During a crisis, you can establish a profitable business in almost all areas of activity.
The fact is that in an unstable economy, people strive to purchase as many different goods as possible, because they believe that things will only get worse.
It is noteworthy that during the crisis the volume of car sales increases sharply, as evidenced by the results of the unstable Russian economy of past years.
Thus, we can say that business ideas in a crisis that are to one degree or another related to the automotive sector, regardless of the state of the economy, will be promising.
Below we will talk about the nuances of implementing a business project, which is based on opening a car wash.
Business advantages:
- car wash services are in demand throughout the year;
- no license required;
- relatively small investment compared to many other endeavors;
- Car wash services go well with additional sources of income;
- guaranteed demand for car wash services. Regardless of the economic situation in the country, the number of car owners will only grow.
The advantages of the business project we are considering do not end there. At the same time, one must understand that activities will be profitable if they are planned in advance.
The practice of foreign and domestic small businesses has shown that a competent business plan, an optimal marketing strategy, and a financial model are the guarantors of a stable, solid income.
To draw up a business plan, you need to study market trends. In this regard, information about the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, their product range, consumer preferences, demand, etc. will be important.
Where to start opening a car wash
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The first step is to decide on the washing format. You can open a stationary or mobile car wash.
The second option appeared in our country not so long ago. Mobile car washes differ from their traditional counterparts in their faster commissioning.
At the same time, there is no need to supply electricity, sewerage, or build a foundation to the facility.
The profitability of the car wash is affected by seasonality. True, in comparison with many other types of business, the degree of this influence is not so great.
The highest demand for car wash services occurs in the spring and summer. To smooth out fluctuations in demand, you can build a small cafe or open a fast food stall.
Selling tires, motor oils, etc. gives good results.
The estimated cost of a car wash service is 400 rubles. Most likely, your investment will come back to you within a year.
Demand
The number of cars increases every year, but there are not many places where you can wash your car well.
At classic car washes during the peak season there are almost always hours-long queues, and the European fashion for fast and economical self-service car washes is gradually coming to Russia. Here, every driver can get his car in order in a few minutes. Yes, MCO complexes are in demand, the market is growing, and there is still little competition. But don’t think that a self-service car wash will be your Klondike, that the flow of customers is guaranteed and that immediately after opening, lines of cars will come to you. There are no miracles in business: before opening, it is necessary to conduct a thorough market analysis.
To do this, it’s worth looking at which car washes and how many are already operating in your area, and how busy they are. Today, even in large cities, the number of car washes meets demand by approximately 75%, so the queues are clearly visible. And if it is a small city or town, then, on the contrary, two or three car washes may already completely cover the demand. It’s worth taking the time to visit existing complexes to see how they work in real conditions.
Analyzing the competitive environment will provide a lot of useful information. It will allow you to understand where it is better to open a sink and what equipment to choose. If there is no MSO in the chosen area yet, you can safely open it even next to other types of car washes - there will still be demand, because drivers have different preferences.
Photo: Oleg Logachev, personal archive
Premises for opening a car wash
If you make a mistake with it, you can forget about profit. In this case, there is a high probability that the investment will remain unjustified.
If you doubt the effectiveness of the chosen location, then specialists will help you, who will conduct a thorough geomarketing analysis and give an appropriate conclusion.
For such pleasure you will have to pay at least 5000 rubles. Rest assured, this amount of funds will be returned to you in record time.
Business development will be facilitated by a nearby gas station and shopping center. The closer to residential areas the idea is implemented, the better.
Let's assume that the issue with the place is resolved. The next step will be to rent a plot.
This issue is resolved in the administration, where information about the owner of the land will be obtained.
A good solution would be to sublease, that is, split the rent with the tenant of the site where the gas station operates.
What equipment to choose for a car wash
In the cost structure, equipment accounts for the lion's share of expenses. Therefore, your choice must be approached responsibly.
Many beginners take a risk - they equip their car wash with used equipment.
This allows you to save money. However, old units are characterized by frequent breakdowns, which are associated with unplanned costs associated with repairs and the purchase of new components.
Modern modular car washes are equipped with equipment for manual washing, including an autonomous source of electricity, containers, and a closed cleaning system.
Experts advise not to give up the possibility of connecting to the networks of a populated area, since any generator does not last forever.
What do you need to open a car wash?
Financial side of the issue
To open a car wash, it is advisable to take out a loan of 3.5-5 million rubles. The payback period for such a business is two years.
The average monthly income is from 500 thousand rubles. Interest is repaid from the moment the point is opened. The average interest rate on a loan is about 14-16% per annum.
Purpose
Car wash is one of the most popular service areas. The main activity is cleaning and washing cars using special chemicals.
The main client base of the establishment is owners of personal and company cars. In addition, bus and service vehicle drivers can act as visitors.
Types of car washes
Today there are several main types:
1. Manual. This is the simplest and most budget option. Here, the car is treated using special washcloths, water and car shampoo.
In essence, we are talking about contact washing. The advantage of this method is minimal costs (you can save on expensive equipment) and maximum efficiency of body cleaning (a good worker is unlikely to miss dirty places, unlike automatic devices).
The disadvantage is a high risk of damaging the car’s paint and a long service time. But there will always be visitors to such a car wash. It’s easy to explain - one of the main attractive factors is the price.
2. Brush. Here we are talking about contact washing, but without the participation of personnel. The main work is performed by special washing installations.
In this case, the processing process occurs in several stages. First, the machine is doused with water under high pressure. Next, special rotating brushes get to work (they effectively clean the car of dirt). Well, at the last stage the body is covered with protective wax and dried.
The advantages of such a business are savings on personnel and high quality cleaning. Disadvantages - the need to spend on specialized equipment. The average cost of a brush car wash is from a million rubles.
3. Contactless. In recent years it has become most popular. Its peculiarity is the absence of contact with the car body - all the work is done by special active foam.
First, the surface is treated with ordinary water. After this, special foam is applied, and then the dirt is separated from the car body. At the final stage, the foam is washed off under pressure.
The big advantage of such a sink is the most gentle care of the paintwork. Consequently, owners of new and expensive cars will be frequent visitors.
How to open a self-service car wash in your area and succeed
4. Dry. In this type of car wash, the main active ingredient is shampoo-polish. In this case, the body processing is done entirely manually.
The most interesting thing is that water is not needed here, because the components of the shampoo do their job perfectly - they are able to soften and eliminate any dirt.
The advantage of dry washing is ideal surface treatment and minimal equipment costs. The disadvantage is that it becomes more difficult to find qualified specialists who are ready to perform such work efficiently.
5. Automatic washing can be of two types - portal and conveyor. In the first case, the car stands still, and special washing equipment moves along the body.
In the second, a special conveyor transports the car through the washing arches. This involves a complete wash, cleaning of the wheels, the underbody of the car, drying it, and so on.
If we consider these two types of washing, then a conveyor-type car wash looks more preferable. Its advantage is the ability to service a large volume of vehicles.
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6. Mobile car wash is the most economical option. It is enough to purchase special equipment and that’s it. If a customer needs to wash a car, he dials a phone number and places an order.
In this case, the cleaning process takes place where the vehicle is parked. The most popular sinks are those with high performance. The average time to service one car is about 15-20 minutes.
The best option is to purchase a tunnel or portal car wash that can wash several dozen cars per hour. The main advantage is unit costs for equipment and savings on employee wages.
Another good option is stationary car washes with a large list of services (more on that below). Here the main emphasis is on quality of service and comfort.
In such establishments, primary processing can be carried out using manual equipment. Polishing is often done by hand. At the same time, the entire work process is controlled by a specialist.
Table No. 1. Potential of consumers of car wash services in Russia
Car wash workers
If you become the owner of a simple car wash, then your staff should at least consist of four employees. With this size of the workforce, a shift work format – 2/2 – is appropriate.
Place your bet on a piecework payment system - 30% of the cost of services. Payment can be either daily or monthly. The choice is yours.
For job seekers whose experience and professionalism cannot be doubted, guarantee an attractive salary.
Many newcomers hire schoolchildren and students for pennies, which significantly reduces the productivity of car washes and, accordingly, daily revenue.
Definitely refuse such employees. In addition, they will work until the start of the school year and you will have to look for workers again.
How to develop a car wash business
At the start, it is often difficult to attract clients, the number of which will bring the business to self-sufficiency.
Invaluable help is seen in the advertising campaign. Take advantage of all possible advertising tools.
Local television and radio channels, media, banners, advertisements, business cards, brochures will be of interest to you. If you please your first clients with high-quality and efficient work, then word of mouth will work in your favor.
Provide discounts and bonuses to your first and then regular customers.
So, we found out that business ideas in a crisis, after their implementation, allow you to establish profitable ventures. Our case is no exception - opening a car wash.
About the seasonality of business
Car washes are a seasonal business. In summer and winter, demand in this niche sharply decreases, and in autumn and spring, on the contrary, it increases. This must be taken into account when starting a business.
If you are planning to open an automatic car wash, the best time to do so is right before the start of the season.
If you plan to open a standard car wash, then it is better to do this during the off-season for the following reasons:
- Staff needs to be trained
- The customer service strategy is not well established
- The supply of consumables is not adjusted
If you open at the beginning of the season and are immediately faced with a large influx of customers, you simply may not be able to cope, either you or your employees.
How much can you earn
We will assume that the average bill at such an enterprise is 300 rubles. Even a newly opened car wash can handle 50 cars a day. From here we come out to 15,000 rubles per day or 450,000 per month. Related services bring at least 10% additionally, which leads to a gross income of 500,000 rubles per month. Of these, the costs of labor, utilities, rent and purchase of consumables will “take away” up to 50-60%. Thus, the company can count on an income of 200,000 net rubles in an average month.
Implementation of the idea
In order to open a car wash, you need to decide on the type of car wash. The next stage will be the selection of location and premises. Car washes at gas stations, shopping centers and at the entrances to the city are in great demand.
If you own your own land, this will remove some of the costs from you. If you decide to lease the land, then this must be approved by the relevant government authorities.
You also need to officially register your business. Many entrepreneurs prefer to register as an individual entrepreneur. Costs for paperwork – from 40,000 rubles.
Next you need to purchase equipment. The cost of equipment depends on the type of car wash. In addition, you need to select personnel. The number of employees, again, depends on the type of car wash. People should know about your car wash, so you need to advertise on radio and television and put up banners. On average, to implement this business idea you will need an investment of 600,000 rubles.
What documents are needed to open
The company needs to contact local authorities with a car wash project and a developed business plan. After approval, the business project is considered by the relevant authorities (list below). Before starting work with personnel, employment contracts will be concluded to ensure safe working conditions and provide social guarantees. To register a limited liability company, it is necessary to develop and notarize the charter, constituent agreement, protocol of creation and cards with sample signatures of the chief accountant and director.
Business technology for opening a car wash
First you need to decide on the location where the car wash will be located. The land plot is purchased as a property or leased. A car wash must immediately provide a range of services in order to become a profitable business:
- External express and full wash;
- body polishing;
- interior cleaning;
- wax coating;
- engine washing;
- tire inflation;
- carpet cleaning;
- coffee and snacks (buffet).
Each box should purchase its own equipment to increase the number of cars serviced. The administrator keeps a journal in electronic or paper form with the preliminary registration of clients. For regular visitors it is necessary to develop a bonus system. Even a 5-7% discount on subsequent services will become a competitive advantage.
Pros and cons of a business idea
When implementing such a business idea, it is worth remembering not only the advantages, but also the disadvantages of this business.
Pros of a business idea
Many consider this type of activity to be seasonal, but it is worth noting that the car wash continues to operate in winter. If you choose the right location, the payback period is 12-24 months. As a rule, there are no problems with personnel selection. Such a business is quite easy to manage; in order to open a car wash, you do not need to have special knowledge and skills in this area.
Cons of a business idea
One of the main disadvantages when starting such a business is the search for land. Currently, it is quite difficult to lease land from the state. Also, when opening your business from scratch, it is worth remembering about investments. The successful implementation of this business idea requires significant investment.
