nt groups. Both of them were equipment manufacturers. The question in this survey is how many locations does the average car wash owner own?

One survey said that 61% owned only one car wash and the other survey said that 64% owned only one car wash. When it came to three or more locations one survey said 5

As a self-proclaimed industry analyst spanning many sub-sectors of our economy I always find it fascinating to study Industry Surveys although I never seem to quite trust the data. Why you ask? Because it always seems that I will read one research paper or survey, which says one thing and another, which says something different.

Occasionally, I will find that all the surveys say the same thing and at that point generally one would assume that such particular data is indeed correct right? Not necessarily and let me tell you why. Well if the data is a little bit different at least you know whoever was doing a survey or research actually did collect data sets. But when all the surveys say exactly the same thing you have to wonder if they have been copying each other.

Scientific research and data being plagiarized? Well, when it comes to industry surveys yes I see a lot of that actually. Even worse when all of the data seems to point to a particular exactness from all the different researchers and surveys one has to ask why? That is when I really get suspicious especially when I consider that the data looks incorrect.

Let me take a case study that I recently found in the car wash industry. To exact studies done by two different groups. Both of them were equipment manufacturers. The question in this survey is how many locations does the average car wash owner own?

One survey said that 61% owned only one car wash and the other survey said that 64% owned only one car wash. When it came to three or more locations one survey said 5

ing different.

Occasionally, I will find that all the surveys say the same thing and at that point generally one would assume that such particular data is indeed correct right? Not necessarily and let me tell you why. Well if the data is a little bit different at least you know whoever was doing a survey or research actually did collect data sets. But when all the surveys say exactly the same thing you have to wonder if they have been copying each other.

Scientific research and data being plagiarized? Well, when it comes to industry surveys yes I see a lot of that actually. Even worse when all of the data seems to point to a particular exactness from all the different researchers and surveys one has to ask why? That is when I really get suspicious especially when I consider that the data looks incorrect.

Let me take a case study that I recently found in the car wash industry. To exact studies done by two different groups. Both of them were equipment manufacturers. The question in this survey is how many locations does the average car wash owner own?

One survey said that 61% owned only one car wash and the other survey said that 64% owned only one car wash. When it came to three or more locations one survey said 5

esearch actually did collect data sets. But when all the surveys say exactly the same thing you have to wonder if they have been copying each other.

Scientific research and data being plagiarized? Well, when it comes to industry surveys yes I see a lot of that actually. Even worse when all of the data seems to point to a particular exactness from all the different researchers and surveys one has to ask why? That is when I really get suspicious especially when I consider that the data looks incorrect.

Let me take a case study that I recently found in the car wash industry. To exact studies done by two different groups. Both of them were equipment manufacturers. The question in this survey is how many locations does the average car wash owner own?

One survey said that 61% owned only one car wash and the other survey said that 64% owned only one car wash. When it came to three or more locations one survey said 5

s to point to a particular exactness from all the different researchers and surveys one has to ask why? That is when I really get suspicious especially when I consider that the data looks incorrect.

Let me take a case study that I recently found in the car wash industry. To exact studies done by two different groups. Both of them were equipment manufacturers. The question in this survey is how many locations does the average car wash owner own?

One survey said that 61% owned only one car wash and the other survey said that 64% owned only one car wash. When it came to three or more locations one survey said 5

nt groups. Both of them were equipment manufacturers. The question in this survey is how many locations does the average car wash owner own?

One survey said that 61% owned only one car wash and the other survey said that 64% owned only one car wash. When it came to three or more locations one survey said 5% and the other was 6%. Now then someone has to ask the question why is there discrepancy and who is right and who is wrong? Well, another survey said that the percentages were 68% and 4%. And perhaps no one is right, they are all wrong?

Now then someone could say this is within the margin of error. But there should not be any margin of error because there are 49,000 car washes in the United States of America and there is an exact number that can be known, but apparently no one wants to dig deep enough to find out what it is. Instead these companies and researchers are using limited data sets and getting skewed results.

As an industry analyst of the car wash industry among other industries how can I trust any of the data out there? The fact is you can't and if you think you can then you'll most likely make a mistake. Now then with that said the answer that can be known without doing your own survey would be that there is a margin of which is 10 to 15% (quite high) and that is the best you can know even when you talk to all the experts. I just want you to consider all this in 2006.