Add a Food Joint
Whether operating as a separate entity or as part of your car wash business, a food joint can be a major attraction to your business. Usually, customers like a place they can enjoy a drink or a snack while waiting for their cars to be cleaned. However, you must ensure your food joint serves quality foods that keep customers returning. It would be best if you also stayed competitive in terms of customer services and pricing.
Offer a Wider Selection of Services
The most popular car washes are the in-bay automatics and self-service car washes. Whichever type you operate, it would be best to offer customers various options. For example, some clients prefer automated car washing while others look for professional cleaners. Others choose a car wash type depending on the condition of their vehicles. For this reason, it is vitally prudent to offer a more comprehensive list of services to give customers more choices.
The advantage of providing a wide selection of services is that you can earn loyal customers who would visit you when looking for a quick or deep car wash. However, investing in quality washing equipment, shampoos, and professional staff is essential.
Create a More Inviting Environment
What makes your car wash business stand out among your competitors? Research shows that every car wash has more than six competitors within its coverage radius. That means creating a more inviting atmosphere that makes the customer choose your services among your competitors is vital.
There are various ways to create an inviting environment. First, ensure your customers experience efficiency. This is enough reason to earn and retain valuable customers. Also, creating a luxurious ambiance, especially in the waiting bay, makes customers comfortable regardless of the waiting period. High hygiene standards and a well-kept landscape can also earn your business customers.
Install Shade Structures
One of the many ways to increase productivity in any business is by ensuring comfort for both employees and customers. Although you may have constructed a permanent services bay, installing additional shade structures can enhance customer experience and comfort. In addition, installing quality and attractive shade structures improves curb appeal making your car wash noticeable even from a distance.
Another benefit of shade structures in your car wash business is to protect your clients’ cars from sun-related damage such as dashboard fading, electrical components damage, and upholstery issues. Excessive exposure to direct sun rays can also cause damage, such as broken belts, low fluid levels, inefficient antifreeze, and low tire pressure.
Invest in Your Lobby
If you have a waiting area, ensure it is memorable. In addition to offering comfortable seats, you can add kids’ games, massage chairs, or coffee/tea stations. The idea is to make customers appreciate their stay at the car wash. In addition to making your lobby a point of interest, increasing your online presence can help you connect with new clients as you retain the existing ones.
However, it would be best if you created time to promptly and professionally respond to online questions and complaints. A poor response to a negative review can damage a business’s reputation more than a negative review could.
Start a Loyalty Program
Starting a loyalty program could be the only ticket to retaining your customers in an industry where your competitors could be down the street. For example, you could offer a free wash or upgraded package to customers who have hit a certain number of visits within a given period. The idea is to keep your clients away from competitors and attract new ones.
Alternatively, you can create a membership program where clients buy unlimited washes for a given period. This approach is the most effective since clients with active subscriptions will likely remain loyal for longer. That said, it is vital to maintain consistency in providing quality services. Let your clients keep coming because they appreciate your services rather than because they have an active subscription.
Upgrade Your Car Wash Packages
If you are starting a car wash business, you might have a short list of services. However, you can add new services to attract more customers and increase your revenue. For example, if your services include body wash, vacuuming, and under wash, you can add upholstery cleaning, leather conditioning, dent repairs, etc.
This approach requires extensive research on what customers want in car washes. You can also provide an upgraded version of your competitor’s cleaning package to give yourself an upper hand in the competition.
Include Contacts and Embedded Google Map on Your Website
This approach assumes you have a business website; if you don’t, create one. With the increased reliance on the internet for solutions and direction, having a website could be the only ticket to your brand awareness. This means customers are likely to discover only the car washes that could be reached via Google search.
That said, it is crucial to include all the necessary information regarding your car wash on your website. E.g., physical location, Google Maps, contacts, and packages offered. This is the best way to attract new customers and passersby to your neighborhood.
Modernize Your Car Wash
Everyone is looking for modern technology, and revamping your car wash business shows you have gained modern tech and experience. For example, you can update the machinery to the new models on the market, update the payment terminal, or add new services such as a dog wash station.
A new look will always get customers excited about the expected experience. Surprisingly, adding unique expertise can also attract more customers, especially if it adds value to their vehicles.
Conclusion
Whether new or experienced in the car wash business, the need to improve your business profitability remains the same. While different entities use various marketing strategies to attract customers, the above innovative ideas can work in any car wash establishment. Choose the most appropriate one for your business.
