Rain rain go away

We have had this year rain to the max. Hurricane / Tropical storm Faye is headed this way with probably 10 inches of rain and 50 mph winds. This week will be totally lost. We have the chain saws primed and ready to go, generators gassed up, it maybe a real mess here.

What about the weeks of endless drought and low water tables that this storm has the potential to replenish. As the saying goes, "In every life a little rain must fall."

I wouldn't mind a little rain here in Northeast Ohio. The weather has by and large been gorgeous but cars are taking so long to get dirty b/c of a lack of rain so people are stretching out their intervals betweeen washes 1/4 - 1/2 of an inch would be just right on say... Tueday! Normally we'd be expecting 350-400 Fidays and 500 cars Saturdays this time of year ( weather permitting of course). Its all we've been able to muster 250 car Fridays and 350 car Saturdays. In addition, our oveall average of credit card purchases has fallen from $19 down to $15 and a lot more people charging exterior car washes.

How about a half price special on cloudy and/or rainy days?

Most operators have not witnessed all of the ups and downs that have come down the pike over the last 40+ years.

We made our switch to exterior only in 1997. We began at a $3 basic wash and a $5 "Works" wash. Eventually we went to a one price -one wash format and today our "Works" wash price is $10 and rain-x is $1 optional. We employ several different marketing and savings programs to save loyal customers money.

Our 5 Wash Book are now $35 or 5 Books for $150.

Our Club Card program allows customers to wash once a day, any day for 30 days.

Our club Card Jr, Program lets customers wash once a day any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday for $35.00.

Our Frequent Wash Card provides customers with a free wash after they purchase 10 at the regular price ( if you wash with us that much, you'd at least buy a book) Attendants have two unique puches to prevent customer fraud and at least attempt to limit employee fraud ( if a card is redeemed after having it just begun and/or has all 10 punches be the same style of punch on it.

Just some thoughts, our prayers are with you. May Fay spare you and yours. Whatever happens, never lose your sense of humor!

Bill

It has rained so much in South Louisiana we are having a hard time washing 200 cars a week. It has rained everyday for the past 34 days (streets that have never flooded before are starting to have periods where there will be 6" to a foot of water covering them). If the rain keeps up we might not be able to wash 200 cars a month. I am hoping Fay goes North and brings all the rain with her.

You guys down south can keep your rain. How would you like to have been up here in the north where we lost an entire winter? Now, here in August we just got our first five day stretch of sunshine since mid-June.(I'm located in MA)

I talk to operators from all over the country and I can tell you it's been brutal.

As if this isn't bad enough get ready, if you haven't experienced them already, for heavy cleaning solution price increases. You're going to start seeing your cost per car increase. If you haven't thought about raising your car wash price now is the time.

Stuart

We have raised the price of everything (oil change, and carwash). Heck, even toilet paper is getting expensive.

Stu, we are mixing up the "perfect storm" and sending her your way....Her name is Fay. By the time she is done with the south, I think she will have been in every SE'rd state. Several places in FLA has gotten 20 inches of rain in two days.

Thanks Jimmy. See you in Atlanta.

This Fay gal, let's just say "she's real friendly". She really gets around. It's been raining here since Saturday and no relief is expected until Thursday, then another wave of rain is due Sunday. This month might be a record breaker for us, just in the wrong direction.

I was wrong in my predictions, we did not need a generator!, of course we did not wash a car for 4 days, and now the cars are trickling in, not a rush as predicted, or what would occur after a snow storm. This will be the worst month since we opened 3 years ago.
some areas of our town got 24 inches of rain, we were a little luckier, we got a little less than 12 inches (if you call that lucky!). We did all the deferred projects that we wanted to do. Cleaned the trench till you could just about eat off the bottom.

I feel bad for you guys down there. Sun has been shining here for 7 days. A record for us.Still not washing many cars but at least the sun is out.

We are right there with everyone in regards to a record breaking month, just the wrong kind. Hopefully September will get us all back on track. The hard part for express car washing is it is hard to cut back on a lot of expenses during times like this. So many of our costs are fixed and only having one person at the site during rainy days doesn't really save that much money.

What are people doing to cut back to make it through these tough times?