Every business needs a business plan. The bank will ask for one, for starters. And your plan will likely be a major factor in your success – or lack thereof. So if you’re thinking of starting a car wash business, or buying one, a business plan is an essential.
One other key order of business is an operations plan, which is your plan for ensuring car wash operations run smoothly day by day.
If you’re new to the car wash business, you may not be familiar with some of the nuances of creating an effective car wash operations plan, such as building a financial model or developing a concrete marketing strategy. Developing an operations plan now will help you fine-tune your daily business activities and meet your overall objectives to create a thriving business.
Why Your Day-to-Day Car Wash Operations Are So Important
Keeping track of your day-to-day operations is the foundation for your business to run seamlessly, generating and, ultimately, increasing profits.
As a car wash business owner, you likely want to plan for growth. Maybe you want to open more than one site or offer more services at your current location than you do now. Financially planning for expansion can’t happen if you’re current operations contain avoidable disruptions.
A car wash operation relies on many daily tasks to keep things running smoothly. From contacting distributors to order more or new supplies and brainstorming ideas to help you stay competitive, staying current with the in-and-outs of your daily operations will help you solve problems before they arise.
For example, what happens if there isn’t a daily check of equipment to ensure proper function? You may have to close for the day or longer until repairs are made. Improperly working equipment also poses a safety hazard to your employees and customers. At the end of the day, implementing a plan helps you mitigate risks that negatively affect your profits.
Common Challenges in Car Wash Operations Management
Car wash owners face several challenges to keep their business afloat, including but not limited to:
- Weather-related delays: Weather greatly impacts your daily operations, depending on the type of car wash you have and its location. Customers likely won’t want to use a self-service car wash if it’s rainy, icy, windy, or snowing. Even some automatic car washes decide to close their doors when the weather gets bad. You save money by closing during inclement weather, but you don’t make money, either.
- Machinery malfunctions and downtime: Faulty electrical parts, issues with the local electricity and water supply, spills, leaks, clogged vacuums, and more can all keep your car wash from running smoothly. Some of these interruptions are preventable. But if you don’t maintain a plan to handle these mishaps, your usual operation has to pause.
- High competition: The car wash industry is booming with competition. If yours is a new business, you must devise innovative ways to bring in customers. This is where a good marketing strategy comes in. But that takes time to
You won’t always be able to avoid or predict these challenges, but an operations plan can help you prepare for them.
A 5-Step Car Wash Operations Plan
A car wash operations plan plays a significant role in how your carwash functions on a daily basis. There are a few important factors that every plan should have.
1. Invest in High-Quality, Durable Equipment and Chemicals
Consider the services you offer and the equipment you need. For example, you must have all the applicable chemicals and materials to provide a deluxe wash service. It’s tempting to opt for the least expensive supplies to keep your cost of services low, but buying cheap can be more costly in the long run.
Cheaper chemicals may underperform, leaving behind spots and streaks during window cleaning. They could also include ingredients that damage your machinery or the environment.
Cheap equipment isn’t without risks, either. Machines may malfunction and break down sooner than you expect, resulting in expensive repairs and replacements you’re unprepared for. Faulty equipment can also damage your customer’s vehicles and harm your employees. Frequent repairs and outages can lead to downtime which quickly sends customers elsewhere.
Avoid cutting corners to save money – your reputation will suffer.
2. Source and Hire the Right Employees
There are plenty of ways to find individuals for employment. But vetting someone as a good fit for specific job descriptions is another story. Unless you plan on managing your car wash business yourself, you’ll need to hire a quality candidate for that role. Of course, choosing someone starts with the interview, but retaining a good manager continues throughout the business’s life. The same applies to hiring the rest of your team: full-time and part-time employees responsible for the day-to-day car wash service itself.
During interviews, assess who appears to best fit your aspirations for the business. Clearly describe the work environment and performance you expect from managers and lower-tiered workers.
Many car wash businesses employ a team with different backgrounds and ages. However, what they should all have in common is a sense of value in what they do and where they do it – important elements to keeping your team members in an industry that can see high employee turnover.
3. Develop Employee Responsibilities and Maintenance Procedures
Once you’ve outlined your expectations for employees, give them clear directions on fulfilling their job descriptions. For example, you could assign a car wash manager to handle customer feedback and maintain a supplies checklist to avoid over and under ordering. A lower-tiered employee can organize the customer queue for washes and take appointments for car detailing.
It will do your business well to establish a standard of procedure regarding equipment maintenance. Develop a checklist of what needs monitoring and how often. Some equipment may need daily monitoring, like keeping drains clean and clear, while others may just need a monthly check, like motors that need grease.
4. Train Staff on How To Troubleshoot When Issues Arise
Car washes sometimes experience issues with the conveyor. Other problems arise from clogged hoses, decreased water pressure or failing dryers. Sometimes these mishaps occur due to poor installation and maintenance, and other times from wear and tear.
You may not always be on-site to handle these issues, so have a defined plan of action set up so your employee can notify you, and ideally to fix problems in your absence. Make sure everyone understands their responsibilities outlined in that troubleshooting procedure.
5. Invest in Equipment Servicing
A solid operations plan will tell you when to invest in equipment servicing, which ranges from monthly to annually. Many maintenance companies offer on-demand preventative services, including full-system equipment inspections. Serviced equipment will perform better and last longer, so avoid the concept of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Get Help on Daily Operations With an End-to-End Car Wash Solution
Whether you’re opening a new car wash or looking to expand your existing site, actively applying a well-organized car wash operations plan is necessary to achieve your business goals. Investing capital into top-quality equipment, supplies and employees will help you build a successful, reputable business, leading to a more considerable profit margin.
As an end-to-end car wash solution provider, National Carwash Solutions provides all you need for daily operations. NCS offers a broad range of car wash equipment and services, including chemicals, vacuum systems, tunnel car wash systems, installation and more. We can walk you through the startup or new ownership process in all its facets. Take the guesswork out of your operational planning, and contact us for a consultation on how we can help.
