Consumer Experience Matters

One thing I often preach about is consumer experience. It's so integral to perceived value and therefore marketing in general, but it seems so few give it any thought. I'm not saying focusing on outputting a clean car is not important- in fact it's vital. However it is not the only thing to focus on.

Simple Exercise: Assuming you're a coffee drinker, next time you wake up and go for your morning cup, don't reach for your standard old "#1 Dad" mug. Instead find the china that only comes out for company and pour your coffee into a china cup rested delicately on a saucer. See how you feel. How does the experience differ from when you use your mug? It's the same coffee, brewed from the same pot, but it's different. And if you concentrate hard enough I bet you'll perceive that it even tastes a little better. The difference is not the coffee but the vessel. The difference is not the reality, it's the experience.

Marketers understand this and go to great lengths to tweak the consumer experience to reach the maximum perceived value. When done right this ALWAYS results in a real improvement in the bottom line.

So keep focusing on putting out a clean car. Just don't forget to spend some time focusing on the consumer experience.

Are You Really Customer Focused?

Good marketing is founded on a solid understanding of your market and more specifically, your target customer. I'm not going to go into to much depth about figuring out who your target customer is, but you probably already have some idea. The question is are you, as an operator, as a business person, focused on that target customer?

Here's an exercise: try and think of an actual customer who you would say fits your target customer description. Yes, think of the actual person. Think of what they look like, what they drive, what their basic life situation is (if you don't know these things, have a brief conversation next time they come in- it's important). Let's assume your now thinking of an actual customer- let's call him Bob.

Now, every time your in your office doing some type of business planning, think to yourself, "How is this going to effect Bob?" The reality is you probably have a few target customer profiles. In your mind nominate an actual customer to represent each profile. Every time your planning something or making a decision, think of how it will effect each of those actual people.

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com once started an executive meeting by announcing that an empty chair at the table represented 'the customer.' Throughout the meeting, the executives were compelled to include the customer in their thought process, and to consider their comments' implications on the customer, as if 'he/she' were present. This has been a practice at Amazon meetings ever since.

You would be amazed at how this simple method helps you become more customer focused. Just be careful not to have full conversations out loud with your imaginary customers. People might think that's a little strange.

Why Ask "Why"?

I love the question, "why?". I think it forces us to get to the heart of real problems and find real solutions. It helps us avoid the status quo and helps prevent self-deception where we see only what we want to see.

The most important "why" question is: Why do people wash their cars? It sounds simple, but in fact it is not. Go ahead and ask someone that question and I guarantee you'll get a stunned look and a long pause before you get an answer. It's one of the questions we ask during customer surveys and it always produces a funny look. When you do get an answer it's an unsure one that sounds something like, "Uh... I guess it's because... or maybe it's because...". That kind of response proves that the answer is not so simple and lies somewhere in our subconscious. If you keep asking why, you come down to the real answer. It usually goes something like this:

Me: "Why do people wash their cars?"

Them: "Huh?"

Me: "Why do people wash their cars?"

Them: "I don't know. I guess people want a clean car."

Me: "Why?"

Them: "People prefer things to be clean."

Me: "Why?"

Them: "It makes them feel better."

Me: "Why?"

Them: "Because we feel better about ourselves when we're clean."

That's exactly the answer: People wash their car because they feel better about themselves when they're clean. The simple two-word answer is self esteem. Our perception of ourselves is directly related to our appearance. It's why a person 150 pounds overweight typically has less self-esteem then a person who exercises everyday. If you're going out to a nice restaurant with friends you haven't seen in awhile, what would make you feel better about yourself: wearing a new, freshly pressed shirt or your old wrinkled shirt with yellow stains around the collar? The bottom line is that cleanliness makes us feel better about ourselves.

This seems simple enough, yet look around at the marketing you see in the industry. Car washes market their services as if they're in the same business category as mechanics, auto body shops, quick lubes and other car-centric business. Yet they're not. In those business people HAVE to go or else their car will stop working or the bumper will fall off. If they don't go, then they won't be able to get to work, go grocery shopping or take little Johnny to the soccer game.

Here's my point: We're in the self-esteem business and we should act like it. This shouldn't just be a philosophical point to bring up at trade show dinners. It should be a cornerstone of our business planning. Accepting this idea changes the way you look at your business and the prioritization of what needs to be done to build your business. Car washes are more similar to tanning salons and gyms than most people realize.

Think I'm crazy? Most people said that about Starbucks when they charged $4 for a cup of coffee. But the reason they were able to do that and flourish was because they didn't focus on selling coffee. They built everything around the user experience and making consumers feel good about themselves by buying their product.

Here are some practical things operators can do to capitalize on this understanding that we're in the self-esteem business. If you're wondering why it matters, it's because these things have a major impact on perceived value and perceived value is why people give you their money.

(1) KEEP YOUR CAR WASH CLEAN! Not keeping your facility clean is the number one sin of car washing. Would you go to a doctor who smokes, eats Twinkies all day and is barely sober? Would you hire a roofer if his own house leaked like the Titanic after it rained? If you're in the cleaning business then you have to be clean. We're selling the emotional impact of being clean. That impact needs to begin when they enter your lot. Also, cleanliness includes clutter, so don't leave those empty 55-gallon drums piled up where the customers can see them, even if they are piled neatly. And don't forget the uniforms.

(2) Highlight the self-esteem value of washing a car in your marketing.

• Pick a message and stick to it. They may sound funny, but use phrases like, "clean cars make happy people", or, "Wash your car. You deserve it", or, "Get your car washed. You'll feel better". These types of messages get right to the heart of why people wash their cars- whether they realize it or not. Re-use this message everywhere.
  
• Keep your advertisement layout clean and uncluttered. Don't try and say too much. Focus on your one key message.
• Use high quality images everywhere. Use images with clean, shiny cars with happy people next to them. I would even suggest finding a bunch of these type of images and putting them all over your site.
  

(3) Get the car clean. Oh yeah, this one's important too. Even if you don't have the best equipment, make sure you're there's no obvious flaws in your process. If there are, fix them immediately.

(4) Focus on the consumer experience. It's about perception, not reality. You might be cleaning the car perfectly, but if that's not absolutely clear to the consumer you're wasting an opportunity. For example, get the best foam applicator you can. The more foam the better. It is a clear and visual sign to the consumer that you are getting his or her car clean. Another way to reinforce the experience is tunnel signs. The point is don't just clean the car, find ways to remind the customer you're cleaning the car.

I'm not saying that you need to embrace this idea in order to be successful. However, in any business, a deep understanding of the reason your customers use your product or service usually results in more success. In fact, I don't think that this is something that you can implement partially. That would be like Starbucks springing for nice cups but leaving the inside of the store looking like a Dunkin Donuts. It just wouldn't have worked. It wouldn't have been Starbucks. It has to be done across the entire business and everything has to be brought into alignment with it. However it all begins with understanding that it's not about washing cars, it's about making people feel better about themselves.