This is something we must all attempt to overcome, and the industry as a whole should come together to make positive strides in educating consumers about the benefits of visiting a professional carwash.
I am approached every day by new customers who want to try our services but are apprehensive because they fear the carwash “brushes” will scratch their cars. They would seemingly prefer to do it themselves in their driveways or visit a hand wash. I spend a few minutes with each of these prospective customers explaining our equipment and the benefits of visiting a professional carwash.
We wash Ferraris and Bentleys every day for the same customers over and over again. They entrust these valuable investments with us because they know the equipment is not only safe, but does a fantastic job — better and faster than any hand wash they may have visited in the past. Our carwash puts out rims that shine like mirrors, and most customers can appreciate that it would take them well over half an hour just to clean the rims on their car, let alone the rest of their vehicle.
Asking a carwash operator if our equipment will scratch the car is akin to asking the owner of a McDonald’s if you will get food poisoning after eating a Value Meal. We all know better as consumers because we have tried McDonald’s without being sick and because McDonald’s is a household name. If there was a national carwash power brand similar to a McDonald’s, operators would likely see a positive impact because more and more consumers would learn the benefits of professional carwashes more readily.
The lack of a national carwash brand also leads to issues about pricing. While some operators still think the proper course of business is to charge $3 for an exterior wash, others like Mr. Squeaky offer a quality wash in an exterior format for a higher price. Our basic exterior wash with free vacuums is $8. Customers who have tried our service believe it is the best deal in town at that price.
Our full-service washes start at $21. Although we are about $3 over the average price for a basic full-service wash in our area, customers tell me they would typically pay about $40 for comparable service elsewhere. While another wash may nickel-and-dime the customer for air fresheners or cleaning door jambs and cup holders, we include everything in our full-service washes. Customers are willing to pay a few extra dollars for this white glove service, and in the end, are actually spending less for comparable service at a competing wash.
Since so many operators across the nation charge a vast array of prices for many different carwash services, it becomes impossible for customers to truly compare apples to apples. Thus, it becomes necessary to educate your customers on the benefits of your particular wash. What is included in your service packages and at what price?
While a cheeseburger from McDonald’s or Burger King may be comparable, full-service carwashes at competing sites may be vastly different. My philosophy has always been that if you provide a great product or service at a fair (not cheap) price, you will have more business than you can handle.
Mr. Squeaky Carwash is certainly not trying to be the cheapest carwash in town; instead we strive to be the best. Our customers see the difference during every visit and always give us praise for our outstanding quality and service.
