Industry News: Innovations, Solutions and Achievements
In observance of the New Year 2023, with this article we start a new series of Industry News posts dedicated to Innovations, Solutions and Achievements of convenience store operating companies.
We decided to bring to your attention the innovative solutions implemented by your peers in the c-store industry. We encourage you to submit information about your company’s Innovations, Solutions and Achievements - and we’ll include it in one of our future articles, giving you and your brand the full credit you deserve for being on the forefront of industry innovation.
The novel idea we are presenting for your attention today is a car wash. You are going to ask, what can be new about something as ubiquitous as a car wash? Well, it’s all about how you take an old idea and make it new all over again, and in the case of Ricky Rockets, they were able to accomplish this quite nicely, thank you very much!
The store cannot be missed when you see it on the side of the road, boasting a multi-story glass storefront with a 1950s’ style, iconic display of a boy riding a rocket. And then there is the car wash building, designed with the maximum use of glass to present it as an “event”, that similarly works to visually draw in the potential customer while providing a core profit center.
The architectural style serves as a core marketing mechanism. The real estate tends to be on high-traffic corners and at traffic lights, and the presentation is designed to create word-of-mouth promotion. Each of the core profit centers can stand on its own and, at the same time, work together to multiply the spend while on site.
“We have this philosophy of being open and bright,” said Nathan Heidner, Ricky Rockets president. “When you come to any of our sites, you’ll see the whole glassed-in front that allows natural sunlight in and visibility into the store and out to the forecourt as well. One of our core ideas is a strong visual appeal showcasing that we offer something different compared to everyone else.”
This layout appeals not only to the owners of traditional gas-powered vehicles, but especially to the EV owners who find things to occupy themselves during the extended period of time required to charge their cars’ batteries. In addition to a large selection of hot food, beverages and snacks, the stores offer branded merchandise - mascot plushies, shirts and hats. The stores also have free kids’ rides at almost all of the locations. Some locations also feature amusements for adults, such as private gaming rooms. And they offer a range of general merchandise of the type that can be found at a typical travel plaza - but with a more curated selection.
All this attention to detail pays, in many ways, most importantly - in building a long-term relationship with satisfied customers.
We won’t be surprised to see more of these signs coming up:
Especially because the c-store industry shows pointed interest in expanding the range of offered services with car wash options. In recent news, international convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. agreed to acquire True Blue Car Wash LLC, which operates express tunnel car wash sites under the Clean Freak brand in the American Southwest as well as the Rainstorm brand in the American Midwest. Couche-Tard believes these sites are also a natural extension of its current car wash network of more than 2,500 locations and will further enhance the customer experience.
Would you like to share your achievements with your c-store industry colleagues? Contact us at info@ticon.co and send us your story - we’ll be eager to consider it for one of our future posts.
