Owning a commercial laundry room is a time-honoured tradition that goes back decades.
While it seems simple – you just put machines in the room and let your customers use them – there are always ways you can improve your customer experience and create a better business for yourself.
Should you go with coin-operated laundry or switch to a card system? Our blog explores each type and how it can benefit you and your customers.
Coin Laundry vs Card Laundry – Weighing the Benefits of Each
Understanding the advantages of each type of commercial laundry equipment can help you make an informed decision.
Coin Operated
Coin-operated commercial laundry equipment is becoming scarcer these days, but there are reasons why coin-operated machines have been popular for decades.
They’re familiar. People are used to coin-op machines, so they don’t usually need any instructions. That means the attendant on duty doesn’t need to instruct the customer and can instead focus on other tasks such as cleaning. It might even eliminate the need for the attendant entirely.
Coins. Most equipment is already made to receive coins, which means no need to pay for upgrades.
Customers know what to expect. Most clients will come to a laundromat prepared with coins in their pockets.
Maximum profit. You can avoid the processing fees associated with credit and debit cards.
Loyalty Card
Rapid advancements in technology mean card systems are becoming a much more popular system. Most card systems work with prepaid loyalty cards, but you can also have hybrid systems that accept debit and credit cards as well.
However, before you convert to a card-only laundromat, you should reflect on the following points:
Advantages
No more collecting coins – you’ll have more free time!
Card systems keep track of all transactions, which makes bookkeeping easier.
Card-only machines have a smaller risk of theft.
You can monitor which machines see higher use and which ones are avoided. You can even monitor how busy the store is through a web app with some card monitoring systems.
Considerations
There may be a bit of a learning curve for your customers, so you might want to consider creating instructional signs or handouts. Make sure you have a friendly attendant on hand to help so that your customers will continue to come back even with the change.
Loyalty cards cost money, so you may need to charge customers with an initial cost to load the card.
If your system experiences technical difficulties or outages, you will be unable to collect revenue until it is up and running again.
Hybrid
Hybrid systems allow you to have the best of both worlds. They allow you to collect all forms of payment, including coins, debit cards, and credit cards.
Keep in mind that you will still need to collect some coins at the end of the day, plus there is the upgrade investment, plus debit and credit card processing fees. However, fewer people carry cash these days, so it may be worth your while to keep customers coming back.
How Harco Co. Ltd Can Help
Harco Co. Ltd provides design and equipment for commercial laundry rooms and facilities across Eastern Canada, with divisions in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes.
With our help, you can transform your laundromat from a traditional space into a modern one, one that your customers will be sure to appreciate.
To learn more, please give us a call today.
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