Car wash owner-operators should be aware of the major technological changes over the last decade, as sophisticated technology has found its way into the market. There are many exciting new breakthroughs to help the wash operator and make the task of management simpler.
The Breakthroughs
The most notable leap in technology has been in payment stations, entry stations, automated wizards, ATMs, automatic sentinels and water magicians. Although the level of interaction, customization, and functionality varies between brand, model and equipment manufacturer, it is important to properly evaluate your options when making a purchase decision. Like most things today, input stations rely more on computer systems and software to function then they have in the past.
Past Options
Early entry stations resembled self-service meter boxes that offered a single car wash flavor. It was only in the following years that the entry stations offered multi-level washing packages, invoice acceptance and promotional paper coupons read by an invoice acceptor. Over the years, manufacturers have continued to take advantage of available technology and are relying on a growing demand for more advanced automated input solutions. Payment at the pump was the first major leap in POS. With the interest and funding of the petroleum industry, hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on research and development. This push is responsible for the growth of many major manufacturers of washing equipment today.
Differences Today
A major advantage for the owner-operator is that POS systems also give owners and operators the opportunity to know at any time how many have gone through the wash. High-end input stations are now equipped with reports and remote paging as standard functionality. The good news for washing operators who have older equipment is that there are also renovation solutions that can provide them with remote reporting and responsibilities without having to deploy the large funds for a brand-new entry station. For example, modern car wash POS software can bind to any washing service and provide owners with remote reports and alert them when something goes wrong or even when levels of soap and wax are low.
