These days, most consumers are used to subscription services from big-name companies like Netflix, Amazon and Hello Fresh, to name a few. These companies have introduced users to monthly subscription models that allow them to access almost everything from movies to consumer products and even groceries.
Next on the list of lucrative subscription models is car wash subscription services, according to NYC-based Rinsed, a customer relationship management (CRM) software startup.
On Monday, Rinsed pulled in $12 million in a Series A funding round from Bedrock Capital and Founders Fund. The raise comes after a successful 2021, in which Rinsed’s customer base grew 4x, according to the company.
Through its CRM software, Rinsed partners with car washes to help grow their subscription service revenue by offering automated communications features through email and text messages along with mobile-friendly payment services.
“As I met with car wash owners, I found they were universally struggling to provide the same seamless experience that they deliver at the wash in all the other touchpoints they have with their customers — from online sign-ups to membership management to ongoing member communication,” Austin Esecson, CEO and co-founder of Rinsed, told Built In via email. “[My co-founders and I] felt that there was an opportunity to build a CRM from the ground up to meet the specific needs of this industry and help car washes of all sizes delight their customers and maximize their subscription revenue.”
According to the company, Rinsed currently partners with over 300 car washes, managing over one million subscribers for companies like Crew Carwash, Metro Express, Mammoth Holdings, Whitewater and El Car Wash.
“The Rinsed team combines deep car wash expertise with experience building scalable technology products. The result is a purpose-built platform for the industry, empowering operators everywhere to build loyal relationships with customers and grow revenue,” Eric Stromberg, co-founder and managing partner at Bedrock Capital, said in a statement. “We first invested in 2020 shortly after the company was started. Given the speed of execution and rapid growth since, we are thrilled to double down and lead the Series A.”
Rinsed will be using its fresh funding to hire, with a particular focus on growing its engineering and customer service teams. Additional funding will go toward developing a downtown NYC office later this spring.
