In general, and especially up here in the northern part of the country, summer is a great time of the year to enjoy the weather, go on vacation and, if you own a carwash, enjoy some of the busiest days of the entire year. Particularly around holidays, such as Labor Day, there are more cars on the road and more potential business to obtain. From bug removal services to offering your version of a “platinum package,” this surge in business is a welcome sight.
For many carwashes, summer is truly a time of peaks and valleys, which are also known as bad weather days. Over the past decade (and even further back), some unusual, severe weather patterns have occurred across the U.S. during the late spring to early fall months. Earlier this summer, serious flood conditions in Texas reiterated the fact that the trend in harsh weather is still a prevalent concern.
As your carwash wraps up this summer season — and we hope that it was a successful period for your business — regardless of your bottom line performance, evaluate how well you maximized productivity during slow days. While the wash was bringing in zero profits on rainy days, were you able to fit in training, maintenance or any practice that would strengthen the business?
And, just as a family in a flood zone would prepare an emergency kit, does your carwash have an emergency plan for a natural or business disaster? Have you and your managers considered worst case scenarios and possible solutions?
Our lead feature this month focuses on the state of the carwash market. Key indicators and those we interviewed for the article note sustained growth in this industry. While your carwash’s success will vary depending on many different factors, including your planning and training regimens, a strong, growing market is good for your business in many ways. For instance, severalof today’s carwash equipment, chemical and product manufacturers are growing. As a result, they are investing in the latest ways to attract customers to carwashes and enhance the customer experience.
We hope you are having a great summer and enjoy this issue of Professional Carwashing & Detailing.
