Self-storage folks have unique security needs compared to car washing. Here you are, charged with the protection of your clients goods. You have to run your operation like a fort: No one can get in unless they have the magic password! Even if they know the magic code, you still have to be watchful for those in arrears. It seems like a never-ending vigil, certainly one that is not common at car washes. Or is it?

Car washers have a different but equally frustrating security issue. When a customer enters our property, we are at risk, just like a storage facility. If we are a full-service car wash, we ask motorists to exit their vehicles. From that moment, until they reclaim their vehicles and leave the property, we are liable. In most cases, this isnt a problem; however, once were in their cars, anything occurring on the inside or outside is our risk.

On occasion, customer will make claims relating to items missing from their vehicles. To protect ourselves and our customers, we have security cameras in all key areas. In most cases, cameras are an effective deterrent. Employee training also is key to managing sticky customer relations.

But what about unattended car washes? Although the question of internal risk has been eliminated, vehicle exteriors remain a vulnerability. Unfortunately for car washes, a few motorists look to us as an easy target for external damages. In some cases, the motorist may have done the deed himself but not noticed it until the cleaning. With the advent of touch-free as well as soft-touch friction, the amount of damage stemming from car washing has all but disappeared except on damaged vehicles.

Here again, the only protection is security cameras. Fortunately images can be captured digitally, time stamped, and recorded on hard drives for retrieval when required. All operators need this technology to safeguard their sites and prevent improper claims.

Invisible Foot on the Gas

We have security systems and procedures for answering claims and recording property damages, but what about events that are truly accidents? Recently, car washes have reported incidents of uncontrolled vehicle accelerationcars that truly seem possessed! Christine occurrences have a history in the industry, but the main perp these days seems to be Jeep Cherokees.

In some cases, weird acceleration occurs after the vehicle has been washed. In a few other reported incidents, its while entering the facility. But no matter where sudden acceleration occurs, its a scary event resulting in serious damages and occasionally loss of life.

So, how do you protect yourself and your customers from this problem? The most obvious would be to not allow these particular vehicles on your property. For many washers this would result in losing money and clients. Instead, take preventative measures. For manual sites, employees may be trained on safe vehicle-handling procedures. For automated facilities, you can post signage and informational data available for the public.

To say this is a serious situation would be sugarcoating the potential for catastrophic results. What else can we do? First, we need to be fully informed regarding any vehicle that could damage our site; next, we need to inform all our stakeholders; lastly, if we exert enough pressure, maybe the manufacturers of these vehicles with unexplained acceleration will correct the problem.

As retail businesses, we are subject to security breaches from all corners. As long as we deal with the public, there will always be riskand the opportunity for someone to breach our security measures.

The most effective ways to learn about security challenges and remedies are through associations, tradeshows, web research and networking with other operators. Unfortunately, living in a litigious society has spawned a billion-dollar security industry we operators cant live without.

Bottom line: Be involved in your industry, participate in industry events and, most important, be aware that some of the vehicles entering your property are potential time bombs. 

Fred Grauer is president of Grauer Associates and vice president, investor services, for Mark VII Equipment LLC, a car-wash equipment manufacturer in Arvada, Colo. He has made a lifelong career of designing, selling, building and operating car washes. He can be reached at [email protected].