Big Boy and Scott Stone

M.Hinderliter

M.Hinderliter

New member
I am new to this BBS. I read a few of the post tonight and it appears to me that you two guys are serving a different customer base in fleet washing. Big Boy your comments and process of cleaning seems to be very common for contractors that service owner operators or more commonly known as Indepents and smaller fleets. Scott you seem to be at the opposite end of the scale servicing larger fleets and describing how to service them with your technics. Just curious. I think it would help some of the other contractors to know what markets you guys are primarily servicing. Especially if a guy wants to be a owner operator or wants to grow his business to where he has a number of employees.

Michael
 
my opinion

the differance between the 2 is manpower
bigboy one man show
scott 6 man band

bigboy hates a brush scott wont leave home without 6 brushes or 12 mitts
bigboy uses chems that can kill you if used wrong
scott safe soap

after you get your new insurance bill, workmans comp bill, and auto insurance bill[ up 20% ]im not sure if i would rather wash 5 trucks a day by myself or 100 a day and deal with everything employees bring plus the exspense?
 
Hey M. where did that light buld come from....or was it just a flash of a match..........you know both of us from your Dad's bbs.
I have stated several times I do not do fleets no bigger then 10 trucks nomore,just 2,3,4 up to dat there 10.
I call the guys that do bigger fleets lowballers and want-a-be truck washers.
I got reed of my headachs or employee's as you callem,now I can sleep better and enjoy washing by myself not having to say you do this and you do that.I have seen bigger fleets not get washed b/c of headachs not showing up for work or their wifes wants them to do something with them.I've seen wholes crews quit companys and it still goes on today,fleetwash has even losed a few of their managers lately.Sometimes a employee becomes a bigger headache as to not show up but with his own rig.

I whistle while I work cuzz no employee's giving me headaches,heck I even sing I got enjoy in my heart or do alittle powerwash dance when the job is though as in it's a JOY to not have bigger headaches as to get as big as you want in this trade it's left up to the one dat does this as to get as big as they want b/c if you can clean one truck you can clean 1000's the same way as in growing as many employee's as you want wheeew,it's not how you market it's how much you want to market as to get as big as you want,sometimes bigger is not better only in a womans eye,lol. ...."at the opposite end""service them with yoiu techincs""...."just curious"..you kill me M'el,lol.
 
Michael,
You are right. Bigboy is a Boutique truck washer, and I clean them on a larger volume. Most of my fleets are the government type. Lots of cars and a few trucks. I also do quite a few truck fleets.
As for the low balling comment, It isn't that we are low ballers, it is that we make our money on volume. I plan to wash 6-7 tractors or trailers an hour. We can wash up to 8 garbage trucks an hour. It is all about production.
Ahh, the chemicals. I pulled Hf off of my trailer the day that I saw two former employees horsing around with it in a pump up sprayer. One was holding the wand up to his mouth and the other was getting ready to squeeze the trigger. So, as a result, employees are no longer allowed around anything hazardous.
Employee hassles, We don't want to talk about that today. One had to go home because his grandfather died. He's gone for three weeks, and my other reguilar wash helper is sick in bed witht the flu and strep, and has been running a 104 degree temp all week. Last night, it was me, my wife and my twelve year old washing 200 cars, and the night before it was me, my wife and ten year old. I finished up at 3 this morning, when to a 6 am wash job and had it cancelled because they are restriping the parking lot.
And life goes on.
<body onUnload="alert(Grant is the best hood guy)">

Scott
 
Jeeze I'm sittin here readin these at 6 am and every bone in my body hurts from working too darn much, and my best worker is in jail (DUI 2nd offense), and facing another day in the desart where it's cold, and the list goes on. I always said that the hardest part of this job is gettin there, but today I'm thinkin maybe I should of finished college and stayed clean lol.

Scott you're a lucky man. Everytime I ask my wife to go wash trucks these days all I get is "not today hunnie, I've got a headache".
 
Boy YA'll made my day,O I got joy joy joy in my heart,altho I'm sorry your having headaches it goes with the grow.

Its all about production my foot,it's about money nomatter have you look at it,more product more headaches.Aahh chemicals,wouldn't ya say fleetwash was big,they didn't pull off HF b/c of employee dummest of chemiclas,lol,besides nothing was said about chemiclas in my post.
I can get bigger any day I want just like you but my wife (s) had rather leave then to wash trucks,hehe.
It's hard to get employee's out of bed on days like this but work goes go it your big,,,I ack like a employee on days like today,I'm sick but you'll see the up town running around.
 

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Hey Bigboy is that your PW rig in the bottom left corner?
How long does it take to dig it out or do you just pull it over speedbumps till you can find it?

:)

No man dat a swim'ing pool filter,haha burrr,rigs in shop nice and warm.
 
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Big Boy you are right about me knowing you and Scott from Delco's BBS. And I haven't frequented any board for quite some time. I actually came to this board because Ron Mustgrave had called me a couple of times requesting my participation. I really like what he has done here, it is a nice board.

The last time I actively read a BBS I thought you were getting out of truck washing and going into to towing business. Looks like you change you mind or maybe I have you confused with someone esle. I have actually meet Scott once at PWNA 2000 Annual convention. I thought he had some very insightful comments about the show. Scott and I seem to have some simularities in the markets we go after.

I pretty much have avoided the owner operators. These guys are tough to please. They will nick pick you to death. Most of the guys have more capital tied up in their truck and trailer than in their home. So it only makes since that they would be so picky. Most of my accounts are like Scotts based on volume. That's how we get the price down.

Big Boy I would guess that you are in an area where there aren't a lot of big fleets. My grandparents live in north central Arkansas and I visit them a lot. There are a lot of owner operators in the rural market. My hats off to you for being able to please those guys and capitalize on that market niche. Is my assesment true?

As for employee, I have 20 and it is always a battle but you get used to it and it gets easier with time. I generally employ guys with a family and avoid the young "punks" that are just looking to ride the clock. Most of our employees are in their mid 30's. And we pay well for this market.
 
Yes they are several large fleets around me 30 miles this way 30 that way.Awittlebet-e fleet is in my backdoor 110 pe'ces pulling box trailers and frig.,30 one way over 150 truck along,30 the other way hmmm hole bunch of fleets.

And yes they are several owner operaters that have from 1,2,3,4 ect. rigs on the road and yes they are the hardest of them all to please as the reason I call some fleetwashers want-a-be truck washers.

Yel I was thinking of getting out of it at one time and driving a rollback picking up cars and trucks that powerwashers couldn't pay for,re'po'ing ya'll employee's stuff.Even sold one of my rigs with a little down pay me later and given the bussiness to him,all but 10 trucks.I learned alot while driving the rollback for 3 months,one I was an empolyee,two its will a rat race and three it was a fun watching someone else wash in the hot sun for awhile,it was a blessing just to drive around in the AC.
Phone wouldn't stop ringing even tho I told everybody BYE I quit,,,,will after afew of those employee pay checks I thought hey dum butt you can make more dat in two days and say home in the AC or do as I want.The one I sold one of the rigs to didn't pay me later he couldn't handle the work,it was to hard on him.There is a picture of my rigs(they look alike) on this bbs somewhere and wouldn't you say 3000 for it and the bussiness a fair deal.

Volume hmmm its easier to drink a half glass full than a full glass full........is it speed your meaning lol as to the volume you can do.

Scott lowballing is the same thing as volume didn't you think,besides I can wash 4 garbages trucks done monthly in an hour,is that not volume for a one man show plus maybe more money to show as I set my prices above volume discounts.

You big guys better quit picking on a wittle guy like me never can tell M'le or Scott I would change my mind again,lol.

I'm even thinking of building a carwash now,cann't buy the one I was looking at b/c not epa approved,yel I'm always of thinking of something else.

O mich did you ever get that thing figured out as to not let the soap back in the supply tank?
 
Hey, I wasn't picking on you. I am complementing you. :) Anyone who satisifing the owner operators like you are my hats of to. Actually I thing your might be picking on me when it comes to want a be truck washer. That okay, you take a lot of pride in your work. There is a big difference in the markets you and I serve though.

Let me ask you this. How many large fleet owners will pay $55.00 plus to get a truck a trailer washed by a mobile fleet washer? I know it won't happen in my market. I would get laught out of the building. Corporate accounts want just enough done to make the fleet presentable. Now I usually get better prices than my competitors because I work hard at building relationships with them. And we are always there, very seldom are we a no show. And our wash job is consistant. I have found if you do these few things accounts will remain loyal. They get tired of all the guys that come in and out of the industry on a whim and only have price to sell. These guys are the real "Low Ballers". Low Ballers don't last and they can't keep accounts. If someone takes one of my accounts a keeps it for over a year based on price then I want to know what he is doing that I am not. And I no longer conscider him a "Low Baller" but a worther competitor that deserve my attention on how to compete better.

Thanks for you input Big Boy.
Michael

Hey if you calling me Mich or M'l can I refer to you as Big or Boy or BB. Just a little joke :) C-Ya
 
Sure Mik-e call anything ya want I'll answer...

I forgot to say welcome to the bbs..WELCOME Michael,its a pleasure to see you posting here.

yel bout 25 miles from me they is a fleet of 150 big rigs,guess what they paying to getem washed...its a good volume account wash all you want or all of them but its weekly.They called and wanted a price from me,,went and looked...like I told them they already getting what they paying for anything better would be more money....I wanted 5 more a truck to give them what they wanted,,,,they wanted to but higher upstairs said NO.All I had to do was match the price and like you said Michael I take pride even when it comes to getting business.If I cann't get your business on my saleing knowledge I want match your price just to get the business.
Just checking to see if I could ruff some feathers,hahaha your handling it pretty good want-a-be truck washer and lowballer....what happen to Scott-e he run and hide,thought he'd slap me around more than he did haha.
 
Hey Big Boy,

That's pretty good, I get called Mik-e alot. Hey by the way, what part of Arkansas or you from. You can email me directly if you like, mike@steamaway.com.

My grandparents live near Salem.

Today is exceptional that I can make all these post. I don't know how you guys do it. I am so busy

Michael
 
Dang, a guy tries to sleep for 5 or 6 hours, and Bigboy gets mad because he doesn't come out to play.

Michael, You willnotice that we have almost got Bigboy so that he can write. A couple of years ago it was really touch and go.

As for the wannabe truck washer comment. There might be afew of those hanging around, but I am not one of them. I do have a few guys that call me to harass their bosses to let me wash their trucks. They are all wannabe owner operators.

I haven't yet met a fleet owner willing to pay the big bucks to get a truck washed. They are usually willing to pay about $25.00 a rig. Of course, they want you to make money, too.

Well, play time is over, I got about 60 garbage trucks to wash tonite.

Scott
 
salem salem SALEM o yel on the other side of Hardy which is west of here.

See there you go again lowballer saying you need your sleep,maybe you can read my writing better NOW,scences,scents secinets I took a few steps up the latter to get a better look at ya.Don't know wheather weather to take another step up or just get back down thar where I belong,its alot slower down where were that there speed doesn't run over volume.Besides count your blessing the stinky trucks around here for dat many is 17 a truck or did that "about $25.00" mean something haha.

Besides I want to be called a Hoddy washer and it has nothing to do with speed or volume nar does it have anything to do with a want-a- be or lowballer,it how ever does mean more than volume or speed.
Big whats in BIG,small whats in SMALL,its what you want,you can be as big as you want.BUT it doesn't mean they're know better business man than a smaller want-a-be,in some cases I may add haha.......ya'll be easy run againest,hehe.

Michael do you ever get to wash any more,with that many employee's plus the business it would be hard to do,my hat goes off to you as will.........no I ant pulling my hat off for dat want-a-be cuzz he hadn't learned yet,let him smell them old stinky trucks for awhile longer.
 
Bigboy if you go and buy yourself a carwash that's gonna put you in the "bigguy" class sooner than later and the epa's probably gonna be your best friend sooner than later so I'm just writin to tell you that I'll be proud to tell people around here that I once knew you.

Stick with trucks so we'll have somethin to bitch about. lol
 
Hey Grant looky snow gone already,see it wasn't a wash rig in the left hand corner,,snow does things like that with ya eye's.First picture was wednesday morn,last picture is today,thursday,,it just Arkansas weather,one day your getting snow next day your begging for ice water or its flooding ya fishing holes or tar'nado parting ya hair,this coming weekend in low 50's hummm warm, will have alot of nasty trucks after dat snow storm that blowed though here,some will be black in color as to their nastest,,plum to the top of the stacks,bet volume slows down but speed want,haha..

Man I cann't get this carwash out of my head,hand washing at that,NO BRUSH but mitt,I cann't even believe I'm saying that.Done was fixen to buy the only hand wash around here as of now but I kept turning and tossing until I checked everything about the business,everything was looking good until I checked to see if epa approved which it wasn't and it can not pass the test as of now.All the places I'd like to buy to build on is not for sale......I need in the main flow not on no gravel road,lol.There is another one for sale about 18 miles from me,may check it out one of these days,hop'fully I'll wake up and stay as I am,lol.
 
Hardy, Arkansas. Big Boy did you know that's where the Vader is made. I visited Jim Hill's operation last Thanksgiving. If your that close to Salem then maybe you know where Bexar is. I spent many summers there growing up.

The thing on keep soap out of the holding tank. It is not a true fix but it helps. We take a 1/2 or 3/4 inch check valve and mount in a verticle position between the pump and holding tank, so that when the flow stops it will closes from gravity. Unfortunetly, these valves don't make a complete seal when they close but they can drastically reduce how fast the soap will syphon back into the fresh water tank.

No, I don't do much trigger pulling anymore. Yes, it's nice but I take on a completely different set of headaches now.

Michael
 
Lenny Dykstra an ex major league baseball player is in the car wash bizz and he built one in my town that he reportedly had to spend over 4 million dollars on to get it open. You name it and this place has got it!!! They even have a Limo there to take you home if you don't wanna wait for other services they offer like tires, smogs, detailing, etc. I went down there to get my van washed and got the $18 wash which is called the Home Run lol, and the only thing they really added was dressing on my tires and some smelly stuff on the inside. While you're waiting they bring you coffee and slices of pizza and you wait in this pretty cool area with fountains all over the place. So I'm sittin there while all of this is goin on thinkin what the hell am I doin?? Instead of runnin all over 2 counties washing my brains out I could be sittin in a comfortable chair and maybe wearin my spring finest watchin the money rollin in at my own car wash LOL.... BUT 4 MILLION BUCKS!!!!! No wonder he's gettin $18 for his "Home Run" which really isn't worth much more than a ground rule double. :)
 
hmm,forgot to add picture in last post.

yes,know where you spent your summers,sometimes I fish around Hardy,hadn't been to Jims but knew he made the Vader there.

People around here doesn't believe me then I tell them how much a carwash cost to build,even a lillte one not counting free coffee and do'nuts makes ya eye's run out on a stem.
 

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