American Coin-Op - June 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.

Always clean. Always efficient. Always working for you. With laundry solutions designed for whatever the world has in store, Dexter is focused on your success.

DEALING WITH ANGRY OR DIFFICULT CUSTOMERS

No matter what you do, there will be customers who complain about your service and may even become angry or difficult while doing so. Conflict resolution expert Dave Hilton offers suggestions for defusing and resolving such situations.

ECONOMICS OF A LAUNDROMAT RETOOL

Participating in a Coin Laundry Association webinar, a trio of experienced operators recount their latest retools and how they were able to get the projects “to pencil out.”

COLUMNS

14 POINTERS FROM PAULIE B: SOMETIMES IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS...

In the never-ending quest to draw more customers, laundromat owners are marketing their businesses in a variety of ways and working hard to keep stores running smoothly and looking like new. Beyond that, retired multi-store owner Paul Russo suggests there are some other, more subtle ways to reach people.

37 WAYS TO SANITIZE, HOW TO MONETIZE

Girbau North America’s Joel Jorgensen examines adding sanitization to laundry loads through the use of ozone or an EPA-registered chemical sanitizer additive, and how store owners can monetize either amenity.

Make more money with cycle add-ons.

Save money on repairs by investing in durable equipment. Save money on utilities.

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Bruce Beggs

EXHIBITION EXCITEMENT

I wasn’t surprised when, toward the end of last year, Messe Frankfurt decided it would be in our industry’s best interest to postpone the scheduled Clean Show from summer 2021 to 2022. It was the right move, given the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic at the time and the logistics of organizing a large-scale exhibition.

Clean figures heavily in our Editorial Calendar each time it rolls around, and we had already planned our related coverage for this year when the decision was made, so we had to shift gears.

The industry was still ripe for a textile care exhibition in 2021. Why not throw our own?

The issue you hold now is the venue, its display advertisers the exhibitors. Starting on page 18, you’ll find “No Clean Show, No Problem!,” featuring the businesses that have placed display ads in our magazine during 2021 to date.

This distinctive feature allows us to fill the temporary trade show void, plus show our thanks for those companies that have supported us during this uncertain time.

We are, of course, avid supporters of The Clean Show, and we look forward to attending and covering the Atlanta event in 2022. But in the meantime, we’re making the most of our exhibition excitement.

The ribbon’s been cut, and the floor is open! • • • • •

The pandemic continues to impact the job market in our industry, so we’ve created a free, easy-to-use clearinghouse for job listings and positions wanted.

The Jobs Board can be found by clicking the do-it-yourself section’s dedicated tab: https://americancoinop.com/jobs-board

Create your own online listings to advertise open positions at your business (“Jobs Available”), or announce your personal availability and interest in certain positions (“Jobs Wanted”).

Once approved, the free posts will remain online for 30 days with an option to renew. One can search the Jobs Board for listings based on location and skill level.

Ready ... set ... hire!

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

Mathew Pawlak, Production Manager

Nathan Frerichs, Digital Media Director

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

ADVISORY BOARD

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 6. 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 June 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 June arise therefrom.

Dealing with Angry or Difficult Customers

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

You’re in a service business—even if it’s technically a selfservice business—and you’ve made it your mission to provide your local community with the ability to do laundry. While many patrons will be pleased with your operation, there will be times that no matter what you or your staff do, a dissatisfied customer will grow angry or become difficult to deal with.

So what’s the best way to handle a situation like that and successfully resolve it to everyone’s satisfaction?

Dave Hilton is a conflict resolution consultant, coach and mediator for his company, Resolution Stream. As a young man, he was working in operations for a group of popular radio stations when he discovered he was ill-equipped to lead his team through the conflicts that arose as they fought for ratings and the ad dollars that go with them.

He took another job with a different set of stations, this time in management. Still conscious of his workplace shortcomings, he enrolled in dispute resolution classes at Southern Methodist University—and loved them. He earned a graduate certificate and then a master’s degree, ultimately making conflict resolution his full-time profession.

During the course of an average week, a small-business owner or

manager has responsibility for meeting a wide variety of operational demands. Laundry operators might be surprised to find out just how much time they may have to devote to conflict management in terms of dealing with angry or difficult customers, as well as staff.

“Whether you’re talking about dealing with employees, whether you’re talking about dealing with customers, the average owner or manager spends more than 40% of their time dealing with conflict and dealing with these situations,” Hilton says.

He estimates that in 90-95% of complaints, the cause stems from the customer’s expectations not being met. That could mean their favorite machine is out of order, all of the laundry carts are in use, they lost change in a vending machine, you name it.

“When you think of something that’s happened to you and why you got mad or why you got frustrated, it’s because whatever you expected to happen didn’t,” Hilton says.

Now, whether those expectations are realistic or not, that’s an entirely different conversation.

Before conflict even arises, Hilton believes it’s possible to pick up on signs that a customer may become difficult or angry if things don’t go their way.

“We all have that unconscious ability to notice or be able to ▼

Take time to listen, and don’t be defensive

(Photo: © SIphotography/Depositphotos)

identify people who might be an issue,” he says. “You might get what I call the ‘Spidey sense,’ after Spider-man, you get that sense that something’s just not quite right.

“I’m sure business owners in the coin-operated laundry industry are well aware—especially over time—they see this person is going to be a really good customer and this person probably not.”

When customers act out in your laundry, there are times it’s caused by something completely unrelated to washing or drying, Hilton says.

“Even your best customers could have something that happened to them externally. Could be a family thing, a job thing that just has them on edge, and that could cause a really good customer to become an irate customer at the drop of a hat.”

Has the coronavirus pandemic and the long periods of isolation that it’s caused made laundry customers more prone to becoming angry or difficult when a situation arises?

“It does seem, just over the last year, that people tend to get more upset about expectations,” Hilton says, and this includes things like having to wear masks while indoors.

TAKING ACTION

When approached by a customer who appears angry or disagreeable, the first and most important thing to do is to listen to them, he advises.

“Listening and understanding isn’t agreement. You can listen to and understand somebody’s problem or complaint that they have but it doesn’t mean you agree with them. But just the small thing of listening to it and acknowledging the fact” that you understand their position will go a long way in helping you resolve the matter.

When it’s your turn to speak, do so calmly. Raising your voice will only invite your customer to do the same.

“People don’t want to seem foolish. If they continue to yell while you’re being calm, they’re going to start feeling embarrassed,” Hilton says.

The worst thing that a store owner can do when someone complains is to become defensive.

“That’s our natural instinct, to become defensive: ‘This is my

business, my location, and I do the best that I can.’ … First, you have to stop thinking of yourself and put yourself in that person’s shoes. And just listen. The biggest thing that people complain about is that their issues, their problems, nobody is validating them.”

But be mindful about where you’re listening to the complaint and who else may be within earshot. By allowing a customer to openly vent in the middle of your store, you could unknowingly be giving others an opportunity to “pile on.”

“Whenever one person has a complaint and they finally vocalize that complaint to somebody, it gives other people permission. “‘Well, I have one, too,’ and all of a sudden you have this mob mentality of everybody ganging up. Most people can’t deal with that situation, or know how to deescalate that situation.”

Hilton suggests inviting the customer into your office to have the conversation privately. If that’s not possible, try stepping out onto the sidewalk: “‘Hey, it’s kind of loud in here because of all the machines and the TVs blaring. Let’s step outside and see if we can talk about it.’ That way, it’s about you and that person speaking individually rather than having those other people (chiming in). You can deal with those later.”

PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR PLACE

Laundry owners who are most likely to fail at conflict resolution tend to focus on their own feelings, according to Hilton.

“That’s where most people fail. They don’t make it about the other person, they make it about whatever restrictions or things that they can’t control,” he says. “Well, what can you control? Ask that question of yourself first. What can you do—that may be different than what they’re asking for—that could still appease them and make them happy?”

When dealing with an angry or difficult customer, remember their long-term value to your business.

“You want them to come back and continue to use your products,” Hilton says. “That small little thing that takes 15 or 30 minutes of your time … could make them be extremely loyal to your location and come back for years to come.”

On the flip side, yes, there can be a time when dealing with a certain irate or disagreeable customer isn’t worth your effort.

“There are some people that are just so toxic that they’re going to complain every single time, so how valuable are they to you? If they’re not that valuable, then it’s not worth engaging,” Hilton says. “‘I’m sorry this happened to you. Here’s your refund. Maybe you’d like to try the other laundromat down the road.’”

Now, if you’re located in a rural area and have a small customer base, you’re probably going to need to be willing to go further to appease complaining customers than owners whose stores are located in large population centers, he warns.

Getting back to those unfulfilled expectations, how can a laundry owner better understand how their customers think and feel about their store and how it’s being run?

“If you have an attended location, just ask simple questions,” Hilton suggests. “You will get a very good idea. … Ask their opinion about what works, what doesn’t work.”

Taking some time now to get to know customers will serve to help you should they come to you with a complaint.

And by remaining calm as you carefully listen to a customer’s concerns, you’ll be in the best position to find a way to resolve the matter and leave both of you satisfied.

(Photo: iStock.com/kevinruss)

ECONOMICS OF A LAUNDROMAT RETOOL

Operators recount their latest overhauls

of your laundromat career, when you consider doing a complete retool of your store,” says moderator Brian Wallace, CLA president and CEO. “We know that there are lots of considerations.”

LAVANDERIA EXPRESS, OWNED BY JOSE ALMONTE

Jose Almonte owns Lavanderia Express in New York City and has been in the laundry business since 1993. He currently owns 10 stores but has had as many as 20 at any one time during his career.

He retooled the store at 100-25 Atlantic Ave., spending $680,000 on the 5,000-square-foot store that offers 58 washers and 29 stack dryers. His monthly note related to the project is $6,608.49, and he says sales increased 62.5% after the retool.

“This was my second retool. The first one, I did five years ago,” Almonte says. “I had built a store in 2001 and after 14 years, the equipment gave me so much trouble.” He was convinced to give retooling a try by a well-known finance company representative with laundry experience. “The numbers that came back were amazing.”

The Atlantic Avenue store was about 18 years old when Almonte purchased it. “After I did the first one, I saw the benefit of doing it. I’m working on another that will be ready soon.”

“A lot of people have had the philosophy of letting the equipment run 18-20 years and then decide about making those upgrades. … It’s a lot of money,” Wallace says. “Not something you’re going to rush into doing.”

“That is true,” Almonte says. “You have be committed in the business. I will tell anybody who’s going to try to do a retooling to not just change the machines, you have to do a facelift on the location cosmetically, you have to light it up. Make them come to the store because of the changes you’ve made.

“Don’t retool it and leave it the way it was, because I don’t think you’re gonna get the same result you’re looking for.”

GOOD NEIGHBOR LAUNDROMAT, OWNED BY MANNY ZERVOS

Manny Zervos has been in the laundry business since 2014 and has gotten off to what Wallace called a “fast start,” owning four stores.

Zervos retooled the Good Neighbor Laundromat at 980 E. 233rd St. in Bronx, N.Y., spending $600,000 on the 4,000-squarefoot store that offers 68 washers and 76 stack dryers. His monthly note costs $6,900, and he’s seen store sales increase 15% since the retool.

(Photo: © tuja66/Depositphotos)

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

Whether owning a store now or likely buying one in the future, retooling is something that you’ll consider someday. But in what ways can a project like that benefit you and your customers? What are the economics of such a project?

The Coin Laundry Association (CLA) recently hosted a webinar on the topic and invited a trio of experienced operators to describe their latest retools and how they were able to get the projects “to pencil out.”

“It’s one of the biggest potential investments—or reinvestments—

“When we bought the store, the machines were about 8 years old,” he explains. “A year into it, I noticed a lot of bearing jobs. We were changing bearings weekly, so the cost of maintaining these machines was way too high. Always breaking down, always some type of issue. Customers weren’t happy.”

The company financing the project suggested changing brands, and Zervos has been happy with the result.

“Yes, ($600,000 is) a high number but in order to make money, you’ve gotta spend money, so we took that model and we retooled. Just like Jose, it’s not just retooling the machines, you’ve got to give it a little face-lift. Some tile work, we did the bathrooms. … Got some nice signage outside. Lightened up the parking lot. We brought nice colors into the store.

“Everybody’s worried about the note. Whatever my note is, I doubled that. I made double of what the note is. I’m happy, definitely happy with my retool.”

PRECISION WASH & DRY LAUNDROMATS, OWNED

BY LOU SPROVIERO

Lou Sproviero is a 30-year industry veteran who owns 22 laundries. He has a background in construction, landscaping, restaurants and hotels, Wallace says, but whittled that portfolio down to just the laundries a few years ago.

Sproviero retooled the Super Saver at 199 Exchange St. in Chicopee, Mass., spending slightly more than $450,000 on the 3,600-square-foot store offering 30 washers and 20 stack dryers. His monthly note is $4,557, and he’s seen store sales increase $2,000 per week following the project.

“This project is the last of 22 stores. We just completed it,” he says. “It was probably one of the least desirable locations and was pretty much floundering at break-even. We saw so much success in the prior projects that we finally decided to do this one.

“It was not a large-producing store, doing about $5,000 a week. … We probably decreased utilities by about 8%. Of course, the cost of repairs went down. The equipment that we replaced was about 16 years old. … The aesthetic is probably something that people underestimate, but the aesthetic is critical.

“The washer itself has to have a nice aesthetic. And dryers. Obviously, when you get into it, you might as well paint. We put some mirrors over the top of the dryers for better visibility to the whole store. Re-did the bathrooms. Granite countertops for the folding tables. Signage, spent some money on promotion, letting people know that things had changed. Just a general rejuvenation of the store itself.”

SO WHY DO IT?

After listening to each of the store owners recount their projects, Wallace gave his impressions of what he thinks they were after.

“What I’m hearing from that is that we’ve got old stores with old equipment, stores that were kind of scuffling and breaking even,” he says. “We have cases where repair and maintenance were a consideration. But it all came down to reinvesting in the location and making it better.

“It’s not just the equipment side. It’s making the experience better. It’s the aesthetics, it’s the signage. That’s something that we heard from all three of you.”

“I wanted to make my customer happy,” Almonte says. “In the stores when I walk in, I hear the complaining. So I needed to change, I needed to do something. And also the utilities, water, in the first store I retooled, I was paying $15,000 a month. I cut that bill to $7,000 or $8,000.

“That really made it. That’s why I’m … buying stores that are old and retooling them.”

Installing today’s advanced washers with high-speed extraction removes so much water from loads that drying is reduced, saving the laundry in energy costs.

Utilities was also a big factor in Zervos’ decision to retool.

“I saved 35% on my water from that,” he says. “The other thing was, there were so many times on these older machines that these hoses in the back were snapping and my attendants wouldn’t even know for half a day. … Electric and gas, not that big of a savings, but water is a tremendous savings.”

While reducing utilities cost is attractive, Sproviero says enabling customers to do their laundry more quickly is a valuable retooling consideration.

“Certainly, there are different stores that benefited from utilities

more or from the aesthetic more. I would say the most important aspect of it is … keeping the customer happy,” he says. “The speed of getting people in and out quicker, time is very valuable to people. We’re getting people in and out in less than an hour now, when it was typically an hour and a half. … If somebody can spend a halfhour less in the laundromat, and they maybe do their laundry once a week or every two weeks, over the course of a year, that’s a lot of time they’re saving.”

CAN COMPETITION BE AN INFLUENCE?

Wallace asked the panel about competition’s influence. “I imagine part of your thought process is, ‘I need to stay ahead.’ How is that part of your thinking with your most recent retool?”

“We actually had three stores open up by me from the time I bought that store,” Zervos says. “So, of course, I had to keep up with my competitors. It is a competitive business and you see laundromats all over the place now. The retool was definitely needed, with the machines breaking down. You’ve got to keep the customers happy.”

To Sproviero’s earlier point, Zervos says he added more largecapacity (60-pounders and 80-pounders) washers and dryers to enable families to “bring all their laundry at once.”

REAL ESTATE CONSIDERATIONS

If you don’t own the property where your laundry is located, it’s important to have a lease that’s long enough so you feel confident making the retooling investment and having enough time to retire the debt service, Wallace says.

“I won’t recommend anybody retool a store without negotiating the lease for an extension,” says Almonte, who renegotiated the lease for his Lavaderia Express property to 20 years before retooling. “You’re getting yourself in trouble if you don’t do that.”

“We’ve found that leasing is more beneficial (than owning),” says Sproviero. “We can grow faster. Of course, if you come across a piece of property that warrants a laundromat and you can get it at the right number, and the set-up isn’t outrageous to remodel it into a laundromat, that’s probably the better way to go. You shouldn’t slow down your process of growing strictly because you want to own the real estate. There’s not a problem leasing, as long as you get a good long-term lease.”

VEND PRICING

Retooling not only improves customer experience, it increases the market value of a store, Wallace says. Completing such a project also provides an opportunity for the owner to raise vend prices.

“From a financial standpoint, we usually throw in a 5% bump in (vend) prices, and nobody flinches as long as you do it right at the time of the retool,” Sproviero says. “Everybody is so happy with the change in experience.”

Zervos didn’t raise prices until several months after retooling.

“I was surprised at how many thought we had reinvested in our community. I’d never thought about it that way, to be honest with you,” he says. “They said, ‘We know you did it for yourself but you’re not the one washing here, you’re not the one folding here.’ The whole ambience was accepted by everybody.” ACO

The Coin Laundry Association frequently offers webinars that cover topics such as marketing, store operations and management, and new investor education. Visit www.coinlaundry.org/events/ webinars to learn more.

There’s more: We’re just two members of NIE’s team of experts. NIE has been handling fabricare insurance since 1915!

POINTERS FROM PAULIE B

SOMETIMES IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS ...

I

n the never-ending quest to draw more customers, laundromat owners are advertising online, outdoors through great signs and banners, and inside with perhaps a special deal or two. With pickup and delivery evolving into a more professional business, we wrap our vehicles with even more advertising.

Many mats are seeing the benefits of keeping the place “hospital clean.” Ideally, the equipment should be operating like it did on day one, and looking mostly new.

All of this is great and par for the course to run a successful retail business like a laundromat. It does, and will, help draw customers.

But there are other, more subtle ways to reach people, and most don’t cost a whole lot of money!

KEEP ’EM COMING BACK

Be Happy — It’s all about people’s feelings, about touching their heart a little. It’s about kindness and getting more than they expect.

Your mat may be great to many people in many different and creative ways, but one snarky comment from any employee to a customer could cause that customer to leave and never return.

Employees should smile rather than walk around looking “grumpy.” Smiling is contagious, but, unfortunately, so is a grumpy look/attitude.

It begins with hiring. I looked for people who are natural smilers; some people just like to smile. Look for people who are basically happy. They can be hard to

find, but they’re out there.

I believe “If they’re happy at home, they’re happy at work,” so without getting too personal, try to get a sense of that. Those people got my attention when I was hiring.

A national gourmet food chain reviews its employees every six months. If they did well during the period just ended, they got a raise. If they didn’t, no raise. A key reason for not getting a raise was not smiling for customers.

You can do the “big box” greeting thing as well, where they say hello and goodbye with a thank-you, but if it’s without a smile, I believe they lose half that nice gesture.

You can’t get every crew member to smile at every customer but you should let them know how important a simple smile to a customer is to you, the boss.

Always Return Lost Items to Customers — If you hired honest employees, when they find money or a valuable item, they’ll return it to the customer with a note saying they found it. There’s no better way to build customer trust than that.

Tennis Anyone? — I once bought 100 tennis balls on eBay for about $30. We would lend them to the customers to “fluff up” their laundry in the dryers. The vast majority would return them when finished.

Go Beyond Clean (Just a Little) — I retired a year before COVID-19 struck, but I used to keep spray bottles of alcohol in the mat for the real germophobes. The pandemic has raised the public’s germ/virus awareness to levels never seen before! There could now be many more people who are cautious of ANY germ. If your mat is better at being relatively germ-free than your competitors, these customers will be very loyal!

Don’t Forget the Restrooms — There are lots of people who will not use a dirty restroom, so if your restrooms aren’t clean, you’re literally chasing some customers away.

It’s good to put your restroom on a cleaning schedule every hour or couple of hours, whatever works to keep it clean. Have your attendant take before/after photos. Google “restroom cleaning checklist apps” for virtual tools to help track things.

If you have a security camera aimed conspicuously at the restroom door, you’ll know who went in, who came out, and when.

Sell Plastic Bags at Cost — Plastic bags are dirt cheap. We used to give away a bag or two if any customer asked, but we found some greedy people demanded five or 10 at a time. We ended up charging 10 cents each.

Display Some Nice Flower Arrangements — Your

Paul Russo

local home goods store sells beautiful artificial arrangements. We always had one on the counter, along with wreaths, and we received smiles and compliments about them. They can last a long time if taken care of.

We also put up some decorative flags to give the mats some color.

Don’t Allow Loitering — You can do everything else right but if your mat is frequented by homeless people, they will scare away customers. Visitors who only sleep, stink, throw up, pass out on the floor, watch TV or use your bathroom aren’t doing you any favors. (Visit AmericanCoinOp.com and read my 2018 “How to Deal with Loiterers” column for tips.)

Run Raffles — Don’t require anything for someone to participate, and make it easy for a decent amount of people to win.

I read many years ago about a mat out West where the machines were hardwired so that simply activating a washer could randomly sound an alarm and a flashing sign that read “WINNER,” much like when a slot machine hits. The customer then got some relatively small thing of value. Nothing like an unexpected free wash to get customers talking about your mat.

I bought a small custom stamper that said “Free Double Load Wash,” stamped a bunch of lime green stickers and randomly put them on our vended soap boxes and bottles in the detergent vending machine. I put a sticker on every 20th box and placed a sign on the vender explaining how the boxes were randomly stamped.

It started off slow at first but after people starting winning free washes, my detergent sales took off!

CUSTOMER COMFORT

There are a few areas in the realm of customer comfort where you can find some little things to attract them.

Children’s Play Area — Do you have a “Kiddie Korner” in your mat? Families with kids have far more laundry than a single adult. If you can attract, entertain, and keep kids busy, they will ask their parent(s), “Can we go to the place that has the Kiddie Korner, Mom?”

Wi-Fi Available — Having Wi-Fi available is a no-brainer. It’s become a big draw.

Comfortable Temperature — Your mat should be kept at a comfortable temperature year-round. Not too hot, not too cold.

Store Furniture — You want the chairs to be comfortable, durable and attractive.

Make sure they have armrests so people won’t sleep on them.

Phone Charging — Install some USB ports around the store so customers can charge their phones. Either at the folding tables or built into the benches. Make sure you can quietly shut them off at the breaker panel if you need to coax someone to leave the store. In lieu of USB chargers, you can put in a GFCI outlet.

Space to Move — Do you have enough space in your store so people can move about comfortably? I saw New York City mats that were terribly small and packed

GIVE MORE THAN EXPECTED

This, to me, is very powerful. When I go shopping, I’m a bit jaded. My own disappointment in other businesses where I shop keeps me on the lookout for a possible ripoff.

Let’s say I just bought a high-quality $10 paintbrush. I go home to begin painting, only to find that the bristles are coming out. The brush is obviously defective.

There are two possible scenarios here:

1. I bring it back to show the retailer how the bristles are falling out. This retailer says, “Sorry but you already used the brush. The receipt says ‘No returns if opened.’”

So, this retailer has checkmated me, and I’m not happy. I’ll never return.

2. I bring it back to a different retailer whose employee says, “Oh, so sorry about that. Yes, I see how the bristles are indeed loose. We’ve had a couple of other complaints about these brushes.”

The rep adds, “How about we give you a better, more expensive brush to replace it? Would that be OK? I’m thinking, “Are you nuts? I might just break down sobbing with joy.”

full. What good is cramming a mat with washers and dryers if there isn’t enough “people space” to allow all the machines to be used? I’ve seen mats that took a couple machines out to make more space. Stack units are a gift for small mats.

Parking — I know this sounds obvious but some mats could use more customer parking. If this is your case, ask your employees to park a little farther away to allow customers to get the closest spots. If you hear grumbling, explain that since the customers carry heavy laundry to and from their cars, we don’t want to hog all the best spots. Set a good example by parking farther away yourself.

The Nose Knows — Your mat should have no unpleasant odors. If yours does, it’s so easy to correct. Make sure the drain lines and slop sink are free of wet lint, which can release methane gas when fermenting. Make sure there are no drips under washers.

If your dumpster is too close to the building, the smell of rotting trash can be unpleasant, especially during summer. Move it or pour a 50/50 solution of bleach in it, as needed. Usually once every three to five days, depending on the weather.

We sometimes hung a wet towel with softener on it to enhance the fragrance in our mats.

In scenario 1, the business will likely lose the customer and everyone he talks to about the incident. In scenario 2, the business will likely keep the customer, plus gain everyone he talks to about the incident.

Retailer 2 just gave more to the customer than they expected!

What did it cost, $5 wholesale? I’d pay $5 all day long if it means turning every customer into a fanatical cheerleader for my mat. You can chalk it up to advertising. After all, the average laundry customer can easily spend $20 a week, which becomes over $1,000 a year.

Speaking of paintbrushes, doing a little painting now and then will make customers happy that you’re keeping “their” mat in good shape. Let them see you carefully paint some trim, or put new decals on your machines.

If “the boss” is doing the work, add five stars to that rating because customers love to see the boss fixing things up.

Remember, sometimes it’s the little things that keep ’em coming back. 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

“I’d pay $5 all day long if it means turning every customer into a fanatical cheerleader for my mat. ... After all, the average laundry customer can easily spend $20 a week.”

No Clean Show… No Problem!

As North America’s largest textile care exhibition, The Clean Show attracts self-service laundry owners and investors from around the world to see the newest and most advanced products the industry has to offer.

But with the pandemic making large-scale in-person shows prohibitive, the event originally planned for this summer was pushed to next year.

No Clean Show ... no problem!

American Coin-Op is filling the temporary

void with its own distinctive take on an industry trade show, featuring its display advertisers of 2021 to date.

These fine companies are using this opportunity to introduce themselves and their products and services, and perhaps even offer a glimpse of some things to come.

All of the articles were submitted by the exhibiting companies. Any claims made in this feature are those of the participants, not American Coin-Op.

The ribbon’s been cut and the floor is open!

Setomatic Systems

Setomatic Systems has been supporting the coin laundry industry for over 53 years. It says it was the first company to introduce electronic digital drop coin meters in the early 1980s, then introduced credit card payments in 1994.

At the 2009 Clean Show, it revolutionized laundry payments once again with the introduction of SpyderWash. It was the industry’s first hybrid credit/debit payment system, both wireless and cloud-based. Since then, Setomatic-SpyderWash has continued to rapidly grow and innovate, the company says.

SpyderWash helps laundry owners increase revenue and profits with ease of payments for their customers and simpleto-use loyalty programs that do not require

customers to purchase a separate card, download any app or supply any personal data. SpyderWash is also the only payment system that offers a free-wash or free-dry program using the customer’s own credit/ debit card, Setomatic says.

Handling of money and cash can spread germs and viruses. SpyderWash-equipped laundries have helped customers stay safe and secure during these trying times.

Customers can quickly pay for their laundry using their contactless credit/debit card, or with their mobile phone via Apple/Samsung/Google Pay directly at washers and dryers. Contactless credit/debit card usage has grown over 200% in the past year, Setomatic says, because it allows customers touchless operation.

setomaticsystems.com

dandmequipment.speedqueen.com 773-889-5500

D&M Equipment Co.

For more than 55 years, D&M Equipment Co. has been a leader in bringing laundromat equipment solutions to the Chicago market. Veteran owners and new investors alike have leaned on the expertise of D&M’s staff to help them increase efficiency and revenue, while maximizing profitability. In addition, the company has distinguished itself through a well-stocked parts department to help owners keep their equipment up and running in the event they require service.

That commitment has taken a major step forward with D&M’s recent sale to

Alliance Laundry Systems. This factorydirect access brings not just a wealth of advantages to laundromat owners and investors, it also makes available a suite of incredible technology tools.

D&M is excited to represent the Speed Queen line of ultra-reliable laundry equipment. It is eager to introduce its valued customers to this cutting-edge equipment and show them how Quantum Touch controls and Speed Queen Insights tools can combine to help them deliver a truly differentiated customer experience to their markets.

Mountain Electronics

During the 22 years that Mountain Electronics Inc. has been repairing circuit boards for the commercial laundry industry, it has emerged from each national and global crisis stronger and better than before, and the coronavirus pandemic is no exception, the company says.

Closing for a few weeks in April 2020 proved to be an excellent opportunity for the company to redesign its workflow. The new and improved remanufacturing process is more efficient than ever. Mountain Electronics says it’s able to repair more circuit boards in shorter time, while maintaining high-quality repairs and decreasing the warranty return rate. The productivity increase has also allowed its engineers to focus on research and development of new simulators to test the newest generation of laundry circuit boards.

Another exciting venture for Mountain Electronics was the purchase of ALJ Electronics in October 2020. Founder Al Johnson pioneered laundry electronics repair in the 1980s, and the Mountain Electronics team is honored to carry on the Johnson family’s tradition of innovation and quality. Mountain Electronics acquired many cores which it has remanufactured and is now selling online along with the parts it repairs.

Its website also offers a newly streamlined shipping label form, enabling customers to create and print free UPS shipping labels to send their computer boards to be repaired. These recent developments help Mountain Electronics meet the needs of its customers and continue to be the industry leader in laundry electronics repairs, according to the company.

mountainelectronics.com 828-675-9200

Since its launch, Speed Queen’s Quantum Touch control has helped laundromat owners experience new levels of profitability by enabling them to give customers complete control of their laundry cycles, the Alliance Laundry Systems brand says.

The touch-screen control directs customers with user-friendly on-screen instructions and positions highly profitable cycle-upsell options, with descriptions, for easy selection. Store owners have reported that modifiers are selected a high percentage of the time and contribute to increased revenue.

As a leader in the laundromat industry, Speed Queen says it has continued to provide laundromat owners with a variety of resources to help them adapt their operations over the last year-plus to the new reality of a COVID-19 world. From best practices guides and signage to new “sanitize” cycles, it has maintained a leadership position by helping laundromat owners keep their essential businesses safe and profitable.

To learn more, visit the Speed Queen website today.

Speed Queen Card Concepts

speedqueencommercial.com

Inc. (CCI)

Family-owned and -operated, Card Concepts Inc. was born from over 40 years of experience in the vended laundry industry. It combines that experience with an in-depth knowledge of the latest payment trends and technologies to bring you tools that make managing your laundromat or laundry room easier.

CCI gives store owners all the tools they need to succeed in one, integrated system. LaundryCard™, FasCard™ and FLEX allow laundromats to accept any combination of coins, credit/debit cards, mobile payments and loyalty cards; reduce cash collections; manage employees; market their store; and much more.

During 2020 and continuing in 2021, CCI has spent countless man-hours advancing its contactless and coinless payment options. It also expanded to an even larger tech support team and started developing a software training program to coach owners on all the marketing and management tools that are included in their CCI systems. The company remains devoted to helping current and future customers make the most of their laundromats through quality hardware and software that is engineered, manufactured and tested in the United States.

The world of payment is constantly changing, and CCI says it’s always innovating to give its owners the best!

laundrycard.com sales@laundrycard.com 866-860-1660

Royal Basket Trucks

Royal Basket Trucks Inc.® believes that carts should be made to fit into a variety of environments to improve workflow and process efficiencies. Its innovative product line offers a variety of features and ergonomic benefits to keep laundry operations running at the highest level, the company says.

Often, a divided, two-compartment or elevated cart can provide great impact. Organizing becomes easy with mobile storage solutions. Sorting, collecting, cleaning, transporting ... Royal Basket Trucks’ marketplace solutions are endless and crafted to meet the needs of many applications,

according to the manufacturer.

Located in Darien, Wis., Royal® has been manufacturing carts for nearly 40 years and has become a recognized brand in the industry. It specializes in, and is committed to, providing high-quality cart solutions and world-class customer service. The company says its service and solutions, along with customization capabilities and modifications, sets Royal® apart from others in the industry.

Every cart is manufactured to order and ships within seven business days, allowing the customer to receive their product on a short timeline.

royal-basket.com sales@royal-basket.com 800-426-6447

Vend-Rite Mfg.

Vend-Rite Mfg. has been supplying vending equipment to the coin laundry industry since 1953, manufacturing venders designed to dispense singleload or coin vend laundry products. It has machines that can vend anything from a single-load vend box up to a 75-oz. bottle of detergent or bags of laundry pods, eliminating the need for over-the-counter sales. Other machines vend drinks, candy, snacks, even fruits and sandwiches. VendRite has also developed drop-off laundry items and coin laundry signage.

The VendMaster 120nb is a four-column electronic vender that can be expanded to 8 or 12 columns. The MDB platform allows for multi-pricing and easy connectivity to any coin, bill acceptor or card reader system.

Self-diagnostics assist in identifying and resetting a troubled vend. Reliable optic sensors approve coin acceptance, determine

product availability, and confirm delivery.

The product selection buttons illuminate when product is available, blink while vending, and go dark when the column is empty. The large blue LED display is easy to read and scrolls a friendly, informative message when the vender is idle.

The all-steel welded cabinets and internal components are powder-coated for a superior finish and durability. The three-point locking system and locked cash box provide security. Pedestal bases and security guards are available for all three models.

Vend-Rite says its Vision vender has helped many store owners convert from over-the-counter sales to vended sales.

Laundry detergents, fabric softeners, dryer sheets, custom-printed nylon laundry bags, lint rollers, even personal protective equipment (PPE) can be dispensed, eliminating the typical “retail” exchange.

vendrite.com 800-777-1802

AAdvantage Laundry Systems

AAdvantage Laundry Systems says it is proud to be a leading provider of commercial laundry equipment servicing Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. Its superior service team has 14 technicians, including eight master technicians that boast over 225 years of combined service knowledge.

The distributor is eager to help you with all of your commercial laundry equipment needs. AAdvantage stocks over $1 million in parts inventory and bases teams throughout its service areas to assure your equipment and business run efficiently.

During the pandemic and moving forward, the AAdvantage team is focused on cleaner laundry solutions and sanitizations.

To help its laundromat customers obtain the best cleaning possible, it utilizes ozone systems. Ozone kills bacteria in the washers and the linen throughout the wash cycle, ensuring that every load is sanitized and no bacteria is left behind in the washer. Ozone gives AAdvantage’s customers whiter and softer laundry, extends linen life, and encourages repeat business in laundromats, the company says.

AAdvantage adds that its vended laundry equipment attracts more customers, increases customer loyalty, boosts profits and saves time.

aadvantagelaundry.com 800-880-2138

LaundryParts.com

LaundryParts.com has grown to become one of the largest parts distributors around, the company says, supplying replacement laundry parts needed to keep coin laundry machines running at peak efficiency. Stocking many coin-op, commercial, OPL and domestic lines of washer and dryer replacement parts and accessories allows LaundryParts.com to offer a wide range of parts at discount pricing … and direct to the customer’s door!

LaundryParts.com is a 24/7 marketplace for washer and dryer parts and all brands of commercial laundry parts. The newly updated online store offers deep discounts on commercial laundry parts from drain valves to water valves and more.

LaundryParts.com strives to supply each customer the right laundry part to get their broken machines fixed and making money again as quickly as possible. Several shipping options like Next Day and 2nd Day Air are available, plus there is a limited freeshipping promotion available for certain items and price points.

To assist laundromat customers through the COVID pandemic, LaundryParts.com has extended its shipping promotion with contactless online ordering until at least August of this year.

If you don’t find what you’re looking for on the LaundryParts.com website, be sure to call the number at left for assistance.

laundryparts.com 877-630-7278

Laundry Equipment Services

Laundry Equipment Services Inc. is a family-owned and -operated commercial laundry equipment distributor serving the Mid-Atlantic region with parts, sales and service. Its service area includes the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, along with Washington, D.C. Corporate headquarters is located in Hagerstown, Md., and there is a Pennsylvania regional office in Camp Hill.

It’s the goal of Laundry Equipment Services to offer customers the highest level of service available. Its offerings include replacement components, new equipment sales and routine preventive-maintenance plans, as well as duct cleaning service.

The company endeavors to assist the laundry industry within its region to emerge stronger than before. To do this, its staff strives to provide an immediate response and rapid turnaround for equipment service and replacement.

Laundry Equipment Services has also increased its support staff and is assisting financially with a variety of specific, targeted discounts, and flexible payment options.

Ultimately, Laundry Equipment Services treats each situation on an individual basis to ensure that customers not only reopen but get back to full occupancy as quickly as possible.

Brooks-Waterburn

Brooks-Waterburn is an independent insurance agency that specializes in protecting laundromats. In fact, it protects over 1,000 nationwide!

The company works with top insurance companies that have coverages designed specifically for the laundromat industry. Most owners are underinsured, BrooksWaterburn says, and at risk of losing everything they worked so hard for. Why? Because their current insurance missed some obvious coverages.

There is the “Washer/Dryer Insurance Trap,” which means you’re only insured for the amount of money you took out on your loan, traditionally just for the washers and dryers. Chances are you invested much more than you’re insured for. Ask yourself:

• Did I build out my business’s space or make improvements?

• Did I buy additional equipment such as hot water heaters or change machines?

• Did I purchase “extras”—a sound system, TVs or furniture—to create an enjoyable laundromat experience?

The Laundromat Success Program helps laundromat owners create a detailed plan to protect all aspects of their business. It addresses the potential of businesscrippling losses and reacts proactively instead of reactively. The program features:

• Build-out Coverage — Covers the cost of construction you invested to the space you are occupying. Could include costs such as heating, plumbing, electrical and interior construction.

• Other Contents Coverage — Includes everything in the store: vending machines, flat-screen TVs, tables, chairs, etc.

No matter where you’re located in the U.S., Brooks-Waterburn says it will make sure you’re getting the best coverage at the lowest price!

leslaundry.com info@leslaundry.com 800-866-6905

brookswaterburn.com 888-997-9801

BDS Laundry

Alot has changed since the late Albert “Bert” DeMarsh founded Business Development Sales in 1961 in St. Paul, Minn. Today, BDS Laundry is led by Bert’s son, David, who joined the business in 1969, and David’s daughters, Erica and Danielle. The company marks its 60th anniversary this year.

As a third-generation family-owned company, BDS is among the nation’s largest commercial laundry distributorships providing quality equipment, service and consultation, the company says.

David DeMarsh credits his staff of 60-plus employees for the company’s steady rise in the vended laundry industry: “We serve thousands of customers across a vast territory that includes nearly 400 counties in eight Midwestern states. I’m thankful to have very talented, loyal and knowledgeable employees to support our continued growth.”

In response to COVID-19, BDS quickly made operational modifications to ensure safety for customers and employees during installations and on-site repairs. DeMarsh notes that the pandemic accelerated the already growing shift away from coin payment to card systems and mobile apps. BDS also installed many ozone systems over the past year to give laundromat users added confidence that washers are sanitized, safe and free from bacteria and viruses.

One of BDS Laundry’s hallmarks is its unique and creative annual sales promotion event. DeMarsh and his staff are already preparing for an exciting fall 2021 promotion that will be fun, informative and packed with equipment discounts, factory rebates, special financing and more. “We look forward to sharing game-changing solutions with laundromat owners and celebrating our mutual success,” he says.

bdslaundry.com info@bdslaundry.com 800-688-0020

aaxon.com 954-772-7100

Aaxon Laundry Systems

Huebsch recently expanded the territory of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Aaxon Laundry Systems. Aaxon will now also cover the North Florida region up to Tallahassee for the Alliance Laundry Systems brand.

Aaxon Laundry Systems considers itself one of the nation’s innovators in laundromat design and development, multi-housing laundry room solutions, and on-premises laundry equipment applications.

It is a full-service commercial laundry

equipment source serving all of Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, South America, Central America and other export markets. Aaxon says its nationwide parts department is one of the largest commercial laundry parts supplier in all of North America, shipping worldwide.

Aaxon’s mission is to provide customers with the latest in premium energy-efficient laundry equipment, strategic sales support, flexible financing, and fast, reliable service.

Dexter Laundry

For over 125 years, Dexter Laundry has been committed to building a full line of washers, dryers and management systems you can trust. Every product is designed, built and assembled in the USA. With an emphasis on quality and a refusal to compromise, its team of employee owners is focused on helping customers achieve long-term success. Dexter stands behind every machine it builds with industry-leading warranties and lifetime technical support.

As we’ve all witnessed over the past year, clean laundry is a basic human need that is felt all over the world. That’s why Dexter has been committed to extensive lobbying efforts and providing tools and resources to laundry owners around the

world to ensure that laundry services can stay open and available.

Its commitment doesn’t stop there. Dexter continues to invest in providing larger-capacity machines and enhanced technology offerings with DexterLive and DexterPay. It released a 120-pound dryer last year (pictured) and is excited to unveil a new 120-pound washer later this year.

Dexter Laundry is continuously looking for ways to improve the laundry experience and help customers like you process laundry faster and more efficiently. With great financing rates, the company says now is the time to save while still moving forward with your improvement plans. As always, the Dexter team is here and happy to help guide you to a stronger future.

dexter.com 800-524-2954

Superior Laundry Equipment

Superior Laundry Equipment is a commercial and industrial laundry equipment sales and service company widely recognized for prompt, reliable and costeffective industry solutions for laundromats, hotel chains, residential buildings, restaurants, nursing homes and other facilities.

Its 40,000-square-foot facility located in Brooklyn, N.Y., houses a showroom, executive offices, a parts department, reconditioning department and storage.

The business is an authorized dealer for Whirlpool (Maytag and ADC), Yamamoto, ESD, CCI, Setomatic Systems, Sol-O-matic®, Sharper Finish, American Changer, R&B Wire Products and others. Superior employs over 50 workers, including technicians, sales and real estate professionals, and administrative support staff. Its vehicle fleet consists of several service vans, delivery trucks and personnel shuttles.

Among its services are laundry facility allocation/evaluation, layout and design;

equipment recommendations and comparisons; construction and installation; tune-up/ start-up of equipment and card systems; and financing (by private equity group and with outside banks). Superior also has an in-house brokerage department.

The company believes its greatest advantage in its competitive region is that it also sells used and reconditioned machines worldwide and can offer customers interested in new equipment a competitive trade-in discount for their old washers and dryers as credit toward their new purchase.

Even though New York City was heavily effected by the pandemic, many laundromats remained open and Superior managed to get through 2020 by supporting those customers and managing company-owned stores. It is offering many promotions, specials and deals (with the help of manufacturers) this year to assist reopening businesses in purchasing new or repairing their existing equipment.

superior-laundry.com 718-871-7545

Laundroworks

Laundroworks designs and manufactures payment systems specifically for the self-serve laundry industry. It focuses primarily on a coinless, card+mobile payment configuration, whereas a contactless card (or an app) is loaded with funds using cash or credit cards and then used to pay for a cycle. Emphasis is placed on ease of use, 24/7/365 reliability, and system affordability. Its technology can help address two key health issues: the touching of objects, and physical distancing. Features include:

• Contactless+Touchless readers. Just bring card/phone to the reader on the laundry machine.

• Low-touch Value Add Center kiosk. While it offers many functions through its 15-inch touch screen, over 90% of transactions going through the kiosk are touchless.

• Text alerts and notifications when

cycle ends. Knowing they will be alerted, customers are more likely to leave the store and therefore reduce congestion.

• Time-of-day/week pricing. Operators can offer specials during slower times of the week. This is a great way not only to attract new business, but also to shift customers from a busy time when they get frustrated because equipment is running at full capacity.

• Remote real-time monitoring. Operators check various statuses of equipment remotely, including the amount of cash/ bills inside the kiosks, potentially reducing the number of trips to the store.

• Remote customer support. Operators can view a log of every customer’s transactions and, if necessary, provide a refund to the account – all remotely from the Laundroworks web portal.

payrange.com sales@payrange.com 855-856-6398

PayRange

laundroworks.com 888-629-8620

PayRange is a patented solution to make payments from a social distance using a smartphone. The PayRange BluKey™ (pictured at left) is installed literally in minutes, with limited store disruption time, the company says. PayRange costs as little as $20 per machine, meaning an entire laundromat can be upgraded for a very low cost. With more than 3 million users and over 500,000 BluKey devices installed, PayRange says it is the leading mobile payment system for machines; over 1,000 laundromats in the U.S. and Canada use PayRange.

PayRange also recently launched Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) acceptance across its network. The company says this is a huge benefit for laundromats, offering

their customers a safe, discreet, government-approved way to use these funds for life-essential services, such as washing their clothes.

PayRange handles all customer support with a reported average response time of less than two minutes, a service it offers to laundromat owners at no additional charge. PayRange also carries all the regulatory and legal risks as the merchant of record, freeing owners from this burden. PayRange handles all security, compliance, fraud, chargebacks, etc.

With the pandemic accelerating touchfree payments, consumers have a preference for paying with mobile. Updating payment technology has never been easier, or more cost-effective, says PayRange.

laundryconcepts.com 800-845-3903

Laundry Concepts

Laundry Concepts specializes in turnkey boutique services for vended laundries. Its investors benefit from a onestop shop for anything they need to build their businesses into a success.

In the past year, our industry’s proud slogan—”recession-resistant”—was tested. Laundry is essential. It’s no longer a sales strategy—it’s fact. Much like its customers, Laundry Concepts weathered the storm and says it will come out of 2020 an even stronger team ready to put conscientious inves-

tors into a successful laundry business.

The company offers the latest technology in laundry equipment and CCI payment systems, but its after-sale service and attention to a customer’s needs has proven to be the reason repeat investors do business with Laundry Concepts.

Now operated by the second generation, Laundry Concepts is proud of over 20 years in business and grateful for those who have helped make it the company it is today.

Gold Coin Laundry Equipment

Gold Coin Laundry Equipment, established in 1987, is a full-service Dexter Laundry distributor located in Jamaica, N.Y. Helping laundromats in the NYC metro area and around the world stay operational has been Gold Coin’s top priority throughout the pandemic.

Along with its extensive parts warehouse, Gold Coin also has a fully interactive showroom. Potential buyers of Dexter washers and dryers can see for themselves just how they work in real time — there are 100G and 200G models on the floor!

The distributor also has a variety of Standard Change-Makers bill changers, Vend-Rite soap vending machines, and two brands of card payment systems—CCI and Laundroworks—live in the showroom. One can even get a demonstration of the

DexterLive/DexterPay software, an app-based way for an owner to maintain their machines or for a customer to pay for their laundry.

Gold Coin is the Dexter distributor for the New York City metro area, serving the five boroughs, Long Island, Hudson Valley, and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. Its parts distribution, however, is worldwide.

One way that the company found to interact with its customers, since in-person was tougher this year, is through social media. Gold Coin has established a presence on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, using the handle @goldcoinlaundryequipment. Customers are encouraged to join Gold Coin there for the latest news on sales, new products and “what’s new at Gold Coin.”

goldcoinlaundry.com 888-411-0944

Greenwald Industries

Laundry payment technology has changed significantly since Greenwald’s inception in 1954. Through its continual advancement, Greenwald is at the forefront in development and manufacture for both mechanical and electronic laundry payment systems, the company says.

At the 2019 Clean Show, it launched phone payment app GreenwaldPay. The company has been able to constantly improve user experience, and make the chore of doing laundry as easy and convenient as possible.

New to the market is Greenwald’s enhanced electronic coin drop, DigiCoin II, which can accept any coin or token. An optional remote programmer enables laundry owners to have total control of all coins and tokens they wish to accept. Programming can be done within minutes in the field, without removing the DigiCoin II units.

The new cash add value kiosks, one of

which is an ultra-high-security model, are designed with an easyto-use touch screen. As with all Greenwald electronic products, they report a detailed audit trail back to powerful management software. They’re available in either connected or non-connected mode and, to ensure secure 24/7 connectivity, the connected model can be enhanced with five choices of commercial-grade cellular modem kits.

The most exciting development, the company says, is MultiPay, its all-in-one reader. Due for release in the fourth quarter of 2021, and in answer to recent “no-touch” challenges of the past year, MultiPay will incorporate contactless or contact cards, cash/credit and mobile payment systems.

Additional information about Greenwald products, including flyers and instruction manuals, is available at the company’s website.

ESD

With over 50 years of dedicated service, ESD says it is the premier supplier of payment systems to the self-service laundry industry. Its diverse line of products ranges from mechanical coin slides and money boxes to electronic card systems, which include store-branded loyalty cards, credit/debit cards, and smartphone payment applications.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented trying times over the past year and ESD has done its part to support laundromats that continued business operations. Free money cards and free masks were two promotions that ESD offered its payment system customers in 2020 as a thank-you for remaining committed to providing the necessity of clean laundry. ESD’s newest line of Value Transfer Machines supports the desires of today’s laundry customer of social distancing and

contactless options.

The ESD Diamond Center 5 line of VTMs, including the Touch Screen Payment Center, provides options for the acceptance of cash, credit cards, debit cards, and PIN-based debit cards. In addition, the encrypted PIN pad incorporates the ability to accept Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay and all other NFC mobile payments. The terminal is EMVenabled to accept all chip credit/debit cards, and is EBT card-capable.

The VTMs utilize a high-speed internet connection for all transaction processing and report, in real time, all information to the hosted Mylaundrylink website for viewing by the operator from anywhere internet access is available. The VTMs are supported on the Cyberlaundry, Synergy, and Smart Card platforms provided by the company.

greenwaldindustries.com grsales@greenwaldindustries.com 800-221-0982

esdcard.com sales@esdcard.com 800-523-1510

nieinsurance.com info@nieinsurance.com 800-325-9522

NIE

NIE—its full legal name is National Fire and Indemnity Exchange—was founded in 1915. The company insures hundreds of laundromats, and all 48 continental states are served from NIE’s office in St. Louis.

Available coverage includes:

• Building (when owned by laundry owner)

• Business Personal Property

• Loss of Income

• Liability

• Crime

• Bailee (when laundry owner is doing drop-off dry cleaning and/or wash/dry/fold)

• Equipment Breakdown

NIE also provides access to workers’ compensation insurance underwritten by other insurance carriers.

NIE’s team helps laundries get proper insurance every day. Team members have experience—the average tenure is 17 years— with most any problem your laundry will face. Laundries can work directly with NIE’s experts or, if their owners prefer, they can access NIE through their local agent.

The business says its financial ratios are stronger than most insurance industry giants. And NIE buys reinsurance from companies with aggregate surplus of over $15 billion.

The Exchange’s policyholders appoint an attorney-in-fact to manage the Exchange. They also elect a committee to advise the attorney-in-fact of policyholder needs and preferences, what to do with the Exchange’s profit, how its assets should be invested, what actuarial firm should analyze the loss reserves, and what CPA firm should audit the financial statements.

Girbau North America (GNA)

Girbau North America (GNA), a leading provider of vended laundry equipment and support services, introduces a new Continental Girbau washer control upgrade kit, ProfitPlus® with Extra Sanitize, and chemical dispensing system, Express Clean®, to make it simple for vended laundries to provide and monetize sanitized laundry loads.

In doing so, laundries can differentiate themselves from the competition, draw new customers, increase revenue and ensure a safe laundry environment.

The new ProfitPlus with Extra Sanitize upgrade kit works with Continental washers and takes 15 minutes per machine to install. It comes with an overlay kit with an “Extra Sanitize” button and works in concert with the machine’s automatic chemical-injection feature and the use of either sanitizing ozone or chemicals. Once installed, custom-

ers can select “Extra Sanitize” for an extra, owner-determined cost added to the overall vend price. The new control upgrade makes it simple for laundries to monetize sanitized laundry loads and provide a safe environment for customers and staff.

Express Clean is a system that automatically dispenses detergents, softeners and brighteners or sanitizers into a compatible washer (all Continental washers are compatible). Self-contained within a transparent cabinet, Express Clean chemistry is automatically injected into the wash cycle at the perfect moment during the wash process. Customers simply load the washer, enter their desired cycle and press start. Using Express Clean, it’s easy for store owners to offer sanitization, or simply add to customer convenience by eliminating their need to lug and load detergents.

continentalgirbau.com 800-256-1073

Eastern Funding

Eastern Funding considers itself the premier financial lender to vended laundries nationwide. Its laundry financing offerings include funding for:

• Acquisition of Existing Laundries

• New Store Development

• Laundry Equipment Purchases

• Commercial Real Estate

• Refinancing

Washers and dryers are considered the engine that power laundry businesses.

Eastern Funding offers a range of financing options for laundry owners to purchase the equipment needed. Its XPRESS-APP loan program is designed to make equipment financing simpler and streamlined, and features:

• A simple, one-page credit application;

• A credit decision in as fast as one business day; and

• Up to $200,000 in financing for vended laundry equipment purchases.

To learn more about XPRESS-APP, visit www.easternfunding.com/xpress-app. Owning the real estate occupied by your

laundromat can provide a better foundation for your business. Eastern Funding offers financing to purchase commercial real estate for laundries. It works with the SBA 504 Program and helps business owners access the benefits of an SBA loan, including potential lower rates and longer terms. Learn more at https://easternfunding.com/ financing/sba-504-loans!

Buying a business can be complex. Eastern Funding’s expertise helps laundry owners and potential buyers navigate the process. With financing tailored to fit your needs, Eastern Funding helps put you on the path to success. Visit https:// easternfunding.com/financing/acquisitionfinancing to learn more.

The leadership and sales teams at Eastern Funding include long-time laundry industry veterans who know the business and have built rock-solid relationships with successful owners, equipment manufacturers, distributors and other industry participants. They stand ready to help you.

info@easternfunding.com 877-819-1764

Monarch Coin & Security

Monarch Coin & Security Inc. is a family-owned and -operated business established in 1903. It specializes in replacement coin boxes, coin/token slides, locks/keys and other accessories. It offers full body guards and coin box guards for security, coin/token-operated bathroom door locks, and coin/token-operated

meters for showers, lights and other applications.

Being around for over 115 years, the company has weathered many storms during its history. But one thing that has never changed is its customer service. Monarch Coin & Security will work with you to find which product will best serve your needs.

acpowerco.com 800-364-1900

A C Power Co.

Based in the greater Philadelphia area, A C Power Company Inc. is a family-owned and -operated commercial laundry business, proudly serving businesses throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland since 1971.

As a top regional distributor for Electrolux and Wascomat commercial laundry equipment, A C Power considers itself the “go-to” company for complete laundromat build-outs from the ground up. Its goal is to provide customers with the full support they need to help their vision of an amazing laundry space come to fruition. Whether starting a new laundromat or

upgrading old equipment, A C Power believes it’s the best option in its territory. Besides high-quality coin/card laundry equipment, an A C Power customer will gain access to business services from financing to free marketing support.

A C Power’s team consists of sales, parts, service and installation technicians. The company prides itself on good customer service, and going above and beyond to ensure customers are happy and satisfied with its products and services.

With over 45 years of experience in the laundry business, A C Power is always happy to share its expertise with you.

Maytag® Commercial Laundry

Maytag® Commercial Laundry delivers vended laundry equipment, services and operational support to help store owners drive revenue, optimize operating expense and prioritize profit potential. Through a global network of 175 specialized laundry distributors and resources of the Whirlpool Corporation, it offers dependable and reliable laundry solutions.

Maytag’s multi-load washer’s flexible controls can help owners manage profit opportunities with cycles and options including temperatures and rinses that can be priced individually. The axial airflow dryer can help manage utility costs while still providing consistent, effective drying for efficient machine turnover.

To emerge from the trials of the past year, the Maytag team has reinforced a customer-first mentality by equipping its distributors with more resources, support and tools to drive outcomes for the

businesses they serve. As an example, Maytag is sharing best practices through online town halls, developing new internal networking opportunities, staying connected virtually and providing online training as well as launching a new online service certification program for service technicians.

In April, the Replace Today for $10K Maytag® Commercial Laundry Contest launched, offering laundromat owners a chance to win $10,000 to support them as they renovate their laundromats with Maytag® Commercial Laundry equipment. Details can be found at https://replace withmaytag.com/contest.

Maytag believes the strength of its brand, authorized distributors, machines, and commitment to commercial laundry sets it apart and is at the very heart of your vended laundry success.

maytagcommerciallaundry.com

Huebsch

Huebsch continues to take the lead in bringing simplicity to owners and investors in laundromats as well as their customers. The brand’s approach starts even before selecting its reliable washerextractors, tumble dryers and small-chassis equipment. The Huebsch distribution network consistently ranks tops in the industry for quality, the brand says. Its distributors are local experts and also a laundromat owner’s doorway into value-added services such as financing, laundry design and more.

The Huebsch Command system paired with the exceptionally feature-rich Galaxy 600 control continue to be the choice of owners and investors looking to streamline operations and provide a superior customer experience, the brand says. From

remote monitoring, a customer app, rewards program and cloud-based reporting, its suite of technology products is the perfect complement to its durable equipment.

Over the last 12 months, laundromats have been forced to operate differently to keep customers safe and remain open. During that time, Huebsch technology, such as the Huebsch App with mobile payment function, has proven exceptionally helpful to owners, who also faced the added challenge of a coin shortage. Huebsch says it took the lead in providing resources to owners on best practices to limit touchpoints. Its distribution partners have, true to their high-quality reputation, also gone above and beyond with virtual service calls and curbside pickup of spare parts.

huebsch.com 800-553-5120

www.sudsy.com 800-640-7772

Sudsy Vending Supplies

Since its humble beginnings in a twocar garage in 1959, Sudsy Vending Supplies has been dedicated to supplying customers with everything inside a laundromat—from the wax on the floor to the bulbs in the ceiling—to help their business run smoothly. Sudsy tries to stock the items it sells so they are ready for fast delivery.

It’s a full-line distributor for Procter & Gamble; Standard Change-Makers and American Changer machines; R&B Wire laundry carts; Vend-Rite venders; and many more laundry products.

Sudsy’s courteous and knowledgeable staff is always available to answer laundry, fluff-and-fold or vended product questions, and the updated sudsy.com website is open for online orders 24/7!

Having done business with coin laun-

dries throughout the U.S. since the 1950s, it’s Sudsy’s sincere hope to not only serve your laundry business as a supplier but as a friend. From its knowledgeable, courteous staff and its shipping and delivery service with trucks ready to deliver locally in the Southern California market, Sudsy has things covered. The company compiles pallet loads, Next Day and 2nd Day Air, to find the right delivery method for its customers.

During the rough COVID period of the past year, Sudsy remained open to satisfy customer demand, obtained special personal protective equipment for laundry owners to share with patrons, and absorbed several price increases to help businesses during the pandemic.

Give Sudsy the chance to earn your business and to serve you!

statewideusa.com

Miami Office: 305-624-5169

Orlando Office: 407-425-9274

Tampa Office: 813-877-6434

Georgia Office: 404-480-4083

North Carolina Office: 984-238-7430

Virginia Office: 804-508-6534

SLE (Statewide Laundry Equipment)

SLE (Statewide Laundry Equipment) now serves the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, and invites customers to visit its new Smyrna, Ga., distribution facility.

With locations in Miami, Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla., and Smyrna, SLE has been serving the state of Florida, the Caribbean, South America, Central America, and other export markets for over 35 years. SLE

specializes in the development, construction, and refurbishment of new and existing laundromats, on-premise laundry applications, and multi-housing laundry solutions.

SLE is also a factory-direct exporter of Speed Queen and UniMac commercial laundry equipment. Its South Florida office is conveniently located near the Port of Miami for cost-effective export shipping.

cgilaundry.com 800-256-1073

LG Commercial

Front-loading LG Platinum Commercial Washers and Dryers are energy-efficient, affordable, durable, and available in models that benefit coin- and card-operated laundries. Optimized to deliver more strength, store-owner control and servicing ease, they’re among the quietest in their class, according to LG, and are offered exclusively in North America by Girbau North America.

The LG Giant C Fast Platinum Washer (22.5 pounds of capacity) and the LG Titan MAX (30 pounds) each offer an inverter Direct Drive system, optimized washing system and a twin spray water delivery system.

The washers are configurable to meet the needs of nearly any application and can stand alone or be stacked with matching dryers. Offering a simple-to-use control with a large digital display, they allow for intuitive programming.

The LG Platinum Commercial Dryer is simple to use and program, and offers a larger capacity within a small footprint. Its control panel features a digital display illuminating vend price and cycle time countdown, while LED lights indicate cycle status. An extra-large door makes loading/unloading a snap.

Owners can control vend price, cycle time, drying temperatures and more, plus feel good knowing that no one can access the coin box without having both security keys.

The dryer’s 7.1-cubic-foot drum takes on more laundry and delivers improved drying performance. AdaptAble™ Controls provide maximum installation flexibility, LG says, and the dryers are easily stacked with matching washers.

Coming in late 2021, the new Titan 30-pound Dryer will expand the line to include a matching dryer to go with the LG Titan MAX washer.

OUR SISTER WEBSITES

From AmericanLaundryNews.com: •

•

Spurred by the pandemic, vended laundries are looking to sanitize laundry loads in order to differentiate themselves from the competition, draw new customers, boost revenue and provide the cleanest, healthiest environment possible.

Practically speaking, there are two ways to add sanitization to laundry loads — either through the use of ozone or an EPAregistered chemical sanitizer additive. The only catch is that you must have compatible washers in your laundry. Ozone requires special washer seals, while chemical additives require washers with automatic chemical-injection capabilities. Check with your distributor to verify whether your machines can handle sanitization before proceeding.

Ozone (O3) is a powerful cleaning agent that works best in cold water. It’s the third oxygen atom of ozone that attaches to, and break downs, organic materials in the wash, including soil, viruses, bacteria and molds. Once broken down, these materials are removed from fabrics during the wash cycle. Ozone systems are easily installed via a connection to a compatible washer, an aisle of washers or an entire store.

If ozone isn’t an option, laundries can also sanitize wash loads using an EPA-registered chemical sanitizer that’s injected into the wash cycle. These work in combination with automatically injected detergents. A chemical sanitizer’s sole purpose is to kill close to 99% of pathogens and molds found in laundry. A programmable washer with automatic injection capabilities can be easily connected to a dispensing system.

There are washer control upgrades on the market that can help you charge customers for sanitization. Whether you’re just adding ozone or sanitizing chemistry for the first time, or if you’ve had it on your machines for some time, these controls allow you to monetize your sanitization amenity.

Talk to your equipment distributor about what’s needed to connect your ozone or chemical dispensing system to your machine’s control. There are multiple ways to monetize sanitization of an entire store, group of large-capacity washers, or a bulkhead of machines.

Once you’ve embraced the sanitization and monetization of selfservice laundry loads, don’t forget to clearly market this unique aspect of your service and charge extra for sanitization in your wash/dry/fold, pickup and delivery, and commercial work. ACO

Joel Jorgensen, vice president of sales at Girbau North America, has over 28 years of laundry industry experience, specializing in vended laundry development and operation. He can be reached at jjorgensen@cgilaundry.com, 800-256-1073.

Joel Jorgensen

GIRBAU NORTH AMERICA HONORS 2020 DISTRIBUTORS OF YEAR

Commercial laundry equipment manufacturer Girbau North America (GNA) recently recognized several distributors for outstanding sales and service during 2020.

Fowler Laundry Solutions, Union, N.J., received the Vended Laundry and Multi-Housing Distributor of the Year awards.

Fowler is among the Mid-Atlantic’s largest laundry equipment distributors and serves the vended, multi-housing, on-premise and industrial markets. Led by Doug Fowler and founded in 1952, the full-service, multi-generational company employs 70 team members focused on unsurpassed customer service.

“GNA enjoys a longstanding and historical relationship with Fowler,” says Joel Jorgensen, GNA vice president of sales. “During the challenging year of 2020, the Fowler team exhibited their dominance as an outstanding vended and multi-housing partner. We thank them for their years of excellent representation of GNA products.”

Other award recipients were:

• Sunshine Sales, Glendale, Ariz., owned and operated by Bob Ropp, On-Premise Laundry Distributor of the Year.

Sunshine is a full-service vended and on-premise laundry equipment distributor serving Arizona and New Mexico. It has represented GNA brands since 1995.

• Laundry Systems of Tennessee, Sevierville, Tenn., led by President Jeff Large, Girbau Industrial Distributor of the Year.

It began representing the GI brand 11 years ago and has won this particular award for outstanding sales and service performance within the industrial laundry market three times. The company specializes in outfitting laundries within the hospitality market of cabin rentals and hotels/motels.

• Lavanett, St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada, led by Earl Eichen, Canadian Distributor of the Year.

Established in 1996, the company was recognized for exemplary performance in on-premise, vended, textile care and industrial laundry markets within Quebec. Lavanett employs 20 team members.

ALLIANCE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS ACQUIRES ILLINOIS-BASED DISTRIBUTORS D&M EQUIPMENT CO., WASHBURN MACHINERY INC.

Commercial laundry equipment manufacturer Alliance Laundry Systems has acquired the distribution assets of D&M Equipment Co., Chicago, and Washburn Machinery Inc., Elk Grove Village, Ill. Terms were not disclosed.

Alliance calls D&M Equipment “one of the top distributors of laundromat equipment in the Midwest.” Its acquisition is the first of a distributor of multiple manufacturers’ products.

“Our strategy has been clear from the start: we will pursue partnerships with exceptional companies,” says Rick Pyle, president and chief commercial officer of Alliance Laundry Systems. “For decades, D&M has shown market leadership, and we are excited to welcome them to Alliance.”

Founded in 1965 by Don Tomasian, D&M Equipment Co. has delivered exemplary service and support to customers in and around the Chicago area, Alliance says. The distributor has further distinguished itself with expert in-house installers and a wellstocked parts department.

D&M will represent the Speed Queen® brand. Joe Frankian,

president of D&M Equipment, will join Alliance in a leadership role and will continue to oversee the business and build on the company’s record performance of the last few years.

D&M will carry on its family tradition with Joe’s son, Connor, also staying on to serve customers.

“This is an exciting new chapter in our company’s history,” Joe Frankian says. “With the power of a global leader behind us, I’m confident customers will see next-level service.”

Washburn Machinery provides on-premises laundry solutions to a variety of businesses in Northern and Central Illinois, Northern Indiana, and East Central and Southern Wisconsin markets. The business opened in 1948.

Jeff Fox, president of Washburn Machinery, will join Alliance in a leadership role and continue to oversee the business and drive growth initiatives as part of Alliance Laundry Systems.

MAYTAG COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY LAUNCHES ‘REPLACE TODAY’ CONTEST

Equipment manufacturer Maytag® Commercial Laundry reports it is accepting contest entries that will earn five qualifying store owners $10,000 each for demonstrating the best business cases around equipment replacement.

Laundromat owners who purchase Maytag® Commercial Laundry replacement equipment between Jan. 1 and July 31 this year and meet certain other criteria are eligible to participate in the Replace Today for $10K Maytag® Commercial Laundry Contest.

“We are proud to be the brand that laundromat owners depend on and are pleased to have the opportunity to celebrate our customers,” says Chad Lange, director of sales, service and parts, Commercial Laundry, Whirlpool Corp. “New machines can have a positive impact on business, which is why Maytag is giving away a total of $50,000 to help laundromat owners offset the cost of replacing their machines.”

To enter, eligible customers will have to provide proof of purchase and some basic personal information, plus give short answers to five key questions about their business:

• The problem they solved by replacing equipment,

• Their business objective for their store(s),

• Their methodology and how they are planning their replacements and other store improvements,

• How they’ll track their success or expect to see a change in revenue or cost savings, and

• How they plan to market their replacement to consumers.

The five customers who demonstrate the best business cases as determined by a panel of independent judges will be declared the winners.

“We’ve seen many Laundromat owners who have recognized they still have a role for consumers during this pandemic. That’s why we at Maytag want to encourage owners to replace equipment to help improve on and build the service they provide,” Lange says.

Minimum $10,000 purchase is required. The contest entry period runs through Aug. 14 and is open to legal U.S. residents 21 or older who are the owner or general manager of a laundromat that signs a Maytag equipment replacement deal.

The contest is void in certain states. Those interested in getting more information and full official rules may visit https://replace withmaytag.com/contest/.

THE PERFECT SOLUTION FOR DRIVING PROFIT ENERGY

FRIENDLY & EFFICIENT

LG Commercial Washers and Dryers reduce energy consumption and increase customer turnaround. Drive profit with energy efficiency.

Space Saving Design

The compact 27-inch cabinet combined with a large door opening and 22-pound wash capacity drives vend price and revenue in the same space as competitive 20-pound models.

Atomizing & Twin Spray

The Atomizing nozzle sprays fresh water onto the clothes and the door. This helps clothes soak sooner and longer, providing a better washing performance. It also cleans the door glass every time the water sprays, reducing your burden of cleaning excess soap residue. Twin Spray circulates soapy water, increasing wash performance and water visibility.

10˚ Tilted Drum

LG’s commercial washer tub is tilted 10°. It enables the washer to have higher water level compared to competitors. This allows us to use less water while not sacrificing superior wash performance.

Success starts with LG. Contact us at 800-256-1073 to get started with LG.

gnalaundry.com/lg