Stop Wash is the only car washing company in Botswana, which uses a system, which does not use even a drop of water, a new revolution for the car wash industry especially at a time when water has become such a scarce commodity.
The Water Utilities Corporation is already monitoring car washes to ensure that they adhere to the water restrictions and with stiff penalties, which includes, disconnection of water; this is already posing a danger to the many car wash businesses around the city.
“The idea is to save water,” says the company’s co-director, Youssouf Dahal.
He says because the system uses a waterless product, “there is not a single drop of water wasted.”
The product uses three little sachets, one for paintwork, windscreen and windows, another for the rims and the other for tyres.
These sachets are poured into a spray bottle and then sprayed on the car while cleaning with a special towelling cloth to avoid scratches.
He says they also offer scratch removing services to customers on request as well as cleaning the inside of the car.
He says with the product, they save space because there is no need for hose-pipes and the like and the work areas, often car ports and parking areas within the company premises are always left clean.
“This is the most amazing system and it is ideal because it saves the country water,” he adds.
The company works on a weekly schedule and each morning employees are sent to sites where they clean cars on the premises of the companies they are contracted to.
“It saves time and is convenient. People don’t have to come to us, we go to them,” he says.
He continues: “It saves the employees’ time because they don’t have to stand waiting for us to finish but can continue with their work while we clean their cars. People are looking for convenience and this is what this business offers.”
Dahal says they are also introducing the concept in shopping centres where people can also have their cars washed while they shop.”This is what stop wash express stands for. Our pride is in the shine,” he says.
Dahal also adds that the youth, worst hit by unemployment can also adopt the same concept to open their businesses.
Although they spent a sizeable amount of money to open the business, it costs a minimum of P500 to buy the cleaning kit, which includes three free cleaning sachets to open the business.
He says after that, all that people who have opened the business need to do is to continue buying the cleaning sachets for P15 per packet (for cleaning one car) from them.
And with the charges for cleaning ranging from P25 to P30, he says one can make a profit of P10 to P15 per car.
Dahal says the youth are given professional training at their site to ensure they do an excellent job.
He says such a company is already operating in Jwaneng and others are also coming in including other cars washers interested in the system.
He says the employees, who can clean an average of eight to 10 cars per day on an 8-5 shift are provided with a kit, which includes a bag for storing their clothes while at work, an apron, a t-shirt and cap with the company name and also a display price list for the various types of cleaning that they do.
The company, which currently has 10 employees, has already won many cleaning contracts with corporations and companies such as WUC, Water Affairs, State President, KPMG, Capital Securities, Marsh, Howarth, CEDA, FNB-Industrial and Stanbic - G-West.
Many other companies have also shown interest including other car wash businesses who want to adopt the same concept in their businesses.
He says the business is growing and there is great interest from people around the country especially in other towns such as Jwaneng, Mochudi, Mahalapye, Palapye, Francistown and Maun.
He says they only need people to understand the concept adding that the product has been used in countries such as Australia, the US and some parts of Europe and has been in use in South Africa for the past seven years.
“If it works elsewhere, there is no reason why it can’t work here. The cars are already there but it’s the mindset we need to change so that people understand that this system can save us water,” he says.
Dahal says he got the idea a year ago while he was in central Johannesburg.
“I picked up the number from the uniform of the guy cleaning the cars and it was just a matter of a call and the guys were happy to hear that I wanted to introduce the concept in Botswana,” he concludes.
