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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 02:06 PM by jd140
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Originally posted by downtown436
My business is getting hammered. It is a small one, but I currently employ 7 employees. In 2 weeks I will reduce my workforce to 1, me. It is a
24/7 carwash business with 3 locations.
I feel really crappy right now. It totally sucks my employees rely on their jobs to put themselves through college. Now they will be flipping
burgers for minimum wage if they are lucky enough to find jobs.
I hope I can stay in business through the "global meltdown". Maybe someday I will be able to hire some more people.
America is totally screwed.
I have 3 jobs at this moment.
I run the carwashes.
I have a delivery business.
I do random landscaping and other random stuff on the side.
My income has been drastically reduced in the last six months.
My wife is pregnant with our first child.
I'm not worried about my future because I am smart enough to make money no matter what happens, but there are a lot of people that are only capable
of certain jobs, and those people will be hit hard by this economic situation.
You have 7 employees working a 24/7 car wash?
What are their hours like? Why is it 24/7, how much buisness do you get at 2am? What are you paying them by the hour?
Why don't you fire 2 employees, cut your buisness hours to something like 9 to 5(just an example) and close shop on Mondays and Tuesdays, seeing as
how buisnesses like that are usually pretty busy during the weekends. Cut their pay to slightly above minimum wage, I'm sure tips will make up the
differance, after all they are car washers, not mechanics.
Not coming down on you just trying to get a grasp on your situation and at the same time throwing out some alternatives.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 02:30 PM by Rintendo
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reply to post by downtown436
Is there any way that you can make them part of the solution? For example, tell them that you will have to lay them off (I assume because of the cost
of the locations). Ask them to help drum up customers and/or think outside of the box.
It is their livelihood, too. Maybe one of them will have a good solution that you didn't think of?
What if they brought in additional business, and/or took a pay cut rather than be laid off?
Dunno...it's worth a shot.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 02:35 PM by Oldtimer2
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I started a post on this same idea on the days of small buisness going by the wayside,I've noticed the car wash I use also has cut back employees to
the bare minimum,as well as other small buisness,I was thinking of opening up a nightclub with my oldest boy in Az,but looks like the handwriting is
on the wall,will soon be the socialist country government will own everything,so much for dreams
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 04:28 PM by FX44rice
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Originally posted by Skyfloating
Firing all of them equals succumbing to the artificial panic/hysteria hype that will pass by in a month or two.
How do you expect to run an entire car-wash alone, especially if you have other jobs as well?
Do you seriously think customers will drop by 80%? I think a 10% drop is more realistic.
I dont get it.
You are 100% absolutely correct.....You don't get it.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 04:51 PM by downtown436
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reply to post by jjkenobi
My theory is that people have charged their credit cards to the max buy gas over the summer, and people just aren't getting carwashes anymore. It's
kind of a luxury item.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 04:54 PM by downtown436
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reply to post by Skyfloating
Ok man here it is. I can run all 3 locations because they are fully automatic. Our business has lost 75% of our customers from the spring of this
year. In six months we went from kicking butt, to losing a lot of money every month. The employees have to go. 
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 04:55 PM by downtown436
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 04:57 PM by downtown436
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reply to post by Kingfanpaul
Yea man it sucks, CA is a lot worse off than we are. You guys are in for some real hard times.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:01 PM by downtown436
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reply to post by jd140
All three locations are fully automatic. 2 are at gas stations. They have to be cleaned once a day, and usually require some type of attention
throughout the day. The other one is manned 9-5 7 days a week, but open 24/7.
I will be doing all of the above now. Guess I don't get no days off. 
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:04 PM by caitlinfae
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Skyfloating, hunny....I can't believe you said what you said...like he's gonna lay off all these guys before he's thought about it? It's the LAST
thing we choose to do.
And I completely understand why his business would drop so much. It has nothing to do with his ability as a businessman. It's a great thing to have
done, but if you're watching the cash, guess what? No more car wash, cos it's not that important. That's what happened to my business too....in the
space of a few months it went from just fine, to losing money ALL the time and there was absolutely nothing I could do. I was at the luxury end of the
market, and it's one of the first things to go when money is tight.
Sometimes it's so much harder to make the right long term decision.
Cait
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:05 PM by downtown436
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reply to post by Oldtimer2
Yep. They are chopping the head off of the middle class right now. Within 2 years we will resemble Mexico. 0 middle class. There will be slaves,
and a very few people that own everything. 
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:06 PM by Skyfloating
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Reply to FX/caitlin/downtown
Sorry folks. A 75% decrease in business for a car wash cant be entirely blamed on our economic situation. That wont work. There must be other
factors involved.
And another thing: If the car wash is fully automatic, what did you need 7 employees for?
[edit on 2-12-2008 by Skyfloating]
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:09 PM by caitlinfae
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Skyfloating, it can and does happen...I've been there. What do you think the other factors can be then, if not economic? Aren't you struggling? Most
people I know are. How can things go wrong with an automatic car wash that would lose him that much business? It's not his opening hours, or his
locations....maybe people don't like the smell of the bubbles or something.
Cait
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:23 PM by Skyfloating
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reply to post by caitlinfae
Struggling? No. On the contrary.
Other factors in loosing money quickly? Panic.
I appreciate the OPs struggle and wish him all the best.
But I wont participate in the mass-movement to place all the blame soley on the government.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:24 PM by FX44rice
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Originally posted by Skyfloating
Firing all the artificial panic/hysteria hype that will pass by in a month or two.
I'm referring to that absurd statement.
[edit on 2-12-2008 by FX44rice]
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:25 PM by Skyfloating
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reply to post by FX44rice
You're right...it wont pass in a month or two. I take it back.
[edit on 2-12-2008 by Skyfloating]
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:33 PM by FX44rice
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reply to post by Skyfloating
I will agree with you on that. However, I am assuming the OP understands his business better than I do, and he has been losing money consistently in
this economy. I do know that many car washes our failing in my area and across the country. People will wash them once a month vs twice a week now.
Although I buy an annual pass at my wash, but I notice zero lines when pulling in and the winter here is the busy season.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:33 PM by caitlinfae
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reply to post by Skyfloating
I can almost completely guarantee that this guy is not panicking...no one who runs a business, or employs others would make a panicky decsion about
their future like that. How does panic make his takings drop by 75% over months? Are 75% of his former customers just getting themselves all worked up
for nothing? I doubt it.
I'm glad you're not struggling, I really am...I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but most of the western world is noticing huge increases in just how
much it costs to live....food, fuel, electricity...it all has to count. Maybe the Government is not completely to blame....but let's face it...they
have a LOT to do with it.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:37 PM by Skyfloating
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And you guys dont think letting them all go is just a little drastic at all? Alright then. I rest my case.
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reply posted on 2-12-2008 @ 05:38 PM by antar
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I wanted to start a thread about this last week, but you know how it goes, so to the OP, you'll be in fine company. I can only pray you give them
severance, its winter and Christmas too, Karma you know...
Here is a partial list of some of the favorites we have learned to enjoy which have found themselves in the same position as you.
jonathanklunk.com...
Blessings to all the families who will be breaking records with unemployment, it has taken me years to get to the level I am now, but it is a hard
fall from the top when it happens suddenly. My heart breaks for the elderly and the children, the pets and struggling couples, my Grandma reminds me
to tie another knot in the rope and hang on.
Edit to say, if you are planing on buying gift cards for your loved ones this year, think again it is not going to be very special when they go to use
the gift card from one of the companies that filed chapter 11 and have no legal obligation to respect your gift card or to refund your money...
[edit on 2-12-2008 by antar]
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