Santa Fe Car Wash

My recent experience at this car wash was largely defined by the management's handling of both the service and customer interaction. I brought in our family van for a deep clean, understanding that it was not in an ideally clean condition due to having three young children. Upon arrival, the staff member who checked me in commented on the state of the vehicle in a way that made me feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. I was informed that there would be a $100 surcharge on top of the $250 cleaning fee due to the condition of the van. While I agreed to the fee, the manner in which it was communicated was unprofessional and left me feeling judged. I was quoted a turnaround time of two to three hours. However, after three hours, I was informed that it would take an additional hour. I explained that I only had one hour available due to work commitments and school pick-ups. Despite this, the service ran around an hour and fifteen minutes past the initial estimate. Due to time constraints, aI was unable to fully review the work before leaving. Upon returning home, I noticed several areas were not cleaned. I returned the the next day to request a partial refund of the surcharge, considering the incomplete cleaning. After some back-and-forth with the manager on duty, he agreed to refund a portion of the surcharge in cash. However, what followed was deeply uncomfortable. The manager called over the employee who had cleaned my car and asked me to directly tell him that the vehicle was not cleaned to my satisfaction. I made it clear that this was not the employee's fault but rather a failure in management's time allocation and oversight. The situation escalated when the manager instructed the employee not to leave, which further heightened the tension and discomfort. I reiterated that the issue was with management, not the individual employee, and that he should not face consequences for poor managerial decisions. While the cleaning staff was courteous, professional, and accommodating, the overall management approach was disappointing. The lack of respect for the customer's time, the unprofessional handling of feedback, and the discomfort caused by involving the employee in a managerial issue reflect poorly on the business. I would recommend improvements in communication, time management, and customer service practices to enhance the overall experience

3/23/2025