With so many different systems available for laundromat management, payment acceptance, accounting, point-of-sale for wash-dry-fold and pickup and delivery, and more, it can be overwhelming to choose the right system for your business.
In the second CLA educational session on Day Two of Clean 2022 in Atlanta, Paul Hansen, owner of Su Nueva Lavanderia in Chicago, and Brian Henderson, founder of Wash-Dry-Fold POS, provided show attendees with helpful tips on what features to consider when evaluating today’s latest laundromat technology.
“There’s never been a better time to hit the ground running with technology,” Henderson said. “You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.”
However, both presenters agreed there are some important general technological features laundromat operators should evaluate before making any tech purchase – whether it is a POS system, a credit card reader or something else. Those features include:
- Vendor support
- Technical knowledge necessary to operate
- Amount of user control available
- Flexibility of the contract
- Cost
- Integration with other systems
- Remote access and backups
- References
Regarding vendor support and training, Hansen and Henderson shared the following questions store owners should ask:
- How many hours are available for support?
- Is it live support or automated?
- What is the cost of that support?
- Can the vendor access to your system remotely to troubleshoot issues?
- What type of training is available?
- Is training with a live person or via recorded webinar?
- Is there language support for those with limited English skills?
“Is technical knowledge going to be necessary?” Henderson asked. “You need to answer this question. After all, it’s a new skill being required of your team. Is it user-friendly? What hoops are you expecting your staff – and your customers – to jump through?”
In addition, user control is a main factor to consider, including customization of processes and reports, as well as the availability of remote access.
When reviewing a contract for any new system or technology, Henderson suggested laundromat owners look for maximum flexibility with regard to terms, cancellation clauses, auto-renewal policies, return policies, etc.
As far as the overall cost of a new system or tech, Hansen urged the session’s attendees to get a full rundown of the various pricing plans, any processing fees, and rules regarding chargebacks.
Of course, as with any type of major purchase, references from other customers are critical, both Clean Show presenters concurred. In addition to references directly from the specific vendor you’re considering, utilize social media, contacts through the Coin Laundry Association and other resources to find laundromat operators willing to share their experiences with the technology you’re thinking of buying.
“You’re adding new technology because you want to make more money, and you want to save time,” Hansen said. “But you also want it to be easy for your team and your customers – so you’ve got to have business systems that aren’t too confusing, as well as being dependable.”
