Mister Car Wash continues to grow at an accelerated clip, recently reaching 182 locations in 20 states nationwide. And while new acquisitions continue to propel their expansion, ask Mister Car Wash the key ingredient to its continued growth, and you may be surprised to hear the response.
“We’ve made training a top priority for our business, if not the top priority,” said John Lai, president and CEO of Mister Car Wash.
Mister Car Wash processes nearly 75,000 cars per day, according to Joe Matheny, director of field operations. In order to quickly deliver a clean, shiny car with a great customer experience, Matheny, along with the entire leadership team at Mister Car Wash, knows it has to rely on an ever-expanding talent pool that is not only knowledgeable and skilled but also enjoys their work and is motivated to stay. Mister Car Wash starts by uniting around its stated purpose: inspiring people to shine.
Inspiring people to shine goes beyond providing fair compensation, benefits and other job perks, explains Mayra Chimienti, director of training and development. In addition to rewarding associates for behaviors and results that Mister Car Wash values, such as positive customer feedback, membership growth and team development, the company has created pathways for career growth and provides the training to support those opportunities.
Mister Car Wash University
In April 2016, the most recent class of Mister Car Wash managers convened at the Tucson, Arizona, campus of Mister Car Wash University (MCU) to take part in the company’s Advanced Management Training course. By the end of the year, more than 200 site managers, general managers and regional managers will complete 8,200 hours of training through MCU programs offered in Tucson, Houston and Minneapolis.
The three-day program covers a wide range of topics, from employee relations to financials to facility maintenance and safety. In addition to classroom and field learning opportunities, the agenda includes bonding exercises between peers and mentors as well as time for Mister Car Wash to demonstrate employee appreciation and company values.
Participants are tested prior to attending the training sessions and post-tested two months following to evaluate their aptitude and gauge the effectiveness of the training.
Anonymous surveys completed immediately following each training module tell Mister Car Wash how participants feel about the experience. Comments are typically positive and appreciative.
“I’m excited and I feel very privileged to have been asked to come here,” wrote one April participant. “The company’s investment in me will make me a better general manager as well as a person.”
Another wrote: “I can’t wait to get back to my store and my region to start sharing all the valuable tools and lessons I’ve learned from this great opportunity and experience.”
“Our ability to offer this program to all of our Mister Car Wash leaders is proof that we are committed to ongoing development and education,” Lai concluded. “Mister Car Wash University is a significant investment in the personal and professional development of our people and an even bigger investment in our company’s future.”
Training’s impact by the numbers
Thanks in large part to the impact of MCU, Mister Car Wash is currently benefiting from its strongest team of regional and district managers to date, as well as corporate-level executive management team that together keep Mister Car Wash at the top of its game and ready to quickly assimilate new stores and employees as acquisitions continue to occur at a steady pace.
“You can invest millions in having the best stores and the best technology in the best locations,” said Darren Skarecky, chief financial officer, “but if you don’t have the best customer service and management skills to round out the picture, then you’re not fully capitalizing on your investment. Only by providing the right training and oversight does Mister Car Wash ensure that we’re maximizing our resources and reaching our full potential.”
“Promoting from within and nurturing top talent is one of our key differentiators as an industry leader,” said Casey Lindsay, director of acquisitions. “It’s why sellers have a high comfort level approaching us when they’re looking to divest. They want their people to be taken care of and they see that Mister Car Wash has a strong track record for developing people,” Lindsay said.
Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, Mister Car Wash (mistercarwash.com) operates 182 car washes and 34 express lubes in 20 states.
“Mister Car Wash University is a significant investment in the personal and professional development of our people and an even bigger investment in our company’s future.”
—John Lai, president
and CEO, Mister Car Wash
