K9000 vs Pet Clin - Differences

We've used and operated the Pet Clin dog washes in the U.S. for over 2 years now... so we installed the new K9000 system next to the Pet Clin unit and asked pet owners what they liked and disliked vs. the Pet Clin dog wash they have grown accustom to. The K9000 won this test hands down. And here is what pet owners are telling us:

1) It is much easier to get any size dog into the wash area of the K9000 because of the swing door
2) The dog is more comfortable in the K9000 because it doesn't move up and down
3) The dog owners washing their dogs are much more comfortable washing their dog because of the corrected height of the K9000
4) They prefer the rotary switch, says it's much easier to operate than the complexity of push buttons and 10 step instructions
5) They feel like their dog gets cleaner because of the condition option
6) The dryer is much more effective than the Pet Clin dryer - minimizing drying time
7) They like that they can disinfect the wash area themselves before and after they use the K9000

Being owners/operators of both the Pet Clin and K9000 dog washes, here is why we feel that the K9000 makes life easier than the Pet Clin unit:

1) Very simple draining installation vs. Pet Clin
2) 'Hair free' platform minimizes cleaning and maintenance - dual hair traps make it very easy to clean out after several more washes than the Pet Clin unit
3) Less water and mess outside of K9000 - minimizes clean up
4) Operators key make it simple to clean out unlike Pet Clin
5) Secure money vault secures cash - employees cannot access the cash
6) No complex computer system - simple timer system with K9000 makes it easy to maintain
7) All spare parts can be purchased in the States

It is without question that whether you are a dog owner or a dog wash owner, the K9000 will provide the simplest experience for everyone and offers the most practical design. The K9000 has worked out all of the design flaws.

What The Car Care World Expo Proved

I've had a few days to digest the tremendous feedback we received as we unveiled the K9000 self-serve dog wash to the US car wash public last week. With 4 other dog washes on display (all the ramp and tub-like equipment), the K9000 was well received. The bottom line, you only get ONE chance to make it a pleasurable experience for a dog owner or they will NOT come back. If the experience is not good, you lose their return business. Installing the right equipment the right way will only INCREASE revenues and you'll have a true Pet Vending Profit Center.

Here is what we learned about the Ramp and tub-like equipment:

Issue #1: Steep ramp turns away washing revenue - yet car wash owners are still making some decent money with these systems. The bottom line is that most dogs do not know how to go up steep ramps... and because of the height, a lot of dogs will be scared (both of these design flaws increase liability as well, in my opinion). Imagine all of the dogs being turned away - owners that can't get their dogs up a steep ramp... dogs that aren't comfortable... And lastly, why would you want to work on your dog with your arms in the air? The tub is too high - it's uncomfortable for you and your pooch.
Resolution - The K9000's platform is at the right height for dogs to easily step into and on the washing area. Medium and large dogs are at comfortable heights for the dog owners so they don't have to fight gravity with arms getting tired and sore... believe, me it happens... even when I use the Pet Clin dog wash... with the platform all the way up, it's too high to wash and dry my 100 lbs lab. No dogs will be turned away with the K9000 and pet owners will be comfortable - and they will want to come back!

Issue #2: The MESS ... oh the mess - because of the ramp and tub-like systems, everyone thinks that a dog wash will require too much maintenance and will be a tragic mess every day. And it's true... poor drainage and no water containment means YOU, the owner, will have to wash this system after every dog wash (in most cases). But this is unnecessary with the right equipment and installation.
Resolution - Because the of the K9000's design, the water is contained... very little water will splash out if any. And because of the dual-hair traps built in to a practical drain system, you don't have to clean it out for 20-30 washes... why make it harder than is should be?

Issue #3: The Wrong Shampoo Products - Look, the reality is that car washes provide 'chemicals'. Most dog owners will NOT use the shampoo products unless they feel comfortable with the products. Car wash distributor and owners still use 'chemicals' and this is not good for dog wash business.
Resolution - The K9000 uses the highest-end shampoo products by Tropiclean - a name recognized by pet owners and the pet industry. Our shampoos are GREEN - all natural. They contain NO chemicals, NO soaps and NO detergents that will rinse away expensive flea treatments. And NO alcohols that will dry out the coat. With the proper shampoos, more time will be spent washing and the quality of wash will be as good as a groomer. This will ultimately increases your profits and client satisfaction.

We are in the pet industry, not the car wash industry ... and we need to re-educate the car wash industry about the little things that mean a lot to your overall revenue potential and success. Car washes see the tremendous potential with a dog wash profit center but it will take the right equipment, the right installation, the right price per wash and the right pet vending partner so that you all maximize your revenue with minimal maintenance.

Thanks for everyone's feedback this week. And thanks for the orders. Together, we will help solve a major problem all pet owners face. We are here to make it simple for you car wash owners. Trust us ... and look for our article next month in Professional Carwashing & Detailing Magazine.

Using the K9000 dog wash for the first time.

I washed my 100 lbs black lab and 25 lbs beagle today in the K9000 for the first time. How sweet it is! The platform is set at a perfect height. Not too high so that my arms didn't get tired and not too low so that I was bending over. Plus, it was very easy for my lab to get into the tub washing area. The water pressure is very nice and what we really like is that we have a conditioner option to clean him even better. My lab seemed to be very comfortable and able to look out. The dryer is amazing! We've used the Pet Clin unit numerous times and are familiar with that dryer - but the K9000 dryer is much more powerful, especially when on Turbo Dry. At the end of the cycle, what is really nice is that if your time expires, you still have about 20 seconds to deposit more money and extend the time. And with a few seconds left after Ike was dry, we used the disinfecting option and because of the design of the platform, there was virtually NO hair left in the tub... so it seemed to get a lot cleaner with the manual disinfecting option vs. Pet Clin's automatic disinfecting option. It's nice that I can disinfect before I start or after I start. I can get the tub area as clean as I want and have that control to feel most comfortable. The K9000 rocks! We absolutely love it! We are sure you will too!

Pricing Your Cost Per Wash Correctly = More Profits!

One of the most critical aspects of ensuring a quicker return on your investment of your self-serve dog wash equipment is to price the cost per wash in accordance with the grooming market and your local demographics. It's a fine line with the coin-op self-serve dog wash equipment; you don't want to overcharge when taking into account smaller dogs. However, don't sell your service short by undercharging because of what you have seen going on in the car wash market, for example. We highly suggest a price of $10 for 10 minutes and here is why:

We must examine both the pet and car wash industries:
Pet Industry - In our research throughout the pet industry, most self-serve store-fronts are charging anywhere from $12-$25 based upon the size of the dog. And typically, this does not include higher-end shampoo - which is extra. Oatmeal based is additional, flea & tick is addition, etc. Sometimes, we've seen that self-serve stores will charge for extra time should you need more than the allotted 20 - 30 minutes.
Car Wash Industry - Most of you in the car wash industry or those of you that have seen/used the basic tub-like coin-op self-serve dog wash have probably noticed a price of $5 for 10 or 12 minutes. If you take into account $.50 - $.75 cost per wash, that leaves the dog wash owner with about $4.50 in profit per month. Not a whole lot.

We highly suggest a price of $10 for 10 minutes for the K9000. Period. Charge $1 per additional minute. $10 for 10.

$10 is a very competitive price for using your coin-op self-serve dog wash especially considering the following:

1) Convenience - your dog wash is probably open 24x7 and available when the store-fronts aren't. There is a lot of value in convenience.
2) High-Quality Shampoo Products - not only is your equipment high quality but the high-quality shampoo options are included in the price! And if they need a little more time to dry, so they spend another 2-4 bucks. There is a lot of value in high quality shampoos.
3) Priced For All Dogs - $10 is very competitive for a smaller dog that may use all but 1 or 2 minutes of a 10 minute cycle. Larger dogs will certainly use the full 10 minutes and if the pet owners wants a totally dry dog, they will simply deposit more money to extend the drying time. It's fair all around.

Below is an example of how much time is used for a medium-size (50 lbs.) dog:
2 mins. shampoo
1 mins. flea & tick shampoo
1 mins. conditioner
1 min rinse
remaining 5 mins. + used for drying

The fact is that most dog owners with medium and large size dogs will need to extend the time if they want to get the full benefits of using the coin-op self-serve dog wash. And you know what that means to you - more profit per wash! But at the end of the day, the dog owner is in and out in about 14 minutes - much quicker than if going to a self-serve dog wash store. It's all about convenience for the dog owner and repeat business for you as the dog wash owner.

Is Self Serve Dog Washing Recession Proof?

Let us start by saying this: most data and research we have read indicates that the pet industry as a whole won't suffer much if the U.S. economy continues to lag. Don't get us wrong, when speaking with pet store owners, groomers and the like, a lot have seen a drop in sales over the past 24 months. But overall, the pet industry market is strong. We think most pet owners will cut back on other personal luxury items before they cut back on their pet spending. But we think pet owners will become a bit more selective with their product purchasing and will look at all grooming/dog washing options available in their town.

Here is why we think self serve dog washing services are recession proof:
- It saves money! - Self serve costs fractions less than paying for someone else to bathe your pooch weekly
- Convenience - Self serve give folks the flexibility of convenience - we do it when we have the time to do it
- Cleaner dogs - Self serve provides option to clean the dog every week - it does not replace traditional grooming services which are typically done once per month(s)
- Demand is out there - Self serve is in greater demand because of how active dogs are these days - i.e. dog parks, dog beaches... a dog owner needs to wash their four-legged friend after visits to the public places because fleas/tick and diseases are real threats - we want our dogs to be active - but we need an quick, easy and affordable way to wash and dry them
- Efficiency - Self serve is quick and simple - only takes a few minutes versus 30-45 minutes at home including the clean-up process ... time is money... get it done. Us Americans are always on the run and never have time for this dirty chore until now
- Fun for the entire family! - Self serve has now become a fun family event - bring the kids, enjoy the chore

Pet owners are embracing self serve dog washing. With or without a recession, self serve dog washing will always be in great demand in our opinion.

Pet Industry Trends

We thought it would be a good opportunity to share with everyone the trends we have been witnessing over the past 6-12 months as it pertains to various vertical markets that are expressing interest in coin-op serve dog wash.

1) Groomers Struggling: What we find interesting is that recently, we have been receiving a lot of inquiries for the coin-op dog wash from groomers. Their reasoning is that they are seeing a decrease in traditional grooming revenue because of the slowing economy. The funny thing is that some of the groomers who think self serve dog wash equipment is a competitor are finally 'seeing the light'. They are realizing that a majority of dog owners wash their pet at home and are looking for an easier solution without the clean-up. In our opinion, dog owners will be cutting back on the amount of times they pay $70-100 to have someone else groom their dog. Groomers are now seeing the coin-op self serve dog wash as a complementary product that can help increase revenues and exposure.

2) Self serve dog wash store fronts are charging on average $12-20 to use their indoor self serve dog wash facility. The difference in price is based on the size and weight of your dog. Some will provide you with shampoo options, others will charge extra for higher-end products. Also, we have found that their tubs are typically made of plastic or fiberglass and some require you 'lift' your pooch into the tub. And most of the time, when you actually have the time to wash your dog, they are closed.
We think you will start to see coin-op self serve dog wash store-fronts opening up offering a more competitive price, open 24x7 (like the 24x7 fitness centers) and providing the dog owner the conveniences for which we look.

3) Residential and Commercial Real-Estate companies (REITs) are starting to seriously consider adding a more pet friendly environment by offering dog parks and the like. We are receiving a number of inquiries from REITs about the coin-op self serve dog wash, as it's a natural fit for them. Plus this value-add amenity will certainly be a differentiating factor for dog owners during their evaluation process.

4) Laundromats are looking to add another Profit Center. They have the space and the utilities... it seems to make sense ... they have coin operated equipment, why not add the dog wash. Google laundromats and dog washes and see for yourself how many are already out there. It's a nice fit.

In the coming weeks, we'll talk about other businesses expressing interest and other trends we are seeing in the self serve dog wash market.

Washing my 100 lbs lab today

I took the boys to the local Pet Clin self serve dog wash today for their weekly washing. I must say, I figured out how to get Ike, the 100 lbs black lab, done in the 14 minute cycle. Now keep in mind, this includes 3 minutes of shampoo time, 2 minutes of flea & tick, and another minute of rinsing. The key is after I was done rinsing, I wiped off the access water with my hands, literally ringing out his legs... then I quickly towel dried him and used the rest of the 6 minutes with the dryer on the high speed. When the cycle ended, he wasn't 100% dry but dry enough to get him in the truck and after a shore drive, he's back home under my desk and smelling very nice. It's such a life savor for me and is much more pleasant to have a clean dog around the house.

One other suggestion: brush out the old fur BEFORE you begin the wash cycle. I use a rubber square brush for thicker coats. He looks that much better when he's finished and I don't see as much black hair on the floor. Can you say Swiffer? ...well, I certainly don't have to swiffer as often any more.