The Mighty Wash story is one of speed and innovation.
Mighty Wash, based in Lubbock, Texas, opened its first location in February 2012. The company was founded by physician Mike Rice and a group of investors — not a single one of them with an ounce of car wash industry experience. But that lack of experience is what has made the difference, said general manager Jay Wyatt.
“We were working without a playbook,” Wyatt said. “But that became our greatest strength. We wanted to do things differently and get different results, even if others in the industry would advise us against it. The results speak for themselves.”
And he’s right.
Since opening their first location in early 2012, Mighty Wash has opened four additional locations, with plans to break ground on their sixth this fall and with property secured for even more locations in 2015. They have approximately 125 workers at their wash locations and five at their headquarters.
How are they so successful? Wyatt had two answers. “First, we try to do everything quickly,” Wyatt said. “We are proactive rather than taking a wait-and-see approach. Second, we want to give customers what they want and need. We did customer surveys to make sure to get things right before continuing our growth. It’s worked out better this way.”
CLOSING THE TECHNOLOGY GAP
Mighty Wash has also put a big focus on technology. In fact, that’s why founder Rice initially targeted the car wash industry. Wyatt said that Rice was looking for businesses to launch where he believed a technology gap existed, and he felt the car wash industry was in that state. “In his opinion, the car wash industry was close to five or 10 years behind,” Wyatt said. “It wasn’t utilizing all the technology available. When he shared this with our core group, we went into business.”
One of the ways Mighty Wash is capitalizing on technology is through its Mighty Pass unlimited wash program utilizing RFID stickers. “The most valuable commodity is time,” Wyatt said. “We’re saving people their time and still doing a bang-up job. They have no reason not to come back.”
Wyatt said it’s only going to get better.
“We embrace the technology available and manipulate it to work better for our customers,” Wyatt said. “Our technology is what really separates us. It’s mind-blowing what’s out there and what you can do with it.”
FINDING ‘A-TEAMERS’
Almost as important to their success is hiring the right talent.
“When a customer pulls onto our lot, they’re going to get first-class service,” Wyatt said. “That first-class service comes from our employees, and we have to make sure we have the right people interacting with our customers. Once employees figure out how to solve a problem for our customers, they’ve made an emotional connection. The emotional connection is what keeps customers coming back for a lifetime.”
Wyatt said Mighty Wash looks for what he calls A-teamers. “When you have amazing, A-teamer employees, you’ll soon find that people seek to work for you,” Wyatt said. “Talent attracts talent. They begin to duplicate themselves.” Wyatt and one of his A-teamers, Matt Riker, developed a hiring checklist of what they were looking for. And Wyatt isn’t afraid to approach A-teamers working outside the car wash industry.
“I’ve given recruiting cards to people working the drive-thru window at fast food places,” Wyatt said. “If that kid shows enthusiasm and energy and an ease in relating to me, a total stranger, there’s a good chance he’s an A-teamer.”
Wyatt stressed that Mighty Wash hires people who can do more than one thing and can think. “While we can train people how to work on a car, we can’t automate them to think,” Wyatt said.
According to Wyatt, hiring the right people has led to a morale that’s different than other workplaces. “A majority of people secretly wish they were working somewhere else — that doesn’t happen here,” Wyatt said. “This is where you want to work. Our dynamic group of talent has raised the bar to a totally different level — it’s a blast to come to work, and this is an environment where everyone wishes they could work.”
PLOWING AHEAD AND CHANGING EXPECTATIONS
So what does the future hold for Mighty Wash? “Excitement,” Wyatt said. He described the recently opened fifth location as the Taj Mahal, but went on to say that it would be nothing compared to their sixth location, which is set to have an RV wash, motorcycle wash, fast lube and detail center. It’ll even have its very own ice cream parlor and coffee shop. And that’s only the beginning.
“We aren’t anywhere near being done with trying new things,” Wyatt said. Their eighth location, which will be in Odessa, Texas, will be what Wyatt describes as a super center. “I think other people in the industry will make a pilgrimage here to see it— it will be something to behold,” Wyatt said.
While so much of what Mighty Wash tries to do is be different from their competitors, Wyatt said Mighty Wash is a business just like any other. “Business all boils down to the same things: Revenue streams and cutting costs,” Wyatt said. “We’re watching chemical costs and labor — every other business is watching labor too.”
The company’s ability to secure financing with such a fast-growing vision hasn’t been an issue either. “Once you show profitability and your ability to duplicate your success, no matter what industry you’re in, banks will be reaching out to you,” Wyatt said. “Our situation is no different.”
But Wyatt doesn’t think Mighty Wash will go down in history as just another business.
“We’ll leave a mark on the industry,” Wyatt said. “When the day is done, people will know who we are. It will be an unbelievable ride — the best days are ahead of us.”
