I have a confession to make.

I love Facebook memories. A lot. I look forward to seeing what great experiences from the past pop up for me in the platform daily. From seeing fun moments with my family, to vacations, to fun photos of washes I’ve had the chance to visit for one reason or another.

My favorite memory of late, though, was a photo that popped up from a previous The Car Wash Show™. Reliving the excitement of the show in that photo made me eager to get back to The Show in Las Vegas in November.

There’s nothing like it. The collective energy of the people in the industry gathering, sharing, and making powerful connections with one another reminds me why we’re in this industry.

Sure, I’ve had the chance to make a ton of meaningful connections over the course of the last year with our work on our weekly live stream, CAR WASH Magazine Live™, but there really is no replacement for face-to-face interaction when it comes to creating strong relationships.

Besides, The Show floor itself is one of the most exciting tradeshow floors you will ever see. The motion, the lights, the smells … ahh. The people cruising the booths to see the latest and greatest products and innovations, excited about how they’re going to enhance their business when they go back. It’s always about getting just one great idea to take back with you.

In this issue of CAR WASH Magazine™, we’ve got more than one great idea for you when it comes to technology. We’ve got a great feature for you on some recent car wash designs that are driven by technology and innovation, and we explore what might be coming in terms of connecting the in-car technology systems to the wash experience.
We also jump into smart renovations, helping you figure out just how to weigh the benefits and costs of high-tech upgrades as you consider the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and more.

And it wouldn’t be an issue of the Magazine without highlighting people doing #MORETHANWASHINGCARS. We have a fun story about Bubble Bath Car Wash and Delta Sonic’s individual efforts with local children’s museum experiences.

I’m looking forward to getting to see you all at an upcoming event! In the meantime, if you’ve got a great story to share, send it my way at mdewolf@carwash.org.