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Knowing When and How to Upgrade Your Car Wash Equipment

Knowing When and How to Upgrade Your Car Wash Equipment

In the car care industry, it’s a costly venture to upgrade your current equipment. 

It can be difficult to know when to invest and where to find the best equipment. New tunnel lights, vacuum systems, and water reclaim systems can be more energy efficient and save money in the long run, but which one should you upgrade first?

This post will give you some advice on figuring out when it’s the right time to upgrade, where to find the right equipment, and how to incorporate these changes into your marketing strategies.

Benefits of Upgrading Your Car Wash

There are plenty of good reasons to upgrade your car wash equipment and they vary from general efficiency to increased marketing.

If you’re still using old hoses, vacuums, and water reclaim systems, you could be wasting energy and resources. Worst of all, you could be turning away repeat customers if they’re unsatisfied with your broken equipment.

By switching to newer, more energy efficient models, you not only help in reducing your impact on the environment, but you also have equipment that is less likely to break and can service more cars in less time.

It’s also a good idea to keep other aspects of your business up-to-date, like upgrading card readers or LED lights in the tunnels. Even automatic hand dryers in your bathrooms can have a positive affect on your energy consumption and profit margin. Every little bit helps, and small upgrades now can help you make larger upgrades in the future.

How to Know When to Upgrade

While regularly cleaning and repairing all your equipment can increase their longevity, most equipment will need replacing after so many wash cycles. The next task is in knowing when it’s time for the upgrade.

There are some clear warning signs to keep your eye on. These can include your equipment constantly failing and needing expensive repairs. Or, if you notice your equipment slowing down and losing efficiency, then it’s probably time to think about upgrading. 

It becomes more difficult when there are less noticeable changes in your equipment’s performance. This article suggests creating a list of eight questions to answer every few months. The questions help you figure out which problems require immediate upgrades and which problems can be worked on over time. Then you can create a plan for upgrading your equipment and reliably keep your car wash up to date.  

Where to Find the Right Equipment

Now that you know what you need to upgrade, it’s time to face a new challenge. 

Finding the right place to buy equipment that’s perfect for your specific business model can be daunting because there are plenty of options. Luckily, we’ve already compiled a list of general resources that will be beneficial. 

Some reliable equipment sellers include Carolina Pride Carwash Systems & Solutions and Baker Equipment & Supply, which offer quality products and plenty of resources for those looking to learn more about the equipment they’re buying.

It’s also a good idea to consult other car wash owners for general advice taken from experience. We recommend using the connections from the International Carwash Association if you’re a member, or turning to online forums and social media groups, like the TalkCarWash Facebook group

Each resource has some good information so be sure to check them all out. That way you’ll be highly informed before making any costly investment like upgrading your car wash equipment.

How to Market Your Upgrades

Now that you have your fancy new car washing equipment, it’s time to show them off.

Update your social media channels with plenty of pictures and videos, maybe before and after comparisons, or breaking down the efficiency of your new equipment. You should also create a blog post for your website highlighting these changes as they happen. They may not have the same reach as a Facebook post, but it helps your business to keep all your channels updated.

You could also set-up signs around your building, advertising the eco-friendly or fast service you now provide. This article suggests that if the changes are drastic enough, you could even set up a grand re-opening, signaling the new direction of your business.

Getting a Return on Investment From Upgrades

When marketed well, upgrading your equipment can bring in more customers. Once they try your new services and like what they see, they’ll come back and tell their friends to stop by too. In the long run, the increase in customer loyalty will add value to your bottom line.

Between increased customer loyalty and more energy efficient equipment, you’ll be well on your way to growing your car wash business.

 

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