Mark de Graaf started working part-time in the car wash industry prior to heading to University and has been there ever since. While studying chemical engineering at Delft University of Technology, he even recruited fellow students to work at the wash. By the time he finished his masters degree, the car wash owner where he worked asked him to work on and develop management and loyalty software for the wash.
Today, he operates 24 locations in the Netherlands with two of them based in the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao.
De Graaf recently took time away from the wash to share his story of getting into the industry as well as what trends he’s watching currently.
Q: When you started developing the software for your car wash employer, there were some unique challenges right?
During development, car wash owners in the Netherlands had experienced some serious fraud issues. We were able to solve these with our software and also developed a car wash controller program that was better in preventing fraud.
Q: Fraud’s not something anyone wants happening in their business. What kind of opportunities did this create for you?
I had founded my own “car wash” software company with two employees two years after starting work on the software. Two years later I had my first holiday since starting my business. You always get the best ideas during holidays.
Q: The question is, did you get to make the idea come to life?
Yes. I ended up opening, as far as I know, the first car wash to be opened in a converted warehouse. I partnered with Ger Loogman and since then we’ve installed a lot of car washes in the Netherlands.
Q: So, knowing you’ve had some measure of success here, what keeps you motivated; what continues to excite you about the business?
The car wash industry is constantly evolving. A couple of years ago we were pioneering in the Netherlands, trying to find ideas and copying what was happening in the industry in the U.S and Germany. Today we see a lot of people copying our ideas, even back to the U.S.
I think the best car wash operators in the world are very passionate about their businesses, having constant new challenges: new car technology, chemicals, marketing, express or full (flex) service, minimum wages, effective working, consolidation, private equity etc.
Q: Why do you serve on the board of directors of the ICA and Bovag – What do you see to be the value of the two organizations?
I believe having organizations like the ICA and Bovag representing our industry is extremely important. We need to have an official representation toward automotive industry and government. And it is extremely important to constantly improve our operations and technology. I am not the type of guy that sits back and waits. I want to be with our industry leaders working on this.
Q: What would you like the industry to know about the ICA board of directors?
Many people may not realize that all of our decisions are made based on consensus and not on personal agendas. Leading people in our industry are investing a lot of time to bring the industry further by serving on the board of directors of the ICA. We have intense discussions about the direction our industry is moving or should be moving and both operators and vendors are part of this process. I am a strong believer of shared interests and working together as much as possible!
We make informed decisions on things like where to have shows, how to serve the industry the best, how to use our financials and how to establish the best interaction between all the people involved in our industry.
I have often changed my vision on certain issues by listening to these great leaders in the industry and of course by active participation in these important discussions.
Q: How would you compare and contrast the U.S. and European car wash markets?
U.S. and European markets are very comparable on wash habits and wash frequency. The car wash market actually started in the U.S. and for decades the car washes in the European market were far behind the car washes in the U.S. The last decade you’ve seen washes in European markets become more and more innovative.
Our focus is more on broader concepts and customer needs exploration. In the U.S. you see a lot of people moving in the same direction (express carwashes, unlimited, autocashiers, etc.) often because of challenges they face with labor and minimum wage requirements. In Europe, we’re more effective on labor and it might be for that reason you see a movement towards more service minded car washes.
Q: What do you like to do when you are not washing cars?
I like to spend as much time as possible with my family. I like to cook and bbq. I coach my son’s hockey team. And I like to spend a lot of time in Curacao (Dutch Caribbean). Holidays are great to move away from your daily business, getting your mind clean to give room for more new ideas!
Q: What future challenges for the car wash industry are on your mind?
There are great opportunities around car sharing (these have to be clean on the inside and out with more regularity than privately owned vehicles) and self-driving vehicles, but the major challenge for our industry is to wash more cars, more frequently. That sounds very straight forward, but it is not. In the car wash industry we know people wash their car an average of only seven times a year. As an industry we should work on moving this frequency up. Getting to once per month would almost double our volumes. A clean car is a clean soul.
Q: We’re coming up on our second Car Wash Show Europe in Amsterdam. What would you say to someone considering a visit to Amsterdam for Car Wash Show Europe?
Car Wash Show Europe is truly an international show, maybe more so than The Car Wash Show held every year in the United States. It is a place were true global market leaders come together, and a great show to make “new” car wash friends. Besides, Amsterdam is the most beautiful city in the world!