Just curious...

Bridget

New Member
For those of you whose primary business is in fleet washing, do you or have you joined any of the Trucking Associations for your area?

If you have...I'd be interested in knowing if you benefited from that affiliation.

Thanks,
Bridget
 

Scott Stone

New Member
I haven't. I have thought about it though to maybe give seminars on truck washing and the whole environmental thing. I guess I will think about it some more.
 

Dan S

New Member
NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


TO MANY OTHER THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT ..... nice idea though and i guess something we should consider
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
<b><font color=green>Gosh dang Bridget haven't you got enough now to do with out adding another cost,wouldn't the chamber in the area be enough.
If a bass lure company came to a bass clubs meeting to tell and show how their lure worked which is find until they tell you but you got to fish out of this there boat,,,,,

If you did belong to,wouldn't you think they would have a stronger hold on you and your pricing in ALL the areas you worked in as in keeping the price low or lower in some areas then what should be,wheeew :D.

I would think they would be more interested in keeping their trucks on the road instead how clean someone can keep them at so much.If I was a fleet owner I wouldn't want someone telling me how to keep my trucks clean and how you do it b/c I already know I have the best powerwashing company around doing them already and at a cost I'm agreeing with.
All tho I do think if you owned several stand alongs it would be wise to join,I can see its benefits but not the mobile.Alot of fleet owners wash at stand alongs only.
Wouldn't it be cheaper to belong to the chamber the fleetowners belongs to in areas you work in or areas you want.Some fleetowners that use mobile wash like keeping the money around home if they can.......................
it may be the thing to join the truckers association the above is just my way of thinking.

What benefits do you see in it?..I can always crawfish awittle.
 

Bridget

New Member
benefits

Hi Bigboy, [hello]

The benefits I was considering was from a networking point of view. I do belong to the Chamber and other business associations.

We could also pose the same question to those washers who are members of the Restaurant Association?

Allow me.... Jon, what benefits have you received from your affiliation with the Restaurant Assoc? Why did you join?

I don't necessarily understand your point on them having a hold on our pricing? Or why they wouldn't be interested in hearing about our services compared to the services they are receiving?

If I was a fleet owner and happen to need a new wash company and I discovered, read about or met a wash company thru this affiliation...I would think that would be a good thing.

As far as the money to join...that's not an issue for me- I don't join affiliations in hopes that the phones will start ringing off the hook...I join them to learn more about the industry I am involved in. It would seem to me that if you're knowledgeable about your customers and their industry that could very well give you the edge you need over your competitor.

United services the entire State of Michigan and Toledo, Ohio. We have filled a niche in this area by providing large companies with washing services to all their locations. They have one source for their fleet washing needs. So although we are not a stand alone truck wash, we do cover quite a bit of ground.

Thanks for you opinion and point of view. :)

Bridget
 

Jon

New Member
Dang Bigboy, ain't you looking to be done both sides picking on da femme's we got here:)

Man alive hope dat ticket from blue lights keeps you unner lok n key till Bridget cools her heels since I hear she wears 4 inchers.

Hey Bridget y'all givin my secrets away:D

Ok I do belong to the Califronia Restaurant Association and as a member I am listed 5 different ways in their annual book sent to all members.

Has it paid off, do I get tons of calls No, but I have recieved calls yes, will it pay off is the question. The local chapter in my area is weak, they don't hold meetings but do hold a yearly golf turney, I don't play golf so I will not be there.

I have tried to get them to have some sort of informal get together every couple month so I can attend and meet the owners/managers/key people etc. So far no such luck but I will not stop trying.

I get NO business from being a Chamber member other then a homeowner calling couple times a year.

What Bridget and others have to ask themselves is the same question I am asking myself, is it going to pay off to be a member?

Is she or others joining to socialize or gain business, will you as a member go to the meetings or just pay your yearly dues?

I can go to any chapters meetings but to do so means I would meet and gain business (possibly) in areas I do not travel to.

Bigboy has a good point about IF he was the man in charge he would already know the company he uses is best, what he might or might not know is the things Scott Stone brings up being the whole enviromental thing.

Keep in mind at some point these trucking companies in all states are going to have to comply with the EPA laws and if Scott is at the front of the list on it and he educates the customers he more then likely will gain business.

Enough since I don't do fleets I am not here to talk fleets, Bridget dragged my butt in here knowing I would try to beat Ron at a long post!
 

Scott Stone

New Member
Oh Jon,
See how you are, I come home from a few days away, Leave my wife on vacation so that I can work, and look at the abuse I get. My thought on the association thing is exactly like Jon said. I prefer to be the dog in front. So I was one of the first ones in the Phoenix withthe recovery equipment, as crude as it was. I think that with a little education on the environmental advantages of recovery I could gain more lucrative accounts. That is my goal, anyway.
That is the main reason that the trucking association would be of interest to me. Most of the companies around here get shut down because they do not under stand how you can possibly recover your wash water. SO it would be part of the education process. If I was able to get into the association and give seminars, I would be able to exercise the Tacit approval of the association, and the responsible people would realize that my methods are legal, and effective.
 

Fleet Washer

New Member
I am a member of the BBB in my area. I think if it is relatively cheap I would join a trucking assoc. As far as water recovery goes, we know without it you will fail in business. In my area the EPA is very strict. We now use dual vacuum systems with auto pump outs and portable recycling systems and sewer discharge permits. I have noticed in the past year that more and more companies need this service. If you join an assoc. and also are enviromentally friendly I think it would be a great benefit. In some cases you will have to fight all of the new accts. off.



Later
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
<B><FONT COLOR=GREEN>See thats what I cann't understand,those around you close down b/c of no knowledge of environmental advantages.To me a fleet powerwasher has felled in keeping bussiness closer to home as not educating the ones having to shut down their wash.I had rather have all the bussiness around me as to have it miles apart,those would be the ones I'd be after by educating if I wanted more bussiness.The way I look at it is if you went to educate on environment at a meeting of this type your not only teaching them but the competiter thats also after more bussiness.For the cost in environmental eqt. is not that much if I wanted to grow bigger,it'll pay for itself.It would also help the ones already washing in the association that may be 5 or 6 states over as of how but later may be in your state looking for more bussiness hmmmmmmmm but wait he doesn't have to do that when all he has to do is go to the truckers association with his knowledge also.
To me there is nothing to getting bigger if a fellow or gal wants too or how many states they want to work.I think a bussiness should be planned in a circle and take everything in that circle wheather it covered several states or just a 5 mile circle.I think my time would be worth more working that circle with the environmental as to trying to work circles around cirlces,if that makes any sences.

I work a 5 mile circle and as you say top dog,if I wanted to be bigger all I have to do is draw me a bigger cirlce and take everything in that path and not worry about whats on the other side of the circle until I wanted to get bigger.Right now its easy done but may get harder as the fleetowners will educate their powerwashers to your teaching or someone elses teaching.

I'm just a lazy man trying to make a living the easiest way I can,If I wanted to address the association with my knowledge on environment it would be on ?????.

again this is just my way of thinking,not pointed at you Scott cuzz I love U man :D

allow me to sweep up
 

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