Laguna Auto Spa
Aurora, Ill.
Q: Tell us about your business.
A: We are a beach-themed, full-service car wash and detailing center
Q: How did you get into the business?
A: I have been in the business since 1981 where I managed several express car washes in the Kalamazoo, Mich., area. In 1988 I was recruited by Turtle Wax and moved to the Chicago area as a multi-unit manager of their car wash locations. I purchased my first car wash in 1999 in Aurora, Ill.
Q: What do you love most about the business?
A: My customers. They are not just customers they are friends.
Q: What’s the next big thing for the industry?
A: Although the express car wash concept is the current craze, I believe the customer will shift back toward the full-service and detail operations as they find their overall car appearance needs are not fully met.
Q: What has been your experience using social media, daily deals or other unique marketing tools for your car wash?
A: We have participated in the Groupon type offers, and I have mixed feelings about the experience. We have gained many new customers, but some people will only go where there is a coupon deal and never frequent the business without one.
Q: What’s the best business advice you’ve received?
A: To be flexible and offer many different options for the customer. Also to make sure you realize that you are not just in the car wash business, you are in the customer satisfaction business.
NCW National
Car Wash
Lebanon, Tenn.
Q: Tell me a little about NCW National Car Wash
A: We own and operate nine locations. We are chemical distributors for Blendco to as many as 35 owner/operators. We offer everything from self serve to in-bay automatic touch-free to in-bay automatic soft cloth and express exterior tunnels.
Q: How has the industry changed in recent years?
A: The self serve portion of the industry seems to be declining, but I feel like it will eventually plateau and not completely wither. I think the general cultural is evolving towards convenience and speed, and that is further fueled by the rapid advancement of technology such as soft-cloth and touch-free technology.
Q: So, what are the main technologies you see on the industry’s horizon?
A: I think in-bay automatics are starting to catch up with the express tunnels because many operators do not have locations with high enough traffic volume or an affluent enough market to support the manpower and overhead expense required by express tunnels. I also think existing sites can be updated with in-bay automatic technology offering the same options and cleaning quality as tunnels without spending $2 million for a new site.
Q: What’s the best advice you ever received from someone in the industry?
A: The best advice came from my dad, Johnny Jones, founder of NCW National Car Wash. He told me, “If you strive every day, to give the customers the cleanest facility and best chemicals, and all functions are working properly at all times, you will dominate your competition.”
Sudsy’s Car Wash
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Q: How long have you been in the car wash industry?
A: Since 2009 when the Sudsy’s opened. I’ve been here since day one.
Q: Tell me about Sudsy’s Car Wash?
A: We have two locations. We just opened up another one in January of 2013. Also, we are a family owned and operated car wash and we are all local here.
Q: Has there been any surprises along the way?
A: Oh yeah, especially at the beginning. As a consumer, the car wash business seemed very simple, but there are a lot of things that go on and many things happen simultaneously. I wasn’t prepared for the technicality of it. But I enjoyed learning it.
Q: What technical aspect of the business surprised you the most?
A: Just the learning curve. I came in not knowing anything about the industry. For instance, I didn’t know simple things like how a mac valve worked. A lot of people in the industry may take that for granted but I had to learn.
Q: What advice do you have to someone new to the industry?
A: Have an open mind and a willingness to get in there and do what needs to be done. Our philosophy here is that we would rather fix things than wait on things to be fixed, so I jump in and try to figure things out.
Q: How does Sudsy’s stay competitive?
A: We really try to market to our customers more than our competitors. If we put out a good product, word of mouth will spread. We want to be the best car wash in the area and we want that to be our biggest marketing scheme. It’s just word-of-mouth. We want people to say Sudsy’s is a great place to go, they’re really friendly and you get a good, clean car.