On this episode of Car Wash Exchange, we’re joined by Dee Ann Turner, former Vice President of Talent at Chick-fil-A and a leading voice in organizational culture and people development.

With more than three decades of experience helping shape one of the most recognized service cultures in business, Dee Ann brings a powerful perspective on what it really takes to build—and sustain—a high-performing team. She shares why most organizations overcomplicate culture, and how focusing on just three core elements can transform both employee engagement and customer experience.

From hiring for character to creating “second mile” service moments that customers never forget, this conversation is packed with insights tailored specifically for car wash operators navigating today’s workforce and customer expectations.

If you’re looking to strengthen your team, improve retention, and create a culture that truly sets your business apart—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Key Takeaways

1. Culture isn’t complicated—most businesses just overcomplicate it.

2. Purpose drives performance.

3. Hire for character, not just skill.

4. Owners are the Chief Culture Officers.

5. Hospitality exists—even without people.

6. “Second mile service” creates loyalty.

7. Culture shows up most when things go wrong.

8. Avoid the “fad of the month” trap.

9. Be transparent and involve your team.

10. Great culture reduces turnover—and fuels hiring.

(2:50) Dee Ann talks about her time at Chick-fil-A and how culture can be done right. And the three parts that make up a remarkable culture. Choose a meaningful purpose – Have a challenging mission – Demonstrate the core values.

(5:19) Why are these three parts important to today’s car wash culture?

(6:22) Is there any reason for an owner/operator to not be transparent?

(7:40) What’s the difference between what’s being invested in and what’s being delivered? And what does hospitality look like when there are no people on site?

(10:31) What does the 10-minute hiring conversation look like? Start with character.

(13:00) What separates a team that rises to the occasion from a team that falls apart? Being remarkable…. Hear stories of “being remarkable”!

(17:03) Dee Ann tells a personal story of her car and why it means so much to her.

(18:12) What’s “first mile” and “second mile” service?

(19:05) What’s a common mistake that leaders make in trying to create culture?

(21:18) At one point when does culture become difficult to scale?

(23:16) What are two or three things that signal to the team that the leader is serious and committed to culture?

(25:11) How is the car wash business the same as Chick-fil-A?

(26:58) What’s Dee Ann most looking forward to at The Car Wash Show?

Come hear Dee Ann speak at this year’s Car Wash Show!

Find out more about The Car Wash Show happening on May 11 -13, 2026

We all know a clean, dry, shiny car isn’t enough anymore. In today’s competitive car wash landscape, the real question is—what makes a customer choose your wash, stay loyal, and spend more?

In this episode of ICA’s Car Wash Exchange, we dive into new data that answers exactly that.

Host James Risley is joined by Laura Moriarty, Creative Director at National Car Wash Solutions, and Bob Klein, Director of Research at ICA, to explore a custom Pulse Intelligence study on branded chemistry—featuring Armor All, Rain-X, and Black Magic.

What they found is striking: customers are willing to pay more, drive farther, and even switch car washes based on trusted brands. This isn’t just perception—it’s measurable behavior.

If you’re looking for real ways to differentiate your wash, increase revenue, and strengthen customer loyalty, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Key Takeaways

• 66% of consumers say brand-name chemistry matters
• Customers will pay ~$3 more per wash for branded chemistry
• Drivers are willing to travel up to 10 minutes farther
• 61% of members would upgrade for branded offerings
• 52% of non-members would consider switching washes
• Branding isn’t just marketing—it directly impacts revenue, retention, and acquisition

(1:23) What challenge did NCS have when they reached out to ICA?

(2:18) Why was this research important today?

(2:52) why did NCS Choose to reach out to ICA?

(3:58) Bob gives an overview of the project and what ICA needed to do.

(4:35) What did the research look like – Bob lays out the problem and process.

(5:44) What stood out in the survey’s results? Laura walks through the numbers.

(10:00) Was there anything that surprised Laura about the results?

(11:05) Bob goes deeper into the results.

(11:50) What did NCS do with the results – how did they leverage them?

(14:02) Bob talks about more of the specifics about how the data was used with Pulse Custom Intelligence.

(15:20) Laura talks about the biggest value the study provided.

(16:23) What was it about Pulse Custom Intelligence made working with ICA and Bob the right decision?

(19:18) James talks more about this study and ICA Pulse Custom Intelligence

For more information on NCS go to https://ncswash.com/branded-chemistry/.

Reach out to Bob Klein at bklein@carwash.org for more information on Pulse Custom Intelligence

Find out more about The Car Wash Show happening on May 11 -13, 2026

In this episode of ICA’s Car Wash Connections, host Kendra Johnson sits down with sit down with Josh Taylor CMO of OptSpot and Jenny Beadle Marketing Specialist at Micrologic to talk about the opportunity most operators are missing - retail customers who come a few times a year—and then disappear.

Together, they break down how a simple, well-executed loyalty program can transform those anonymous transactions into trackable, repeat behavior—and why connecting that program to SMS marketing is the key to making it actually work.

They unpack the real purpose of a loyalty program (hint: it’s not discounts), the massive financial upside of increasing visit frequency, and how connecting loyalty with SMS marketing creates a powerful, automated growth engine.

From real revenue numbers to common mistakes operators make, this conversation is all about practical, actionable strategies you can implement right away—no matter what tech stack you’re using.

Whether you’re running one location or scaling multiple sites, this conversation delivers a clear, practical blueprint to capture more data, drive more visits, and unlock revenue you’re currently leaving on the table.

(1:01) Meet Josh Taylor and Jenny Beetle

(2:05) What is the conversation that the industry isn’t having about membership and loyalty programs?

(3:33) What are the tech things that operators just aren’t using…even though they already have it?

(4:30) Loyalty is more than just showing us…Josh explains what operators are really doing. You can’t grow what you can’t see.

(7:56) Jenny explains the operator and customer experiences.

(9:54) Kendra and Josh talk about the components of a great loyalty program.

(12:24) What kind of revenue is actually being left on the table by operators? Josh explains.

(14:14) Jenny talks about some of the hurdles operators face when they create a loyalty program.

(15:43) Josh walks us through a good loyalty program with attainable goals.

(18:15) Jenny talks about why it’s so important to lean into an SMS program.

(19:24) Josh shares the stats for text message marketing. 98% are opened! 90% are read in the first three minutes with a 40% redemption rate.

(21:40) Josh explains how to maximize a 160-character SMS message.

(25:02) What’s a connected system and how does it work? Jenny explains.

(27:40) Hear about the creation of the OptSpot and Micrologic partnership.

(29:40) Jenny talks about how the Micrologic team reacted to this partnership.

(31:34) How does an operator start a relationship with OptSpot and MicroLogis and what should they be thinking about in the conversation with them? Make sure your program is legal and effective!

(34:35) Final thoughts? Jenny says consider going from reactive to proactive. And Josh adds if you do your program right your system will enable you to see more cars and more revenue.

Find out more about The Car Wash Show happening on May 11 -13, 2026