How to Heat Up Your Car Wash Business This Summer
With the arrival of summer, things start to heat up. After an initial rush at your car wash, you may notice your business is starting to cool down. Your customers may be taking summer vacations or deciding to wash their cars at home themselves. So, what can you do to keep your car wash busy? #1. Update Your Car Wash Product Lines
No one likes getting into a hot car after it has sat in the sun all day. So stock up on sunshades to help your customers keep their cars cooler in summer. You should also look at other seasonal items, such as:
Organizers – Since people travel more in the summer, carrying different types of organizers like back seat organizers, media organizers, and trunk organizers can help boost your profits.
Mini Trash Cans – Help your customers keep the interior of their vehicles trash-free by carrying this product.
Wiper Blades – The summer is a great time to remind your customers to change their wiper blades.
Summer Scented Air Fresheners – Update your air fresheners to include tropical and summer-type scents.
Phone Fans – Help your customers remain cool wherever they are with phone fans that connect easily to their smartphones.
#2. Make Sure Your Wash Is Well-Equipped
Ensure you have plenty of microfiber wash towels, wash mitts, vacuum parts, car wash parts, and other essential items on hand, so you do not run out. The last thing you want is to have to shut down a vacuum because you lack parts or run out of clean microfiber towels on a busy day.
#3. Give Your Car Wash Exterior a Makeover
Power wash the exterior of your building or give it a fresh coat of paint.
Clean the sidewalks and remove any trash and weeds.
Have the pavement around the wash resealed.
Verify all signage is working correctly and is not faded.
Inspect your vending machines to confirm they are working properly and are in decent shape.
Check to ensure all exterior lighting is working properly.
Plant some colorful flowers in planters or flower beds.
Trim any shrubs around the wash.
Install car tents and cooling fans to keep your employees cooler while they dry and detail cars.
#4. Do Some Preventative Maintenance
The summer is a great time to take care of preventative maintenance tasks at your car wash.
Replace worn-out parts and nozzles in your wash system.
Change the oil and filters in any hydraulic or pump systems you use.
Replace worn-out and damaged vacuum cleaner parts and hoses.
Replace the belt system in your automatic wash if it is having problems.
Give your wash tunnel or wash bays a deep cleaning.
#5. Spend Time with Your Employees
Since business is not always busy every day, the summer is a great time to spend some quality one-on-one time with them. You want to verify they have been properly trained to your standards. If you have hired new employees, you also want to confirm whoever trained them did it right.
#6. Spend Time with Your Loyal Customers
Taking a little time each day to talk to your customers is a great way to thank them for their continued support and get feedback from them. You can find out what they like and dislike about your car wash. You could also learn more about the different services and products they would like you to offer.
#7. Try Out New Marketing Ideas
Are you considering new wash packages? Maybe you want to start a car wash subscription program? The summer is the perfect time to try these things out and test their responses with your customers. In addition, you can offer special introductory offers and discounts as incentives to try the new offerings.
#8. Give Back to the Community
There are several effective ways to give back to your community, including:
Sponsor a local baseball or soccer team.
Host a fundraiser for a local nonprofit organization or charity.
Sponsor part of a road or local park where you and your employees help to keep trash picked up.
Host a pet adoption event at your car wash.
Promote local clubs and organizations by allowing them to sell cookies, popcorn, or other things to your customers at your car wash.
#9. Host Special Events
From car shows to bbq cookouts, there are all kinds of special events you can host your car wash this summer. Special events are a great incentive to get people to visit your car wash and get their cars washed while they enjoy the event.
#10. Offer Special Summer Detailing Services
The summer heat and UV rays from the sun can be harsh on vehicles. Offer hand car waxing services to better protect the exterior of your customers’ cars. For the interiors, provide detailing services with products that have UV protection, such as Armor All products to help protect dashes, doors, and seats from fading.
#11. Go Social
If you are not already using social media regularly to connect with your customers, the summertime is the right time to get started. You do not have to join every social media site either. One or two would be perfectly fine and should fit with the demographics of your customer base.
Your posts can feature pictures of clean cars, invites to events, details about new products and promotions, and “how-to” car care tips. Regardless of what you post, make sure it is fun, entertaining, and educational.
Prepare Your Car Wash for Summer
When you want to heat things up this summer at your car wash and provide your customers with cool car care cleaning and detailing services, you need to stock up on summertime car wash supplies and accessories.
It is easy to ensure you have plenty of car wash vending items, vacuum parts, supplies, and more when you shop at Superior Car Wash Supply. Best of all, you can enjoy wholesale pricing on all our product lines. Explore our online store today or contact us at 800-554-9274.