How can we fix this menu

Tell me what's wrong with this menu.Here are some comments from customer Stupid,Insane,Bull S,What your $20 interior does'nt include the wash?...Well for us its pretty much straight forward four exterior option and if you want interior done then you have two option to choose from.

This is how we run this through auto cashier

Exterior menu

I am pretty sure I would be confused as a customer as well if I were to visit your wash. I would naturally assume that both Interior washes came with an exterior wash.

Could you price it in such a way to include an exterior wash? This would avoid any confusion/anger.

Well we tried to combine both as you see in the picture.It sells like hot cake,now we are having a tough time selling our superior washes.Everybody is handing out $20,whereas we could have easily made $33 just by selling ouh high priced exterior wash.

The problem as I see it, is that your are trying to market "express detail" interior services as "full service" add on options to an exterior wash. What you have listed as "Interior" services is what is typically done in an express detail service, not a full service car wash. And while your pricing may seem fair to you, because you know that you are doing much more to the car, the customer is not aware and is rightfully confused or appalled at paying $20-$33 for a "full-service" wash, whereas, as you can see from your current promotion, they will pay $20 all day long for a "full service" wash.

If I were you I would do a major re-work of my menu. Having said that, here's my quick fix. Make the $20 Wash and Interior a permanent service, but make it a "full service" option (Interior gets vac, windows and door jambs, none of the other stuff). Take the other two interior services and combine them into one call it the "Super Interior Clean" or whatever you want, but make sure to market it as a "detail service", include the top wash in the price and charge $39.99.

That's my quick fix.

John Moran

John,we used to be traditional full serve and converted to flex couple years ago.Well its been successfull model so far.To be frank we jack our prices from $16 interior/exterior to $20 Interior only to discourage some of full serv customers.We wanted to be under 25% for the Interiors,but in actual reality its gone down by 10%.Today we are running our promotion and we are over 34% in interior ext ratio.Seriously,I have no Idea what to do? We sell our washes through auto sentries without actally a ticket writer, so we are also limited to the number of packages we can offer.

You can color code your washes eg. Blue for your top wash, green for the 2nd, etc. Then you can use these same colors for those washes on your autocashiers. You can also add custom buttons. If you have Photoshop, you can do this yourself. We are now designing our own buttons...it's very easy once you learn.

With as many options as you have, you would do well to go down to three wash packages. It's just way too much to read. We have eliminated as much text as possible on our menus and autocashiers and instead use logos. The logos are visual anchors which allow people to connect the menu and the autocashier screens. For example, we use the Black Magic logo for tire shine and the Rain-X logo as well. These logos are the same on our menu and on our autocashier buttons. Color coding, eliminating redundant text, and simplifying your menu will help out on some of the confusion. You can see our menu on our website: http://carbuxcarwash.com/index.cfm?action=services

Most importantly, include a large helping of female input when redesigning. Too often car washes are designed by and around men, when in fact, our best customers are female.

Maybe on the two signs that say interior and exterior it would be helpful if you were to add the word "options" to each which would imply that they are different from one another. No matter how simple or idiot proof you try to make it, you'll always find come people get confused. It's inevitable.

We only offer the Works wash for $10 but they can get a 5 wash books for $35 ($7/wash). Well, then they get creative and want to pay just $7 for their wash today. You explain to them that they have to buy the entire 5 wash book to get their washes for $7 each and they ask "why?" And I say "because."

Heck, guiding customers onto the conveyor and into neutral can sometimes be quite the challenge. Point or tell them to come to the right asd they approach and they go left and vice-a-versa. So thenI tell them, "No, your other left/right." They chuckle but then they understand and go the way you want them to. "Neutral and foot off the brake" can somehow translate to, "Put it in park and turn the car off, or put it in reverse."

Dealing with the public is always a challenge.

BTW The warning slips we've been handing out to customer that tells them to honk their horn if their vehicle ever stops moving before the end of the wash has bneen quite successful in avoiding accidents in the tunnel when a vehicle junps a roller or the crash pad activates and automatically shuts down the conveyor. I'd rather hear honking if they have a problem then have them sit there until a 3-4 car pile occurs and backs things up enough for an attendant to notice. We hand them to every customer depite being exteremly busy we've experienced a significant drop in jump related problems and accidents.

Well, if you want to be a "true" flex-serve as defined by Mr. Okun, then you would eliminate the "full-service" option altogether. I would then create ONE Interior Detail Service at your $30 price point. Make sure the sign indicates that it is a detail service that will take 15-20 minutes to do and that the wash is not included.

I'm a little confused as to why you're running a promotion, if you goal was 25% or less, then why did you run a promotion that ran it up over 34%? What was your % of interior services prior to running the promotion?

John Moran

We were thinking to combine ext/Int for $25 but how do we upsell on exteriors now.You dont have much choice If you sell through auto cashier.Im wondering If anybody else using auto cashiers at flex-serv and If they are trying something new?
Thanks

As a customer, my eyes are drawn first to price (barrier) rather than the things I would be shopping for (need).

Looking at it as an analyst, I would say the carwash menu is trying to sell attributes rather than benefits. Customers are looking to you for solutions to their problems, not specific products.

The interior services menu also misses the mark. Again, my eyes are drawn first to price and it is very difficult to ponder the value of services offered. You mentioned "express" several times but there is no promise.

For these reasons, I believe you need a better marketing strategy.

Now questions for all you expertise out there .What would you do,If you have to offer Interiors too with exteriors? Im thinking of 6 options on the first screen 2 for the Interiors and 4 for the exteriors.If somebody selects Interior then on the second screen we can creats plu for vans/suv's and charge them extra.If customer opt for Exterior only then we can eliminate 2nd screen completely.
Thanks

Your menu is far too complicated for an automated teller. While you may have converted to a flex serve model, you are still marketing like you are a full serve with far too many options. You risk alienating and pissing off your customers and if customers are confused or annoyed with your menu (they have already told you they are) they will default to the easy choice. In my opinion you need to spend some money and hire a professional marketing person to help you completely re-do your menu, be it an industry professional or a marketing professional familiar with the car wash industry.

I think you are right John.We are in Toronto,Canada and we don't have any marketing company who is specialized in Car wash.I guess I have to start looking for somebody in south.
Thanks

Can members post pics of the menus?We are in the process of redesigning ours now.

I have it in an adobe file,and can't get it to post. might be just what you are looking for. Whats your email?

Thindpetroleum@aol.com

I feel your pain. We also offer interior cleaning and express car washing at a site that was a traditional full service wash for over 30 years. We are also using ICS autosentrys.

We have made a couple tough calls in order to keep things simple. First, there is one interior price. No options for dressing or various vehicle sizes. The first screen is our washes. The second screen allows for an upgrade to interior cleaning.

Everyone has mentioned good ideas. In my opinion the biggest single problem is the layout. We read left to right. You need your washes on the left side of the menu. That is your priority - 100% of your customers need to see that, only 20-30% are getting interior cleaning so that should be on the right or at the bottom. The interior cleaning also should be smaller, different font, something to show that it is an add-on to the wash service not a standalone service.

Also on the promotion, don't give away a lower wash. Bundle your top wash and sell for $28 or $30.

Finally, I agree with Robert Roman. At your interior cleaning price points, you appear to be competing on service, not price so don't make the price the focal point of your menu.

Dave, do me a favour post a pic of your menu If you can or give me your website add.Im wondering If your packages for Interior and exterior are combined.
Thanks

Hey Tyler thanks for the e-mail,I liked your menu very simple easy to understand.Do you run this through auto-cashiers?

Wow I'm from Toronto Canada. Well here is my menu our interior does include a wash. I will be doing a price increase in April. $1 across the board and doing away with our $16 basic full serve.

Sure no problem.

no auto cashier, it's a pretty wacky set up. The customer pulls up orders what they want then the attedant runs inside to punch it in.

Homer are you talking about my menu? If so look closer there is two DRB under the sign that you can read from space.

no, I am talking about the menu examples I sent him via email.

Props on the LustraShield though, good product.

It has too be the best set up (Thind) with all the problems with are DRB's some days I would like to bulldoze them into the ground (DRB).

Since it was offered up, consider the menu from the wash in Canada.

The menu is based on the typical merchandising strategy and naming convention; several tiers of services ranging from basic to best.

This is another menu that is selling attributes or "stuff" rather than benefits. The only difference between one wash and another is price and more "stuff." In other words, it is left up to the customer to determine the benefits of what they are buying. However, if customers can't determine the value in the benefits of services or products, they are usually left with no choice but to decide to buy on the basis of price.

For example, the difference in price between a basic exterior wash and the basic full-service wash is $11.00. However, the difference in price between the works exterior wash and the works full-service is $15.00.

In other words, if I bought the works full-service wash, I would be paying an additional $4.00 for the same service (vac, windows, dash) I get by buying the basic full-service wash.

Although it has been used to boost average sales, I sometimes wonder if it is a mistake to charge extra for wheel brite, implying that "we" charge extra to clean wheels. However, using washing in the driveway as a frame of reference for "basic wash" in the consumer's mind, how many people clean their vehicles and leave the wheels dirty?

Robert, you are suggesting one price for full serve that includes works exterior wash?

Certainly not, although there are some carwash operators who subscribe to this approach.

Motorists not only have different needs at different times, most people, especially women, enjoy having a degree of selection.

When I help carwash owners develop marketing plans, I always begin with the company's mission statement and value proposition and then develop product/services, distribution/production, pricing and promotion around them.

I am always available to help.

Quite simply, if you wish to effectively merchandise a Flex-Serve operation, you must separate all the carwash stuff... from all the hands-on After-Care detailing stuff.

Essentially, you only WASH the outside, so related services are typically push-button.

Everything else is an After-Care service utilizing cross-trained detailing staff for services that run the gamut from towel-dry finishing and interior cleaning to exterior buffing. The services are as extensive as you wish.

As John so rightly pointed out, The operating platform is designed to provide a much greater, more diversified list of extra-services, or however many you wish to offer. Consequently, we've upgraded the full-service limitations and replace it with TOTAL-SERVICE. Changing the consumer's frame of reference provides an easier format for increasing revenues.

We also recommend self-branding to our clients, thus giving each operator an exclusive product line with flexible pricing.

Too many operators fail to exploit the opportunity of enlightening their clientele with more comprehensive explanations of their product & service line. Some are unskilled in marketing and fearful of making mistakes... while others would simply prefer to take the easiest way out. They fail to realize that properly merchandised extra-services (both push-button and "hands-on" detailing) could generate over four times the net profit of basic washing revenues. If the status quo is all you seek, Flex-Serve will get you there as well... but you'll be leaving a significant amount of net profit on-the-table for others. A costly missed opportunity that needn't be.

If you have a DRB system, contact Ken or Dale Brott; the company's 2-brother brain trust who understand the Flex-Serve concept and can help guide you through your merchandising challenges of your DRB controller.

If you need help beyond their expertise, you are always welcome to click or call me.

-Steve

I like your creativity and simplicity...the mistake you made was on the right side the menu builds on each other from cheap $5 to top of the line $13...so you would logically think the left side continues that building concept...I agree with your customers...with this layout you've got to give them not just the $5 exterior with the interior packages but the $13 super express. (Don't try to adds words to your menu that the interiors don't include the wash...they won't read it...and you will continue to have needless arguments with them)

Just increase your prices from $20 to $25 and $30 to $35 and give them the $13 exterior with any interior service.

It amazing how much we learn from listening to our customers!

PS: Since we read from left to right and not right to left...this concept should start with the express on the left side then continue to the interiors on the right side. I feel oriental reading your menu from right to left.