Due to a shortage of labor in the car wash industry perhaps it makes sense to come up with a U-Dry Car Wash Model? Recently a business consultant brought up this point with me since I was in the car wash industry for some 20 plus years. He noted that it sure took a long time to get his car washed. He also laminated the fact that it did not take long to actually wash the car, but rather wait in line and then it took a long time to dry it.

Yes drying is an issue and can take 5-minutes often, but really if the car wash did it correctly it does not take long. The better the blowers the more the car wash can save on labor. Towel loss is an issue as well because if the dryers do a lousy job then of course folks pick up a towel to finish their own car and usually take the towel too.

The business consultant guru had stated; Anyway, I put on my consulting hat and thought, You know it doesn't take a long time to WASH a car--The time is consumed in DRYING IT! So, what if you devised a new kind of car wash called: WE WASH-- YOU DRY! Make towels available (there will be some losses, yes) and for those in a rush, for the self-helpers, they can get in and out in ten minutes.

This is a very good point, in fact Dr. Goodman of CustomerSatisfaction.com makes many very good points, especially considering the labor situation and changes in the car wash industry. Indeed there are several new concepts, they call them Flex-Serve, They wash, one employee collecting money, you can dry or drive away without but have rinsed with spotless water and mostly blown dry anyway. Little Sisters Truck Wash does this, they dry the main stuff and you can grab a towel or two and completely dry it if you want too. You have about 20 minutes until the next Big Rig comes out of the bay. Dr. Goodman also notes that; Labor costs stay down, and the business does what it does best--WASHING, and not deploying and managing laborers.

Yes, in fact Mister Car Wash has flex serve in the Twin Cities, Boise, Spokane and Kennewick, WA. Another company, which was selling franchises called Rapido Rabbit, had such a Flex Serve. But your idea about lending a towel makes sense. I would do that. It sure makes sense in Sunny Weather States; Sunbelt States for sure. Indeed Dr. Goodman is correct and perhaps the U-Dry Car Wash Model, will solve the labor problems which plague the car wash industry? Consider all this in 2006.