Do you have what it takes to bring a car wash business to life? Responsibility, personality, leadership, communication. These are some of the traits of a successful car wash owner.
Here’s a few things to consider when embarking on car wash ownership for the first time.
Skills, skills, skills
When first starting out, you may be working mostly alone. You’ll wear many hats, from tracking and ordering supplies to maintenance and book keeping. An open-minded can-do attitude will not only get you through, it will give you valuable insight to all different areas of operation.
Smooth operator
Good people skills. You’ll use them each and every day. From time to time, you’ll be faced with a dissatisfied customer. How you handle adversity will set the tone of your business. Dealing with a dissatisfied customer can be challenging, but as a successful car wash owner, if you handle it well, you may be able to improve the relationship and create future opportunities.
When working with employees, you’ll also need to be open, approachable and communicative. Earn trust and set the tone that you are fair, reasonable and patient. Make sure your staff know the basics, from how to greet customers to knowing your product, and acknowledge a job well done. A well-trained, knowledgeable staff that feels valued will more likely stick with you long term and give you a competitive edge.
Stay organized
Not a numbers person? Bookkeeping and accounting tasks can be turned over to a professional in the long term. You do need to know the basics of cash flow and what you have in vs. what’s going out. You’ll also need keep your books organized for tax purposes and know the local tax laws so that you can report income and file appropriately.
You should know how your business is doing financially at any given moment. In the event of a quick shift, like a low service period or unexpected repair, knowing where your money is will give you better control over your choices.
Choose the right suppliers
Select a good supplier and ensure equipment is installed correctly. Perform preventative maintenance call on professionals for when repairs are needed.
Thinking about opening your own car wash and want to talk about equipment? Contact us any time.