When operators consider why they don't have more customers or why they can't tap certain markets, they tend to think the cost of their wash is the issue. That's what people tell them, so they believe it.

Price is not the issue - price is the easy excuse.

Eighty-five percent of the people who tell you they don't come to your wash because of price are covering up something else. They're afraid that if they told you your people were rude or the service was impersonal, you'd get offended.

Or, maybe priority is low. They don't understand the benefits of a professional carwash, so they conveniently fall back on not having the time or money. To remedy this, you need to teach them the convenience, the status and the quality of a professional carwash.

When you're educating your customer, you need to keep in mind that price becomes increasingly important when the specs are all the same. If you're charging $12 and they guy down the street is charging $8 and you haven't explained why your customers should pay more for your wash, good luck.

Here, it's not about the price. It's about the lack of justification of price.

All of us, every week, make purchasing decisions where we don't pay the least we could. We know we're not paying the least, and we don't care. We spend the extra money for convenience, value, comfort, good service, status - and because we deserve it.

Once you can show that your wash includes things like quality, good service and convenience, you go a long way toward taking price right out of the equation.

There are some simple things you can do that aren't expensive and can make all the difference in overcoming the price excuse.

People make their transactions with your cashiers, and their experience is one of the most memorable they'll have. When your cashiers don't make eye contact, people are put off.

Carwashing is unique in that people have to pay before they know how good the product was. You can minimize this uncomfortable situation by having cashiers who are pleasant and make this unusual practice worthwhile.

People also love it when you remember them by name. If you've got the information stored on your computer, have your cashiers address them in this more personal manner.

There are some good, general statistics on who the typical carwash customer is, but the only way you're going to know who your customers are is by talking to them.

You're not too busy, even on those crazy Saturdays when the line is backed up into the street. That's when there's the most information to be had, and you'll find the time once you accept the premise that talking to your customers will grow your business.

On those busy days, customers are sitting in their cars and they are bored and agitated; you have people who can talk to them and get basic information.

Don't ask yes-or-no questions because that gives you minimal feedback. Ask open-ended questions, such as, "How often do you come here?" "Where do you work?" and "Are there any opportunites for us to get a fleet account there?"

This is also a good time to get feedback on possible new avenues for your business. Ask them what new services they'd like to see and what they'd be willing to pay for them.

A nice way to end the conversation is to give them a sticky name tag and ask them to write their name on it. Tell them you want to be able to address them by name. They'll appreciate it, and if there are kids in the car they'll love it.

Kids can influence purchasing decisions. After all, who among us hasn't been held hostage in the cereal aisle?

Some of the information that your customers provide won't always trickle back to you unless you talk to all of your employees. They are the ones in the trenches, and they know what makes the customers tick, so don't assume they don't know anything about marketing.

Hold meetings with your staff regularly and get their input. This will make your business better and it will make your employees happy. You can be sure that when employees aren't happy, customers see it in their faces.

You need to start synthesizing information and learning who's coming to your carwash and how to use those people to create more business.

Some of the useful information is just sitting at your fingertips. You can usually tell how old someone is within 5 or 6 years, but there are many other things you can tell too.

When someone pays by check or credit card, your cashiers have a wealth of information handed to them. Checks and credit cards tell you customers' names, how far they came to get to you, where you can mail them a flier, and sometimes whether they are in a high- income bracket.

Once you talk to customers and get this information, you'll have to use it. The best way to use it is to learn who your customers are, what you're doing right, and build from that.

When you have a good idea who your customers are, you'll begin to realize what extra services would appeal to them. Do they need the extra convenience of you coming to pick up their car? Would they like to see more detailing services?

The ideas will be there, and this is when you need to write a good business plan and set reasonable goals. Keep in mind that something is better than nothing.

Too many carwash operators have an all-or-nothing attitude when they launch an expansion project. They want to double their business in three months, but it's just too tall an order. You'll never convert every homewasher, just like you can never convert every Kmart shopper. But something is better than nothing!

Try to grow by 10 percent the year you write the plan, or try to tap a new market. Achieve these things, find what you're doing right and move one.

When you're thinking of trying something new, call some customers who you know might be interested and ask them to participate in a focus group. There's no crime against starting out small, and once the word gets out that you have this extra service, you might be reaching other potential customers.

It's about creating a marketing plan and asking, "Where do we want to be in three to six months and how are we going to get there." It's not how many strategies you choose, it's how many you actually implement.

Once you know who your customers are, what they want and why they come to you or feel apprehensive about coming to you, you'll have all of your marketing ducks in a row. That'll mean more business focus and real, tangible growth.

Mergers and franchsies do not necessarily build businesses - people people build businesses.