From scents to cents:

A new generation of vacuums

Bright decals, lighted domes, digital displays, and colorful hoses can all help a carwash get a second look as people rush by. Drivers are attracted to maintained, well-lit, and state of the art car washes. They are even willing to pay a little extra and drive up to 10 miles to get the services and features they want.

The days of dull gray vacuums with dreary decals is giving way to a new generation of vacuums combination units! Whether investing in equipment for a new carwash or upgrading an existing carwash, owners need to be diversified to attract as many potential customers as possible. Combination units get three-to-four times as much business as a standard vacuum. Adding multiple profit features and properly positioning units will increase traffic and profit margins. With low product cost and high margins there is no time better than now to invest.

There are several new combination vacuum machines on the market to help increase customer loyalty and most importantly, revenue fragrance machines & vacuum, shampoo & spot remover with a vacuum, and a tire shine & vacuum.

Fragrance machines

Body odor from a hard day's work, pets, and cigarette smoking can take a toll on a vehicle. Hanging an odor eliminator from the rear view mirror can help mask the smells; however many customers prefer not to have the distraction in their line of sight or the unpleasant visual reminder that their car may have an unpleasant smell. With easy to use equipment and numerous scents available in the marketplace (Pina Colada, New Car, Wild Cherry, French Vanilla, Lemon, and Strawberry) customers can choose the one that is right for them. There are many factors when choosing the right scent for your wash, including demographics and customer profile, however if one scent isn't selling out you can quickly make a change.

Fragrance machines are not just about helping your customer eliminate odors it's about adding profit to the bottom line. For example, a JE Adams fragrance machine can add a net profit of $145 per gallon of fragrance formula based off a $1.00 vend price. Depending on location, operators are likely to see a return on investment within six to twelve months.

Shampoo & spot remover

Who hasn't spilled some type of food or drink on their floor mats or climbed into their vehicle with mud or grass on their shoes? In the past, the consumer would have to pay an outrageous fee to detail their cars to have it removed. And hopefully they had time to accomplish this before the stain set in. A shampoo and spot remover and vacuum combination unit can assist a customer in vacuuming up any leftover mess and then quickly shampooing away the stain. Minimal dampness and an easyto-use shampoo handle can make this unit a weekly tool for busy families. With a vend price at $2.00 for two minutes the net profit for an operator is $88 per gallon of formula. Once a consumer starts cleaning one section of their vehicle they will most likely want to clean all of their floor mats and carpet and this figure could easily double or triple. Tire shine A tire shine & vacuum unit is the ultimate finishing detail to a clean car. There is no faster way to make a car look like it has been professionally cleaned than to have clean tires, rims, and wheels. A tire shine unit provides a high gloss look for tires that is water-resistant.

Easy-to-use wand dispenser means your hands wonít get dirty and there is no messy application process or towels to throw away. Safe and effective products wonít harm your tires or the paint on the car. The tire shine combination unit has a standard vend price of $1.50 per minute. At $75 net profit per gallon of cleaning solution this is a quick and easy machine to help increase your bottom line.

The most important factor when choosing a combination unit is it needs to be easy to understand and use for both the operator and the customer. Have clear instructions and signage to avoid confusion and encourage repeat usage.

Customers also need to have various payment options available to them to maximize all potential sales and persuade impulse buying. Donít let a sale drive away by not accepting all types of payments such as bill acceptors, coins, tokens, fleet cards, loyalty cards, and credit cards. Donít lose out on business by limiting what your customers can do or how they can pay.