Sharp Practice At Diamond Car Wash

[bobl]

So,let's make the calculation.If you had 10 bays you would need at least 3 workers per bay,don't you think so?That's 30 workers at 300 baht a day.

Hey.that's also almost 10.000$ a month without any rent,elctricity,detergents and other materials taken into account yet.

You still sure it is a viable business?

Oh, bugger. Me and my big mouth... I should learn to stop thinking out loud I didn't really want to get into a debate about it...

Well ok... First off, I didn't say I was sure. I said "needs a lot deeper analysis"...

But since you mention it... 30 employees for 100 cars a day? That's 3.3 cars per day per employee - at 45 minutes a car they're "working" 150 minutes a day. I'm not into slave labour but 150 minutes seems a tad lenient...

No, I used a (very quick and inaccurate) mental calculation which is usually a good starting point (if you intend to take it further, which frankly I didn't).

Anyways... 30% labour, 30% overheads, 30% profit. In this case 90,000/month labour (enough for 10), 90,000/month overheads (hmmm... maybe), 90,000/month profit. Still leaves 30,000/month leeway to adjust staff & overheads if necessary.

10 staff means they're doing 10 cars a day each. 450 minutes a day, 7.5 hours work. Almost seems doable.

Overheads 90k - absolutely no idea.

To continue from there you'd need to get accurate figures for overheads, first off. Then put more than 5 minutes thought into whether it could be done with 10 staff. And finally work out your startup costs (machinery etc) and see if you have an acceptable timescale for ROI...

Edited January 14, 2012 by bobl

[janverbeem]

So,let's make the calculation.If you had 10 bays you would need at least 3 workers per bay,don't you think so?That's 30 workers at 300 baht a day.

Hey.that's also almost 10.000$ a month without any rent,elctricity,detergents and other materials taken into account yet.

You still sure it is a viable business?

Oh, bugger. Me and my big mouth... I should learn to stop thinking out loud I didn't really want to get into a debate about it...

Well ok... First off, I didn't say I was sure. I said "needs a lot deeper analysis"...

But since you mention it... 30 employees for 100 cars a day? That's 3.3 cars per day per employee - at 45 minutes a car they're "working" 150 minutes a day. I'm not into slave labour but 150 minutes seems a tad lenient...

No, I used a (very quick and inaccurate) mental calculation which is usually a good starting point (if you intend to take it further, which frankly I didn't).

Anyways... 30% labour, 30% overheads, 30% profit. In this case 90,000/month labour (enough for 10), 90,000/month overheads (hmmm... maybe), 90,000/month profit. Still leaves 30,000/month leeway to adjust staff & overheads if necessary.

10 staff means they're doing 10 cars a day each. 450 minutes a day, 7.5 hours work. Almost seems doable.

Overheads 90k - absolutely no idea.

To continue from there you'd need to get accurate figures for overheads, first off. Then put more than 5 minutes thought into whether it could be done with 10 staff. And finally work out your startup costs (machinery etc) and see if you have an acceptable timescale for ROI...

One Thai worker which does 1 car every 45 minutes.That would deserve a place in the guiness book of records.

[bobl]

One Thai worker which does 1 car every 45 minutes.That would deserve a place in the guiness book of records.

Actually the boys at Shell were pretty sharp... Between 2 of them they did 6 cars in 2 hours... I know that because when I arrived I made the mistake of saying "no problem I'll wait" without asking them how long. I thought I was further up the queue than I was, fortunately the coffee shop does a passable coffee...

[delboy]

I enquired at the car wash on Floor 2A of the Airport Plaza carpark and was quoted 350 baht for cleaning inside and outside, I declined.

When I spoke to a Thai friend he said that was "Farang Price", so the following day we went back to the car wash, but I let him drive the car while I waited some distance away. He saw the same lady that I had seen the previous day and we got the car washed for 100 baht, inside and outside, and had a meal while we waited.

[rixalex]

Have a beer whilst waiting for your car? Are we back in the 70s?

why not, including several.

from what i can recall,, the 70's were ok.

My father always told me that people actually believed at that time that drinking a few would make you drive better. Oh yeah, the good old days.

[Tonto21]

Hi ‘Flatout’ I’ve no issue with anything you said, I also understand it’s the principle, (and a spot of feeling you’re being treated like a mug) but what I don’t get, it just seems strange that when you handed over 100 Baht, why didn’t you get your change, (20 Baht) at that point.

I would have asked for it then…..Not sat down then asked for it before leaving at the end. I don’t mean to nit-pick, but if this is how you did the deal, then you may have set yourself up for this rip-off…….Why did you not get your 20 Baht change at the point of paying?

Hi Tonto.

You can call me Flato.

I generally like your posts and yours here (along with Realthaideal, Bobl, msg and a very few others) are what tv should be all about. Helping and clarifying, not carping.

On every previous occasion I've been to Diamond, I've been charged in advance at the office, given a stamped receipt, then handed that to the guy at the other end of the line when the car is ready. And never a problem.

OK I should have paid more attention to the new flashy lady (!) and MORE to the fact that this time no receipt or change was given. When the car was ready I made the fair assumption (based on my checking of the price verbally in Thai in advance AND 5 years previous positive experience with this business) that she had forgotten the change. Which is when the rip-off arose.

And of course it IS the principle, not the 20b, and of course there IS no Trade Descriptions Act in Thailand (no humour either in some cases).

To those who say 20b is SO cheap - it may be by your standards, you lucky people, but it's not here and (apart from using a car wash now and then) I live in the Thai economy.

Let's continue as usual for 2012, me just trying to be helpful and the usual suspects making the usual assinine remarks.

........Wimin......a....What they like? Well if you only ever get taken for 20 Baht by a sweet smile in Thailand, count your self lucky.......

[AndersSN]

So,let's make the calculation.If you had 10 bays you would need at least 3 workers per bay,don't you think so?That's 30 workers at 300 baht a day.

Hey.that's also almost 10.000$ a month without any rent,elctricity,detergents and other materials taken into account yet.

You still sure it is a viable business?

Oh, bugger. Me and my big mouth... I should learn to stop thinking out loud I didn't really want to get into a debate about it...

Well ok... First off, I didn't say I was sure. I said "needs a lot deeper analysis"...

But since you mention it... 30 employees for 100 cars a day? That's 3.3 cars per day per employee - at 45 minutes a car they're "working" 150 minutes a day. I'm not into slave labour but 150 minutes seems a tad lenient...

No, I used a (very quick and inaccurate) mental calculation which is usually a good starting point (if you intend to take it further, which frankly I didn't).

Anyways... 30% labour, 30% overheads, 30% profit. In this case 90,000/month labour (enough for 10), 90,000/month overheads (hmmm... maybe), 90,000/month profit. Still leaves 30,000/month leeway to adjust staff & overheads if necessary.

10 staff means they're doing 10 cars a day each. 450 minutes a day, 7.5 hours work. Almost seems doable.

Overheads 90k - absolutely no idea.

To continue from there you'd need to get accurate figures for overheads, first off. Then put more than 5 minutes thought into whether it could be done with 10 staff. And finally work out your startup costs (machinery etc) and see if you have an acceptable timescale for ROI...

One Thai worker which does 1 car every 45 minutes.That would deserve a place in the guiness book of records.

Actutually work like this would only cost about 150-200 bath a day, so labour wouldn't be that expencive.

Get some of those Myanmar kids that was mentioned and you might get away with less than a hundred.

I get my car done while I play golf at star dome, I'm so awaful that 9 holes takes me hours so I don't have to vorry about the time, hehe. 180 inside out, works for me!

[jonwilly]

"My father always told me that people actually believed at that time that drinking a few would make you drive better. Oh yeah, the good old days."

Ah zo, Jeremy Clarkson was your father !

john