Keeping abreast with industry knowledge and trends within the market is a must for car wash operators looking to grow and expand.
By keeping up-to-date with the latest trends, business owners and managers can ensure their car washes deliver on customer expectations and pounce on market opportunities.
Based on data and insights from the last 12 months, we’ve put this guide together, outlining 5 key trends that are likely to offer car wash businesses some great opportunities in 2019 and beyond.
Running a car wash looks set to continue to be a great business opportunity with plenty of exciting developments within the market.
So, let’s dive into 5 trends that any car wash business can leverage in 2019.
- Digital Marketing
Effective marketing starts by getting the attention of the target audience.
There are many ways a business can do this – from ads on TV, radio, print, strategic partnerships, sponsorships and the like. But in today’s digital age, channels such as search engine marketing and social media can offer businesses a huge opportunity.
These digital channels can be particularly effective for local businesses, whereby running ads on TV or local radio can be quite expensive. In comparison, building up a loyal fanbase on social media or showing up for competitive keywords in search engines, can be within reach for smaller businesses and catapult them to market leaders.
Car wash operators are likely to continue to increase their investments in these kind of marketing channels in 2019 and beyond.
Be aware too, digital channels can equally showcase negative elements of a business due to the transparency and visibility of customer reviews and ratings. This means customer service needs to always be prioritised for long-term success on these digital channels.
- National Adoption and Demand
Many car wash operators start with a single location. However, if things go well, they should look to acquire other sought-after spots and slowly build up a multi-site business across the country. Few operators fully recognise the huge opportunity in certain national regions – some particular areas are perfectly positioned for increasing car wash demand. This means savvy car wash operators could look to utilise and leverage this kind of national demand.
- Technology
Technology has promised to disrupt industries all around the world, and it’s certainly living up to the hype. Advances in technology is changing everything from business operations to consumer habits and expectations.
Car wash operators can’t hide from such technology and those that embrace and welcome new technology with open arms are likely to evolve and adapt to what the market wants.
This technology can also help generate invaluable data and insights to enrich business reports. This can help shape better decision making by understanding how customers are behaving and what’s working and what isn’t. Due to this technology being available, many car washes will jump on this opportunity, so those that don’t will be at a disadvantage when it comes to delighting their customers.
Here at PSD Codax, we offer the world’s leading car wash access technology. Our development centre is focused on adapting new technologies to keep ahead of the market and bring new ways for operators to improve the flexibility, security and profitability of how they sell carwash and valet services. If you’d like to learn more about the exciting technology we are developing, simply get in touch with us today. From entry systems to car wash controllers, this technology is becoming increasingly important for car wash businesses.
- Personalisation
Consumers are continuously seeking businesses that understand their personal preferences and circumstances. Having a “one size fits all” approach to your target market is likely to leave opportunity on the table when compared to a highly personalised approach.
From initial advertising and marketing, to loyalty programmes, unique pricing and strategic touch points within the customer journey, personalisation can help businesses develop stronger relationships with their customers.
- Equipment/Machinery
As the car wash industry has matured, customer’s knowledge and understanding of what they want, has also matured. This means lots of customers don’t simply want to go to a “car wash”, rather they know what type of car wash they want – whether that’s an inbay automatic, tunnel-conveyor, or self-service.
Although these types of car washes aren’t new, the knowledge and specific preferences from customers is becoming increasingly apparent.
This means the actual business model you pick and the associated equipment/machinery you need, is certainly a very importance decision. If someone wants a self-service wash, it doesn’t matter how good your marketing is, they’ll keep looking in the area for this service if you don’t offer it.
This means market research and constantly asking for customer feedback will ensure you’re offering the services customers in your area want.
Car wash operators should know their customers like the back of their hand. Knowing the exact challenges, lifestyle, demographic and behaviour, of a business’s target market, is a huge competitive advantage when it comes to creating a business that wants long-term success. This means businesses can avoid trends that are short-lived and likely to disappear, and instead, invest in trends that are inherently engrained in customer demand and market opportunity.
Learn More with PSD Codax
If you’re looking to get more out of your car wash business, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at PSD Codax. Our code access system reduces shrinkage and loss for forecourt operators while giving customers quick, easy and reliable access to carwash and valet services.
With over 25 years’ experience, we can ensure you get the most out of any car wash business model.
Simply download our brochures to learn more or contact us today.
