What's new

Pick-Ups/Trailers etc.

CarWashBoy

Active member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
251
Reaction score
111
Points
43
Location
USA
This question has been asked many times I'm sure, however I would like to ask again: What procedures do you use telling customers who are attempting to wash trash, leaves, mud, glass, hay, nails etc. etc. out of pick-ups trucks and trailers etc.. I have kinda lost my patience with them and sometimes I feel I get to angry at times stopping them. How can I kick them out or stop them in a NICE WAY! How do you folks handle it? We have signs right in front of the Wand Holster and on the wall.. Your input is appreciated.. :)
Thanks in Advance...
 

traveler17

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 5, 2019
Messages
791
Reaction score
591
Points
93
Location
SE NC
There is no nice way. Signs hit them in the face, fact is they don’t give a 💩. Neither do I , I’m not nice anymore about, if I have to explain not to use a foam brush in your truck bed to break loose oil or don’t blow out trash / nails , mulch or whatever in my parking lot go to the guy down the road. I tell them don’t come back. Don’t need ya. Just like I’m gonna tell this guy don’t come on my property again. He threw the triple foam gun just because and left 2 bags of used up fireworks in the bay. He’s out. Here’s another. Guy blowing out truck bed. My employee/ manager caught him and told him don’t come back or trespassing warrant.
 

Attachments

Eric H

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
1,243
Reaction score
645
Points
113
Location
Leominster, MA
Should I wait to make my comment until some guy posts “I’m in the cleaning up dirt business. If the customer has money to spend then there isn’t anything I can do about it. I just clean it up! Only takes a minute...and another minute to count the money he spent.”
In my experience the convention has to go something like this with a somewhat nonaggressive tone:
Hey, I’m sorry but you can’t blow debris (mulch, yard waste, oil, screw/nails etc) out of your truck here.
Why NOT? It’s a Carwash!...
That’s right! It is a carwash and not a dump. When your wife wants to wash her car here after you’ve made a huge mess she doesn’t want to walk through it and then get in her car that she just finished vacuuming.
 

mjwalsh

6 bay SS w/laundromat
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,130
Reaction score
172
Points
63
Location
North Dakota
When the mess is oily &/or glass-nails etc ... much worse than just a small amount of leaves, grass or similar etc.

Crazy event happened 2 weeks ago ... some perp left a filled 23 qt Walmart container with all 4 ports open (not plugged) dangling on a garbage barrel located right next to an outdoor coin op vacuum. Luckily we noticed it soon enough ... to take care of it within an hour of it happening.

Part of the crazy was when I called the non emergency # ... the young officer turned out to be also a rascal trying to tell me that there was no law against the person disposing of the used oil that way & after I told the officer off a wee bit ... he called back & said that he verified his legality statement with the city attorney's office. So apparently there is a "trickle down" from some of the insanity going on in Washington DC to some of our local law enforcement???

I emailed the local PD clear video footage from 2 camera angles ... no proper response even after 100% evidence, I could persist ... but we need to pick our fights because of time restraints IMHO.
 

Attachments

Last edited:

Kimberly Berg

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Messages
381
Reaction score
546
Points
93
Location
Citrus Heights CA
This question has been asked many times I'm sure, however I would like to ask again: What procedures do you use telling customers who are attempting to wash trash, leaves, mud, glass, hay, nails etc. etc. out of pick-ups trucks and trailers etc.. I have kinda lost my patience with them and sometimes I feel I get to angry at times stopping them. How can I kick them out or stop them in a NICE WAY! How do you folks handle it? We have signs right in front of the Wand Holster and on the wall.. Your input is appreciated.. :)
Thanks in Advance...
I'm on-site every day. If I catch them in the act, I usually say calmly, "Wow, you've really left a mess for me. The bay was clean when you arrived & I'd REALLY appreciate it if you'd help me clean it up." Then I bring them a pushbroom and leave it in the bay. 9/10 it works. Then, I thank them for their help & tell them how hard I work to keep my car wash clean! As a petite woman, it doesn't do me any good to yell & demand they clean it up. Men don't want a woman telling them what to do or backed into a corner. I know my approach is different than my boyfriends, who would just say "Whoah, WTF! You need to clean up your mess, Dude!" He's a big guy & it usually works!!
 

Kar B Kleen

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2020
Messages
71
Reaction score
41
Points
18
I only get PO when I need a wheelbarrow and shovel. Anything less than that is the cost of doing business.
 

Kimberly Berg

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Messages
381
Reaction score
546
Points
93
Location
Citrus Heights CA
I think your reaction depends on your demographics & customer base. I have a very clean & modern 5-bay SS wash in California, that stays very busy. Most customers that come in are driving new luxury cars (BMW, Tesla, Corvettes, Lexus, Mercedes). My customers would NOT tolerate a guy leaving mud, oil & screws, and often speak up. Fortunately, it only happens maybe 2x/week. Most of the time, they go to the crappy car washes nearby, with no cameras & dirty bays.
 

Carwashmafia

New member
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Messages
21
Reaction score
24
Points
3
If they dump trash or mud in the bay I will have someone start cleaning it up right away while they are still washing 99% of people will feel stupid and apologize. I have found this to be the best tactic never say a word and clean up after them the looks on their faces are the best people have even said sorry and given money to my guys.
 
Top