Kids are Key to ProfitsKid-friendly carwash operations attract—and hold—busy parents.

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WRITTEN BYWENDI WINTERS

BESIDES A CLEAN CAR, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THE FIRST TIME YOUR VISITED A CARWASH AS A CHILD? Was it fun? Or, were you frightened? Was the staff friendly – or just plain scary? Was there fun stuff to do while you were waiting for the car to be cleaned? Was it easy for you to watch the car being cleaned? Where the bathrooms sparkling clean or did you feel you had to hold until you got home? Was it a place you wanted to visit again and again – like McDonalds? The old adage that it’s easier to attract a fly with honey has been lost on some old-school car wash businesses. In their view, “no-frills” means “no fun,” too. Children from toddlers to tweens

should be on the marketing radar of anyone contemplating a new wash or an upgrade of an older one. Busy, time-crunched parents aren’t going to drag their kids to a place that is boring, dirty or a hostile environment for kids if a family-friendly alternative is nearby. Carwash owners around the country are implementing savvy lures to attract this demographic into their business with tactics that may not seem practical at first glance. Tom Essenburg and his family, owners of eight mid-priced Quality Car Washoperations headquartered in Holland,Michigan, has developed a multi-profit center. Quality Car Washes wash autos, pump gas and sell milk – tons of it. In an average month, the flagship in Hollandsells 10,000 gallons of milk, vends 300,000 gallons of gasoline and washes

over 16,000 cars. The Essenbergs have expanded on the gee-whiz quality of car washing by maintaining well-lit tunnels and investing in the latest technology to attract young, techno-literates. Theygroom their attractive, clean, beautifully landscaped shops, subliminally telegraphing the message that Quality Car Washes are safe, friendly places to visit with the family. Dow Jones – his real name, folks – opened FireHouse Car Wash, a 12,000 square foot extravaganza in American Fork, Utah. The place looks like a real fire station complete with a greeter dressed as a fireman, accompanied by a Dalmatian firehouse dog. Kids might not care that the greeter, aided by a handheld wireless computer (much like a UPS or FedEx deliveryman), will quickly

6 WashTrends / Winter 2007

(Other page) The kid’s area at Simon’s Shine Shop. (Left) The bubble machine at Cool Wave Wash in Newport News, VA.(Middle) A basket of goodies, part of the appeal of Simon’s Shine Shop.(Right) The Wonder Wash, home of Willie.

input your license plate number as you pull up. If you’re a repeat customer, the greeter can greet you by name, offer you a free carwash if it’s your birthday or a free wash if it’s your tenth visit. Couldthe maitre’d at Manhattan’s 21 Club be as gracious? Inside, there are leather seats to sink into, and videos and computer games to play with. The place has ports for laptop-equipped workaholics and large plasma TVs for those who just want to relax. Car? What car? When Joe Dahm began his carwash business in Indianapolis in the ‘40s, his was only the 18th car wash the country. Named Mike’s Express since ’78, the chain of 24 shops was featured in the business how-to best-seller “Lessons from the Nordstrom Way: How Companies are Emulating the #1 Customer Service Company,” by Robert Spector. Now located in seven Midwest towns, Mike’s Express is all about express service. Customers – and their kids – do not get out of the car for the quick wash and dry. To allay the fears of some kids, and distract all of them, the company spends thousands of dollars each month on colorful stuffed toys. Kids select a toy to hold during the wash – and enjoy after they ride off in a clean car. (For more information on Mike’s see the article in this issue on uniforms.)

Bobby Willis, owner of Cool Wave Wash in Newport News, Virginia, installed a bubble-blowing machine in his in-bay automatic wash to attract, entrance and distract the children of his customers. Wisconsin’s WonderWash, owned by Bob Clements, has 63 operations. The

shops are a mix of in-bay automatics or full-service stations. Mr. Clements credits the firm’s enduring popularity among families and children over the years to the WonderWash family. They are a family of five, headed by patriarch WillieWonderWash, and wife Wilma, children Wanda and Wallie, and pet “puddle” named Splash. The characters were developed in the pre-computerized ‘80s, Mr. Clementssaid. There’s even a jingle for WillieWonderWash that kids sing when they pass the shops, all of which feature a 3-foot high cutout of Willie on the fascia. Willie adorns company advertising, stationery, trucks and uniforms. Williealso shows up on gifts Mr. Clements gives to his employees every Holiday Season. In commercials, Willie jumps onto customers’ cars to wash them himself. If Mr. Clements has any regrets about Willie, it’s that he didn’t develop all the WonderWash characters further. “Ifyou can create a cartoon character and jingle with a really good beat, relate it to teens or women. That whole process will put you in the customer’s mind,” he said. “Willie has been another way of connecting to the kids who visit our carwash. They’re attracted to those kinds of things.” Simon’s Shine Shop on WestShakespeare Avenue in Chicago is owned by Nicole Kloiber and Jim LaFeber. Seethe article on Kloiber in the Fall issue of WashTrends.

“We have a whole kids’ area. There’s a basket of toys, an easel, art supplies and a huge supply of books. The kids have colorful kid-sized furniture to sit upon. We give each child a toy – things like little mazes or Army men with parachutes.

We order ‘em by the gross from Oriental Trading. We also give each child a fruit snack and fruit juice box to drink. Nearthe end, we give them a bag of Goldfish – we want them to eat the healthy stuff first! We go to Costco once a quarter and stock up on tons of stuff.”

“I don’t have kids, but I know what they like.” The couple’s two dogs wander through. Both are Alaskan Malamutes. Simon is 10-years old and Beasley is 18 months. They are docile and easy-going around excited children. “People can bring their pets, too. We have biscuits for dogs.” Two of the company’s special washes are designed with parents and pet owners in mind. Kiddie Clean-Upfocuses on cleaning up the car seat and a wide circle around it where kids splatter food. Another is the Pet Lovers’ Washthat cleans up pet hair and dander.

“There’s a jar of candy for kids and adults, too,” she said, pointing out that Simon’s also provides free coffee, tea and hot chocolate from a self-serve bar in the lounge. “We brew coffee for customers all day long,” she says.

“The parents love it! I hear them say ‘I can read a trashy magazine while the kids play!’ The kids beg their parents to take them to the candy carwash. That’s what they call us.”

7WashTrends / Winter 2007

• Great Customer Service • Handcrafted Mailing List • Read cover-to-cover • Quality that shows!

WashTrendsoffers:

“did i mention our extras?” ms. Kloiber asked. “we give out sweethearts for valentine’s day and we do other fun things throughout the year. taffy apples for halloween, chocolates for christmas and channukah, and fun items on other holidays.” the wash is excellent, too.

annapolis-based resident, Wendi Winters, is a freelance writer, public relations consultant and Manhattanite-in-exile. currently writing for The Capital and What’s Up Annapolis, her articles have also been published by associated press, copley News service and many other publications.

Tour of Germany6 days/7 nights - itinerary

event dates: october 5 - 15, 2007 (october 7th, fly to munich)Price: $2795 - per person double occupancy, all inclusive

Join us for the WashTrendsfall of 2007

If interested, contact Nancy Badertscher at 410.647.5780 or 888.378.9209 or email: nancy@nextwavegroup.com.

ITINERARY Day 1: Arrival in Germany Day (Jet Lag Day)

Day 2: Augsburg, Medieval Germany/WashTec/Diesel Engine Day 3: Augsburg-Lutheran Church/Protestant Reformation/“Fuggerstadt”

Day 4: Augsburg - Medieval Center/Mr. CarWashDay 5: Ammersee-Andechs Monastery

Day 6: Munich Day SightseeeingDay 7: Munich Tour Day/Germany Museum

Day 8: Departure Day (Aufwiedersehen to Germany)

� WashTrends / Winter 2007