Large-Capacity Washers Can Be One of Your Laundromat’s Most Important Features
From an equipment standpoint, large-capacity washers are the most important element in any vended laundry today – and every store owner should have at least two of each unique capacity.
These larger machines can help set your laundromat apart from apartment and home laundries, which don’t have the advantage of such high-capacity equipment. Big washers will broaden your laundromat’s demographic appeal; differentiate your business from the competition; attract new customers that have large, bulky loads to wash; and help generate greater revenue and higher profit.
Whether you’re building a new laundromat from the ground up or retooling an existing store, be sure to make room for several large-capacity washers. You’ll be glad you did.
Big Washers Make Big Money
Do your research. Ask other laundromat owners – who have large-capacity washers – what percentage of their revenue is generated by those big machines, when compared with smaller models. And, while you’re investigating, ask them for the differences in turns per day and customer demand. Lastly, find out the differences in revenue per square foot, when comparing large and small machines.
Not only do larger machines cost less per pound of capacity to operate when compared with smaller machines, but they also prove again and again to be the most used washers in the store. Additionally, you won’t need to match your competitors’ pricing if they don’t even have any big machines in the first place.
Apartment, dormitory and at-home laundries do not have 80- to 130-pound-capacity washers that can handle rugs, comforters, blankets, sleeping bags, pillows and so on. And, because your laundromat will be equipped with this type of large equipment, homeowners and renters will frequent your store. You’ll penetrate a greater percentage of your demographic, while creating a unique service.
Another advantage? During your store’s typically slower operating hours, your laundry employees can utilize these machines for wash-dry-fold loads and commercial accounts. That’s just smart business.
The Soft-Mount Advantage
Moreover, by choosing a soft-mount, large-capacity washer rather than a hard-mount machine, you can simplify installation, lower installation costs and ensure your customers a quick, efficient wash.
Soft-mount washers feature suspension systems that absorb vibration and maximize performance. Unlike their hard-mount counterparts, soft-mount washers don’t require a 12- to 18-inch concrete foundation or 24 inches of access space behind them. So, maximize your laundromat’s square footage, and enable your customers to wash, dry and fold their laundry as timely and effectively as possible.
Soft-mount equipment is less expensive, simpler to install and can be placed very closely together. These machines also can generate and hold higher extract speeds than hard-mount washers – for additional moisture removal, quicker dry times and less natural gas consumed. As a result, each machine can serve more paying customers per day.
Choose Adaptability
Of course, not all washers offer automatic chemical injection or are compatible with ozone. However, if you’re interested in offering sanitized laundry loads via chemistry and/or ozone, you’ll certainly need these features. If that’s the case, look for a washer that can work in concert with chemicals, pump systems, ozone or UV disinfection systems – and be sure to talk with your equipment distributor about compatibility before you buy.
When you connect your large-capacity washers to an automatic chemical dispensing system, your customers won’t have to lug and load detergents. Rather, soaps, softeners and brighteners/sanitizers are automatically injected into each load, based on the specific wash program selected. Not only can you make more money on the vend price, but you also can generate revenue from the chemicals you’re supplying. Quick and convenient, automatic chemical injection also prevents messy spills and can improve customer turnover.
If you’re interested in learning more about how large-capacity machines can fit into your laundromat’s equipment mix to help you better serve your store’s customers, be sure to reach out to your equipment distributor for details.
