A number of factors indicate brighter days ahead for convenience stores: According to Technomic’s Q1 2021 C-Store Consumer Marketbrief, the rate of fuel customer conversion, at 51%, is currently at its highest since the pandemic’s onset. In addition, consumers continue to report an improved financial outlook compared to earlier in pandemic, and reopening workplaces, schools and municipalities boost the number of commuters on the road.
As these factors foretell more c-store consumers making purchases beyond the pump, retailers can benefit by optimizing their offerings—including their car wash—to maximize efficiency, boost quality, and convert new customers.
Maximize efficiency
C-stores are accustomed to seeing patronage ebb and flow throughout the day—especially during morning and evening rush hours. Retailers’ car wash systems, however, sometimes aren’t poised to accommodate a large influx in customers.
In-bay automatic (IBA) car wash systems, for example, can service about 10 to 15 cars per hour, averaging three to six minutes per wash, according to leading vehicle wash equipment manufacturer Mark VII, . While this isn’t too long a wait for the first or second customer in line, wait times accumulate as more cars join the queue. The sixth car in line for an IBA wash may wait as long as 40 minutes—and for busy consumers, that could be enough reason to skip getting a wash altogether.
To preempt rush-hour backups and keep operations efficient tall day long, c-store retailers can benefit from considering a mini-tunnel car wash system instead; according to Mark VII, a mini tunnel with a 50-foot range can service a whopping 45 to 50 cars per hour, keeping the per-car average at a low one minute and thirty seconds. This makes it possible to serve more customers—and keep those customers happy, too.
Boost quality
Of course, consumers don’t just want a quick wash; they want a thorough wash, too.
Several factors contribute to a quality wash, including internal brush contact, chemical dwell time on the car and drip time before drying. For retailers, this adds another element to balance in designing an efficient car wash: While keeping wait times and wash times low, c-stores must also ensure that cars spend enough time at each station—and this can become extra challenging when retailers are short on space at their site.
Fortunately, however, cutting-edge innovations can minimize the amount of time a car has to spend stopped—or eliminate the need to stop altogether. Mark VII’s Softline2 Tunnel is the only car wash in the world with brushes installed on overhead rails that follow the car as it moves through the tunnel, keeping internal brush contact high without increasing wash time. In addition, these overhead brushes are especially helpful for reaching areas on the car that are typically difficult to clean, such as the front and back of the car.
Convert new consumers
As retailers continue to serve their regulars and welcome back customers from before the pandemic, they must also focus on recruiting new customers, too. A car wash that’s as efficient as it is thorough is already a win-win for the retailer and customer alike—and mini tunnel systems from Mark VII, such as the Softline2 Tunnel, offers a surefire way to deliver on each of these priorities. In addition, the Softline2 is highly customizable with both standard and premium features to suit the needs of each site and consumer base.
For retailers considering switching from an IBA system to a mini tunnel, site compatibility is an important consideration. There must be enough space to keep a car straight in the loading area before it enters the conveyor. Mark VII recommends a 17-foot minimum of straight line to straighten cars before they load and a 15-foot minimum of straight line for the conveyor outside the building, totaling a 32-foot straight line minimum between the end of a curve and the tunnel entrance.
While there are a number of factors for retailers to consider as they look to optimize their car wash solutions, they fortunately can turn to the experts at Mark VII to evaluate their site for compatibility and discuss their needs. To learn more about the Softline2 Tunnel and other solutions from Mark VII, visit www.markvii.net.
This post is sponsored by Mark VII Equipment