Industry Innovation

[Car Wash Man]

Anyone else feel like the carwash industry has kind of hit the point where there isn't a huge amount of innovation happening anymore? Yes, new products come out claiming the newest greatest things, but in reality they are incremental improvements. There comes a point where a car can only become so clean and shiny and the pay stations/software/subscriptions can only become so convenient, and I think we have hit that point. After 8 years in the business It's starting to feel like groundhog day for me. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

 

[kentadel]

36 years in and yes, it certainly feels like groundhog day at times. In this business you have many of the same recurring fixes and mundane chores. One thing I have learned, for me anyway, is to hold back on chasing the newest ideas and shiniest items in the industry and consider if they actually would help my business. I do still like to not reinvent the wheel, but make it spin easier. That keeps me in the business ( and 2 sons who are in their mid and upper twenty's and in the business ). Good luck!

 

[kmadison]

That's why we are looking at the PREEN robotic arm style system. I think it would provide a quality wash and be completely different than the other wash system on the market. I think of the tunnel was long enough you could wash both a trailer and tow rig at the same time.

 

[washnshine]

Anyone else feel like the carwash industry has kind of hit the point where there isn't a huge amount of innovation happening anymore? Yes, new products come out claiming the newest greatest things, but in reality they are incremental improvements. There comes a point where a car can only become so clean and shiny and the pay stations/software/subscriptions can only become so convenient, and I think we have hit that point. After 8 years in the business It's starting to feel like groundhog day for me. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Yes - but it’s not just the car wash industry. The last time you replaced your cell phone, was there a huge difference from what you had? Maybe yes if you had a Blackberry or slide phone from 2002, but the last 5 years of Apple or android improvements have been relatively small. Same thing with computers (desktop) and microwaves and refrigerators etc. I guess the goal has not changed in car washing that much. It was always clean dry, shiny and quick. Plenty of time in car wash history where that was not being met to the level it is now!

 

[Wash4Life]

Anyone else feel like the carwash industry has kind of hit the point where there isn't a huge amount of innovation happening anymore? Yes, new products come out claiming the newest greatest things, but in reality they are incremental improvements. There comes a point where a car can only become so clean and shiny and the pay stations/software/subscriptions can only become so convenient, and I think we have hit that point. After 8 years in the business It's starting to feel like groundhog day for me. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

It's funny. I felt the exact same way 20 years ago. Then came the Smartphones, the subscription models, dipping and tapping credit/debit cards and the evolution of social media.

I do feel there is a plateau right now with the technology.

The big question mark is AI. Is it going to add to our industry, or will the job loss that is expected to come from it going to create a negative industry trend?