Content about Self-service laundry

SALISBURY, Md. — By successfully serving small commercial accounts from one of his two coin-operated laundries, Mitch Wyatt nurtured a reputation that today has him handling the laundry needs of major hospitality, healthcare and food and beverage clients. Recently, to meet increasing production needs, Wyatt moved his commercial business into a newly constructed industrial laundry facility here.

The Quality Linen Services building turns out 1,700 laundry pounds per hour, using minimal labor, water and energy — giving Wyatt the opportunity to draw new clients and boost profits.

DEVELOPING COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS FROM COIN LAUNDRY

“I serviced five hotels, two assisted-living facilities, one university, and two restaurants out of one washer at my coin laundry,” says Wyatt. “We used a 55-pound-capacity Continental E-Series Washer that would maintain a temperature of 140 degrees and stay at that temp. I was getting stuff so clean, my clients were amazed.”

Once cleaned, tablecloths, linens and napkins were pressed and finished using a Continental Flatwork Ironer. Wyatt’s staff then folded, stacked and delivered the items to clients.

PRODUCTION NEEDS SURGE

All went smoothly until Wyatt secured a five-year contract with a local hospital. “I knew I needed significant industrial equipment to fulfill growing production requirements,” he says.

So, he sought help from Operations Manager Doug Colonna, who holds 15 years of industrial laundry experience; Deke Sheller of Fowler Equipment, a laundry equipment distributor in Baltimore; and Joel Jorgensen, vice president of laundry equipment manufacturer Continental Girbau.

The 10,000-square-foot industrial facility required careful planning, a partnership of experts, and a mix of highly efficient industrial laundry equipment engineered for bolstered productivity, according to Wyatt.

DEVELOPING AN INDUSTRIAL LAUNDRY FROM SCRATCH

“We worked with the engineer constructing Quality Linen’s building and all elements of laundry design, construction and utilities,” says Jorgensen of the project. “We went on to define specific laundry production needs, the equipment mix, and solidified financing over an eight-month period.”

In the end, the new building featured a Girbau Industrial Continuous Batch Washing system capable of processing 13,600 pounds in an eight-hour shift.

The facility’s powerhouse is its seven-module Girbau Industrial TBS-50 Eco-Tunnel with four-stage water reclamation, water filtration and drain-water heat recovery. Complementing equipment includes a Girbau Industrial ICP3 Incline Loading Conveyor, SPR-50 Press, Dual-cake Delivery Shuttle, three ST-100 Dryers, a PSN 80 single-roll gas thermal ironer, FT-LITE Folder, AP LITE Stacker and an FT-MAXI triple-sort dry goods folder.

Two Continental Girbau CG-120 Dryers, and two Continental E-Series washer-extractors (55 pounds and 90 pounds, respectively) round out the lineup.

CONTINUOUS BATCH WASHING

The system not only boosts laundry productivity to 95,200 pounds per week using a single shift, according to Wyatt, it takes just one employee to operate and manage, is stingy on water, and produces high-quality results.

Key to Wyatt’s equipment decision was his need to properly manage and process laundry for a variety of accounts. “Unlike most of our competitors, we provide rental service, as well as service for clients with customer-owned goods,” he says. “We required equipment programmable by customer, so items would be properly cleaned according to each client’s unique needs.”

Check back Thursday for the conclusion!

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — The Coin Laundry Association (CLA) has unveiled its final schedule of events—including educational sessions, networking opportunities and social receptions—for June’s Clean Show in New Orleans.

“The Clean Show is the best opportunity for professionals in the laundry industry to grow their business in 2013 and beyond,” explains Brain Wallace, CLA president/CEO. “The educational programming alone is more than worth the price of admission, but coupled with tremendous networking opportunities and incredible equipment exhibits – you simply cannot miss Clean 2013.”

EDUCATION

As one of the Clean Show sponsors, CLA will provide more than 10 hours of education geared toward making laundry owners more successful, and will cover an array of topics pertaining to the coin laundry industry, including:

• Coin Laundry Trends for 2013
• Internet Marketing Success Stories for Coin Laundries
• Social Media: Which Tools Should Laundry Owners Embrace?
• Best Practices for Wash Dry Fold and Commercial Accounts
• Advanced Laundry Lease Analysis
• The ABCs for Potential Laundry Owners
• The Keys to Successful Multiple Store Management

NETWORKING/SOCIAL EVENT

To make sure the Clean Show is not all work and no play, CLA plans to host a hospitality reception on Thursday, June 20, and a CLA Mardi Gras Party the following evening. This year’s members-only party will feature Big Band entertainment, an open bar with Mardi Gras-themed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, strolling entertainers and revelers, a Tarot card reader, caricature artist, and more.

Member pricing for this event is $65 per person. Visit the CLA website to learn more and to purchase tickets.

CLA’s Clean Show programming would not be possible without support from the following “signature sponsors”: American Dryer Corp., Alliance Laundry Systems, Continental Girbau, Dexter Laundry, Eastern Funding, EasyPay, ESD, Laundrylux, Maytag Commercial Laundry, and Setomatic Systems.

“We greatly appreciate the many distributors and manufacturers who continue to support the CLA’s mission of providing superior education and networking opportunities to today’s self-service laundry owners,” says Wallace.

To learn more about the Clean Show, which is expected to draw 10,000 trade attendees from all segments of the laundry and dry cleaning industry, visit the show’s website.

WILLISTON, N.D. — A four-hour drive northwest from Bismarck, N.D., will lead motorists to the city of Williston, where a modern-day gold rush has incited oil miners to flock to the area to mine for natural gas trapped beneath the state’s water table in the Williston Basin.

Oil is mined through a process known as hydraulic fracturing—or fracking—which involves drilling a mixture of water, sand and additives into a reservoir, ultimately creating a passageway for miners to procure the previously trapped natural gas, says energy services company Halliburton.

Oil production and takeaway capacity in the Williston area has steadily increased over the years, with the U.S. Energy Information Administration reporting last April that 600,000 barrels of crude oil were being produced per day.

While the oil business has brought a financial boom to the Williston area, a new necessity has emerged, roused by the influx of workers and their families: “greaser” laundry facilities.

“You have people all over living in man camps [or] living in RV parks that don’t have laundry [facilities],” says Terry Anderson, a coin laundry equipment salesman for The Minnesota Chemical Co., a distributor headquartered in St. Paul, Minn.

In the past year, Anderson has had a hand in answering the area’s laundry needs by designing and building two laundries: one in neighboring Watford City (population 1,759) and the other in Tioga (population 1,230), each about an hour’s drive from Williston.

CLEAN JEAN’S EXPRESS LAUNDRY

Owner Charles Barton consulted with Anderson to build his facility, Clean Jean’s Express Laundry, in Tioga. His family has been in the area since the late 1930s. In addition to owning Clean Jean’s, he has also set up an RV park to cater to workers from the oil fields.

“I have 31 spaces since putting that in three years ago,” says Barton, who’s seen about a half-dozen more parks built within a three-mile radius and believes more are on the way.

Clean Jean’s, which opened in August 2012, is an attended coin laundry located three blocks up Tioga’s Main Street, and sits at the far end of Barton’s RV park. A portion of the facility, encompassing 1,760 square feet, was originally a Quonset hut built in 1956 for a cement plant. Barton’s family took ownership of the building in 1976, and in the construction process ended up adding another 480 square feet at the front of the facility.

His store offers Speed Queen industrial equipment, including 15 front-load washers with capacities of 20, 30, 40 and 60 pounds, as well as 28 dryers with capacities of 30, 45 and 55 pounds.

Like many coin laundry stores, Barton’s has taken advantage of the added service of wash/dry/fold.

“We started off primarily with self-serve and then there [was] a need for [wash/dry/fold],” says Barton, who began offering wash/dry/fold service in October. “We started off with 10 customers the first month, and we’re well past 200 customers now.”

But what sets his facility apart from others, he believes, is the fact that he accepts greaser laundry—garments that oil workers wear in the oil fields—which he explains is “just about impossible to get cleaned.”

“You can’t just throw it in the washer and go through the same motions that one does for non-greaser clothes,” he says.

Barton’s facility sees mostly uniforms and coveralls that have “heavy oil on them,” he adds.

SUDS LAUNDRY

Robert Trupe processes similar greaser garments at his store in Watford City.

“You’ll get anything from gloves to their jeans or shirts [or] coveralls,” Trupe says. “Other companies that do have uniforms [will] bring in their uniforms. It’s really any of the exterior clothes that these guys are getting muddy.”

Trupe also consulted with Anderson in building Suds Laundry, a 3,600-square-foot Laundromat he opened last September on Watford City’s Main Street. His store, which employs six attendants and a full-time manager, also offers added services such as shower stalls, mailboxes and a Wi-Fi lounge area, in addition to wash/dry/fold.

“We took the approach that we needed to be more than a Laundromat,” says Trupe. “We see it as kind of taking the pain away from laundry, because it’s a little more [of a] relaxing atmosphere.”

Like Barton, Trupe invested in Speed Queen equipment—washer-extractors ranging in capacity from 20 to 80 pounds, and dryers up to 75 pounds in capacity.

Check back Thursday to learn how these two stores tailor operations to serve these special needs!

RALEIGH, N.C. — The yellows, blues, greens and shades of red at Calvary Laundromat in Raleigh are decorator-designed to create an inviting atmosphere, says owner David Makepeace.

“It’s very vibrant,” says Makepeace, and makes customers feel more energetic. “It’s not depressing beige or white walls.”

But the intangible atmosphere, the one that customers find welcoming, is created by his staff, he says. Or, as one teen folding clothes with her mother put it recently, her family comes because “We know people here.”

“The people here” are full-time attendant Lizeth Brito and three members of a family that share work hours: mother Valentina Hernandez and daughters Oneyda Blanchard and Mirian Martinez. All are bilingual and can converse with Hispanic customers who make up a large part of the customer base.

“Valentina and I have worked together forever,” says Makepeace, 47. They are both veterans of the large, multi-site Medlin-Davis Cleaners operation in Raleigh, and he turned to her when he started Calvary four years ago.

Did she know of anyone who could help him? he recalls asking. “She said, ‘Yes, me.’”

Makepeace says he’s “extremely” happy with sales at the 3,000-square-foot laundry, located in a small shopping center in the midst of large apartment complexes. “The success of it depends on the people you hire,” he says. “I have wonderful attendants.”

He names several other contributing factors, including the technological sophistication of its 30 front loaders and 28 dryers. (They include one 80-pound washer, charging $7.75; three 60-pound, $6; six 40-pound, $4; five 30-pound, $3.75, and 15 20-pound, $2.50. Every dryer—two 75-pound models, 24 45-pound, and two 35-pound—runs six minutes for 25 cents.)

They all accept Presidential dollar coins, which Makepeace says are so popular among customers as a novelty that they keep them instead of using them. “I have to replace them all the time.”

The advantage of dollar coins, he says, is the flexibility they provide customers using the coin changer. Without it, anybody putting a large bill in the changer “would have to use two hands” to hold the resulting quarters, he says. “It’s much more manageable.”

Charlotte’s T & L Equipment Sales, which provided the equipment, programmed all the washers so that the seventh wash is free. That’s been a big hit and a factor in keeping customers coming back, Makepeace says. “The first thing they do is go look at all the machines and see if any of them are free.”

Another plus is the bright color scheme, he says. A decorator friend of Lee Makepeace, David’s wife and business partner, chose the overall design. “We started with the floor (multi-colored tile) and worked our way up the (yellow) walls,” David Makepeace says.

Lee and her dad, Riley Pleasant of Raleigh, painted squares within squares in contrasting colors to break up the long expanse. Even a neighbor contributed to the décor, bringing forth a large piece of art. Purchased at a yard sale for $15, it echoes the colors in the laundry and hangs over the entrance desk.

In the front of the store, a kids’ corner offers lots of windows, a wall-mounted TV showing cartoons, and walls that, for a few feet up, are actually blackboards. Children are encouraged to dig into a bucket of chalk and draw on them.

Makepeace noticed similar blackboard walls for children in a jewelry store and thought it was a clever idea.

“Parents are focused on sorting the clothes and getting them in the washers. If we can distract the kids for at least 15 minutes, the parents will appreciate that,” he thought.

For the adults, there are two large-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi.

Believing firmly that hands-on ownership makes for success, he visits the store three times a week, as well as other times when he’s called upon to repair equipment.

When he and his wife were planning the store, he personally canvassed the apartment communities near the site, which is on a connector road between two major traffic arteries. He discovered that most residents are Hispanic families.

He returned to personally put flyers for the new laundry under windshields at the apartments. He also mailed 1,500.

Check back Thursday for the conclusion!

ADDISON, Ill. — Super-size it. Would you like peppers? Would you like to add cheese?

This is a common concept adopted by restaurants nationwide. Although the phrasing may differ, “upselling” is a familiar concept to American consumers. Most restaurants offer a good product without the extras, but eateries and other businesses have found that consumers like being given the option to make their own choices about the type of product or service they want. This in no way means the original product or service is inadequate without the add-ons.

What does this mean for our industry? Let’s take a look.

Although there have been many Laundromat innovations in recent years, the two most valuable, in my opinion, were:

1. The ability to offer additional service options on vended washers and dryers.
2. The ability to offer an alternative payment method such as card systems and its effect on the industry.

I would like to focus on these and explain how they tie together.

UPSELLING IN THE LAUNDROMAT

Several years ago, washer manufacturers introduced the ability to offer additional services to customers for additional vend price. Long before that, they offered the ability to sell hot and cold washes for a different cost. Competitors that did not have these sophisticated machines kept their prices low, ultimately reversing customers’ perceptions of the new pricing structure. Today, we have the ability to offer a quality wash, and customers who feel they will benefit from an extra wash or extra rinse will pay more for what they perceive is a superior wash result. This is upselling with no pressure on the customer to pay more money unless he or she chooses to add services.

This is a powerful tool to increase volume. For many years, we in the industry have been trying to figure out how to increase our revenue by giving customers choices they want, which increases revenue without the perception of increased pricing. I will show what this means in dollars and cents when we talk about the card systems.

Most manufacturers have an ability to offer these options, but each does it in a slightly different way. Additional service options have to be made easy to understand and easy to use, but this doesn’t mean you provide less service and make it up in add-ons. We have to learn from industries that are successful in marketing upselling options. We need to offer good results at a fair price, plus the ability to let our customers decide if they want to spend more. It’s their choice.

CYCLE OPTIONS + CARD SYSTEMS = MORE REVENUE

Another way to add choices into the Laundromat is by utilizing a card system. These systems, which began as an alternative to accepting coins, have been available for many years. They have come a long way. Card systems are used today by owners who want to operate their businesses with all the advantages that most retail businesses offer. I’m going to touch on a few of these advantages, but this is really just a small representation of the benefits of managing a card-operated laundry.

First, card systems build loyalty. Once a customer uses a card and leaves a balance on it, they will more often than not come back to your Laundromat. The ability to accept credit cards and to use penny incremental pricing helps keep your vend prices in line with your utility costs. There are a variety of marketing programs available to help increase your volume. Coupon programs give laundry owners the ability to offer rewards directly to the customer without an attendant and without fear of coupon fraud.

Card systems can also provide the ability to account for revenue and employee hours. Reports are available that reflect business revenue totals, individual usage, customer information, income by the hour, equipment usage, and average money spent per visit. This is just a small sample of the information that is available.

I have been able to gather reporting to solidify the value of the extra-wash and extra-rinse options. My family owns and operates three laundries with equipment that has these add-ons available. The stores are located in different geographic areas and have differing ethnic demographics. A report from one of our stores shows equipment usage over a five-month period.

The numbers focus on extra-wash/extra-rinse usage and what it means in terms of additional revenue.

• The 80-pound washers processed 4,112 loads, of which 1,498—or about 36% of the total number of loads—used an “extra” button. At a 50-cent upcharge per load, an additional $749 was collected from the six machines.
• The 30-pound washers processed 13,180 loads, of which 2,908—or about 22% of the total number of loads—used an “extra” button. At a 35-cent upcharge per load, an additional $1,017 was collected from the 16 washers.
• The 40-pound washers processed 10,999 loads, of which 2,859—or about 25% of the total number of loads—used an “extra” button. At a 40-cent upcharge per load, an additional $1,143 was collected from the 14 machines.
• The 20-pound washers processed 11,877 loads, of which 2,662—or about 22% of the total number of loads—used an “extra” button. At a 30-cent upcharge per load, an additional $798 was collected from the 12 washers.

That adds up to $3,707 in additional revenue for this store in five months. Extrapolate that to a year and the added revenue comes to $8,899. The numbers speak for themselves, and that’s on top of the normal vend prices! Keep in mind that these were customer choices; they made them of their own free will. That’s upselling.

In my experience, that kind of additional revenue (80%) goes to the bottom line. Without a card system, our stores would not have the tools to properly evaluate those numbers and help make any future equipment purchases.

Talk to your distributor about the options that are available. Evaluate this information to see if these innovations will work within your budget. In today’s business climate, any advantage that will help a business grow must be seriously considered.

I have heard many excuses for not moving forward with new innovations. The list would be so long, it would take another article to cover them all. The reality is, without these advantages, your business may struggle. Your choice.

SULPHUR SPRINGS, Fla. — Student missionaries from The University of Iowa donated their time to Current of Tampa Bay, Inc. over the weekend in support of the Laundry Project, a volunteer program. They, along with Common Ground Christian Church of Seminole Heights, Fla., gathered Sunday at Big Wash Coin Laundry, Tampa, to wash the clothes of those less fortunate.

It was the first time Current partnered with University of Iowa students, but the second time the organization has joined with Common Ground Christian Church to host a Laundry Project in the Tampa area.

“We are very excited to introduce University of Iowa students to the Laundry Project,” says Jason Sowell, Current’s founder and president. “It is wonderful to partner again with Common Ground, as they are a great group of compassionate people. Sulphur Springs is a special location for Laundry Projects to continue to thrive because it is the very place that the project was originated in. It is always a blessing to help families in that community.”

University of Iowa students chose Tampa as their city of service during a spring-break mission trip. Current’s Laundry Project has seen an influx of volunteers in the last few years. Last year, it offered free laundry services at one Laundromat; this year, due to an outpouring of support, it has expanded to four neighboring locations.

More information about the Laundry Project is available at its website.

CHICAGO — Ralph Wagner, who owns Wash ’n Dry Laundry Services in Morris, Ill., has been working in the coin laundry business for 14 years. His store an hour southwest of Chicago occupies 2,000 square feet and features Maytag equipment totaling 33 washers and 26 dryers.

Up until last June, his business was strictly a self-service laundry. But since then, his sales have risen 25%. Why? Wagner attributes it to an extra service he started last summer, one that many laundries may already offer: wash/dry/fold.

Getting into wash/dry/fold was something he and his wife had always wanted to try. Wash ’n Dry competes with a couple other Laundromats in the market of about 25,000 residents, but the economy and the lack of actual wash/dry/fold service in the vicinity pushed Wagner to pursue it.

“We feel right now, with the economy coming back, that [it was] a good time to start it,” he says. “In our area, we only had one other Laundromat that offered the service.”

Wagner reached out to Kevin Meyer, president of distributor Dolphin Laundry Service, Bensenville, Ill., to help him get started. “It’s a tough thing to get going, but it’s gone pretty well,” Wagner says. “A 25% increase in our revenue is pretty good.”

Chris Brick, regional sales manager for equipment manufacturer American Dryer Corp., explains that up to 80% of attended coin laundries in the United States offer some form of wash/dry/fold service. “Wash/dry/fold brings a different customer base to a lot of laundries.”

“Household washers [or] small equipment within apartment buildings can have trouble handling comforters,” says Meyer, “so it solves a need for prospective customers.”

Considering the convenience such an added service offers to customers, it’s no wonder that many coin laundries have decided to cash in.

Dick Ruel, national sales manager at equipment manufacturer Maytag Commercial Laundry, attests to the profit potential. “If it were not for wash/dry/fold services, some laundries would not turn a profit.”

How much does such a service contribute to a store’s total gross revenue? Gary Gauthier, national sales manager for equipment manufacturer Milnor Laundry Systems, says it varies from store to store, while Meyer cites a range of less than 5% to up to 30%.

Considering how many laundries offer this service, what considerations must one take to truly profit from wash/dry/fold? Brick says the key to mastering the service starts with organization.

SELLING WASH/DRY/FOLD

Taking the extra step to keep customers happy is one way to ensure that your wash/dry/fold service stays afloat, but what can owners do to extend their reach to prospective customers?

Gauthier suggests that owners establish a strong online presence and consider investing in search engine optimization (SEO) services, such as Google AdWords, to attract business. “An established, effective online presence is a customer comfort and an inducement to try a new service. Roadside signs and direct mail are additional efforts, but they are typically limited to drive-by traffic and specific geographic territories.”

Store owners reaching out to community causes is another way to bring in new customers, according to Brick. For example, your store could host a fundraiser for a local church youth group or athletic team, and have them, alongside an attendant and adult volunteers, wash, dry and fold customers’ garments to raise money.

Even if they split the revenue fifty-fifty … it’s a great way for that organization to raise money, and it’s a great way for your Laundromat to get people that may have never even thought about using the laundry for that service.”

Meyer, on the other hand, pushes the benefit of seasonal coupons, such as deals on comforter cleaning in the fall and spring. “It’s a good way to educate individuals who take advantage of the coupon and convert them to drop-off customers.”

The success of wash/dry/fold not only comes down to marketing, but how well versed attendants are in assisting customers, he says.

“If the attendants are supportive and educated enough to explain the drop-off service, it typically translates to a successful drop-off program,” Meyer says. “We have seen stores go as far as incentivizing attendants by commissioning them 5 to 10 cents per pound on orders they process.”

Marketing is all about staying in tune with the lifestyle of the community, Brick says. “You really have to look at each community. What is the avenue that my customer base looks at, reads [and] listens to, and that’s where you want to go to promote what you’re offering.”

DELIBERATING DELIVERY

You may want to consider adding delivery to your wash/dry/fold service—which Brick calls a “great service” in urban markets—but tacking this on to your operation presents an added liability. “That’s when you would get into the extra insurance involved because you’re putting somebody on the road.”

Meyer echoes the sentiment, saying, “Delivery adds cost and opens the need for additional insurance coverage, as transportation becomes part of the equation. This needs to be balanced with the size of the delivery area [or] how much the potential market is increased through pick-up/delivery.”

But adding delivery could certainly be beneficial to the business. “We typically see the offering of delivery as viable and profitable,” Meyer says. “Some stores will charge a delivery charge as well to recoup related expenses.”

Though the idea of adding delivery to a store’s wash/dry/fold service can attract customers looking for even more convenience, Brick estimates that less than 2% of laundries offer such an option.

THE FUTURE OF WASH/DRY/FOLD

Many stores may wonder if starting, or even further developing, wash/dry/fold service is worth the risk. Brick admits that he’s seen some of the best and cleanest stores “do everything right” but the service didn’t pan out. “It is kind of a fickle thing.”

Despite this, he believes the payoff is worth the gamble. Not only can owners make extra profit, their overall business can see a visible improvement.

If you can afford to have that attendant there every hour that you’re open, the vandalism is reduced tremendously,” Brick says. “The store will be kept much cleaner, because you’ve got someone there wiping machines down [and] picking up softener sheets from the floor.”

Wagner sees this improvement in his store, as having an attendant present “builds a confidence” in customers. “If [a customer] has a problem, instead of leaving a note or calling, you can fix it right there for them or give them their money back. There’s never any miscommunication or issues, it’s all taken care of right away.”

With his wash/dry/fold service still in development, Wagner wants to hire a full-time attendant, plus he has other goals in mind. “I’m just in the process of learning [but] we are looking for a second location with our distributor,” he says. “Our strategy would be within 30 miles … from our location.”

Larger stores are becoming the industry norm, according to Brick, which could lead to stores taking on commercial accounts and an expanded customer base. “I think you’ll see more stores begin to do more with the non-traditional laundry customer, meaning the people that have a washer and dryer at home.

Because it’s a bigger [and] nicer store, they have no problems dropping their clothes off. I definitely think that wash/dry/fold will become a stronger revenue source for laundries as they continue to build bigger, nicer, cleaner laundries.”

All in all, for a wash/dry/fold service to really take off, it’s about creating a positive, lasting impression.

The success of wash/dry/fold will have more to do with who you hire, and what you put in place than just about anything else that you do,” says Brick. “The experience that you provide to that customer will lead to them coming back, and lead to them telling someone else.”

CHICAGO — Ralph Wagner, who owns Wash ’n Dry Laundry Services in Morris, Ill., has been working in the coin laundry business for 14 years. His store an hour southwest of Chicago occupies 2,000 square feet and features Maytag equipment totaling 33 washers and 26 dryers.

Up until last June, his business was strictly a self-service laundry. But since then, his sales have risen 25%. Why? Wagner attributes it to an extra service he started last summer, one that many laundries may already offer: wash/dry/fold.

Getting into wash/dry/fold was something he and his wife had always wanted to try. Wash ’n Dry competes with a couple other Laundromats in the market of about 25,000 residents, but the economy and the lack of actual wash/dry/fold service in the vicinity pushed Wagner to pursue it.

“We feel right now, with the economy coming back, that [it was] a good time to start it,” he says. “In our area, we only had one other Laundromat that offered the service.”

Wagner reached out to Kevin Meyer, president of distributor Dolphin Laundry Service, Bensenville, Ill., to help him get started. “It’s a tough thing to get going, but it’s gone pretty well,” Wagner says. “A 25% increase in our revenue is pretty good.”

Chris Brick, regional sales manager for equipment manufacturer American Dryer Corp., explains that up to 80% of attended coin laundries in the United States offer some form of wash/dry/fold service. “Wash/dry/fold brings a different customer base to a lot of laundries.”

“Household washers [or] small equipment within apartment buildings can have trouble handling comforters,” says Meyer, “so it solves a need for prospective customers.”

Considering the convenience such an added service offers to customers, it’s no wonder that many coin laundries have decided to cash in.

Dick Ruel, national sales manager at equipment manufacturer Maytag Commercial Laundry, attests to the profit potential. “If it were not for wash/dry/fold services, some laundries would not turn a profit.”

How much does such a service contribute to a store’s total gross revenue? Gary Gauthier, national sales manager for equipment manufacturer Milnor Laundry Systems, says it varies from store to store, while Meyer cites a range of less than 5% to up to 30%.

Considering how many laundries offer this service, what considerations must one take to truly profit from wash/dry/fold? Brick says the key to mastering the service starts with organization.

PROTOCOLS AND EQUIPMENT

For stores looking to get into wash/dry/fold, Brick advises owners to start with a solid foundation of policies and procedures.

Having a protocol on how to accept and organize garments is the first thing owners should lay out prior to starting a service. Establish procedures for weighing a load and asking the customer if they want any pieces spot-treated or loads separated by whites and colors, for example.

“Taking responsibility for customer goods means understanding fabrics and carefully processing those items,” says Gauthier. “Make sure that your wash/dry/fold staff takes the time to evaluate the goods they accept to ensure that they aren’t damaged.”

With a plan in place, owners may then turn their attention to equipment and the possibility of investing in new machines.

The experts agree that any coin store can start a wash/dry/fold service using the washers and dryers already in place, but there may be limitations.

“If all units within the store are top loaders, it limits your ability to process larger bulky items like comforters,” Meyer says. “[But] the majority of what a store will receive for wash/dry/fold is personals, which a typical coin store has sufficient machinery to handle.”

Wagner found this to be true, saying that he’s able to utilize the store’s current equipment for some of the customers he serves.

While he primarily processes residential wash/dry/fold, his initial goal was to go after commercial work. To date, Wagner has attracted business from what he calls “small commercial” accounts, catering to local hotels and senior housing facilities. For this reason, he installed a soaking tub and an Ecolab chemical and cleaning system for his machines.

Higher-capacity machines can process loads more quickly, but deciding which machines to invest in all goes back to a store’s policies and procedures, Brick says.

“If the customer wants to separate loads … then you’re going to use two smaller machines,” he says. “But if a customer does not want, or choose to separate [loads], then [you can] dump everything in a 60-pound [washer].

“In general, a 60-pound washer can handle the vast majority of commercial account needs a Laundromat might have,” says Meyer regarding higher-capacity machines. “However, if a coin store is in a market where an 80-pound machine might give it an advantage for attracting self-service customers, then that should be taken into consideration.”

Utility efficiency, a large profile for easy loading and unloading, and a five-year manufacturer-backed parts warranty are characteristics that Meyer looks for in assessing higher-capacity equipment.

Should a store that offers wash/dry/fold service make that equipment available to its walk-in customers? For Meyer, it’s all about catering to your customers, whoever they may be.

“We generally recommend making all equipment available to customers,” he says. “In practice, attendants will typically use the same one or two machines for wash/dry/fold accounts due to their proximity to the attendant station, or to high-visibility points in the store. But, there is no reason to limit availability.”

Though he limits the store’s cleaning system for commercial accounts strictly to employee use, Wagner has been able to process residential accounts while self-service customers are using the store’s washers and dryers, he says.

“We’re a smaller market so there’s always downtime,” he explains, adding that late morning and early afternoon is when the store usually experiences a lull in traffic. “We have enough machines for our market where there’s always some machines open. Most [customers] drop off regular loads for just one or two machines at a time.”

Check back Tuesday for Part 2!

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Seven new Maytag® Equipped Laundry stores have opened since the brand launched in May and Maytag® Commercial Laundry says more are on the way this month.

The company introduced the concept store after recognizing the market need for “a well-designed, aesthetically pleasing and branded store.”

“The Maytag brand is the No. 1 preferred and most recognized brand in laundry,” says Randy Karn, national sales manager. “We saw a void in the market and are now delivering a concise, well-developed concept store built on the 100-plus year equity of the Maytag brand.”

Maytag® Equipped Laundries are open for business in:

• Salisbury, Pa.
• Lackawanna and Addison, N.Y.
• Haledon, N.J.
• Mississauga, Ont., Canada
• Calera, Ala.
• Laurinburg, N.C.

Another eight stores are scheduled to be finished by the end of February, Maytag says.

Scott Rider, owner of the Lackawanna store, calls the Maytag® Equipped Laundry store program “the complete package.”

“The support from my local distributor was exceptional, and I’m already planning to open additional stores. My doors have been open since September and I’m seeing enough of a revenue increase that I’m expanding my store’s services.”

“The main thing that sold me on this program was equity behind the Maytag brand name,” says David Whitehurst, who owns the new store in Calera, Ala. “All customer feedback has been incredibly positive.”

Maytag has delivered on its promise to provide a program designed to bring aesthetically pleasing and well-designed coin stores to the market, he adds.

Built on five decades of commercial laundry experience and the 100-plus year equity of the Maytag brand, the new store model encompasses more than just equipment, Maytag says. The complete package includes:

• A consistent look and feel designed with input from architects and industry experts that allow for flexibility
• Exterior and interior signage
• Complementary paint and flooring options in hues of blues, greens and neutrals
• Coordinating bulkhead and folding-table options

Maytag® Equipped Laundry owners/operators qualify for a special Maytag Advantage™ Program, which offers exclusive perks; grand opening or reopening kits with materials and timelines to help plan effectively; discounts on exterior signage; special financing options; and a free membership to the Coin Laundry Association.

CHICAGO — How would your customers describe your coin laundry? Would they say it’s dependable? Clean? Secure? Comfortable? How about customer-friendly?

It stands to reason that customer-friendly stores—those that are welcoming, bright and offer a sense of security, for example—have a better chance of drawing business than the store down the block that’s dark, dirty and run-down.

But there are many levels of customer service, and thus customer friendliness. American Coin-Op reached out to some store owners, manufacturers and distributors this month and asked them for their analysis of the elements of being customer-friendly.

Q: PLEASE DESCRIBE HOW A STORE CAN BE MADE CUSTOMER-FRIENDLY BY ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING:

Seating

Craig Kirchner, vice president of sales, marketing and customer service for Dexter Laundry: Your Laundromat customers are going to be spending plenty of time in your store and you’ll want to keep them comfortable so they’ll consider coming back. It’s important to have ample enough seating for your busiest times.

Dave Phillips, national sales manager, IPSO: It is important to provide just enough seating for the customers to be comfortable. But, it is about revenue per square foot — seating does not make owners money.

Dan Bowe, national sales manager, Speed Queen: Be sure to provide ample seating for customers. Most customers spend at least an hour in a Laundromat, so offering space where they can sit comfortably and conduct other business, like checking e-mails or reading, will be greatly appreciated.

Jose Fernandez, owner, Mily’s Place Laundromat, Coral Gables, Fla.: Seating should be in close proximity to the front of the store so customers can keep an eye on their car in the parking lot if so desired. If TVs are part of the customer experience, seating should be in close enough that programs are easily seen and heard throughout the store.

Children’s Area

Ken Hebert, Deep South Laundry Systems: A children’s area will be welcomed and appreciated by your customers, and it will likely reduce unnecessary wear on your equipment.

Bowe: Some newer stores offer a children’s play area that is equipped with televisions, books, arcade games and computers. While this isn’t necessary, it may give you an edge over the competition for those customers with small children.

Kirchner: While it might not work for all store layouts or customer demographics, a children’s play area can make your store more inviting to mothers and families. It can also help keep children occupied while their parents do laundry.

Dawn Nagle, marketing director and VP of creative services, Laundrylux: Parents need help when doing laundry. If you have an area where their children can watch movies or play, this goes a long way in showing how much you care about your customers. Parents will come back to a laundry where their children are occupied and that they can get their laundry done without being pestered.

Phillips: Dedicated children’s areas are nice if the store is large enough to provide them. Areas dedicated to children need to be situated toward the back of the store for safety and security reasons (assuming there is no rear ingress and egress), and it is important that the parents have good visibility of the areas.

Availability of Extra Services

Bowe: If you have an attended store, you have the ability to offer “Fluff and Fold” services. Customers will greatly appreciate this service, especially if they have extremely busy work or school schedules. It allows them to drop their laundry off, get it cleaned and pick up at a later time. In addition to being a customer-friendly component, it’s also a revenue enhancer.

David Cabral, vice president, New England Coin Laundry: Depending on the market demographics, additional services can enhance the overall business – but it is very important to look at the specific demographics of the area before offering any additional service. Examples include alterations, check cashing, receipt of utility payments, tanning, nail salon, café, cell phone sales, etc.

Fernandez: We do have drop-off service, which accounts for a substantial portion of the store’s revenue. We are currently working out the details to provide drop-off dry cleaning service and in-store ironing to increase revenues and attract new customers.

CHICAGO — How would your customers describe your coin laundry? Would they say it’s dependable? Clean? Secure? Comfortable? How about customer-friendly?

It stands to reason that customer-friendly stores—those that are welcoming, bright and offer a sense of security, for example—have a better chance of drawing business than the store down the block that’s dark, dirty and run-down.

But there are many levels of customer service, and thus customer friendliness. American Coin-Op reached out to some store owners, manufacturers and distributors this month and asked them for their analysis of the elements of being customer-friendly.

Q: Does an attended store automatically have an advantage over an unattended store in being customer-friendly?

Karl Hinrichs, president, HK Laundry Equipment: Definitely – there’s no doubt about it. If you have a good attendant, they’ll be an asset to the store because they can immediately address any issues or problems. Some of the better-managed stores have attendants who are trained to really help the store. For example, some Laundromats offer a feature called “Mother’s Little Helper,” where the attendant will move the laundry from the washer to dryer. This allows the customer to take longer shopping errands and complete shopping and laundry at the same time. This is a huge, customer-friendly benefit that only takes a little bit of the attendant’s time.

Craig Kirchner, vice president of sales, marketing and customer service for Dexter Laundry: Both attended and unattended stores can be successful and customer-friendly if owners take care of the basics and make sure their stores are well-maintained.

Jose Fernandez, owner, Mily’s Place Laundromat, Coral Gables, Fla.: Absolutely. An attended store has a distinct advantage in being customer-friendly. In addition to 24/7 attendance, we have security cameras throughout, and I’ve arranged for the local police department to have patrol cars drive through the parking lot several times between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. These extra measures bring more and more customers from other laundries near and far.

Ken Hebert, Deep South Laundry Systems: Attended stores are generally kept cleaner and therefore are more inviting.

Q: Should a store owner poll his or her customers to determine what they like or don’t like about the store? If yes, how often should they approach customers, and how should it be handled?

Kirchner: Not sure what your customers are looking for? Ask them! Offer a suggestion box and hold a contest where submissions can enter to win a prize like free detergent, free washes, etc. You might just get some great ideas!

Fernandez: The best way to obtain honest feedback is via a suggestion box. Provide customers with the opportunity to anonymously make recommendations or respond to a specific question. This ensures more honest feedback, and it also serves as an incentive to keep the attendants alert knowing that their performance and attitude are being evaluated.

Hinrichs: Yes. There’s no downside to surveying your customers. It gives the owner an opportunity to correct any issues that might be occurring and enhance customer satisfaction. Customers like to be asked their opinion.

Dave Phillips, national sales manager, IPSO: Feedback from customers is always good, and I would suggest a personal approach. It offers the owner an opportunity to get to know the customers and to perhaps instill a sense of community. I am of the opinion that an owner should be constantly reaching out to the customers for feedback.

Check back next Tuesday for the final installment of The Elements of Being Customer-Friendly!

CHICAGO — How would your customers describe your coin laundry? Would they say it’s dependable? Clean? Secure? Comfortable? How about customer-friendly?

It stands to reason that customer-friendly stores—those that are welcoming, bright and offer a sense of security, for example—have a better chance of drawing business than the store down the block that’s dark, dirty and run-down.

But there are many levels of customer service, and thus customer friendliness. American Coin-Op reached out to some store owners, manufacturers and distributors this month and asked them for their analysis of the elements of being customer-friendly.

Q: PLEASE DESCRIBE HOW A STORE CAN BE MADE CUSTOMER-FRIENDLY BY ADDRESSING THE FOLLOWING:

Exterior Appearance and Signage

Dave Phillips, national sales manager, IPSO: A store with glass frontage is more customer-friendly than one without. Customers appreciate being able to see through the windows before entering the store, especially at night – a glass front offers a sense of security.

It is important that the ingress/egress area and even the parking lot receive the same attention as the interior of the store. It should be clean, well-lit and provide ample parking spaces. As for signage, it should be lighted, simple and easy to read from a distance with no obstructions, and have colors that attract potential customers’ eyes to it.

Craig Kirchner, vice president of sales, marketing and customer service for Dexter Laundry: Having an external sign that features services your location offers can be a great asset to encourage new and potential customers to come inside.

Karl Hinrichs, president, HK Laundry Equipment: The Laundromat’s exterior and signage is where owners will advertise the store’s identity, strengths, and serve as a consistent reminder to the community that the Laundromat is available for their use. The outside of a Laundromat should be well-lit, clean and welcoming. Make the most of the store’s “street appeal” because it is a permanent billboard for the business.

David Cabral, vice president, New England Coin Laundry: The exterior of the store should convey a clean, safe and inviting laundry. If the interior is the best in the industry but the exterior looks less than safe or inviting, it will never matter how well maintained the interior is. Signage should be in working order and well-lit.

Days and Hours of Operation

Jose Fernandez, owner, Mily’s Place Laundromat, Coral Gables, Fla.: A store’s hours of operation should be determined based on customers’ needs. To be the most successful, a store needs to be open when its customers have time to do their laundry, which isn’t necessarily between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Initially, Mily’s Place was open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. After watching traffic patterns, I noticed a need to be open later and so we opted to extend the store hours. Now, we are a 24/7 operation, and the response has been extremely favorable.

Dawn Nagle, marketing director and VP of creative services, Laundrylux: Know your market. If your customers work shifts or need to come in early or late, make sure you are open to meet the needs of your community. Also, program special pricing and offers for slow days of the week and odd times to encourage customers to come when it’s not busy.

Dan Bowe, national sales manager, Speed Queen: This really depends on your demographics and market; however, the average Laundromat is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. But if the store is located in a college market, it should be open 24 hours a day, which will cater to the demographic.

Parking and Access

Kirchner: When you’re planning parking for a new retail location, make sure that you have ample parking to accommodate customers on the busiest day. If your parking lot is full, customers may pass by your location to go to another store that has available parking. Parking needs to be clean and free of trash, and also needs to be well lit so that customers feel safe visiting your business at night. Store entrances not only need to be handicapped-accessible, but they need to allow for large laundry carts to move in and out of facility without struggling.

Phillips: A dedicated parking lot or spaces, preferably off-street, are very important. No owner wants their customers to have trouble finding a parking space or fighting traffic to access the parking lot.

Fernandez: Ample parking is one of the most important aspects for a store. In addition to parking, a clean store front should be free of trash and wide enough for laundry carts and baskets to easily enter and exit. This simplifies a customer’s experience (and) helps reiterate the owner’s focus on customer satisfaction.

Cleanliness and Décor

Hinrichs: A Laundromat can never be too clean. Make sure the store is cleaned at least twice a day, which should include sweeping, mopping floors, cleaning out lint traps and washing windows if there are fingerprints on them. Bathrooms should be well maintained and stocked full of necessities such as toilet paper, soap, and paper towels or a working electric hand dryer. The store should also be spruced up at least once a year, especially if it has white walls. A fresh coat of paint or replacing carpet or tiles and worn furniture can make a significant positive impression to customers.

Nagle: A clean, comfortable store is critical. If your store is dirty, not maintained, has old rusty machines, soap on the floor or machines don’t shine – your customers will go somewhere else.

Ken Hebert, Deep South Laundry Systems: Again, cleanliness is important. The décor should be clean and simple. The color of the walls needs to be soothing and inviting – repaint if necessary. Indoor signage needs to be limited, simply stated and not negative. If all your customers see is NO or DON’T, they WON’T use your Laundromat in the future.

Kirchner: For store décor, simple things like updating lighting, adding mirrors or pictures, or a fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference with a small expense. Decorating for upcoming seasons or holidays can also be a fun and festive way to spice up your store’s décor on a budget; just be sure to change out the decorations as the season ends.

Check back Thursday for more on The Elements of Being Customer-Friendly!