Collecting Car Wash Feedback

None of us know what we don’t know, which makes it vital that car wash owners and operators establish functional methods to collect feedback and stay up to date on the different experiences customers are having at their wash. The benefits of this process are many, and can offer managers a window into their customers’ perspective, and the opportunity to address negative experiences, retain customers, and increase their awareness of otherwise hard-to-spot problems like employee behavior, system glitches, or malfunctioning equipment.

Collecting meaningful feedback from customers can be challenging. Here are several high-tech to low-tech methods that wash managers may decide to use to collect feedback at their facilities.

Smartphone based:

As smartphones become more and more common they also become a natural resource for companies looking to connect with customers on an instantaneous level. There are a numerous ways to accomplish this, including web forms and text messages (below). You can also put up QR (Quick Response) code stickers in high traffic areas like vacuum stations, but QR codes have produced mixed results and should be used in combination with other strategies.

Web Form:

A web form for feedback is a must and can even be characterized as a review system or guestbook. Host or link to the form on your website and optimize it for mobile so it works for smartphones as well. Leave a few signs in or around the wash to invite visitors to leave comments or suggestions. Just be sure these responses don’t go public without being reviewed first.

Text Messages:

Texting is fast, cheap, and efficient, and offers a great way to collect instant feedback without taking customers to the web. Post the invitation to connect on signs or stickers and invest in an sms message marketing system to allow you to collect these responses and both view and respond to them from a computer.

Face to Face:

Well-trained employees are already interacting with customers and working to give them the best possible experience. Who better to ask them how their wash was and report any problems back to you? Train employees to open conversations (without being pushy) with customers and ask specific questions about their experiences. Encourage staff to share these experiences (positive and negative) at team meetings or with their managers at the end of shifts.

Online Reviews:

Between Facebook pages, Yelp reviews, Google listings, and more your customers will be able to publicly leave feedback about your wash whether you like it or not. Addressing these reviews (both positive and negative) quickly and professionally is important for maintaining your car wash’s public reputation, so take an active approach and check your site’s electronic reviews on a regular basis as part of your overall car wash marketing strategy.

Visit Tommy Car Wash Systems today to find high-performance car wash parts and components, car wash detergents, and information regarding our proprietary Totally Tommy car wash site plans.

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