Xpres Wash

[washnvac]

Is anyone using the Xpres Wash rfid system in their iba? If so, pros & cons please.

 

[waterway]

One con is its $10,000. I looked into adding them to my 6 location but in my opinion it is cost prohibitive. For a marginally more price you can add a whole new entry system that comes with one ie PDQ Access, Unitec Portal TI and I'm sure plenty others. When you add one to these machines it cost around $3,500. Doesn't make any sense to me that this one costs $10k. But I think adding an RFID system definitely could be a big money maker.

 

[washnvac]

One con is its $10,000.

I am aware of that cost. It is cheaper then wash card, though. Wash card was going to be $20-25k, because you need the base system for s/s bays to add rfid. I am not interested in adding c/c to the bays.

Regarding the other auto-cashiers you mentioned- I assume they are already set up for rfid, and that additional cost is for the antenna?

I did speak with someone from Xpres Wash yesterday, and they have a new module that is $11k (includes 1 antenna) and allows for up to four antennas at the same site. Each additional antenna is $5k. So I can do my two ibas at one site for $16k.

I think the potential for the unlimited monthly passes is great. You get those funds regardless of weather. Just trying to figure the potential, and the payback is difficult.

 

[DivineSuccess]

we looked into xpress wash as well one thing that was unsettling was that you had to use their cc processor, which wasn't cheap. and they held your funds until the end of the month/ only transferred once a month. so essentially they get an interest free loan. I'd rather use my processor and get the deposit right away.

 

[washnvac]

one thing that was unsettling was that you had to use their cc processor, which wasn't cheap. and they held your funds until the end of the month/ only transferred once a month.

The gentleman I spoke with yesterday said funds would be deposited daily, as with any c/c processor. I will certainly re-verify. If monthly is the case, and I decided to go with it, we will set it up to charge all cards on the 30th of the month for any unlimited program.

 

[robblackburn]

washnvac - I agree and also spoke with xpress wash and it seems they have made some improvements over the last year. The system is less for multiple bays because they all now share a central computer and this brings cost down as you mentioned in your post. I was also told credit card charges are also handled thru Mercury and posted direclty to your bank account and this is a big improvement. Have you talked with anyone actually using the system or seen it in action. I think the payback could potentially be very quick if were agressive with marketing the tags.

 

[washnvac]

I talked to a gentleman in Georgia who has 11 locations. He currently has Wash Card rfid in four locations, adding a fifth soon. He was definitley in favor of the product. His first install was a new location with an express tunnel and one iba. He said he has over 400 signed up at that one. The other three have only been up and running for 4-5 months. Each of those has about 100 or so signed up. He did tell me he is currently billing about $19k at the first of every month.

He said to make it work the deal has to be really good, and you have to push it like crazy. He does unrestricted, unlimited for $29.95/month, then for a second vehicle within the same household $14.95/month.

Like you, I just can not get passed that start up cost--around $22k installed for 2 ibas. That steady income, rain or not, is what is driving me forward though. I will keep you informed if I proceed.

 

[robblackburn]

wow ... that $19K per month is pretty strong. I am just not sure how to market and implement. I have all IBA locaiton and attendants are on each site an average of maybe 25 hours a week. I guess that you just have to advertise with signage and take phone calls and give the people the hours of the attendant so that they can stop by and have the tag installed and tested. Just thinking ... but very interesting.