Deciding which payment methods to accept at your car wash is important, because customers often make decisions about where to spend their money depending on what methods are available. And, with contactless payments increasingly becoming the accepted norm, falling behind the times is not an option.

At PSD Codax, we help growing car wash businesses harness the latest technology to optimise their services. With a range of products available to assist with all aspects of your service, including payment, we’re your total solution.

In this article, we explore the best payment methods for car wash businesses, including contactless and mobile payments.

Why Offer Multiple Payment Methods at Your Car Wash?

For years, businesses having been limited to accepting physical cash as their only form of payment, and car washes are no exception. However, as technology advances the variety of payment methods available to customers has increased, cash options are being used less and less.

By expanding the payment options you accept, you can provide a service for a wider range of customers and increase your revenue. The efficiency of contactless and non-cash payments can also significantly improve your business functionality and by integrating payment options into your car wash technology you can provide an end-to-end car wash service that’s as efficient as it is squeaky clean.

Read next: How to Increase Car Wash Revenue

 

Cash Payments

While contactless, mobile and card payments are growing in popularity, cash is not obsolete yet. There are still some customers who prefer it.

Physically handing over a note helps them to keep track of their spending, instead of the instant payment that a card allows. Cash is also a preferable payment method for those who are worried about their personal and financial security.

Non-cash payments are quick, convenient and easy, but it’s worth keeping in mind that some people simply prefer cash, so it’s important to still accept it, even if it’s a little inconvenient for you!

Non-Cash Payment Options to Consider for Your Car Wash Business

Credit Cards

Credit cards are perhaps the most popular and familiar form of payment. The reason why customers favour the use of credit card payment is the security it provides. This is because each transaction is encrypted, which means the details of each purchase are scrambled, making fraudulent activity less likely.

If any money or details are stolen, credit card customers are not liable and the amount stolen can be returned, meaning that their money is protected.

Mobile Wallets

In more recent years, payment apps have become an increasingly popular way to pay for goods. They are a common feature that allows customers to pay using their card directly from their phones.

The ease and speed of these payment methods does not mean that security is compromised, as authentication passcodes and transactional data is not stored on the app. Customers favour payment apps because they provide flexible payment options both online and instore.

The most popular payment apps include Apple and Samsung pay. In order to accept these payments, you simply need a contactless card reader. Speaking of contactless…

Contactless Payments

Contactless card payments are popular due to their speed and convenience, and increased in use during the COVID-19 pandemic. It involves the simple process of holding a bank or credit card over a terminal. A one-type code is then transferred between the devices and the payment is made instantly without the need to type in a pin number.

The only exception to this easy form of payment is that some banks or services feature a spending threshold to prevent fraud in the event of card theft. If the charge exceeds a certain limit, the customer then has to provide their pin number to authenticate the payment.

Online Payment Platforms

Payment platforms such as PayPal are considered reliable and secure payment services and customers can now make contactless payments through them via an app.

It works by providing a unique QR code for each transaction. In order to pay, all the customer needs to do is open the camera on their mobile phone, or the PayPal app, which then scans the code to pay.

What Are The Business Benefits of Cash Payments?

Even though physical cash is slowly becoming outdated, there are still benefits to accepting it as payment. These benefits include:

  • A physical transfer of cash means that there there is no need to wait for a transaction to process. It offers instant payment and the value stays the same.
  • With cash payments there are no transaction charges. With each card payment, your car wash business has to pay a fee, which varies depending on the card type and the charge.

 

What Are The Business Benefits of Contactless Payments?

As most people carry either a bank or credit card, or use smart mobile technology, it will significantly limit your customer base if you do not facilitate contactless payments. Here are the 3 main benefits:

  • Increases the speed of transactions, which means that you can provide a more streamlined service for customers.
  • It doesn’t require a pin code or other form of authentication.
  • People often prefer card payments to cash and may not even carry notes or coins on their person, eliminating your chances of a potential customer.
  • Opportunity to collect payments data to better understand customers.

Find out more about payments data >

Innovative Car Wash Technologies from PSD Codax

At PSD Codax, we have 25 years of experience developing leading innovative car wash technologies. Many of our products feature smart integrations for taking payments, designed to make your life easier – and your customers’ too!

To find out how our advanced equipment can boost your car wash business’ efficiency, don’t hesitate to contact our team today.

See more: Is a Car Wash a Profitable Business?