FAN met Farid and his team from Wipehero at the 2017 Australasian Fleet Conference and Exhibition. These guys developed their products while at university and are fast becoming a major supplier of services to the fleet industry.
FAN: What, or who, is Wipehero?
Farid: Founded and based in Sydney, WipeHero brings the carwash to you, wherever you are, using our very own developed waterless technology – From private vehicles to fleets, it’s the new and convenient way to get your vehicle cleaned. With WipeHero, customers simply pin the location of their car, choose a wash package and a certified washing hero will be on their way to attend their vehicle at the time and location of your choosing. Our washers carry nothing more than a backpack to guarantee a sparkling clean and save up to 300L of precious water at the same time. We are the simple, economic solution to the carwash industry.
FAN: When did you start the business?
Farid: We created WipeHero in early 2016 in response to an industry that is poorly regulated, inconvenient and wasteful.
FAN: How does the waterless car wash products work?
Farid: Our proprietary waterless product contains unique polymer surfactants that break down dirt, lubricants for scratch-free dirt removal and wax that leaves your car shiny and protected. We have set our products apart from the rest of the market by spending over 2 years in Research and Development to formulate a biodegrable, non-toxic, phosphate and petrochemical free waterless solution that cleans, shines and protects all vehicles.
Our product also leaves a polymer blanket on the surface of your vehicle which protects against UV light and prolongs the cleanliness of your car, compared to traditional water based carwashes.
FAN: Do you sell the carwash for people to use at home?
Farid: We currently only offer the service, where anyone can book and have their vehicle cleaned by our team of washers who deliver right to their doorstep. Our direct product merchandising will also be rolling out soon.
FAN: You were at the 2017 Australasian Fleet Conference and Exhibition. Are fleets a market you are trying to reach?
Farid: Having worked with hundreds of fleets over the past year, I believe we have found a good product market fit for this market. Exhibiting at the 2017 Australasian Fleet Conference was a great opportunity to introduce our innovative solution and gather insights into the fleet industry
FAN: Are you currently providing cleaning services to some fleets?
Farid: For the past year, we have been providing service to various fleets that belong to the top car sharing companies in Australia, government and councils, rental companies, universities, transport and logistic companies, dealerships, community groups and other privately owned fleets.
Our large base of fleet customer use our service on a recurring basis, because it saves them time, money and resources. Whether you have 10 or 1000 vehicles, we help our clients control the chaos of cleaning their fleet.
FAN: Do you think it’s important for companies to keep their fleet vehicles clean?
Farid: For every business, vehicles are one of their most vital assets. This is not only for day to day use, but also for brand equity. Asset maintenance is a key focus for all fleets and cleanliness is certainly considered an essential component of vehicle maintenance. After all, the state of a vehicle could be a deciding factor when it comes to consumers selecting their preferred service.
With this in mind, we help fleet managers overcome the logistical nightmare of keeping their vehicles cleaned and maintained. We simply wash their vehicles right where they’re parked without any water or mess, minimise their asset downtime and conserve huge amounts of water in the cleaning process.
FAN: You also have other services that you can offer fleets, what are they?
Farid: WipeHero is more than just a carwash. We are striving to become the concierge of vehicle care and maintenance. We’ve begun to do so by carrying out vehicle inspections alongside car washing. Our washers record vital information on-site that is tracked on an online dashboard where fleet managers can view insights such as damage report, tyre conditions, odometer reading and much more from the touch of a button.
