American Coin-Op - October 2022

ADA COMPLIANCE

Since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law more than 30 years ago, it has served to protect the interests of the disabled who wish to perform everyday activities, including doing laundry at their local laundromat. Eric M. Sarver, Esq., a New York attorney, discusses ADA regulation and points out store areas deserving of compliance attention.

COLUMNS

24 POINTERS FROM PAULIE B: DO YOU TURN OFF CUSTOMERS WITHOUT REALIZING IT?

It’s in your best interest to know why people choose your laundromat and why they don’t, says retired multi-store owner Paul Russo, making customer complaints all that more valuable. If your sales are dropping and there’s no new competition, something about your mat may be turning off your customers, he believes. Russo suggests some possible causes.

The 2022 edition of The Clean Show brought the industry together in Atlanta following a year’s delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you couldn’t be there, check out our report featuring a sampling of companies that exhibited and their thoughts on the event.

VIEWPOINT

LET’S DO THIS AGAIN IN 3 YEARS

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 no secret that I was eager to attend and cover Clean Show 2022 in Atlanta. For me, the year’s delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic only served to ratchet up my interest.

This year’s show wasn’t all that different in appearance and execution from those that came before it (aside from the masks worn by some attendees) but there almost was a sense of, “Ah, it’s really good to be back together.”

Apart from the show floor and classroom sessions, a pre-show association service project plus after-hours company award dinners and customer appreciation gatherings offered attendees great opportunities to see the folks they’d been missing.

Manufacturers released brand-new or redesigned machines, card payment systems offered new options, software companies demonstrated their latest programming, and makers of ancillary products showed how their wares play a role in doing laundry.

Amidst all the handshakes, hugs and back slaps, I noticed a few things—not all strictly related to self-service—in Atlanta:

• Equipment manufacturers promoted their current delivery times in light of supply chain issues

• Attendees showed interest in rebuilt or refurbished equipment due to longer lead times for new machines

• Ongoing labor shortages had launderers looking into automation solutions

• Industry interest in collecting and analyzing operational data isn’t waning

• The need to communicate with customers where they are, using emails, texts, QR codes and anything else mobile

• Increasing emphasis on the appearance of laundromats and giving them a “homier” feel

Our Clean Show Report beginning on page 6 offers just a sampling of some new or improved products coming to market.

And with that finished, I’m planning for Clean 2025 in Orlando.

Bruce Beggs Editorial Director

Andy Wray

OFFICE INFORMATION

Main: 312-361-1700

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Douglas Pratt Tony Regan

Sharon Sager Michael Schantz

Bruce Beggs

2022 Clean Show REPORT

Compiled by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

Clean Show 2022 ended its Atlanta run on August 2 after drawing nearly 10,000 industry professionals from North America and beyond to the Georgia World Congress Center. The exhibit hall remained the main attraction for this year’s four-day event—which had been delayed a year due to the coronavirus pandemic—and the show floor saw a constant flow of activity. Nearly 350 companies and organizations displayed the latest technology, machinery, equipment and other products and services for the commercial laundering, drycleaning, and textile care services industry.

Attendees eagerly met new business partners and experienced demonstrations of textile care machinery, equipment and technology live and in-action.

They were also eager to learn in the classroom, as evidenced by the large crowds that attended educational sessions organized by some of the partnering industry associations.

Organized service projects, after-hours parties and dinners, and other special activities kept attendees and vendor personnel busy away from the convention.

An expanded look at product introductions, special announcements and more

(Photo:B&CTechnologies,byBruceBeggs)

(Photo: The Clean Show)

2022 Clean Show REPORT

The next edition of The Clean Show will take place in Orlando, Florida. While specific dates have not been announced, the event is slated for mid-August 2025.

This report represents only a sampling of exhibitors and the products/services shown or described. With hundreds of companies in attendance, this article isn’t intended to be all-encompassing.

Be sure to follow American Coin-Op during the coming months for more product and service announcements from these companies and others.

DEXTER LAUNDRY

The company returned to The Clean Show to promote its washers, dryers and management systems designed and made in the USA. Dexter continues to invest in providing the machines, tools and resources necessary to make its customers more successful, and this includes larger-capacity equipment and enhanced technology offerings within DexterLive and DexterPay.

Dexter recently released its new T-1800 washer, its largest-capacity model ever. It offers a 120-pound wash capacity, available in 100G extract, that the company says pairs well with the T-120 dryer.

“Advanced Reporting” is the newest feature with DexterLive. This new tool provides store owners a collective look at all their locations and a deeper glance into how each store is performing on a variety of metrics.

DexterPay is more than a payment system, it’s a customer management tool that now includes a Rewards Program, Dexter says. Not only does this allow owners to give cash-back rewards on purchases, it also helps build a loyal fan base.

“It was great to be back face-to-face! I love this industry,” says Amanda Konczal, vice president of Marketing & Customer Support. “The interaction with distributors, customers, ancillary partners, and even competitors who share a common love of this great industry was a muchneeded reprieve from the challenges of the post-pandemic world.”

She says the show exceeded Dexter’s expectations and that she was “especially impressed with the level of interest from well-qualified, well-informed new investors. I think we are attracting the right group to help build a brighter future for the laundry industry.”

WASH-DRY-FOLD POS

True to its mission of developing easyto-use solutions for like-minded laundromat owners, Wash-Dry-Fold POS demonstrated its software’s highly anticipated laundry delivery features, plus boasted full integrations with CCI (FasCard and LaundryCard), SpyderWash, and Laundroworks.

Wash-Dry-Fold POS bundles its delivery software with its point-of-sale solution.

“Owners are looking to check every box

possible when they come to us,” says Ian Gollahon, who co-founded the company with Brian Henderson. “The compatibility pain in this industry is real. Buying a pointof-sale system piecemeal is more expensive and an endless amount of work. We bundle hardware, software, and payment acceptance to provide a value.”

“Along with laundry delivery features, integration with self-service laundromat card payment systems was often the first question we got at the 2019 Clean Show and we made sure to prepare for Clean Show 2022 accordingly,” says Henderson.

“This was our best Clean Show yet – both traffic and interest at our booth were at an all-time high!” Gollahon exclaims. “Every Clean Show is a challenge to keep up with demand, this year more so than ever.”

KIOSOFT

To augment its well-established line of digital payment solutions designed for laundry, KioSoft launched its expansion into several new product categories, including coin boxes and soap stations. KioSoft says it now covers the full spectrum of payments as a “one-stop-shop provider.”

The full line of coin boxes—featuring thick stainless steel plates, galvanized trays, high-security locks and a polished finish— offers laundry facilities a variety of sizes to fit a wide range of machines.

Soap stations are user-friendly, self-serve kiosks that conveniently offer detergent and other laundry essentials on-premise.

“There are many ways to measure the success of a show,” says Stacey Cooper, general manager – Retail Laundry. “The traffic, and quality of traffic, to the KioSoft booth exceeded our expectations. We came away from the show with a tremendous number of quality leads. What may be best was the relationships we formed and those that we cultivated with current clients, as well as the overall exposure and buzz around KioSoft.”

CONTINENTAL GIRBAU (GIRBAU NA)

Continental showcased the company’s vast product offering of vended laundry equipment and solutions. Drawing crowds were live demonstrations of the new Continental Genius Series vended washer lineup, touting what

(Photo courtesy KioSoft)

Continental says is the largest touchscreen user interface in the industry, and Express Flatwork Ironers, which make it simple for vended laundries to offer and process commercial laundry services.

Several end-user promotions, new and innovative custom finance options, and extended factory “Platinum Warranties” were also introduced.

A Friday evening reception and presentations for distributors and special guests kicked off the show for Girbau North America, according to President Mike Floyd. Attendees enjoyed first glimpses of new laundry systems and the introduction of Girbau Global Laundry Solutions’ three pillars: customer proximity, one team, and innovation and sustainability.

But the company says its hybrid Continental Genius Series Washers, in capacities ranging from 23 to 80 pounds, stole the show. The washers can switch from vended control to commercial program control.

“Vended laundry owners especially loved this feature because it makes it simple to process full-service wash/dry/fold and commercial customer laundry by switching … to the commercial control, which delivers significantly more programmability, dramatically expanding the process efficiencies and customer segments that can be served,” says Joel Jorgensen, vice president of sales.

Continental’s presence at Clean also focused on transitioning to the next level

of laundry processing: “We focused on traditional laundry customers, how to grow revenue as a vended laundry by adding an ironer and Genius Series Washers to handle full-service commercial work requiring perfectly pressed and folded bed and table linens,” Jorgensen says.

YAMAMOTO NORTH AMERICA

Japan’s Yamamoto Manufacturing sells coin laundry equipment in its home market, according to Joe Fleming, national sales manager for Yamamoto North America, and the company has for the last several years considered introducing the line in North America. So, Yamamoto took the opportunity to display its coin laundry concept at Clean 2022.

“There is clearly a cultural difference between how coin laundries operate in the two different territories,” says Fleming. “The largest difference … is the use of combo units. What I mean by that is a machine that washes and dries the same load in the same drum. Not a stack, but a true combination unit.”

Looking at the equipment from many perspectives—purchasing, maintenance, end-user—was imperative before introducing here in the U.S., he explains.

“People loved the idea! Our automatic soap inject was a hit, the idea of a seamless wash/dry program blew the minds of people that had not heard of something like this, and the overall construction of the unit impressed even the most tenured visitors.”

Fleming says Yamamoto has started working with different vendors for card and app payment systems and is working through plans to release the coin laundry line here sometime in 2023.

R&B WIRE PRODUCTS

New from R&B Wire Products was the CartCop™, an anti-tamper device that allows laundry owners to secure an Apple AirTag™ to their R&B Wire laundry carts for theft deterrence and loss prevention.

When compared to the cost of a cart, a GPS device plus a monthly GPS subscription didn’t make financial sense before Apple created the AirTag, R&B says. AirTag essentially piggybacks the GPS coordinates from all nearby Apple devices to provide its current location via Apple’s Find My

(PhotocourtesyYamamotoNorthAmerica)

(Photo: Continental Girbau, by Bruce Beggs)

We added PayRange to our machines last year and currently are at more than 30% usage I think coin-free is where people want to go, especially for the bigger machines.

So far we love PayRange and just ordered a PayStation wall-mount kiosk. Many people do not have a cell phone that can install apps nor do they want to be bothered with it. So the PayStation will allow these customers to use the laundry machines without coins.

I think PayRange is the best of both worlds at the moment and am sure as more time goes on coins will just disappear.

Doug Taber, Jr. Manager/Owner Bubbles Laundry Spa, LLC Moosup, CT

2022 Clean Show REPORT

app, with a replaceable battery and no subscription fees.

CartCop is made from high-density thermoplastic, with a tamper-resistant design to keep the AirTag secured to the cart. It’s compatible with all new and existing R&B Wire 100, 200 and 201 series carts.

PAYRANGE

PayRange presented its complete payment solutions for vended laundry, led by its BluKey Pro™ mobile payment device. Introduced were three PayStation™ payment kiosks to its network.

The family of hardware shares a common software platform and allows consumers to pay for their laundry at a central payment kiosk, without requiring a smartphone or PayRange account. The kiosks come in two sizes with three versions.

All PayStation kiosks feature an interactive touchscreen and accept magnetic

payment cards, as well as proximity, vicinity and contact EMV payment cards. The PayStation XL with bill validator adds the critical cash acceptance component.

“PayRange definitely felt a sense of pentup demand at the Clean Show,” says founder and CEO Paresh Patel. “We were very busy at our booth, and our staff of seven often had attendees waiting to speak with us … while we finished a conversation with another show attendee.”

Clean 2022 was a good investment for PayRange, Patel says, adding, “We relish the opportunity to hear directly from our customers and partners, and take feedback to heart. There has also been a strong correlation to sales activity as a result of exhibiting at the show.”

B&C TECHNOLOGIES

Longtime commercial/industrial laundry equipment manufacturer B&C

Technologies has expanded its offerings to include vended equipment, the Panama Beach, Florida, company announced.

The vended HX Series features an allnew simple control that interacts with B&C’s line of Münzprüfer acceptors. Three different versions of coin acceptors are available that can be used with a wide variety of coins. These meters also accept wireless payments through a smartphone app as well as an exclusive card system.

“After working for the Bruce and Cowen families for over 30 years, we’ve finally created a true game changer for our industry,” says Al Adcock, vice president of sales and marketing. “The innovative design is capable of extremely long life with minimal maintenance and will be surprisingly affordable.”

Machines will come in capacities of 22, 35, 50, 65, 85 and 110 pounds, and Adcock says the new line will be available in the first quarter of 2023.

2022 Clean Show REPORT

SETOMATIC SYSTEMS - SPYDERWASH

Payment technology supplier Setomatic Systems excitedly announced that its card reader is now officially EMV certified.

“EMV certification is now a requirement for all payment systems in order to accept contactless and chip insert credit and debit cards, as well as Apple/Google/Samsung Pay,” says Vice President Gregg Schantz. “This is critical for all laundry owners to protect them from obsolescence, as EMV payments are now the payment industry standard.”

The company also unveiled its brandnew Touch Kiosk Reader, which Schantz called a “significant upgrade” from the previous model. “The new reader has a modern-sleek touchscreen display which allows for English and Spanish languages, and lets customers register their loyalty card by simply scanning a QR code on their smartphone. Creating the best/sim-

plest user interface possible was our goal, and the feedback at the Clean Show was overwhelmingly positive.”

Setomatic doesn’t consider return on investment when deciding to exhibit, he says.

“We feel it is an opportunity for us to see many of our laundromat owners, distributors, and manufacturing partners that we might not see during the year,” Schantz says. “We use the one-on-one feedback we receive to help guide us in the coming years.”

ALLIANCE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS

Alliance Laundry Systems displayed a variety of equipment and technology in its 4,200 square feet of space. “It was a fantastic show for our company,” says Craig Dakauskas, senior vice president of North America Commercial, “and it was just great to connect with customers after several years of shutdowns and delays related to the pandemic.”

Speed Queen showed a variety of models equipped with its Quantum touch control. Since its launch, the touchscreen control has helped deliver what Alliance says is “unparalleled return on investment” for owners as their customers embrace its intuitive operation. Its real-word descriptions have yielded a dramatic uptick in customers selecting premium (and profitable) wash options, the company adds.

Speed Queen also had space dedicated to its franchise and licensed stores. Franchises will number roughly 25 in the United States by year’s end, Alliance says, while the licensed store concept now numbers more than 1,000 locations across Europe.

The Huebsch portion of the booth featured the brand’s Huebsch Command laundry management system as well as its collection of technology offerings to streamline laundromat management and create an improved customer experience.

2022 Clean Show REPORT

The brand-new Galaxy Touch touchscreen control also highlighted the booth space.

Dakauskas called attendance “phenomenal” and says the Alliance booth was “absolutely filled” each day. “I would say it was better than expected, and our team is excited by what that means for the future, especially in the face of the significant inflationary pressures all of us are experiencing.”

VEND-RITE MFG.

While Vend-Rite Mfg. didn’t introduce anything new at Clean this year, it displayed various venders that dispense everything from single-load boxes of laundry cleaning products to today’s hottest snack items.

“Show attendance was heavy the first three days – all day, every day!” exclaims President/CEO Vince Hansen. “It was real-

ly nice to see all our industry friends again. Store owners seemed eager and happy to be back at the show.”

Those visiting the booth seemed more interested in product availability than they were about pricing, he says.

CARD CONCEPTS INC. (CCI)

CCI announced and demonstrated series of new products supporting its LaundryCard and FasCard systems.

The all-new F3 card reader bringing a fully compliant and certified EMV solution to laundromat owners looking to accept credit and debit directly at the washer and dryer was demonstrated. It supports EMV chip cards, NFC cards, mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay), loyalty cards, and up to two coin mechanisms. The wireless

device has a 3.5-inch color touch screen, and is the only product in its class that can manage two pockets of a stack dryer from a single card reader, according to CCI.

LaundryCard operators now have a wireless card reader available. It boasts a full-color touch screen and can be fitted to any make or model machine. It was also announced that EBT cards can now be accepted on LaundryCard systems.

Advanced LaundryCard Live is a new device that adds new functionality normally available only to cloud-based systems, CCI says. Dashboard, service alerts, online backup and push reporting bundled with multi-store SYNC services and a 24/7 support contact are now available.

CCI also promoted its marketing service designed to help customers maximize their investment and take full advantage of all marketing features included in its system.

“We had a great show. There was a good energy from the attendees and the traffic in our booth was solid,” says Steve Marcionetti, CCI president. “I was not sure what to expect coming out of the pandemic, (but) certainly we were optimistic leading into the show. I think the attendance may have been down a little from previous shows but we were able to obtain a similar number of leads as compared to previous years.”

LAUNDROWORKS

The company demonstrated its new mobile app complementing its payment system. Store customers can download and use the app to pay for laundry machines without using a laundry card.

The app uses the same contactless NFC technology used by the Laundroworks laundry card system; simply add funds with the app and hold the mobile device near the card readers, the company says.

The app works on the same card reader (no QR codes to scan or manage), registers an NFC transaction instantly, and works without internet in the store. The store owner controls the float just as they do with the laundry card, Laundroworks says, and real-time machine availability, cycledone notifications and promotions are built into the app.

(Photo courtesy PayRange)

(PhotocourtesySetomaticSystems)

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

CURBSIDE LAUNDRIES

Wash-and-fold software developer Curbside Laundries kicked off its Clean Show activities by hosting clients at a customer appreciation dinner that featured education and a sneak peek of Curbside’s new and improved user interface.

“The client reception was a great opportunity to bring our clients together and share updates, provide educational speaking topics, and let (them) know how much we appreciate them,” says Curbside’s Aaron Simmons. “We are not just software developers; we run a very successful laundromat. We know when we add specific new features, it will help us increase revenue at our laundromat and will help our

clients increase their revenues, too.”

Curbside’s core software design model helps laundromat owners use the power of the internet and couples it with pickup and delivery to help increase revenue.

“Fantastic interest, numerous software demonstrations, and new customers resulted from the laundry owners we met at the show,” Simmons adds.

MOUNTAIN ELECTRONICS

Mountain Electronics, which provides washer/dryer circuit board, card reader and ignitor reader repair services to the commercial laundry industry, exhibited at Clean for the first time.

“We had high hopes about the number of customers we would connect with, but

our expectations were exceeded by far,” says co-owner Whitney Brasington. “We had lines of people waiting to talk to us for much of Saturday and Sunday, and we continued to see more people than expected on Monday and Tuesday.”

She relayed heart-warming tales from customers who thanked Mountain for having “saved their business” many times over the years.

“We made some great connections with new folks and enjoyed educating them about our services and our website where they can get free shipping, see what control boards we repair, and see what refurbished and new parts we have in stock,” Brasington adds.

BROOKS-WATERBURN CORP.

The Clean Show provided insurance company Brooks-Waterburn Corp. with the opportunity to speak with laundromat owners in person, and virtually, while in Atlanta. The company informed attendees of its custom insurance plans, and urged them to avoid the “washer-dryer insurance trap.”

This so-called “trap” occurs when laundromat owners only insure for the money they take out on their initial loan (traditionally, just for the washers and dryers). But what if they build out the business space or make improvements? Most “one size fits all” laundromat coverage won’t include these, Brooks-Waterburn says.

WHIRLPOOL CORP.

More than 20 Whirlpool Corp. products were featured in its booth, including MHN33 front-load washers, which have been tested to 15,000 cycles. Attendees could explore a selection of Maytag® Commercial Laundry MYR multi-load washers showcasing the breadth and flexibility of the multi-load line-up, as well as view a selection of dryers from ADC.

Whirlpool achieved all of its strategic objectives during Clean, says Matt Conn, global director, Commercial Laundry Product and Marketing.

“We reconnected with our customers from all over the world ... and recognized our top-performing (distributor) customers,” he explains. “We leveraged the Clean Show to portray our brand value and demonstrate our quality machines and

(PhotocourtesyCurbsideLaundries)

(Photo courtesy Alliance Laundry Systems)

2022 Clean Show REPORT

mobile app, MyLaundryLink and EMV at the machine level; and two models of the Add Value Station for new and existing installations that accepts all forms of payment.

Greenwald presented the Multipay and Pinmate contactless payment systems, proven with more than 5,000 units deployed in Europe in partnership with a major OEM.

CSI CLEANTIE

Cleantie cloud-based POS is the latest product from Computer Systems Int’l. It offers a suite of solutions for dry cleaning, laundromat, cleaning alterations and shoe repair that take a business to the cloud. In its latest update, Cleantie has integrated with DoorDash, giving clients greater flexibility with pickup and delivery.

Cleantie had hoped for a higher attendance but given circumstances of the world today, the final tally was understandable, says Marketing Director Andrea Einlo. The company considers Clean to be a “longterm investment” and is planning to exhibit again in 2015.

CENTS

solutions to the broader commercial laundry industry.”

Owner/operator attendance is important to the show’s success but Whirlpool counted on another metric.

“What was more important for our team than the overall attendance was the quality of insight, learning and time we gained from all our in-person meetings from customers all over the world. We have three conference rooms at our booth, and they were filled every half-hour!”

ESD AND GREENWALD INDUSTRIES

Clean ’22 was the first opportunity for ESD and Greenwald Industries to exhibit together after ESD affiliate Laundry Wallet’s November 2021 acquisition of Greenwald. The two now share their knowledge, resources, product lines and

decades of industry experience for the benefit of the marketplace.

Known for its broad range of electronic payment systems and mechanical payment systems, ESD has proudly developed products for the laundry industry that accept coin currency of more than 70 countries worldwide.

Greenwald has benefitted from lasting partnerships with OEM vended commercial laundry equipment manufacturers spanning several decades. Its 120,000-square-foot U.S. manufacturing facility has enabled the company to mitigate foreign supply chain issues for its customers.

In Atlanta, ESD offered the following new products and payment solutions: the 8/14 coin slide, which takes payment up to $3.50; the Trident Reader with Cyclepay

Cents, a business management and instore operations platform that enables laundromat owners to start, manage and grow their business, launched Cents Connect, a suite of hardware products that creates what the company says is the “most affordable, accessible, and fully integrated payments solution.”

Cents Connect enables any laundry business owner to track all forms of revenue (self-serve, full-service, PUD, commercial, etc.), as well as their machine insights and utilization, the company says. Operators are now empowered to view and manage every aspect of their business within a single solution to improve efficiencies, streamline operations and grow revenue.

“For decades, laundromat owners have been piecing together different processes, systems, operations and payment solutions to try and improve their customer experience and the way they do business,” says Alex Jekowsky, co-founder and CEO of Cents. “We built Cents Connect to integrate all those pieces and provide a true allin-one platform to manage every element of a laundry business.”

(PhotocourtesyCSICleantie)

(Photo courtesy Whirlpool Corp.)

ADA Compliance

ID’ing store areas most deserving of American with Disabilities Act attention

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

Since the Americans with Disabilities Act—the ADA—was signed into law in 1990, it has served to protect the interests of the disabled who wish to perform everyday activities, including doing laundry at their local laundromat.

Someone who’s well acquainted with the ADA and its impact on small businesses is Eric M. Sarver, Esq. He’s a New York

(continued on page 28)

(Photo: © andrewde/Depositphotos)

(Photo: © ehrlif/Depositphotos)

It’s in your interest to always know why people choose your mat, but you should also know why they don’t choose it.

You can visit your mat daily and not realize that some customers are being turned off. Your natural bias makes it hard to clearly see your mat’s negatives.

Customers will always complain. But complaints are good! Why? Because the vast majority of cus tomers don’t complain directly, and you need some complaints to help you know what you may be doing wrong. Instead, they simply don’t come back, and most of the time you aren’t even aware if or why they left.

The ones that do complain are doing you a favor.

How many customers are you losing due to one employee’s nasty demeanor? Or perhaps it’s some

thing about your mat or its equipment that’s turning people off. It may be something you’re already aware of in the back of your mind but you haven’t made the con scious connection yet. These turnoffs happen over and over every day, so this is why it’s important to nip them in the bud. Customer complaints and/or surveys can help you accomplish this.

You can’t keep them all but you can stem your losses. If your sales are dropping and there’s no new competi tion, something about your mat may be turning off your customers. Here are some possibilities:

Your Mat Smells Unpleasant — Some mats smell like sewer gas. You and your employees may have experi enced it so regularly that you no longer detect the smell.

Case in point: Before I opened my first mat, I was in the flower business. Customers would often come in and

Paul Russo

compliment us about how nice the shop smelled. None of us who worked in the shop could smell the flowers anymore.

Smells can come from neighbors, too. I know a mat that gets slammed every day because it’s next door to a barbecue restaurant in the same building. Many mats have negative air pressure due to the dryers blowing air out through the exhausts. Even with great makeup air, your dryers could suck in restaurant exhausts.

And of course, you don’t want to be in the same building with a fish store. In fact, request in your lease that your landlord not rent to any business that emits strong odors. You can point out that it’s bad for the other tenants as well.

To prevent sewer gas from building up, have all your drain lines cleaned yearly with a snake that scrapes the pipes clean, and clean under the washers as well.

If the dumpsters outside are smelling from rotting garbage, pour a 50/50 bleach/water mixture into them once a week during hot weather.

It’s Either Too Hot or Too Cold — If you can’t take your coat off in your mat in the winter, or if you’re sweating bullets there in the summer, you should do what you can to resolve this. When the temperature is 95 outside with 90% humidity, nobody wants to go to a laundromat unless it’s air-conditioned. Some mats don’t have heat in the winter. Make it comfortable.

You’re Sharing Unpopular Political Views — If a local politician asks to post a sign in your mat, think hard before allowing it, even if you support that politician! My rationale is that the country is extremely divided these days, so no matter which party’s reps you post, it’s bound to turn some customers off. The best thing is to prohibit political signs altogether.

It’s Too Crowded — It’s exciting to see your mat packed to the gills. You can feel great knowing that your mat is a hit and making money. The problem is, customers do not like it when it gets crowded, so do whatever you can to prevent this. (See “Bottlenecks and How to Manage (Avoid?) Them” in the May issue.)

There Isn’t Enough Water in Your Washers — Remember the Wendy’s commercial with the old woman asking, “Where’s the beef?” Well, your mat’s customers may be thinking, “Where’s the water?”

Water and sewer costs have gone up dramatically over the past 25 years. The efforts of manufacturers, distributors and mat

owners have worked together to save water. But customers can feel cheated that there’s not enough water in your washers. Many customers will not tolerate low water levels.

One year, one of my mats experienced a mysterious increase in customers over a few weeks. It occurred after a few laundry rooms in my area switched to new softmount washers. Customers couldn’t see any water in them at any time!

This became a big plus for me because they did what I always struggled to do: they made people leave the comfort and convenience of their apartment houses and schlep down the block to my mat where they could still see the water in the washers.

Your Payment System May Be Confusing — As inflation bites into coin payment, be careful as to which new payment system you get. You want something that’s easy for the customer to use and understand, and a system that will still accept coins.

You’ve Got a Loitering Problem — This is a huge turnoff for many. Non-paying loiterers can be noisy, smelly, take up room

by sleeping in your business, and often monopolize your restrooms. Their presence can scare customers, too.

Customers will leave and never come back. Loiterers are a constant challenge. If your city has a hotline to help the homeless, call to see what can be done.

Your Restroom is Dirty — This is one of the biggest customer turnoffs! There are people who will choose another mat if your restrooms are dirty, especially during today’s heightened awareness of all things sanitary.

The Small, Dirty Parking Lot Has Potholes — Sarcasm alert! Why not turn off your customers before they even walk in? Annoy them right in the parking lot.

The lot should be flat and smooth, have good drainage (no puddles), no trip haz ards, and its spaces clearly marked. And it should be well-lit with camera oversight for safety. If customers feel safe, they’ll come. If they don’t, they won’t. This applies to the store as well.

The Store is Too Noisy — Nobody likes

A loiterer photographed in one of the author’s New York City stores. (File photo: Paul Russo)

to hear loud, annoying noise. Bad washer tub bearings are the worst, but a nail stuck in a dryer basket can make an aggrevating grating sound. A customer will forgive one noisy episode, but if they come back to the same noise week after week, you will prob ably lose them.

There Are Too Many Out-of-Order Signs

— Many mat owners believe they don’t have to rush to fix one or two machines that are down, figuring there are others that customers can use. This is true to a certain extent, but it doesn’t look very good.

The more out-of-order machines you’re willing to present to the public, the more people will get turned off. Then they start getting paranoid about the other machines without signs. And if your mat gets busy and customers have to wait because your mat has three washers they could have used, they probably won’t come back. They’ll be angry that you’re not taking good care of “their” laundromat.

Your Mat has Roaches or Other Pests — Roaches and other critters are big turnoffs. People have always been turned off at the sight of a roach walking across a table. No one wants to see waterbugs, mice, spiders,

or the biggest fear today: bedbugs!

Simply put, nobody should ever see any kind of pest in your mat. Some people have phobias of bugs, but bedbugs will send just about every customer to another mat.

I have a solution that is cheap, safe and effective to use on any crawling bug. Go online and search for “food grade diatoma ceous earth.” This is a powder that will kill any bug that walks on it, yet is non-toxic to humans and pets. Exterminators use it for bedbugs, dusting it into cracks and crevices.

Just go around your mat once a week and dust all your cracks and crevices. The powder can be slippery, so make sure it’s not on floors where people can slip.

Your Older Machines are Worn-out in Function and Appearance — If you can’t renovate your machines to look and oper ate like new, then maybe it’s time to get new machines.

Employees Misbehave When You’re Not Around — It’s quite normal for employees to relax when the boss is out, but they should always know that the customer is the reason they’re there. Remind them that your security cameras are helpful for their safety and to keep an eye on things

while you’re gone.

You’ve Gotten Some Bad Reviews Online — Be sure to monitor your online reputation. Customer reviews provide an excellent snapshot to “get a pulse” on what the public thinks of your place. Make sure you claim ownership of your webpages, and make a habit to read any comments every week.

You Don’t Know What Your Customers are Thinking — Survey your customers! You simply cannot know what’s on a cus tomer’s mind unless you ask. You need to know what people like about your mat, and what they don’t.

Like most laundromat topics, just use common sense. If there is something that you don’t like about a business when you walk in, take a second to reflect on whether your own customers may get the same feel ing in your store.

Paul Russo owned and operated mul tiple 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.

City employment law/labor law attorney (https://sarver-law.com) with 23 years of experience, including 21 as the founder of his own firm.

For a time, he mainly represented and litigated for employees who claimed they were discriminated against due to their dis ability. In 2013, he shifted to rep resenting businesses of all kinds, including laundromats and dry cleaners, helping them with com pliance and best practices.

“In a nutshell, I would say that the ADA is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabili ties. That includes people going to work, and their employment,” he says. “It protects people in public and private places that are open to the general public: restau rants, bar, laundromats, hotels.”

There are two basic aspects of the ADA, according to Sarver. First is to not exclude, harass, or create unequal conditions in employment or of services given based on a

person having a disability. The second has to do with providing reasonable accommoda tions for a person with disabilities so that they can basically enjoy the same rights and privileges that a non-disabled person can.

Focusing on potential barriers when building a new store or renovating an exist ing laundromat is commonplace, but Sarver warns that an owner should be mindful of ADA requirements in all aspects of running their store, their dayto-day operation, well beyond that stage.

“Too often, I’ve seen business owners who hire the architect, construction folks who are very ADA-mindful and -compliant, and they follow the plan,” he says. “They build and design a disabled stall in the restroom, but then as the business takes on a life of its own and gets new equipment or has different machines coming in, often the business owner doesn’t realize that they’ve got to make sure that the day-to-day, being able to access the front desk, to make change or to be able to use the machines, has to be ADA-compliant. A

business owner’s obligations under the ADA don’t stop when the building, the structure, is complete.”

Much attention is paid to entrances and exits to ensure they accommodate disabled patrons but some other areas in the laundry may not get the same treatment.

“In my experience as an employment law attorney, I’ve seen laundromats that have issues with the folding table not being wheel chair height. When you walk into a place, often you can just stand up and fold your laundry, but if you can’t reach that from a wheelchair, that can be problematic.

“I’ve also seen some challenges with restrooms. They have the door open wide enough for a handicapped or disabled stall but the paper towel dispenser is too high or a disabled person can’t get soap on their hands.

“There are washers and dryers that are too high, or machines stacked one on top of the other so that people can’t access them.”

Facility design is often done by someone who’s “thinking from an able-bodied per spective,” according to Sarver.

“A business owner should keep that in mind and perhaps consult with someone

(experienced) in the field to make sure that all the things we take for granted are reach able and accessible by a disabled person.”

Over the last 10 years or so, attention has increasingly been placed on online aspects of a business, such as the website used by a pickup and delivery service. Can a blind person utilize it?

Different agencies enforce different areas—called “titles”—of the ADA.

“For example, we’re talking about publicfacing accommodations for customers and patrons. That would be under Title III of the ADA and that would be enforced through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).”

If a laundromat doesn’t follow the law in hiring a disabled person, it might be subject to the EEOC, or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Depending on where your store is located, that city or state may have its own agency responsible for ADA oversight. In New York City, for example, it’s the Commission on Human Rights.

As far as federal law, which the DOJ enforces, a business could face fines if it fails to meet certain ADA requirements, Sarver

says. A judgment might include an order to lower equipment that is too high or to build a ramp. A business would then sub mit a plan of action to address the alleged violation(s) and have 120 days to complete it, for example.

“They do have a chance after (receiving) first notice to fix the violation. Let’s say that before a lawsuit is filed, there is a waiting period that the business has to address the violation before legal action is taken, before they’re assessed a penalty.”

Laundromats are located in big cities and small towns, in urban centers and remote outposts. Is ADA compliance more likely to be enforced in a metropolitan area vs. a rural setting?

“People may be more aware of their rights under the ADA in certain metropolitan locations,” Sarver says. “No. 2, you have a larger metropolitan population, so you sim ply have more people coming across your establishment.”

There also may be a higher percentage of disabled persons within that population, and residents there may have greater access to legal counsel.

“I would venture to say yes but I don’t want your readers to get the impression that, if they’re in a rural setting, they’re kind of off the hook for compliance,” he says. “The ADA doesn’t make a distinction between metropolitan and rural. Your laundry could still be in a ‘one-horse town’ and receive a penalty if you don’t comply.”

Rather than relying on Google to answer your ADA questions, Sarver suggests work ing with an employment lawyer in your area to make sure you’re up to date on the latest changes and how your business is expected to reasonably accommodate all customers.

“Most able-bodied owners don’t think to the minutiae, to the detailed level of what needs to be in place, so they think wheel chair, ramp and bathroom stall. And they don’t think about the change dispenser, the folding table, the mirror in the bathroom, that kind of thing.”

Information in this article is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intend ed to provide specific advice or individual recommendations. Consult an attorney for advice regarding your particular situation.

STAR DISTRIBUTING WINS TOP SPEED QUEEN HONOR

Speed Queen honored its top distributors during an evening recep tion in Atlanta prior to The Clean Show in July.

The night’s most prestigious award—Speed Queen Distributor of the Year—went to Star Distributing of Tennessee. The company also earned the Finance Partner of the Year honor for continuing to expand Speed Queen’s financing presence in the market.

Other Speed Queen award winners included Hermes Commercial Equipment, Bloomington, Ill., Outstanding Growth; Valley Washers Inc., Harrisonburg, Va., Outstanding Performer; and Statewide Machinery Inc., Batavia, N.Y., Outstanding Performer.

CENTS ACQUIRES STARCHUP, EXPANDS PICKUP/DELIVERY PLATFORM

Cents, a business management and in-store operations platform that enables laundromat owners to start, manage and grow their business, reports that it has acquired Starchup, a pickup-anddelivery, drycleaning, and point-of-sale software. Terms of the deal were not announced.

Through the acquisition, Cents will be able to bolster its existing pickup-and-delivery platform by adding functionality and further investing in new tools and features to help laundry and drycleaning owners grow their business, the company says.

By consolidating the advanced pickup-and-delivery platform that Starchup has built with the product Cents has developed for gig economy pickup and delivery, they will be able to offer a new pickup-and-delivery solution called Cents Dispatch.

With its formal launch, Starchup CEO Nick Chapleau joins Cents as the head of Dispatch, responsible for the continued educa tion, development, and advancement of the product.

EVI INDUSTRIES ACQUIRES TWO MORE LAUNDRY BUSINESSES

Distributor EVI Industries, Miami, acquired North Carolina-based K&B Laundry Service LLC and Massachusetts-based Aldrich Clean-Tech Equipment Corp. in separate deals that closed last month.

K&B provides installation and maintenance services to the industrial and on-premise laundry segments that will enhance EVI’s installation and service capabilities to its growing customer base

across the Southeast. EVI has welcomed Norman “Bo” Tanner and the K&B team to its family.

Aldrich Clean-Tech, led by Bob and Kim Aldrich, is a distributor of commercial laundry products and a provider of related instal lation and maintenance services to commercial laundry customers in the Northeast. Its addition enhances EVI’s capabilities to serve that region.

Terms of the transactions were not announced. EVI has now acquired 22 commercial laundry businesses since fall 2016.

“The addition of K&B and Aldrich reaffirms our commitment to build distribution and service density such that we may better serve our customers with a broader array of products and an elevated service experience,” says EVI Chairman/CEO Henry M. Nahmad.

MAYTAG COMMERCIAL LAUNDRY CELEBRATES DISTRIBUTOR ACHIEVEMENTS Maytag® Commercial Laundry honored the hard work, commit ment to tireless service and dedication of its distribution custom ers with an annual awards ceremony prior to The Clean Show in Atlanta in July.

Northwest Laundry Supply won the prestigious Fred Maytag Award, the most historic, sought-after and reputable accolade within Maytag Commercial Laundry. Established by Fred Maytag, it is presented to a company that not only excels in all three seg ments (vended, multi-housing and on-premises) but also showcases commitment to their partnership as a loyal Maytag ambassador.

Some of the other outstanding distributors honored during the ceremony were:

• Dependable Laundry Solutions — International Distributor of the Year;

• Superior Laundry Equipment — Vended Excellence Award for North America;

• WASH, Coinamatic and Hercules — Maytag Multi-Housing Excellence Award for North America;

• Hercules — Maytag Quality Partner of the Year;

• Best Wash Inc. — Maytag Marketing Excellence Award for North America; and

• Consolidated Laundry Equipment — Maytag Outstanding First Year Performance

Award for North America.

Michael Davis (center), president/CEO, Star Distributing, and Christine Davis (second from left), vice president, receive the Speed Queen Distributor of the Year award from Alliance Laundry Systems executives (from left) Craig Dakauskas, senior vice president of North America Commercial; Eric Meyers, general manager of vend/OPL segments; and Mike Schoeb, company CEO. (Photo: Alliance Laundry Systems)

Dependable Laundry Solutions General Manager Chad Pilbeam (holding award) and Sales and Marketing Manager Sam Nolthenius (fourth from left) accept Maytag Commercial Laundry’s International Distributor of the Year honor from (from left) Maytag’s Carlos Vasquez, senior international manager, Sales Strategy and Business Operations; Amy Gardner, director, Sales, Parts & Service; and Jason Mathew, general manager. (Photo: Maytag Commercial Laundry)

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