Profile in Success

In the car care business it is difficult to be everything to everyone. Most operators focus their efforts on one particular concept or segment of the industry and ignore the rest. »

Every car wash owner faces adversity on the road to success. Labor issues, equipment failures, emerging competition,  »

Over the past decade, the unlimited wash club has spread like wildfire across the industry. It provides customers with unrestricted access to wash facilities, while  »

We are in the midst of an employment revolution. Conventional, full-time employment is shrinking, while the part-time workforce continues to grow. »

In the ever-evolving world of professional car washing, standing pat is never an option.  »

Most of the industry is turning its back on the self-serve concept. Opting instead to build flex and exterior-only locations as self-serve volume and revenue continues to slip across the car wash landscape. »

Car washing habits are constantly in flux. What is popular with one generation of customers can become tired and dated with the next. »

One of the biggest challenges for busy consumers is finding the time to get their car detailed. Sure, they can make an appointment in advance, but that requires forethought, and a few hours without their car.  »

Sometimes operators find detailing, and sometimes detailing finds them. When Justin Labato got laid off from his job at a wood shop a decade ago he was like  »

The Wash Mahal. That is how a friend of Buz Knyal described Uptown Auto Spa. And it is hard to argue with the moniker. »

Convoy Hand Car Wash has been serving the people of San Diego for more than 30 years. The family-owned business built a loyal following over that time, but it was in need of an infusion of new services and tactics to compete in... »

Digital disruption is turning the consumer marketplace on its head, forever altering the retail, taxi, movie, and airline industries just to name a few. Now it’s car care’s turn. »

It is not hard to find a meticulous, hardworking detailer. The industry is full of them. But a skilled detailer that receives true joy from the trade? That is a little rarer. »

After years in the car wash industry many operators can get complacent. They stop innovating and their business fades into obscurity. That is not Clay Perkins’ way. »

A detail business is judged on the quality of its work, not the cleverness of its name, but sometimes a new moniker can help propel a detailer to the next level. »