The carwash market is estimated to reach $68.9 billion by 2031, according to research made by the Transparency Market Research.

However, as reported by Fundera, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that 20% of small businesses fail in their first year.

You are probably new to the car wash business and do not want to be among those 20%.

So here are the top 5 mistakes you should avoid as a car wash owner and potentially keep your customers (and your profits) increasing.

1- Neglecting Regular Maintenance

Imagine a customer comes to wash their car only to find your equipment frozen up, not functioning, or a hose missing. Remember that an unsatisfied customer is a lost money, generating a negative word-of-mouth effect.

Car wash machines need consistent supervision, just like cars.

Solution: Schedule regular maintenance to avoid unhappy clients and expensive repairs down the line. You can do it daily or whenever you collect money weekly. The more, the better.

And fix issues quickly because you do not want customers driving past because your out-of-servicesign becomes regular.

2- Ignoring the Customer Experience

Customer feedback is a goldmine for improvement. Sometimes, the tiny complaints can point to giant underlying issues you missed during maintenance. Maybe customers feel your wash leaves soap residue or must wait too long in the queue.

Addressing these complaints will improve service quality and show customers you care and that they are not just numbers.

The customer experience is not solely bad, so consider catching the positive ones to incentivize potential customers.

Solution: Set up a Google My Business account for positive reviews and offer an online feedback form that helps you evaluate negative feedback (through Google Forms or direct email).

3- Missing Out on Marketing

People will not know about your car wash unless you tell them. Many car wash owners skip marketing, assuming customers will come naturally—it might work if you monopolize the market, which is probably not the case.

You certainly have competitors, and marketing makes you stand out, but how?

Solution: To reach new customers, consider:

• Digital Marketing:social media platforms, local ads, having a website with a blog, or setting up Google My Business.

• Offline Marketing: partnering with nearby businesses, promotions, attractive headlines, or spreading flyers.

4- Choosing Location Poorly

As mentioned in How Much Can You Make in a Week, the WLF are factors to success: Weather, Location, and Facilities.

A poor location features:

• Too close to another car wash business
• In a low-volume traffic
• In fast-moving traffic
• Not zoned for commercial use

Solution: Location is everything, so seek statistics and research beforehand.

5- Counting Quarters inefficiently

It may sound like a small thing if you have not tried counting quarters yet, but the truth is to be said: It will take you a lot of time counting to the point of regretting having quarters (funny enough).

Poor solution:

• Using a weight scale: it is not that accurate, precisely if you use tokens
• Taking it to the bank: continuous fees, time-consuming, and they do not accept tokens
• Outdated coin counter: not reliable nor durable, with extensive repairs or breakdowns.

Ultimate solution: NuCoun C600

NuCoun C600 Coin Counter makes it easy to count and sort coins quickly and accurately. Here is why you should opt for NuCoun:

• Equipped with six coin boxes and one reject box (if you use tokens)
• Tube, bag, or box mode (you get a free bag with the package)
• the C600 handles up to 950 coins per minute, saving you time and reducing errors
• This machine’s 7-inch touchscreen display also makes it easy to track totals in real time
• Mixed denomination value counting, single denomination counting, and batch mode

So, you will spend less time counting quarters and more time focused on your business.

The ball is in your court. Choose your solution wisely.