Smart Ways to Increase Your Average Carwash Ticket

Another method is the upsell. Whatever package the customer first asks for, the greeter suggests the next higher package, pointing out the added value: “For only $3 more you can get ...” Most customers usually purchase the same thing and might not even consider another package until it is explained.

Note for express operators: Your pay stations are your greeters. Each manufacturer can suggest ways to use the pay station software to hopefully yield a higher average. Make sure you speak with your sales or support rep often to make sure you are using the software to its fullest potential.

Bottom-line: If you’re not an express operator, don’t put off hiring, training or incentivizing your greeter. If you don’t have the energy, higher an outside training firm. Work on new approaches to find out what works. Nothing can bring you a higher average ticket quicker than a well-trained greeter.

2. Menu Sign. Next to a greeter, menu signage is your single most important element. Essentially, your menu sign is a salesperson, whose job is to present customers with options and make recommendations. The key behavioral pattern to remember with menu sign design is that if consumers are confused or overwhelmed by their choices, they will almost always pick the most “basic” option or pick what they’ve purchased previously.

It’s a form of paralysis by analysis, where too much information prohibits an informed decision. Simplicity, ease of comprehension, and intuitive differentiating value are key.

Simplicity is key because customers only have a few seconds to really understand their choices. Too many options will trigger paralysis by analysis. Ideally you should have three wash packages and three extra services (maximum four). Package names should also be simple and easy to remember. Theme-oriented names should be avoided if they’re not as simple as Bronze, Silver, Gold or another simple naming convention. There’s no need to be overly creative here. Also, too many graphics and/or images can lead to confusion.

Comprehension begins with being able to read the sign, so make sure it is big enough to be read three cars deep in your stack. If you can’t make it that big, buy multiple smaller signs and place them closer to the cars. Remember, too, that we read top down and left to right, so the most expensive (and hopefully the best value) wash should be listed first, either at the top or left.

Also, make sure that service inclusions are easy to comprehend. Don’t feel the need to list every possible inclusion (i.e., soap, water, wax #1, wax #2, dryer, etc.). While you might think it increases perceived value, it only confuses. From a design standpoint, avoid decorative fonts. Stick with a sans-serif font and leave plenty of negative space (blank space with no content).

Intuitive differentiating value means that it is blatantly obvious that the Silver wash is a little better than the Bronze wash, and the Gold wash is clearly the best wash. This is another reason why simple package names should be used. It also reinforces the importance of keeping the wash inclusions clear so that it is obvious which additional items customers get with each wash. Color also is an important tool to help signify value and make your menu easier to comprehend.

Bottom-line: Menu signs have a huge impact on your average ticket. If you have a sign that’s cluttered, confusing or hard to read, invest in a new, professionally designed one. Every day you put it off is leaving money on the table.

3. Pre and Post Transaction Signs. Another simple and affordable way to increase your average ticket is with pre-sell and post-sell signage. Pre-sell signage is very popular in the fast-food industry and you almost always see them before you get to the menu sign. In the carwash industry, they are just as relevant but not nearly as popular.

I suggest a simple sign that highlights a single, extra service in order to whet a customer’s appetite. It could say something like, “When was the last time you waxed?” or “Do you like shiny tires?” Signage should be concise and easily readable as customers drive toward the point of order.

Post-sell signs are valuable because they can sow the seeds of a customer’s next visit. Tout the benefits of your top package or the importance of a particular extra service. By planting the seeds during the current visit, you can yield a higher ticket on the next visit.

4. Manager Specials. These types of specials are strategic discounts that are unannounced and random so customers don’t expect or wait for them. For example, you might pick a cloudy day to offer an extra service for half price. There are too many variables to suggest anything beyond this, but it’s worth a try.

Test it out by running a one-day trial. At the end of the day, check the reports to see if the higher quantity of extra service at the discounted price makes you more than the average quantity at the regular price. Experimentation is key.

Bottom-line: You shouldn’t offer these specials every day and be sure to rotate your offers.

These are just some of the ways to increase your average ticket, and in reality, the application of each suggested method could fill volumes. The key is to make it a priority (if not an obsession) and experiment to find out what works for your wash.

In a tough market, nothing could be more important and more urgent than focusing on increasing sales from the customers you already have. Do it well and all those pennies can make a big difference.

Kyle Doyle is president of Blue Sky Image Group, a full-service marketing firm dedicated to the carwash industry. Kyle has been in the carwash industry for 15 years. Prior to starting Blue Sky, he was CEO of Compuwash and also managed a carwash in Long Island, N.Y. He can be reached at 631.431.2600 or kdoyle@carwashimage.com.