April 18, 2025

It’s no longer enough to deliver a quality wash at a great price with exceptional customer service. Technology has changed what consumers want and expect from every business they encounter, including the car wash. And with ever-increasing competition, it’s getting harder to stand out and lock in consumer loyalty.

To overcome these challenges at your car wash, it’s crucial that you meet the following expectations of modern consumers. 

Convenience 

Consumers increasingly expect technology to facilitate convenience in their daily lives, with 77% stating that convenience is a key factor in their purchasing decisions, according to Morgan Stanley. 

“Consumers are willing to pay up to 5% more, on average, for convenience, and they will in many cases choose one product or service over another if it is more convenient,” says Michelle Weaver, Morgan Stanley’s U.S. Thematic Strategist. 

In other words, delivering convenience isn’t just nice to do, it’s a must. Enhance convenience at your wash with the following:

• EMV. Equip pay stations with EMV readers that process cards for single wash transactions in less than five seconds and support tap-to-pay from cards, phones, watches, etc.
• E-Commerce and Mobile Apps. Allow customers to purchase single washes and plans 24/7/365 and empower members to change, update or cancel their plans online.
• AI-LPR. With 99.9% accuracy, AI-LPR expedites vehicle recognition for members and eliminates the need for RFID tags that annoy some customers.
• Effortless Plan Memberships. Make the signup process intuitive and non-invasive, whether online or at your pay station. A modern POS should not only automatically recharge members' credit cards each month, it should be smart enough to retry failed recharges and help reduce churn by automatically notifying customers when a charge is coming or their card is set to expire.

Personalization

Personalization is key to enhancing customer experiences. Consumers appreciate tailored recommendations and personalized messages. Statistics show how important this is:

• 73% of customers expect better personalization as technology advances. Salesforce
• Brands that prioritize personalization are 71% more likely to report improved customer loyalty. Deloitte Digital
• 62% of consumers like personalized recommendations over general ones. Zendesk

To address consumers’ desire for customized experiences, POS developers are taking a more user-centered, personalized approach. New POS technology, such as Patheon^®+, creates more valuable, relevant and personalized experiences, allowing customers to receive the offers that they want, when they are most likely to use them and delivered in the most convenient way for them.

This POS of the future can help you deliver personalized marketing messages based on consumer behavior. For example, by utilizing a modern POS system with AI-LPR, you can offer a 10th wash free deal or deliver a membership promotion to retail customers most likely to convert based on their visit frequency.

Recognition & Appreciation

Don’t take your customers for granted. It’s essential to keep both members and retail customers engaged and demonstrate that you value them.

Members
If you’re not engaging your members after the signup, you’ll end up being seen as a commodity. All it takes is a lower price at another wash to steal your members away.

Keeping in touch with members via mobile app, email marketing and text messages can help you strengthen your relationship with members, building loyalty over time. 

This is especially critical in the first month of a customer’s membership. Our SUDS marketing experts have found that customers who use their plan at least four times in the first month are 61% more likely to still be on the plan six months later. Therefore, it’s imperative to stay top-of-mind during a member’s first 30 days.

You might also consider recognizing member anniversaries with emails and text messages. A simple “thank you” can be effective, or you can offer them a free towel or other small token of your appreciation to show you really value them.

Retail Customers
For your retail customers, you can show your appreciation with loyalty programs, typically administered through a mobile app. These programs allow customers to earn points toward rewards such as free washes. This gives them a reason to come back over and over again.

Are You Delivering What Customers REALLY Want?

You can provide the best wash in town at the best price, but if you aren’t addressing your consumers' desires, you could end up behind. Leverage technology and experiences to lock in loyalty and drive new business.