Converting your self serve into an in-bay automatic

by Karen Ott

Is the revenue from your self serve not quite what it used to be? Considering making some changes to your car wash? Perhaps you want to convert an underperforming self serve into an in-bay automatic. Or maybe you need to bring your site into the 21st century with a renovation and wash bay addition. But you’re hesitating. You have a laundry list of questions … who do I talk to about construction, what do I have to know before I build, what kind of equipment suits my situation best? Before we address the subject of “how” to accomplish these changes, let’s take a look at the “why” of going ahead with them.

Take Action

It’s never been easy to own a business. Any era or economic condition brings its own particular set of challenges. Nothing is certain in this world but if uncertainty brings inaction, that inaction can result in the death of a business. We’ve all driven past wash sites that suffer from the “absentee landlord syndrome.” With customers, perception is reality and an uncared for facility must mean poor wash results so they spend their money elsewhere. This loss of income means less spent on maintaining the site, further decreasing income, which spirals into a slow death. With today’s economy there is a great temptation to “ride it out,” a form of inaction that when taken to extreme can have serious consequences. The upside for savvy wash owners is that, really, difficulties are just opportunities in disguise.

Conversion of your existing self serve into an in-bay automatic has many advantages. Since yours is an already established business, by offering an alternative to the do-it-yourself wash, you immediately draw from an entirely new customer pool. These are the customers who find, with increasingly tight time constraints, they have less time in their schedules to utilize self-serve washes. Providing them the option of an in-bay automatic immediately expands your customer base. The financial aspects of conversion are also much more attractive considering that existing property is usually paid for and sites already have the ancillary equipment and utilities in place or require minimal investment to upgrade the systems. In most cases, the current structure itself can be converted to in-bay wash systems with little to no modification. The great advantage to converting your current self serve to an in-bay automatic is a much faster return on investment.

Compared to the cost of ground up construction, high land values, extensive permitting and difficulty in obtaining financing, the opportunity to expand your site by adding on a bay to house an in-bay wash system presents another attractive opportunity. When the business location has been good, attention to your building will only make it better.

With shifts in the local markets, it also makes sense to take a serious look at foreclosure properties. Completely new construction is subject to current rules and regulations; however existing sites are often grandfathered in. This is especially important for a location where today’s setback restrictions can impact visibility. Renovating an aging site is well worth considering.

Evaluate, Plan & Build

Now that you’re ready to forge ahead it’s important to have a support system. Whether you are converting a self-serve bay or adding on—start with a reliable distributor to walk you through the process; one that knows the car wash business inside and out. A knowledgeable distributor should begin with a feasibility study, taking into account the current traffic flow; develop a plan which addresses the need for a staging area and auto cashier, and a convenient exiting strategy.

Next evaluate the physical dimensions of the self-serve bay to determine, with the distributor, what form the installation should take. Depending on the equipment envelope available, new wash systems may be wall- or floor-mounted or free-standing frame. Even though some self serves have very low ceilings, there are select systems that fit in heights as low as 10 feet 6 inches. Their new belt drive technology eliminates the overhead cross brace and swivel which makes the systems ideal for “height challenged” bays. The length of self-serve bays can also be an issue with the average length being 28 feet to 30 feet, however there are systems which use rails as short as 26 feet. Dryer units can be onboard, or interior wall or floor mounted or, in the case of those very short bays, some can be exterior mounted above the exit. Your distributor will also provide recommended optimal dimension requirements when planning for adding a wash bay.

While self-serve bays already have support equipment, a thorough review of their capabilities and condition is critical. Your distributor can determine if the existing water treatment is able to handle the demands of an in-bay system, if the present air compressor is sufficient to meet the needs, if the electrical service is workable or if any of these require upgrades. It is worth noting here, that even if the equipment presently in use is adequate but aging it might be more cost effective to replace the equipment with newer models. Couple cost savings due to greater energy efficiency with various government rebates and replacement may make more sense economically. There is good news too if the physical restrictions of your equipment room preclude you from housing any additional equipment, there are in-bay versions of pump stations and other equipment which can withstand the harsh conditions within a wash bay.

As previously mentioned, most conversions of a self serve into an in-bay automatic require no structural modifications. In the instances where some slight construction might be needed or if you are adding on that extra bay and doing a complete remodel, the choice of a contractor is vital. It is tempting to use the neighborhood handyman, however the chances that he has the experience necessary to understand the demands placed on the wash structure are slim. Especially with the larger projects, it would be worthwhile to consider a design/build general contractor. By the very nature of the name, most contractors of this type have either architects or design professionals on staff. A designer’s input is particularly important to create a seamless transition between the current structure and any new additions. Design/build brings their own group of engineers, construction workers and subcontractors to the table so you don’t have to piecemeal individual services and have just one point of contact in the construction process. A good design/build contractor should have extensive knowledge of how to navigate the often confusing maze of code regulations and permitting if they are necessary; should hold periodic construction progress meetings to keep you informed; should understand the type materials best suited to the rigors of the wash process; and have the experience to be able to offer a firm price. Here again, your distributor is a valuable resource in finding a local contractor who understands the unique needs of the industry and can finish your project on time and within your budget.

Eco-friendly Considerations

A remodel project is also an opportunity to “go green.” Of course water usage is the most talked about form of environmental impact when it comes to car washes. With increasing regulation and water utility rates, renovation is a chance to address these issues within the framework of planned construction. The new water reclamation systems have addressed the earlier objections of dependability, odor and lack of cleanliness and are certainly worth including in any retrofit package.

Important as it is, eco-friendly design encompasses more than just water conservation. Utilization of green building materials has become increasingly more common and affordable. In its basic form, “green building” is the use of renewable rather than nonrenewable resources, is deemed good for the environment and maximizes the efficiency of resource use.  Due to greater awareness of green practices, this is actually easier than it appears. A contractor friend recently said that every project he does now is 70 percent green at the outset. From the use of low toxicity materials to permeable pavement for reduction of rainwater run-off, eco-friendly choices are myriad. Green building, however, should not be a random collection of green concepts but a result of careful planning to integrate all the elements into a cohesive design.

Reposition & Market

Although the “build it and they will come” is popular philosophy, it is only partly true when it comes to in-bay conversions or renovations. You are recreating and reinventing your business and in order to take full advantage of your investment you need to market the changes. This is especially important when converting to an in-bay automatic. Complete renovation is difficult for potential customers to miss but it’s the subtleties, the very ease of installation in replacing self-serve equipment that may make it easy to overlook. Numerous articles have been written on car wash marketing techniques so it’s not necessary to reiterate them here. Suffice it to say that your willingness to invest in promoting your wash allows you to reap greater benefits now while positioning yourself for improved market share in the future.

Halls Ferry Car Wash Seizes the Opportunity

Now you may be thinking that this all sounds good in theory but does this work in the real world. Let’s take a look at a case study for a successful self serve to in-bay automatic conversion. Halls Ferry Car Wash located in St. Louis was originally a 10-bay self serve. Owners Bob Mochel and Mark Elmore said that they decided to convert one of the bays into an in-bay automatic in order to fill a niche in that underserved market. According to the partners, the conversion process was “fairly painless.” This process included, in addition to the new vehicle wash system, upgrades to several pieces of equipment: two new 180 grain softeners, a 95 percent efficient boiler and a new RO system, though the utilities services were adequate for the automatic wash and did not require upgrading.

The distributor working with Mochel and Elmore on this project was Jeff Adams of Midwest Carwash Supply in St. Peters, Mo. According to Adams, “Because no structural changes were needed, the installation of the vehicle wash system went very quickly.”

To fit within the equipment envelope requirements, Adams used a free-standing frame which made up for the shorter bay length. A floor-mounted dryer was installed due to the limited wall space in the bay.

While the site received a new automatic wash system, the rest of the self-serve bays were spruced up. The dark, dingy walls were painted, new light fixtures were added and the entire structure’s façade was updated. The result was a more welcoming car wash and, best of all, a 125 percent increase in revenue! The owners said that a major portion of the ROI was due to the in-bay automatic.

One of the unexpected benefits of the automatic wash is that on occasion when a self-serve customer has difficulties, without leaving the office, Mochel and Elmore are now able to direct the customer to the in-bay automatic and through the remote software of the automatic wash can issue a wash to that customer. According to Mochel, this results in “a happy customer who often leaves as a convert to automatic car washes.”

The marketing of new and improved Halls Ferry Car Wash hasn’t been overlooked either. In addition to the normal advertising venues and community involvement, the in-bay automatic wash now allows for cross marketing of wash packages with the neighboring convenience store. The possibility of utilizing RFID to enhance the wash process is also being considered.

When asked if the investment was worthwhile, the owners said they would like to convert “another one or two bays” from self serve to automatics.

The Halls Ferry Car Wash is but one example of seizing an opportunity and making the most of it. Are there difficulties in life? Of course, but don’t let inaction make you miss the opportunities that they create. Now it is your turn to make a sign and hang it over your self-serve bay: “In-Bay Automatic Wash Coming Soon!”

Karen Ott is the product marketing manager for Washworld Inc. in DePere, Wisc. You can contact Karen via e-mail at kott@washworldinc.com or visit the company Web site at www.washworldinc.com.