Credit Card - Count up or Count down - Case closed.

[thoffmanjr]

I think that most of us have agreed that count up is the way to go, but if you need proof, this may be it.

I know a car washer that had a 5 bay with count down credit card readers. The first swipe gave $2 or $3 worth of time, (I can't remember) and the customer would have to re-swipe for more time.

In December of '06 he installed new coin boxes with a count up credit card system, added air dryers and hung 4 new 360 degree booms at this 5 bay. Credit card sales with the count up system from Jan though Sept 8th, 2007 are up 105% (increased $15,950) compared to the same period in '06. Another wash of his that still has the count down system was up only 8%.

The new equipment in each bay helped add to the increase but I think choosing count up helped contribute to the increase the most. Also keep in mind that he has had a credit card system at that location for several years.

[JMMUSTANG]

Tom did your friend notice any different usage from the air dryers with credit card customers vs. cash customers?
I'm interested in adding them because I believe that the credit card customers, count up c.c., would definately use them more.
Thanks, Tim

[thoffmanjr]

We know that credit card customers use more time on everything. Since air dryers would be the last function your customer would use I think you're correct that cc customers would use it longer than cash customers. He hits close to 10% air dryer usage by the way which happens to be 4th highest behind Rinse, Soap, and Foam Brush.

[JMMUSTANG]

Which dryers do they have?
Any problems or suggestions in installations?
Thanks for the info.

[thoffmanjr]

He has Diskin Systems. Not many problems at all. He mounted them in the attic and pulls air from his equipment room. Not the end of the world if you hang it in the bay though. He also used a 360 degree Mosmatic boom that he shaped into a "Z" pattern so all four booms don't touch each other. He picked up 2% more business compared to wall mount.

[kabak]

if you have the option to buy a credit card system that costs you $500.00 per bay, but only a countdown with multiple prices option like $2,$3,$5 that the customer can choose and there are no swipe charges, only a 5% charge on gross totals. whats your opinion

[Bubbles Galore]

I was talking with Jim from Etowah Valley today about this very thing. Whatever option you choose to use in your bay should be dependent on the type of customer you are serving. Jim told me that he has a largely ederly group of people that use his wash. For him to do the count up method it was too difficult to try and bridge the learning curve. I am going to try the count up method at my wash seeing as how most of my clientele is middle aged and younger. I just don't think you can say with any certainty that one way works better than the other.

Sidenote: I will also be installing a triple foam gun and the air shammee to see if we can increase bay time.

thoffmanjr: How did the 'z' booms increase business 2%? Just wondering?

[I.B. Washincars]

if you have the option to buy a credit card system that costs you $500.00 per bay, but only a countdown with multiple prices option like $2,$3,$5 that the customer can choose and there are no swipe charges, only a 5% charge on gross totals. whats your opinion

I think you would soon regret taking the cheap way out buying an inferior system. You can buy the Etowah system for a few hundred more per bay and have many options. Remember, the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of the low price is gone.

[Bubbles Galore]

For those of you with the count up method, what kind of signage do you have in your bay?

[I.B. Washincars]

I don't have anything other than the instructions already on the WashGear decal telling them to push the "stop" button. It's just not an issue with customers forgetting to stop the transaction. I'm not saying it never happens, but once every few months doesn't constitute a "problem" IMO.

[Bubbles Galore]

The only reason I ask is that I haven't received my system from Jim yet, so I am not sure how the count up method is stopped. I am going to assume that since it is a whole new meterbox setup, when the customer finishes washing and turns it to stop that will end the transaction. Does anyone know how that specifically works for the Etowah system?

[I.B. Washincars]

The Etowah system shuts off after the switch is in the "stop" position for so many seconds. If the minimum has not been reached it will stop when it reaches the minimum charge, most likely your start-up price.

[Bubbles Galore]

I thought that the system worked as a max not as my start up price. If it maxed out at my start up price, what would be the point? They are still only getting four minutes of wash time and still essentially 'racing' the clock.

[MEP001]

In count-up mode, you set a "max" to prevent the system from running too long if the customer doesn't end the transaction. You set a "minimum" as a start-up price just like a cash start-up amount. I can't really make sense of what Pat said.

[I.B. Washincars]

C'mon guys, can't you look up my a$$ and read my mind?

I meant the same thing MEP said, I guess I just wasn't clear enough. When you turn the switch to "STOP" it will end the CC transaction after it is there for about 5 seconds. It must be there for several seconds to prevent the transaction from being stopped when spinning the switch past "STOP" when going to another selection.

OK, I think this is what I wasn't clear about. If you select "STOP" before the minimum is reached it will continue to run until it gets to the minimum you have set.

[Kirb]

With the count up mode do you have confused customers when they goto the stop position but haven’t used the minimum and meter keeps running? Do you use different starting prices between coins and credit? Say $1.50 to start with coins and $3 minimum for CC.
Thanks,
Kirb

[I.B. Washincars]

No, that's not much of an issue. It seldom happens that a CC sale is that low anyway, but if the "STOP" button is pushed before reaching minimum the readout states that it will stop at minimum charge.

I have my minimum at the same as my cash start-up, $2.

[MEP001]

With the count up mode do you have confused customers when they goto the stop position but haven’t used the minimum and meter keeps running? Do you use different starting prices between coins and credit? Say $1.50 to start with coins and $3 minimum for CC.
I had planned to program into a PLC an output that would maintain the bay for the start-up time in the event of someone swiping their card and immediately pressing STOP. Before I did that, I originally set ours up to a 25? minimum just to see what would happen, and out of over 10,000 CC transactions only three were under our cash start-up. Only about 15 were under $2.00. The lowest was 75?. Since then, I've increased the CC minimum to 25? above the cash start-up but give the same start-up time, a way to help make up for the fees. People don't look, they just swipe their card and wash - barely one out of 10 even checks the final charge.

[Bubbles Galore]

Not a bad idea mep.

How would you guys go about advertising cc? I have 8 bays, but the cc will only be in one of them. I am definitely putting it in my most frequented bay, but how would you guys get the word out?

[Charles Ho]

Get FREE large aluminum signs from AX, DS, or merchant services. Also, I removed the traditional "stop" button on meter box when I re-faced my meter doors. Now there is only one STOP button; on WashPay box.

[Bubbles Galore]

Who do I contact to get these 'free' signs?

[MEP001]

Who do I contact to get these 'free' signs?
American Express, for one.

[blurdgman]

Putting CC in most frequented bay is not the answer. A CC customer will not necessarily stand in line for that one bay. Try the last frequented bay with your one CC. Actually you should do all the bays.
Those that put a short time limit on the CC user are doing themselves a disservice. The great advantage of CC use is for the customer to leisurely wash until he/she feels they're finished. Consequently they use more time happily rather than rushing to beat the clock.

[Bubbles Galore]

I put my new box with the cc in my most frequented bay so that I could get the most exposure for the system. I know I should do all the bays, but I didn't have an extra $20,000 lying around.

I would love to say that my wash is busy enough to where I would have to worry about people stacking up, but its not right now. Whether it is the economy, weather I don't know, it just isn't super busy right now. I think it would be great to see people stacking up in that particular bay, that would prove that I made a good investment and that is ultimately what I am looking for in purchasing this box with cc and in bay bill acceptance. I have every intention of adding cc to all my bays, but first I wanted to see my customers reaction before I bought new boxes for all of them at $2600/bay.

[MEP001]

A CC customer will not necessarily stand in line for that one bay.
Yes, they will. You want the CC system in the bay where it will get the most exposure to customers.

[Bubbles Galore]

Just a little update: I have been waiting to open up my bay because I haven't gotten my merchant card yet. I got to the wash last night and had 6 messages about when the bay was going to open and how the cc system worked. Had I not placed it in the bay next to the changers/vending machine, no one would have even noticed the new box. I haven't even installed signs yet doing any advertising. I am ecstatic with the placement and the response even though I haven't opened it up yet.