Many components go into making a car wash that runs like clockwork. From the access systems your customers use to pay for the service, to the car wash business model you use, there are lots of things that make a big impact. One crucial aspect of a car wash that’s often overlooked are the bollards which protect, distinguish, and control accessible areas.
At PSD Codax, we supply businesses like yours with world-class access systems and insights for your car wash. In this article, we’ll discuss bollards in detail – what their benefits are, what types to choose, and any considerations you need to make when installing them into your car wash.
Get in touch today if you want to see how we can help your business grow and capitalise on your customer-base.
What are the Benefits of Car Wash Bollards?
An integral part of your car wash infrastructure, bollards are a mainstay in almost every venue you could visit. The reason for this is the numerous benefits having bollards provides. Here are some of the top few!
Queue Management: As they can help to create pathways, bollards can manage the amount of cars entering an area, along with the angles they can enter from. This means your queues can be arranged to be neat and orderly, without interruption or cutting in.
Security: With any car wash or other business, there will be places you don’t want your customers to go. Warehouses, back-end garages, or sensitive infrastructure all falls under this umbrella. Bollards prevent the passage of vehicles, meaning your assets will be kept secure.
Safety: At your car wash, there are likely to be people walking around in close proximity to where the vehicles are moving. This could be to access a shop, pay for petrol, or inquire about your car wash. Bollards allow for the passage of people, but not cars, making them an important aspect of pedestrian safety. This feature also makes them perfect for protecting your building and other more vulnerable assets, acting as a stopgap for any accidental vehicular damage or collisions.
The Best Bollards for a Car Wash or Petrol Station
When choosing the bollards for your car wash, you might be surprised at the range of options available. Here are four different types of bollards you could utilise for your car wash.
1. Permanent Bollards. Fixed in place, these bollards are the most robust solution you can choose. However, as they are unable to be easily moved, they could pose an obstacle should you need to change the layout of your car wash.
2. Removeable Bollards. The opposite of permanent bollards, these temporary solutions allow for easy signposts that you can change as you require. On the other hand, their temporary nature means they won’t hold up to collisions, acting more of a visual indicator for drivers than a physical barrier.
3. Retractable Bollards. A high-tech option, retractable bollards often come with inbuilt systems which can be customised to lower the bollards into the ground based on parameters like time, weather, date, or manual activation. These bollards combine the benefits of permanent and removeable bollards, but might cost more to implement.
4. Fold-Down Bollards. Finally, fold-down bollards act as a lower-tech version of retractable options. Since they can be easily folded down when not required, they allow for modifiable layouts and access routes at your car wash. Some downsides include less security than fixed bollards provide, alongside the requirement for space to fold them down into.
The type of bollard you choose depends heavily on your individual car wash. Having multiple add-ons on your premises could increase your need for bollards, as this will mean you’re more likely to have assets you need to protect.
Important Considerations for Installing Bollards
When installing bollards, there are many things you need to consider to ensure their implementation has a net-positive effect on your business.
Cost to Value
Different types of bollards have different costs. From the cheap and reliable plastic temporary bollards, to the high-end steel retractable bollards, you will notice a stark difference in cost. What you get out of having bollards also matters, and you need to make sure that installing them doesn’t cost so much that it outweighs the benefits.
Current Infrastructure
Installing bollards can often mean digging into the ground. This can cause damage to things like your flooring, irrigation systems, or utility lines if not planned carefully. If you’re attached to a petrol station, this could also create other causes for concern. Ensure every installation of bollards is carefully planned and executed by trained professionals.
If your site is particularly restrictive, temporary bollards could be a good solution that don’t require invasive forms of installation.
Available Space
Some bollards take up more space than others. If your car wash doesn’t have much room, installing any bollards at all could pose a challenge. Take note of your available space, and see how much space each bollard would take up. This will help you decide on which one is the right choice for your venue.
Your Needs
Your own needs come into play when choosing bollards as well. If you want a solution that can easily be changed, then you’re better off not picking a permanent option. On the other hand, if having a high-end and sleek car wash is your goal, a retractable solution might be the one for you. Consider how your needs match up with the types of car wash bollard available, and choose the right one to match!
Customer Convenience
At the end of the day, your customers are the ones who will be most affected by your bollards. You need to consider how the implementation of them will affect the customer journey, and plan accordingly so that it does not hinder their experience. Ensure your car wash is easy to navigate and access, and use highly visible colours or indicators for your bollards to prevent potential collisions.
Improve Your Access Control Further with PSD Codax
Bollards are a great way to improve clarity for the customer journey at your car wash, restrict access to unintended areas, and protect vulnerable assets from accidental damage. However, while they’re great at indicating where and where not to go, they’re not the only thing you can use for signposting.
At PSD Codax, we supply a range of high-end systems to help your customers access your car wash. From our world-renowned access systems to our top-quality signage and marketing materials, we help customers find your business and make the most of it. Check out our catalogue to see if we have a product to suit your needs, or get in touch today!