Anyone can start a mobile car wash, but few people get it right

Before retiring, I was a franchisor in the mobile car wash industry. In fact, you could say that I invented the industry, although there are others who will debate that, because there were people doing mobile details on the site before I franchised my company. However, I often remember franchise buyers telling me so; “I don’t need you, I can start a mobile car wash company, it’s not rocket science, anyone can do it.”

This was apparently a challenge for me to discuss them and show them why they should buy my franchise instead of starting their own mobile car wash business. I never got into that debate because if someone really believes that, let them go and try, and fail, and try to compete with one of our franchisees or our team in the market. In fact, I had spent 27 years building my company, eliminating all the mistakes, making all the mistakes, and building, at least what I believed in, a perfect mobile car wash business model.

Yes, anyone can start a mobile car wash business, many people do it, but very few people do it well. When I started, of course, there was no one washing mobile cars, and the number of mobile retailers in the country was probably around 100. Today there are hundreds of thousands of car wash companies and mobile retailers across the country. I’d like to think that I helped create that industry and allow the consumer to experience better customer service and convenience.

What kinds of things do people do wrong when they start their mobile car wash businesses? Well, they usually go after all the high-end clientele, 5% of the market with all the luxury cars. In fact, 80% of portable car wash companies and mobile retailers compete for that 5%. The reality is that the money is in the time, not in the work, or the high price you can charge a rich person to clean their car. There is an old saying “;” sell to the masses and live with the classes. “

There’s a lot to say about it, and it’s one of the things these mobile operators get wrong about. Of course, I can name 1000 others, but if someone is so arrogant and thinks that 27 years of experience, observation, and actually doing it in the industry is worthless, then who am I to debate with such knowledge? everything anyway? Are you starting to see my point?

So when franchise buyers asked me; “Why should I buy your franchise, is it a simple business, anyone can do it?” I just looked at them and laughed, and said; “Go ahead, big man, I’ll see you at the market.” After all, let the customers decide. Isn’t that what free markets are all about?