Car Wash Business: Mobile Auto Detailing or in Detail Shops?
In the 21st Century, whether you are a 20, 30, 40 or even a 50-something, it’s never been more conducive to follow your dreams such as nurturing your destiny or running your own small business. Despite the need for economic belt-tightening, consumers still have needs, wants and cravings (down-sized ones if you will) to fulfill. The smart entrepreneur of the new age can satisfy those needs by being more innovative with their business focus.
Let’s suppose you are toying with the idea of optimizing your passion, interests and skills in all things automotive. In brainstorming your ideas, the one that inevitably bubbles to the top seems to be that of a mobile auto detailing business. You are thinking: how can it go awry, correct? You mainly concentrate the service to within your family, friends and neighborhood circles. And you will be without the overheads of a storefront lease, utilities and staffing. You can then take your time to hone the business without being distracted by those big items and similar stresses.
Alternatively, perhaps you would rather save on gas and travel time and service your customers in your own shop, an auto detail shop may be the more ideal solution. The number of clients you can service will probably be higher as they are delivering their vehicles to you and you are doing it under one roof. As part of this setup, you will need to have a big enough space in which to store and service the automobiles entrusted in your care.
Make the Best of Your Resources
Whether you strike out as an independent operator, a mobile auto detailing or a car wash franchise with a bricks and mortar location; is dependent on determinants such as your resources, target market, customer and your own personal preferences.
Also, as an independent, you will need the time, energy and resources to do the market research, the business plan as well as invest in the process of growing and promoting the business from scratch.
In fact, in doing the homework, you will stumble upon car wash franchise opportunities that may have the backbone of the exact business model you have in mind, minus the groundbreaking sacrifices. They are likely to include options for both mobile auto detailing and fixed location outlets. Oftentimes, they would have gone through the growing pains and rigors of both approaches before striking out with the blueprint of their success formula into the distant future.
Today’s discerning customers will expect to get value, convenience and quality for their money. Owning a small business in your local community should be positive and should reinforce the strength of your car wash franchise presence, integrity and brand over larger, faceless corporate names. Yet, if your resources are spread too thin, which they will when your attention is being called from every which way, you will experience exhaustion and burnout before you know it.
Just as one pays tuition to a college or trade school to tap into the best minds for one’s education and training, a franchisor wears the hat of a mentor, coach and facilitator for their proven business formula. Rather than reinvent the wheel, you may be better off to run with the ones already in place and develop even more good ideas thereon.