The Unlimited Auto Wash Podcast

Boosting Car Wash Profits Through Premium Detailing Services

• Kevin Dalton • Episode 10

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What Are The Economic And Operational Benefits Of Offering Detailing Services Alongside Car Washes?

Maximum profit from every vehicle that rolls through your wash bay - that's the game-changing potential of adding professional detailing services to your car wash business. Kevin Dalton, owner of Unlimited Auto Wash, reveals exactly how this strategic expansion has transformed his business operations and dramatically boosted his bottom line.

Luxury vehicle owners make up a substantial 40% of Unlimited Auto Wash's clientele, with cars valued between $70,000-$350,000 requiring specialized care beyond standard washing. These discerning customers actively seek out establishments that can provide comprehensive aesthetic maintenance from basic hand washing to advanced paint correction and ceramic coatings. By positioning his business to meet these sophisticated needs, Kevin has unlocked a premium revenue stream that remains steady even when weather conditions reduce standard wash traffic.

The benefits extend beyond immediate financial gains. Kevin details how integrating detailing services creates valuable career advancement paths for employees, improving retention while building a team of certified specialists capable of handling even the most exclusive vehicles. His systematic approach to training and scheduling ensures seamless operations where detailing enhances rather than disrupts the core business. For wash owners feeling the pressure of tight margins and increasing competition, this episode provides a practical roadmap to elevating your business model through premium service offerings.

Ready to transform your car wash into a comprehensive auto appearance destination that attracts high-value customers? Listen now to discover actionable insights from an owner who's successfully implemented this exact strategy across multiple locations. Then visit unlimitedautowashclub.com to see these principles in action and experience the difference professional detailing makes firsthand.

To learn more about Unlimited Auto Wash visit:
https://www.UnlimitedAutoWashClub.com
Unlimited Auto Wash
561-WASH-ME-2

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Unlimited Auto Wash podcast. Get ready to discover the secrets to keeping your car looking spotless and new. Here's your host, Kevin Dalton, owner of the Unlimited Auto Wash, ready to make your ride shine like never before.

Speaker 2:

Adding detailing services to a car wash business isn't just about offering more. It's about maximizing each visit, boosting revenue and building long-term customer trust. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sofia Yvette, co-host, slash producer, back in the studio with Unlimited Auto Wash owner, Kevin Dalton. Kevin, how's it going today?

Speaker 3:

Good morning Sophia.

Speaker 2:

Thank you, it's going wonderful, enjoying Florida. Well, that's great to hear, kevin.

Speaker 3:

So everyone wants to know what are the economic and operational benefits of offering detailing services alongside car washes. Well, certainly, it's a natural extension of what we do. It allows us to hire additional employees. We have the ticket writers in place that can see if a car needs further work besides just a wash. Our guys can really tell further work besides just a wash, our guys can really tell. We also like to peek inside the car to see if the interior is in good shape, rough shape, and we also let the customers know about that as well.

Speaker 3:

We offer a wide array of detailing services, from interior cleaning to exterior hand waxes, all the way up to complete details, including some paint repair. It does bring us more revenue because these services are a bit more expensive, but it also helps the employees because then they're naturally getting bigger tips. So our guys are very well trained at what they do and very good at what they do. So it's, like I said, it's a natural extension of our wash services. About 40% of our customers drive in cars that may be valued at over $70,000 up to $350,000. And those customers really demand a higher level of service occasion besides just a hand wash, that we offer everyone. So it's something we enjoy doing and something our customers really need, sometimes beyond just a wash.

Speaker 2:

So, kevin, on that note, how does the Unlimited Auto Wash trained staff handle both car washes and detailing?

Speaker 3:

staff handle both car washes and detailing Well. First off, a detailer. We only hire qualified detailers. Now, on occasion we'll have one of our car wash staff come over and assist and they can learn the craft alongside a trained or certified detailer. So we've had a number of people from our car wash side come over and become some really top detailers. We'll send them to training up in about 30 miles north of here to a company that offers extensive detail training and certification all the way up to ceramic paint repair and ceramic coatings.

Speaker 3:

We do not do EPF or film treatments on cars or wraps, but we do wash them and take care of our customers that have those items. We are all about washing and detailing every car, but I'd say half of our cars that we touch are a higher value. So we need to make sure our best detailers are working on those specific cars. But, like I said, on occasion we have a car wash staff member come over and assist. It brings in more revenue for the company, allows us to hire more employees and, finally, I think the biggest thing for our employees is the satisfaction of knowing they did a great job and they've received a good tip from our customers for doing that excellent job.

Speaker 2:

So, kevin, can you share any examples of how Bundling services has increased revenue?

Speaker 3:

Well, certainly, I mean on a cloudy day, for example, when we know the car wash may only do about half the cars that it would normally do, we go the extra mile to really utilize the extra staff. We are a little bit more picky and we look at the cars, we scrutinize them more to see if we can add some extra cars over into our detailing bay areas to get them done, and that helps offset the loss of revenue from the fewer amount of cars that we are going to wash that day.

Speaker 2:

How do you schedule detailing to avoid disrupting regular car wash traffic?

Speaker 3:

Well, okay, that's a great question. Our phone number says it best 561-WASH-ME-2. And so our website is unlimitedautowashclubcom. Or they can type in 561washmetoocom and they link up together. So let's go back for the phone number. They can call that number. It's always one specific person that they're talking to, monday through Friday, and that's Cindy. She will take the phone call.

Speaker 3:

We won't route it because that's just an extra step that the customer doesn't want to go through. But she keeps a schedule book there and she makes sure that there's no overlapping. And even if so, there can be an overlap if the customer is going to leave their car for the afternoon or for the morning. But everything's handled in-house at one location and I don't believe we've ever even had an issue since we've started with that process. But that way we can ensure that the wait time for our customers is at a minimum.

Speaker 3:

The only one that doesn't go by this is West Palm Beach. If you go to West Palm Beach, we actually have two detail bays with three detailers on at a time, which allows us to do a little bit more, a lot more overlapping, so we can handle extra cars there. So if a customer comes in and just needs a hand wax or a complete detail, we can, 90% of the time, accommodate them right then, or at least within the next hour. Some of these jobs can take two to three hours, with two people working on the vehicle at a time.

Speaker 2:

Love it, kevin. We'll catch you in the next episode. With two people working on the vehicle at a time. Love it, kevin, we'll catch you in the next episode. Thank you for the helpful insight and have a fantastic rest of your day.

Speaker 3:

Well, thank you, Sophia, and you too.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for listening to the Unlimited Auto Wash podcast. Keep your car looking its absolute best by visiting one of our six convenient Palm Beach County locations or by heading to unlimitedautowashclubcom. Remember, at the Unlimited Auto Wash we make you look good. See you next time.