Wash Ideas Weekly

[please forgive the audio issues - one of the guests had their sound from their speakers causing some strange noises from time to time]

We are back with Fred Grauer, Jerry Nix, and George Spelius to talk about the take aways from the WCA roadshow that was in Phoenix, AZ. Great discussion on remodels and the future of our industry.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Fred Grauer (Owner of Whistle Clean Carwash, and VP of Micrologic), Jerry Nix (Former President of the Western Carwash Association), and George Spelius (Editor, Modern Car Care)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care, WashCard Systems

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Podcast Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WashIdeas

This week we discuss the news with Kate Carr and chat with Kyle Doyle about his recent editorial in MCC “smart ways to attract new customers”. If you want to get caught up on some recent industry news stories and hear about some great marketing ideas, tune in.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Kate Carr (Editor of Professional Carwash & Detailing), and Robert Greeen (Owner, Carwash Express Inc)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care, WashCard Systems

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Podcast Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WashIdeas

Veteran’s Day is fast approaching. It is a national holiday established to honor those who have fought and continue to fight for our freedoms. We have so many to thank. Won’t you join carwash owners and operators across the country in honoring our veterans by offering them a free wash?

On November 11th, Help Honor our Veterans by providing them with a Free Carwash.

It’s not too late to do your part! Please log on to the following website http://www.graceforvets.org/ or phone Jim directly at 717.629.5494 for details on how you can get involved.

There are FREE promotional materials that you can print off and post at your wash and also use in your local newspaper to help promote your event honoring our veterans. Many before you have paid for these promotional materials.

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In today’s episode of Wash Ideas Weekly, we discuss how we can better utilize our time at a trade show and follow through with plans, how media is forgetting about professional car washing as an alternative to driveway washing, and discuss new technology that makes marketing our business better.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Kate Carr (Editor, PD&D Magazine), Perry Powell (Wash Consultant), Holly Macriss (Executive Director, Western Carwash Association)

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

Thanks Again program: To learn more about offering reward miles for YOUR customers when they use your wash visit the Thanks Again ‘More Information’ page and be sure to mention where you heard about their company.

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Podcast Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WashIdeas

In today’s episode of Wash Ideas Weekly, we are talking about customer loyalty, fundraiser carwash ammunition, and lessons we can learn from Jiffy Lube.

Featuring Ryan Carlson (Your Host), Kate Carr (Editor, PD&D Magazine), and Mike Perry (Wash Consultant).

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

Thanks Again program: To learn more about offering reward miles for YOUR customers when they use your wash visit the Thanks Again ‘More Information’ page and be sure to mention where you heard about their company.

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Click to play episode:

Podcast Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WashIdeas

In today’s episode of Wash Ideas Weekly, we explore the new emerging advertising and marketing opportunities of Facebook and the use of Twitter by small businesses such as car washes. We are joined by Kate Carr of PC&D and Victor Macias of Car Wash Profits.

Featuring Ryan Carlson, Kate Carr, and Victor Macias.

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care

Thanks Again program: To learn more about offering reward miles for YOUR customers when they use your wash visit the Thanks Again ‘More Information’ page and be sure to mention where you heard about their company.

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Click to play episode:

Podcast Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WashIdeas

This week we have Fred Grauer of Whistle Clean Carwash and the author of “25 Questions you should ask your equipment supplier“, Robert Greene of Carwash Express, and Bobby Willis of Cool Wave Carwash. We talk about equipment suppliers and their role in making or breaking your business, how to choose them, and what questions to ask them before giving them your business.

Featuring Ryan Carlson, Fred Grauer of Whistle Clean Carwash, Robert Greene of Carwash Express, and Bobby Willis of Cool Wave Carwash.

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care and Carwash Profits

New Sponsor: To learn more about offering reward miles for YOUR customers when they use your wash visit the Thanks Again ‘More Information’ page and be sure to mention where you heard about their company.

[Click here to subscribe to this podcast via iTunes]

[Click here to download the episode to your computer]

Click to play episode:

Podcast Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WashIdeas

You must come to terms with an ever-changing business climate as your customer base becomes inoculated against your marketing messages, pricing structures, menu signs, and relevance of your products or services. Change can be seen as an opportunity to finally reinvent your business or as a frightening abyss of inaction. You can certainly just stick your head in the ground like an ostrich and ignore the writing on the wall and ride things out while pointing your finger at gas prices, competitors, rising energy costs, local politicians, city councils, or the weather. Business owners that are willing to accept that they are perhaps losing touch with their customers and that their business needs a tune-up are those that will make the necessary changes and adapt. Those that would rather suck dirt and stick their heads in the ground are those that will be selling off their businesses or join the ranks of the foreclosed in the coming years.

I guess I’m a bit tired of hearing wash owners say, “I know I need to do something but…” which is followed by some excuse that is used to justify not making a change.

The changes in consumer buying trends has not only effected carwash businesses, it’s just that other industries have more successfully adapted to the current market environment. As stated earlier, consumers are becoming immune to the old way of doing business. We are now fighting for discretionary income against some of the biggest marketing machines in history. McDonalds, Walmart, Starbucks, iTunes, Amazon.com, and eBay see that people don’t have as much money in their pockets as they used to.

Here are some of the common places carwash businesses are losing touch with their customers and could look to reinvent or retool aspects of their business to be more relevant with today’s consumer. We will use the above businesses as examples of what to do right.

Be known for something, stay relevant! - You can no longer just be a ‘CAR WASH’ in your community, you need to be known for something. Whether you are the charity carwash, the eco-friendly carwash, the fastest carwash, or the carwash with the convenient club program… You fall from the publics eye when you fail to stand out.

Failure to offer payment options – I feel like a complete broken record here, but look at how consumers purchase goods and services these days. Customers do not want to be held hostage by changers, tokens, or trips to the ATM. They buy value meal hamburgers, rent .99 cent DVD’s from Redbox, order a $2.00 coffee, and purchase songs for .99 cents each with (drumroll) their bank card or credit card every day, all day, all the time. If you do not have a credit card acceptance device next to every coin slot or bill validator you can’t see the giant neon sign in the sky proclaiming that they purchase their everyday services with a credit card – this is an easy issue to tackle, it only takes money.

Ask for repeat business – Customer Data Collection – Have you ever purchased something from Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, or signed up for a ‘Customer Rewards Program’? I’m certain you or somebody close to you has – all of the businesses that are thriving and are not pointing fingers at anybody right now are those that realize it’s FAR less expensive to market to the customers they already have. If you do not have a way to capture your customers contact information (name, email address, mailing address, etc) you are missing out on perhaps the most effective and least expensive way to increase your bottom line. Just don’t go out and build a website with a “give me your information” page without having a plan… You need to create incentives, promotions, or build programs around gathering this information as an end goal. If your collecting the data from your customers good for you! If you are not doing anything with that data shame on you.

I’ve only scratched the surface… So if you feel overwhelmed and know you need to do something perhaps it’s time to find somebody you know that can help, attend an association education event, or seek the assistance of a professional.

Episode 7 of the Wash Ideas Podcast – “The Master and Apprentice of Monthly WashPass”

Featuring Ryan Carlson and Guests Perry Powell of Perry Powell Consulting, Robert Greene of Carwash Express, and Marcus Schoeneberger of Texas Shine

Show Sponsors: Modern Car Care and Carwash Profits

This show we interview a wash operator with 10 locations that is 4 months in on marketing a promising unlimited wash pass program. We are joined by Perry Powell and a special guest Marcus Schoenenberger of Texas Shine, a San Antonio based multi-site operation that has over 10,000 unlimited wash passes in circulation. This is a MUST-LISTEN for anybody serious about learning more about this new innovative business model.

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Podcast Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WashIdeas

Adding credit card acceptance to a car wash location is one of the upgrades every business owner must consider if they want to maximize their earning potential in 2009 and beyond. Every year that passes a new generation of car owners hit the street and they do not carry any cash. The next generation of consumers relies heavily on the ability to use their check cards and credit cards to make every day purchases. Adding credit card acceptance to your wash services is the key to getting more business from current customers and gaining the business of new customers.

What is the cost of doing nothing?

• Wash owners that are not currently accepting credit cards at their wash services are missing out gaining the business of a younger (and successful) demographic of consumers.

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