Dubai in the United Arab Emerits is ripe for a mobile car wash business, as the current car wash businesses there are quite lacking. With the economic development and shopping malls a well-marketed mobile car wash company could run 30-50 units of various size and dominate the market. Few are aware of the potential in that Middle Eastern region. For the international Entrepreneur they may find greener pastures in Bombay or Shanghai, yet Dubai should also be on their international target market list?
Some do realize the potential there, but others have asked; “Have you been to Beijing lately?” It is strange that all these new entrepreneurs there have not seen the potential, but a few have. As a matter of fact our company had several contacts this week, yet we have no advertising what so ever in that market for UAE partners or licenses with any of our companies. We run the Car Wash Guys Company. http://www.carwashguys.com . If we did go into the market there, we would believe that a combination of a prototype unit be used which was a trailer-based unit, which could easily be duplicated in country.
If a US based company of a mobile car wash were to help someone in the UAE, specifically in Dubai, here are our thoughts on International Type licensing that should be used, although someone would have to design something totally different for that market as it is like no other in the Arab World. http://www.carwashguys.com/iagree.html. These are older documents, but can certainly give an international entrepreneur ideas for both entire country licensing or for single units. For the UAE; an entrepreneur would wish to consider and should be interested in only one business partner license for the whole country due to the UAE rules for franchising and licensing with international companies and partnership clauses in their laws. One would need to be sure that the partner was a legal citizen of the UAE, as only citizens may partner with external companies, this is the way we interpret their laws?
Consultants who have been studying such things do believe that as the word grew that units would need to be placed at all malls and mobile units for all the office buildings, hotels and higher end residential customers. But really few business folks are looking at that market now and few are probably interested in the possibilities for a mobile car wash there. Anyone looking into that market due to the obvious demand needs to ask themselves; “Does the UAE allow work trailers behind automobile?” Additionally one needs to ask; “What percentage will the malls want, as every thing is payola as you go there?” Also the environmental aspects and water conservation parts of the mobile car wash business model are of concern and that needs to be worked out?
Picking a work truck is important; perhaps a diesel one-ton Ford. Toyota Pick-ups available, for less expensive units for rapid expansion? The entrepreneur must also ask themselves; “Do I have the finances to do it without worrying about expanding out of cash flow year one?” They will need some industry knowledge as well, perhaps finding some online. If not they will need a partner who is a UAE actual citizen and a person who can be trusted, as this is a difficult problem in the Arab world.
Many international entrepreneurs have had significant problems collecting monies owed to them in that region of the globe, it generally is not worth moving forward with out guarantees and upfront payment; contracts are worthless if business partners cannot be trusted, nor should a reputable entrepreneur want their name on anything which is run by inefficient crews or unethical practitioners. These are definitely issues to consider for those looking at the mobile car wash market in Dubai, UAE. Think about it.
