bft gas station, Gebesee- Germany

Stand apart from the competition with WashTec

The bft-Tankstelle service station in Thuringian Gebesee is a WashTec stronghold. The site situated on the busy main road 4 between Erfurt and Sondershausen is one at which not only WashTec's first Touchless car wash in Germany was installed and which washes vehicles with efficient Auwa chemicals. Since here, customers will also find two Wesumat self-service wash booths and efficient vacuum cleaner technology, which is also supplied by the manufacturers from Augsburg.

The slightly different washing sequence

"The SoftCare2 Pro Touchless is something quite special", says operator Eyk Wiegand delightedly. "For the simple reason that it is very rare in Germany." With the touchless acting WashTec model, he was above all looking to set his business apart from the direct and indirect competition. "This was the key driving factor behind my decision to opt for a combined Touchless system." As a further important reason, the Thuringian mentions being able to present customers with a slightly different washing sequence. Ultimately, the convincing arguments of the responsible area sales manager Christian Röll also aroused his interest in the otherwise to date only sporadically installed touchless washing technology in this part of Germany. "And, truth be told, I was relying on the good reputation of WashTec and washing chemicals manufacturer AUWA. In addition, the most important factor was that "with WashTec, I have the advantage of a one-stop shop." Because a SoftCare2 Pro Touchless as a high-pressure wash and as a combined high-pressure brush system did not exist at that time, "I travelled to Augsburg, where just such a system was standing on the forecourt", recalls Eyk Wiegand with a wink.

When, three years ago, the WashTec engineers start to install the modern gantry in Gebesee, they find that the bay affords perfect space conditions. A factor that is extremely important for a SoftCare2 Pro Touchless, since the gantry system is about 40 cm wider than gantries that only use brushes for cleaning and protecting. "This is also necessary", says experienced Christian Röll, "so as not to damage the vehicles with the high-pressure water."

Aiming for 20 percent

Eyk Wiegand knows his customers and thus also knew that touchless high-pressure washing would not suit everyone. And he also knew that this model was certainly not a staple product. After three years of service, he does know however: "It works, the percentage of touchless washes is higher than we had previously suspected. The number is now between 15 and 17 percent." If things progress as how Eyk Wiegand imagines, a figure of 20 percent touchless washes out of the total sales for automatic car washes is most definitely an achievable target. "I am determined to achieve this."

For customers who follow the wash cycle, the powerful high-pressure wash is truly a sight to behold. Gentle to the vehicle paintwork but tough on stubborn dirt, the movable nozzles from which water and AUWA chemicals stream out ensure outstanding cleaning results. Customers who observe very closely will see that the TurboNozzles rotate and produce a conical mixture of water and chemicals in order to truly reach every area of the vehicle surface. As such, even problem areas no longer pose a problem.

Decision made at the counter

Things sometimes get problematic at the counter in the service station shop. This happens when customers can't decide whether to opt for the standard brush wash, or whether it would be better to go for the touchless high-pressure wash. "This is where the staff I have trained up come in. The employees then have to explain the respective wash cycles to the customers accurately and in a way that is specific to the user. Only then will a customer opt for the touchless programmes." The number of customers who already know which wash to choose is gradually increasing. It is above all also "old" self-service car wash users, who do not want their paintwork to come into contact with any "unknown" cleaning technology. "Following the wash, they dry and protect their vehicles themselves by hand, where they believe this still needs attention. This applies in particular to the wheels", says Eyk Wiegand describing their washing and care routine.

For those car wash users who cannot make up their minds, operator Wiegand facilitates the choice between brush or touchless. On a large flat panel screen, hanging vertically above the counter from the ceiling, but tilted towards the customer, he presents the various options in a clear and visual way. Programmes one to three are touchless high-pressure washes, four to six SofTecs brush washes. For the brush programmes, RainTecs, a "premium finish for longer-lasting cleanliness and a perfect shine", can be selected. The sequence of the brushless high-pressure wash is displayed in the informative stream from the manufacturer WashTec as a picture-in-picture composition next to the three touchless washing programmes.

Thank you, WashTec!

Eyk Wiegand has also had the pleasure of experiencing just how appreciative WashTec technology can be. On the one hand towards the customers, because they are increasingly looking for a wash that combines an experience. "It is often even the children who say to their dads that they want to go back there again", says Wiegand delightedly. On the other hand, it is he himself, having had the pleasure of experiencing that washing technology "Made in Augsburg" works reliably and smoothly, with only the very occasional breakdown. Nevertheless, or precisely for this reason, he took out a full maintenance contract and explains this: "This gives me a calculable cost factor over the facility's entire service life. You can never foresee every eventuality. With a full maintenance contract, I incur no further costs, for example for the service engineer's journey time and labour or for the necessary spare parts.“ And thirdly, the site is a prime example of how perfectly WashTec and AUWA work together for their customers'. "AUWA sales rep Roland Kloss played a significant role in helping to ensure that the washing results of the Touchless system were perfect from the outset", emphasizes Eyk Wiegand.

Text/ Pictures: Bernd Fiehöfer