Car Wash Forum
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mjwalsh
6 bay SS w/laundromat
The trick is not allow yourself to take offense if someone see it different and not to allow yourself to get personal because you disagree with someone else's "truth" or they disagree with yours. Not even me knows it all.
Bill,
Point well taken ---- on the other hand --- sometimes a specific statement can be an outright "lying soundbite if you will" preying on unsuspecting newcomers!
I remember when I was helping to keep "gross before any net realized at all" taxes on services within our state--- hearing over & over again a legislator ---on all the mainstream media news ---allowed way too much access --- & with the most forceful manipulative voice --- a similar "lie"
Mike
Waxman
Super Moderator
Robert, you're going to have to translate that statement for some of us operators.
here's the translation: "book learnin dont equal smartz"
Waxman
Super Moderator
I think the carwash business is a tough one. But it also has an up side. To me it is still fun and I still enjoy making dirty stuff clean and nice again. I know my facility is useful to the community and has become necessary.
Business, any business, is a game, like Monopoly is a game. Yes it can be serious and hard and all that, but it can also be fun, exciting, and enjoyable.
Think about it; we all strategize, fiddle and fix, work hard, plan and act out those plans to reach a goal. Some years the goal may be 20% net income increase. Some years it may be to pay the mortgage on time every month.
A person can't really play the game of business when they work for someone else.
If a person is disillusioned with the carwash business, they can take what they learned and apply it to a different business or tweak and add to their 'empire', as Bill P. calls it, and try new things while keeping the washes.
I know some local friends who are 'big business'. They are enjoying this time, this economy, because their dollar buys more land and buildings and they can better negotiate with almost everyone who sells them anything.
Business, any business, is a game, like Monopoly is a game. Yes it can be serious and hard and all that, but it can also be fun, exciting, and enjoyable.
Think about it; we all strategize, fiddle and fix, work hard, plan and act out those plans to reach a goal. Some years the goal may be 20% net income increase. Some years it may be to pay the mortgage on time every month.
A person can't really play the game of business when they work for someone else.
If a person is disillusioned with the carwash business, they can take what they learned and apply it to a different business or tweak and add to their 'empire', as Bill P. calls it, and try new things while keeping the washes.
I know some local friends who are 'big business'. They are enjoying this time, this economy, because their dollar buys more land and buildings and they can better negotiate with almost everyone who sells them anything.
robert roman
Bob Roman
“We are not car wash people we are a property Management Company. We buy and redevelop properties, carwashes just happen to be on ground that we buy for redevelopment and we do very well with what we do.
It just so happens that a lot of car washes sit on ground that is too valuable to be used as a car wash, we’ve torn down 2 car washes and redeveloped the property into the higher income producing property.”
Because you did find a higher and better use, you may also want to consider the possibility that the property also had a higher and better use as a different type of carwash.
This is often times the case in areas that have mismatches in supply/demand.
For the very reasons you cite, we are not carwash people, these opportunities most often go by the wayside.
It just so happens that a lot of car washes sit on ground that is too valuable to be used as a car wash, we’ve torn down 2 car washes and redeveloped the property into the higher income producing property.”
Because you did find a higher and better use, you may also want to consider the possibility that the property also had a higher and better use as a different type of carwash.
This is often times the case in areas that have mismatches in supply/demand.
For the very reasons you cite, we are not carwash people, these opportunities most often go by the wayside.
MCALLISTER
Car wash is my life
Credit card systems
I see the self service industry moving more with automatics attached with them in the last seven to ten years just for the reason of diversifying thier capital income for the convienence of the customer.
We are quickly moving towards a cashless society. the problem with credit card systems has been the expenditure of capital to make this a reality for the self service industry, not to mention the fees that are associated with this type of endeavor.
With the technology that we possess their is defenitly alot of room for growth in this area.
Respectfully,
McAllister
I see the self service industry moving more with automatics attached with them in the last seven to ten years just for the reason of diversifying thier capital income for the convienence of the customer.
We are quickly moving towards a cashless society. the problem with credit card systems has been the expenditure of capital to make this a reality for the self service industry, not to mention the fees that are associated with this type of endeavor.
With the technology that we possess their is defenitly alot of room for growth in this area.
Respectfully,
McAllister
mjwalsh
6 bay SS w/laundromat
We need to wake up to all things that will diminish our ability to stay viable!
McAllister & others,
I honestly see the credit card cashless mindset reaching a plateau. There should always be a niche for cash --- especially for the smaller transactions such as ours. Unless....
If the deliberate & intentional "killing of the dollar coins" is not put to a stop --- we will intentionally or unintentionally be making our industry more dependent on credit cards & the vulnerabilities that go along with them. It does not take a brain surgeon to know that when the government chooses the proven to be the most expensive wasteful paper choice with no gain --- that it will lead to cash being less likely to survive as a healthy option.
Congressman Dave Schweikert & his now 11 co sponsers (4 Democrats & 7 Repulications) NEED OUR SUPPORT.
mike walsh king koin of bismarck
McAllister & others,
I honestly see the credit card cashless mindset reaching a plateau. There should always be a niche for cash --- especially for the smaller transactions such as ours. Unless....
If the deliberate & intentional "killing of the dollar coins" is not put to a stop --- we will intentionally or unintentionally be making our industry more dependent on credit cards & the vulnerabilities that go along with them. It does not take a brain surgeon to know that when the government chooses the proven to be the most expensive wasteful paper choice with no gain --- that it will lead to cash being less likely to survive as a healthy option.
Congressman Dave Schweikert & his now 11 co sponsers (4 Democrats & 7 Repulications) NEED OUR SUPPORT.
mike walsh king koin of bismarck
robert roman
Bob Roman
“I see the self service industry moving more with automatics….just for the reason of diversifying their capital income for the convenience of the customer.”
“We are quickly moving towards a cashless society. The problem….has been the expenditure of capital to make this a reality…, not to mention the fees…..”
We have already become predominately a cashless society. The few places I can think of where people pay more with cash than plastic is at a flea-market or casino. Cash tends to dominate in areas dense with check cashing outlets.
Where is self-service segment heading?
Spending on self-service equipment has dropped to just 4 percent of the total market, down from 18% in 2005. Recently, SSCWN closed.
Consider a region of 30,000 people worth $2.0 million in annual wash revenues.
Many regions this size have no conveyors. The population is usually in-bay at gas stations and self-service with wands, combo vacuums, in-bay and perhaps some dog-washes.
Assume the area has 10 self-service washes each generating revenues of $200,000.
What happens under shrinking market and less demand? Some operators will suffer at the expense of others, there is no other way.
Why is a region like this at risk? Read the article starting on page 36, PC&D, January 2012, a carwash rookie, a young woman, discovers early success with exterior express.
With all due respect to the newbie, here are some of her quips.
- I was looking for a recession-proof business
- You need to look for three things when analyzing a site; traffic, demographics and purchase price
- The express concept is new in Charlotte
- The wash outsources titration
This comes from someone with no prior experience and only opened one year.
As long as stewards keep serving up this type of kool-aid to others on how easy the carwash business is, many self-service markets remain at risk.
“We are quickly moving towards a cashless society. The problem….has been the expenditure of capital to make this a reality…, not to mention the fees…..”
We have already become predominately a cashless society. The few places I can think of where people pay more with cash than plastic is at a flea-market or casino. Cash tends to dominate in areas dense with check cashing outlets.
Where is self-service segment heading?
Spending on self-service equipment has dropped to just 4 percent of the total market, down from 18% in 2005. Recently, SSCWN closed.
Consider a region of 30,000 people worth $2.0 million in annual wash revenues.
Many regions this size have no conveyors. The population is usually in-bay at gas stations and self-service with wands, combo vacuums, in-bay and perhaps some dog-washes.
Assume the area has 10 self-service washes each generating revenues of $200,000.
What happens under shrinking market and less demand? Some operators will suffer at the expense of others, there is no other way.
Why is a region like this at risk? Read the article starting on page 36, PC&D, January 2012, a carwash rookie, a young woman, discovers early success with exterior express.
With all due respect to the newbie, here are some of her quips.
- I was looking for a recession-proof business
- You need to look for three things when analyzing a site; traffic, demographics and purchase price
- The express concept is new in Charlotte
- The wash outsources titration
This comes from someone with no prior experience and only opened one year.
As long as stewards keep serving up this type of kool-aid to others on how easy the carwash business is, many self-service markets remain at risk.
seattleguy
Member
My 2 cents
I am a total newbie with 2 washes. SS/IBA. My advice, for what it is worth, is to make sure your wash looks "pretty." Spend bucks on colorful awnings, nice plantings, new paint etc. Also keep it really clean. When I bought my first wash it was really run down and ugly. All my customers were male. Now that it looks nice I bet 50% of my customers are female and business is steadily increasing. Of course all mechanicals need to work but don't discount curb appeal.
I am a total newbie with 2 washes. SS/IBA. My advice, for what it is worth, is to make sure your wash looks "pretty." Spend bucks on colorful awnings, nice plantings, new paint etc. Also keep it really clean. When I bought my first wash it was really run down and ugly. All my customers were male. Now that it looks nice I bet 50% of my customers are female and business is steadily increasing. Of course all mechanicals need to work but don't discount curb appeal.
ted mcmeekin
Fast and Clean
Well Said Robert !!!!
Ted
Ted
I don't know how long you plan on being closed but January in Missouri is one of the busy months in the year if we get snow.
This week should be good for you so if you can wait you might be better off.
