#23 Vegas meeting w/ Michael Rubin, Economics of mobile car care, Trick to hiring 600 technicians, Leveraging AI, Why EV maintenance is so profitable | Scot Wingo, Founder & CEO of Spiffy
Spiffy tackles the challenge of hiring skilled technicians by sourcing from industries outside of car care and providing career opportunities.
Spiffy recognizes the shift towards mobile car care services, offering convenience and quality right at customers' doorsteps.
Spiffy expands its offerings to cater to the needs of EV owners, capitalizing on their higher demand for car care services.
Deep dives
Spiffy offers on-demand car care services in multiple cities
Spiffy, a nationwide on-demand car care solution, provides services such as car washes, oil changes, and more right in your driveway. The company has expanded to 25 markets, mainly located in the Sunbelt region of the United States. Spiffy serves a diverse customer base, with millennial females being a significant segment. The convenience-oriented consumer is their target audience, as they are willing to pay for convenient and high-quality car care services. Additionally, Spiffy is pioneering the use of technology in the industry, incorporating AI, IoT, and software to enhance their operations and improve the customer experience.
The challenges and strategies behind hiring technicians
One of the major challenges in the car care industry is hiring skilled technicians. Spiffy tackles this issue by sourcing technicians from industries outside of car care, such as warehouse jobs and fast food. By doing so, they can train these technicians from the ground up, providing them with the necessary skills for car care services. Spiffy also focuses on creating career opportunities for technicians, starting at the entry level and providing them with a ladder to grow within the company. This unconventional approach has proven successful, allowing Spiffy to build a team of over 600 technicians nationwide.
The shift towards digital and mobile car care services
Digital transformation is reshaping the car care industry, with mobile services becoming increasingly popular. Spiffy recognizes this trend and offers mobile car care services, bringing convenience and quality to customers' doorsteps. The company believes that mobile service will soon become a standard offering, as consumers seek more convenient ways to maintain and care for their vehicles. Spiffy's mobile approach has received positive reception, especially among EV owners who value the ease of accessing car care services without having to visit traditional repair shops or gas stations.
Growth opportunities in the EV market
Spiffy's offerings extend to electric vehicles (EVs) as well. The company has found that EV owners wash their cars more frequently than traditional vehicle owners, creating additional service demand. EVs also experience faster tire wear due to their weight and torque, presenting a growth opportunity for Spiffy, as they specialize in tire services. With EVs gaining popularity and becoming a significant segment of the automotive market, Spiffy is well-positioned to cater to the unique needs of EV owners.
Licensing Spiffy's software and van platform to dealerships
In a strategic move, Spiffy is licensing its software and van platform to dealerships, enabling them to offer mobile car care services under their own brand. By leveraging Spiffy's expertise and technology, dealerships can enhance their customer experience and build loyalty through convenient, on-site services. This approach opens up new revenue streams for dealerships and helps them adapt to the changing landscape of the automotive industry. Spiffy aims to empower more dealerships to enter the mobile car care market and provide top-notch services to their customers.