Founded in 2017, My Washbay is a local tech startup that is focused on digitising and reinventing the car wash industry by providing a tech-based service for car wash owners, adding value for its customers. 

My Washbay aims to digitise the car wash industry

In an interview with Ventureburn, Prinesh Pillay, founder of My Washbay explains that the startup aims to shake up the car wash industry with technological advancements and tools to enhance the customer experience. 

“A large number of car washes are still utilising legacy or manual systems of dealing with their operation, inclusive of reports and customer experience.”

With an app currently in the development stages, My Washbay is currently web-based and offers a unique service for both car wash owners and customers. 

The service is currently available in Johannesburg but My Washbay plans to expand its offering nationally and globally. 

Benefits for users

As a web-based app, the startup offers the following benefits for customers; 

• Cashless payment for car wash services via a secured paygate, reducing contact and supporting social distancing measures during the pandemic
• Use of vouchers to pay for car wash services 
• Purchase of car wash service bundles at reduced costs 
• Information and access to car events, test drives, and more
• Online notification when the car wash service is complete.

Customers are able to scan a present QR code at the car wash facility to check in their vehicle and payments are made via the app with Zapper digital payment service integrated. 

Car wash businesses

Local car wash businesses are able to effectively benefit from the My Washbay services as it offers a comprehensive range of services to transform the traditional methods employed. 

Here is a list of benefits for car wash businesses: 

• Use of an online dashboard for payments, reducing the possibility of theft as each transaction is recorded 
• The platform allows for traffic monitoring 
• Implement and offer customers discounts
• Presence on the app, reaching more customers online 

A monthly fee is applicable for car wash companies to utilise the service. 

Social impact

As a self-funded startup, My Washbay supports autistic individuals secure a form of employment at a car wash through My Washbay’s client network. 

A statement on the My Washbay provides further insight into their aims of supporting the disabled. 

“Working is really important to the human experience. It is with this in mind that we will aim to deploy people with Autism (not limited to) into our car wash network and a chance to feel empowered through work. Employment rates for the disabled in South Africa have dropped to below 1% and we aim to change this one person at a time.”

The startup liases with its existing car wash network to identify roles suitable for candidates to apply. This system provides employment opportunities for disabled individuals allowing them to improve their quality of life and enter the job market.