How to Compete with Other Express Car Wash Competition
As an express car wash owner, your job is not done the minute you open your new small car wash business. You need to learn how to compete with other businesses that offer car washes in your area, whether self-service, full-service, or express washes.Remaining competitive is essential if you want your car wash business to be successful. To be competitive, these are several things you can do, as follows:
Step #1: Analyze Your Competition
The first step is to study the competition and learn more about your competitors. Most car washes will discover they have at least one other car wash nearby. You could easily find five or more car washes in more populated areas, all within your geographical location.Ideally, you want to cover, at a minimum, a three-mile radius from your car wash to look for car wash competition. In smaller areas, you will want to expand your search radius up to ten miles out.
Step #2: Review What Services They Offer
You need to compare their services to your services. When comparing services, write down the type of car wash, such as self-service, full-service, etc. Do not be afraid to get out and take a look around or even get your car washed at their location.As you do, ask yourself the following:
- Is there a particular brand they feature for their car wash soap and wax? By advertising a specific brand, it could entice customers to stop at this car wash business.
- Do they have vending machines? Vending machines can offer a wide range of products that boost sales and attract customers.
- What do they sell in their vending machines? The product mix offered in vending machines is another type of service that could entice customers to visit this car wash.
- What hours are they open? The operating hours can be a major perk for some people.
- What types of customers do they attract? During your visit, pay attention to the clientele to see if it is the same market segment you focus on.
- How do their prices compare? Write down their prices for different types of washes, wash packages, vacuums, etc.
Step #3: Identify Your Customers’ Pain Points
Pain points are potential issues your customers face when visiting your car wash. To address them, you need to better understand why your customers wash their cars. This research is easy to conduct by simply hanging out at your car wash and asking your customers a few questions when they visit, such as:- How would they rate the quality of the wash?
- How well does the car wash dry their vehicles?
- Is there any confusion about how to pull into the car wash bay?
- How would they rate the prices for car washes?
- How would they rate the packages that you offer?
- Why do they like your car wash compared to the competition?
Step #4: Address Your Customers’ Pain Points
Go down your list of pain points and, for each pain point, develop a resolution. Once you do, make sure to announce this change at your car wash to let your customers know.For example, if a major complaint is the quality of the wash, upgrade to a superior brand of car wash cleaning products. Once you do, use banners and signs for advertising the new superior car cleaning products.
Step #5: Implement New Strategies to Attract and Retain Customers
Using the information you gathered about your car wash competition, use this to create new strategies to attract and retain customers like any of the following:Start a Loyalty Program
Start a customer loyalty program with different reward levels for your repeat customers. There are all sorts of different program options, such as earning reward points, discounts, etc.Tap Into Social Media
Social media is an effective communication tool and marketing tool. You can share information about your car wash with your followers, and they can reach you to share their experiences. Do not overlook the many features you have at your fingertips with social media, such as live streaming, sharing videos of how-tos for different equipment, car cleaning tips and tricks, etc.Listen to Customer Feedback
To run a successful small car wash business, you need to listen to customer feedback. You want to make sure to thank all your customers for providing feedback, whether it is through social media, Google, or some other review platform.Never dismiss negative feedback. You still want to thank customers who leave negative feedback. Take the time to address the reason for the negative feedback. If the customer posted the feedback online, take the time to let others know what steps you took to resolve the situation, as this shows you care.