car wash attendant

assistant manager

managing partner

team leader

general manager

Tidal Wave Auto Spa



Working at Tidal Wave Auto Spa in Kernersville for the past few years has definitely had its ups and downs. 

Main Positives 

The best thing about the job was without a doubt was my fellow crew members. This location is ran by very hard working management team and crew.

  I felt like I was working with family instead of just fellow employees.  The workers here alone are what kept me here for 2 and a half years and I will always be grateful for the friendships that I've made and will miss seeing them throughout the week greatly. My coworkers helped me get through the tough times which we all went through, and I hope I did the same for them in return. 

Some other pros of working here would have to be the ability to earn extra monetary incentives. On the express side you have the opportunity to make commissions off of monthly club plan memberships which can add up to a healthy bonus at the end of the month if you worked hard for it.  On Hand Finish side their is a shared customer tip pool that is split up among the workers at the end of the work week. These bonuses were definitely a incentive to work hard each day.

Lastly the one thing you have to appreciate is the customers that actually seem to enjoy the car wash. You can easily go through a day of customers treating you like don't exist and then get one that thanks you and says they appreciate what your doing and that makes it all worth it.


Main Negatives,

To begin, most people who have had no experience with corporate ran businesses would most likely say that corporate are seen as the "bad guy". While working for this company I can honestly say that corporate is exactly that stereotypical definition at least from my experience.

While working here I earned my Bachelors in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing so I would say I have at least a base knowledge of how a company should be ran. 

From the very beginning on opening day corporate had a almost non-existent relationship with their store locations with how the store should be ran. Our location literally had to figure out how to do things pretty much on our own.  Keep in mind this company isn't small  with over 50+ locations in 7 states. From that point on i have rarely ever heard of a time that corporate ever emailed or called out store to praise or encourage our store employees (if they did it was always few and far between). If corporate called, you were in trouble. This company literally has people who watch the store cameras for employees who are not working. Even if the the store is empty and the lot is empty and they see a phone out they will likely be contacting the store manager about you. I totally understand wanting your employees to be productive and stay busy but at points it got ridiculous the amount of times corporate would complain about employees "not doing what there supposed to be doing". Corporate also did not want any employees doing the same thing because that was seen as "pairing of employees". In my opinion rules should be enforced by the actual store management team instead of corporate constantly breathing down management neck and causing them to hate their job.  If that were the way this company was ran you would easily be able to tell which companies were actually been working hard and which ones aren't based on customers per day, enrollments per day and customer satisfaction reviews. 

The disconnect between corporate employees and store employees is insanely vast.  The rules and advice corporate gives rarely are ever reasonable. If you tell them that your doing everything that they are asking and it still isn't pleasing them they will likely just say your not trying hard enough. In my personal opinion, nobody should be promoted to a corporate level position unless they have actually experience in working at a store location because only then, will they know what is best for the stores and their employees. I could probably write a book on the Negatives about corporate but end here.

Advice to corporate management,

Focus on actually providing a quality product instead of only caring about membership enrollments. You will get more customers and more memberships if your product/service is quality. 
Focus on the successes of stores just as much as the downfalls. Constantly complaining to store management about things that literally aren't important do nothing to raise productivity rates and raise employee morale. Remember happy employees = more productive employee which is returns means more money in your pocket which we all know is your main concern.
Actually market your products......this was by far the most shocking thing to me while working here. Besides the initial first three month half of membership promotion, there were no other sales or promos until nearly 2 and and a half years later....Most successful company's have 5 to 10 promotions/discounts in that kind of time period. 

The weather is always a major con, as often you will be worked like machines in 90+ degree weather and during the winter sub zero temperatures. Water is definitely your best friend on the job. Enjoy every second that you don't have a car because those are few and far between (Make sure you don't ever sit down even if your about to pass out because corporate will be watching).

Lastly, the customers.  Customers here can be both the best and worst thing about this job. However 90 percent of the customers that willingly talk to you are usually complaining about something. In two and a half years working here i have easily been cussed out by customers who pay us every month (and continue to pay) atleast 30 + times.  You would think people would have some self control to refrain from cussing out a car wash worker when their wash didn't get every bug off their car. That also leads me into customers who act like an automated wash will completely detail their exterior (it aint happening). If you can ignore the mass majority of customers who openly despise you and appreciate the one or two customers who are nice then you'll be just fine.

In conclusion,

Well if you got to the end of this lengthy review I hope I can encourage you to give this place a chance despite my negatives section.

Overall the management and the store level at least at this location was exceptional. They genuinely do appreciate their employees and make you feel like family. They alone make the job worth it. Work hard and try to enjoy the little things.








It’s clear every person on the corporate team has no idea what they’re doing. Here’s the thing, they sell you this amazing position as this great “owner operator” role, where you get profit sharing and “great earning opportunities”. Site Leaders get a base salary and that’s it. No raises. Ever. So if you want to make more money, great! Using the profit sharing deal you can raise your income with your own hard work, by increasing your site’s revenue. Except the numbers never seem to add up. Several of my site’s highest earning months (with great labor and cost of goods) gave me my lowest checks. How does that make sense? The amount that is taken out for the corporate team is often fluctuating in odd ways and seems to be the reason my highest earning months give me the lowest paychecks. Other site leaders have echoed similar experiences of this as well. 

Seriously, this place will work you to the ground. The benefits are not affordable compared to the salary. You only get ONE Saturday and Sunday a month. You have to work 47 hours minimum, and your assistants 45. That’s not including the times you have to show up when your staff calls in. If you don’t reach the hour minimum, they take it out of your PTO. It’s difficult to keep a staff happy when they have to stand in often harsh-weather. Whenever they want to take a moment from the heat/cold in the office, they get points removed from their camera score. And yes, the corporate team does pay several people to watch every site’s cameras 24/7. Even the Site leads. We all get watched so our performance can be constantly tracked and reviewed for us. Just so they can take even more out of our “bonuses” each month. And don’t even get me started on the corporate employee who is in charge of reminding of us when our sites ratio is not “ideal”. They expect you to sell a membership for every 1 in 12 cars, and if you aren’t doing that, you get personal text updates from them to remind you. 

Our regional consultants are absolutely useless. Most of the time they won’t answer the phone. The consultant for my area in particular is incredibly condescending for a guy who has to ask site leads how to do things and can never seem to pick up the phone. Your best bet in getting help if you’re in a pinch or can’t reach your consultant (very often), is to ask another site lead in Georgia. 

Tidal Wave, if you ever see this, know that your business practices are asinine and outdated. If you want dedicated employees who are actually passionate about their work, you need to build your employees up. Micromanaging every employee does not make them want to work harder or be more successful. No one is going to make long-lasting improvements when they’re constantly being reminded of their ratios, reports and so many redundant requests. The secret sauce to having a great business, with loyal employees and customers, is to encourage their successes. 9.9 times out of 10, you do the exact opposite, focusing on every negative possible. You will never find the passionate employees you desire when they all feel neglected, underpaid and overworked. All of us do. Quantity does not equal quality. Try having one conversation with someone below you that doesn’t involve how they can make you more money. And if you expect team members (even minors) to work for hours in the blazing sun, try it your self. See how it feels to do the same un-challenging task over and over again for a corporate team who shows zero appreciation. And lastly the hour requirements are ridiculous. There is home life with a job like this. You enjoy your weekends and easy work days so we can do the heavy lifting. The least you could do is pay people adequately. Leaving your company was the best thing I did for myself.

A typical day at work is generally manageable, and the role has provided valuable experience in staff supervision, daily operations, and site maintenance. I have learned a great deal about managing a team, maintaining standards, and handling responsibilities beyond basic task completion.

That said, the overall management structure leaves room for improvement, particularly for those below the site lead level. Leadership roles carry a significant amount of responsibility, but the compensation and overall value proposition do not appear to reflect the expectations placed on those positions.

The workplace can also be chaotic at times, largely due to frequent turnover and a workforce made up heavily of newer employees who may still be developing basic workplace habits and motivation. This often places additional pressure on leadership staff to maintain productivity, quality, and consistency.

The most challenging part of the job is not the work itself, but the lack of meaningful incentive for taking on leadership responsibilities. While the job can be enjoyable at times and does offer useful experience, the drawbacks outweigh the positives enough that it is difficult to view it as a strong long-term environment without improvements to pay, support, and advancement structure.



Some of the customers you meet are great and friendly. Of course you get some bad apples. The tips are great when you are prepping or loafing a car and if your a salesman, commission is alright.

The major cons is that the pay is low compared to other places which means you have to sell commission to make a decent amount of money. Depending on how long the location has been established, there may be not as much of a chance to make commission.

I was a part time worker there aren't much hours you could work and due to the low pay you might not be able to make much starting out. Additionally, they will make you leave early if business gets slow (they always expect it to be busy.) So, if you are a high school or college student, this job may not be that good for you unless you can make sales.

Raises are based on a camera score where the main office looks at a couple minute clips of you. Corporate has very high standards and will even deduct points for things like not having your hands high enough when loading a car in or not smiling to every person.

The benefits are not terrible but not great as well. You get your paid time off and are compensated for any unused pto. The other major benefit is that you get a employee discount on the top wash membership, and that really about it for benefits.

Overall, this is not a great job for someone who is going to work part time as the pay is not that great compared to other businesses, and you could most likely get sent home early if business is slow. Also, you mostly have to rely on membership commission and raises are not easy to get.

At Tidal Wave a Typical workday is pretty laid-back, but consistent would be the way that I would describe it. You’re basically in one position, but you’re always doing something To keep you occupied whether you’re at the front gate, greeting customers and selling memberships or at the loading station where you set cars up to go into the tunnel it keeps your day pretty occupied I believe at Tidal Wave I learned to become more patient with the customer as someone coming from the fast food industry, I’m just so used to moving very quickly although the quickness still applies to this job, it helped me understand that not everybody has some of the capacities that yourself can have. For example, an older senior customer that comes through the tunnel may have hard times getting in and loaded into it in situation. The culture at Tidal Wave overall. Is like clan culture. If you know what that is it’s basically just a very overall family style mindset where we all believe we are equal, although we are all have different titles. We all believe we should respect and listen to each other’s opinions. I would say that the hardest part of the job would definitely be sometimes rude customers, but that’s with any job. Finally the most enjoyable part of my job I would definitely say is being able to have a consistent customer base where you almost start building a relationship with them as if you knew them personally as well as with your coworkers.

What is the best part of working at the company?
There is no best part. Always working short handed just so the Site Leaders can line their pockets. Cut labor, get bonuses. Site Leader lies to customers to get them to sign up for memberships. This company makes money on hoping you forget you have a membership and money us being withdrawn from your bank account,  regardless if your using it or not. Company makes it difficult to discontinue customers membership. Site Leaders don't do anything. They are a waste of $80-120,000 a year. Late nights, cold days, hot days, skin irritation from chemicals, shoveling waste/bacteria filled mud (should be classified waste) out of the trench and throwing it in the trash. Everyone is calling out all of the time, making it harder when it's already understaffed. Ever brushed 250+ cars front and back by yourself? Get ready to! They pay sucks too.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Being short staffed, all the time. Even when everyone shows up that is scheduled, it's still understaffed. So imagine someone calling out when you're already shorthanded... that happens several times a week.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Stressed. There is no culture. No one wants to be there. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
You go into work wondering who is will be calling out today. Sometimes you don't get a lunch because we are short staffed. The Site Leader doesn't lift a finger, stays at XPT (entrance) and lies to customers to purchase memberships.

If you notice, most the reviews are from upper management and were all published on the same date. 
Honest review: Tidal Wave is fun but very stressful.

IF YOU PLAN TO WORK UPPER MANAGEMENT: You’ll get compensated *very* well, but you will have to work for it. The expectations are extremely high and that’s why they are successful and growing. They micromanage. Corporate means well and they are fantastic people, but there is a disconnect from corporate and the stores. Expect lots of pressure. You will have no work life balance. Expect to do tunnel maintenance. There is DEFINITELY potential to grow in the company. 
Expect Tidal Wave to become your life. And like all corporate cultures, they're a little brainwashed.

IF YOU PLAN TO WORK AS AN ATTENDANT:
Corporate is watching all of the sites cameras and will text the manager if you have your pants tucked in your boots or don't have your shirt tucked in. You will be doing occasional landscaping. You will be watched and graded and it will affect your potential raise. I do believe presentation and good work ethic deserves a raise but the micromanaging at this level was unnecessary. Depending on your staff and location, it can be the best or the worst job you’ve had. It also depends on if you thrive in a high-expectation environment. 

All in all, it’s really 50/50 if you will like working for Tidal Wave or if you value money over life quality. 

I worked three days for Tidal Wave Auto Spa, and determined it isn't what I thought it was. Overall, the compensation was relatively decent, but that was only because I was scheduled to work 65.5 hours my first week.The job was relatively easy, but it is extremely physically demanding, especially after working 12 hours doing repetitive motions with the brushes.

The bad heavily outweighs the good, however. After training for three days, I knew this is not what I wanted to do. You're encouraged to sell "unlimited club plans" to customers who don't necessarily want them. The management is overly critical on all aspects, seemingly losing patience with their new employees, Management openly was declaring favorites, already talking about "stars" from day one. They seemingly don't care about efficiency, just on "job rotation" between the various tasks. I'd rather do the same thing for 12 hours a day, than be focused on job rotation

What is the best part of working at the company?
As a site manager the pay and meeting new people. They will send you to school for maintenance so you can fix everything 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Trying to keep people hired as pay for attendants is not a lot. Also being on call 24/7 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Fast pace and always open no matter the weather. They say you are family but they are quick to throw you under the bus and let you go over hear say. They have people who sit in an office and all they do is monitor the cameras at your site. Up sell up sell and get club plans at any cost!

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
On site at 6:45am and leave by 4:30pm Tuesday-Thursday and 6:45am till 5pm Friday-Saturday. Off Sunday and Monday but on call. Mandated to work 10 hr shifts and if you don’t they will use 2 hrs of pto to cover each hour you did not reach 47hrs for the week.  You greet customers, sell plans, prep vehicles, guide vehicles onto conveyor then send it and finish the prep as the vehicle is moving. Make sure cleaner bottles are full and clean towels are out for customers, sweep the lot, clean vacuum lines, make sure chemicals are full, make sure each employee gets a break even if you don’t get one all day.

Clock in, get told nothing has been done except for washing cars. Have to resupply an entire days worth of towels and window cleaner, unclog vacuums and clean the entire site (includes but not limited to; washing and folding at least 200 towels, refilling 2 dozen bottles, empty and return all trashcans, cleaning the inside of the wash itself using large hand held brushes on the windows, walls and signs, and pressure washing all of the dirt/soap out) this all must be done while staying at our “mandatory positions” (the pay kiosk and the wash office itself) plus done and ready to walk out by the end of the night at 8, 8:30. I would have to leave school after 8 hours and come to work 3 peoples jobs and on top of that have no mid somedays. Having only you and one other person on the entire site running it because “we do not create enough volume of cars to require a third person” when I could barely take a bathroom break unless we were closed. Sale pitches and selling membership plans to unknowing people that are not told about the recharging fee leaving some of them broke and very unhappy with us was the only thing management cared about.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Car wash attendant 40 salaries reported	$12.04 per hour
Assistant manager 3 salaries reported	$41,850 per year
Managing partner 2 salaries reported	$100,000 per year
Team leader 5 salaries reported	$13.20 per hour
General manager 248 salaries reported	$87,712 per year

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