All of us at the HCA are pleased to officially announce our new heartlandcarwash.org website, offering members a richer digital experience geared to any screen.

The updated website, years in the making, stays true to strengthening our industry and disseminating information to our eight state region by allowing members to enjoy a new and improved website experience. The new website is sleek and better functioning, thanks to an updated server and better-performing website creation tool, WordPress. In the developing back-end, content can be dragged and dropped, and our Splash newsletters can be uploaded faster and more efficiently than ever before.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is an online, open source website creation tool written in PHP (acronym for Hypertext Preprocessor). It’s one of the easiest and most powerful blogging and website content management systems to use. Many famous companies and blogs use WordPress to publish on the web, including blogs

Welcome to the New Heartland Carwash Association Website By: Kristen Corbisiero, Managing Editor

like Mashable and TechCrunch, news outlets like The New York Times’ blog, and CNN’s anchormen and women. Are you inclined to take the plunge for your own business’ website? Check out the WordPress site for more information, including tutorials and example plans at: www.wordpress.com.

A Look Into the Future

Like any good IP, my goal is to keep our website dynamic; full of energy, capable of action and change. One of the things I’m currently working on to help serve our members better is updating all of PDF forms to online applications, complete with online payment. Another goal is to update the all the processes involved with the Product Show and remove paper from all equations.

When you’ve got a minute, take a look at our new site. Let me know what you think. Call or email me with suggestions or comments at: kcorbisiero@heartlandcarwash.org or 518-635-0375.

SPLASH Fall2016

2

HCA EVENTS CALENDAR

Fall 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

New HCA Website .................................. Cover

Letter from the Editor ......................................2

Top 4 Ways to Use QR Codes at Your

Carwash .........................................................3

Preparing Your Wash for winter ......................4

11 Carwash Marketing Ideas ..........................7

Saving Self-Serve Carwashes from Social

Media Wrath ...................................................8

Who is the Carwash Customer ....................10

HCA WISHES TO THANK ALL OUR GENEROUS ADVERTISERS

Heartman Insurance .......................................5

Innovative Control Systems ............................7

Professional Carwash Systems .....................9

Heartland Carwash AssociationP.O. Box 42035 | Des Moines, IA 50323

phone/fax 515.224.6845info@heartlandcarwash.org | www.heartlandcarwash.org

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Dear Members,

As I write this letter, I am watching my children play outside with their Nonna (Italian for Grandmother). It’s hard to believe, but in a few short weeks, my eldest son will be attending Kindergarten. Anyone who is a parent will understand my excitement coupled with complete panic. I’m excited for my son – school is where he will learn to be more

independent, meet new friends, and expand his mind. Panic, well, because I just can’t believe my little baby is old enough to actually go to school. As we welcome the new season, there will be a change of routine in my home – and change should be in the air for you and your carwash business, too.

As the leaves begin to fall from the trees, your profit margins should begin to rise, as the busiest season for the carwashing industry is just around the corner. With the hot days of summer becoming a memory, there are a few big ticket items that all carwash owners and operators should put on their fall/winter maintenance checklist:

• marketing and promotions • education of consumers • taking care of the exterior of your carwash

In this issue, we will discuss the launch of our new website, QR codes, and how to put an end to social media rants. I am very excited to tell you about our new website, and I hope you’ve had a chance to take a look at it. Please continue to utilize all the information the HCA works hard to make available to you – and reach out to me or any of our board members with questions, comments, or suggestions. We want to make this association the best it can be for you, our valued members.

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Happy Washing,

Kristen CorbisieroManaging Editorkcorbisiero@heartlandcarwash.org518-635-0375

Letter from the Editor

3

What is a QR Code?

First designed for the Japanese automotive industry in 1994, QR codes tracked vehicles during the manufacturing process, allowing high-speed component scanning. QR codes, abbreviated from Quick Response Code, are 2-D (carries information horizontally and vertically) optical labels that can be read by machines. Compared to UPC barcodes like those found on store-bought goods, QR codes can hold more information and are more flexible in application. How much more information can be stored? Good question. Bar codes carry small amounts of information such as numeric product codes up to 20 digits, while QR codes are capable of holding tens (sometimes even hundreds) of times as much information as a bar code, anywhere from 7,000 digits or 4,000 characters. Compared to barcodes, QR codes can be used to store characters, not just numbers so this means email addresses, names, and product details can be stored within the code. Smartphones can read QR codes, the codes can be generated easily, and they can be scanned from any position.

QR codes use an arrangement of squares that assist the scanner in figuring out the size of the code, the direction it is facing, and also takes into account the angle at which the code is being scanned. Every code contains an alignment pattern, helping scanners to determine if the code is distorted. Unlike a barcode, QR codes have a margin for error so if a portion of it is damaged, it can still be scanned. We’ve all had that dreaded grocery store experience where an item cannot be scanned because the barcode is damaged. Today’s applications of QR codes are much broader, from commercial applications to convenience applications aimed at the individual user.

How QR Codes Can be Implemented in Your Business

So now that you know a little bit about QR codes, I’m sure you are wondering how these quarter-sized codes can help your carwash business. Good. We’re on the same track.

Before we begin, I want to bring to your attention a surprising (or perhaps not) fact: According to a Pew survey, in 2015, 68 percent of adults in the United States own a smartphone, up from 35 percent four years ago. (Pew Research Center is a nonparti-san fact tank that informs the public.) Keeping in mind that fact,

Top 4 Ways to Use QR Codes at Your Carwash By: Kristen Corbisiero, Managing Editor

and knowing that QR codes can be scanned by anyone owning a smartphone, here are top five ways that QR codes can be implemented in your carwash business:

1. Mobile payment system: Connecting the users’ credit card or PayPal account, eliminating change machines if you wished.

2. Signage: Whenever a customer scans the code, their information is automatically collected.

3. Promotions/Marketing: Send a QR code to your customer database for that-day-only deals, some codes also have the unique ability to be geo-aware allowing smartphones to notify users when they are near your site.

4. Loyalty programs: Digitally performs the same function as a punch-type loyalty program.

The Benefits of QR Codes

QR codes have the ability to be effective if they are successfully incorporated into your marketing plan. Putting a QR code on just any old thing and expecting it to work won’t be successful. Pairing the QR code with a message that is attractive to your customers, giving them a reason to scan it will result in positive action. Once you develop a good marketing campaign that uses the QR code, you can use it to track its effectiveness and make the necessary adjustments if you are not seeing an increase in business.

QR codes are the next generation of barcodes, capable of storing more information, created easily by virtually anyone with acomputer, and able to be read by anyone with a smartphone.

Scan this image with your smartphone to add me to your contacts.

Creation took less than one minute, and was free.

4

Fall is in the air. YIKES! Just yesterday it was hot! We all had good intentions this year…get out in front of the cold blast, but other things came up.

The sun is a feel good prescription for the winter blues but don’t let it dash one’s memory of all the items that need to be addressed before the cold weather hits. Taking care of these general maintenance and winter prep items will make a wash more profitable during the cold weather. As an operator/owner, there is nothing worse than thinking – I should have taken care of this last summer!

Planning for winter can be overwhelming because of many issues that need to be addressed. The best way to tackle all the items is to develop a plan of attack. Many operators “claim” they have a winter preparations plan but when asked to view it they say “it’s all up in my head”. As a good owner/operator once told me if you don’t have it written down, it’s not a plan. With that in mind, one should sharpen their pencil and write down a list of items needing addressed; consider it a brainstorm session. One’s next step is to categorize the similar items, such as, building maintenance, equipment preventative maintenance, back up supplies and lot maintenance. The following are some common items that one should consider when developing one’s plan.

Building Maintenance

General Painting

• Whether it is structural and/or concrete post guards it is a must to keep exposed items protected from winter oxidation.

Trough Insulation

• Trough hoses freeze and break, damaging the surrounding insulation. Many operators neglect replacing the insulation after a hose or fitting is changed. This leaves a mess and reduces the freeze protection level, exposing the new hardware to future freeze ups. One should take the time to look through the entire trough and replace any damaged insulation.

Preparing Your Wash for Winter By: AutoWash, Originally published in AAW News

Roof

• Summer is a great time to check one’s roof for leaks and possible weak areas. If one has a steel roof evaluate the need for a coat of sealer and if the roof is shingled look for any damaged/torn shingles. Replacing them now will be a lot easier than when it is below freezing and water is dripping into your pump room.

Lighting

• Important to every wash is ample lighting. Many operators have working lights but do not take the time to clean the glass lenses. Dirty lenses can reduce the available light by 25% or more. A well-lit car wash improves security and will attract customers.

Equipment Preventative Maintenance

Weep System

• Weep sensors need to be cross checked to verify they are reading the correct temperature. Using either a handheld temperature gauge, the displayed temperature in your vehicle and/or the local weather fore-cast verify your sensor is within three degrees plus or minus. If one’s sensor is outside of this range a good investment may be to have it serviced and/or replaced. Keep in mind if one’s sensor is in or out of direct sunlight this will affect the reading.

• Weep control solenoids need to be checked for proper operation. Since weep systems operate using normally open solenoids operators tend to unplug their control systems in the summer and shut the water supply off to the solenoid. Periodically, check to make sure the solenoid is not opening and closing properly. By shutting off the water supply for long periods of time, this creates a place for any loose debris to build up. The resulting debris (line oxidation and/or contamination) can plug up the solenoid and create major issues when the first freeze hits. Water flow will be restricted or stopped causing unnecessary freeze ups.

Floor Heat System

• Recirculation pumps should be jogged throughout the sum-mer to keep the impellors and seals lubricated. If the pump will not turn over, shut it off and disconnect the power at the main breaker. Using a pair of pliers, grip and rotate the shaft. Once the impeller is loose, turn the power back on and jog the pump.

• Run the entire system for 30 minutes once per month• check for any leaks in the associated plumbing and

proper anti-freeze level.• Check intake and discharge venting for obstructions.

5

• If ones trough heat system is integrated into the floor heat system make sure to cycle it and check for leaks or suspect lines, changing where appropriate.

Boilers

• If one heats water year round this is a non-issue. If one does not, follow the same plan as the floor heat system. Run the boiler for 30 minutes once a month. Look for leaks, check intake and discharge venting for obstructions.

Pumps

• Depending on what make and model of high pressure pumps one has follow the manufactures guidelines for changing oil, inspecting high and low pressure seals and greasing (if required) the electric motors. Make sure to follow the manufactures guidelines. Over and/or un-der lubrication can cause severe damage to pumps and motors.

Vacuums

• If one does not have an extra set of vacuum bags, this is a must. Each vacuum should have its bags washed and dried at least once before the winter season. Using the extra set, replace one vacuum bag at a time, wash-ing/drying the dirty ones and using them for the next and next and so on. Always check motor and coin acceptor operations. Fix those pesky cherry switches and/or suspect coin acceptors before it is cold. There is nothing worse than trying to wire a coin mechanism or vacuum motor when it is snowing and blowing!

• If one has combination vacuums such as combo fragrance or shampoo/spot remover, make sure you have stocked up on your “winter” fragrances and shampoo/spot remover

6

Locks

• One of the most overlooked items to prepare for the winter time is locks. Ironically it takes the least amount of time and effort to service. Using either an aerosol can or oil drops; lubricate each tumbler (lock). Make sure to work the lock several times to ensure the oil has spread throughout the lock, coating each mechanical piece. This helps fight corrosion because the oil will naturally repel water.

Coin Boxes

• Coin boxes are in the direct fire of moisture intrusion. This leads to corrosion and eventual shorts inside the box. Inspect each box for suspect wiring and corroded fittings. Replace the corroded fittings and apply a light coat of di-electric grease to protect for the upcoming winter season.

Back Up Parts

Swivels, Hoses and Guns

• Winter conditions are hard on swivels, hoses and guns. Make sure one’s back up supplies are in good shape, including an appropriate level of stock. Always keep in mind the following situation, one’s weep system fails due to loss of power, solenoid plugs and or any other reason. If ones car wash freezes up the hoses, swivels and guns will be the “durable” items needing replaced. The question to the owner/operator, “Do I have enough stock to get my car wash back up and running?” Make sure one has ample stock or can re-stock quickly.

Lot Maintenance

Parking Lot

• The summer is a great time to tend to parking lot damage created by the freeze/thaw effect and snow plowing. If one has a concrete or asphalt parking lot, evaluate cracks, pot holes and faded parking lot markings. If one is not well versed in parking lot maintenance contact your local contractor to address the issues. The cost to maintain an existing lot is considerably less than having to replace it. Keeping your lot well maintained is a good capital cost avoidance measure.

Snow Plowing

• Investigate the cost to sign a contract for winter snow removal. Most contractors will give discounts for upfront de-posits made in the summer.

Car Wash Pits

• Check your pits debris level and clean if necessary. Secondly, don’t forget to check the parking lot interceptor. Remember it is always easier to clean them out when they are not completely full. If this service is contracted out, make sure to schedule it before the snow flies.

After reviewing some of the basic winter preparation items, one must keep in mind that all car washes are different. Each wash has its own special nuances which must be accounted for. Make documented plans accordingly. Engage the plan by assigning responsibility to a person(s) and document when the task was completed. Post your customized plan in the pump room or most visible location.

One’s plan does not need to be an electronic spread sheet. A piece of paper, ruler and pencil will create the exact same plan. Most important, complete the car wash plan before winter arrives!

7

11 Carwash Marketing Ideas By: Brandon Gaille, Originally published on BrandonGaille.com

Any marketing strategy needs to benefit both you and the customer. A good place to begin is to form a loyalty club where you’re always getting something in return: personal information so you can directly market to someone. You can fuel this club through discounts, specials, or just plain asking people when they stop on by.

Effective Carwash Marketing Ideas

1. Its Not About the Price

People will pay a fair price for a quality carwash, so don’t get into price wars with your competitors. Focus on providing a world class experience every time a customer comes to do business with you. It can be as simple as recognizing who someone is and remembering their name because people want to go somewhere that makes them feel special. Provide that feeling and you might not ever need to print up a coupon again.

2. Its Not About Volume Either

You dont need tons of new customers coming in every day to stay in business. You need faithful, reliable customers that come to get their car washed on a regular schedule. Don’t go offering tons of discounts that will just rob you of cash. Focus instead on building relationships with the people who do stop on by so that they’ll want to stop on by again and again.

(Continued on page 11)

8

Rainy days were once the bane of every self-serve carwash owner. Bad weather meant no revenue. These days an entirely different deluge is washing away business. With no staff on site to soothe dissatisfied customers, proprietors have just a few tools at their disposal to battle against a flood of angry one-star rants on social media sites.

In today’s world, where people search out customer satisfaction reviews before they buy online, chose where to eat, and even before opening wide for a new dentist, social media can make or break a business. Bad reviews are like repellents, keeping customers from ever stepping foot into your establishment, and that can mean more than losing out on income, it can mean going out of business.

For self-serve carwashes the best defense is to show customers you care about their carwashing experience by installing high quality equipment. This demonstrates you are going the extra mile to ensure their car is properly cleaned and safe from any damage. Leaving any marks on a customer’s car will almost always lead to them leaving a few marks in the way of hostile social media reviews.

It is not difficult to find online proof that patrons don’t mince words if they are unhappy with equipment. “Brush doesn’t foam. Very dirty place. DO NOT USE THIS PLACE!!!” – Sam I. Clearly maintenance of a car wash facility is important: “this is the worst self carwash I’ve ever been to. Everything is not maintained.” Julian S. And some customers make note of the owner’s indifference: Whoever the proprietor of this car wash is clearly doesn’t give a rat’s *** about their revenues nor their business reputation.” – David P.

The message from customers is clear: take care of us and your facility or we will tell the community to avoid your establishment. Surely, this isn’t good for business.

A Soft Defense

Successful self-serve carwash managers say they avoid epic failure by paying attention to details. The motorist’s experience is improved, for example, by simply keeping the facility clean.

However, the available tools must work; the vending equipment must work, the hoses must, the blank must…

But one of the most critical elements is the foaming brush that – if improperly maintained – can leave a mark on the paint surface. One unhappy customer left this online review: “The brush with soap did not activate but was so rough it probably would have ripped the paint right off the car anyway.” – Artemis X. Another customer claims, “I would give this place less than one star if possible. There was a broom-like brush on the side, but I didn’t use it. It was heavy and just seemed like it would have damaged my car because the bristles were hard and covered in mud. Epic Fail.” – Luke J.

Saving Self-Serve Car Washes from Social Media Wrath Social media reviews can make or break a carwash business. How to prevent business from driving away.

By: Jasmine Stanley for Erie Brush Co.

Self-serve managers say a satisfying foaming brush experience is the best defense against lousy online reviews.

Dave DuGoff, owner of College Park Car Wash in College Park, MD, a high volume location with five self-service bays and three automatic bays, says cheap brushes may anger car owners.

“Synthetic brushes made of nylon, polyester, and polypropylene generally have shorter filaments with fewer bristles on the brush head. As a result, they wear out quickly, bend out of shape, and are coarse and abrasive if used aggressively,” DuGoff says. That’s why they are among the usual suspects when drivers discover marks on their cars—and post a scathing online review.

Tom Hoffman Jr., CEO of Hoffman Car Wash, an operation with 19 car washes throughout upstate New York that was started in the 1960s by his parents, agrees.

“When foaming brushes first appeared in self-serve bays, the nylon type brushes were coarse, harsh to the vehicle surface, and tended to bend out of shape,” he says. “Painted vehicle sur-faces have become much softer in recent decades, so it’s even more important to use a gentler brush at car washes today.”

Hoffman discovered an unlikely source for creating a natural foaming brush that is gentle and yet stands up to prolonged use—hog’s hair. It is very soft and tapered so that the tips of each bristle are tender while also effective when scrubbing is required. And they are resilient so they don’t permanently bend out of shape like synthetic products. Hoffman says one hog’s hair brush can outlive 3-4 cheaper options.

“The hog’s hair brushes are noticeably softer than our previous brushes, and provide our self-service customers with a much better, safer wash. Customers can feel the difference,” says Hoffman.

Hoffman and DuGoff have found the hog’s hair brushes manufactured in the U.S. are superior to those manufactured overseas.

Hoffman has installed hog’s hair brushes in 58 self-service bays. He also purchases non-foaming hog’s hair brushes for supplementary washing at 13 conveyorized carwashes. Hog’s hair brushes have the ability to quickly recover their natural shape even when bent 90-degrees.

DuGoff embraces the long game of keeping customers satisfied. “I decided years ago that I’d use hog’s hair foaming brushes because their longer, denser bristles are more inviting to customers. While they cost a bit more than standard brushes, they’ve helped us earn a reputation for quality that’s brought us repeat business and allowed us to remain a high-volume operation.”

9

Statistics reveal that hog hair brushes may cost more than synthetics, but they provide much higher quality, extending the life of the brush, which in the long run actually saves car wash owners money.

“The hog’s hair brushes offer us longer brush life, which lowers our cost of ownership,” says Hoffman.

Proper Lubrication, Repeat Business

Better bristles improve foaming brushes, but so does proper distribution of good quality foam to cleanse the customer’s car and lubricate the brush for washing. A steady flow not only makes customers happy it also helps prevent damage to the car’s surface from brushes that are improperly lubricated. Traditional equipment typically includes only 2-3 foam holes per brush.

“With too few foam holes per brush, traditional brushes don’t provide proper lubrication between brush and car, or between the brush hairs themselves,” says Freddie Seniw, owner of Easy Clean Car Wash, with seven locations in the greater Chicago area. “Large diameter nylon filaments may also carry larger

foreign objects such as sand that could damage a paint job if the brush head is not properly lubricated with soapy foam.”

To ensure the proper lubrication, some manufacturers use more holes to release the foam. Utilizing six holes on a typical 9-inch brush, the soapy foam will spread more thoroughly and more evenly, allowing the brush to glide smoothly over the car surface.

“With more foam holes per brush, the continuous flow of soapy foam helps to cleanse dirt, sand, and foreign objects off the brush, keeping the brush head cleaner so it won’t mark. Customers come back because they know they can depend on my brushes and equipment to take care of their cars,” he says.

Customers who leave satisfied will not only not write negative reviews that will cripple your business, but they just might scribe out some 5 star reviews that boost your bottom line.

For more info, call 800-711-3743 (ERIE) in US, 773-477-9620 internationally; Fax 800-798-3743 (ERIE) in US, 773-477-6030 internationally; email sales@eriebrush.com; visit www.eriebrush.com; or write to Erie at 860 West Fletcher St., Chicago, IL 60657.

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Who is the Carwash Customer? By: Stephan Martin, Originally published ion EcoJetSystems.com

There are different types of carwash customers. Some types a carwash owner can serve no matter what sort of carwash he or she has while others will require a carwash with specialized equipment. For example, if you want to wash large trucks, youre going to need special equipment designed for this purpose.

Here are the various market segments and some general information about each:

Home washers.

Home washers account for close to 50 percent of the total public, according to the International Carwash Association (ICA). As you might expect, home washers tend to live in suburban communities and have average incomes. Its also likely that they live in single-family homes with space to wash their cars on their own.

Although the costs associated with hand washing a car at home, both in terms of supplies and time, are probably less economical than a bare bones package at an in-bay automatic carwash, these folks if see doing it themselves as a money- saving proposition. You might think about doing some advertising, every door direct mail,or tie-in with a joint promotion partner to educate them about this.

Self-service washers.

Self-service carwash patrons typically are renters and 58 percent of them are women. Since they do not own a home and may have little space to wash a car, using a professional facility is a necessity. They are also a bit more cost-conscious than those who frequent full-service or exterior-conveyor washes, making them prime prospects for an upgrade to an in-bay automatic car wash. There are also individuals who are concerned about the finish on their cars being scratched or not responding well to the equipment at an in-bay automatic or full-service wash and prefer the option of using professional equipment, but doing the job themselves. Think about the ways you might educate your customers about touch-less car wash equipment.

As you might expect, the typical patron of in-bay automatic, exterior-conveyor, and full-service carwashes are a bit more

affluent than the average self-service customer, since they choose to pay to have their car washed away from home, even thought most are homeowners with space to do it themselves.

For the most part, you can expect the bulk of your business to come from the traditional source, which of course is individual car owners, but there are other market segments that can be profitable as well. Here are a few ideas for how you might be able to serve a special market and fill a niche within the industry.

Fleet Washing

Think about how many types of businesses or government agencies you might be able to target. Police departments, taxi and limousine services, auto rental agencies, and new or used car dealers, for example, need to wash many cars on a regular basis. If you’re creative, you should be able to come up with ways to service these markets, no matter what type of carwash you have.

An agreement to service a fleet of police cruisers, for example, might take one of several forms. You could charge a flat monthly fee and agree to provide a certain number of washes during the month. Or, you could select a certain time of the week that your business is less crowded than normal.

Alternatively, and this is ideally suited to an in-bay automatic carwash, you might provide carwash tokens or a special promotional code that can be used at a discounted price. The only drawback is that because you’re providing discounts, your margins will be smaller. But most carwash owners say the increased volume more than makes up for it, especially in typically quiet hours.

Most carwash owners say the increased volume from offering fleet owners a discount is worth it, especially in typically quiet hours.

11

(Continued from page 7)

3. Focus On One Specialty Area

If you try to be everything to everyone, you’re going to fail because you just cant do it. Find your strengths, use them to cre-ate an advantage that sets you apart from your competitors, and then market those strengths to the community. You might lose a few customers who love the fact that you try to please them in every way, but youll gain more in the long run because you can do something better than anyone else.

4. Get Yourself Reviewed

Over 70% of people decide on going to a local business based on local reviews, which means you need to be reviewed. Yelp is a good site that can solicit honest reviews about experiences that have been received, but Google reviews are more critical. With just 10 reviews, Google will implement a starring system that will show searchers at a glance if youre good or not so good at what you do. If you have five reviews that are 5 stars, but five reviews that are 1 star, Google will give you three stars and rank you lower than others who are better. Encourage good reviews, offer coupons for them if you wish, and that will help drive more traffic your way.

5. Don’t Lose Sight of Your Vision

Its easy to follow what everyone else is trying to do and end up losing sight of what it is that you’re trying to do. Customers are smart and savvy. They’ll know who the authentic service provid-er is and who the copycat happens to be. You might lose one or two total visits, but you’ll end up gaining a repeat customer that might stick with you until the end of time.

6. Consider Issuing a Paid Coupon Book

Having customers pay a little upfront for valuable coupons can help generate immediate revenues. Your loyal customer base will enjoy the chance to receive regular discounts, while you might never have coupons turned in from some of the books that you’ve sold. Don’t just stick with paper coupons. E-coupons through email marketing or text marketing efforts can help drive sales as well.

7. Always Follow-up With Customers

The reason why mass marketing efforts fail is because no fol-low-up is ever done and so a customer gets a massive discount and that’s it. Before any marketing campaign, it is important to figure out how you’ll follow-up with each customer that comes your way so you can have them come your way again.

8. Offer Free Services Occasionally

Free services provide better returns than traditional advertising methods because it allows people to see your services first-hand. Instead of just offering free washes to long-time customers who will likely come back anyway, offer some to first-time cus-tomers too. By giving incentives to both groups, you’ll increase loyalty and establish relationships two essential keys to finding good success.

9. Consider Starting an Unlimited Wash Club

People don’t abuse unlimited clubs because they tend to get the value they need from this investment and nothing more. If you have your price point too low, you can definitely lose your shirt because you didn’t give yourself a proper valuation. If you have a price point that’s too high, people wont see value in the product and wont bother with it. When you can find the happy medium in-between the two extremes, youll find good value and so will your customers.

10. Do You Still Just Take Cash?

Converting to a credit and cash system is necessary in this mod-ern purchasing world. There are certainly fees associated with each credit/debit transaction, but those fees are less than not having any business at all. Most people don’t carry much cash these days and so they have a limited amount to spend at a cash-only wash. In comparison, operators have seen 80% pur-chasing increases just by installing self-service credit card ma-chines. That offsets the 3%-5% in losses from transaction fees.

11. Establish a Professional Online Presence

97% of people use search engines to find information about local businesses, which means your first impression is your website. If you’ve got a terrible site, then you’re telling people that you’ll give them a terrible experience. That’s obviously not true, but that’s the perception you’ll leave and that perception will become fact. A website that is easy to navigate is a friendly website that will encourage people to visit you, especially if you put contact info and maps on the site so you can be easily found.

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