My Vector IBA is working fine but with all these new Express Exteriors being built I am thinking I need to be more proactive instead of reactive to grow my customer base. I am going to add blowers no matter what it is way over due and I feel it is something customers will like.
I never thought of the weekend wipe down service like that before. Customers thinking of my Car Wash on the weekdays as "Less Than" service is a very enlightening view point.
Do you have a full time worker at your free self service towel station?
I do not have a free towel station, but when I have an attendant on duty, it is for clean up, answering questions etc. - never to assist in cleaning, unless there is a disabled or elderly person in a ss who wants/needs help - that is a no-brainer.
I just don't ever want someone to see or receive something one day, and then not get it or not have it available another day. It is just my take on things. I would rather offer all of the customers the same services all of the time.
If you have express exteriors for competition, a Sonny's i5 - or any good friction machine of your choice, will allow you to compete better. Like I said, if you clean the car well, use a good DA and SFR, whatever your blowers miss will be a non issue - the car will be clean and spot free.
Plus, the friction will clean the cars better and probably faster, and your results will be more like that of an express exterior.
I don't intend to start any arguments, but the friction machines clean a larger variety of soils more consistently - so you will generally offer a better wash to more customers - like an EE.
I make this statement as an owner of both friction and touchfree washes - not trying to open up a can of worms on the forum.
Last time I looked on the Sonny's site, they have kind of an EE IBA concept. Sure, it won't be as fast as a conveyor, but by taking care of several functions of the wash while driving in and out of the bay, the wash is significantly faster. Also see that Autec has something like that too.