Why cashless is king of the laundry

By Lucinda Dean, Industry Reporter

Could COVID-19 spell the end of cash transactions?

In response to the pandemic, many businesses have refused to accept cash due to hygiene concerns. Cashless transactions are the new norm and the trend looks ‘here to stay’.

Indeed, even pre-pandemic, cashless was an established and popular form of payment, especially among millennials and Generation Z, who are so hip they only ‘carry’ digital wallets such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay and the like.

Coin-operated laundries are the dinosaurs of the 21st Century. Accommodation providers can either adapt by upgrading to cashless systems or may perish.

Boost your bottom line

Remember when getting 20 cents pocket money to spend on lollies at the corner store each Saturday was a big deal? The value of that coin was tangible bought 20 lollies. In today’s tap-and go society, money is just a number and it is easier to spend more of a nebulous idea than cold hard cash.

This is a boon for operating a cashless laundry on your premises because it is easier to make minor price adjustments and up-sell services to guests who literally do not notice the laundry draining their cash.

Customised reporting means it easier than ever to track and analyse consumer behaviour. The data rich information, i.e. whether it is a single or multipurchase; average ticket, date, location, and time of purchase,

because back then, 20 cents means you can effectively target your marketing to incentivise guests to spend more money.

Why retrofitting is a switched-on idea

There are myriad conversion solutions on the market, which means you don’t have to throw out the baby with the bathwater. One cutting-edge wireless technology allows you to convert your existing machines, old or new, into ‘smart machines’, by simply plugging in a mobile device. Guests use their smartphones to scan the QR code on the machine, or they access a mobile website to select the washer or drier they want to use. Payment is cashless by credit card or PayPal; or via a kiosk installed in the laundromat so guests don’t have to use their smartphones to make credit card payments.

Who said maintenance?

By going cashless, you’ll no longer have problems with coins getting jammed or having to deal with damage caused by vandalism and theft. When upgrading to cashless, always choose a provider, which offers good after-sales support, including warranties and qualified service technicians, so they bear the brunt of any ongoing maintenance costs, not you.

Convenience all-round

Guests no longer have to stockpile gold coins just to operate machines and owners / managers can keep track of this revenue generating area of their business from anywhere – and make informed marketing decisions.