Staffing levels for express exterior

I am moving from SS to express exterior washes and will be opening my 1st express wash at the end of the summer. This is a small lot with a 65' tunnel and a single paystation. Free vacs and I don't plan on prepping any cars.

I have an experienced manager to manage the site for me. Any guidelines for required staffing levels? On-site manager + 1 attendant? More on weekends? What about pre-opening and post-closing staff? Can the manager run the place on his own during slow mid-week times?

Until I have a solid customer base, I plan on sticking with my other day job. I will be by on a daily basis, but cannot spend much time there.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

I would think one person could run the wash during the midweek time. If your not prepping the vehicles nor collecting manually from the customer I think your good. I only have one person on for Tuesday and Weds at my location and we do a lot of prepwork and collect. But I use those 2 days to give my entire staff off so they work on my bulk volume days. What do you plan on having a manager and an attendant do? will they assist in the pay process, guide cars on, empty trash, greet customers. I always have 2 people on the lot but we have a 110ft tunnel and IBA both with free vacs. My self or the manager is always on the lot during business hours.

Thanks. Yes my manager or myself would always be onsite to greet customers, assist with pay process, or handle any problems. During slow periods, i'd expect the manager to also guide the cars on. I'd only use an extra attendant (or 2) during busy times to help guide cars and clean. Is this reasonable?

We run between 110 a nd 125 hours per site per 7 day week. Usually 30 more hours than the site is open. It takes 2 hours a day to blow each site and rinse down. Mon-Thurs, two one-man shifts with 1 to 2 hours overlap at change out. Fri- Sun, 4 to 6 hours overlap depending upon weather. That's at my volume level. Your's will probably be the same or less. One person can do 400 cars a day express but the lot gets dirty and service is weak.

I like to have two people if the site is going to do over 250 cars that day. When you are low volume you've got to watch labor. Good luck!

One caution:

Don't know where you're located, but in most states a working manager without any other employees is subject to the same wage & hour requirements as an hourly worker who might do the same tasks, regardless of what you call him. That means breaks, overtime, and all the rest of it. You may call him a manager and think you're side-stepping the hourly issues, but if and when an audit occurs, you may find yourself in a bind. Plus, if he leaves by choice or dismissal, he may come back at you.

The only way I know to avoid that risk... is to have an employment contract whereby the agreement addresses all the issues and compensation.

Just a thought...

-Steve

Good point Steve...I choose to put everyone on the clock. No salaries. The last time I had salaries, I had a mgr and asst both on salary. They both started covering for each other so they only had to work 4 1/2 days a week. Meanwhile I'm working everyday to make sure they had some backup with the equipment. Hourly is the only way to go for me. Salaries are like unlimited wash passes. In that, they provide an opportunity for one person to take advantage of other. (When I sold unlimited passes...I was hoping the buyer would not use it much and the buyer was hoping to over use it) I would rather have everything simple and fair.

Vacation pay is the average of the last 51 weeks, so it's equally far to the part timers and over-timers.

as a hard working manager, two things come to mind....a)if ive worked for you five or ten years and you still think im going to "take advantage of you", why in the heck would you keep me around? second, i would not work hourly. since ive dedicated many hours, and much sweat to your success, i deserve a fair wage, and a consistent wage, im raising a child and my wife is a stay at home mom, i need to be able to construct a budget for my family. if you dont think im worth that investment, you should really find someone who is. i feel i perform better, and am more dedicated to you when you can guarantee me that my family is taken care of. of course, i dont quite get the statement "im working every day to make sure they had some backup with the equipment." i make sure the guy i work for doesnt have to fix anything himself, thats my job, not his.

I've never had a manager that could work the employees, customers and equipment equally well. I have a staff of maintenance men that keep the washes running. Most people that are good at people things, are not good at mechanical things and vica versa.

I like hourly...the pay is the same...my managers have unlimited overtime, so I pay them for the amount of commitment they display. If they need time off...it's no problem with me...if they want to earn more...they know how to do it. I've had to listen to too many resentfull wives, whinning about there husband's hours. While I'm working 7 days a week and my wife is raising 5 children. I've had poor years when my managers made as much as I did.

If I had somebody like you Chad...that could take the whole burden off me and my maintenance staff...I would consider a salary. But I still like the fairness and flexibility built into hourly. The wage and hour regulators like it better too...less opportunities for abuse.

PS: I didn't put up with those two that where slacking off while on salaries. I put them on hourly with the equivalent dollar opportunities. One stayed 6 more months, the other took over mgmt and stayed another year. I've only had one manager(on salary) that I had to tell to take some time off...every other one (on salary) I had to monitor to make sure he/she was there or I was made to feel guilty for overworking them without extra compensation. I don't like being the bad guy.

well said...unlimited overtime? wow, my wife would love that, she'd send me off to work every single day...the single biggest incentive my employer offers is health insurance, im so blessed he pays for my entire monthly premium for the whole family, worth a fortune these days

Your wife is exactly like mine...bring home the money so she can pay bills...she'll take care of everything at home...very understanding. A lot of wives today don't understand the demands of running a car wash. Conversely, I've had quite a few men say they needed off to be with their family when really they wanted more time to play golf, fish, and go out drinking with their buddies.

Full family coverage!!! that's awesome...we just offer 1/2 of our staff's dental coverage. Keep up the good work!