American Coin-Op - January 2019

BEING CUSTOMER-FRIENDLY

GOIN’ WITH COHEN: BIG BOYS MEET PO’BOYS: CELEBS, FOOD JAZZ UP MELBA’S WASH WORLD

Laurance Cohen rolls into New Orleans and finds there’s no better place to drink it all in than Melba’s Wash World, a post-Katrina emporium offering 30 big boys next to 30-shrimp po’boys. Laundry’s not a chore here, it’s a celebration “N’awlins” style.

MESSE FRANKFURT ACQUIRES CLEAN SHOW

The German-based trade fair organizer responsible for Texcare shows in Europe and Asia announced it has finalized a deal to purchase the U.S.-based Clean Show from its five sponsoring associations. Riddle & Associates, which has been managing Clean Shows under contract since 1993, will manage Clean 2019 in New Orleans on behalf of Messe Frankfurt.

PUT THE ‘UNITY’ IN COMMUNITY

People like to support businesses that take an active interest in their community. There are plenty of ways that you can demonstrate your laundry’s interest, and we share a few to get your supportive juices flowing.

FROM PAULIE B:

WHY A CUSTOMER CHOOSES A LAUNDROMAT

Some reasons are obvious, others much more subtle, writes retired store owner Paul Russo. A clean, well-run Laundromat in a great location should appeal to most people. However, no store captures everyone. He takes a look at factors that may attract a customer to your laundry—or drive them away.

A CLOSER LOOK

Melba’s manager Keith Wolfe showcases a crispy, crunchy shrimp po’boy inside the adjacent Wash World laundry.

TRADE SHOW TRANSITION

A CLEAN BOMBSHELL

Shortly before this issue went to press, we received a surprising announcement: Messe Frankfurt had acquired the Clean Show. The German-based fair manager known for its Texcare exhibitions purchased our country’s premier textile care trade show from its five sponsoring associations.

The associations, including the Coin Laundry Association, promise to remain closely involved with the every-other-year event, and Messe has retained longtime show runner Riddle & Associates to oversee Clean 2019 in New Orleans.

How the event will change, or not change, will become clearer in the months and years ahead. Riddle & Associates is a small but experienced firm, having managed Clean since 1993, while Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organizer with its own exhibition grounds in Europe.

After Clean sold out its exhibit floor in Las Vegas in 2017, and with Riddle & Associates President John Riddle nearing retirement, the timing was right to seek show management that will carry the Clean Show into the future.

Meanwhile, the associations will have to adapt to Clean Show revenues no longer bolstering their budgets every other year.

Just as in any kind of transition from one management group to another, there are bound to be some bumps along the way. But both Riddle and Messe have proven they understand the textile care industry and are eager to stage an exhibition that brings value to attendees and exhibitors alike.

I’m excited to see what the future has in store. See you in New Orleans this summer!

Bruce Beggs Editorial Director

Charles Thompson, Publisher

E-mail: cthompson@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1680

Donald Feinstein, Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director

E-mail: dfeinstein@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1682

Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

E-mail: bbeggs@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1683

Roger Napiwocki, Production

Manager

Nathan Frerichs, Digital Media Director

E-mail: nfrerichs@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1681

ADVISORY BOARD

Kurt Archer Ann Hawkins

Wayne Lewis Kathryn Q. Rowen

OFFICE INFORMATION

Main: 312-361-1700

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© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2019. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Coin-Op does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Coin-Op or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

Bruce Beggs

GOIN’ WITH COHEN

Meet Po’boys Big Boys

Celebs, food jazz up Melba’s Wash World

Iby Laurance C ohen

t’s months before Clean ’19 rolls into New Orleans and I’m already hitting

The Big Easy. There’s no better place to drink it all in than Melba’s Wash World, a post-Katrina emporium offering 30 big boys next to 30-shrimp po’boys.

Laundry’s not a chore here, it’s a celebration “N’awlins” style. That’s TV host Ellen Degeneres smilin’ at washer 1, rapper Lil Wayne hip-hoppin’ at 11, and NFL quarterback Eli Manning warmin’ up next door at 12.

The star-studded parade extends to the dryer aisle where fellow Crescent City

native musicians Pete Fountain and Louis Armstrong hit the high note at top pockets 116 and 124, respectively, while singer Harry Connick Jr. serenades at 128.

Anchoring an intersection along Elysian Fields Avenue a mile north of the French Quarter, Melba’s captures the heart and soul of a metropolis inundated by a historic hurricane some 13 years ago. Like the city, owner Scott Wolfe Sr. persevered. His equipment may pay homage to New Orleans’ famous, but he’s dedicated to serving its working class.

URBAN OASIS CLEANS AND FEEDS

Part self-service laundry and part food

counter, this urban oasis gets the community clean and fed — all washed down with a house special XTC or Unibrow frozen daiquiri. Toss in a couple of slot gaming corners and it’s easy to forget you’re here knocking out a chore.

“It seems like there’s a party going on all the time,” the 56-year-old entrepreneur says of Melba’s festive atmosphere.

Bundling wash, food, drink and slots isn’t an industry first; seeing it play out under one roof in an inner-city locale is. Grim reminders of the daily struggle are as close as the roadway’s median strip where the down-and-out huddle about their makeshift homeless camp.

Inside Melba’s Wash World, it’s a different vibe. As the weekday morning approaches the noon hour, momentum builds on both sides of the scrub-and-grub complex. What was a trickle of baskettoting patrons ramps up with overflowing carts. Through the glass door separating stainless machinery from stainless steam tables, a line forms with playful banter filling the eatery as lunch orders are called out.

Staffers are the real stars and accorded recognition in a Who’s Who poster lineup extending down the food line from the stuffed bell peppers to the bourbon chicken.

The counter winds over to a lively walkup daiquiri bar, serving as center stage for connecting interior and exterior patios where diners dig into their $9.89 combo plates and po’boy sammies to a backdrop of swirling frozen concoctions. Any video slot machine pull is hidden from public view, conducted behind swinging saloon doors.

Tasked with keeping everyone smiling and the 24-hour operation running

Melba’s manager Keith Wolfe (left) and team member Arlette Bolding showcase a crispy, crunchy shrimp po’boy and frozen daiquiris inside the adjacent Wash World laundry. (Photos: Laurance Cohen)

smoothly is Wolfe’s older brother, Keith. Inside his office, he can monitor the goingson from cameras trained on every nook and cranny of the freestanding building and surface parking lots.

But you’re more likely to catch the jovial host on the floor acquainting newcomers with the in-house proprietary card payment system or rubbing shoulders with regulars. He’s ably assisted with a shift staff of six during the day and up to nine serving the after-work set.

An estimated half of the laundry crowd eats or drinks on a visit — all streamlined by touchscreen order-taking kiosks positioned near the main laundry card station.

In a typical month, Wolfe says 100,000 pieces of chicken and 5,000 signature po’boys are rung up. Sales of frozen daiquiris could fill the washers, especially on $1 Mondays, when 1,500 slushy cups are topped off.

SIMPLE ROOTS

Melba’s, named to honor a beloved family caretaker, had simple roots. At age 20, Scott Wolfe and his then-18-year-old wife Jane borrowed $10,000 to buy an established storefront grocery named Wagner’s. It grew to a 10-store chain catering to each community’s needs and turning heads with the slogan, “You can’t beat Wagner’s meat.”

Early iterations of Wash World coin-ops

rose alongside two meat markets during the expansion, giving Wolfe a taste of the combo’s drawing power.

The foray into cooked meals took off with the opening of a string of Chicken Box carryouts, known for its tasty bird as well as a standing offer of a free wedding if the happy couple ordered up 1,000 pieces for their reception.

Wolfe shifted gears later to concentrate on construction and real estate development. Hard corners, high vehicular traffic, and 25,000 rooftops within a mile radius was what he sought. He sold off his stores and assumed a role as landlord. All went

swimmingly until that fateful day in August 2005 when a Category 3 hurricane blew through New Orleans, taking out levees and submerging it in up to 20 feet of water.

Every outlet in his rental portfolio was washed out and the tenants never returned. Even if a site could be salvaged, there was nobody to serve. Turns out, the only thing to beat Wagner’s was Katrina.

“It was like Mars. There were no insects, no roaches, no birds. And there were zero customers,” Wolfe recalls of the surreal landscape. He spent $200,000 to gut, clean, and board up his buildings to lay vacant.

Months following the natural disaster, with the streets of New Orleans deserted, all Wolfe and his wife could do was drive by their once-thriving ventures. On one such ride, he found himself looking down the barrel of a loaded rifle held by a National Guardsman who had pulled him over.

“I remember the whites of his eyes and thinking this kid was going to accidentally shoot me. You felt like you were in wartime.”

When rebuilding took hold, a longshuttered freestanding dry cleaner on a high-traffic corner between the Mississippi River and Interstate 10 in the city’s St. Roch neighborhood caught the developer’s eye. He acquired the property, along with some adjoining lots, in 2011 and readied two storefronts for occupancy.

When he found no takers, Wolfe built out and debuted Melba’s a year later. He enlisted support from distributor rep Wayne Finley to work up and execute a plan for the 4,000-square-foot laundry side while simultaneously getting back into

Daytime TV host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres from nearby Metairie, La., gets top billing at the first washer.

Kiosks are employed to help speed the ordering process inside Melba’s as well as inside the Wash World laundry next door.

GOIN’ WITH COHEN

the food groove in a space half that size next door.

PHILOSOPHY: ‘ATTACK ALL FIVE SENSES’

Wash World is easy to navigate, thanks to wide aisles between the trio of backto-back bulkheads running perpendicular to the dryers. Card-operated front loaders occupy four out of the six sides, with the remaining two set aside for booth seating and folding.

Nine 20-pound models vend for $2.97 for all temperature settings, plus 30 cents for extra rinse or heavy-soil cycle modifiers. The 15 45-pounders — representing half of the total washers — and four 62-pounders have base prices of $4.97 and $6.49, respectively, along with 49-cent cycle enhancement options. A pair of 77-pound models rounds out the mix, vending at $7.99 plus 75 cents per upgrade.

Sequential front-loader numbering is upstaged by the laminated celebrity photos and bios mounted between the control panel and loading doors. Over on the store’s five 30-pound and 10 45-pound stack tumblers, the stars pose on the top and bottom pocket handles while placards

with their name and a short narrative are affixed to the right of the door glass.

Wolfe says higher-profile entertainers, musicians, artists and athletes found themselves attached to larger-capacity washers and upper-tier dryers. All 60 honorees in Wash World’s version of a walk of fame were either native-born or had connections to New Orleans.

He and his wife assembled the list and wrote the tributes with help from Google searches to fill in the blanks. While famed French Quarter piano player and family matriarch “Mama” Wolfe deservedly gets

top billing on a stack along with the likes of singer Mahalia Jackson, some, including Big Easy native Peyton Manning and his father, fellow former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, made the cut, but were glued to the lower pocket handles.

Motown music sets the mood, local artists’ works dot the walls, and Melba’s cooking fills the air.

“My philosophy at all my businesses is to attack all five senses,” Wolfe says. “We want you to hear it, see it, smell it, touch it and taste it.”

Throughout the complex is marketing Melba’s style. Posters of savory $25 catering trays compete for attention alongside $10 blue laundry totes, T-shirts and other merchandise. Stand around long enough, strike a pose, and Keith Wolfe will snap a photo, adding you to the continuous loop of satisfied guests featured on the bigscreen monitors.

The blitz doesn’t stop there. Birdhouses touting Melba’s are scattered around New Orleans below the eaves of an estimated 500 residences. The pint-sized promos took flight when Scott Wolfe’s first campaign — turning a house into a giant painted billboard — drew the ire of then-Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Media outlets were drawn to the fight and Wolfe garnered citywide publicity. The laundry now pulls trade from a 3-mile radius, the owner reports.

A company-sponsored trolley, bought on a whim and once used to take Wolfe’s extended family on rides to the ice cream parlor, now plies the streets filled with raffle winners, tourists and wedding partygoers.

Four 62-pound and a pair of 77-pound front loaders see plenty of action with their strategic placement near the restaurant passthrough and laundry card station.

The Wolfe family matriarch, who played piano with other jazz greats in the French Quarter, is given her well-deserved tribute at the front end of the dryer row.

Score an “A” on your report card and score a cake and po’boy on the house at Melba’s.

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GOIN’ WITH COHEN

Parking demands at the door created bottlenecks in the early going, but they were easily remedied with some window dressing.

“We made the back look like a storefront as much as the front so, that way, customers felt that either way they came in, they were actually going into the front of a building,” Wolfe explains.

The redesign helped funnel food and drink patrons away from front stalls coveted by wash customers. Today, the surface and neighboring lots can accommodate 100-plus vehicles.

Melba’s meteoric rise with Wolfe at the helm has not gone unnoticed. The enterprise came in at No. 123 on Inc. magazine’s 2016 annual ranking of America’s fastest-growing private companies.

For all the hype, the Wolfe family business is grounded in the community. Their motto — “Eat at Melba’s. Pray before meals. Love New Orleans.” — runs deep in the enterprise. Charitable contributions to an outreach program for troubled youth organized by Pastor Corey Hicks

Keith Wolfe points to a photo board displaying A-grade achievers whose diligent studies were rewarded with a cake and po’boy on the house to be shared with their

proud parents.

We stroll to the tumblers where the 62-year-old manager offers some insights into the round-the-clock operation, including the successful launch of free drying from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. available to either washand-dry or dry-only patrons. The freebie “keeps the store safe at night because there’s so many people,” he tells me, noting that overnight wash volume is up over 30% since the program was initiated.

Introducing home pickup and delivery of wash-dry-fold is under consideration, with processing slated for overnight hours to lessen the impact on daytime traffic.

The mix of alcohol and suds occasionally leads to someone walking home with the wrong clothes — a situation Wolfe straightens out by pulling up a record of laundry card usage on the dryer in question.

As we make our way down the line of personalized stacks, he tells me customers stake out particular machines and wait. He says trying to convince some regulars that all dryers heat up the same elicits a familiar response: “Naw, naw, naw, I’m gonna use Drew Brees. That’s the one that dries my clothes good!”

ACO

Laurance Cohen crisscrosses the country seeking out the most unique vended laundries. He served as American Coin-Op editor in the early 1990s and currently operates Laundry Marketing Concepts based in Hallandale Beach, Fla. He can be reached at goinwithcohen@outlook.com.

of Vine Community Church, generous school scholarships spearheaded by Wolfe’s spouse Jane, and free treats for top gradeearners are just some of the ways they give back.

Marketing dominates Wash World’s storefront with free overnight dry, “America’s Busiest Po’boy Shop” signage, along with a signature promotional birdhouse — one of 500 attracting attention across New Orleans.

Catering platters entice above washers as part of marketing Melba’s style.

BEING

Customer-Friendly

Everyone of us is a customer. We buy goods from big box stores and neighborhood groceries. We dine in elegant restaurants or grab a bite from a fast food drive-thru on our way home. We try to burn off those calories during trips to the gym. And the list goes on.

So, when you visit one of these businesses, are you more likely to have a good experience and plan to return in the future if Company XYZ is a) warm and inviting or b) cold and indifferent.

Indeed, stores that are welcoming, bright and secure draw more business than their dark, dank competitors.

American Coin-Op reached out to several industry experts this month and asked them to share what they think it takes for a self-service laundry to be customerfriendly through and through.

Q: What does “being customer-friendly” mean in the context of running a selfservice laundry?

Steve Bowie, national sales manager for equipment manufacturer Speed Queen Commercial: Simply put, if you were a vended laundry customer, would you want to visit your store? That’s the quickest way to understand what customer-friendly means. If you would not, you have work to do.

Kevin Hietpas, director of sales for equipment maker Dexter Laundry: Customerfriendly covers just about everything, but I’d describe it as everything that goes into delivering a great overall customer experience. It encompasses everything from hours of operation, to the layout of the store (including ample folding space), to variety, condition, operation and availability of equipment along with, of course, the friendliness and attentiveness of staff.

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

A customer-friendly experience starts with the basics such as having a well-lit, clean and safe environment with store hours that meet the needs of the neighborhood. This requires knowing the area demographics and planning for a customer-friendly store from the beginning.

Being customer friendly also means having the appropriate equipment. The right number and types of machines may help decrease wait times, increase store efficiencies and provide for overall positive customer experience.

Unfortunately, sometimes our best efforts to help ensure everything runs smoothly fall short, and challenges happen. Having a process to address customer complaints is as important as trying to

Randy Karn, global service manager for equipment manufacturer Whirlpool Corporation Commercial Laundry:

(Photo: © iStockphoto/CREATISTA)

prevent them in the first place. Make sure customers know how concerns can be addressed, whether that is a comment card and box for an unattended store or being able to bring complaints directly to store employees in attended stores. Providing employees with customer service training and empowering them to make decisions on behalf of the store can help them address basic concerns in a timely manner.

Michael Mastorides, owner of Electrolux distributor Masters Laundry, and a multi-store owner: Each customer is worth $1,000 a year in business. Everyone that walks in the door is a very valuable customer. Good news travels fast, bad news travels faster. A customer has a bad experience, they’re going to tell 10 other people. So, if you [tick] off a customer, you’re really losing $10,000 in business. … People are coming into our stores, doing something that they really don’t want to do. … As comfortable as we can make it for them, by means of (being) clean, hot water, hot dryers, customer service, cup of coffee, help with folding.

Kathryn Rowen, North American sales manager for equipment maker Huebsch: Ensuring a store owner provides a clean, safe, welloperating facility, so customers can get in and out as efficiently as possible. It sounds easy, but making sure there’s always clean equipment that’s readily available is paramount and keeps customers returning.

Tod Sorensen, vice president for distributor Continental Girbau West: Being customerfriendly is critical to any vended laundry’s success because it results in repeat business for years to come. Attendants must be friendly, helpful, informative and outgoing. They should greet and assist customers — making them feel welcome and so comfortable that they want to come back. Your store and your staff need to make it easy for the customer. Attendants should always be asking themselves how they can help the customer.

Q: What responsibility does an owner have for making his or her laundry customer-friendly? Does a manager and/or attendant share in this responsibility, if any?

Hietpas: I’m a big believer in leadership, and that starts with the owner. If an owner has a positive attitude toward taking care of customers and delivering a great customer experience, it’s very easy for staff to see that and feel better about also trying to deliver that same great experience. Unfortunately, leadership can also work in reverse. If an owner isn’t as customer-friendly as he/she should be, it’s also easy for staff to pick up on that and act similarly.

Karn: Providing a good customer experience starts at the very beginning with how an owner decides to run the business and how that owner defines customer service. A positive store experience is the result of a customer-friendly culture. Store attendants and managers are customer-facing and can have an impact, both positive and negative, on how customers view a business. The environment, employees, equipment and amenities are all hard-working when it comes to differentiating a store, and therefore a reflection of the owner and manager. It makes sense that an owner will help instill customer-friendly values within their business model.

Mastorides: The days of a laundry owner double-parking outside, running in, grabbing his money and leaving are gone. And the days of this business being called “absentee owner,” to some degree, are gone as well. Owners need to really focus on every square foot of their store. What is our customer seeing in that store, and what is the employee doing to make every square foot of that store a good experience? … (Owners) really need to take the extra time to get in front of every washer, every dryer, the bathroom, make sure everything is 100% spotless. … The employee’s responsibility is to come ready to work.

Rowen: Firstly, a safe, clean and well-lit facility is the ticket to admission, meaning your laundry is positioned for success. However, those three elements do not guarantee success. Customer service is the final must-have, and anyone who works with the business is responsible for taking

care of the customer. When staff is 100% committed to an outstanding customer experience (on all levels), it builds loyal customers who become advocates for the store, helping the business grow. Good customer service costs less than bad customer service any day, and with the advent of social media, a reputation for poor customer service can spread quickly.

Sorensen: A customer-friendly laundry starts with the owner and trickles down to the laundry manager and attendants. While people are the most important aspect of achieving a customer-friendly laundry, cleanliness, equipment, services and amenities all play big roles.

Bowie: If the owner wants to be successful in this business, they will take the responsibility of making their store customer-friendly and ensure each employee that works for them is just as committed to this charge. It’s important to stress that the attendant and/or manager must take their role seriously, as they are the face of the business and likely interact with customers more than the owner.

Q: Please describe how a store can make itself customer-friendly through the following:

Exterior Appearance and Signage

Karn: Finding the right location and the best equipment is a sizable investment, one that deserves careful thought as to how best to communicate and engage with customers. Starting from the outside in — a clean, well-kept and well-lit store helps encourage traffic, and an inviting atmosphere can demonstrate an owner’s commitment to helping customers feel welcome.

From an exterior marketing standpoint, branded banners and easy-to-recognize exterior signage can help dress the store up. Other marketing tactics such as flyers, posters, online promotions, social media, door hangers and postcards can be used to promote store times, services and specials. Special themed events such as pizza night or open houses can help encourage customers to come in and try a store for the

“While people are the most important aspect of achieving a customer-friendly laundry, cleanliness, equipment, services and amenities all play big roles.”

—Tod Sorensen, vice president, Continental Girbau West

MESSE FRANKFURT ACQUIRES CLEAN SHOW

Messe Frankfurt, the German-based trade fair organizer responsible for Texcare shows in Europe and Asia, announced via Dec. 6 press release that it has finalized a deal to purchase the U.S.based Clean Show from its five sponsoring associations.

Terms of the acquisition were not announced.

Atlanta’s Riddle & Associates, which has been managing Clean Shows under contract since 1993, will manage Clean 2019 on behalf of Messe Frankfurt. That show is scheduled for June 20-23 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Clean Show attendees and exhibitors will see “no changes” in New Orleans from prior shows, according to Ann Howell, who handles public relations for Riddle & Associates.

Riddle & Associates founder and President John Riddle told American CoinOp on Dec. 6 that there had been “little to no conversation” with Messe Frankfurt regarding management of Clean Shows beyond 2019. There had been discussions about Riddle possibly consulting on future shows. Based on Messe Frankfurt’s vast trade fair experience and resources, Riddle says he believes the new owner will manage future shows itself.

The previous sponsors—Association for Linen Management (ALM), Coin Laundry Association (CLA), Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA), and TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services—will “maintain their close involvement” with the show, Messe Frankfurt says.

“Based on its success organizing international events for the textile care sector, Messe Frankfurt has the expertise and

experience, as well as relationships with key exhibiting partners, to ensure the continued growth and development of the Clean Show,” says Joseph Ricci, Clean 2019 chairman of the Clean Executive Committee (comprised of executives from the five sponsors) and president of TRSA.

In a press release to its members, TCATA described continued association involvement as “including serving on an Advisory Board to provide input on future Shows, promoting and supporting the Show, sponsoring a booth, and in a variety of other ways.”

“It is important for TCATA members to know that the exhibitor package plan and the discounts on exhibit booths under the TCATA Plus One program (members of TCATA plus one other association get the lowest rates available) will remain a valuable benefit for future Shows,” says TCATA President Leslie Schaeffer. “We anticipate that the transition to a new owner will be seamless, and that both exhibitors and attendees will largely have the same experience they had at past Shows.”

“The decision to explore options for selling The Clean Show was something we undertook very seriously,” Linda Fairbanks, executive director of ALM, wrote in a Dec. 6 news post on her association’s website. “This wasn’t a decision reached overnight. Our goal is to continue to improve the value to attendees and secure a platform that best meets the needs of our exhibitors.”

Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organizer with its own exhibition grounds. With over 2,500 employees at some 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around 661 million Euro ($750 million U.S.). Its wide range of services includes renting

exhibition grounds; trade fair construction and marketing; personnel; and food services.

“With the Clean Show, we purchased America’s biggest trade fair for textile care and gained another module for our worldwide network of events for the textile care sector,” says Dennis Smith, managing director, Messe Frankfurt North America. “We now hold trade fairs in all major economic regions and offer synergistic effects for both exhibitors and visitors.”

In addition to Texcare International in Germany, Messe Frankfurt has been organizing Texcare Asia since 1998. The Gulf Laundrex presented by Texcare is staged annually in Dubai. And numerous Texcare Forums bring local buyers together with international manufacturers.

The Clean Show—formally the World Educational Congress for Laundering and Drycleaning—is the largest textile care exposition in the world that features working equipment and industry education. It was conceived in the 1970s as a means to consolidate individual association shows.

Clean is staged every two years in one of a handful of American cities, including Las Vegas, New Orleans, Atlanta and Orlando. Its last five shows, dating back to Clean ’09, have averaged 435 exhibitors, 197,646 net square feet in exhibit space, and 11,046 attendees (based on data supplied by Riddle & Associates).

Besides the 2019 show in New Orleans, future Clean Shows previously announced are June 10-13, 2021, in Atlanta; May 18-21, 2023, in Orlando; and June 9-12, 2025, in Las Vegas.

The Messe Frankfurt press release states that “future events are planned for Atlanta and Orlando in 2021 and 2023 respectively.” ACO

RETAINS RIDDLE & ASSOCIATES TO MANAGE JUNE 2019 EVENT IN NEW ORLEANS

first time, while “day of” promotions or discounts can help incentivize return visits.

Mastorides: On the distribution side, we just hired someone whose responsibility is going to be just that: the “business card,” the front of that store, the first 10 feet where they walk in, much like retail stores. That’s going to give the customer an impression of what they’re going to experience when they venture deeper into the store.

Rowen: Clearly articulate what your store offers and why. Ensure the text is as legible as possible from the road or a distance.

Bowie: Signage should “pop” from the street view as people drive by. Make sure it is well lit to increase visibility at night.

Hietpas: There is an old saying, “A business with no sign is no business at all.” Owners should look at their exterior/ signage and ask themselves what their sign says about their business. If they don’t like what it says, it’s time for a change.

Days and Hours of Operation

Mastorides: We’ve experimented many times with 24 hours (a day) in different marketplaces. … I don’t see 24 hours as a big benefit in most marketplaces. I see 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and that’s it.

Rowen: The last thing you want to do is disappoint someone who has committed to patronizing your business. Be crystal clear about when the doors open and when the last load goes into the washers.

Bowie: Focus on convenience. The more hours your store is open, the greater the opportunities it has to spread out usage peaks and valleys. Make sure your hours are posted and are accurate. If you decide to alter them, make sure to note it in the store and online, so customers can prepare for the changes.

Hietpas: Are the hours clearly posted? Are the Open or Closed signs clearly visible? Nothing is more frustrating for a customer than to get to a location, get out of their vehicle, get to the door, and then find it locked. Beyond the need for good Open/Closed signage, are the hours right

for customers in the neighborhood? With more and more two-worker households, opening late and/or closing early might be more convenient for the owner and staff, but it severely limits the ability of customers to utilize your service.

Karn: Typically, self-service laundry businesses are open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven days a week, with weekends usually seeing the most traffic. Hours can be adjusted as an owner gets to know the clientele. Having at least one attendant on duty on a part-time basis can help with general maintenance as well as with customer service. A part-time attendant can also allow the opportunity to add other customer conveniences such as wash-andfold services that can help the bottom line.

Parking and Access

Rowen: Plenty of parking, easy access into and out of the store, especially if one is carrying several bags or baskets. Automatic doors are another customerfriendly element that takes easy access to your business to the next level, and is something that mom carrying several bags of laundry will appreciate.

Bowie: These elements should be addressed before owners decide on a location. Without adequate parking and easy customer access, owners will be severely handicapped from the start.

Hietpas: Convenient parking is something that no retail business can ever have too much of. Before a customer ever walks into your location, they walk through your parking lot. Is it clean? Is it well-maintained or are the lines faded and are there too many potholes? If you live in the North where we get snow and ice, are your parking lot and sidewalks cleared in a timely manner? A well-maintained parking area shows customers that you are “open for business.”

Mastorides: We usually look to obtain a minimum of 10 parking spaces for a new store. Sometimes the landlord is willing to mark certain places for our store. … We also use large laundry carts, so (customers) can shuttle things from the parking lot into our stores.

Cleanliness, Décor and Lighting

Bowie: Cleanliness and great lighting are non-negotiable in today’s market. Owners who don’t get this fact quickly find themselves a target for store owners who are truly committed to providing a better environment. Décor just further builds on these foundational elements. Remember, décor can set the theme for your store, creating a unique identity.

Hietpas: Clean, bright, and safe are probably the three words that laundry owners hear most often and for good reason — they’re critically important in attracting and keeping your customers. ... I’d add a fourth word to the mix: inviting. The key to the success of any business is getting customers to come back. Having a great “feel” to a store is a great way to make customers feel good about coming back. Let’s face it, laundry is not everyone’s favorite household chore, and making that chore worse by needing to go to a lessthan-desirable environment is not exactly a good strategy to get customers to use your service more often.

Karn: Cleanliness ranks among the top priorities of customers, and therefore is tied directly to an overall positive customer experience. Owners can show an interest in customers’ needs by keeping a store clean throughout, from the floor, counters and restrooms to the washer drums and dryers themselves. ... In addition, other décor items including televisions, plants and comfortable seating can help elevate a customer’s experience.

Mastorides: Every machine, after every use, needs to be cleaned for the next customer to use. … We actually hired a lighting consultant, and it’s amazing what they do with a drawing to show us where “dead” spots are. … The store needs to warm up to you when you walk in … by means of tile, by means of paint, very soft colors, browns, yellows, oranges, things like that.

Rowen: Your customers will tend to take care and be more respectful of an environment that is taken care of for them.

Equipment Selection and Reliability

Hietpas: Laundries are a “peak period

“Convenient parking is something no retail business can ever have too much of. ...

A well-maintained parking area shows customers that you are ‘open for business.’”

—Kevin Hietpas, director of sales, Dexter Laundry

business” and owners need to make sure that they have enough equipment to handle those busy times. It’s not enough to have some equipment available, it’s having enough of the right equipment available — like large-capacity washers, for example.

This is where having a management tool like DexterLive comes in handy. Having both real-time and historical information on which machines are getting used the most is a great way to guide future equipment investment decisions, and for unattended stores, having equipment connected via the cloud is also a great way to provide immediate customer support in the event of a problem.

Karn: Selecting the right equipment in terms of type and size of the machines goes hand-in-hand with location selection. Whether investing in a new store or retooling an existing location, there are a few factors to consider, such as the demographics of the neighborhood, the size of the store and the socioeconomic climate of the area.

When considering a mix of equipment, arrange washers and dryers to be opposite each other and 6 feet apart for easy transfer. Put front-loaders close to the entrance, near a window to make them more visible and quickly accessible to those with heavy loads. Provide folding tables and carts to help with transfer. Some tables are designed with shelves to take maximum advantage of space.

Mastorides: What the customer is interfacing with has to be very easy (to use). They have to be able to walk up to the machine—whether they speak English or not—and understand how it works, what they have to do to get this thing started.

Rowen: Equipment must be operational, easy to use, intuitive and clean. Quick and efficient processing of dirty clothes into clean and dry wares is a glorious thing. This is the reason that customers are increasingly gravitating toward larger-capacity machines. Equipment mix should generally include 60-, 80- and even 100-pound washers, with drying capacity to match.

Bowie: Cornerstone elements in this category include providing a variety of capacities to cater to customers’ unique needs, as well as controls that are easy to operate. Reliability is a must.

Payment Options

Mastorides: We offer two methods of payment (in our stores). One is by means of a card system, the other is by means of phone app. … (Customers) have the option of purchasing the card or putting value on the app and starting the machine that way. We’re seeing a huge trend towards the phone app.

Rowen: Flexibility is key, so being able to provide options is an advantage. The overwhelming trend infiltrating its way into Laundromats is mobile. I would anticipate the ability to use one’s phone to pay for services coupled with a strong rewards program will only catalyze adoption.

Bowie: While coin and card continue to be popular payment methods, app-based payment systems are beginning to see adoption in a variety of businesses, including ours. Stores that are flexible and offer all three will be best positioned for success moving forward.

Hietpas: The decision of what type of payments to accept is a personal one for each owner, but one thing for certain is that there are more options out there than ever before. I don’t believe that coin is going away anytime soon, but we do have more owners asking about how to add card, credit card and mobile payment capabilities to their location to go along with their traditional coin-op capability. Since the collecting and handling of coins is a job in and of itself, we think these new payment options are a great opportunity for owners to “lighten up” on the amount of collecting they’re doing while at the same time making it easier for customers to spend money at their store.

Karn: Consider the demographics of the area when choosing whether to go with coin- or card-compatible machines. Customers continue to look for more payment options and will find a store with multiple options more friendly.

Q: Should a store owner poll his or her customers to determine what they like or don’t like about a store? If yes, how often should they approach customers, and in what way(s)?

Rowen: Absolutely. Always. The best businesses have some sort of customer feedback loop to enable continuous improvement. It doesn’t need to be overly scientific. Identify several customers whose opinions and business you value and simply ask their opinion. Make sure they know you want to hear the good and the bad. Once given, provide some type of reward for their time and feedback and let them know their opinion is always welcomed. Many Laundromats have also put comment boxes in their establishments and “impactful ideas” have a chance to win $10 worth of free laundering, or a like prize; be sure to post the winner(s).

Bowie: A suggestion box is always a good idea and helps businesses improve. However, owners that want to go the extra mile should visit with customers on a regular basis and inspire the same behavior in employees. Simple open-ended questions such as “Are we missing anything?” or “Are there any areas where we can improve service?” can elicit great feedback and also make customers feel valued.

Hietpas: Store owners should solicit feedback in whatever way they are comfortable they’ll get good information. Periodic surveys would be one way to do that, comment boxes would be another, but the one I think works best is to actually just spend time in your store talking to customers. If a customer is a regular, they might know that you’re the owner, but that shouldn’t really matter.

With regard to how often, the process should start from the very beginning (of your store’s operation) and it should be an all-the-time thing. If a store owner waits until a competitor has moved into the area, feedback can probably help them make some improvements, but it’s probably also too late to prevent some loss of business.

“Equipment must be operational, easy to use, intuitive and clean. Quick and efficient processing of dirty clothes into clean and dry wares is a glorious thing.”

—Kathryn Rowen, North American sales manager, Huebsch thing.

POINTERS FROM PAULIE B

UNDERSTANDING WHY A CUSTOMER CHOOSES A LAUNDROMAT

Or perhaps a better title would have been, Why Does a Customer Choose One Laundromat Over Another?

Since different people are attracted to different things, there are quite a few factors. Some reasons are obvious, others much more subtle. For instance, a clean, well-run Laundromat in a great location should appeal to most people. However, no store captures everyone.

Exactly what drives customer choices is something that has been studied by nearly all retail industries for many years. It is usually related to how much value, or perceived value, a customer can get for his/ her money.

Again, not always. Sometimes a customer will choose a store simply because it is the closest, or most convenient for them, despite their experience

being less than stellar.

Let’s take a look at the factors that may attract a customer to your Laundromat—or drive them away:

LOCATION NEAR HOME OR WORK

Convenience is extremely important in our industry. So much so that some people will endure an undesirable Laundromat simply because it’s so close to their home or job. A great example of this is how apartment house laundries capture the vast majority of customers even though their laundry rooms could be dirty with poorly functioning machines.

EYE-CATCHING SIGNS AND STOREFRONT

This is also known as curb appeal. Your storefront should look clean, modern, bold, and inviting.

This is one of the first impressions to get a customer into your store, so let it be a great one. Your storefront is great advertising for you 24/7 over the course of many years. It creates a subconscious impression in the minds of everyone who passes by. It’s actually the least expensive advertising after you amortize it, so it’s money well spent.

Add a nice convenience such as automatic doors. Of all retail businesses, Laundromats need automatic doors more than any other, to ease a customer’s burden of carrying heavy loads both into and out of the store.

CLEAN STORE WITH EQUIPMENT THAT LOOKS AND WORKS LIKE NEW

Everyone prefers new, clean machines over old ones. If you need to rent a car and are looking over a company’s inventory, are you going to choose a car that is dusty, has a couple of dings, and smells like cigarette smoke? Or will you choose the car that looks and smells like new?

This is a no-brainer, yet so many Laundromats do not keep their stores looking modern and new. If your equipment is old and tired-looking, it’s time to upgrade, lest you risk a downward spiral. If you can’t afford new equipment, at least make an effort to keep it looking

Paul Russo

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

new! Replace old decals, overlays, door gaskets and soap lids. Remove water stains, fix what’s causing strange noises, and keep your equipment operational.

If a customer sees just one roach walking around, don’t expect them to come back.

It goes without saying that “Out of Order” signs are evil! More than one or two will be a turnoff to most people, and will make them question whether “their” machine is working properly as well.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FRIENDS AND FROM ONLINE REVIEWS

Good reviews will come automatically if you keep your store looking and working like new, with attendants who are friendly. Bad reviews are poison for your business, so pay attention to unhappy customers!

GREAT WEBSITE

Nowadays, people expect to be able to look your store up online, so, just like a great storefront, make sure you have a great website. Your online presence is now just as important as your storefront, so do it up right. Again, first impressions go a long way.

WATER LEVELS

Most customers want to see the water in your washers. If they don’t, they will feel cheated and go somewhere else. Your water level should be high enough to stop customer complaints. If you must save water, you are better off cutting a rinse that they won’t notice.

WATER AND DRYING TEMPERATURES

Customers want their laundry clean. You can’t get away with going cheap by cutting water temperatures. If your water is not hot enough, they will know, and again feel cheated and go somewhere else. However, not too hot to burn their hands. A good temperature is 120 F at the machines.

The same goes for having adequate dryer heat. Customers want hot dryers that dry their clothes quickly.

STORE LAYOUT AND EQUIPMENT MIX

Most of this applies when building or retooling your store, but some things can be tweaked without too much trouble.

You want wide aisles: at least 6 feet in a high-rent urban setting, but 8 feet or more if you can afford the space. People bumping into each other is a big turnoff. Too many stores are built to maximize machine income. In many stores, if all the machines are going at the same time, and all the laundry carts are taken, there’s not enough room for customers. Customers need “people room.”

Big stores seem to attract more customers, but being too big can generate heavy expenses.

Also, big washers attract families with big loads of laundry and help make your store stand out among the others. If you have the biggest washers in your market, promote them. They will even draw people who don’t use big washers, simply because your store is unique.

If you can locate your drop-off service counter near the front door, you will draw more drop-off customers. Drop-off customers are attracted even more so to convenience. A drop-off window ▲

POINTERS FROM PAULIE B

Laundromats is to allow people to choose as many washers as necessary so they can “get it all done at once,” and save time by minimizing the number of days per month needed to do laundry.

However, another really important way that customers want to multitask is by putting their laundry in the machines and then shopping at neighboring “chore stores” such as supermarkets, dry cleaners, food establishments, etc.

Obviously, you are better off being located near these types of stores than, say, a furniture store.

PARKING

This is another no-brainer. If customers can’t get to your store, your business will suffer.

in your storefront is even better. Customers don’t want to lug laundry any farther than they have to.

DROP-OFF SERVICE QUALITY

Speaking of drop-offs, a lot more people will choose a high-quality drop-off service than a low-priced one. These customers are people who have the money to buy themselves time off from doing laundry, but they want to know that you’ll do a great job. You need to gain their trust because you are handling their property. Employ great workers, and give customers discernible perks such as sock wrappers. Use high-quality detergents, a pleasantly scented softener, and a nicely packaged finished product. A store that’s clean will also attract more drop-off customers than one that isn’t.

SENSE OF SAFETY

Customers, and especially families, need to feel safe while they are in your store. A Laundromat that is brightly lit both inside and out helps. Windows should be relatively clear of obstructions, and a good surveillance camera system with at least one monitor helps ease people’s fears. If your competitor does not have these things, you have a nice edge.

FRIENDLY EMPLOYEES WHO LIKE TO SMILE

They are literally the “face” of your business. Just a few nasty employee remarks can bring you a couple of 1-star reviews. Online reviews can make or break your business and, by default, so can your employees. A well-loved employee can keep customers coming back.

I always liked hiring friendly people who are genuinely happy with their lives and who they are.

It also helps to employ people from demographics similar to those living in the store’s neighborhood. They say birds of a feather flock together.

OPPORTUNITY FOR CUSTOMERS TO MULTITASK

This can be a biggie. People are so busy nowadays that most will plan their chores so they can save time. The very nature of

You should always have empty parking spots available as close as possible to your store, even when you are busy.

The only exception I can think of is if your store is located in such a densely populated area that most of your customers are within walking distance (no more than three or four city blocks away).

CUSTOMER COMFORT

Your store must not get too hot or too cold, otherwise people will seek a Laundromat that is more temperature-friendly. So, use supplemental heat in cold climates and air conditioning or open-format buildings in hot climates. A nice store that is airconditioned in the summertime is a big draw. In addition, since the customers have been coming to your store all summer long, they are likely to keep coming after the seasons change.

Eliminate any loud, annoying noises by fixing faulty bearings on equipment right away.

Bad smells, either coming from rotting lint and sewer gas in your own store or from unknown sources in neighboring stores, will make a customer choose another Laundromat, even if everything else is OK.

Having plenty of seating, TVs, Wi-Fi, and a “kids korner” will attract customers. Use your imagination—I once saw a Laundromat that had a putting green in the store!

RUN A SALE

You shoot yourself in the foot when you simply lower all your prices, because you encourage price wars. Be like the big retailers and run sales to attract customers. You are better off by keeping prices that are healthy for your store, then running sales during your slow days and/or slow hours. A senior citizen discount can boost a slow day.

OWNERSHIP INTERACTION WITH CUSTOMERS

Most customers enjoy meeting and knowing the owner. If they see you fixing the equipment, so much the better because you are reassuring them that you are keeping “their” Laundromat in great shape. If you take a minute or two to be friendly, they will tend

Here’s an example of a walk-up window for drop-off and pickup service. (Photo courtesy Paul Russo)

to come back. If you snub them, they may very well choose

OFFERING EXTRA SERVICES

Some people will choose your store simply because you have an ATM, vending, lottery counter, drycleaning services, etc.

ATTRACTIVE DÉCOR

Before building or rehabbing your store, think about what colors attract the most people in your marketplace. What designs (open ceilings or acoustic drop ceilings) capture the most people? What materials (epoxy, concrete, carpet/tile floors, porcelain tiles, FRP, formica, or painted walls) attract the most people? And what about the type of folding tables (composite, stainless steel, fiberglass, granite or quartz)?

Colors can vary in attraction according to the mix of people in your marketplace. Some ethnic groups like bold colors, others prefer earth tones.

Get décor ideas from the big retail chains, such as McDonald’s; they employ the best designers.

PRICE

I’m listing price last because studies have shown that price is one of the last considerations in whether a customer chooses a Laundromat.

When talking about price, what’s more important is the relationship between price and customer benefits. In other words, what do they get for their money?

People will usually be willing to pay more to do their laundry in a nice, clean and attractive store with friendly attendants and properly functioning machines. That’s value as opposed to just low price. You can lower your prices to get them in the door, but if your store does not offer enough value, it will be only one visit.

When you see a lower-priced Laundromat, it’s almost always because the owner is left with no choice but to use price to attract customers. At some point, the price is low enough to convince people to put up with all the negatives that a bad store has, but it comes to the owner at tremendous sacrifice in income.

IN CLOSING

A basic premise I’ve always had is that since it only costs a customer a few bucks to do laundry, you have an opportunity to raise their standard of living while they are in your store. This is a huge attraction, in my opinion.

Make your store gorgeous! If it has things that customers normally can’t afford, such as great, new-looking machines; ceramic tile floors; Corian® or granite folding tables, etc., you allow them to live like the rich do for just a little while.

Yes, choosing these things costs more, but they are amortized over many years, thereby costing you little each year. ACO

Paul Russo owned and operated multiple Laundromats in New York City for more than 40 years before retiring recently. He’s a regular on the Coin Laundry Association’s online forum, posting under the pseudonym “Paulie B.” He invites comments from readers at MyLaundromat@aol.com.

“Unity” in Put the

People like to support businesses that take an active interest in their local community

In many ways, your self-service laundry business is a “community service.” By providing the means to clean clothes, you’re helping to improve the lives of your neighbors.mWearing clean clothes raises self-esteem and gives one greater confidence to meet and interact with others. Having clean clothes could mean the difference between getting and keeping a job or being passed over and left out of work.

But is your small business connected within the community you’re serving? You know, people like to support businesses that take an active interest in their local community. But what does that level of interest look like?

There are plenty of ways that you can demonstrate your laundry’s community interest, and what follows are just a few.

If these don’t strike you, put your imagination to the test and come up with your own.

Support Other Businesses in Your Community — This one is simple. By supporting other businesses near you, they—and their customers—will be more likely to support you, too.

Join Your Local Chamber of Commerce — Your city or area may have a chamber of commerce, a local association to promote and protect the business community’s interests. Member benefits can include inclusion in directories and promotional materials; networking opportunities, both personal and business to business; and participation in community events.

Find Local Causes Your Business Can Get Behind — Donate a portion of your profits to a local charity (like Wisconsin’s

Oshkosh Express Laundry Center did for a cancer patient fund; see the photo), or volunteer your time to an organization. And encourage your employees to volunteer their time locally to a cause of their choice.

Participate in Food Drives — Encourage your employees and customers to bring in unopened non-perishable canned and boxed foods that can be donated to local food banks. You may even find that you can offer a small food pantry of your own; that’s what the Wash-O-Rama Laundromat in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, has done.

Sponsor a Local Sports Team — Whether it’s baseball, football or soccer, many communities offer youth sports programs, and they often offer sponsorship opportunities. Sponsor a team for a season and see your laundry’s name emblazoned on a child’s or teen’s uniform for spectators to see game after game.

Offer Your Store as a Meeting Place — Local groups often need a place to meet and your store might be the perfect place. You don’t want such things to interfere with your paying customers, of course, but that group that can’t afford to rent space will be mighty appreciative of your hospitality.

Set Up Your Own Library — Create a “community” library box where customers can pick up and drop off or donate books. The Coin Laundry Association’s foundation is backing a new alliance devoted to increasing early childhood literacy through Laundromat libraries (see the story on the next page).

Again, that’s just a glimpse into community involvement. Identify something that speaks to you and your staff and further weave your laundry into the—pardon the pun—fabric of your community. ACO

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

Molly Yatso-Butz (center), coordinator for the Aurora Health Care Foundation, North Region, accepts a $2,417 check from Oshkosh Express Laundry Center Manager Karen Cooley (left) and Assistant Manager Rebekah Peterson. The Wisconsin laundry was the leading contributor in the community’s annual Pink Possible campaign, donating proceeds of Pink Possible shopping bags and 5% of its October sales. Money raised will support breast cancer patients by purchasing massage therapy sessions and wigs, Yatso-Butz says. (Photo: Oshkosh Express Laundry Center)

Three national non-profit groups—the LaundryCares Foundation, the Clinton Foundation’s Too Small to Fail initiative, and Libraries Without Borders—have launched a new Laundry & Literacy Coalition.

The new alliance was formed as a collaborative effort to make early literacy resources available to underserved communities through local Laundromats in communities nationwide.

Since 2015, the groups have been focused on the role of Laundromats in promoting children’s early literacy development. Initiatives have included Free Laundry & Literacy Day events at local Laundromats; “Wash Time Is Talk Time,” an assortment of early literacy tools and resources distributed to over 5,000 Laundromats through a partnership; and “Wash and Learn,” an initiative to extend library services to Laundromats.

The organizations say they are forming

the Coalition to provide greater opportunities to deliver high-quality early literacy resources and outreach programs directly into local self-service Laundromats in underserved communities. The Coalition is building an extensive network of local and national nonprofit organizations, academics, foundations, corporations, and Laundromat business owners to help scale effective strategies and advance new research.

“It’s an understatement to say that we’re excited about establishing the Laundry & Literacy Coalition,” says Brian Wallace, the executive director of the LaundryCares Foundation. “This is only the beginning of the creation of more sharing and collaboration with authorities in early childhood development and children’s literacy.”

“Our work has shown that Laundromats are important spaces with great potential to meet parents and families where they are to promote children’s

early literacy development,” says Jane Park Woo, deputy director of Too Small to Fail. “We look forward to growing our partnership with the LaundryCares Foundation, Libraries Without Borders, and other organizations to launch new and innovative tools and strategies to promote children’s early literacy development through Laundromats nationwide.”

“Life gets busy!” says Allister Chang, executive director of Libraries Without Borders. “From last-minute scheduling changes to transportation challenges, there are many reasons why parents don’t read, talk, sing, or play with their children as much as they’d like, or why families don’t complete literacy programs despite their best intentions. That’s why the work of the Laundry & Literacy Coalition is so transformative—it creates new avenues that community organizations can use to reach families where they are, with information they want to learn.”

ACO

With the cost to open a new laundry not getting any cheaper, most new investors are careful in selecting their locations, and most of those individuals are looking to compete with weaker stores with less-engaged owners. Engaged owners rarely show the signs of weakness that competitors looking for an easy mark find attractive.

Karn: Customer feedback can help determine what is working and what isn’t within a store. Leaving comment cards behind for ongoing feedback is a good way to incorporate customer satisfaction within the owner’s strategy. Consider tailoring questions to focus on areas where customer feedback is most important: cleanliness of the facilities, seating, equipment wait times, and amenities.

Mastorides: As much as possible. They’re a world of information. We posted “Email the Owner” in all our stores. If they have an experience with an employee, with a machine, or just a suggestion, the feedback they give us! We appreciate them taking the time … some of them are detailed about what they like and don’t like about the store.

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

Sorensen: Absolutely, especially now that it’s dark at 4:30. It’s all about customer service and security. Which laundry do customers want to enter at night? One that’s attended, or one that isn’t? They’ll pick the attended laundry every time.

Bowie: Technology is helping unattended stores gain traction in being customerfriendly. Some of today’s systems are allowing owners/managers to perform tasks they previously needed to be onsite to do, such as issue refunds, diagnose machine problems and remote-start machines.

Hietpas: Attended stores do have an easier time of being customer-friendly, but they can also more easily be unfriendly. With an attendant comes an expectation

for some level of customer service. As long as your attendants are trained to provide a level of service, I believe that store will be perceived as more friendly. If they aren’t, that store immediately falls into the unfriendly category. The middle ground probably belongs to unattended stores simply because the expectation matches the experience.

Karn: While attended stores have an advantage of having more face-to-face time with customers and hearing firsthand from customers, today’s technology allows unattended stores to be carefully monitored and managed as well. For example, owners are able to adjust pricing and rates through machines with remote connectivity capabilities. In addition, this technology allows owners to modify cycles or provide credits from a computer, tablet, or smartphone, and it can deliver real-time data, which helps owners remain aware of how machines are running or if a machine is down.

Mastorides: Yes. If you give that employee the ability to interact with the customers and generate money either for themselves or for the store, it really accentuates the whole experience. We’ve tried unattended laundries and it just doesn’t ramp up, it doesn’t maintain the numbers the way an attended store does.

Rowen: Not necessarily. The unattended store has to find indirect ways to make sure their customers know they are appreciated. Keeping the store clean and inviting is paramount in importance. With attended stores, that attendant will, by default, be the “personality” of your business, so it’s important that you hire and incentivize those individuals appropriately to embody your business’ values and interact with your customers exactly as you want them to.

Q: Based on your experience, in what area is a self-service laundry most likely to fall short when it comes to being customer-friendly?

Bowie: I think many owners fall short in lighting, cleanliness and décor. Failing in these basic elements puts the business at

risk, and tarnishes its image.

Hietpas: The “kiss of death” for any business is taking the customer for granted. In our industry, this is waiting too long to make updates/upgrades. Customers might keep coming because they don’t have any good options, but once they find them (like a new competitor), things can happen quickly.

Karn: Customers appreciate knowing about discounts, promotions and other key happenings. Social media can serve as a good word-of-mouth tool and drive traffic through postings about special promotions and special events. In addition, social media offers a sense of community that can be felt within the store itself. Once customers start coming into a business, it’s important to help ensure they return. Engaging with customers on social media may allow owners the opportunity to build relationships and a loyal customer base.

Mastorides: My grandmother used to say, “Cheap is expensive.” I think a lot of laundry owners, it just fascinates me how they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars building a business and then they short-change themselves with signage, handwritten signs, the cheapest employee they can possibly find. … The fit and finish of a store is important. A distributor can only do so much for a laundry owner. … The owner really needs to take care of his investment in the store, in the employees, and with the customers.

Rowen: Fundamentally, most facilities fall short in the foundational elements of cleanliness and safety. However, if there’s no specific signage, personal touchpoint, or reward system that lets your customers know you value them and their business, it could feel very “transactional” to your patrons. What owners should strive for is a personal relationship with them, where you truly value and appreciate their choice to use your facility.

ACO

Watch for additional “Being CustomerFriendly” content this month online at AmericanCoinOp.com!

“Customers appreciate knowing about discounts, promotions and other key happenings. Social media can serve as a good word-of-mouth tool and drive traffic...”

—Randy Karn, global service manager, Whirlpool Corporation Commercial Laundry traffic...

ENVIROSTAR COMPLETES MERGER WITH LUCKEN INC.

Commercial laundry and drycleaning equipment distributor EnviroStar Inc. (EVI) announced in November that it had completed its merger with Lucken Inc., the parent company of Washington Automated Inc. (WAI). Terms of the deal were not announced.

The addition of WAI builds on EVI’s market share position in the on-premises laundry and vended laundry segments in the West and expands the service capabilities of EVI’s existing western operations.

EVI expects that WAI will continue to operate as it has historically, under the leadership of Ryan Lucken, executing with the same people, using the same name, and with the support and resources of EVI and all of EVI’s existing and future business units.

“All of us at Washington Automated are excited about joining a company with an entrepreneurial culture and a proven strategy for long-term growth and success,” Lucken says.

“Ryan Lucken and his team built a successful business by building quality relationships with and delivering exceptional service to their customers,” says Henry M. Nahmad, EVI chairman and

CEO. “We welcome Washington Automated to the EVI family and look forward to building upon their success.”

In other EnviroStar news, the company reported record results for the first quarter of its fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. Revenue increased 65% to $43.4 million, gross margin dollars increased 58% to $9.7 million, operating income increased 46% to $1.4 million, net income increased 41% to $0.8 million, and adjusted EBITDA increased 53% to $2.4 million.

EVI reports the improved performance is due primarily to the results of Tri-State Technical Services and Aadvantage Laundry Systems, which it had acquired in 2017.

Also during the quarter, EVI entered into a new five-year, $100 million syndicated credit facility with Bank of America and US Bank as joint lead arrangers, and Fifth Third Bank. The new credit facility includes a $100 million revolving line of credit and an accordion feature which, at EVI’s option, can expand commitments in the revolver to $140 million in the aggregate. It replaces an existing $27 million asset-based credit facility with Wells Fargo that was scheduled to mature in October 2021.

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FIRE TOTALS GARLAND SUPPLY CO. WAREHOUSE

A Nov. 9 fire destroyed the Hialeah, Florida, warehouse of Garland Supply Co., reports Tim Burke, editor of sister publication American Drycleaner. The company sells supplies for both the drycleaning industry and the laundry industry.

“Everyone was safe, luckily, because the fire occurred in the middle of the night,” says Jeff Zaitz, one of the owners, along with his father Irwin, of Garland Supply.

LOMELI JOINS CONTINENTAL GIRBAU WEST STAFF

Sergio Lomeli, of Los Angeles, recently joined commercial laundry equipment distributor Continental Girbau West as parts and warehouse assistant. Lomeli brings 22 years of experience to the company.

In his new role Lomeli juggles multiple duties, including parts order processing; daily customer communication; inventory stocking and organization; warehouse staging; and maintaining accurate inventory records, among others.

“I’ve known Sergio for about 22 years from the laundry parts department business,” says Patty Torres, CG West manager of product support. “He brings ample parts and customer service knowledge to CG West and great value to our company. Sergio is a wonderful communicator and person who provides top-level customer service.”

MOUNTAIN ELECTRONICS EXPANDS REPAIR OPERATIONS

Mountain Electronics, which specializes in repairing circuit boards used in commercial washers and dryers, reports it moved and expanded its operations in the fall to a newly remodeled 10,000-square-foot facility in Burnsville, North Carolina.

The company received a $25,000 “Building Reuse Grant” to assist in renovating a vacated textile factory in its county, plus some “On the Job Training” grant money to aid in finding and training qualified employees.

“It was actually the second fire,” he points out, indicating there had been another fire a couple days earlier.

Cause of the initial fire “was undetermined,” Zaitz says, but the fire marshal thought it might have started in a trash bin. “That fire destroyed about 15% of the warehouse so we started cleaning and discarding things.”

His business was in the process of cleaning up from that first blaze when, he says, “Thirty-six hours later, it rekindled again during the middle of the night and burned the whole warehouse down.”

What are your plans going forward?

“We already rented a warehouse down the street and have all our vendors sending us emergency supplies,” Zaitz says. “The outpouring of support from our vendors, customers, and even competitors, to help us out in our time of need, has been overwhelming,” he adds.

He says: “Our vendors have worked around the clock getting stuff to us as rapidly as possible. Times like these, you really see who your true friends are.”

Zaitz notes that his company plans to “Stay in this warehouse temporarily while we decide whether to rebuild the warehouse on the land we own, or buy something.”

“We’re growing but we still have every intention of maintaining our high-quality repairs and great customer service,” says co-owner and CEO George Brasington.

“We’re proud to be able to beautifully renovate this old building and operate a growing high-tech business which brings jobs and economic sustainability to our rural area,” adds co-owner and CFO Whitney Brasington.

The company celebrates 20 years in business this year.

ACO

Sergio Lomeli

After battling the fire at Garland Supply, Hialeah, Fla., fire personnel watch through smoke and haze as their relief crews work to contain the Nov. 9 blaze that consumed the entire warehouse. This was the second of two fires within 36 hours to happen at the same location. (Photo: Jeff Zaitz, Garland Supply Co.)

The Mountain Electronics staff enjoys the space and efficiency of the company’s new workplace, a remodeled textile factory covering 10,000 square feet. (Photo: Mountain Electronics)

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