Interior cleaning offers new opportunities for the car wash sector

For many car wash operators, the greatest opportunity for growth lies not only in increasing the number of washes, but rather in boosting the average spend per visit. According to Marco de Wit, director of Imbema, interior cleaning is playing an increasingly important role in this. After all, a complete car clean goes beyond just a clean bodywork.

“As a relatively new provider, you need to offer something unique,” says Marco de Wit. “We therefore deliberately looked at where we could really stand out. At the UNITI expo in Stuttgart, we mainly saw suppliers of car wash tunnels and wash bays. It was there that we realised our added value lies primarily in interior cleaning. In this way, we help car wash operators to stand out and get more out of every visit.”

Imbema therefore deliberately focuses on that segment of the market, with equipment specially developed for cleaning and maintaining car interiors. According to De Wit, a good example is the Ehrle mat cleaner supplied by the specialist. “During the trade fair, a visitor was walking around with a suitcase full of dirty car mats to compare different machines. He was looking for the best mat cleaner and said he hadn’t found one anywhere yet. After trying out our machine, he immediately ordered two units. That confirmed to us that quality makes all the difference.”

A spotless interior too

In addition to the mat cleaner, Imbema supplies the MultiTerminal, a multifunctional service station that allows motorists to give their car a complete after-wash care treatment. As well as vacuuming and interior cleaning, the unit also offers features such as tyre pressure checks, tyre shine and odour treatment, depending on the model.

“If someone takes the time to wash their car, cleaning the interior is the next step. Many sites still have a separate vacuum cleaner, whilst customers nowadays expect more. They want to drive away in a car that’s clean inside and out.”

According to De Wit, an interior cleaning station not only provides an extra service for the customer but also generates additional turnover. “You can keep customers at your site for longer with additional services. We’ve seen at several sites that such an interior cleaning station actually generates extra turnover.”

Text continues below the photo.

Extra revenue

According to Imbema, the MultiTerminal generates an average of €2,500 to €3,500 in additional turnover per month. With a purchase price of around €30,000, the investment can pay for itself relatively quickly at well-frequented locations. Business owners can buy or lease the system, or opt for a full-service operation. In that case, Imbema installs and manages the system and also takes care of maintenance. This allows a car wash operator to gain experience with the concept without making a major investment.

According to De Wit, customers also notice that a good interior cleaning station attracts new visitors. “We regularly hear that motorists deliberately choose a particular car wash precisely because they know they can also have their car’s interior thoroughly cleaned there.”

Although a good wash result remains the foundation, De Wit sees the greatest growth opportunities in additional services. “The focus is often on attracting more washes. But just as interesting is the question of how to keep visitors at your site for longer and encourage them to use additional services. That is precisely where the greatest opportunities lie for car wash entrepreneurs.”