Tackling Staffing Challenges in Car Wash Operations with Wash Rescue Experts

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Building a Winning Car Wash Team: Insights from Wash Rescue on Effective Staffing

Staffing Remains Top Challenge for Car Wash Operators, Experts Say

Staffing is consistently the number one challenge facing car wash operators, but intentional recruiting, culture-building and employee development can help wash businesses thrive, according to industry professionals on the latest episode of the Better Car Washing Everywhere podcast.

Host Matt DeWolf was joined by Wash Rescue’s Francois Perez, Jordan O’Day and industry consultant Jeff Fazio for a candid discussion about the ongoing struggle to find, train and retain quality employees in car wash operations.

“In the express exterior world, you only have a finite amount of time within two minutes to make an impression on the guest,” Fazio said. “Unless you have people who are really, you know, you’re staffed, you’re trained, they’re coached, they’re people in the right positions, this whole thing can fall apart real quick.”

Perez said the foundation for proper staffing starts with understanding the site’s format—whether express, flex or full-serve—and matching headcount to operational needs. “A good number is you want to know, understand how many people you need to run a single shift. For me, that number’s four to really be efficient, and you can build on that as you get busier,” Perez said. For a fully staffed team, Perez said the total usually ranges from 13 to 20 employees at an express location.

The dangers of understaffing ripple throughout the operation, experts agreed. “You’ll see your capture rates start dropping … your car counts eventually will start going down. You’re going to have more complaints,” Perez said, noting understaffing forces managers and employees to juggle roles and creates a negative customer experience.

Fazio recommended operators adopt an “always be recruiting” mindset. “We have a weekly meeting with our management team and then we sit down and highlight the top three performers and the bottom three performers. And then regardless if we are fully staffed … I’m constantly looking for ways to either improve those candidates or, hey, I’m going to look for another all-star on the street. I never stop recruiting,” Fazio said.

Operators should build a talent pipeline so they are never caught short-handed if an employee leaves unexpectedly. “Have a little bit of a bench built up there because that’s going to open up opportunities for you,” DeWolf said.

Panelists emphasized the importance of recognizing and supporting employees to build retention. “We would do quarterly surveys … where we would ask the team anonymously, hey, we want your feedback. So it was important to us to have that they had a voice too, and that they felt they were part of it,” Fazio said.

Perez advised meaningful orientation and public acknowledgment of employee achievements. “If somebody was name dropped [in a Google review], I would talk about it and I would showcase and say, look, Marco took care of this person. They loved you so much and they wanted to talk to you. And that became a point of pride for these guys,” Perez said.

For operators struggling to attract candidates, Wash Rescue’s experts recommended referral bonuses, tapping universities for talent, and proactive, creative outreach—beyond simply hanging a “now hiring” sign.

Finally, panelists noted that developing internal talent and outlining upward mobility are essential for both retention and scalability. “Having that path of progression is critical,” Fazio said. “In our orientation or our onboarding packets, we would have, hey, this is where you started as a team member. This is what happens if you do X, Y and Z. You can qualify for a shift leader position, so on and so forth, so they can see that there’s a real opportunity.”

As the car wash industry evolves, operators who treat staffing as a strategic priority and foster employee engagement, recognition and growth can strengthen both their businesses and their workplace culture.

Want more industry tips? Listen to the full episode and subscribe to Better Car Washing Everywhere for practical, honest car wash conversations every week.

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