One of the best ways to gauge your path to success and longevity is to compare notes with others in the same exact field. In an ideal situation, you could visit your competition and ask them a list of questions. But, since that probably isn’t probable, we have done the dirty work for you. The following are the answers to a recent survey that went out to all of our subscribers. Some answers could provide you with ideas on what you can do improve your business (a.k.a. Should I be open on Sundays?) while others could let you know not to steer down a certain path (Is everyone else doing Groupon?). A few of the answers have changed since last year’s survey. For instance, according to those who responded, less companies are using Facebook, but more are using Twitter. Drug testing on employees is also up since last year. What might not be too surprising, and a sigh of relief for owners and operators, is that when asked if the volume of customers has gone up since the year before, more people this year said that it has, compared to last year. However, 23 percent of you admitted that you are in fact worried about staying open.
Please note that the survey is not a scientific study and Professional Carwashing & Detailing conducted and produced the survey using Zoomerang online survey software during August of this year.
To view the digital version of this survey, please visit the Professional Carwashing & Detailing digital site.
1. What type of business are you? If you have more than one type of business on site, which one is your largest profit center, in terms of revenue.
Conveyor carwash 35%
Self serve 7%
In-bay automatic 12%
Detail center 12%
Full serve 8%
Conveyor/Self serve 1%
Conveyor/In-bay automatic 0%
In-bay automatic/Self serve 6%
Conveyor/Detail center 6%
In-bay Automatic/Detail center 1%
Conveyor/In-bay automatic/Self serve 1%
Enter an answer 1%
Other 9%
Total 100%
2. Are you open on Sundays?
Yes 79%
No 21%
Total 100%
3. What is your busiest day?
Sunday 2%
Monday 2%
Tuesday 1%
Wednesday 4%
Thursday 3%
Friday 23%
Saturday 64%
Total 100%
4. What is your slowest day?
Sunday 6%
Monday 27%
Tuesday 45%
Wednesday 16%
Thursday 2%
Friday 1%
Saturday 3%
Total 100%
5. What is your busiest season?
Spring 27%
Summer 32%
Autumn 5%
Winter 37%
Total 100%
6. Do you do drug testing on your employees?
Yes 31%
No 69%
Total 100%
7. Do you do employee background checks during your hiring process?
Yes 54%
No 46%
Total 100%
8. Do you use Groupon?
Yes 23%
No 77%
Total 100%
9. Do you use LivingSocial?
Yes 12%
No 69%
Not yet 18%
Total 100%
10. Do you use a form of social media?
Facebook 53%
Twitter 22%
No 40%
Other, please specify 8%
Other forms of social media mentioned:
Blogs
Yelp
YouTube
Text alerts
11. What are some of the green initiatives you have in place at your business?
Water reclaim 41%
Rain barrels 5%
Solar panels 5%
None 38%
Other, please specify 11%
Total 100%
Other green initiatives mentioned:
Eliminating plastic bottles and
Eliminating trigger sprayers
Using a solid separator and an oil separator
Using VFDs
Using smaller nozzles
Implemented water reduction techniques
Using biodegradeble solutions;
Eco-friendly/LED lighting
Using waterless carwash spray
Using timers
Using soft start motors
12. Do have surveillance cameras set up at your business?
Yes 70%
No 30%
Total 100%
13. If you said yes to the question above, how many cameras do you have set up?
1 0%
2 6%
3 4%
4 7%
5+ 83%
Total 100%
14. Have you had a crime occur at your business?
Yes 61%
No 39%
Total 100%
15. If you said yes to the question above, please answer what type of crime occurred?
Theft 63%
Vandalism 26%
Fight 0%
Drug deal 3%
Other 8%
Total 100%
16. Do you have a website set up for your business?
Yes 63%
No 37%
Total 100%
17. What additional profit centers do you have in place?
Vending machines 55%
Pet wash 5%
Quick lube 8%
Gas station 6%
C-store 10%
Laundromat 0%
Ice Vending 5%
Coffee 9%
Lobby sales 21%
None 27%
Other 12%
Other additional profit centers mentioned:
Detail services
Restaurant, yogurt shop
Window tinting/windshield repair
Auto Body/Collision Shop
Floor mats cleaning
Wheel covers
Headlight restoration
ATM machine
Propane tank refill station
Vacuums
Motorcycle bay
18. What equipment are you looking to install in the next year?
Tire shiner 15 15%
Reclaim equipment 15 15%
None 45 46%
Other
Other equipment mentioned:
Drops
Pet wash,
Vacuums
Wheel brushes
Ozone machine
Steam cleaner
Wax arch
Natural gas HOT WATER pressure washer
High pressure prep
Floor mat cleaner
Credit card readers
Dryers
Simoniz Bubblizer Units
Security equipment
Carpet extractor
Buff and dry machine at end of tunnnel
Wheel blaster
New tunnel
Pump replacements
Water heater
Lights
Top washer
Combo vacs
Rug shampooer
Tunnel
19. Is the volume of customers up at your business since last year at this same time?
Yes 58%
No 20%
The Same 21%
Total 100%
20. Are profits up at your business since last year?
Yes 58%
No 29%
They are about the same 13%
Total 100%
21. What is your most critical issue as a business owner?
Hiring good employees 33%
Crime 3%
Water regulations 4%
Water fees 5%
Electricity fees 6%
Weather 29%
Equipment problems 5%
Beating the competition 15%
Total 100%
22. Are you worried about staying open?
Yes 23%
No 70%
Undecided 6%
Total 100%
23. Have you had an incident in which a Jeep or SUV (or other type of vehicle) sudden accelerated while at your place of business?
Yes 13%
No 87%
Total 100%
24. If you answered “yes” to the question above, did the incident cause an accident?
Yes 40%
No 60%
Total 100%
25. Do you monitor your carwashing using a….
Mobile phone 13%
iPad 44%
Home computer 11%
All of the above 31%
I don’t monitor my carwash remotely 36%
Other 5%
Total 100%