The New Face of Competition
Evolution of the Car Wash Veteran
By Paul Fazio
CEO - SONNY'S The Car Wash Factory
Six months have passed since ICA President Frank Lash delivered his state of the union address at the ICA Car Care World Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the time, I thought I completely understood his argument that the industry was changing. I enjoyed his use of Dr. Spencer Johnson’s book Who Moved My Cheese and felt I was on the side of those who truly understood what Frank was talking about. Today, I realize I was wrong.
I completely agreed that consumer preferences and new technologies were changing car wash formats and wash techniques. I completely agreed that changes in labor, weather, and fuel prices, among hundreds of other factors, were redefining what it takes to be successful in this industry. What I missed was that even the face of today’s “veteran” car wash operator and how they compete has changed.
Many of my best friends, me, and the people I work with every day, are what I affectionately think of as second generation car wash immigrants. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that car washing is more than my occupation; it’s practically my nationality. I suppose there are many industries that become a central identity for the people that work in them. It’s possible I simply don’t get out much, but I’ve always felt car washing to be one of the most tightly knit communities on the planet. As my dad, Sonny, often says, “I have little automobiles running up and down in my veins; washing cars is my life.”
Things are changing, or as Frank put it, your cheese has, or soon will be, moved. Most of the discussion has been on changing weather, customers, labor conditions, and wash formats. What hasn’t been talked about is that the face of the car wash operator is changing too. Many of the new investors of the last decade, and even more so in the last 5 years, who entered the industry with white collar backgrounds simply because it presented a good return on their capital, are rapidly becoming the seasoned veterans of the future. They see things through different eyes. To them it’s a business venture and as such they are completely open to new ideas. We on the other hand are much more emotionally attached and find it harder to accept change - especially radical change.
I want to thank Frank for his insight and initiative, and invite everyone to watch his speech which can be viewed at www.carcarecentral.com by clicking on this link. You can argue that weather patterns, labor markets, and even consumer preferences are subject to change. It took me 6 months to realize that the new face of competition in the car wash industry is undeniably here to stay.
| Paul Fazio is the CEO of SONNY’S The Car Wash Factory. His career represents 27 years of conveyorized operating expertise. Prior to taking the helm at SONNY’S, Paul was an owner / operator of (2) self-serve, (1) exterior, and (11) full-serve wash locations, in addition to (6) gas stations with convenience stores as well as several detail shops and lube centers. He can be reached at 800-327-8723 or via email at PFazio@SonnysDirect.com |
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