SelfServeCov.qxd:p35 SelfServeCov 5/4/18 T H E 3:1 PM V O I C E O F Page 41 T H E C A R C A R E I N D U S T R Y Results from the Auto Laundry News SELF-SERVICE SURVEY 218 www.carwashmag.com
Results From The Auto Laundry News 218 Self-Service Survey he 218 Auto Laundry News Self-Service Survey was conducted through a mailing of questionnaires to a random selection of subscribers who own operate self-service car wash locations. The infmation in this rept results from an analysis of data provided by respondents throughout the United States. F purposes of comparison, survey responses from sites with in-bay automatics (sites with) and sites without this type of equipment (sites without) are on occasion tabulated separately. In the current survey, participating locations with in-bay automatics make up 57 percent of the total response. Four percent of these sites (i.e., 2 percent of the total response) also operate a convey wash on the same site. Some sites without operate convey washes along with their wand bays. These sites account f 9 percent of the total responses, while sites that offer wand bays only make up 34 percent. Revenues There has been little movement over the past five years. In the current survey half of respondents are able to rept progress. This compares to 52 percent in the previous survey who repted improvement and 51 percent the year befe that. A slightly smaller percentage of participants this year than last rept a decrease in income 17 percent versus 19 percent. The graphic on page 45 illustrates just how flat the survey results have been with regard to perfmance. Sites with continue to outperfm sites without. Compared to 6 percent last year, 58 percent of sites with rept higher revenues, while 37 percent (43 percent last year) of sites without do so. Nearly half (48 percent) of sites without rept no change in perfmance; 24 percent of sites with experienced neither improvement n reversal. Equipment Thirty five percent of sites with and 27 percent of sites without are planning to purchase new equipment during the 12 months ahead. Inbay automatics replace last year s LED lighting as the top item on the shopping list. The graphic below shows further detail. Sites with again repted adding new equipment during the previous 12 months in greater numbers than did sites without 27 percent (35 percent last year) versus 16 percent (26 percent last year). As was the case last year, in-bay automatics and in-bay credit card acceptance were the most popular additions. Future Survey participants continue to show a preference f buying as opposed to building additional sites, though their enthusiasm f expansion has waned some since peaking in 216. In the current survey, 6 percent of respondents, overall, plan on buying a car wash in the next 12 months, while 4 percent have plans to build. The graphic on page 45 provides a seven-year perspective. ACCESS TO THE INTERNET 9 YES NEW EQUIPMENT 31% of operats plan to add equipment in the next 12 months WEBSITE YES Tire Shine 5% LEDs 22% Others 17% Spot-Free rinse 5% In-Bay Handheld Dryer Credit Card Acceptance In-Bay Automatics 2 RESPONDENTS OPERATING AN IN-BAY AUTOMATIC ON THEIR COIN-OP LOCATION 43% NO 57% YES AUTO LAUNDRY NEWS MAY 218 43
PERCENTAGE OF WASH BUSINESS DONE BY SEASON BY REGION WINTER SPRING SUMMER FALL Pacific 1 3 45 15 Mountain 33 24 25 19 Midwest 27 24 29 2 Central 35 33 16 17 South Central 26 3 23 22 Southeast 43 23 17 17 Mid-Atlantic 41 29 16 15 New England * * * * NOTE: Some results do not total 1 due to rounding *Too Few Responses Pacific Alaska-Califnia-Hawaii-Oregon-Washington Mountain Arizona-Colado-Idaho-Montana-Nevada- New Mexico-Utah-Wyoming Midwest Iowa-Kansas-Minnesota-Missouri-Nebraska- Nth Dakota-South Dakota Central Illinois-Indiana-Michigan-Ohio-Wisconsin South Central Alabama-Arkansas-Kentucky-Louisiana- Mississippi-Oklahoma-Tennessee-Texas Southeast Delaware-Flida-Gegia-Maryland Carolinas-Virginia-West Virginia Mid-Atlantic New Jersey-New Yk-Pennsylvania New England Connecticut-Maine-Massachusetts- New Hampshire-Rhode Island-Vermont PERCENTAGE OF WASH BUSINESS DONE BY DAY OF WEEK PERCENTAGE OF WASH BUSINESS DONE BY HOUR OF THE DAY SUNDAY 2% SATURDAY 23% MONDAY 1% TUESDAY 9% FRIDAY WEDNESDAY 9% THURSDAY 32% MIDNIGHT- 8: AM 7: PM - MIDNIGHT 12% 3: PM- 7: PM 3% 8: AM - 1: AM 12% 23% NOON - 3: PM 1: AM - NOON 5 4 42% VOTED BEST MONTHS 3 ATTENDANT 213 214 215 216 217 2 1 13% FULL-TIME PART-TIME NONE 38% 47% 2% 39% 41% 51% 31% 45% 39% 32% 52% MARCH JANUARY APRIL 44 AUTO LAUNDRY NEWS MAY 218
6 5 4 3 2 1 36% (COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEAR) HIGHER SAME LOWER 52% 51% 52% 5% 3 29% 32% 35% 29% 33% 212 213 214 215 216 217 212 213 214 215 216 217 212 213 214 215 216 217 1 BUY VS. BUILD Expansion Plans: Buy vs. Build (in next 12 months) 8% 8 6 4 2 6% 3% 1% Planning to Buy 3% EXPANSION PLANS 1% 5% 5% 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 9% 6% Planning to Build 8% 6% 19% 2% 19% 17% 1 HOURS OF OPERATION OPEN SUNDAYS 1% OPEN 24 HOURS 91% COMPETING SELF-SERVE IN AREA NUMBER OF COMPETITORS 1 2 3 4 5 MORE THAN 5 5% AUTO LAUNDRY NEWS MAY 218 OPERATORS REPORTING 5 1 15 2 25 25% RESPONDENTS WHO OPERATE A COMBINED AUTOMATIC/ SELF-SERVICE FACILITY 6% AUTOMATIC WASH REVENUES AS PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SELF-SERVE WASH REVENUES AS PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL 45
EXPENSES (Operating Costs As Percentage of Total Monthly Revenues) ELECTRICITY FUEL (GAS, OIL, ETC.) WATER SEWER 5.8% 4.8% 3.8% 4.5% CHEMICALS VENDING PRODUCTS SOFTENER SALT COLLECTION LOT SWEEPING ATTENDANT LABOR BOOKKEEPING REPLACEMENT PARTS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR REPLACEMENT PARTS VANDALISM VEHICLE DAMAGE REFUNDS PIT PUMPING ADVERTISING & PROMO 5.9% 1.6%.8% 1.2% 5.5% 11. 1.3% 6.6% 1.%.7%.8% 1.8% 1.6% 2 4 6 8 1 12 THE AVERAGE PER BAY WAS $1,696 THE AVERAGE PER VACUUM WAS $2 THE AVERAGE FOR VENDING WAS $31 48 AUTO LAUNDRY NEWS MAY 218
CURRENT EQUIPMENT 3 25 2 15 1 5 6 5 4 3 2 1 PRICE VACUUMS PRICE PER MINUTE 24.6 26.2 27. 26.5 27.5 213 214 215 216 217 WASH BAYS PRICE PER MINUTE 48.5 5.1 51.7 5.7 54.9 213 214 215 216 217 EXPRESS EXTERIOR NEARBY No 41% Yes 59% HAS HURT BUSINESS HAS NOT HURT BUSINESS 38% 62% AUTO LAUNDRY NEWS MAY 218 WATER SOFTENER WATER HEATER COLD WATER RINSE SPRAY WAX LIQUID TIRE/ENGINE CLEANER FOAMING TIRE/ENGINE CLEANER TRIGGER GUNS FLOOR MAT HANGERS VENDING MACHINES VACUUMS AIR DISPENSER FRAGRANCE DISPENSER CARPET CLEANING MACHINE BILL CHANGER SPOT FREE RINSE WITH R.O. SPOT FREE RINSE WITH D.I. FLOOR HEAT FOAMING BRUSHES SOAPY WATER BRUSHES PRESOAK BURGLAR ALARM, SAFE VIDEO SURVEILLANCE IN-BAY HANDHELD AIR DRYER DOORS MULTI-COLORED FOAM CREDIT CARD ACCEPTANCE IN-BAY BILL ACCEPTANCE WATER RECLAIM SYSTEM SURFACE PROTECTANT TOKEN ACCEPTANCE LED LIGHTING 86% 78% 85% 99% 7% 53% 1% 92% 92% 96% 3% 58% 96% 8 61% 99% 87% 61% 72% 22% 37% 52% 73% 46% 13% 42% 7% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 49
6 5 SITE LOCATION 3 55% MARKET SIZE HOW FAR DO CUSTOMERS COME? 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 19% LOW URBAN 23% MIDDLE SUBURBAN 73% 26% HIGH RURAL MARKET LEVEL 12 1 8 6 4 2 75% 89% 7% 12 % 41% miles 2 3 miles 4 miles 5 8 miles 1 miles miles AUTOMATICS $6,355 $6,579 $7,449 $7,174 AVERAGE PER AUTOMATIC $11,19 AVERAGE AND EXPENSE $2,79 $2,169 $3,382 $2,732 $4,369 AVERAGE EXPENSE PER AUTOMATIC 213 214 215 216 217 213 214 215 216 217 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 6 62% 58% PERCENTAGE OF OPERATORS WITH MULTIPLE SITES 1 17% 8% 8% 7% 8% 3% 5% 3% 5% 2% 8% 8% 1site 2 sites 3 sites 4 sites 5 sites Me than 5 215 216 217 5 AUTO LAUNDRY NEWS MAY 218