American Coin-Op - April 2021

In an April 2020 study by Mastercard, 79% of respondents worldwide say they are now using contactless payments, citing safety and cleanliness as key drivers. Further, in 2021 Visa expects that there will be more than 300 million contactless cards in the hands of American consumers.

CHANGER PLACEMENT AND MAINTENANCE

When you think of ancillary equipment in a Laundromat setting, bill changers and breakers are near the top of the list in terms of visibility and utility. Unit positioning is important for both customer and owner access, and regularly scheduled maintenance can keep them running day after day. Here are some tips so they produce the best results.

2020-21 STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Gripped by a pandemic, 2020 was a year unlike any other, and the self-service laundry industry wasn’t immune to its economic impact. But there’s reason to be hopeful.

Many operators polled in our annual survey believe their business will improve in 2021.

COLUMNS

12 HOW TO KEEP YOUR MAT LOOKING NEW

Fewer things are as important as your customer’s perception of your store and whether they see it as “new” or not. Retired multi-store owner Paul Russo writes that if you do things to make people feel your mat is “relatively new,” you’ll draw more customers. He shares some ideas for how to go about doing that.

16 LAUNDROMAT PR: IT’S POSSIBLE AND WORTH DOING

Public relations isn’t an endeavor reserved only for corporations, says Randy F. Radtke, Alliance Laundry Systems. He says that with the right approach, Laundromat owners can have success in PR activities, and they should include it as part of the marketing toolbox.

(Cover image: iStock/Dilok Klaisataporn)

WANT MACHINES TO HELP IMPROVE PROFIT POTENTIAL? LET’S START WITH A PROACTIVE PLAN.

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Bruce Beggs

NUMBERS BEAR OUT CHALLENGING 2020

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

Mathew Pawlak, Production Manager

Nathan Frerichs, Digital Media Director

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

ADVISORY BOARD

It’s been a little more than a decade since the self-service laundry industry has seen comparable numbers. Yes, 2020 was a challenging year for Laundromat ownership, but there’s reason for optimism.

Our annual State of the Industry Survey is chock-full of 2020 data and 2021 forecasting you can use to measure the performance of your business against others.

I analyzed survey results received from qualified respondents based around the country to develop a picture of 2020-21 business conditions, equipment purchases, vend prices, turns per day, and much more.

Just 35.6% of operators polled by American Coin-Op saw their overall vended laundry business (in gross dollar volume) increase last year. The last time that share was as low was in 2009-10, following the Great Recession, when just 40.2% reported better year-over-year performance.

Of course, the pandemic can’t be blamed fully for these latest performance results—there are many variables at play, after all—but the isolation-causing catastrophe that took hold in March 2020 has clearly made doing business much more difficult.

Yet, our “essential” industry marched on. Investors opened their first stores. Operators bought new equipment. And all strived to find ways to meet customer needs while taking necessary safety precautions.

They’re continuing to do that in 2021 while vaccination efforts gain traction. There’s no guarantee if or when the pandemic and its restrictive nature will end but the overall message grows ever more hopeful.

About 65% of survey respondents believe their overall vended laundry business will improve this year. Of course, we won’t know for certain if their forecast will come true until next year’s survey rolls around. In the meantime, I pray they’re right.

Bruce Beggs Editorial Director

American Coin-Op (ISSN 0092-2811) is published monthly. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00. Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00. Single copies $9.00 for U.S., $18.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Coin-Op, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 62, number 4. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Coin-Op is distributed selectively to owners, operators and managers of chain and individually owned coin-operated laundry establishments in the United States. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason.

© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2021. 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.

Vended Laundry Endures Pandemic Downturn

BUT MAJORITY OF OPERATORS PREDICT BETTER BUSINESS DURING YEAR AHEAD

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

Most of us have never experienced a year like 2020. The coronavirus pandemic gripped the world and COVID-19 became a part of our daily lives. And as you’ll see in this annual State of the Industry Survey report, the selfservice laundry business wasn’t immune to its economic impact.

We have to go back more than a decade, to our 2009-10 survey following the Great Recession, to find certain industry performance numbers as low.

But there’s reason to hold out hope, to believe the decline is a “blip” caused by a pandemic that government and healthcare officials are striving to end sometime this year. Many respondents to this year’s survey say their business performance will improve in 2021.

American Coin-Op’s annual State of the Industry survey report provides a litany of statistics valuable to store owners and investors. This year’s survey focused on 2020-21 business conditions, pricing, equipment, turns per day and utilities cost.

The survey is an unscientific, online poll of American Coin-Op readers who operate stores. Some percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding or other factors.

AUDIENCE BREAKDOWN

Roughly 59% of respondents own just one self-service laundry, while 40.7% are multi-store owners (22.1% of total respondents own two or three stores, 18.6% own four or more stores).

Approximately 49% of respondents own their store space, 37.3% rent their store space, and the remaining 13.6% say the arrangement varies by property.

Fully attended stores among the audience account for 37.3%. Roughly 32% are partially attended, and 17.0% are unattended. Among the remaining 13.6%, the arrangement varies by store.

More than 93% of laundry owners polled employ either full-time or part-time workers in their stores. Nearly 56% of those respondents have four or more employees, while 31.5% employ two or three. The remaining 13.0% have only one employee.

On average, responding store owners have 3.0 full-time employees and 6.4 parttime employees (this calculation reflects averages by respondent, not by store).

As for payment types, 84.8% of respondents say they offer coin, 44.1% offer card, and 20.3% offer other non-coin systems (store owners were asked to identify every type that applies to their operations.

Roughly 48% of respondents offer customers more than one type of payment, compared to 49% last year.

2020 BUSINESS VS. 2019

For 2020, 35.6% of operators say their overall vended laundry business in gross dollar volume increased from that of 2019. The last time that share was that low was in 2009-10, when just 40.2% reported better business performance.

In our 2019-20 survey, 74.6% reported an increase, while 81.5% reported seeing sales growth in the survey prior. Beginning with the 2012-13 survey, between 54% and 81.5% of respondents had reported business increases annually until this year’s survey.

The average 2020 business increase was 7.1%, down from 12.6% in 2019. Other recent average increases have been 9.9% (2018), 9.4% (2017) and 11.2% (2016).

In a breakdown of 2020 business increases (the figures relate to those reporting increases, not all respondents), 66.7% reported an increase of less than 10%, 19% said it was between 10% and 14%, and 14.3% reported an increase of 15% or more.

Nearly 58% of operators faced a decrease in total business (in gross dollar volume) in 2020, compared to roughly 12% in 2019. The percentage was 8% in 2018, 10% in 2017 and 22% in 2016.

The average 2020 business decrease was 20.5%, nearly triple the 7.5% decline reported for 2019. Other recent average decreases were 5.0% (2018), 6.7%

(Photo: iStock.com/Dilok Klaisataporn)

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(2017) and 9.1% (2016).

In a breakdown of 2020 business decreases (the figures relate to those reporting a decrease, not all respondents), 21.2% of operators reported it to be less than 10%, 21.2% said it was between 10% and 14%, and 57.6% pegged the decline at 15% or more.

Roughly 7% of respondents say their 2020 business was unchanged compared to 2019 business.

So, it’s clear the self-service laundry industry had a challenging year in 2020. It can join many other business sectors in blaming, at least in part, the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. It took a while before laundry services were deemed essential and allowed to remain in operation. Meanwhile, stayat-home orders instituted by state and local governments in the early months of the outbreak kept people at home.

DROP-OFF SERVICE AND PRICING

Roughly 34% of operators reported that drop-off service business (in gross dollar volume) increased for them in 2020, compared to 54% in 2019, 58% in 2018, 68% in 2017 and 61% in 2016.

The average increase in drop-off service business last year was 14.2%, compared to 21.0% in 2019, 29.8% in 2018, 26.1% in 2017 and 18% in 2016.

Approximately 51% of respondents saw a decrease in drop-off business. That compares to 12% in 2019, 10% in 2018, 16% in 2017 and 6.5% in 2016.

The average decline in drop-off service business in 2020 was 29.1%, compared to 18.2% in 2019. Other previous average declines were 17.3% in 2018, 7.8% in 2017 and 15% in 2016.

Roughly 20% of respondents say their 2020 drop-off business was unchanged from the previous year.

Current drop-off pricing (in dollars per pound) ranges from $0.41 to $1.75, based on the survey responses.

Following is a breakdown of the most popular drop-off service prices (per pound), followed by the percentage of operators who use them:

1. $1.00 and $1.25 (tie, 15.8% each)

3. $1.50 (13.2%)

Overall prices for drop-off service remain relatively consistent with previous years’ surveys. In total, 16 different prices were reported in this year’s survey.

Roughly 64% of operators polled offer drop-off service, eight percentage points higher than last year’s survey.

COMMERCIAL BUSINESS

Among store owners who offer commercial laundry services (this year, the share was 40.7%), 28.0% reported that business (in gross dollar volume) increased for them in 2020. The average increase was 31.0%.

Forty-four percent of respondents saw a decrease in this category, the average drop being 43.9%.

Thirty-six percent say their business was unchanged from the previous year.

VENDING SALES

The share of respondents reporting their vending sales increased in 2020 was 27.3%, down from 44.9% the previous year. Nearly 39% reported declines in vending sales in 2020, compared to 16% for 2019. Operators reporting no change for 2020 accounted for 34.1%, compared to 40.8% in the prior year’s survey.

The average vending sales increase was 10%. The average decrease was 27.5%.

HOW MUCH FOR A WASH?

Respondents were asked to report how much they charge for a variety of washes.

Roughly 53% of operators—a bit less than the 63% in the 2020 survey—offer top loaders at their store(s). The price range for a top-load wash is $1.25 to $4. The most popular top-load prices:

1. $3 and $2 (tie, 22.6%)

3. $2.50 (16.1%)

The most popular prices for some of the small front loaders are:

• 18 pounds: $3.50

• 20 pounds: $3

• 25 pounds: $3

The lowest price reported in this group is $1.25 (18 pounds) while the highest price is $4.59 (25 pounds).

The price range for a 30-pound wash is $2.75 to $5.50. The most popular prices are:

1. $4 (23.4%)

2. $4.25 (21.3%)

3. $3.75 (14.9%)

The price range for a 35-pound wash is $2.50 to $5.50. The most popular prices are:

1. $4.50 (30%)

2. $4 (20%)

3. $5 (16%)

The price range for a 40-pound wash is $2.75 to $6.50. The most popular prices are:

1. $4.50, $5 and $5.50 (tie, 17.1%)

4. $4.75 (14.6%)

The price range for a 50-pound wash is $3 to $7.50. The most popular prices are:

1. $5.25 (21.1%)

2. $5.50 and $6 (tie, 15.8%)

Prices for a 55-pound wash currently range from $5.50 to $7.

Of all the washer capacities, 30 pounds (16 different base prices) and 60 pounds (15 prices) have the broadest pricing.

The price range for a 60-pound wash is $3.50 to $9. The most popular prices are:

1. $6.50 (19.1%)

2. $7 (14.9%)

3. $7.50 (12.8%)

Prices charged for a 75-pound wash range from $7.25 to $9.

The price range for an 80-pound wash is $7 to $12.25. The most popular prices are:

1. $8.50 (20%)

2. $8.75 (16%)

3. $9 and $9.75 (tie, 12%)

Prices charged for a 90-pound wash range from $9.75 to $11.

Respondents were asked to provide ▼

prices for front loaders of 14 traditional capacities, plus had the option to list others.

DRYER PRICES

Operators were asked to list their current prices for their dryers as “25 cents for X minutes.” Most popular among this year’s respondents—at 27.1%—is 25 cents for 6 minutes (also the top choice in the previous four surveys). Second is 25-for-5 (23.7%) and third is 25-for-7 (22%).

CHARGING MORE?

American Coin-Op asked respondents if they have already raised washer and/or dryer prices in 2021, or if they plan to do so before the end of the year.

Regarding washers, the majority (47.5%) say they have already raised prices, or intend to do so, by year’s end. Twenty-two percent say they have no such plans, and the remaining 30.5% are undecided.

Regarding dryers, 59.3% say they have not raised prices, nor do they plan to do so by the end of the year. Roughly 12% say they have raised, or plan to raise, prices. The remaining 28.8% are undecided.

TURNS PER DAY

Turns per day refers to the number of cycles (turns) that each of a store’s machines completes daily. For each machine class (top loader or front loader), you can calculate this using total cycles for a one-week period divided by total number of machines in the class, then dividing by seven.

At present, the average turns per day for top loaders amongst respondents is 3.3, identical to last year’s survey. For front loaders, the average number is 4.2 turns per day, compared to 3.6 in last year’s survey.

PURCHASED IN 2020

Slightly less than 46% of respondents purchased at least one piece of equipment (washer, dryer, water heater, vending machine, or other) in 2020, which is basically identical to our last survey.

Here is a breakdown (percentages do not total 100% because some buyers purchased from multiple equipment categories):

• 3.3% purchased at least one top loader, with the average buy being 11.0 machines per operator.

• 32.2% of respondents purchased at least one front loader, with the average buy being 15.1 machines per operator.

• 23.7% purchased at least one dryer (regular or stack), with the average buy being 17.2 machines per operator.

• 10.2% purchased a water heater.

• 10.2% purchased a vending machine.

Card systems, a storage tank, water softener and an ATM were also listed as having been purchased.

2021 SHOPPING LIST

Operators were asked if they purchased, or plan to purchase, new equipment in 2021. Approximately 34% of respondents plan to add or have added some type of equipment (washer, dryer, water heater, vending machine, or other) to their mix in 2021. Last year’s percentage was 36%.

Here is a breakdown (percentages do not total 100% because some buyers purchased from multiple equipment categories):

• 10.2% of respondents have purchased, or plan to purchase, a new top loader, with the average being 4.5 machines.

• 23.7% have purchased, or plan to

purchase, a new front loader, with the average being 15.3 machines.

• 11.9% have purchased, or plan to purchase, a new dryer, with the average being 17 machines.

BIGGEST CHALLENGES

What are your biggest challenges in operating your self-service laundry? American Coin-Op offered a list of eight choices plus “other” and asked operators to select all that apply. Here are the results:

1. High cost of utilities (52.2%)

2. Finding/keeping good employees (49.2%)

3. Labor costs (30.5%)

4. Maintenance costs (28.8%)

5. Equipment abuse/vandalism, and rental costs (tie, 25.4%)

7. Too much competition (20.3%)

8. Other (13.6%)

9. Poor industry image (6.8%)

UTILITIES COST

Operators were asked about their 2020 utilities cost (as a percentage of gross). The responses ranged from 5% to 55%. Collectively, respondents paid an average of 19.9% for utilities, down slightly from 20.4% last year.

The most common individual response was 20%. Whereas 60.3% reported a utilities cost of 20% or less last year, 69% reported the same this year.

For many operators, utilities account for their largest store expense, second only to rent; 60.7% place it either first or second on their list of five common expenses (rent, utilities, payroll, insurance, and loan payment for new equipment), while 66.7% place rent there. Meanwhile, insurance is the smallest store expense, ranked fourth or fifth on the list by 78.6%.

FORECAST FOR 2022

Roughly 64% of respondents are optimistic that their 2021 total business will be better than 2020’s. Nearly 29% expect business to be about the same, while 6.8% say their business won’t perform as well in 2021 as it did in 2020.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR MAT LOOKING LIKE NEW

There are not many things more important than the customer’s perception of your mat and whether they see it as “new” or not.

If you do things to make people feel your mat is “relatively new,” you will draw more customers. It’s that simple.

There are a few reasons why people like brand-new mats (if they are planned, built and managed properly). Just like a new car, new is better in many ways, but the cleanliness of a new mat is a main driving force for people to use it.

LOW-COST TIPS

The big box stores offer modern low-cost materials that can be used to renovate your mat. Spend some time looking at what’s new for homeowners and you’ll most likely get some good ideas.

For instance, they now sell some really good-looking self-stick vinyl tiles. Mat floors get a lot of abuse, but you could use these tiles to create a nice accent wall. Many are durable enough to even use as wainscoting to protect the walls from laundry carts. I recommend using a good vinyl tile adhesive for that instead of self-stick.

A popular trend now is to use diamond plate to protect walls from carts and more.

For equipment, if you can’t afford to buy new front panels, a cheaper option is to have an auto body shop paint them, or have them powder-coated.

I once mentioned buying new front panels for my dryers. You can bring in an appliance painter to mask

out your dryer banks and spray-paint them right there in the store. You have to close for a day or two but it’s a dramatic refreshening.

If you love a mat that has ceramic tile walls but can’t afford the expense of doing every wall, then try doing just one. Or, you can opt to use the tile as trim.

If corners of your walls are getting chipped and beaten up, you can cover, protect and strengthen them with stock stainless-steel corner guards.

You’d also be surprised at how a new coat of paint can help freshen up your mat, especially if you choose a more modern color. Need to touch up some paint? Consider using nail polish from your local variety store.

Cleaning your rubber door gaskets and rubber soap box lids can make them look like new.

Soak a rag in a 50-50 bleach solution, wrap it around a butter knife or screwdriver, and insert the tool between the gasket and door glass, on the inside of the door. Run the rag around the inside of the gasket to scoop out the mold; the bleach will clean the rest. Wipe with a dry rag.

To really make the rubber look like new, try soaking the items overnight in a tub of 1/4 chlorine bleach to 3/4 water. I’ve done this only with gray rubber, so I’m not sure how black rubber will come out. Try soaking only one as a test.

Be sure to use the same bleach-to-water ratio for all the gaskets, and soak them for the same amount of time to ensure uniformity.

I’ve done this with white soap boxes as well, but you have to remove it from the washer if you really want to do a good job. This may also involve scrubbing, so protect yourself and your clothing, and be sure you have good ventilation.

If your washers have calcified soap deposits on the metal tops or even the fronts, this is a job for a rust remover containing hydrofluoric acid (not to be confused with hydrochloric acid).

But understand that this is a dangerous acid and should be used only with the proper personal protective equipment (PPE): face mask, face shield, long-sleeve shirt, double gloves, and good ventilation!

Once the washers are cleaned up, use a powdered cleanser regularly to prevent new accumulations. Double-check that the cleanser you choose won’t scratch surfaces.

Go one step further and make machines shine! Mineral oil, lemon oil, baby oil, even WD-40 will

Paul Russo (Photo: © Paha_L/Depositphotos)

make your equipment shine. I prefer lemon oil for the nice fragrance.

Don’t forget the parking lot. If you own the property, it’s not a bad idea to have the lot sealed and restriped, etc.

MODERATELY PRICED

Some manufacturers can sell you brandnew front panels and trims. While not cheap, the cost can be well worth it.

You can keep your original panels to put back up after a number of years, making your current crop of customers think once again that you installed new equipment.

Don’t forget to change knobs, decals, button overlays and trim to complete the task.

And you can change out the rubber washer door gaskets and soap box lids entirely. Most door gaskets come in either black or “battleship” gray.

If your folding tables are showing wear or looking dirty, change the tops; consider some kind of quartz or granite.

If your laundry carts are getting old, buy some new ones and try selling the old to another laundry.

Your mat seem a little dark inside? You may want to upgrade to new LED light fixtures. Nearly every local utility offers some kind of rebate incentives to switch to bright, clean-looking LED troffers (rectangular light fixtures that fit into dropped ceiling grids).

Consider trying daylight bulbs at a color temperature around 5000k. It’s the closest you will get to real sunlight, which can enhance a person’s mood. Customers may perceive that their laundry is brighter and cleaner with better lighting around the folding tables.

SOMEWHAT EXPENSIVE

This level of improvement would mean retooling your mat with new equipment when necessary. If your equipment has not been well-maintained, and/or the machines are water/energy hogs that break down frequently, this becomes a vital and necessary expense if you want to stay profitable.

If your mat looks old on the outside, what do you think potential customers will think as they pass your business? A new,

modern storefront plus quality signage is in order. If you can add automatic doors, so much the better!

Upgrade your interior design. What’s eye-popping new as far as floors, walls and ceilings? Fast-food chains and hotels employ the best designers, so get ideas from those businesses.

If you are putting in new dryers, I recommend springing for stainless-steel drums. They look great even after many years.

Before you pull the trigger on new equipment, try selling your old machines to other mats first. The buyer can come to your store to see the equipment in operation, which gives him/her confidence to pay your price. Then you just agree on a price and a time (coordinate things so it’s the day you’ll get your new machines).

ACO

Paul Russo owned and operated multiple Laundromats in New York City for more than 40 years before retiring in 2018. You’re welcome to direct any questions or comments for Russo to Editor Bruce Beggs at bbeggs@atmags.com.

LAUNDROMAT PR: IT’S POSSIBLE AND WORTH DOING

You get what you pay for. Nothing good is ever free. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

We’ve all heard those adages, and, for the most part, they hold true. But like anything, there are exceptions to the rule. Public relations—PR—is one of them. In most cases, PR activities carry far more weight than traditional advertising efforts. And they’re free, which is even better.

So, what’s all this PR talk have to do with vended laundries? Public relations is great if you’re a company the size of Alliance Laundry Systems, but a small Laundromat business? That’s another misconception around PR, as many assume it’s strictly a corporate endeavor. Not so. Heck, it even has the word “public” in the name. Bottom line: With the right approach, Laundromat owners can have success in PR activities, and they should include it as part of the marketing toolbox.

WHY PR?

The value of public relations rests in its differentiation from advertising. Ads are trying to sell goods or services. So, automatically, the audience views them as such. By contrast, PR activities are informational and educational. In short, when they are done right, they are news. When communications messages are not a straight-up sales pitch, audiences are much more open to them. There’s also something to be said for being a subject matter expert in your market. Again, if

you are educating prospective customers on a topic that they are interested in, the idea is that they will naturally draw a connection to you and your business. For instance, work with local media on a laundry topic, like stain removal. The audience will be made aware of you and your business and, hopefully, pay you a visit because nobody knows more about removing stains.

STARTING POINT

Press releases are the foundation of PR activities. Think of them as your company’s way of saying, “Hello, community, here’s something we think you might want to know about.” Obviously, your laundry’s grand opening is tailor-made for using a press release and offers a real opportunity for being picked up. The difference between success and failure of your release is being able to think like a member of the media and deliver the five W’s: who, what, when, where and why.

Each press release should prominently feature that information. But you also want to do more. The more “news value” you can give, the better your chances for success. This is where you highlight things that are new and not what many might think of when they picture a Laundromat. Features such as mobile payment, extralarge equipment capacity, rewards programs, fast cycles (in and out in less than an hour), touchscreen controls and other technology are great pieces to include. Any unique amenities? Yup, include them.

Cite the special activities planned: live music, food truck, giveaways. All these elements help add up to a strong case that your opening is news.

Of course, all the basics apply – check your spelling, and ensure that you add your contact information in the event media has questions or, even better, wants to come out and cover the event. If they can’t make it, offer to shoot a few photos for a post grand-opening article.

ADVANCED-LEVEL PR

If you’ve been open for a year or two, that doesn’t mean your PR efforts need to stop. Simply keeping an eye on current events can present opportunities to get you and your business back in your local media. The concept is called “localizing,” or taking a larger national story and making it local.

The past year of COVID-19 is a prime example. With Laundromats earning “essential business” status, you could reach out to media with a pitch on

Randy F. Radtke

what you are doing to keep customers safe and provide this essential service. If your laundry programmed new “sanitize” cycles, there’s another opportunity. There’s a change shortage and your laundry offers cashless or mobile pay. That’s news-tip or press-release material, for sure.

Are you giving back to the community in some way? Hosting a kids’ coloring contest? Philanthropic activities and contests are always great content for press releases or a call to media. Don’t forget that announcing the activity is only half the task. Follow up with a photo of the winner or donation or whatever. It is another opportunity to reinforce your brand and activities, and media loves to have this content to fill in during slow news days.

Staging unique events can also bring publicity and media coverage for your laundry. I’ve seen art shows and singles nights in the laundry garner media coverage. Think unique and outside the box and then let the media in on the secret. Of course, don’t forget to execute it at a high level. And make sure these activities are on-brand for your laundry.

SOME CAUTIONS

There’s a fine line between building solid relationships with local media and pestering editors/reporters. When you reach out, make sure what you have to share is truly newsworthy. If you are contacting media folks every other week, you’re likely doing it wrong and they’ll start ducking your calls. Don’t cry “new wolf” or they won’t cover you when the actual news shows up. Believe me, when I was on the media side of things, I dealt with PR folks who felt everything they sent over was worthy of a front-page feature. Spoiler alert: nope, it’s not.

Whenever possible, avoid sending pitches or press releases to general “info@” emails. Do your best to identify a specific reporter covering the most appropriate beat. If you use your contacts sparingly and only when you have a solid lead, the relationship can become mutually beneficial.

It makes sense to repeat that, when you’re engineering a press release, make sure it’s well written, with the news up front and quickly digestible. Editorial offices are busy environments; if you make an

editor or reporter wade through a giant email preamble or rambling press release, it will likely find the recycle bin.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Equipment upgrades, new services, unique amenities or events – all are great ideas to reach out to press with. Like most elements of your Laundromat business, the best results come from having a solid plan and working through the details. Figure out ways to become a laundry expert and go-to resource for local media.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking PR is something that’s reserved for large corporations and requires a full-time position. With a little effort and attention to detail, you might be surprised by the success you can have in getting publicity for your business. ACO

Randy F. Radtke is content and media relations manager at Alliance Laundry Systems. He has more than 20 years of media and public relations experience, with more than a dozen years in commercial laundry. He can be reached at randy. radtke@alliancels.com.

When you think of ancillary equipment in a Laundromat setting, bill changers and breakers are near the top of the list in terms of visibility and utility. But you can’t just place them anywhere in a store, and you can’t just set them up once and leave them be.

Unit positioning is important for both customer and owner access, and regularly scheduled maintenance can keep them running day after day.

Ken Brinks is national sales manager for American Changer Corp., which makes a vast line of money-handling products, including bill-to-bill breakers and bill-to-coin/token dispensers, sold under the American Changer, Rowe and Triad trademarks.

“The most logical place for a bill breaker or bill changer is in a location that is easily noticed by customers,” he says. “You want to be sure it is very visible to customers so they have easy access to change or tokens.

“For self-serve laundry locations, we recommend rear-load machines, which have a door in the back and are mounted inside a wall, so store personnel can have access from the back. This maximizes space in your laundry location and helps provide security.”

Kris Kious is national service manager for Standard ChangeMakers Inc., which also manufactures a full line of bill and coin changers used in Laundromats.

Distributors and contractors know the finer details of their

store projects and take issues such as access into consideration when developing installation blueprints, Kious says, so his company doesn’t make placement recommendations. However, it often answers questions about bill acceptor height and Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines when installing changer units.

“You want to have ample access to the changer so that someone in a wheelchair could get in there sideways,” he says.

As far as how the unit is powered, Kious says it’s Standard’s desire “to have a dedicated electrical line back to the panel” and “three-wire connection with good ground.”

“Once we have good power, the equipment is pretty simple,” he adds.

If you’re building a new store or retooling an existing one and you install a new changer during the course of construction, be sure to cover the bill acceptor until all work is finished, Kious advises: “Drywall will find its way in and cover those sensors.”

Manufacturers (and their distributors) routinely supply instructions for maintaining their money-handling equipment; manuals often can be found online on company websites.

“Like anything, bill breakers/bill changers require proper and consistent maintenance to help with optimal performance and long life,” Brinks says. “We recommend a qualified professional install and inspect the machines on an annual basis, and the machines be used as recommended” by the manufacturer.

When it comes to maintenance, bill acceptors—including the rollers or rubber belts that transport bills—deserve your attention, Kious says. He recommends a changer be cleaned and maintained twice a year, or “when it starts rejecting a higher amount of bills.”

After gaining access to a changer’s inner workings, use an air compressor (or even “canned air” will work) to blow out dust and lint, he says. Then use a clean, damp rag with a mild detergent such as Simple Green® to wipe off sensor lenses. Use a blast of air again to make sure the areas are dry when finished.

When cleaning belts, make sure they remain tacky enough to pull bills through, Kious adds.

Plastic rollers sometimes grow “clumpy” from collecting dirt and ink from bills. Use a small, straight-edge screwdriver to gently scrape them off, then clean with a rag and detergent.

As for gravity-fed coin hoppers, blow out the front of the hopper and the chute area, Kious says. Take the hoppers out occasionally and remove any foreign objects like paper clips, string from a coin bag or a bent coin that can hamper dispensing.

American Changer recommends monthly cleaning of components (depending on store traffic) and a more in-depth maintenance/safety check annually.

“It is recommended that you have a spare validator and hopper parts (especially belts) on hand for quick service,” Brinks says.

Kious says if a store has only one bill acceptor, he’d recommend keeping an extra on hand.

“Customers will never stop using cash, and it is important that your location makes it as easy as possible for them to do business with you!” Brinks says.

“We’ll see bill acceptors come back that are 3 or 4 years old and have never been touched,” Kious says. “At least look at an annual cleaning and maintenance routine. They won’t get better by themselves.”

ACO

ALLIANCE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS ACQUIRES PWS DISTRIBUTION ASSETS

Alliance Laundry Systems has acquired the distribution assets of PWS Inc., the largest North American distributor of Alliance’s Speed Queen brand equipment and parts, the company says. The deal closed March 1, just five days after it was announced, and terms were not disclosed.

PWS opened in 1968 and has since become a leader in the commercial laundry business, Alliance says, with California offices in Los Angeles, South San Francisco and San Diego.

“Alliance and PWS have a strong working relationship that spans over 50 years and we are delighted to have them join the Alliance team,” says Rick Pyle, president and chief commercial officer of Alliance Laundry Systems.

“We believe strongly in the California market and are excited about the opportunities for us and for all of our current distribution partners,” he adds.

The purchase agreement specifically excluded PWS’s route business, which Alliance says will be sold separately to unaffiliated third-party buyers.

Brad Steinberg and Brad Pollack, PWS co-presidents, will remain in executive roles and continue to drive growth initiatives as part of Alliance Laundry Systems.

“We are ecstatic to join the Alliance family and foresee a future filled with a significantly enhanced experience for PWS’s 100,000plus customers,” Steinberg says.

“This transaction allows us to invest heavily in technology, inventory and service personnel, with the goal of becoming an even stronger full-service commercial laundry distributor,” Pollack adds.

MILNOR PROMOTES MANNING IN APPLICATION ENGINEERING

Commercial laundry equipment manufacturer Pellerin Milnor Corp. has promoted Damian Manning to be the company’s new Application Engineering Department (AED) manager. His duties will now include leading the AED team as it supports and assists the Milnor dealer network.

Manning began his career with Milnor in 2013 as an AED project manager after graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University. His degree in industrial technology paired with his double concentration in automated systems and supervision have helped Manning succeed in his role.

His goal as AED manager is to implement new project design strategies that will benefit Milnor’s dealer network as well as improve product performance and expand industry knowledge within the department.

TIDE UNVEILS ITS FIRST-EVER LAUNDROMAT IN CHICAGO

As part of Tide’s focus to bring innovation to the out-of-home laundry services industry, the Procter & Gamble brand recently unveiled its first Tide Laundromat in Chicago.

Tide says the store at 7558 N. Western Ave., in the Rogers Park neighborhood, is “a revolutionary new Laundromat experience that eliminates guesswork from laundry – with smart-dosing machines and providing the perfect amount of detergent and

softener in every wash.”

Consumers can complete their laundry in as little as 35 minutes, Tide claims, and will be able to leave their laundry products at home because detergents from Tide and Gain, fabric softeners from Downy and Gain, and Bounce dryer sheets are included with every load.

“Only Tide could deliver this type of convenience in your hometown Laundromat,” says Grace Riggenbach, senior brand director at Tide. “America’s No. 1 detergent knows our consumer better than anyone – and we have almost 75 years of experience in delivering the ultimate clean.”

The Tide Laundromat app with Tide Rewards loyalty program shows machine availability, cutting out the inconvenience of showing up to a store with no pockets available. In addition to cash and coin-based payment, the app enables mobile payment. After a load finishes, notifications are available so guests will never forget their wash.

CRYPTOPAY EXPANDS BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH WASHBOARD Point of sale solutions provider CryptoPay, Colorado Springs, Colo., reports that it recently expanded its longtime relationship with Indiana-based Washboard Laundry Solutions by naming it “Factory Authorized Representative.”

“Washboard, a factory-authorized distributor of CryptoPay, brings the expertise of being owner/operators of 10 Laundromats, and over 20 years of running and growing their laundry business,” says Dave Richards, vice president of CryptoPay. “This partnership allows us to serve the laundry industry, bringing industry expertise along with a cost-effective, secure, and easy-to-use credit and debit card system.”

All CryptoPay sales go through Washboard, Richards adds, and principals in the two companies discuss strategy, including new sales and product ideas, every week. The companies have been working together for several years now and this latest development builds on that relationship.

Washboard was founded in 2019 by Logan Wuethrich. He also manages Ladybug Cleaners LLC, a Northwest Indiana coin laundry chain founded by his father, Tim, in 2001. ACO

The Procter & Gamble brand recently unveiled its first Tide Laundromat, located on the North Side of Chicago. It features “smart-dosing machines” controlled by app and includes detergent and softener with every wash. (Photo: Tide)

Manning

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