https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/ Practical notes from Braxton McKee on car wash growth, memberships, retention, CRM, technology, pricing, and operating strategy. en-us https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/quiet-customer-is-usually-the-one-you-miss/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/quiet-customer-is-usually-the-one-you-miss/ Sun, 02 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT The angry customer may still care enough to tell you what went wrong. The quiet customer may already be gone. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/car-wash-industry-not-10-years-behind-anymore/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/car-wash-industry-not-10-years-behind-anymore/ Sun, 02 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT The technology is here. The next gap is whether operators can build the people, ownership, and habits needed to get value from it. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/car-wash-growth-reset/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/car-wash-growth-reset/ Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT The car wash industry is still growing, but the next phase will reward operators who create more value from the locations they already own. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/what-i-hope-my-daughters-learn-ai-driven-world/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/what-i-hope-my-daughters-learn-ai-driven-world/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT On knowledge, curiosity, judgment, and why knowing how to use the right tool may matter as much as knowing the answer. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/strategy-isnt-real-until-the-site-can-run-it/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/strategy-isnt-real-until-the-site-can-run-it/ Thu, 09 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT A strategy is not successful because everyone nodded in the meeting. It is successful when the people doing the work can run it. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/membership-is-not-the-product-habit-is/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/membership-is-not-the-product-habit-is/ Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT Selling the membership creates access. The habit is what makes it valuable. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/turning-churn/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/turning-churn/ Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT Former members who still wash at the same location are not always lost. They may be telling operators where the membership experience broke. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/loyalty-program/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/loyalty-program/ Mon, 18 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMT Launching a loyalty program is the starting line. The real work is turning signups into repeat visits, useful segmentation, and measurable customer behavior. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/free-wash-trap/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/free-wash-trap/ Wed, 13 Aug 2025 12:00:00 GMT Free wash offers can recover service failures or cheapen the brand. The difference is whether the operator controls the strategy. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/seven-eleven/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/seven-eleven/ Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT 7-Eleven built a habit machine by being predictable, convenient, and relevant. Car wash operators can learn from that model. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/behavioral-economics/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/behavioral-economics/ Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT Car wash customers do not make decisions the way spreadsheets think they do. Behavioral economics helps operators design better menus, signage, and CRM journeys. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/cheaper-isnt-smarter/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/cheaper-isnt-smarter/ Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT Competing on price alone can weaken a car wash brand. The better opportunity is clear value, pricing structure, and repeatable customer behavior. https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/comment-hurts/ https://braxtonmckee.me/writing/comment-hurts/ Wed, 11 Jun 2025 12:00:00 GMT The idea that a good car wash does not need marketing sounds simple, but it ignores how customers choose, remember, and return.