SONNY'S DIRECT...Supplier or competitor???

[altcw555]

I felt it's important to share that ONCE AGAIN the President of Sonny's Equipment Division (Anthony Analetto) has decided to advertise his multi-million dollar car wash on the billboard towering DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR CAR WASH!

Truly wish we would have know that Sonny's upper management scheme would include "LOOK OUT EXISTING OWNERS, WE ARE COMING TO GET YOUR BUSINESS" before having purchased Sonny's equipment for a previous tunnel wash we owned!! Unfortunately we found out too late what our loyalty was truly lacking in worth to their company.

"GOOD LUCK & HOPE WE DON?T BUILD A LOCATION NEAR YOU"? should be included in their educational classes. "?WITH OUT YOU NONE OF THIS IS POSSIBLE" could also be correct since their President's personal washes may be advertising directly across the street from past, current or future Sonny's customer?s Pre-Existing wash locations!

As any entrepreneur would, we expect the challenge of good competition. Just shouldn't be the Equipment Div. PRESIDENT of the largest supplier of tunnel wash equipment that has decided to build his own washes, as well as compete! Seems unethical that ANYONE should have to look at Anthony's billboards towering directly on top of ones own personal wash, such as ours!!!

 

[Tom Thumb]

I reckon if you are not the one being burned by this type of MFG,DEALER,SUPPLIER,Competition, you can look at this as a glass half full instead of half empty.
Just my opinion.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I would call the sign company and see i they picked that location or it was just random, they do sound like competition though, When you call the sign co, remind them it is so cheesy to advertise like that . The good news is that type of advertising is a waste of money, most people forget the ad 3 secs after they pass it. Billboards help with name recognition, but that doesn't mean sales or new customers.

 

[robert roman]

A well worded and strategically positioned highway billboard can be a highly effective means to reallocate the demand inherent in a stream of traffic.

I have clients that have experienced significant gains in sales volumes from the tactical use of a highway billboard. In some cases, the gain was more than a 50% year-to-year increase.

The ownership situation is a little cheesy, but the real issue is the fact that you chose a business model that has a weaker value proposition than your competitor.

After all, I believe you had the first opportunity to develop a new wash and acquire billboard space by virtue of entering the marketplace first.

What is more important now is to answer the question; how can you beat or avoid these guys?

Based on my understanding of your trade area, I believe there are several tactics you could employ to counter the threat.

Bob Roman
RJR Enterprises

 

[JK Xpress]

Why not send a letter to Paul Fazio at Sonny's and detail your concerns?!?

 

[carwashdoc]

Unethical

i felt it's important to share that once again the president of sonny's equipment division (anthony analetto) has decided to advertise his multi-million dollar car wash on the billboard towering directly across the street from our car wash!

Truly wish we would have know that sonny's upper management scheme would include "look out existing owners, we are coming to get your business" before having purchased sonny's equipment for a previous tunnel wash we owned!! Unfortunately we found out too late what our loyalty was truly lacking in worth to their company.

"good luck & hope we don?t build a location near you"? Should be included in their educational classes. "?with out you none of this is possible" could also be correct since their president's personal washes may be advertising directly across the street from past, current or future sonny's customer?s pre-existing wash locations!

As any entrepreneur would, we expect the challenge of good competition. Just shouldn't be the equipment div. President of the largest supplier of tunnel wash equipment that has decided to build his own washes, as well as compete! Seems unethical that anyone should have to look at anthony's billboards towering directly on top of ones own personal wash, such as ours!!!

anthony also has a multi million dollar site juust blocks away from my carwash , of course i was here years before, with a big billboard advertising 3 dollar wash and free vacuum. I think it is very unethical, to do this especially to some one who was a distributor of sonny's equipment, needless to say, not any more. My affliation gtoes back along way with bill macleod of car wash professionals, god rest his soul, back when they had honor . I guess those days are gone.

 

[motoman]

It seems like these replies are missing the point of the true issue. This isn't about wash type, billboards or competiton. It is about proper business ethics. Our family has been considering getting into the car wash business. After reading this post, we would never consider purchasing epuipment from anyone we could end up having to compete with. A billboard near any customers location is totally unethical!

 

[Dean Taylor]

Perhaps they don't even know what they have done...

I would contact Paul Fazio, Owner of Sonny's. He's a very reasonable guy.

pfazio@sonnysdirect.com

I doubt Paul would like all the negative feedback and (I can't speak for him but) I'm quite sure he would take measures to correct the situation.

I'm not a huge fan of theirs but I would offer them the benefit of the doubt prior to bashing them.

 

[JK Xpress]

Motoman - I did not miss the point at all. My recommendation (also the recommendation of D. Taylor) is why not reach out to Paul Fazio (top dog at Sonny's) and infrom him. I have a Sonny's Tunnel and if the scenario described above happened in my market, that is what I would do.

 

[altcw555]

Paul Fazio was personally made aware of our serious concerns with this issue some time ago!!!

 

[mac]

This doesn't really surprise me that Sonny's would do this. They are the only supplier that I know of in this country that you HAVE to press 1 for English. They just don't seem to get it. I also find it offensive to classify this as bashing. How is describing the operating practices of a company bashing? I wonder if there is an ethics course at the carwash college? La prima do mera dos.

 

[Greg Pack]

Perhaps I would feel differently if I was in the OPs situation, but I kinda like the fact they are operators. They encounter the same problems and challenges everyday operators do and if they are smart they will see the needs of us in the field and try to fill them. However, IMO the billboard designed to steal business from other washes is a bit tacky. I'm sure they would respond by saying that it's just business and you are also free to erect a billboard wherever you wish- even directed towards their customers.

 

[motoman]

Any large company should never forget the Golden Rule of good business. "You don't bite the hand that feeds you."

 

[Jet-Stream]

You should be upset - Sonny's should be ashamed!

Some years ago, my wash builder and equipment supplier built a wash 1/4 of a mile away from my location. He built this for a customer, full well knowing that it was in a bad location and would never be successful -- hurting my business and never do enough volume to even pay for its self.

That was (and still is) painful for me.

I feel what Sonny's has done much worse in this situation. Especially if they went forward knowing that a customer who contributed to their success and wealth would be adversely affected.

Best of luck to you with this. I hope Sonny's will realize the error of their ways and take down the billboard.

 

[buda]

After nearly 40 years in the car wash industry I have seen a great many car wash equipment manufacturers come and go. Some were good and some were bad, for a number of reasons.

That said, I can say that I find that SONNY'S is one of the best that the industry has had the good fortune to have. Sonny Fazio was a carwash operator like his customers and he knows the problems experienced by his customers. He has passed on to his son, Paul the same concern and commitment to customers.

Personally I have purchased SONNY'S equipment for my own car wash and have sold SONNY'S systems to operators both in the USA and around the world and have had nothing but the finest service and attention.

Keep in mind that many of the carwashes that are built in different parts of the country are sold by SONNY'S distributors and not directly by SONNY'S. So they do not know where other car washes are located in the market.

Even if SONNY'S sales people are resopnsible for the sale, how would they know where another carwash was located.

Normally the market protects itself, that is, you would think that a reasonably intelligent investor would not want to build a carwash "down the street" from another wash. At least I would not think so.

As for the accusations regarding Anthony Analetto I would have to have more facts about the situation before making any comment or conclusion.

Bud Abraham

 

[altcw555]

Although I respect what your trying to say, the real issue in questions is: How you would TRULY feel if now or in the future, Paul or Anthony decided to built a multi-million dollar wash within a mile of your pre-existing location. Then advertised their wash on a billboard directly across from your wash, with no regards to you being a current or past customer and/or distributor.

Two years ago when Anthony first rented this billboard Paul Fazio was considerate enough to at least have the competing information removed. Not sure what changed and why were AGAIN having to address this same unethical issue!!!

 

[buda]

Thank you for the reply. If what you say is true then I really have no right to comment on the situation.

As is said with many conflicts whether between husband and wife or in business between suppliers and customers, "communication" is the key.

What you might do is communicate your feelings directly to Paul Fazio and see what he has to say about the situation. I believe that his personal email is on their website indicating that he is willing to communicate directly with customers.

Just some well intentioned thoughts.

Regards
Bud Abraham

 

[rph9168]

Seems to me that the person that you need to deal with is Anthony. Paul owns the company that manufactures the equipment but Anthony owns the wash and the decision to advertise is probably Anthony's, not Paul's. Just because he is Paul's employee does not mean Paul can tell him how to run his business.

I would hope that there is more than one location for him to advertise than across from your wash. I have always had a great deal of respect for Anthony but this causes me to question those feelings.

 

[mac]

There are some good thoughts here on this. CFCW, you are roght that when a manufacturer or salesman owns a wash, it giuves you good insight to the business. I thought that I knew the business untill I bought a wash. Then I really learned. That being said though, this situation is much different. I bought foreclosed or stagnent washes, turned them around and sold them. Never even though of building next to a customer's wash. Buda, you also have some good thoughts. One action, however odious, does not mean that the company has never done anything right. But this is something totally different. I've been to this wash. You really have to see it to appreciate the situation. I think they have just drifted out of the mainstream. Why else would you have to request to speak freaking English when you call them? The people involved have to see this posting and know about it. Their deafening silence speaks volumns.

 

[JimmyJaffa]

Hanging dirty laundry in public does nobody any good, because it never gets clean. This frustration will take years off of your life. The problem needs to be settled between the two of you (Anthony, not Paul or Sonny's). Call him, meet him and come to some solution, it has to be face to face. I do not know you, but no matter what you have said, Anthony I know is a good intelligent person, handle it the right way, and both of you will win.