So, what’s so exciting about a car wash? If you don’t know the answer, you need to figure it out because if you’re not excited about what you do (and do for others) your staff won’t be either, and this will inevitably trickle down to your customers.
What made Steve Jobs such a good leader? He was a visionary (of course) but he also had a way of getting us excited about whatever Apple was doing. When asked about the secret to Apple’s success he simply said, “We’re just excited about what we do.” Are you still excited about what you do? Do you show it?
When Apple launched the first iPod Steve Jobs came onstage he pulled one out of his pocket, held it up and said, “This amazing little device holds 1,000 songs and fits in my pocket.” For the Notebook Air release he walked onstage with a manilla file folder and surprised everyone by removing the super thin laptop from the folder — and he did it with a huge smile.
It’s this kind of energy and enthusiasm that led Apple to turn the retail world on its head when they opened their first store, and today there are still lines out the door of customers anxious to get in and purchase products. How did they do it and how can we apply those some techniques to a car wash? Read on.
When you combine confidence with caring you have created a powerful proposition. When you know you have a service people are passionate about (and that includes the your employees) combined with a track record of success, of course you can be confident. Apple has their products out where people can pick them up, try them out, and see for themselves how great they are. They have nothing to hide. That’s confidence. When a car wash has a glass area where people can see the entire service, that’s the Apple way. When that’s not possible, having employees who can clearly and concisely explain why the customer’s car will come out better than ever (because you care) is invaluable because the extra services will sell themselves. The Apple employee is really there to help customers more than sell them something, and that is the secret to (retail) success. When someone is as excited as you are about a product or service, knows how it works and can explain exactly how well it will work for you, and then answer all of your questions without a hidden agenda (the Apple staff are not on commission) you get the sense they care about you and your needs — and they do. This in turn makes the customer more confident in what they are about to buy. People really don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care about them — and their car.
Most Apple products are so simple to use they don’t require reading a manual. So why does Apple have a Genius Bar to help people set up and maintain their new (and old) Macs, iPhones, iPads, and other great gadgets at no additional charge? The theory is the more you know about — and learn how to get the most from — your Apple item, the more you will enjoy it, use it, and benefit from it. This leads to love. You find yourself saying, “I love my Mac” because your relationship with your product is a positive one. Most people are jaded and skeptical (for good reason) but when they learn something for themselves they are more trusting. Many times a car wash has a captive audience — they are sitting or standing around waiting for their car to return them. If you had a board or LCD screen that explained exactly why a certain upgraded service is worth the extra expense, they may come to the conclusion (on their own) to add it next time they come in. If you’re not sure how or what to teach, be the ball. (It’s a Caddy Shack term and it means be your own customer.) Act as if you know nothing and see your business from their perspective. The Apple Genius Bar employees are also Apple customers and understand what that experience is like.
When someone says they dig the vibe, what do they really mean? When it comes to Apple and their stores, there is a definite vibe from the minute you walk in — and even before you enter the store. The signage and storefront is clean, simple, and stylish. It says “Apple” without even saying it. Then, they have staff at the ready who warmly greet you and offer to help you find what you need and answer any and all questions. Sure, it’s branding at its finest, but it’s more than that. The attention to detail and design shows they (Apple) “get it” and everything is geared toward making you feel good. People don’t buy a cash wash, they buy a clean car (which they could do themselves if they wanted to) so why go to your business instead? The answer to this question is the key to everything.
Apple employees are taught to use this simple formula (and then make it their own) as a way to ensure every person that walks into an Apple store has the same amazing experience. It would work equally well for a car wash enterprise.
A = Approach with a warm, customized greeting.
P = Probe politely to understand a customer’s needs.
P = Present a solution to take home today.
L = Listen for any unresolved questions.
E = End on a positive note.
All this talk about Apple is just a way to inspire you (and me) to look for ways to be the best at what you do — and borrow ideas from Apple, who knows how to create a large and loyal following. Look at all of your points of contact with your customer and then ask yourself, if Apple owned my car wash, what would they do?