This is something many of us have struggled with for a long time. How to properly sign a bay so that it’s clear enough to follow but not too wordy so as to make it hard to understand. How many signs should go into a bay? Where should they be placed?

I have been in car wash bays where there are absolutely no signs on the walls and few on the meter-box door. And then there are others I’ve seen where signs abound on every wall. Some instruction signs seem like you are required to take notes and make charts to determine what exactly you should do to simply wash your vehicle.

For a while, we thought lots of picture signs was the proper way to get the messages across. Others I have noticed have instructions so detailed you need to read them several times to figure out what you need to select. There are signs describing features available which seem to offer the same product on the same meter-box. And of course, others show different selections on the switch when in reality the same product is used for multiple features. 

Our current thinking is – Be Clear, Be Brief, and limit the number of signs to the number needed to explain the features so they feel properly informed on what each one does. That doesn’t mean you need to say only the minimal amount of words. You should say more than “SOAP”, “WAX”, “PRE-SOAK”, and whatever else you offer. Some description of what each feature does and how to use it is desirable and required to encourage them to use all the items you provide. In this way, they stay longer and your sales increase.

Take note of the condition of your signs as well. If they’re old, faded, cracked, or no longer relevant, replace or discard them. Having items in your bays that have clearly outlived their usefulness does now inspire confidence in your customers when they are deciding to wash their vehicle.

If you’re wondering about what to do about signage, give us a call and we will help you make it easier for your customers to be informed on what your wash has to offer.