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Wash Card

P

peaches

Member
I have been a Wash Card customer for several years, not a happy Wash Card customer . . . just a customer. I STILL don't like that Wash Card takes a percentage of my credit card sales when I had credit card capability BEFORE I ever had Wash Card. When you have a problem with Wash Card and you are on site or it's a weekend, the call back time is not immediate. I am unhappy today because I have a power failure on my hard drive and, at this point, have no idea how serious it is. I will purchase a new power supply in a few minutes but I fear it's something more serious and then I will be down for days. Ugh!
 
I have nothing but a awesome positive experience with WashCard, do you have your system plugged into a surge protector with battery backup? this is my monthly invoice from Wash Card this was a slow month.

[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]DATE[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]LOCATION[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]QUANTITY[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]TRANSACTION TYPE[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]DESCRIPTION[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]PRICE EACH[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]AMOUNT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]10/1/2015[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]Diamond Car Wash[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]13[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]SALECC-TRANS[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]Monthly Transaction Fee - SALE CREDIT CARDS[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]$0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]$0.91[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]10/1/2015[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]Diamond Car Wash[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]729[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]PREAUTHCC-TRANS[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]Monthly Transaction Fee - PREAUTH CREDIT CARDS[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]$0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]$51.03[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]10/1/2015[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]Diamond Car Wash[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]70[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]WC-TRANS[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]Monthly Transaction Fee - WASHCARDS[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]$0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]$4.90[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]10/1/2015[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]N/A[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]PAYMENT[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]Payment[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]($56.84)[/TD]
[TD="width: 0%, align: center"]($56.84)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
I'm a new owner, and my wash had Wash Card. I love the system, if only the damn thing would be more stable.

I have CONSTANT issues with the LCD screens saying "Out Of Service", Unauthorized cards, or just random reboots. Sometimes you have to swipe a card 3,4+ times. Sometimes it won't take it at all. Some day, it works flawlessly for a few hours.

I'm at my wits end.
 
Yes, I have it plugged into a surge protector. The tech at Washcard determined the mouse fried the internal power supply, so we drove 60 miles and purchased a new one. We installed it and the computer works fine but now it won't connect to washcards site controller. Then he tells us the PCI adapter is bad, however I don't by that. When I checked the device manager it shows no drivers installed for it, however I can't install drivers because I am not a Washcard administrator and that is password protected. I'm glad you are happy, we are not!!!
 
We have those same issues as well, customers constantly complaining it won't take their card. I have it at two locations and have about had enough!
 
WashCard customer for 5 years for 2 locations. Yep I have had some issues however WC has always taken care of my issues. They also take care of the PCI compliance issue.
As for cards not reading, check the pigtail at the cardreader. Make sure there is not any corrosion at the plugin. I have had many problems with this before I found the solution to it. some of the problems are out of WC hands. You need to service your equipment too.

for example. I cycle my site controller each month,
twice a year I shut it all down and take canned air and blow out the site controller -power supplies-etc.,
my card readers- I clean the green boards & socket for the pigtail-then I coat the socket and area along with the pigtail with dielectric grease to keep the moisture out.
 
I haven't had nothing but good things with my WashCard system. I know its frustrating when there is an issue, but you can't look at just a snapshot. Like most operators we don't like hands in our money pot, but its a way of life and when you figure it in to your cc fees its probably around a percent or less. As far as cards not reading, have you cleaned your readers? Depending on how many swipes your reader has seen, they are only rated for so many swipes. Our system is very stable and has been for years. I know this really didn't help, but patience win the race.
 
For the sake of retaining customers ( I just reopened the wash after being shuttered for 15 months ), my sanity and a bit of my freedom, I'm considering bitting the bullet and just buying new readers.

The ones in my wash are from 2008, and from what I gather from searching some of the other threads on here concerning readers, they're old. If I could get a guarantee from Wash Card that my problems would go away with the purchase of new readers ( 12 ) I'd do so in a second.

My customers are getting frustrated and are leaving. I'm resorted to giving people free washes( when their CC is rejected) just in order to placate them and hopefully retain them as customers. Frustrating.
 
If I were you, I would only buy a couple, with new wires from the reader to the controller. The wires are tiny and fragile. Try out the new readers and see if that fixes the problem. If it does replace the rest of them. If not you need to start checking your wiring between the bay controller and your site controller.
 
Car_wash_guy,
Put the bay systems out of order so the customer isn't trying to use them and becomes irritated at you for equipment not working. Put laminated notes on the boxes stating that the Credit Card Network is down or something like that. Put the blame on someone else. This way hopefully the customer is not putting all the blame on you and your equipment for not working. But this only works for a limited time.

You might try my solution on a couple of readers -if the problem is the readers- it's cheaper and you might be able to get them running. ??

I went to The Shack (Radio) and bought electronics cleaner, can air, di-electric grease. (no you don't have to go to the shack, other places have this stuff)
At home get baking soda and a soft tooth brush.
disclaimer-- the manufacturer does not recommend this on their equipment so if you buy new readers the warranty will be void (who has readers go down during warranty time anyway???).

Take the green board off the reader. On the reader which is behind the board towards the back there is a clear cover. Under this cover is a spring loaded mechanism which slides back and forth when the card is swiped. This slide starts the reading of the card as it is pulled out of the reader. Use a card and slide in/out and watch the mechanism to be sure it springs back freely. (I have only had problems with 1 out of 18 which was sluggish) I removed the cover, poured hot water in the area, dried with air and it worked. If that didn't work I guess I would have tries the spray cleaner and go from there.

Pigtails, I hook up a voltmeter (small wire and mini clamps) and move the wires around to make sure I have constant continuity. On the black end if there is corrosion I mix up some baking soda, like you do for bug bites, and with toothbrush and soda, scrub the black end, spray clean with SFR in bay to really get it out of the small holes, spray with cleaner and dry.

Green board, I scrutinize both sides of the board for corrosion - use magnifier as needed. ANY corrosion I sparingly and quickly clean with soda, spray with cleaner and dry. Most of the corrosion I find is on the black plugin for the pigtail. Soda scrub, clean, dry. Check closely the areas cleaned for soda left behind.

After drying I leave all items out on top of my water heater to help finish drying for awhile-lunch-.

99% of my corrosion is at the plug for the pigtail to the reader. So I put the green board back onto the reader and after I plug the pigtail in I coat the plug, around the wires and green board area with the di-electric grease.

Don't be in a hurry-take the time to look, clean, dry and reassemble. I had all kinds of reader issues with moisture corrosion and have reduced it to almost nothing with this process.

I have not had too many issues with the bay controllers but I have opened them up to check for problems. Put tape over the end that has the LEDs so water cannot get into controller. Have had only 1 go down in 5 years.

I also have a wire from the site controller to my workbench in the ER. I have 2 spare controllers, 2 readers, 2 pigails, 1 display and a stop button. I can test the equipment on my "test bench" in the ER instead of closing a bay and changing out parts for testing. It is hooked up just like a bay controller but wired in the ER. I also use this reader setup if a customer wants to buy bulk tokens with a credit card.

FWIW hope it helps
 
Thanks Stuart. I took my most problematic reader and used another, less used/better condition read to replace it.

I got the reader out and disassembled it. WOAH - it was chock full of dirt, muck, you name it. the PC board looked good, but I gave the mag reader a good cleaning along with all the connections.

Placed the rebuilt reader into my mat cleaner, and it's still working, and the few swipes I tried, it worked flawlessly.

I might go around and hit all the readers - at least the ones in the SS bays.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond in such detail to help a stranger out. I appreciate it!!
 
We clean our credit card readers every 30 – 45 days, they work flawlessly. Credit readers are not made for the harsh car wash environment, they might be water resistant but they aren’t water proof.
 
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