E X P R E S SW E S T E R N C A R W A S H A S S O C I A T I O N

PRES IDENT’S MESSAGEBy Brad HooperAs we exit what I trust was a busy summer washing season in the twelve western states that comprise our Western Car Wash Association, I’m hoping each one of our members is turning their attention to making plans early to attend the last stand alone WCA convention and trade show (October 28-30, 2014) at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. Most of you I’m sure already heard our big announcement to merge all future trade-shows with the International Car Wash Association Show beginning in 2015 and all the many reasons why your board felt this was a strategic and highly productive move for our association.Why is it critical that you attend this years WCA tradeshow and convention? Let me list a few reasons for you:

1. We have a sold out trade-show floor with all the latest and greatest offerings from the vendors and suppliers that support our industry and can make your operation more efficient and profitable.

2. This is the only car wash industry convention and trade show this year in the west and in Las Vegas!

3. We have put together what we believe is the best education and networking program in recent memory.

4. You will get to hear first hand about the future of your association. We have much to share with you regarding how the WCA will be serving you and your business interests in the coming years. I assure you that this reinvention of what and where the WCA will be focusing on will not only validate your reasons for being a member, but will also encourage your future involvement!

5. We are back in Las Vegas – where we plan on celebrating Vegas style! Don’t miss it!

Many of our members are unaware of the great time commitment and industry involvement of our board. Please know that each of your board members are assigned to committees that range in focus from: legislative and legal issues facing our members to education to communication. It is always our goal to hear what our members are saying and expecting and doing all we can to support our members with the information, the education they need - and that we communicate that to them in ways that reach them most effectively.The car wash industry seems to have gathered the attention of lawmakers and unions here in California. As you know WCA has been battling increased legislation that would

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014Photo from 2013 WCA Convention

1. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE2. TRADEMARK, PATENT, OR COPYRIGHT?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?4. WCA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE6. UNIONS BANK ON CA FOR NEW GAINS8. PAID SICK LEAVE SIGNED INTO LAW10. MARKETING IN A POST AD WORLD12. OPTIONAL FEATURES IN REVERSE

OSMOSIS14. COMPENSATION CLAIM: TOP 10 THINGS

NOT TO SAY TO AN EMPLOYEE…16. 2014 WESTERN CAR WASH SHOW20. ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IF NOT,

IT’S TIME22. INDUSTRY NEWS24. MEMBER REFERRAL PROGRAM24. GRACE FOR VETS26. ASK THE EXPERT28. THRIVE WITH WCA30. WCA CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Continued on page 30...

Western Car Wash Show

Education Industry Networking

2014

REGISTERNOW!

DON’T MISS THE ONLYCARWASH

SHOW IN LAS VEGAS

THIS YEAR!

OCTOBER 28-30

LAS VEGASWCA MembersBuy-one-get-one

FREEon Full Access

2 WCA TM

TAXES

OBTAINING A PATENT,

COPYRIGHT, OR

TRADEMARK DOES NOT

GRANT YOU THE USE

OF AN INTERNET URL.

YOU WOULD BE WISE TO

SECURE YOUR URL EARLY

ON IN THE PLANNING

PROCESS.

TRADEMARK, PATENT, OR COPYRIGHT? WHAT IS THE D IFFERENCE?By Norm Bleiden

REVIEW YOUR BUSINESS CREDIT POLICIESThere are many ways to make your business more profitable, and sound credit policies are high on the list. Keep the following items in mind as you review your company’s policies.

• Don’t be so eager to sign on new customers that you neglect to check out their credit history. Take the time to check references, and obtain a credit report to see how they’ve handled other financial transactions.

• Establish collection policies and fol-low up promptly on delinquent ac-counts. The more overdue accounts become, the more likely they are to become uncollectable. That cuts into your profits.

• Calculate what it costs to carry credit for your customers. For example, if your business generates $1,000 per day in credit sales, and it takes you an average of 60 days to collect, your cost of providing credit to your customers is $6,000 per year. This example assumes you can borrow money at 10% interest. By speeding up the average collection to 30 days, you cut your carrying costs by half.

• To speed collections, invoice cus-tomers when you ship the goods or deliver the service; don’t wait until the end of the month. Make sure your invoice clearly shows your payment terms, including penalties for late payment and the discount, if any, for prompt payment.

Sound credit policies and adhering to those policies enhance your chances for business survival, especially when the economy slows down. Call us to review your policies or to set policies in place to help make your business more profitable.

WEDDING PLANS SHOULD INCLUDE SOME TAX PLANNINGAsk the typical bride and groom what’s included in the wedding plans, and they probably won’t mention a thorough tax review. Yet, the tax and financial aspects of getting married are not to be taken lightly. Consider the following issues:

Continued on page 30...

©

Why should your small business care about getting protection for your intellectual property? Many very successful medium to large businesses started out small. Their patents, trademarks, and copyrights are keeping others from infringing on their markets. The search and registration for these legal protections might also let you know whether or not you are infringing on others’ rights before you invest time and money in a name, product, or process.

• Patent. A patent for your invention is issued by the U.S. Patent and Trade-mark Office. A patent gives you the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing your in-vention for a period of twenty years. If you are looking to obtain a patent, you are well advised to engage the services of an attorney.

• Copyright. A copyright is protec-tion for literary, dramatic, artistic, musical, and other published or unpublished intellectual works. The current copyright law in the United States, generally gives the owner of a copyright the exclusive right to the use of the copyrighted work for his life plus seventy years.

• Trademark. A trademark (TM) is also known as a servicemark (SM) when it refers to a service instead of a product. A “mark” can be a word, phrase, or symbol that is used to distinguish the source of your goods or services from that of others.

Obtaining a patent, copyright, or trademark does not grant you the use of an Internet URL. You would be wise to secure your URL early on in the planning process.You may save yourself time and money by engaging expert legal assistance to protect your intellectual property rights.

4 WCA

LEGISLATIVE WCA LEGISLATIVE UPDATEBy Political SolutionsOn August 31 Sacramento concluded its 2014 legislative session. Over the course of nine months, lawmakers considered more than 2,000 bills addressing labor standards, property taxes, health care and water. The remainder of 2014 will focus primarily on the November 4 General Election in which 80% of the legislature, and all statewide and constitutional offices, including Governor, Attorney General and Insurance Commissioner, will be elected. Democrats are expected to retain all eight Constitutional offices but capitol insiders expect they’ll lose at least a few legislative seats to Republicans. Nevertheless, Democrats will retain well over the majority and as such, lead legislative efforts on issues of interest to the Western Carwash Association (WCA) including labor issues, tax issues and water issues. Much of WCA’s efforts this year focused on the industry’s new surety bond requirement which, after January 1, 2014, was increased to $150,000. The industry spent nearly six months negotiating with CLEAN carwash campaign representatives and the Chairs of the Senate and Assembly Labor committees but unfortunately, a deal could not be reached. However, due to the outreach of a few members – both Democrats and Republicans have expressed an interest in working with WCA to re-adjust the bond either according to number of employees or based on the number and type of previous violations. While we’re pleased that a few legislators have expressed an interest in the industry, we have much more work to do!In addition to the surety bond issue, several bills of interest to WCA were introduced. SB 935 by Senator Leno would have increased the state’s minimum wage to $11 in 2015, $13 in 2017 and after 2018, would have allowed an automatic adjustment for CPI. This proposal came just one year after a statewide minimum wage increase. Working with dozens of business organizations, WCA successfully stalled this bill in the Assembly. Another measure would have allowed employees to place liens on employers’ property for alleged lost wages, (AB 2416, Stone) and again, with coordination and opposition from the business community, the bill failed passage in the Senate. However, a bill requiring paid sick leave benefits to be accrued at the rate of three days, or 24 hours per year after 30 days worked (AB 1522, Gonzales) was passed during the last few hours of the legislative session. This bill has been the labor community’s highest priority for more than five years.The legislature will return for their swearing in ceremony in December and will officially commence the 2015-16 session in January. We anticipate no fewer than 2,000 bills to be introduced – each with a potential impact to WCA and its members.

THE INDUSTRY SPENT

NEARLY SIX MONTHS

NEGOTIATING WITH CLEAN

CARWASH CAMPAIGN

REPRESENTATIVES AND

THE CHAIRS OF THE

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY

LABOR COMMITTEES BUT

UNFORTUNATELY, A DEAL

COULD NOT BE REACHED.WCA MEMBER BENEFITS – DO YOU HAVE?

• Employee Manual (Car wash specific - all 12 states)

• Safety Manual (What you need for each of the 12 states)

• Insurance Quote• Special Merchant Bank Rate

Contact WCA for more information800.344.9274 | www.wcwa.org

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John PinsonDirector of Operations, Palms Car Wash, Austin, TX, on his new 205' MacNeil conveyor, with wheel and tire add-ons

JOHN’S TAKE: • MacNeil is “the safest”

• MacNeil “saves us labor and generates revenue”

• MacNeil “gets the spots that other car washes don’t get”

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6 WCA

LEGISLATIVE ALERT UNIONS BANK ON CA FOR NEW GAINSBy James Poulos Reported in calwatchdog.com publication Across the country, union membership has long been in fairly steep decline. After a series of recent reverses, including a failed attempt to pass national minimum wage legislation in Washington, D.C., union leaders shifted to a state-by-state, city-by-city approach to advancing their agenda. And though their support has not grown much stronger, they have gained enough traction in California to put that state at the center of their struggles.In an interview with Southern California Public Radio station 89.3 KPCC, one professor familiar with the strategy described an investment of energy with high stakes and, so far, low returns. Kent Wong, director of UCLA’s Center for Labor Research and Education, told KPCC there now are more union organizing campaigns in California than in any other state. Car-wash workers and home-care workers, the station reported, had been successfully unionized according to a model now being exported to other cities across the country.The report goes on to detail unions’ broad-strokes plans to experiment and expand further in California: “One California organizing strategy has been to pitch union commitment to more than just a bigger paycheck.” That means aligning the union brand with so-called “broader social concerns,” including those relevant to “faith communities and neighborhood groups.”

THE WESTERN CARWASH

ASSOCIATION IS

COMMITTED TO ENSURING

THAT CAR WASH OWNERS

HAVE A CHOICE WHEN IT

COMES TO UNIONS. WE

HAVE BEEN WORKING

TIRELESSLY TO ROLL

BACK THE EFFECTS OF AB

1387, LEGISLATION THAT

EXEMPTED UNIONIZED CAR

WASHES FROM A NEWLY-

MANDATED 1000% SURETY

BOND INCREASE. TOUR& CAR WASHPHOENIX ROADSHOW

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The Western Carwash Association is committed to ensuring that car wash owners have a choice when it comes to unions. We have been working tirelessly to roll back the effects of AB 1387, legislation that exempted unionized car washes from a newly-mandated 1000% surety bond increase. “As organized labor continues to target our industry, we need to ensure that car wash owners are able to fight back on legislative pressures that force our businesses into accepting union membership”, stated WCA President Brad Hooper. Hooper continues, “And you can see by this article, the unions’ strategy is to focus city-by-city on issues of ‘broader social concerns’, hoping to capture workers’ interest. The fact that this is going on in California should be a wake up call to car wash operators throughout our region and country. Our industry supports individual businesses and employees rights to unionize if they choose, but we must stand against being forced into business decisions that don’t work for our businesses or our employees.” What can you do? Go to the WCA website – sign the petition. Donate to our legislative efforts. Stay informed. The association is only as strong and effective as its members.

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LEGISLATIVE PAID S ICK LEAVE S IGNED INTO LAWGovernor Jerry Brown signed legislation this past Wednesday that increases the cost of doing business in California by placing additional mandates upon business owners. Under AB 1522, authored by Assembly Woman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), employers will now be required to provide all employees who work in California at least 30 days per calendar year with paid sick leave beginning July 1, 2015. All employees will be entitled to use sick days, which accrue at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, beginning on the 90th day of employment. Sick-leave may also be used for time off to provide care for a sick family member. However, employers may cap the number of paid days utilized by employees to three days per calendar year. While the California Chamber of Commerce had formed a broad coalition of business interests to oppose the bill since it first went into print during January, AB 1522 was able to pass through both houses of the California Legislature without a single Republican vote. Governor Jerry Brown indicated at the public-signing of AB 1522 in Los Angeles that there is an increasing disparity between employee and employers and this modest mandate will help support families who need it most. The bill experienced significant support from labor unions and workers’ rights groups who claim the legislation will offer benefits to 6.5 million workers. Other proponents of the bill urged that some workers face the choice of working while sick and thus exposing the public to germs, or lose vital pay that their family depends upon. But many opponents argued that although the bill is well intentioned, it is largely a hit on small businesses who will have difficulty absorbing the costs, forcing some to either lay-off workers or reduce hours. Additionally, the rebuttable retaliatory presumption provision contained in the bill would shift the burden of proof onto employers that any action taken against an employee was not for taking or requesting paid sick leave. Furthermore, a majority of employers already offer paid sick leave, and for those companies who don’t, it’s never been a real issue to acquire time off. California becomes the second state in the country to pass this landmark legislation after Connecticut first passed a similar measure in 2011.

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10 WCA

MARKETING

“It pays to advertise!” That may be so, but the “pay” certainly isn’t as good as it once was. The decline of traditional media like radio, TV and newspapers, the rise of digital media where commercial messages are easily overlooked, and a variety of other social changes have made paid advertising less effective than ever. This has left marketers of all sizes, from big corporations to local car washes looking for new ways to reach customers in a post ad world. Just how far advertising has fallen can be seen by studying the results of recent Super Bowl ads. According to a study by researchers at Communicus following the 2012 and 2013 Super Bowls, 80% of the ads run during the big game failed to stimulate a purchase or increase purchase intent. To make matters worse, the brand recall rate for companies running Super Bowl ads was only 35%.

IS ANYBODY THERE?If you have any doubts about how far traditional advertising has fallen, consider this: in 2012 there were 1.8 trillion display ads that were paid for, but never seen, according to a study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau. A key reason why advertising has lost its punch is that there are too many ads. Many observers believe that consumers are exposed to more than the 5,000 commercial messages a day. A recent Forbes article placed the figure at six times that amount! Obviously, the human brain can’t process this much information, so the vast majority of these messages are completely tuned out.Nevertheless, the proliferation of online advertising has made the flood of commercial messages even more extreme. In 1996, consumers received 30 Internet ad messages a day, according to research conducted in the US and UK by Upstream. By 2011, this figure had skyrocketed to 735. Along with this influx of advertising came a loss of effectiveness. In 1997, the response rate to online ads was 7%; by 2012 it had dropped to 0.1%.

YOU ARE YOUR OWN AD PLATFORMSo how can a car wash stand out in a world where customers are flooded with commercial messages that many of them have no interest in seeing? It may not be easy, but a good place to start finding the answer is right in your own lot.

MARKETING IN A POST AD WORLDBy Ken Brott, Vice President Sales and Marketing, DRB Systems

As a car wash operator, you’re in the enviable position of having a retail business where passing motorists can actually see customers buying your services. If your site is like most car washes, your customers are visible “from the street” when they’re buying a wash, using your vacuums and having their cars wiped down. Shoe stores don’t have this advantage; neither do pizzerias, bowling centers, hair stylists or most other businesses. The fact that your customers are so visible is very important, because it allows you to benefit from what market psychologists call “The Wisdom of Crowds.” What it means is that when people see a lot of other people doing something, they’re more likely to do it themselves.Based on this marketing principle a crowded site may be a car wash’s best form of advertising in our post ad age. Car wash operators who sell monthly passes have told me that one of the surprising benefits of their unlimited plans is that they attract more new customers. Motorists who drive by a bustling monthly pass site, figure it must be doing something right because it’s so busy, so they try it themselves. How many of us have followed the same line of reasoning when judging restaurants?Crowds or customers act as magnets to attract even bigger crowds. So, even if you don’t sell monthly passes, it makes sense to develop a strategy for building crowds at your site at selected periods with promotions and special events.Actions speak louder than words, which is why a crowded site may indeed be the best form of advertising for car washes -- but let’s not forget that words count too! This is especially true in this era of the Internet, when the rise of social media has turned Word-of-Mouth advertising into “World of Mouth,” increasing its power unprecedented levels. Customers who are overwhelmed by the volume of commercial messages and mistrustful of paid advertising are turning to recommendations from other consumers when making buying decisions. According to a recent study, peer recommendations account for 35% of what we buy on Amazon and 75% of what we watch on Netflix.

Continued on page 30...

IN 1996, CONSUMERS

RECEIVED 30 INTERNET

AD MESSAGES A DAY,

ACCORDING TO RESEARCH

CONDUCTED IN THE US

AND UK BY UPSTREAM. BY

2011, THIS FIGURE HAD

SKYROCKETED TO 735.

ALONG WITH THIS INFLUX

OF ADVERTISING CAME A

LOSS OF EFFECTIVENESS.

IN 1997, THE RESPONSE

RATE TO ONLINE ADS

WAS 7%; BY 2012 IT HAD

DROPPED TO 0.1%.

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12 WCAContinued on page 26...

ENVIRONMENT

Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems come in many shapes, sizes and configurations. There are more manufacturers than ever offering products for the car wash market, while it has been easy for these manufacturers to duplicate products, already being produced, it’s important to understand how much these manufacturers know about the technology and the products that they sell.A RO is designed around the reverse osmosis membrane; it is the heart of the system. The membrane is the technology that removes the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) which makes the product water (permeate) “spot free”. It only takes a high pressure pump, membrane housing, membrane, and a concentrate restriction valve to make spot free water, however, in today’s modern, complex, world it is not quite that simple. A quality manufacturer would recommend not only a water analysis to design the RO system with the proper membranes and flow rates, but, would also suggest the appropriate options that will protect and monitor your investment.Optional features for a reverse osmosis system can become a type of wish list. Dealers (or their customers) may say, “I wish I could have all the bells and whistles on the unit, but I don’t want to pay the added cost”, however, although they add cost, many optional features add value, save RO system repairs, down time, and extend membrane life. There are a few options that should be minimally included to protect the system, aid in trouble shooting, enhance the performance and increase utility.

STANDARD FEATURES ON A REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDE:

• 5 micron pre filter and cartridge to protect the membrane from large particles in the water from fouling the membrane(s).

• Inlet solenoid valve that stops the flow of water into the system when the system turns off.

• A concentrate control valve that allows you to restrict the flow, after the membrane, to produce the pressure necessary for the mem-brane to overcome the osmotic pressure and make permeate/product water and compensates for variations in feed water conditions.

The following explains both minimal and optional features you should expect your supplier to also offer.

OPTIONAL FEATURES IN REVERSE OSMOSISBy Dwight Royal

MINIMAL OPTIONAL FEATURES SHOULD BE:

• Low-pressure protection - The high pressure pump will be damaged if operated without a sufficient flow of pressurized water. An installed pressure switch set at the appropri-ate setting will shut the pump off if the proper pressure/flow for the system is not met.

• Flow meters – Flow meters give you a visual gauge as to how much water the system is producing. The permeate flow meter displays the amount of treated water produced while the concentrate flow meter measures the amount of water going to drain (or other use). The combination of these two readings tells you, at a glance, how much water the system is producing (this beats the old bucket and stop watch routine).

• Pressure gauges - Pressure gauges are used to monitor and operate the RO system. Gauges before and after the prefilter cartridge will, allow you to read the differential pressure across the 5 micron pre-filter and indicate when it’s time to change the prefilter cartridge.

Other features to be considered, at the time of purchase, but not required all the time in an RO system are:

• TDS meter - This allows you to see the performance and rejection of the membrane. This is not essential to the operational functions, but, allows you to continuously monitor RO performance/permeate quality.

• Auto-fast-flush - This is an excellent feature if you have a system that is only online for short periods or water that has higher than normal levels of contaminants in the feed water. This can also be set up to flush with permeate water replac-ing all the water in the system with RO permeate water.

• Pump Throttle Valve – A valve installed right after the high pres-sure pump allows the operator to adjust pump out-put for control of the operating flows and pressures. This valve is useful in environments with a great degree of tempera-ture fluctuations, changing water conditions or increasing operating efficiency. It is also useful when in certain situations to reduce water usage.

THE MEMBRANE IS THE

TECHNOLOGY THAT

REMOVES THE TOTAL

DISSOLVED SOLIDS

(TDS) WHICH MAKES

THE PRODUCT WATER

(PERMEATE) “SPOT

FREE”. IT ONLY TAKES

A HIGH PRESSURE

PUMP, MEMBRANE

HOUSING, MEMBRANE,

AND A CONCENTRATE

RESTRICTION VALVE TO

MAKE SPOT FREE WATER,

HOWEVER, IN TODAY’S

MODERN, COMPLEX,

WORLD IT IS NOT QUITE

THAT SIMPLE.

14 WCA

10TOP TEN THINGS NOT TO SAY TO AN EMPLOYEE FOLLOWING A WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIMThere is an old proverb that “some things are better off unspoken”. Nowhere is that more true then immediately after a work-related injury occurs. Certain statements, including off-the-cuff remarks made by a supervisor, manager or owner to an injured employee can prove to be very damaging to the organization and expose them to potential fines, penalties and lawsuits. Listed below are ten phrases an employ-er should avoid saying to an employee following a work-related injury: 1 “You’re Fired”: Yes, there are occa-

sions when an employee violates a company policy in the act leading to a work-related injury and the consequence may include the possibility of termination of employ-ment. However, a thorough accident investigation should be completed before playing Donald Trump. In California, an employer who fires or threatens to fire an employee for filing a claim is in violation of §132a of the California Labor Code and is subject to penalties, an increase in benefits, reinstatement of employ-ment and misdemeanor charges. Other states have similar provisions. An employer must be aware of the potential for this allegation, even if the termination is for cause.

2 “You’re Claim is Denied”: Most employers are not equipped to determine if a workers’ compensa-tion claim is covered and should not play arm-chair insurance adjuster. Instead, any concerns regarding the legitimacy of the claim should be brought to the attention of the insurance adjuster. They can com-plete the claims investigation to determine if coverage is available.

3 “This is Your Fault”: Much to the employers’ dismay, fault has nothing to do with the workers’ compensa-tion claims process. Workers’ Com-pensation is a no-fault benefit that has been in place for 100 years or more in most states. There may be safety violations that should be addressed, but that does not absolve the employer of the responsibility to provide workers’ compensation benefits from the resulting injury.

4 “You’re a Repeat Offender”: Many organizations have a few accident-prone employees with multiple

injury claims over the years. Workers’ Compensation policies and statutes do not have a claim-per-employee limit. Nonetheless, when an employ-ee has had multiple injury claims they are often considered a “problem employee”. An employer should not attempt to degrade the employee for or allude to the injured employee’s prior claims. If there is some question as to whether the current need for treatment relates to a prior claim or a new injury, this can be addressed by the claims adjuster obtaining a medical opinion.

5 “Get Back to Work or Else…”: Clearly, pretending that the injury never occurred is not the way to go. Medical attention should be offered immediately. If an employee declines immediate medical attention and elects to return to finish out the work day, the situation should be moni-tored closely to ensure the employee can operate safely and is not putting their health or the health of others in further jeopardy.

6 “You’re Scamming Me”: If there is reason to believe a claim is question-able, it would be wise to notify the insurance carrier, not the employee. If an injured employee believes that the employer thinks the claim is suspicious, they are more likely to obtain an attorney at the outset of the claim which could end up costing more in the end.

7 “You’re Going to Pay Me Back”: Think again. Requiring the employee to pay back the employer for costs associated with a workers’ compen-sation claim would be a clear violation of the nondiscrimination policy outlined in §132a of the California Labor Code. In addition, workers’ compensation insurance and benefits are required to be provided at no cost to the employee.

8 “Let’s Keep This Private”: An em-ployer may be inclined to encourage the injured employee to keep a claim “off the books” and pay the claim directly. If the injury is only a “first-aid”, there may be no problem with handling the claim “in-house”. But if the injury requires medical treatment or disability benefits, it is potentially fraudulent to try and subvert the

workers’ compensation system by handling the claim “off the record”. Even if an employer wanted to handle the claim “in-house”, most employers would not be able to administer workers’ compensation benefits internally and remain in compliance with the law.

9 “Why Don’t You Use Your Health Insurance?”: An employee should not be directed to seek medical treatment through their private physician, regardless of whether private health insurance is provided by the employer. The employer is required to provide medical treat-ment in the event of the industrial injury at no cost to the employee. Private health coverage often requires out-of-pocket costs from the patient in the form of deductibles or co-payments. Furthermore, workers’ compensation medical treatment is subject to a specific fee schedule and treatment guidelines that do not apply to private health plans

10 “We Don’t Have Workers’ Comp Insurance”: This is the wrong answer. California law, as well as most other states, requires employers to have workers’ compensation insurance. There are few exceptions. If an organization does not have workers’ compensation insurance and is required to do so, the employer is illegally uninsured. There is a process in place for an injured employee of an illegally uninsured employer to pursue benefits through the Unin-sured Employers Benefit Trust Fund. Not only will the fund seek repay-ment from the illegally insured employer for payments made, the employer will also be subject to possible shut-down of operations and hefty penalties from the Depart-ment of Industrial Relations.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter are solely intended as general guid-ance on the topics and questions presented, and are not provided as legal advice. The complete-ness or accuracy of the information provided may be affected by changes or differences in workers’ compensation laws, regulations, court decisions or jurisdictionsWells Fargo Insurance Services Confidential© Wells Fargo of California Insurance Services. All rights reserved jurisdictions.

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WINNINGC O M B I N A T I O N

THE

Leading with Purpose, Direction and OptimismDan QuiggleSpeaker and Founder/The Quiggle GroupDan Quiggle founded The Quiggle Group to promote and expand excellence in Leadership. Beginning his professional career in the Office of Ronald Reagan, Dan learned leadership personally from the master himself – Ronald Reagan. Recently recognized as one of the top speakers for Vistage, a nationwide CEO think tank, Dan’s message will inspire and impact all who hear it. He has shared his message of business success and motivation with America’s top corporations and associations, including Genworth Financial, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo, and Coldwell Banker. He has spoken in large and small settings for corporations and educational institutions, been featured on the Fox News Channel and been covered by The Wall Street Journal.

Getting to the Bottom of Affordable Care ActLiliana SalazarBenefits Compliance ProfessionalLiliana Salazar is an employee benefits compliance practice leader for Wells Fargo Insurance. As a benefits compliance professional, Liliana possesses extensive experience addressing employers’ responsibilities under federal, state and local laws. She is a regular speaker at national and state conferences sponsored by private and public employers and a contributor to employee benefit publications. Liliana was recently named one of the 2013 Women to Watch by Business Insurance magazine based on her contributions to the employee benefits industry as well as the insurance industry in general.

LEADERSHIP KEYNOTE

HEALTHCARE

Additional education topics include labor issues, detailing, control systems, conversions, self serve, detailing and more!

TRUE ALIGNMENT: Linking Company Culture with Customer Needs for Extraordinary ResultsEdgar PapkeAuthor & Global Award-Winning SpeakerEdgar Papke is a globally recognized thought leader and expert in leadership development and organizational alignment. As an award-winning speaker and facilitator, Edgar is widely recognized for his authentic style and innovative approaches to leadership, organizational culture, and the creative management of change and conflict in complex business environments. Over the past twenty years, as a speaker, trainer and facilitator, he has delivered more than 2,000 keynote speeches, presentations, and workshops. In 2006, he was recognized as International Speaker of the Year by Vistage International, U.K. Vistage is the leading membership organization for Chief Executives with more than 17,000 members worldwide.

Education, Networking

Increased and Improved Education

Reception on Tradeshow Floor

Las Vegas Car Wash Tour

Reduced Pricing for Members

Passport Program That Earns You Cash Prizes

For complete show information visit www.convention.wcwa.org

Gain insight from leadership experts to grow your business.Business Leaders Speaking at the Western Car Wash Show

Western Car Wash Show

Education Industry Networking

2014

OCTOBER 28-30 • RIO HOTEL • LAS VEGASCONVENTION.WCWA.ORG • 800.394.5357

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONThere’s Something for EveryoneTUESDAY, OCTOBER 28CONVEYOR SELF-SERVE DETAIL

8:00am - 12:30pm – Car Wash Tour (Conveyor, Self-Serve) 8:00am - 3:00pm – Detailing Certification

1:30pm - 3:00pm – General Session TRUE ALIGNMENT: Linking Company Culture with Customer Needs for Extraordinary Results

- Edgar Papke

1:30pm - 3:00pm – Self-Serve Education

3:15pm - 5:00pm – Roundtable Discussions (Conveyor, Self-Serve and Detailers)• Dealing with Conflict - Edgar Papke• Healthcare - Liliana Salazar• Labor Issues - Gary Bethel• US Dept. of Labor Answers your Questions - Alba Jarrett• What Your CPA Should Be Doing For You - It’s More Than Just Your Taxes - Norm Blieden CPA• The Business of Detailing - IDA• Pump Maintenance• Marketing Your Business• Conversions• Debit/Credit Card Policies• Additional Topics TBA

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29CONVEYOR SELF-SERVE DETAIL

8:00am - 9:00am – Industry Breakfast & Awards

9:15am - 10:30am – Healthcare Getting to the Bottom of Affordable Care Act

- Liliana Salazar

9:15am - 10:30am – Self-Serve Education 9:15am - 10:30am – Detailing Workshop

10:45am - 12:15pm – Keynote Excellence in Leadership

- Dan Quiggle

12:30pm - 6:00pm – Western Car Wash Show - TRADESHOW

NUTS & BOLTS EDUCATION (ON SHOW FLOOR)1:00pm - 2:00pm – TBA - presented by ICS2:15pm - 3:15pm – Can You Convert? Possibilities of Converting to an Exterior Express Operation - presented by Harvey Miller3:30pm - 4:30pm – Latest Labor Laws & Issues - presented by Gary Bethel

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 309:00am - 1:00pm – Western Car Wash Show - TRADESHOW

NUTS & BOLTS EDUCATION (ON SHOW FLOOR)9:30am - 10:15am – TBA - presented by Hamilton Manufacturing10:30am - 11:15am – Acquisition, Renovation, Refinances, and Construction Financing - presented by PetroCal11:30am - 12:15am – The Importance of Marketing - presented by CarWash Facelift

Welcome ReceptionFull Access Attendees5:00pm - 7:00pmJoin us Tuesday evening at the Rio Hotel for an evening reception. Come mingle, relax and enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and beverages.

Schedule subject to change

TOURCAR WASH

As part of our education board a luxury motor coach and visit a mixture of Full-serve/Express/Flex/Self-serve car washes in Las Vegas, enjoy lunch and networking opportunities.

FULL ACCESS PASS

RIO ALL-SUITE HOTEL & CASINODiscounted hotel room rates are available at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino through October 10, 2014, but are subject to sell-out prior to this date. Reservations must be made through the online reservation system.Guests may also call (888) 746-6955 and reference Western Carwash Association group code SRACT4 for discounted rates.

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino3700 W. Flamingo RoadLas Vegas, NV 89103(888) 746-6955Room Rate$65+ taxes (600 sq. ft. suite)$109+ taxes (1100 sq. ft. suite)Reservation Cut-off is October 10, 2014

Passport ProgramYour opportunity to earn $1,500 CASH PRIZES

at the 2014 Western Car Wash ShowWhen entering the show you will receive a passport with exhibitor destination booths. If you visit all PASSPORT destinations, submit

your entry into a drawing for one of three $500 cash prizes. You do

not have to be present to win so every attendee is eligible, even if you only attend one

day of the show.

SHOW SPONSORS

CORPORATE SPONSOR

IT’S HERE...The Western Carwash Insurance Agency’s (WCIA) very own Carewash Business Insurance Program for today’s car wash owners/operators. Exclusive insurance for:

• Workers’ Compensation• Property• General Liability• Other coverage options available through the

Western Carwash Insurance Agency

Western Car Wash Show

Education Industry Networking

2014NEW LOW RATES

U S I N G T E C H N O L O G Y T O E N H A N C E Y O U R C U S T O M E R ’ S E X P E R I E N C E

800-336-6338 Green, Ohio / www.drbsystems.com © Copyright 2014. All rights reserved DRB Systems

FastPass gives busy customers the quick, convenient and simple buying experience they want at a car wash. That’s why 2.4 million customers already have FastPass windshield stickers on their vehicles. It’s also why car washes that have installed the FastPass RFID system have grown nearly three times faster than those that haven’t.*

FastPass RFID• A wireless acceptance system that clears transactions in less than two seconds by reading windshield tags without even requiring customers to lower their windows.

• The easiest and fastest way to identify monthly pass customers.

• Provides the most seamless buying experience when used with the SiteWatch Automatic Recharge Module® (ARM®) for monthly passes and the Xpress Pay Terminal® (XPT®) self-pay station.

Learn more about how you can offer your customers a better buying experience with SiteWatch FastPass from DRB Systems.

Contact DRB Systems at 1-800-336-6338, or visit www.drbsystems.com for more information.

* Comparison figure based on blind StatWatch reports from over 600 anonymous car washes.

Car Wash Volume Increase National Average 2011-2014

25.5% With FastPass

9.1%Without FastPassss

20%

10%

0

A Message from 2.4 Million Car Wash Customers:

“We Like to Save Time with FastPass® from DRB Systems”

20 WCA

SOCIAL MEDIA ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IF NOT, IT’S TIMEBy Lori VertinWho is using social media today? Most likely a lot of your current and potential car wash customers.The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Here are some facts from Pew’s Internet Project Research:

• As of January 2014, 74% of online adults use social networking sites• Over 80% of online adults under the age of 50 use social networking sites• 71% of online adults use Facebook• Social network use continues to grow across all online age groups• Social media networks are not a fad. They are here to stay and have become one

of the most common ways people are communicating. Many car wash owners have a minimal presence or no presence on a social media network. 60% of small to medium sized business owners think social media is for individuals who want to post photos of their kids, meals, vacation and their relationship status. Maintaining an online presence takes time and who has time when you’re busy running a car wash?

YOU (OR SOMEONE ON YOUR STAFF) MUST MAKE TIME TO MAINTAIN A PRESENCE ON AT LEAST ONE SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK. You just read the facts above. Facebook might be the best one to join initially. You may be reluctant to join but at least one of your competitors has already gotten into the social media conversation. Why give up a competitive advantage?

SOCIAL MEDIA IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF INCREASING YOUR CAR WASH’S MARKETING EFFORTS. Your presence on social media will allow more customers to find you. Social media becomes an extension of the physical boundaries of your car wash. Instead of driving by your property and just seeing a car wash, potential customers will see photos and learn about services your car wash offers.Starting a Facebook page for a car wash is not difficult. Posting relevant and engaging content regularly is a little harder.

WHAT BASIC INFORMATION SHOULD BE ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE?• Location• Days/Hours of operation• Photos of your car wash, inside and outside – make sure the photos show the

“best” side of your car wash• Photos of the people who work at your car wash – make sure they’re smiling• Clean, shiny cars exiting your car wash

WHAT KIND OF POSTS MIGHT BE ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE?• Special promotions – “Show us that you’ve liked our page and you’ll get ____

dollars off our top wash this week” or “This Saturday, two dollars from every car wash is going to the ________ team fundraiser.”

• Regular promotions – “It’s our usual Wednesday happy hour special, one dollar off any wash from 5:00 – 7:00 pm”

• Extra service reminders – “Dead bugs look gross and damage your vehicle’s surface. Protect with ________.”

• Employee news • New equipment, signs, landscaping you put in• Information about extra services – why should the customer want them• Contests• #tbt (throwback Thursday) photos of the car wash• Photos of happy customers• Being social should be fun and informative – think about what your customer

might be interested in reading and get creative• And most importantly, Every post should not be an attempt to sell

Continued on page 28...

MANY CAR WASH OWNERS

HAVE A MINIMAL PRESENCE

OR NO PRESENCE ON A

SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK.

60% OF SMALL TO MEDIUM

SIZED BUSINESS OWNERS

THINK SOCIAL MEDIA IS FOR

INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT

TO POST PHOTOS OF THEIR

KIDS, MEALS, VACATION

AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP

STATUS.

22 WCA

HYDRA-FLEX, INC. IS LISTED ON INC. MAGAZINE’S 2014 INDEX OF AMERICA’S FASTEST-GROWING PRIVATE COMPANIES – THE INC. 5000Hydra-Flex, Inc. Ranks No. 2905 of the 2014 Inc 5000 with Three-Year Sales Growth of 126%August 20, 2014 - Burnsville, MN – Inc. magazine today ranked Hydra-Flex, Inc. No. 2905 on its 33rd annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy – America’s independent entrepreneurs.Hydra-Flex, Inc. was founded in 2002 by Jaime Harris and Gary Brown, who met while working together in product development at a prior organization. HFI Manufacturing began as two men, a beer fridge, and a machine shop, but was quickly transformed by their desire to “find a better way” to manufacture innovative products for the vehicle wash industry. Today their core values of innovation, reliability, and accuracy are evident as they continue to add to their team, develop new products, and expand into other vertical markets.“In our early days, if you looked at our numbers they didn’t make sense, but we were too blind and stubborn to give up,” says Jaime Harris, Hydra-Flex CEO, “It’s exciting to see our organizational mission align with creating value for our customers in a manner that delivers real results that are quantifiable. Our customers are our most valuable asset. We are only on this trajectory because they have been believers and strong advocates for us.”“What surprises me, even though I know it’s coming, is the sheer variety of the paths our entrepreneurs take to success, thematically reflecting how our economy has evolved,” says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. “This year there are far more social media and far fewer computer hardware businesses than there were, say six years ago. But what doesn’t change is the fearsome creativity unleashed by American entrepreneurship,”As an Inc. 5000 honoree, Hydra-Flex now shares a pedigree with companies such as Intuit, Under Armour, Microsoft, Jamba Juice, Oracle, and other notable alumni. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.

ABOUT HYDRA-FLEX, INC.Hydra-Flex, Inc. was founded in 2002 with a principle focus on “finding a better way” to manufacture products for the vehicle wash industry, including chemical injectors, chemical dispensing systems, and high-pressure nozzles. An expert company in fluid dynamics with accomplished engineering, manufacturing, sales, and support staff, our mission is to develop innovative products that solve problems, save precious resources, reduce operating costs, and provide exceptional results for our customers. Hydra-Flex, Inc. is a privately held company headquartered in Burnsville, MN

INDUSTRY NEWS

SEND NEWS ABOUT

YOUR COMPANY AND

THE INDUSTRY - KEEP

EVERYONE INFORMED.

Have an interesting article or industry related news to share? If so, we would love

to hear from you. Please send in articles (500-1000 words) along with a brief author

bio and picture to Michele Holcomb at micheleh@wcwa.org.

E X P R E S SW E S T E R N C A R W A S H A S S O C I A T I O N

WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

NEW

24 WCA

HOW? Refer a new member to join WCA and we’ll show our appreciation by awarding you a $50 check!

IT’S EASY TO PARTICIPATESimply have the new member put your name in the “Referred By” section on their online application.

QUESTIONS? Contact Brandie Delaney at (800) 344-9274 or email info@wcwa.org.Terms & Conditions:1. This opportunity is open to all active WCA members - conveyor, self-serve, and associate (vendor).2. A new member will be officially credited to the recruiter when new membership has become active by paying for membership in full. 3. To receive credit for each new membership, your name or WCA ID number must appear in the “Referred By” section of the online or paper

application at the time a car wash or vendor applies for membership. 4. If a new member calls the WCA to become new member, they must mention the member that recruited them at that time. 5. For every new member, the recruiter will receive a check in the amount of $50 issued quarterly. 6. There is no limit to the number of members you can recruit.

M E M B E R R E F E R R A L R E WA R D S P R O G R A M

MEMBER BENEFIT

Alaska Polycarbonate Doors

XRS Vinyl Roll Up Doors

Magnaglide & Powerglide Air Openers

Guaranteed - (guar·an·teed) Verb - attests to the quality or durability of a product or service.

Magnaglide & Powerglide Openers

XRS Vinyl Roll Up Door

AlaskaPolycarbonate Door

GRACE FOR VETS 2014It's not too late to participate in Grace For Vets 2014, a non-profit program providing past and present military service personnel with a FREE car wash on November 11.Grace For Vets unites the car wash industry each year to honor those who have served or are currently serving their country.Be sure to check the Grace for Vets website to see the 2014 participants list. We have over 1,000 car wash companies representing 2,400 locations participating this year! We welcome you to join us as we honor our Vets this November 11th.For more information visit www.graceforvets.org, or contact info@graceforvets.org with questions.

ü Maximize your properties revenue potential with our site layout engineering team that creates over 13,000 site-specific drawings each year for many of the most profitable car washes on the planet.

ü Eliminate costly project delays with as many as 50 pages of mechanical drawings, free of charge, with every equipment purchase backed by a company with Dun & Bradstreet’s highest rating since 1997.

ü Protect your investment with Sonny’s retrofit-able Foundation Frame architecture. You’re able to mount additional components to increase wash throughput and retrofit new technologies as your site matures.

ü Grow your business with new training, technology, and equipment innovations engineered to adapt to your existing Sonny’s tunnel and ensure your competitive advantage for generations to come.

Sure, our equipment is reliable, easy to maintain, and affordable, but that’s only a small part of why Sonny’s is the bestselling conveyorized car wash equipment in the world. When you choose Sonny’s, you’re getting a partner that has been washing cars since 1949 with the hands-on operating experience to guide you every step of the way.

www.SonnysDirect.com | 800-327-8723We make car washing easy!

The Tunnel Experts TM

Thank You for Making SONNY’S the Largest Manufacturer of Conveyorized Car Wash Equipment In The World!

YOU CAN’TFAKEEXPERIENCE.

Sonny’s Car Wash Massachusetts, 1956

The thing about SONNY’S is that they’re not just car wash manufacturer’s; they’re car wash operators and owners, they’ve been in it for over 60 years. They manufacture equipment that they know works, they sell you equipment to be successful!

Jack BarrettOwner Superwash Express Car WashPort Orange, FL

Testimonial

Call today to claim your free site evaluation. Whether you’d like to evaluate how a component upgrade could improve customer satisfaction, or run a complete proforma to retrofit your site to a different wash format, we’ll show you your potential, with 3D renderings you can take to the bank.

You be the judge!FREE Site Evaluation

Designed Here. Built Here. Backed Here.™

26 WCA

• Concentrate Recycle – Depending on the feed water conditions a portion of the concentrate water can be sent back into the feed water stream to run through the system. This can reduce the amount of feed water needed for the proper flow across the membranes and allow the system to operate at a higher rate of recovery. NOTE: check with the system manufacturer to determine the proper amount of water to recycle!

• Electronic or Electromechanical control box – a control box typically has pretreatment lockout terminals, level control terminals, flush options, on/off switch, run lights, and alarms or indicator lights. This allows for easy installation of the float levels, for on/off operation, shuts down the RO when the pretreatment equipment is in backwash (when wired to the filter) and or provides visual light indicators for operation or fault conditions.

The purchase and installation of an RO system for a car wash spot free rinse application can be expensive especially when you add the ancillary equipment such as carbon filter, repressurization pump, level controls and storage tanks. These extra options add value to the RO system but it also adds cost. An experienced manufacturer can work with you based on your water analysis, and budget to meet your expectations. Author – Dwight Royal is CEO, VP of Operations of Con-Serv Manufacturing. To learn more about Reverse Osmosis and available features you can contact Dwight at droyal@con-servwater.com or (800) 868 9888.

Optional Features in Reverse OsmosisContinued from page 12...

TIME OFF PAYQUESTION: An employee is scheduled for 8 hours; business is slow; what is the minimum number the employee must work and be paid for?

ANSWER: 1/2 the normal scheduled hours – (minimum of 2 hours to a max of 4 hours in California). In this case it would be 4 hours. If the employee was scheduled for 6 hours – then paying 3 hours would satisfy the rule referenced here. You cannot send an employee home after 2 hours if scheduled for an 8 hour day unless you pay a minimum of 4 hours.If closure is forced by an abnormal event such as rain, etc. and the car wash closes the employee may be sent home not withstanding the above.

ASK THE EXPERT

Hamilton Manufacturing has been in business since 1921 and in the Car Wash Industry for over 30 years. We are recognized as an industry leader in the development, manufacturing, and support of automated point-of-sale transaction systems; Data Access Networks, and token/change machines. Hamilton products are designed and built to improve customer convenience and loyalty, while offering contemporary technology, and durability.

PROUDLY MADE IN THE U.S.A.

For more information about our full line of carwash products, visit us online or call:

888.723.4858hamiltonmfg.com

COME SEE US AT BOOTH 601!HAMILTON TRANSACTION KIOSKADVANCED TECHNOLOGY. RUGGED CONSTRUCTION.

28 WCA

Thrive with

WCA2013–2014 OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS PRESIDENTBrad Hooper Rossmoor Car Wash, Los Alamitos, CA

VICE PRESIDENTJason Johnson Quick Quack Carwash, Carmichael, CA

SECRETARY/TREASURER Jerry Nix Speedi Car Wash Inc., Tacoma, WA

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENTChris Buscaglia Zoom Car Wash, Stockton, CA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Darrin Baum Zep, Inc., El Dorado Hills, CADoug Christ Hi Performance Car Wash, Centennial, COMark Goddard Supersonic Car Wash, Ogden, UTScott HornerTerrible Herbst, Las Vegas, NVHerschel Kilgore Mission Viejo, CAMarla MayerWeiss Guys Express Wash, Phoenix, AZFrank Phalen Zipp, Inc., Santa Barbara, CASander Romick HWB Car Wash, Inc., Burbank, CAGene StudentSuperior Auto Express, Sylmar, CA

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU POST ON FACEBOOK?

• Social media gurus will tell you that a business should be posting twice a day. You might be able to do this but it’s best to balance being annoying and actually creating a relationship with customers.

• It’s better to start with one post a week and post consistently than starting out with two posts daily and letting it slide to once every other month.

• Regular social media marketing can help you maintain customers, at-tract new customers and sell more services. Once you’ve started, don’t give up.

ARE YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IF NOT, IT’S TIME.Continued from page 20...

gets one or two or maybe more individuals to your car wash.Pinterest - Used by more than 30 million users who are primarily women between the ages 19-39 (this age group is considered the fastest growing consumer segment). Women make an estimated 85% percent of all consumer purchases. What if your car wash “pinned photos” of moms and kids at the car wash, philanthropic activities at your car wash, women grabbing a quick cup of coffee while they wait for their vehicle, little kids with their noses glued to a window watching the car – you might get a new customer.Google Plus. While some people feel it’s a ghost town, Google Plus is picking up followers. It’s also a snap to maintain because many social media platform such as Facebook can automatically syndicate directly into Google Plus.

KEEP REALISTIC EXPECTATIONSCreating a Facebook page is not going to double your customers overnight or increase your sales of extra services in the first two weeks. Cultivating a social media presence takes patience. What about other social media platforms? Check out the type of users and learn to tailor your messages. Twitter - There are about 53 million active Twitter users in the United States with an average of 208 followers. 45% of those users are between the ages of 18 to 29. Let’s say a customer tweets that he received a great car wash at your wash location. He may be the influence that

THE BOTTOM LINE – GET

SOCIAL. IF YOU HAVEN’T

JOINED THE CONVERSATION,

IT’S TIME.

Lori Vertin works for Marketing at Ver-tech Labs. Contact her at lvertin@ver-techlabs.com or 763 509 7907. You can also find her on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

30 WCA

be detrimental to the industry. We have been working with the department of labor, water agencies and groups like the Little Hoover Commission representing the interests of the car wash industry on topics such as bonding, wage theft, underground economy and the drought. We will be continuing our efforts in California and throughout the West. If we come together as an industry, stay informed and contribute your time and finances to these efforts we can keep bad legislation and union activity at bay – helping us to keep car washing a profitable business. Please view our website and look for future information about our fundraising and PAC efforts to support our activities.In most all my letters to membership, I implore you to get more involved in your association. Please read the emails we send out (if you are not receiving email blasts, please contact us to rectify that). Join us at Roadshows/Car Wash Tours and meetings, come to our convention and trade show, and consider joining a committee and offering your unique perspective and vision. There are so many ways to get involved. In conclusion I ask each member to make sure they have at least one significant “touch” with their association this year and next. Make yourself known and get involved in some small or big way. Your business will be better for it and I can assure you, your industry will be better off as well. We can only be strong in great numbers working together for our mutual benefit. We hope to see you in Las Vegas!

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEContinued from page 1...

• Tax penalties. Marriage causes many tax regulations to take effect retroactively; that is, if you are married as of December 31, some rules apply as if you were married for the entire year. For instance, the total annual wages of both spouses are combined on a joint return regardless of when the wedding took place. Because two wage-earners filing jointly will often pay more tax than if they filed as singles, this can cause a tax problem that needs to be addressed. You may need to increase your withholding or estimated tax payments, or you could face penalty and interest charges on underpaid taxes.Marriage can affect deductions too. Combined incomes can reduce itemized deductions, such as medical expenses and casualty losses, by raising adjusted gross income (AGI). So, if one spouse has significant medical expenses, filing jointly might reduce their tax deduction. Overall itemized deductions are further reduced when AGI for 2014 exceeds $305,050. If your combined incomes exceed this amount, you might see a noticeable decline in your allowable deductions.

• Tax benefits. But marriage also has its tax advantages. A wage-earning spouse can make an additional $5,500 IRA contribution for an unemployed spouse.Married homeowners also get double the gain exclusion, from $250,000 to $500,000, when selling their home. The only catch is that both spouses must have lived in the home for two years, and neither spouse can have used the exclusion in the previous two years. Clearly, couples that own a home should carefully plan future sales to take advantage of this tax break.Estate taxes can be lightened by marriage, with a doubling of the exemption amount. Also, married taxpayers can jointly make tax-free gifts of up to $28,000 per year, double the amount a single taxpayer can make.

Wedding bells may be ringing soon, but before you walk down the aisle, consider an analysis of the tax and financial issues in marriage. It may just be the most important item in your wedding plans.This newsletter provides business, financial, and tax information to clients and friends of our firm. This general information should not be acted upon without first determining its application to your specific situation. For further details contact Norm Blieden, CPA at (626) 440-9511

TRADEMARK, PATENT, OR COPYRIGHT? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCEContinued from page 2...

Here again, car washes that sell monthly passes have a built-in advantage, because unlimited customers tend to develop a sense of “belonging” to a car wash and are prone to tell all their friends about the great deal they’re getting at their site!

SHOW AND SELLConsumers who tune out advertising aren’t necessarily disinterested in commercial messages; they simply want to manage the stream of ads coming at them. If there is one time when consumers want to see commercial messages, it’s when they’re shopping. Savvy retailers understand this, which is why they are diverting more resources from paid media advertising to point-of-purchase materials and other “out of house” advertising. According to a study by Starbucks, out of house advertising was recognized by more survey respondents than either print or radio. There are many opportunities to reach customers with out of house advertising at a car wash, especially one that has self–pay stations. The screens of your self-pay station as well as its canopy and gate provide great opportunities to reach customers with commercial messages. Good old fashion flyers and other printed material handed to customers as they enter or leave your tunnel is another opportunity to get your commercial message across. Taking the time to create good marketing material to use at your site will help you reach customers at the most important time—when they are focused on what your car wash is selling.

MARKETING IN A POST AD WORLDContinued from page 10... TAKING THE TIME

TO CREATE GOOD

MARKETING MATERIAL

TO USE AT YOUR

SITE WILL HELP YOU

REACH CUSTOMERS

AT THE MOST

IMPORTANT TIME—

WHEN THEY ARE

FOCUSED ON WHAT

YOUR CAR WASH IS

SELLING.

WCA CALENDAR OF EVENTS

OCTOBER 28Car Wash Tour, Las Vegas

OCTOBER 28-30 Western Car Wash Show Rio All Suites Hotel, Las Vegas

FEBRUARY 17-18, 2015 Phoenix Roadshow & Car Wash Tour

950 Glenn Drive, Folsom, CA 95630 800.344.9274 | 916.932.2209 fax www.wcwa.org

ASK THE EXPERTS!

1.800.282.5183 * www.rdm.net * sales@rdm.net

The parts you depend on. The reputation you trust.

Western Carwash Ad.indd 1 4/23/2014 12:57:20 PM

THE CAR WASH LOUNGEWCA’S NEW DISCUSSION FORUM FOR ALL CAR WASH PROFESSIONALS.

Start a discussion

today!

Located at wcwa.org under the Membership tab.