Better Car Washing Everywhere

On this episode of Better Carwashing Everywhere, host Matt DeWolf talks with Elan Nyer, co-founder of Ownli, about a different kind of data conversation than the industry is used to. Rather than how operators can use data to market to customers, the discussion centers on who should own that data, and what changes when the answer is the customer.Nyer's path into car washing started outside it entirely. He began in public policy before moving into automotive technology, working on early safety systems such as lane keep assist and automatic emergency braking with automakers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and insurers. From there he joined a company building detailed digital models of physical environments, an effort he compares to a far more current Google Maps. That work led to a partnership with auto insurers, encouraging drivers to adopt dash cams so that, in a crash, insurers would have clear evidence rather than disputed accounts. Along the way, Nyer saw how aggressively insurers bought driver data from brokers, and how reluctant customers were to hand it over directly, even though sharing it could help insurers price policies more fairly.That observation became the basis for Ownli. Instead of buying customer data from third parties, Ownli asks the customer directly, gives them the choice to say yes or no, and lets them benefit when they share. Nyer describes the model as a middle layer that verifies real people, connects them to companies that want to reach them, and splits the value among everyone involved, rather than a broker quietly reselling information without the customer's knowledge.Applied to car washes, the idea is that an operator's membership and retail base is itself a valuable, underused data set, often including email, phone number and license plate. Nyer's pitch is to let operators plug into partners such as vehicle refinance companies, extended warranty providers, insurers and dash cam makers, surfacing offers to likely customers, with revenue split roughly evenly among the car wash, Ownli and the customer. He is candid that trust is hardest to build, since data has a poor reputation and offers cannot come across as another coupon feed. Early partners have used it to vary regular communications, folding in offers between usual membership and retention messaging, and some larger insurers are beginning to embed the same ecosystem inside their own apps.One feature in development ties directly to a car wash's core service: showing a customer their vehicle's current market value, sourced from Edmunds, right after a wash, along with average auto insurance premiums for their area, reinforcing the value of routine washing without feeling like a sales pitch.The conversation also covers the reverse side. Because insurers know where policyholders live, they can direct offers, such as a discount on a first wash, to nearby customers, giving car washes a more precise local acquisition channel than flyers or signage. Nyer, new to the industry himself, describes attending his first Car Wash Show in Nashville, held at the same venue as an insurance conference, and being struck by how much more engaging the car wash side was, along with the depth of equipment, software and chemistry vendors he hadn't known existed.Looking ahead, Nyer's vision for Ownli extends beyond automotive, toward individuals holding a single data profile that industries like housing and banking can request access to directly, cutting the inefficiency of blind, high-cost customer acquisition. Asked for one takeaway that could make listeners better tomorrow, Nyer points to something entirely outside the data conversation: making time for weight-bearing exercise, a habit he admits he is still working on himself.Keep it clean! 

On this episode of Better Car Washing Everywhere, host Matt DeWolf continues a conversation recorded live at the Arcadian Services booth during the 2026 Car Wash Show. His guest is Meddy Ali, founder and CEO of HelloWash, an AI-powered answering service and customer support platform built specifically for the car wash industry.Ali's path to car washing started somewhere else entirely: the restaurant business. He and his team originally built AI phone technology to take restaurant orders, but the sales cycle proved difficult. Their first customers, almost by accident, were car washes, and the fit was immediate. Car wash operators, Ali explains, are excellent at washing cars but were historically behind on customer service technology. HelloWash filled that gap, and the company now serves more than 500 locations, with plans to cross 1,000 by the end of the year.The conversation covers what sets HelloWash apart from off-the-shelf AI vendors. Because the company owns its technology outright rather than white-labeling someone else's model, it can adapt quickly for the industry it serves. Ali and DeWolf dig into how the platform has evolved from simple call answering into active retention, offering discounts to save a membership on the spot, and a full ticketing and customer relationship platform that integrates directly with a wash's point-of-sale system.They also talk candidly about the noise in the AI space right now: how easy it has become for anyone to spin up a convincing-looking company, and why Ali is careful never to oversell what AI can actually automate. The two close with a philosophy Ali says now guides HelloWash entirely, AI-powered, human-centered, plus a personal reminder about stepping away from work in time for bedtime.Featured Guest: Meddy Ali, Founder and CEO, HelloWash

AI is reshaping how car wash operators run their businesses, but most are still in the early stages of figuring out how to use it well, according to Mike Ohlinger, director of operations and organizational development at OhmCo Carwash Marketing.Ohlinger joined host Matt DeWolf in the Arcadian Services booth at the Car Wash Show 2026 to talk through the real state of AI adoption in the car wash marketing space -- what is working, what is overpromised and where operators are leaving opportunity on the table. With seven years of car wash marketing experience, Ohlinger brings a grounded, practical perspective to a topic that is easy to get swept up in.The conversation covers a wide range of ground, from using AI to build SOPs that stay current automatically, to understanding why Answer Engine Optimization is now one of the most important investments an operator can make in their online presence. Ohlinger and DeWolf also dig into the pitfalls of AI-generated marketing content, the risks of fake reviews, and why the shift in search behavior driven by AI is changing the rules for how car washes compete online.For operators wondering whether AI is worth their time and money right now, this episode offers an honest, experience-backed answer -- along with specific steps they can take today to get ahead of their competition without throwing a ton of resources at it.Featured Guest:Mike Ohlinger, director of operations and organizational development, OhmCo Carwash Marketing

In this episode of Better Car Washing Everywhere, host Matt DeWolf sits down with Nikita Klinisovs, National Sales Manager at McClean Solutions, to talk about a side of the car wash industry that often flies under the radar: self-serve and in-bay washes.While tunnel washes tend to dominate industry conversations, Nikita shares a different perspective shaped by his own path into chemistry and the car wash industry straight out of college. DeWolf and Klinisovs explore ideas for real innovation, differentiation, customer experience, and creative membership models that are driving growth, even in crowded markets.This conversation offers practical, real-world ideas for standing out and an argument for self-serve and in-bay automatic models over the tunnels that have captured that industry’s attention. The episode also touches on the importance of celebrating small wins and supporting your team along the way.Whether you operate a tunnel wash or are involved in the self-serve space, this episode delivers fresh insight and actionable takeaways to help build stronger customer connections and move your business forward.

Welcome to Episode 12 of Better Car Washing Everywhere, where we deliver real, practical insights for car wash professionals and anyone who's genuinely curious about the car wash industry.In this episode, hosts Matt DeWolf, Jordan O'Day, and Fransua Perez tackle one of the industry's most critical metrics: capture rates. What exactly is a capture rate? Why should it keep you up at night? And more importantly, are you measuring it correctly?The Wash Rescue team brings their extensive hands-on experience from managing and consulting car washes nationwide to break down not just how to calculate capture rates, but what those numbers actually mean for your bottom line. They dive deep into proven membership sign-up strategies, the art of customer qualification, and the science of building retention that lasts.Whether you're looking to grow your member base, drive more action at your site, or transform one-time retail customers into loyal subscribers, this episode delivers the roadmap. No gimmicks, no shortcuts—just battle-tested strategies that work.Get ready for actionable insights, real-world case studies, and practical tweaks that can dramatically impact your wash's profitability. This is the conversation that'll help you capture more value from every customer who drives through your gates.