When managing a regional mall car wash and detailing concession you must understand the dynamics of the labor issues, mall hours and proper price point strategies to make it all work. It is a difficult business to manage and you need a flexible scheduling strategy and way to even out the ups and downs or peak periods and dead times.

Remember Malls have slow periods and long hours; 9-10 AM to 9 to 11 PM during Christmas and that is a lot of labor hours, also consider labor supply is not so easy and you cannot hire total derelicts or Illegal Aliens to wash cars in broad daylight at Malls, as that will not fly with your customers. You need repeats, as those who shop till they drop shop often and you want their business every visit.

Price Points, please realize this is not a low-cost high volume deal. For Mall employees give them a Special Courtesy Price in the mornings to get you going with stacked cars, as you have all day to do them and that takes out the rocky schedule of a feast or famine business. Either you will be slammed or dead and this will help.

But keep a basic wash price fair and reasonable and then go for the upsells and higher costs services. $200 for detailing an SUV is acceptable really and a $32.00 executive wash with steam cleaning mats and dressing das, tires, etc. is doable too. Have Soccer Mom Specials on early week days and promotions like this, be creative. Consider this in 2006.