Car Wash Business in Kenya Step By Step Guide in Kenya
Car wash services in Kenya are increasing in demand. Many people are venturing into the car wash business for livelihood. Vehicles have become affordable and many people are buying them. This has created an opportunity for car cleaning businesses.
Did you know that over 7,500 new vehicles are introduced on Kenyan roads every month? Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that a total of 120,664 new cars were bought in Kenya in 2019 alone!
In fact, you don’t need to be a statistician to see just how fast the number of local car owners is growing – it’s obvious, everyone is driving nowadays and therein lies a potential business idea that you might want to invest in (the car wash business).
As many people in Kenya are venturing into entrepreneurship, the one business that has caught the attention of young people is the car wash business.
Walk or drive into any of the estates in Nairobi or in major roads and highways, you will not miss seeing a car wash within a 1km radius.
Right from the low-income areas of the city to the opulent suburbs, car wash businesses of different magnitudes have thrived into existence to meet the needs of the high number of vehicles being imported into the country.
What could be the contributing factor towards the success of a car wash business? Is it a viable business that any aspiring entrepreneur can consider or is the field already crowded?
Let’s take a look at 3 reasons why this business is thriving:
*Low Startup Costs*
Generally, setting up a car wash business is not an expensive undertaking. We have different sizes or car wash setups from the heavy machinery reliance ones where a car drives through an automatic rollover washing machine to the basic ones that use small and portable car wash machines.
But if you want to start small and upgrade gradually, then choosing to start at a small-scale level is the best option. And this is partially what has contributed to the success of this business.
The major costs of starting will include a pressure washing machine, vacuum cleaner, water tanks, buckets, brushes, detergents and access to water.
Unless you have your own land, you will have to pay for monthly land rates to the county government if it is public land or the private landowner. Additional costs will include licenses and permits which normally do not cost much, and thereafter hire a team of at least 3 people. The average startup costs for a basic car wash is around Ksh.50,000.
*Booming Road Transport Business*
The Kenya public transport system is largely dominated by road transport. Kenya road sub-sector accounts for over 80% of the country’s total passenger traffic and 76% of the freight. The road transport is dominated by buses, minibuses, and Lorries which are involved in the transportation of luggage and passengers.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), over 213,715.0 vehicles were registered in 2019 while the number of Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licenses issued increasing by 9.3 per cent from 30,506 in 2018 to 33,349 in 2019.
Most if not all of these vehicles visit the car wash by the close of business on a daily basis. An average price that a car wash will charge will range from as low as Kshs.200 for a saloon car to Ksh.500 and above for a bus or a lorry for vehicle body wash.
The high volume of vehicles provides a ready market for a car wash business to thrive.
*The Location*
The location of a car wash is important to its success. And most of the car wash businesses are set up in high traffic areas. These areas include residential areas, shopping centers, garages, entertainment areas like bars and restaurants, car bazaars, malls and other places car owners and drivers mostly frequent.
Then most people would leave their cars to be washed as they indulge in shopping and other social activities. In some cases, you will find up to 5 car wash businesses bordering each other side by side as they fulfil the high demands. Therefore location remains one of the major contributing factors to the success of the car wash businesses in Kenya.
*Analyze The Car Wash Business Idea*
This should always be the very first step when thinking of starting a business. Look objectively at your idea and determine how lucrative it is. This is how you do it:
1. Potential Market Size
You need to ask yourself if there is market for your carwash business and if yes, how big it is.
2. Competitive Advantage
What makes you a worthy competitor in the market? Do you have more experience than other players in the industry? In other words you want to figure out what makes you unique in a potentially crowded market place. Also, find out if anyone else has tried your idea (in the area you want to set up your car wash), and if they failed – why?
3. Assess Capital Requirements
Luckily for you, I usually give a rough breakdown and capital estimate for each idea. But besides that, you need to do your own research to get the real picture. Keep a small notebook where you can note all the specific cost outline down.
*Do A Deeper Analysis of the Market*
Now that you are satisfied that your idea is a good one, it’s time to take a closer look at the market. Your goal at this stage is to determine what exactly the market needs and how they want it done.
1. Find the Differentiating Factor
A differentiating factor is simply that one thing that makes you attractive to customers. Ask yourself, why will customers want to get my car washing services instead of my competitors?
Is it because I can deliver faster than others or is it because I have better pricing methodology? What gap have your competitors left so that you can fill?
Once you add a differentiating factor to your services, you will have an easier time penetrating the market.
2. Market Barriers Analysis
A market barrier is something that prevents you from entering a certain field of business at any one time. For instance, there is a barrier to starting a chemist shop since you have to get the approval of the Pharmacy and Poisons Boards.
Look within your area and do inquiries and see if there are any barriers that bar you from entering into Car wash business.
Luckily, most car wash businesses don`t have barriers of entry.
3. What Makes Your Competitors Successful?
In every business there are competitors and learning what makes them successful is the surest way to get an inside scoop of the market conditions of your idea.
So once again, keep a closer eye on your potential competitors so that you can fine-tune your game-plan.
*Do a Financial Feasibility Analysis*
By now, given that you’ve done idea analysis and a bit of market survey, I assume you have sufficient information on the nitty-gritty of running your car wash business.
So let me now show you how to do a financial feasibility study.
1. Estimate The Start-up Cost
The start-up cost comprises the cost of setting up the business and the initial working capital (i.e. the money you put into the business). Determine if your savings will be sufficient to start the business. If not, then look for a loan.
Basically, the entire cost of starting up should be made up of:
-Cost of setting up the working area
-Cost of buying new equipment
-Cost of acquiring licenses and certificates
The working capital comprises of:
-Cost of buying raw materials (e.g. washing soap, washing towels, brushes e.tc)
-Cost of initial promotion of the business.
-If you are going to hire any workers or staff, you might incur some amount to train them
*How Viable Is My Business Idea?*
An idea is only viable if and only if
(1) There is market for it
(2) You have figured out how to finance it either through your savings or loan
(3) You have a differentiating factor that sets you ahead of the competition
(4) You are passionate about it
(5) You are ready to be patient with it.
Before you invest your money in any business idea, it is always wise to do a feasibility study. Sometimes this small measure of security can help you save a lot of cash that would otherwise be wasted chasing the wind – like most people do!
*Plan your Business*
Before you venture into car wash business in Kenya, you need to sit back and do proper planning; make sure you have an idea of all the costs involved. Business planning is a very important part of every business venture and that is why you hear about it very often.
Unfortunately, most people who think about starting a business usually don’t consider writing a business plan.
I have read from different business experts about the fact that most start-up entrepreneurs do not write a business plan but what I have not read from anyone is why this is so.
Why is it that most people have fear (so to say) about writing a business plan?
I think I know the answer.
You see, there are many myths and lies you probably have heard about the subject of a business plan. Some people present a business plan as if it was a university thesis or an academic report to be defended before certain professors.
Other people think that a business plan has to be 50 pages long and that it must be written in a certain “approved” format.
Well, I am here to tell you that all those opinions are not valid.
Because of the ugly lies around this important business step, most people are “afraid” of doing it.
Journey with me as I will reveal the real truth about business plan and at the end, you will discover that it is actually easy to write a business plan.
*Seven Things That Your Business Plan Should Contain.*
I will not write any complex term or academic jargon here (because I believe the world is not complex)
*1. Your business name/title.*
This is obvious. Example… Sparkle Car Wash Business Plan
*2. Objective/summary.*
They call this Executive Summary, but don’t be deceived by this name. It simply means, why you are writing this plan.
What do you want to achieve with your plan? If you’re giving it to an investor, what do you want from him?
Constructively state your objective here. If you are giving your plan to someone you want to convince to partner with you, state your objective and if your intention is to get him to finance your business venture, state that here.
*3. Business description.*
What and what is your car wash business all about? What are the future possibilities and threats in your business?
Describe your intending business here.
*4. Market strategy.*
At this point, I expect you to be familiar with your car wash services and market, as close as you are to your wife/husband.
How do you intend to win a good market share for your business? This is very important, even if you are not presenting your plan to any investor.
I advise you to conduct a market analysis. What that simply means is that you should spend time to research and understand your market, then position yourself with the tactics to win.
*5. Competitors` analysis.*
Do you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors? That’s what this part of the business plan is all about.
Some people come up with a formula they call SWORT analysis.
It simply means that you should analyze the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunity, Reward and the Threats in the market place.
This will help you to know how to play your business game and if you will be presenting your business plan to an investor, this will encourage him that you actually understand your “enemies” and you are able to kill them.
*6. Your people.*
If I want to invest with you, won’t I have interest in knowing who and who will be part of your business team? That is what you will want to write here.
Who will be doing what, who will be handle what and who will be employed later to take care of what? These are the answers you have to provide here.
*7. Financial situations and forecasts.*
Here you will want to write about the financial requirements of your car wash business, amount on ground now and what and what is needed.
There you have it. A guide that can help you to write a good car wash business plan.
*Choose a Business Name for Your Car Wash*
It goes without saying that any successful business must have a name; otherwise, how will your customers identify your services?
Choosing a unique name for your business goes a long way in ensuring that you stand out from both direct competitors and other businesses in your locality.
Most people struggle when it comes to choosing a name for their businesses, well that’s a whole different story but for starters, choose a name that is easy to spell, pronounce, and memorize. Make sure that the name conveys some positive meaning about your business.
You can also come up with a list of names and ask your friends or other business associates what they think about them. This way, you can scale down to one or two names that most of your respondents find catchy. From there, you can choose the one that makes you happy.
Choose a catchy and unique business name for your car wash. It is easy for customers to identify a business by its name. Besides, it is easy for customers to recommend your car wash to their friends by its name.
*Find a Strategic Business Location*
Land identification is vital for your car wash business because it aids in determining the flow of customers. There is no way your enterprise will flourish in an area with poor living standards and low traffic.
The location of your carwash is a huge factor in determining how your business will turn out. First, find a place with high traffic volume and where there is little or no competition.
In some cases, however, the demand is still high even when similar businesses are available in the same location. Such was the case when Hillary Gathambi who started his ‘Sparkle Carwash’ business three months ago at Imara Daima in Nairobi.
I asked him why he chose a location that had many carwash businesses to open his own.
“It’s simple,” he said. “Over the years, this place has become popular for having carwashes. So when I spotted an unoccupied space suitable for the business, I had no doubt that it would work. There are a lot of customers for everyone here,” he told me.
Also, find a location with retail or shopping centers nearby, you can be sure that some motorists stopping by will spot your business.
Sparkle Carwash is located within a residential area where most working people have their cars.
“Sometimes we pick their cars from the estate and return them after we have finished washing them,” he says.
An extra tip is to check the speed limit of the particular area you want to open your carwash, an average speed limit of 30 Km/h will tell you that drivers are not too much in a hurry to make stops while passing by.
The best area to purchase or lease land for your car wash business would be close to a residential area or a famous getaway location. A car wash next to a nyama choma restaurant or bar and grill is a cash cow for the diligent Kenyan.
You will have all the time in the world to wash the cars while the owners take a pint or enjoy some food. Ensure that the car wash location is easily accessible and has all the exposure you can provide. Not to mention, the terrain should be away from areas with physical obstructions such as electric poles, ditches, or too many trees should be avoided.
Other suitable areas to buy or lease land for a car wash business in Kenya include shopping malls, public facilities, and churches to mention a few.
While scouting for locations, ensure the area you pick has a steady water supply. Water coming from a natural source is a bonus since it can never run out. You can also dig a borehole or a well but ensure you treat it regularly.
Ensure you set aside an area for tanks, which should always be filled with water when your business takes off.
One thing most people forget when they are on the ‘seller’ end of any business is that customers are attracted to decency as much as they are engrossed in efficiency.
It is not advisable to start a car wash without rehabilitating the land through removing barriers or fencing the area. For instance, if the land has bushes, you can clear the site and even fence it. Digging trenches and leveling up the ground are also essential processes when renovating the property.
If the money is enough, consider covering the ground with concrete. It helps maintain the ground level while adding to your car wash’s beauty. After this is done, you can create some anticipation by placing a ‘car wash coming soon’ banner at the entrance.
If possible add some security features to your yard to ensure safety for the customer’s vehicles.
Most people know that corruption has taken down a lot of bright ideas than anything else in this country. There have been endless court hearings regarding land that has been dragged for ages dwindling progress in the intended business.
As such, if the area in which you wish to set up a car wash has some land issues, don’t waste your time buying or leasing the land. It makes no sense to prepare for everything then get disappointed later when the business has taken off.
*Get the Necessary Licenses and Permits*
If land ownership or leasing is verified, you can now proceed to this step.
Business licenses and permits are necessary for running a legal business. Entrepreneurs wishing to start a car wash business will need a single business permit issued by the county government which costs between Ksh.5,000 to Ksh.15,000 depending on your county and car wash size.
The costs for business permits varies from one county to another. For example, it is expensive to obtain a business permit in Mombasa and Nairobi than in smaller towns like Muranga and Nyamira.
You need clearance from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) if you intend to start a big car wash.
*Acquire the Necessary Equipment*
The success of your car wash business in Kenya hugely relies on the type of equipment you purchase.
Technology has introduced innovations that make washing a car seem natural while reducing the amount of labour and improving the quality of the wash.
The equipment to purchase will depend on the services you will offer in your car wash.
Before starting a business, take time to consult other entrepreneurs, especially those running businesses that are similar or related to what you want to start. This will help you to avoid mistakes that beginners commonly make.
Getting the right equipment for your carwash will be easier if you talk to other carwash owners. For instance, when choosing a pressure washer, consider its amount of PSI (pound per square inch).
Generally, car washing is made quick and easy using pressures ranging from 1200 to 2100 PSI. Depending on your business plan, decide on how many washers you are going to need. Also, determine whether you are going to use an electric machine or one that is powered by petrol.
Hillary Gathambi (who I told you earlier about) has both machines for his carwash business. “I mostly use the electric one because it is cheaper to operate, but the petroleum one really comes in handy during outages,” he tells me.
The common services provided in a car wash include upholstery, body washing, engine wash, under wash, dusting, carpet cleaning, interior cleaning, buffing, and waxing. You will need car wash detergents for cleaning.
To start pressure washing business, you need the following items.
*1. Car Wash Machine*
For any serious investor, the first thing you should purchase for this business is a pressure washing machine. These machines come in different capacities, from different brands, and can be new or used.
Purchasing one should be determined by the estimated number of cars that will frequent your car wash on a daily basis. Your best bet is a durable machine; the extra coin might hurt the budget, but it guarantees longevity.
However, if you are on a budget, a low capacity model will do before your car wash business brings in enough money for an upgrade. The fuel type used by the pressure washing machine is also a significant factor to consider.
Kenyans are just about fed up with power outages, which not only irritate the locals but also halts some businesses. If the area you intend to set up your car wash has a history of regular power outages, consider buying petrol or diesel-powered pressure washing machine.
However, the petrol one is better considering it guarantees superior performance. As far as the model is concerned, all you need to look at are the features that come with every brand.
Some of the features to look out for include a spray gun, pressure options, anti-twist systems, weight, and dust blasting to mention a few.
The more the features, the higher your chances are of improving service delivery on your car wash business.
Washing pressure machines are available in leading supermarkets across the country with popular brands such as Karcher and Honda dominating the market.
*2. Vacuum Cleaners*
Purchasing a vacuum cleaner for a car wash business is different from when you’re buying the same equipment for your house.
Request to be directed to the area with commercial vacuum cleaners. These vacuum cleaners have more features and are not made for limited usage like their counterparts.
Purchase commercial vacuum cleaners from specialized dealers. Select a durable vacuum cleaner that can serve many customers in a day without breaking down.
*3. Water Tank*
Water tanks are essential in any car wash business. You can purchase a water tank with a capacity ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 liters. Ensure that your tanks are filled with water at all times.
The bigger the tank, the better.
*4. Car Washing Detergent*
As for the detergents, make sure you don’t make your purchase at the local shop or supermarket. There are specialized detergents meant for washing vehicles, and they can be found in some local stores.
They are perfumed and can enable your car wash to stand out from the competition. However, some people are allergic to strong smells so be sure to ask your customers which ones they prefer for their cars and have a variety of options such as mild or strong-smelling for said detergents.
*5. Brushes, Squeezers, Towels, and Buckets*
Brushes, squeezers, towels, and buckets all come in different sizes. You can choose any size and quantity depending on your budget and the number of customers you intend to serve.
You will need a source of water; this can be piped or acquired from a natural source and stored in a 1000+ litres water storage tank.
While purchasing the equipment above, be sure also to consider some of the services you’re going to offer at your car wash.
Some of the most common services include body washing, upholstery, interior cleaning, under wash, waxing, dusting, buffing, carpet cleaning, and engine wash.
Some of these services might require equipment that is only found in high-end car wash businesses, but you need them to ensure a steady flow of clients.
For really small starters, you can start with a few buckets and cotton hand towels and buy the sophisticated machines later as your business expands.
*What’s the cost of starting a car wash business in Kenya?*
The car wash business cost in Kenya is highly dependent on your preferences. A lot of the pioneers in the industry started off with little capital yet went on to make a fortune. The car wash business is a profitable small-scale or large-scale idea depending on your vision.
You might have the required capital or find luck in your friends, family, savings, or bank and get some financial backing.
Choices are also there to be made regarding the mobility of your business or the acquisition of a piece of land. Regardless of the decision you make, ensure that you have all the right equipment.
*How Much To Invest (Approx.)*
Yard rent: Ksh.5,000 to Ksh.20,000 depending on the county your carwash will be located
Rehabilitation: Ksh.10,000 and above depending on cost of raw materials and size of your car wash.
Licenses: Ksh.5,000 and above depending on your county and size of carwash.
Equipment: Ksh.50,000 and above depending on the size of your car wash and services offered.
Marketing: Ksh.5,000 and above depending on your marketing strategies and marketing budget.
Total: Could be as low as Ksh.50,000 (if you own the land or if you locate your car wash in a rural setup) to Ksh.100,000 and above (for urban areas).
Other expenses might also arise as you operate your car wash business.
Bottom line, be ready to negotiate your way throughout the process of acquiring land and equipment to ensure you get the best deal and save some money.
The car wash business in Kenya is without a doubt one of the easiest ways to become a millionaire today.
*Market Your Car Wash Business*
Having an excellent marketing strategy for your business is one vital step to success. After setting up your business, you don’t sit to wait for customers.
Customers don’t know what they don’t know, so don’t just expect them to line up without any effort on your part. Make sure to let the community know about your car wash ahead of the grand opening with onsite advertising (`car wash coming up soon`) sign as well as distributing brochures, setting up posters in public places, and even by word of mouth.
Another simple way to get customers is by offering quality services, giving discounts to customers, and offering free services once in a while. This is a sure way to getting many customer referrals.
Go for what is convenient for you.
Encourage Current Customers to Make Referrals to Family and Friends. It’s well known in the marketing industry that the most effective type of advertising is the word-of-mouth variety. The rationale for this is quite simple. People tend to place more faith in reviews that come from those they know and trust — rather than from businesses looking to sell their products and services.
So take advantage of this by encouraging your faithful clients to refer your car wash services to their family, fellow church members, friends, co-workers, and associates. Make it worth their while by offering incentives for their referrals.
Get Social. When it comes to engaging with customers and would-be clients, social media is your friend. Your target market is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms — and so should you.
Be sure to set up a presence on various social media sites, and use these accounts to engage with customers and would-be customers. Give them a reason to follow you and to check in from time to time.
Create Attractive Space. One way you can separate yourself from the pack is to create an environment that is simply different from other car wash operations in the area.
Whether it’s the décor, the magazines in the waiting area, the coffee or light snacks available while they wait, or even free Wi-Fi access, there are things you can do to set your car wash business apart from the competition.
*Car Wash Business Success Story*
One of the businesses that you can do without incurring losses is car wash business. You only need Ksh.50,000 to Ksh.250,000 to start a car wash anywhere in the country.
Two years ago, my cousin told me he had Ksh.80,000 but wasn’t sure what he could do with the money to start generating an income.
I fronted the idea of car wash business. This is what he told me, “Hii biashara ikianguka utanilipa hii pesa”.
I told him, “Nitakulipa double”.
I proposed for him Kericho and for sure he set the business up. It’s now two years na kijana ananipigia asante kila siku.
Also sometimes ago, I met with Victor, who owns 5 car wash businesses in Nairobi. He shared with me his success story.
Below is his story on how he started.
It was in 2001 when, straight from high school, I came to Nairobi for my college studies. I lived at my cousin’s house in Huruma.
At that time, I was very young, shy and naive. I didn’t know Nairobi, not even fending for myself.
I stayed at my cousin’s house for six months, and in those six months I managed to find a college, Technical University of Kenya (formerly Kenya Polytechnic University).
I was admitted for a course in Electrical and electronics engineering.
After starting attending school, I would struggle to make ends meet due to financial constraints.
My cousin worked for construction companies (mjengo) and didn’t have enough money to pay for my matatu transport and pocket money. I had to look for a source of income.
My cousin introduced me to his friends, who ushered me into the world of hustling in Nairobi. I could wake up earlier in the morning, go to a construction site, beg for work and at the end of the day I could walk home with Ksh.250, which was good at that time.
I did the construction site jobs for around 1 year while schooling until another friend, who had opened a car wash in Donholm told me to work for him.
That’s where I learn’t that there is money in car wash business. Unlike in construction jobs where I was getting Ksh.250 per day, here I was getting at least Ksh.700 per day.
I could see my friend pocket Ksh.3,000. I was so motivated that I told myself, “this should be me”.
Saving after saving, one year later I had Ksh.50,000. That’s the money I used to start my own car wash in 2004 in Umoja Nairobi. At that time, the washing machines and water was easy to obtain, competition was also not stiff.
Unlike most business where you have to wait for a while before the first customer comes, my business got the first customer 1 hour after opening it.
I remember it was a Toyota Prado that was driven into my car wash and after 20 minutes, I was Ksh.300 richer.
It’s now years and am still growing strong in business. I have managed to make a total of over Ksh.20 million from my first car wash business.
And about my college education, I deferred for a while but I completed in 2012, but I haven’t used it anywhere.
What I can say is that car wash business is lucrative in Nairobi. There are so many vehicles in Nairobi. If you manage to set it up near a busy shopping centre, you will not go home with less than Ksh.4,000 per day.
What I have also learn’t is that customers want excellent services. What’s important here is how your customer feels after your service. He comes in as a patient and once his car is treated well, he will come again.
My business has grown and I now have 4 other branches, 2 branches along Ngong Road and the other 2 branches along Thika road.
*Just How Profitable Is A Car Wash?*
Every Kenyan dreams of owning a car at some point in life. Regardless, there is a section of the 51 Million Kenyans that has actualized those dreams. And as statistics go, over 90,000 vehicles hit the Kenyan roads every year.
What does that reality tell you?
There are lots of car-related businesses that are out there waiting to be exploited. One such business is the car wash business.
Did you know that the Car Wash business is actually one of the most profitable businesses in Kenya at the moment?
You must have seen so many Car Wash businesses mushrooming around where there used to be none.
This is to say that as profitable as it is if you don’t jump on this opportunity today you may never get a space to set up your car wash.
On average a small car wash business that has just started can handle 15 cars per day (weekends are peak days). The average price of cleaning a car is Ksh.200.
In addition you can offer services like carpet cleaning, night parking and restaurant to bolster your margins. Overall, a well run car wash business in Kenya can rake in Ksh.130,000 per month with a net profit margin of 40%.
A car wash business is profitable if you have a good business location. The normal price of washing a car is usually Ksh.200. Buses and Lorries, charges are Ksh.500 and above. Therefore, you can make up to Ksh.5,000 in a day from a car wash if you have many customers.
*Charges from a standard Car wash in Nakuru Town*
(This charges may be higher depending on the location of the business and costs incurred)
Small car – Ksh.200
Bus – Ksh.500
Lorry – Ksh.500
Motorcycle – Ksh.50
Interior – Ksh.150
Upholstery – Ksh.100
Engine Cleaning – Ksh.250
Carpet Cleaning: small – Ksh.100 , Large – Ksh.150
Car wash business is a safe bet especially for anyone who is in employment (or another business field) looking to explore a new arena. Its risk potential is quite low and there is massive potential for it to grow given the fast rising number of car ownership in Kenya.
However, just as with any other business it requires a great deal of patience, strategy and timely judgment.
Like any other business, a car wash business needs professionalism and offer customers quality services.
Through hard work and persistence, you can grow your car wash business.
*Success Factors of Car Wash Business*
Location- A good location will attract more customers and therefore higher revenues. A good location should be near a busy road, supermarket, residential areas and other areas mostly flocked by car owners and drivers.
Car wash Management- The staff should be friendly, outgoing and organized. A well-managed car wash business will result in increased revenues, happy clients and satisfied staff.
Service- Exceptional car wash service will attract new clients, retain current clients and serve as a marketing tool for the business.
Variety service- Where the business offers extra services beyond the normal body wash, the clients are likely to spend more and thus higher revenues. These extra services may include upholstery, engine wash, waxing, etc.
*Just start!*
The most important thing is you have to start from somewhere. Sometimes, you don’t have to have everything figured out.
Car washing is not a skill you acquire from going to school; anyone can do this job if they are willing to learn.
“You must be keen to details,” Hillary tells me. He started the business with his small home tank for water storage purposes; now, he has managed to buy extra ones for the business.
As we concluded our brief conversation, he informed me of plans to construct a shed after most clients expressed the desire to wait as they had their cars washed. Still, a long way to go for him!
If you are busy with other businesses or employment, you can install CCTV at your car wash and monitor your business from anywhere you are. Same applies to those who are planning to open more than one car wash.
If you can get a good place, it will give you value for your money. Also, focus on customer satisfaction and continually improve your services.
With all this information I have provided you with, I hope you can now easily start a car wash business in Kenya.
By
Timothy Angwenyi
Business Consultant
Justine Nyachieo
Business Man & Mentor
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