We are thinking about updating/renovating our existing self serve vacuums. We are currently using JE Adams individual vacuums. We offer a free vacuum token to customers who purchase a wash but everyone else who comes to use the vacs has to pay. We are thinking about purchasing the vacuum system canopy booms with a central vac and offering it as a free service. Has anyone made this type of change before? Does anyone currently offer free vacs at their wash?
Free Vacuums VS Pay Vacuums
- Thread starter hkim310
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MEP001
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For about $5 a vacuum you could just put a pushbutton on them and have basically the same thing.
I know someone who revamped a self-serve and added a start button on the vacs, put signage everywhere that they're free, and he says about half his customers still put money in them.
I know someone who revamped a self-serve and added a start button on the vacs, put signage everywhere that they're free, and he says about half his customers still put money in them.
Earl Weiss
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Car_Wash_Guy
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I was just going to post a topic about exactly that. I have 5 combo vacs that generate ....about $200 total every 2 weeks. Been thinking about have free vacs. How would I set that up?
Thanks
Jerry
Member
I did this 2 years ago. I have 16 monorail vacuums which I converted from $1.00 usage to free. Super cheap to do. lemme go take some pics and I'll post them in a few minutes. The traffic that it drives to my wash (100 ft tunnel and 7 bay SS) is insane. If I told you what I gave up in vac revenue to make these free, your jaw would hit the ground.
Yes, customers sometimes forget to turn the switch off. It definitely is a learning curve for them, but since we are on site for 12 hours a day, my employees usually notice and shut them off or remind the customer to do so if they forget.
Yes, customers sometimes forget to turn the switch off. It definitely is a learning curve for them, but since we are on site for 12 hours a day, my employees usually notice and shut them off or remind the customer to do so if they forget.
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Jerry
Member
$4.00 dip switch on and off.
Easy wiring, only two wires needed. remove timer completely.
Remove the coin mechanism completely, get a small thin piece of stainless just to cover the coin holes and screw in using same holes for coin acceptors
add a banner or two from facade or poles and watch vacs get used on cloudy days!
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Jerry
Member
actual part to buy at any electric supply house. just a couple bucks each
Nsi Industries 78210TS Toggle Switch
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Nsi Industries 78210TS Toggle Switch
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Car_Wash_Guy
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Thanks for the pics! I think I have more to gain from giving away the free vacs than I do with the measly $20/vac/week.
I was thinking, if it would be possible, to set the vacs to 1 pulse = $1. $1=4mins. Then I would just install waterproof buttons on the front with some decals.
I was thinking, if it would be possible, to set the vacs to 1 pulse = $1. $1=4mins. Then I would just install waterproof buttons on the front with some decals.
Jerry
Member
I did the button thing first. it was a push button that worked with 1 push to 4 mins. It sucked after like 3 months. the buttons were terrible and customers would push like 6 times and the vacs would be running for 30 mins. The buttons also failed often and had to be swapped out. I got so tired of changing out buttons, that I switched to the toggle switches.
I'd prolly stay with the buttons if we were an unattended Self serve only, but since we are here, it's easier with the toggle switches.
Free vacs is a huge draw, my tunnel and self serve volume is way up from it.
I'd prolly stay with the buttons if we were an unattended Self serve only, but since we are here, it's easier with the toggle switches.
Free vacs is a huge draw, my tunnel and self serve volume is way up from it.
Main Street Carwash
Member
You already have timers so I would still utilize them with the button to pulse the timer so as to make sure they are not left on. Customer can always restart if more time is needed or just press the button before time ends if it is accumulating.
Main Street Carwash
Member
Just saw Jerry's post. Defer to someone that has done it, not I.
Jerry
Member
accumulating doesnt matter anymore as you set the price to 1 push per x minutes.
to be more clear, the customer realizes(by their 2nd visit to your location) that 4 minutes isn't enough so they just mash the push button like its a video game, 5-8 times so they don't have to stop what they are doing and re push the button. Then the leave, and the vac is running for an hour anyways. My employees weren't able to shut the vac off since they didn't have access to the keys to open the meter door. now with the toggle, they hear a vac running and they walk over and toggle it off. Happens very infrequently anymore.
Either way its a very inexpensive alternative to the central vac system. And if you aren't sure you want to give free vacs forever, this workaround will let you go back to pay vacs in case you don't see an uptick in revenues.
to be more clear, the customer realizes(by their 2nd visit to your location) that 4 minutes isn't enough so they just mash the push button like its a video game, 5-8 times so they don't have to stop what they are doing and re push the button. Then the leave, and the vac is running for an hour anyways. My employees weren't able to shut the vac off since they didn't have access to the keys to open the meter door. now with the toggle, they hear a vac running and they walk over and toggle it off. Happens very infrequently anymore.
Either way its a very inexpensive alternative to the central vac system. And if you aren't sure you want to give free vacs forever, this workaround will let you go back to pay vacs in case you don't see an uptick in revenues.
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chaz
Active member
If it works for you great. I can only think of the increased crap to clean out of the individual vacs and no $ to offset the pain. I’m at $2 for 6 minutes....went to that price 18 months ago after cleaning out wet concrete from a vac. And yes, I watch my vacs get used on cloudy and rainy days...difference is...I’m also seeing $.
Jerry
Member
Not sure how you equate free vacs to zero revenues as my self serve revenues alone are up 38% since I made paid vacuums completely free 2 years ago. My tunnel is up greater than 38% in that same time frame.
Sure you have to clean the vac trash bins out more frequently. You also have to change brushes and motors out more than before. I order vac nozzles by the dozens now instead of by the handful. The only pain I see is not carrying around a 5 gallon bucket of quarters once a week in the dead of winter while my cold hands stick to stainless steel vaults.
chaz
Active member
I equate free vac to zero vac revenue. At least in my busy set up 4 s/s and 1 touchless auto...I’m pretty confident that increased vac maintenance and no vac income would not be recouped in wash operations. I’ve got plenty of vac only customers
Jerry
Member
I'm not here to change your confident mind. I only responded with real life examples of what the initial poster asked. Free vacs is a way to bring in more foot traffic to a site. I use it as a "loss" which leads more customers to buy my more profitable items at a greater rate then they used too. Whether your busy self serve and touchless can convert a vac only customer to a more profitable paying car wash customer is only something you'd know about.
I find it hard to believe that a customer is going to use your vacs for free but go somewhere else to eventually wash their car.
I find it hard to believe that a customer is going to use your vacs for free but go somewhere else to eventually wash their car.
Earl Weiss
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Jerry
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Earl how long did your free vac promo run? Days, weeks, months?
Earl Weiss
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One month.
Jerry
Member
Keep in mind that the average customer washes only once every few months. Running this type of promo on such a short basis should not yield any noticeable results as most of your customers won’t even stop by in those 30 days to notice that your vacs are free.
The purpose of free vacs is to bring in more foot traffic and to change the customers habits to washing a bit more frequently and/or to solely wash at your location and not your competitor.
Word of mouth from customer to customer also needs more than a 1 month trial to go viral.
The purpose of free vacs is to bring in more foot traffic and to change the customers habits to washing a bit more frequently and/or to solely wash at your location and not your competitor.
Word of mouth from customer to customer also needs more than a 1 month trial to go viral.
