| If you are in the parking business and own or | | | | was only one complaint about the free |
| manage parking lots you may want to think on | | | | increase.BUYING A FRANCHISEYou can also buy |
| some additional concepts to increase lot revenues. | | | | a franchise if you're serious about adding detailing |
| Whether you are looking to add value for your | | | | as a permanent source of revenue. One type of |
| customers, expand your customer base, or | | | | company which lends itself well to a model for |
| simply increase your revenue, the addition of a | | | | your operations is the Detail Guys based in Reno, |
| car wash and/or detailing service to your parking | | | | Nevada offers mobile detail units, training, |
| facility may be the answer. There are many | | | | marketing and computerized software in one |
| options available to you if you want to provide | | | | complete package. Each unit has a re-claim device, |
| these services. You can contract with a local | | | | central vacuum system and enclosed lockable |
| independent company in your area with a good | | | | trailer. Visit their web site at; The Detail Guys and |
| reputation, co-market with a detail shop nearby | | | | "brother" company The Car Wash Guys set up |
| who will service your lot, buy your own unit and | | | | franchises in 23 states to serve 110 markets |
| run it in-house or purchase a franchise name and | | | | nationwide.DOING IT YOURSELFIf you opt for |
| equipment from a national company.INCREASED | | | | the do-it-yourself route, following are some |
| REVENUEWhichever route you choose, it is | | | | suggestions regarding equipment. You'll need a |
| possible to increase daily income, if you hire the | | | | pressure washer with cold and hot water, hot if |
| labor or contract out. "Car washing and detailing | | | | you also want to occasionally wash down the lot |
| not only provide value for your customers, but | | | | or parking structure. For cars you need 1800 psi |
| also maximize the per space value of your lot," | | | | that will take an 8hp motor with a belt driven |
| commented Philip Hutcheson, owner of The Car | | | | pump. (We do not recommend direct drive.) Ask |
| Wash Guys franchise in Nashville, Tennessee, who | | | | for a cat pump, operators say they have nine |
| currently had Central Parking in Nashville as a | | | | lives. You'll also need at least 50 feet of |
| client. "It's all about convenience and saving | | | | non-maring 3000 psi single braided hose or a reel |
| customers time. We're only washing their cars, | | | | and a wand. Always operate a wand of less than |
| but that can give them time to do other things | | | | 24 inches - less chance to ding a car, which is |
| they want to do," said Hutcheson.HIRING A | | | | parked too close or over spray cars already |
| CONTRACTORIf you choose to hire a local | | | | washed or cars you are not washing. You need a |
| company to handle the job, then try to be | | | | 200-gallon water tank. All this can be mounted on |
| respectful of their time. You may wish to start | | | | an industrial Cushman cart. Make sure the cart has |
| out one day a week. For example - Wednesday | | | | four wheels, since water moves and weights 8.2 |
| is car wash day. You collect the money and park | | | | pounds per gallon. That's 1,640 lbs! Insurance is |
| the cars in car wash row. The local company | | | | not only an important factor to look at when |
| arrives at the desired time and washes, waxes | | | | hiring a contractor, it's essential if you plan to run |
| and details the cars and returns the keys to you. | | | | the operation yourself. You'll want to get a liability |
| Make sure the mobile operator is licensed, insured, | | | | policy of at least $1 to $2 million.HIRING |
| maintains quality employees, shows up on time | | | | EMPLOYEESYou will need to hire experienced |
| and has some sort of re-claim device for | | | | labor or your employees will need some type of |
| wastewater.To reach your revenue goal, increase | | | | formal training. A company called Detail Plus in |
| services to more days and more hours a day as | | | | Portland, Oregon offers training courses at your |
| the work catches on. It will build slowly, but will | | | | place of business and videotapes and manuals. For |
| give you an edge and higher average ticket | | | | more information, visit With professional training |
| charge per car. A typical financial arrangement | | | | and profit incentive bonuses of 10-15% for |
| with a detail service can net you $2 to $5 per car | | | | employees, you may be able to put together an |
| for a wash and wax and as high as $15 per car | | | | excellent crew.ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUESYou'll also |
| for a full detail.A WIN-WIN-WINHere's an example | | | | need to learn a little about car wash wastewater. |
| of how a parking facility can partner with a detail | | | | Even if you are hiring a company on contract, |
| service. Tim Morse, co-owner of The Car Wash | | | | you should at least be aware of the |
| Guys franchise in Oklahoma City, washed and | | | | environmental laws pertaining to waste water. |
| detailed cars for SunPark, a private parking facility | | | | The basic law is this: do not allow wash water |
| near Oklahoma International Airport. He washed | | | | run-off to enter a storm drain. Block off storm |
| their shuttle buses for free in exchange for use | | | | drains and vacuum unevaporated water into a |
| of a storage room to keep supplies in for his | | | | holding tank for proper discharge into the sanitary |
| mobile detailing service. SunPark receives a | | | | sewer. You or your contractor will need to locate |
| percentage of each car washed and detailed. This | | | | a drain which is connected to the sewer |
| relationship provides a win-win-win - for the | | | | treatment plan within your property or drive the |
| customers and both businesses involved.SunPark | | | | waste to a nearby gas station, for example, to |
| was bought by new owners in 1998. The previous | | | | put in their R.V. dump. This BMP-Best Management |
| owners had offered a basic wash and wax as an | | | | Practice is consistent with nearly all NPDES-National |
| added service, explained Manager Larry DeLuca. | | | | Pollution Discharge Elimination Systems permits. |
| "We took it a step further. We now also offer | | | | For additional information, visit and search under |
| car detailing and oil change which have been well | | | | water pollution.CO-MARKETING/NETWORK OF |
| received by our customers. Our agreement with | | | | SERVICESIf you utilize the services of a gas |
| The Car Wash Guys allows us to offer detailing at | | | | station, this will also be an excellent opportunity to |
| a competitive rate to what our customers could | | | | co-market with another business, perhaps even |
| find elsewhere in the city, just with the | | | | help send them business. It pays to have a |
| convenience of having it done while they're | | | | network of local businesses such as lock-out |
| away," he explained. When travelers arrive, they | | | | specialists, tow companies, or maintenance |
| are given a card inviting them to select additional | | | | services. Remember you are in the automotive |
| services besides parking during their trip. They | | | | business even though you just park them.A |
| indicate their return date and if they desire a | | | | NATIONWIDE RESOURCEThe Car Wash Guys is |
| detail or car wash. Their cars are prepared the | | | | currently working with numerous parking garages |
| day before they return, waiting for them all shiny | | | | around the country. We'd be happy to talk with |
| and clean. "The word of mouth about the | | | | you if you are interested in adding services to |
| additional services that you don't receive at the | | | | your facility. We can also serve as a resource to |
| airport has helped increase our business as a | | | | help locate an independent detailing contractor or |
| parking option of choice," commented | | | | a franchisee if one is located in your area. The |
| DeLuca.With Hutcheson's work in Nashville, for the | | | | Car Wash Guys set up training centers for their |
| monthly tenants, the cost of a wash or detail is | | | | franchisees in Columbus, OH; Nashville, TN; |
| added to their monthly fee as an ongoing service. | | | | Orlando, FL; San Antonio, TX; Oklahoma City, OK; |
| Washes can also be used as an incentive to | | | | Overland Park, KS; Denver, CO; Palm Desert, CA; |
| customers, i.e. two free car washes a month. A | | | | Sacramento, CA; Bozeman, MT; Portland, OR; |
| lot owner can mark up contracted services for | | | | Lewiston, ID; Reno, NV; and Scottsdale, AZ. The |
| additional profit or add them as an incentive to | | | | Car Wash Guys was founded in 1979 and now |
| retain long-term customers.For a parking company | | | | washes just about everything from cars, trucks, |
| in Tucson, Arizona, The Car Wash Guys team | | | | boats and aircraft to windows, buildings, graffiti |
| washed every car in the structure once a month | | | | removal and more.Best wishes on your plans to |
| and extends a special group rate of $4.00 per car | | | | maximize revenue as a parking professional. Just |
| to the lot owner. The customers were so happy | | | | remember, success can be found in the details! |
| to have the added "free" service that when the | | | | Think on this. |
| lot owner recently raised monthly rates there | | | | |