Wap WaschBär is one of the pioneers in the car wash market and continuously sets new and pioneering standards, especially in the field of commercial self-service vehicle washing. The innovative technology for professional vehicle cleaning has been established for decades as an integral part of the international car wash business.
The Wap washBär brand is exclusively owned by wwb-carwash GmbH & Co. KG with headquarters in Buch/Germany. The company develops and produces their self-service washing systems, industrial vacuum cleaners and the associated software/image in Germany under wwb-carwash since 2019 as an “independent manufacturer”.
Interview with Jochen Nellis, Head of Sales at wwb-carwash gmbH & Co. KG.
What does “reliability” mean for your customers today, and how has your company’s definition of reliability evolved in recent years?
Jochen Nellis: Wap WaschBär, in the market for about 50 years, represents a strong recognizability. To remain competitive as a small to medium-sized company, we pursue the sustainable and exclusive path of quality (a service life of 15-20 years is not uncommon)!
Which specific features of your products or solutions most directly impact reliability for your customers’ operations?
J.N: Our solutions are thoroughly tested through quality checks. Experienced colleagues in product management, pre-assembly, and final assembly are also involved. Customer feedback is also taken into account to achieve the typical Wap WaschBär quality!
How do you design reliability into your products from the earliest stages of development?
J.N: Our experiences and internal tests separate the wheat from the chaff very early on. That is, only products that meet our internally strict standards are approved!
What role do data, monitoring, or predictive technologies play in improving reliability and preventing failures for your clients?
J.N: The feedback from our customers, as well as from our installers and maintenance technicians, accompanies every product, including any necessary product updates!
How do you balance innovation and speed-to-market with long-term reliability and operational stability?
J.N: As a small to medium-sized company, we have only limited manpower available, but thanks to our very high level of development and manufacturing expertise, as well as our short channels of communication, we are always at the forefront when it comes to implementation, whether for innovation or technical necessity!
Can you share an example of how your solution helped a customer reduce downtime, improve process stability, or increase operational confidence?
J.N: Our iWap with the WapDashBoard as an online marketing and analysis tool provides every customer with valuable current-to-target tools. At the same time, we can remotely access this evaluation to offer concrete solutions by phone or with a technician on-site! This service, or our support, is “free of charge” for our customers.
How do service, maintenance, and after-sales support contribute to overall reliability and customer satisfaction in your business model?
J.N: All of our colleagues are self-service car wash experts – that means they live the technology, understand the technology, and can therefore suggest a solution on the spot! This way, with our unbeatable know-how, we reduce downtime for our customers!
What standards, certifications, or internal benchmarks guide your approach to ensuring consistent quality and performance?
J.N: It’s very simple, every employee is important, and the boss always has an open door and a listening ear. Everything is discussed, no matter how small the problem may be, so that a potential issue with the customer never arises! The identification with the company wwb-carwash is also very strong, and therefore the motivation to always give your best is high!
How do you collect and use customer feedback to continuously improve the reliability of your products and solutions?
J.N: Our more than 100 service and maintenance technicians, along with the very well-maintained relationship with our customers, leave nothing to be desired and flow directly into product marketing, prefabrication, and final assembly, whether through mechanics, hardware, or software!
Looking ahead, what do you see as the next big shift in how industrial companies will need to think about reliability to stay competitive?
J.N: Ultimately, it is the customer who decides how appealing the self-service car wash parks are. The washing quality and the positive washing experience lead to a healthy customer base and the desired competitiveness.
We are looking for new representatives/dealers in Europe due to our strong growth in the self-service car wash sector.
