Columns
The Laundry Doctor
What’s Your Number?
[Knowing How Much Finished Laundry Your Staff Can Produce is Vital to the Health of Your Wash-Dry-Fold BusinessSeveral months ago in this column, I discussed the Japanese principle of Kaizen, which is a philosophy that embraces constant and continual improvement in...
WDF 101: Back to Basics, Part 3
Here's Why Choosing Your Detergent and Landing a Few Commercial Accounts Are Critical Factors for Your New Wash-Dry-Fold Business[This is the third and final installment in a series on running a successful wash-dry-fold service.]Thus far in this series on offering a...
WDF 101: Back to Basics, Part 2
Consistently Folding and Professionally Packaging Your Customers' Garments Are Keys to a Successful Wash-Dry-Fold Business[This is the second in a series on running a successful wash-dry-fold service. Part One appeared in the April issue.]Last time, I discussed how to...
Wash With Wally
Wash with Wally: Six Key Elements of a Profitable Laundry
I'm in the process of building a self-service laundry. I have never been in this type of business before, so I'd like to know what laundry customers want, what attracts them and what keeps them coming back. In my opinion, there are six main elements that your new...
Wash with Wally: Removing Paint Odors, Tackling Mystery Stains and More…
I have a commercial account with a paintball company. However, I'm having trouble removing the odor of the oil-based paint from the towels. Do you have any suggestions? Most of the paintballs used today are not oil-based. Some manufacturers use vegetable oil, but most...
Wash with Wally: The Importance of Rinse Cycles
Due to the high cost of water, I recently eliminated the last two rinses on all of my washers. My machines are now set to deliver a prewash, a wash cycle, and one rinse cycle. Did I make a mistake, or is everyone doing this these days? Honestly, I don't know of any...
The Business Mind
True Enough!
Seven Business (and Non-Business) Truisms That Can Be Applied Directly to Your Laundry Operation Virtually everyone you run into knows something you don’t. Think about that for a moment. With more than 300 million people in the United States, there are literally...
All in the Family
The Psychodynamics of the Family-Owned Laundry Business – And How to Keep Yours Running Smoothly and EfficientlyMy guess is that early on nearly all small businesses were family-run businesses, especially in smaller towns. Since then, we've evolved from there to...
Taking the Scientific Approach
How to Leverage Today's Neuroscience Research When Running Your Laundry Business The world of science is ablaze - hotter than ever before in recorded history. Modern-day research is uncovering useful and practical information at supersonic speed in so many areas. For...