With more than 61,000 car wash facilities in the U.S., customers have no shortage of options when choosing a brand. The car wash segment of the automotive aftermarket services industry is expected to reach more than $250 million annually by 2030, fueled in part by the expansion of self-service car wash locations.
The growth and diversification of the space presents brands with unique challenges—particularly in satisfying shifting customer expectations, which is a key component in customer acquisition and retention. Car wash brands are swimming in customer experience (CX) data, but often are uncertain about the frontline actions that will drive the most revenue.
Here, we’ll look at what customers look for in a car wash brand, and what brands can do to meet—and exceed—these expectations to create a better customer experience.
What do customers expect from car wash brands?
Consumer preferences and behavior have shifted in recent years. The growth in popularity of contactless services, digital ordering, and personalized offers has shaped what consumers expect. Car wash market trends indicate customers want enhanced speed, quality, and value. Here’s what successful brands should pay attention to in service of improving customer experience.
App-based booking
The ability to view service availability and book car wash service packages via a mobile app or website is no longer a nice-to-have; customers expect it. And simply offering mobile or online booking is not enough—brands must also ensure consistency across platforms, an intuitive user experience (UX), and error-free operation.
Self-serve kiosks and interfaces
From cashless and digital payment options to automated check-in and check-out systems, customers are seeking a self-serve approach, even in more traditional car wash facilities. Consumers increasingly view the self-serve model as key to service speed and efficiency, and brands need to adapt to this shift in order to outpace their competition.
More on-site amenities
While speed and contactless options are important, there’s a growing segment of consumers who prefer to use customer waiting areas while their vehicle is being washed. These customers expect more than the standard coffee pot or vending machine. In fact, amenities like LED lighting, smartphone and mobile device charging stations, themed decor, and even massage chairs give brands a better shot at increasing customer satisfaction scores.
What steps can car wash brands take to meet customer expectations?
Car wash brands that empower frontline workers to deliver better customer experiences will be well-positioned to drive revenue. A data-driven approach to determining the most impactful actions will help car wash brands take the following vital steps in exceeding customer expectations.
Emphasize consistency across locations
Analyzing customer satisfaction data by location is key to increasing overall satisfaction scores. The ability to view CX data at the brand level, at the regional level, and at the level of each individual location makes it easier to identify strengths and weaknesses at specific locations—and take action to increase consistency.
Prioritize personalized customer touchpoints
Communications that are timely, contextual, and personalized to the customer and their unique journey can help car wash brands increase trust and brand loyalty. Impersonal or irrelevant offers can negatively affect satisfaction scores, but offers based on customer behavior and purchase history can help increase average customer spend and shorten the return cycle.
Optimize pricing structures
Inflation, supply costs, and labor shortages have created significant profit margin pressures, which have made it difficult for car wash companies to offer a full range of services. Leveraging customer satisfaction data can help identify the services consumers actually value, and this can help brands optimize pricing and service packages to better meet customer needs.
Car wash facilities service about 8 million vehicles each day in the U.S. Many of these vehicles are serviced by brands that operate multiple locations, and this means CX leaders must wade through an ocean of customer data to improve KPIs like average customer spend or profit margin. This makes location-based CX insights vital in helping car wash brands transform customer data into strategic actions at a given location to help enhance the customer experience.
SMG’s unique software with a service (SwaS) model includes technology and professional services to help brands empower frontline workers to take meaningful actions that promote business growth. Partnering with SMG can help you tie data to location-based actions that improve the customer experience and produce desired financial outcomes.
Download our automotive aftermarket services guide to learn more.
