They will sit there waiting 45 minutes in a line even when it’s pouring out. They moved down the street from us in 2014 we been doing fine but I would love to steal some of their customers or mine back. A lot have already come back. The tunnel I have is an older Hamilton im planning on buying off my father. It’s in a great location. I was going to gut the place and redo the entire setup and then get an account with easy wash who claims he can basically make me and extra 150k a year in members and this is with him telling me to wait one more year to gut the place. What do you guys think? We towel dry try and do our best to compete with the big dawg down the street but I don the have gas pumps so that’s a big one I think why people get the unlimited for cheaper gas.
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Why do people cult around Delta Sonic and these other huge chains.?
- Thread starter Sakran
- Start date
washnshine
Well-known member
Are you in Buffalo, Rochester or Syracuse by any chance? I know they also have some locations in Illinois, but I thing upstate NY is their main territory. I’m in Western NY and we have 11 or 12 Delta Sonics around the city and suburbs. Well, a stop at Delta can get you gas, a wash with optional towel dry and with free vacs, interior cleaning if you want - fill details, paint correction , windshield repairs , oil change, snacks, drinks and even a brick oven pizza or hot sandwich in some of their locations. It’s a pretty all-encompassing model they have, but it seems the best way to compete with them is to be a one-trick pony that specializes in one thing- like an express exterior - and do it very well. Lots of people don’t want to be surrounded by all of that activity and just want a wash. Delta only recently added the free vacs and monthly memberships to combat the express exteriors popping up all around. They do feel the heat of these other operators, or they wouldn’t have responded. But as said on this forum many times, there seems to be enough pie for everyone, but the pieces just get smaller.
Yeah that’s why it’s hard to compete with that at a car wash level, im about to purchase a tunnel off my father which has been there forever it’s in need of upgrades but even with delta down the street we do good besides the raining summers. I’m just nervous about borrowing a lot of money to gut the place and get EverWash to compete with deltas exterior options. I always tell everyone the reason I believe people go to delta is because they get cheap gas with unlimited car washes so I don’t think they really care how the car comes out
washnshine
Well-known member
Well, like I said, I am seeing express exterior washes have a lot of success competing with Delta Sonic. A competing chain that is relatively new is an express exterior with monthly unlimited plans and they are hitting every city that Delta Sonic is in (in New York) with anywhere between 5-12 locations. They only offer exterior washes and free vacs - none of the extras DS has, but they are superb in wash quality compared to DS. So, they are proving that if you can do only one thing, but do it well, you can compete. You said you already do well with DS down the street, so updating will only help. What city are you in?
Another benefit they have over a single site is that their plan members can wash at any of the chain's multiple locations in those areas that washnshine mentioned. As a single site operator you have to differentiate yourself in a way that overcomes their advantages. It won't be easy but it can be done.
jfmoran
Active member
If you expect to compete with DS, then you have to step up your game. Upgrading equipment, renovating the interior and exterior of your building are all things you must do... now. Lastly, you need a membership program. The reason people "cult" to these big chains is the convenience and consistency of getting their car washed there. Membership programs tie people to your wash, they are not going to go somewhere else when they are paying you monthly. Get yourself some pay stations and manage your own membership program, you don't need Everwash to do it for you.
You're worried about borrowing money to improve your business... the questions you have to ask yourself is... what happens if I don't?
