What sign sizes and layouts have worked well at your car wash?

[Sequoia]

I know many, or the majority, of customers don't read signs. But it's time to freshen up the signs at my wash anyway.

I'm looking to:
- promote in-bay Cryoptopay swipers. Something like: "New! Swipe your credit card in the wash bay!"

These signs would be smaller signs on changers, or larger signed mounted outside the wash bays.

- discourage trash dumpers. Something like "No bagged trash. Video surveillance in use." (Presumes I will someday have a dumpster again.)

What sort of signs and or graphics do you feel have worked well for you? Regarding trash signs, do you cite the violation code sections in the sign?

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Round trash sign on the trash can flip lid:

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

I know many, or the majority, of customers don't read signs.

I disagree - I find that to be one of those "car wash cliches" that is utter bs.
Well... OK... if your signs have nothing worth reading, then they wont be read, I'll give you that. And IMO the vast majority of SS car wash signs have nothing worth reading.
Thats why over the course of the last 20+ years I've done all my own signs, I could not find ANY that were worth paying for. Many customers read them, I'd say the majority have read at least a couple.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

These signs would be smaller signs on changers, or larger signed mounted outside the wash bays.

I recommend that you standardize sizes right off the bat - everything I do is in multiples so I can simply enlarge or shrink without editing the graphics, cut aluminum blanks in half, etc. So most of my signs are either 12x18 or 24x36, and I do variations from there.

Why enlarge or shrink? Because I have multiple purposes for one sign:
- 12x18 slides into a frame above the coin box in each bay. Specials, instructions, vending ads, informational, etc.
- 24x18 fits the sign frame between the bill changers
- 24x36 most of my "how to" instructional signs in the bays
- 24x36 my A frame sign that I put out at the curb.
- I also use a slightly modified version for advertisements - put in in a lexan picture frame & use it with raffles & donations.

So for example, this sign works well both in the 24x36 A frame out at the street, the 12x18 above the coin box in the bay, and I've also used it both as an advertisement, and in an 8x10 picture frame at giveaway events (ie donation/charity) while giving out sample trees:




Not sure if thats the kind of info you are looking for, but I thought it through a bit 20+ years ago, and the 2 things that come to mind first are a) prioritize which signs to do first, b) standardize sizes.

 

[MEP001]

I disagree - I find that to be one of those "car wash cliches" that is utter bs.

In my experience it's selective depending on the customer's needs. Some read the entire menu sign if they aren't familiar with self serves, some read the instructions on the shampooer. None of them read the "No truck bed washing" right on the meter door, or so they say. I've had customers say "I didn't come here to read" when I point it out to them. The bigger problem I'm having lately is that my customers can't read English or can't read at all.

 

[Sequoia]

Paul,

Very helpful. Thank you. I jotted down a hodge podge of signs I need, but I need to go back and get them into a consistent visual theme with not too many size options.

 

[mjwalsh]

Duane,

My position on signs is that like many people ... we try to "wing it non reading signs"! Eventually, we tend to pay attention especially if we have some skin in the game in terms of increased cost of using the service or whatever. So I am all in favor of some key well worded "tailored" signs for our premises.

It does bother me that it is possibly not enough to just have laws against whatever but the proposition of the need to explain via a sign ... what constitutes i.e. "loitering" like one young "still dry behind the ears" police officer advised in a "very know it all way" to me.

 

[99Roadking]

In our Town if you don't have signs posted warning customers to not do wash outs ie. mud, grass, mulch etc. or they will not allow you to pursue small claims court proceedings. But if you have it posted and they really screw a bay up you can charge them with a clean up fee based on the time it takes to clean everything up. I have thought about having someone do a recorded voice over asking people to abide by the posted rules. It seems like it goes through phases with the washouts. I'm not going to rock the boat unless it gets real bad.