Before I retired, I was a franchisor in the mobile car wash industry. In fact, you could say that I invented the industry, although there are others who will debate that, because there were people doing mobile detailing on the site before I franchised my company. However, I often remember franchise buyers telling me; “I don’t need you, I can start a mobile car wash company, it’s not rocket science, anyone can do it.”
It was apparently a challenge for me to debate with them and show them why they should buy my franchise instead of starting their own mobile car wash business. I never got into that debate because if anyone really believes that, let them try and fail and try to compete with one of our franchisees or our team in the marketplace. In fact, I spent 27 years building my company, cutting out all the bugs, making all the mistakes, and building, at least what I believed to be, a perfect mobile car wash business model.
Yes anyone can start a mobile car wash company, many people do it but very few do it well. When I started, of course, there was no one doing mobile car washes, and the number of mobile detailers in the country was probably around 100. Today, there are hundreds of thousands of mobile car wash and detailer companies across the country. I’d like to think that I helped create that industry and allow the consumer to experience better customer service and convenience.
What kinds of things do people do wrong when starting their mobile car wash businesses? Well, they usually go after all the high end clientele, 5% of the market with all the luxury cars. In fact, 80% of portable car wash companies and mobile retailers compete for that 5%. The reality is that the money is in time, not in work, nor in the high price that you can charge some rich man to clean his car. There’s an old saying”; “sell to the masses and live with the classes”.
There’s a lot to be said for that, and it’s one of the things these mobile operators get wrong. Of course I can name 1000 others, but if someone is so arrogant and thinks that 27 years of experience, observation, and actually making it in the industry is worthless, then who am I to argue with such knowledge? everything anyway? Are you beginning to see my point?
That’s why when franchise buyers used to ask me; “Why should I buy your franchise, it’s a simple business, anyone can do it?” He would just look at them and laugh, and say; “Go ahead big guy, I’ll see you at the market.” After all, let the customers decide. Isn’t that what free markets are about?