Entry stations are a critical component in the complete technology package that is used to interact with customers at the carwash. However, as payment technology has continued to evolve the user’s hands-on interaction with the entry station has been lessened, which can be a benefit for both the driver and the wash operator. Today, the first interaction of more and more users with the carwash is not even occurring at the actual wash site, but online.
For example, Web-based loyalty systems such as the Wash Account Loyalty System (WALS) from PDQ Manufacturing, Green Bay, WI, and WebCode/Cortex from Montreal, Canada-based Kesseltronics allow customers to purchase individual washes, gift cards and wash subscriptions online, while also offering the ability to access receipts and usage information. To maximize the benefits of online purchasing, it is fundamental that the entry stations deliver a perfect customer experience by seamlessly integrating with the products that have been sold online. The ability to accept, upgrade and reload wash products that have been purchased via the Internet is also a key element in providing a satisfying, no-stress customer washing experience.
Knowing that online purchasing will be a staple in wash operation going forward, next-generation entry stations have been configured to recognize that an online purchase has been made and then reliably walk the driver through the entire entry process. The entry process has been made even more efficient through the recognition of mobile-payment apps that utilize near-field communication (NFC) technology that is linked to the user’s credit card through an embedded NFC chip.
For those wash customers that are members of the operator’s wash-loyalty program, entry may now be as simple as swiping a card or entering a PIN number. These loyalty programs also allow the customer to take advantage of any specials that the operator may be offering, things like a price discount for a number of washes that are purchased in bulk, a free wash on the customer’s birthday, or money-saving coupons that are offered by a co-branded business partner in the area.
This increase in entry-station sophistication means that the customer now expects to be able to pay for washes using current online or on-site payment technology. In Canada, this demands that tellers must be able to accept the new “chip and pin” EMV transactions for credit cards and Interac, which is an interbank association that links financial institutions for the purpose of exchanging electronic financial transactions. Also, the growing popularity of tap-style payment systems such as MasterCard PayPass, Visa PayWave and Interac Flash now make NFC payment systems a standard requirement at the wash entry. By adding NFC capabilities, mobile-payment apps such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay can also be used to purchase washes.
In order to take full advantage of the benefits that NFC-based transactions can offer to both wash users and operators, entry stations must seamlessly interface with mobile carwash apps. In the same way that many users are now going to the Internet as a first resource for purchase planning, those same users may also be doing the same thing with their mobile devices. To fully optimize this revolution in purchasing behavior, mobile-app technology developed by Kesseltronics allows users to purchase and activate a wash using only their smartphone. To make this work, the entry station’s keypad must be equipped with hardware that can communicate with the app. The new process of wash activation and entry via a smartphone will enhance the security, convenience and simplicity of the entire wash process, which makes it a compelling payment option for users and operators.
Another noteworthy advance in entry-station payment technology uses wireless radio-frequency identification (RFID) to make the entry process hands-free for loyalty-program members. An RFID transponder—similar to those used on tollways to allow the wireless collection of tolls—is placed in the driver’s vehicle. As the driver approaches the wash, the RFID reader captures the driver’s account information and sends it through the entry station’s software system. When the payment is approved, the wash door rises, eliminating the need to insert a loyalty card or punch in a redemption code.
The use of next-generation entry-station technology by the wash operator creates a wide range of benefits. The most basic is that the majority of entry-station manufacturers are now offering a complete suite of entry station styles that are capable of appealing to and meeting the specific needs or desires of the wash operator.
With more and more customers choosing to pay for their washes via online pre-purchases that utilize NFC or RFID communications technology, some operators are now processing thousands of electronic transactions a month. In order to protect this valuable information, entry-station manufacturers have begun designing equipment that is Payment Application Best Practices (PABP) compliant. Being PABP compliant means that a specific payment device adheres to the standards set forth by Visa’s Cardholder Information Security Program (CISP) protocols and that credit-card information that is gathered, stored, transmitted or processed by those devices is done so in a safe, secure environment that protects both the user and the operator.
PABP validation also lets wash operators meet compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) by virtually eliminating the chance that security breaches will occur during a credit card or NFC/RFID-based transaction. Today, the operator that chooses entry-station or payment equipment that is not PABP compliant is an outlier, and one who does not put the highest priority on the safety and security of the user and his or her business.
Conclusion
Technological advances have brought the carwash industry into the 21st century. One of the most significant recent trends has been the development of systems that enable users to select, order and pay for their washes from the comfort of their homes, and then know that the wash will be activated upon their on-site arrival with no interaction with a pay box required. Cutting-edge operators are recognizing the benefits that NFC-enabled transactions offer and are using the technology to attract and keep customers who are becoming increasingly tech-savvy.
About the Author
Gunnar Beauregard is the General Manager of Kesseltronics Systems, Inc. a division of Dover Corporation Canada Limited. For more than 25 years, Kesseltronics has been providing innovative activation, control, monitoring and server-side products for the vehicle-wash industry. Prior to becoming GM of Kesseltronics, Beauregard was a lecturer at Dawson College and a Senior Product Developer at Kesseltronics. His main area of technical interest is the intersection of mobile, IoT and Cloud-based technologies. He has a B.Eng (Electrical) from Concordia University and an EDC from McGill University. He can be reached at (450) 458-8826 or gunnar@kesseltroncis.com. For more information on Kesseltronics, please visit www.kesseltronics.com