At ISTOBAL we have analysed the behaviour of users who use our washing facilities in order to find out what motivates them and what their needs and concerns are. From this study we have been able to draw several conclusions, the first being that there are four factors that can motivate the user to wash their vehicle: image, enjoyment, need and conservation.
When a user goes to wash their car, they ask where the best place is to do it based on five variables: the time he is going to have to use, the quality or the level of finish, if it is close to home or work, the payment and price.
Through the interviews carried out and observations, without forgetting these five variables already mentioned, it has been possible to establish up to eight user profiles and the frequency of washing their cars. These profiles are market niches as they represent a very specific part of a group of consumers.
When we talk about niches, we refer to a small number of people (or companies) that share similar characteristics and needs. They represent a great market opportunity as they have such defined qualities.
Identifying these niches will help us improve the service and focus our priorities. In addition, knowing specific information about each of them (as well as their behaviour), will allow us to focus and customize our business strategies to achieve better results.
The professional, the careful and the executive are the three users who use the washing stations the most. These have in common that their car is an important and active part of their routines, so its care is a priority.
For the professional, the car is a work tool, this entails great advantages for the washing stations, however, it is necessary to know how to respond to their needs, such as, for example, that the car wash brushes are kept clean and that the systems of pressurized air work properly, etc.
The careful person is a key piece since he represents thousands of people in our country: a person between 30 and 40 years old who is passionate about the automotive industry and who likes his car to look good. Aside from washing it in state-of-the-art facilities, he also carries a tool kit to finish the wash in detail.
The executive is that person who has to make trips to visit their clients and needs to make a good impression. The car is part of your identity, and your image is the most important thing. Look for something effective, fast and efficient. The price does not matter to him because the company pays.
Two other profiles that should not be neglected, even though they use the washing stations less, are the ecological, the senior and the young adult.
The ecological travels by bike or public transport whenever possible, washes the car less frequently, perhaps after a season of more intensive use, for example, when returning from vacation.
The senior is one who enjoys his free time traveling. He keeps his checks up to date, but he doesn't worry too much about the image of his vehicle, he washes it once a month and he doesn't like to wait in line.
Among these niches that we have reviewed, there are a couple that move in the average frequency of washing: the well-to-do, who is not usually interested in the world of motoring, but does like to have his car ready, and the weekender, who washes his car after the weekend to remove mud and dirt, or because he has an important event.
In conclusion, to promote and intensify car washes, it is essential to prioritize the profiles with the highest frequency of washing according to the identified niches. In this sense, several lines of promotion are opened, such as relationships with professional associations, taxi drivers, agreements with companies that have a fleet of vehicles, and loyalty cards. As well as being presented with different ways to address our customers according to their needs and ways of thinking.
