The Soapbox
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Tony Jones |
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11/17/2010
Building Success from the Inside Out Stems from LeadershipNo matter how you shake it, 2010 has been a difficult year for just about every segment of the carwash industry. Tough times typically require tough decisions, but investing in the intangible can sometimes be among the most difficult things to do. For example, while most business owners have looked at ways to cut costs (including labor) to help offset revenue shortages, few businesses continue to maintain their internal cultures and morale without compromise. |
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10/13/2010
Don't be Social without a PlanCarwashes, detailers, fast lubes and car repair facilities have begun to pop up with regularity on social media sites, even if a large percentage of these business segments still lag behind other retail services in Web presence and site development. While a small percentage of these companies have optimized their Web sites and actively communicate effectively with customers online, there is a large percentage of social media business users who have bypassed building a meaningful Web site in favor of jumping head first into social media without giving much thought as to why. |
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10/04/2010
Carwash Video Shows Danger of Spinning WrapThere are plenty of things that can go wrong in and around a carwash that can jeopardize the safety of both employees and customers. A grim reminder of this hit the Internet last week when someone posted a surveillance video on YouTube showing a carwash employee taking a frightening ride when a spinning wrap entangled with a hose the employee was holding. |
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09/15/2010
Technology Necessitates Change for Car Care BusinessesThe problem technology poses for many in the car care industry is when to adopt it and how to incorporate it wisely. Adopt too early and there may be bugs to contend with and shaky technical support. Adopt too late and companies risk falling far behind competitors that opt in early, not to mention that the learning curve and ease of integration can become dauntingly steep. |
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08/30/2010
Take a Tour of the New ModernCarCare.comWelcome to the new ModernCarCare.com. As you can see, we’ve been doing some redecorating, and we think you’ll appreciate many of the new aspects to the Web site. |
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08/11/2010
Carwashes are like UmpiresSomeone once told me that a carwash is only as good as its last wash. This certainly makes sense from some customers’ perspectives, but carwashes that have established themselves as consistently excellent in quality, service and accountability tend to have greater leeway and acceptance from loyal customers when errors inevitably occur. |
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08/03/2010
A ‘Mooving’ Wash ExperienceThe influence of carwash designs has now reached the dairy industry. While I have twice written about human carwash designs and even shopping cart washing technology, I don’t think I ever expected to discuss bovine beauty treatments. But such is my world in monitoring the ongoing influence of automatic carwash technology. |
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07/14/2010
Need a Carwash? There’s an App for ThatQuick Quack Car Wash has launched an iPhone application to help customers find the location nearest to them. In addition, customers will receive exclusive promotional offers through their mobile phones and will be able to check out the company’s latest news. |
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06/29/2010
Carwash by the NumbersHow is it that a chain of automotive collision repair centers can claim the Guinness World Record for “Most Cars Washed - Multiple Venues” by washing more than 4,000 vehicles in an eight-hour period instead of a professional carwash chain or coordinated effort by the carwash industry? ... |
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06/03/2010
If Michael Scott Owned a CarwashWith the launch of carwashTV.com, producer and founder Kyle Doyle not only has set out on an ambitious quest to chronicle the industry with a series of informative video interviews and profiles, he wants to entertain viewers. To that end, Doyle wrote and directed a comedic video about a fictitious carwash owner who goes a tad overboard in his commitment to service and quality. |