CHICAGO — The days when a self-service laundromat represented the industry’s only viable business model are long gone.
Today, owners can choose from a growing range of opportunities, including wash-dry-fold service, pickup and delivery, commercial laundry accounts, and dedicated production facilities that operate independently of a retail store.
With so many options available, the real challenge isn’t finding ways to grow — it’s determining which business model best aligns with an owner’s market, resources, long-term goals and operational strengths.
During the CLA webinar “One Size Does Not Fit All: The Pros and Cons of Various Laundry Business Models,” operators Rob Maes of Express Laundry in Texas and Randy Roberts of Columbus Express Laundry in Ohio shared the lessons they’ve learned while expanding beyond traditional self-service operations.
Although their businesses have followed different paths, both stress that sustainable growth comes from understanding your capabilities, serving customer needs and expanding with purpose rather than pursuing every opportunity.
TRACKING INVENTORY AND PREVENTING LOSSES
Few issues create more tension in laundry service relationships than missing items.
Both operators acknowledged that laundry providers frequently become the first target when commercial customers believe items have disappeared.
“We’re always the first ones to get blamed if something goes missing,” Maes says.
To reduce disputes his laundry business encounters, Roberts relies on rigorous tracking procedures.
Every order entering his facility is weighed, documented and tracked through production. Orders are weighed again before leaving the facility.
The process creates accountability while providing data that can help identify discrepancies before they become customer complaints.
“If something would have gotten mixed up, you can go to the sheet and you can quickly analyze where those items were in the process,” Roberts says.
Both operators emphasized that protecting customer relationships often requires going beyond contractual obligations.
There are occasions when replacing lost linens or providing temporary inventory simply makes business sense.
“We have bought napkins, linens and things for customers from time to time,” Maes says. “It’s just the cost of doing business, because they’re too important of an account and we don’t want to lose them. It’s part of the way we can baby them and take care of them.”
While such actions may create short-term costs, they can preserve valuable long-term relationships.
That philosophy reflects the partnership mentality both operators repeatedly referenced throughout the conversation.
CHOOSING A GROWTH STRATEGY
For owners considering expansion, the experiences of Maes and Roberts suggest there is no universal roadmap.
Some operators may find success maximizing existing laundromat assets through wash-dry-fold and selective commercial work.
Others may pursue dedicated processing facilities, extensive pickup-and-delivery networks or specialized commercial niches.
The key is aligning growth initiatives with operational capabilities.
Roberts encourages prospective owners to first define their vision.
Do they want a self-service laundromat? A wash-dry-fold operation? A dedicated pickup-and-delivery company? A hybrid business encompassing multiple revenue streams?
The answer influences everything from facility design and staffing to equipment selection and marketing.
Maes offers similar advice.
Before pursuing additional services, owners should first become proficient at operating the core laundromat business. Once a solid foundation exists, expansion opportunities can be evaluated more effectively.
“You need to decide how many pounds of laundry the attendant on the floor can do,” he says, describing the importance of understanding labor capacity before aggressively pursuing wash-dry-fold growth.
That measured approach helps ensure that pursuing greater service demands remains profitable rather than simply increasing workload.
SUCCESS COMES THROUGH SERVICE
Perhaps the strongest takeaway from the webinar was that success in the laundry industry today increasingly depends on service rather than equipment alone.
Washers and dryers matter, but they rarely create lasting differentiation. Customer relationships do.
Whether through specialized packaging, route flexibility, inventory management assistance or simply being responsive when problems arise, both operators have built businesses around helping customers succeed.
In an industry where large-scale competitors often focus on volume and efficiency, independent operators can thrive by delivering personalized service that larger providers may be unwilling or unable to offer.
As laundry businesses continue evolving beyond traditional self-service models, that customer-first mindset may prove to be the most valuable business model of all.
Miss an earlier part of this article? You can read it here: Part 1 — Part 2
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].
