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SIC 7542 Automotive Repair, Services and Parking - Carwashes

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Car Wash Business Plan

Soapy Rides Car Wash

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Market Analysis Summary

The car wash will be based in East Meadow, New York. This area has a number of benefits in terms of the market that it will provide for the business. Over 40% of households in the immediate neighborhood earn over $70,000 annually. Many people in the neighborhood own and/or lease new cars and place great value on their cars and how they look. There are a large number of car dealerships in the area--five within three miles of the proposed location for Soapy Rides.

4.1 Market Segmentation

Soapy Rides segments its customers by type of car ownership. We believe that the type of car that a person owns says volumes about their driving, and, therefore their car washing and detailing requirements.

1. New car owners: Owners of newer cars are most likely to use a hand car washing service. These owners take great pride in their cars and will bring them often to the wash and detail service. The goal with these customers is to promote regular use of the wash and detail service. The aim is to inform these customers that Soapy Rides will keep their car looking as good as it did the day they drove it off the lot.

2. Older luxury car owners: These people have either owned their high-end luxury cars for several years or are unable to afford the expense of a new luxury car but want the feel of relaxed driving. Both of these groups want to keep their cars in the best shape possible. Those who have bought second-hand cars will often spend many hours in their cars and will place high importance on keeping their cars looking good. These owners will bring their cars in for regular washes and occasional details.

3. Sports car owners: These people are often younger or middle-aged men and will regard the look of their car as important. They will also pride themselves on the look of their car and will have their car hand washed (at least) weekly. These drivers will have an occasional detail, but will keep their cars so clean the detail will not be necessary very often.

4. Lifetime owners: Many of these people have owned their cars for more than five or six years, and are more likely to be women. They are attached to their cars as friends and though it may be more sensible for them to purchase a new car, they will bring their car in for a wash occassionally, just when the car is dirty. They like their cars to look presentable, and want to keep it in good shape but are not tied up in the look of their car. For this reason, they will not have a detail carried out on their car unless they are selling it.

5. Dealerships: There are five new and used car dealerships within three miles of the proposed location of Soapy Rides. These dealerships often use outside car wash services to detail their vehicles before they are put up for sale. In addition, there are fifteen other car dealerships within a seven mile radius of Soapy Rides.

6. Local businesses: Some local businesses have fleets of cars and small vans that must be kept clean to maintain their company image. These businesses will be looking for a cost effective, efficient car washing service to perform this service, and will prefer to use a car wash service during the week rather than during weekends, like the general public.

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

The strategy behind Soapy Rides target segmentation is to attract customers who will be repeat users and will frequent the business in the typically quiet times for a car wash business. It will not be difficult to attract customers during the summer months and on the weekends, the weekdays however, especially in the winter, people will not think about having their cars washed. For this reason, Soapy Rides will target people who will tend not to be restricted to these busy times.

• Business owners (new car owners) tend to be very busy people, but are often able to make their own hours.
• Retired people (older luxury car owners) are not restricted by typical work schedules so will be able to frequent the car wash during the week.
• Dealerships will need cars detailed and washed regardless of the time of the day and week. This will supply a constant flow of traffic.
• Businesses will need their fleet cars washed during the week during regular business hours.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

The hand car washing business in East Meadow consists of many small competitors. Everything from local children raising money for their youth group on a Saturday by cleaning cars, to the automatic car wash machines, are competition for Soapy Rides. However, these two alternatives aim to meet the needs of the price-conscious individuals who are choosing the service simply so they do not have to clean the car themselves. Soapy Rides on the other hand, targets the quality-conscious individuals who value their car enough to spend $10-$15 per week to make it look good.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

There is one other hand car wash shop in East Meadow. It is quite new and is trying to compete with automatic car washes by offering low prices. However, it is not targeting the customers who seek quality cleaning.

The customers who Soapy Rides is targeting have their cars washed based on the quality of the job. They do not mind spending a little more each week to have their car washed and waxed in order to keep the paint work in excellent shape. The businesses that Soapy Rides targets will be more cost conscious, so prices will be approximately 30% less for these customers to promote volume usage.