Cincinnati) Ohio

 

[washnvac]

Just changed all mine from $1 for 3.5 minutes to $2 for 6 minutes. Wish I had done it way sooner. Revenue is up, and the folks that used to come spend a dollar and fill a trash can to the gills seem to be decreasing.

 

[DiamondWash]

Same here we just changed from $1 for 4 mins to $2 for 5 mins and $3 for 6 mins for the shampoo haven't had one customer complaint but I do see the occasional customer pull up and see the price and back out and leave I was expecting that.

 

[Waxman]

Same here we just changed from $1 for 4 mins to $2 for 5 mins and $3 for 6 mins for the shampoo haven't had one customer complaint but I do see the occasional customer pull up and see the price and back out and leave I was expecting that.

I was $1 for 4 min ( IVS 2 motor vacs). Switched to $2 start; 6.25 minutes.

One complaint in 2 months.

Couldn't be happier.

I think we as operators fret way too much about raising prices.

I explain to customers they get more time so they don't have to rush around vacuuming like a demon on caffeine!

They can relax and do a more thorough job vacuum cleaning.

Have you been to a grocery store? $30 for a small bag of groceries.

Coffee place for your kid ( car washers make their own!)>? $7 before you're done!!!!!!!!!!!!

KEEP PRICES UP!

 

[GoBuckeyes]

We were $1 for 4 minutes until 2003 at which time we switched to $1 for 3 minutes. Late spring of 2015 we raised our prices to $2 for 4 minutes. Best move ever! I've kicked around cutting the time back to 3 minutes before this winter season. I may try it at one location and see what happens. Going to $2 is a must though. If your vacs suck well, people will pay it! We've had record vacuum revenue this past year.

 

[Semi-retired]

$1 in quarters = 4 min and $2 cc =4 min

I only have cc on a couple vac's and very curious if everyone is staying quarters or using bills?

 

[loewem]

Ok... It's time to adjust my vac prices.

Just spent over an hour cleaning one vac full, I mean full of concrete, just wish I took a picture. I'm guessing someone sucked up a bag or two of dry mix, followed by someone sucking water. What a mess!

Just hearing this ****es me off. Someone left a broken bag of mix in one of my bays last saturday. Mostly sweeping it up, but a little of it had mixed with water. Can't imagine having to deal with it in a vac.

I just went from $1 = 4 minutes to $1 = 3 minutes. I hadn't thought about $2 = 6 minutes, but I like that. My vacs accept quarters, tokens and $1 coins. Will eventually put cc readers on at least a couple of vacs.

 

[chaz]

So yesterday, I raised the price on my three combo vacs. $2.00 for 6 minutes (was $1.00 for 4 minutes) turbo vac now $2.00 for 3 minutes. I was borrowing a timer control unit that needed to be returned, so I used my dymo labeler to make price stickers. My other vacs will be adjusted later this week, once my new decals arrive. I spent most of the day at the wash and no comments on new pricing, and often customers were using the $2.00 vacs when others were available. I also spent the day cleaning the vacs...it will be less painful with the increased income. Price was 25cents per minute, Now it's 33.5 cents per minute no big deal I say.

 

[slash007]

I kept lowering the time from $1 for 4 minutes to $1 for 2.5 minutes, then I changed to $2 for 5 minutes and no complaints. They actually like it better because 5 minutes seems to be the sweet spot for how long you need to vac the average car and they don't have to go back and add another $1. Mine take quarters, bills and most take cc. For cc, it's $2.50 to start.

 

[chaz]

So far so good! It's only been 4 days since I raised the price in my other vacs to $2, 6. Minutes. I briefly considered keeping two vacs at $1, for reduced time of 3 minutes but decided against that. I have clearly labeled my vacs with the new price and even added yellow suburst sticker "now more time" This will be my first weekend with all vacs at new price. But here's what I seen so far:

Only One call. saying he lost money in vacs. He deposited only $1. Vac still showed the credit when I arrived a few minutes later. Gave him a free vac and he's happy

I've seen two people drive off. Not too concerned. The increased income will allow for some "lost" customers.

I've noticed some folks finishing with 30 seconds or so still in timer

And best ...hope it keeps up...less trash.

 

[DiamondWash]

We still have to help the "Commonsense Challenged People" understand how to use our vacuums, I made our decal as easy as possible but still I get people who have trouble understanding this.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Wow Steve...2 minutes worth of fragrance time! That's an awful lot of fragrance! I'd be worried about the liability of your customers choking to death. Hopefully your fragrance machine has a trigger on it and doesn't spray continuously like ours. I must be a cheapskate, we only give 30 seconds for a $1.

 

[DiamondWash]

Yes the trigger shuts off the pump when not in use, we go through fragrance way way more then shampoo so much so I have 5 gallons of each scent, we get a lot of vans and rental vehicles that stop by and our most popular scent is Black Ice.

 

[MEP001]

I've found that if you give them more than a minute of time for fragrance most people will stop with the timer still running.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I think I give a minute. Seen a few people put in more $, They get in the car and then jump out.

 

[Earl Weiss]

FWIW you might try an arrow for the toggles indicating up / down, or up / middle / down.

 

[chaz]

Update... it's been three weeks. Vac price went from $1/4 minutes to $2/6 minutes. Just a small price increase, but I'm getting $2 minimum to start.

--- income up about $300.00 from same period a year ago. (I did not compare weather conditions)

--- less trash in cans, but more floor mat debris on lot.

--- no complaints or calls. And no negative feedback when I'm on site and customer needs to deposit $2. I have added bright yellow "Now More time" stickers.

--- 6 minutes is plenty of time to vac with no rushing.

--- thought I haven't seen it, I'm guessing some people leave without vac service.

NO REGRETS!

 

[washnvac]

We still have to help the "Commonsense Challenged People" understand how to use our vacuums, I made our decal as easy as possible but still I get people who have trouble understanding this.

I agree with you. I finally just changed all mine to the flat $2 for 6 minutes on the combo machines. So they can switch back & forth as much as they want. Now there is no confusion.

 

[Waxman]

yes i agree for me $2 start for 6 min is great. i'm very glad i switched. customers like not having to rush and i like $2 minimum each time a customre vacs.

 

[Eric H]

--- income up about $300.00 from same period a year ago. (I did not compare weather conditions)

Chaz, how many vacs is this?