Monday, December 27, 2010

Maximizing Laundry Equipment Efficiency


There are many factors which can help to determine the success of your business, one of the most important being the laundry equipment that you own and operate in your location(s).  With a large part of your coin laundry success being reliance on and consumption of utilities (water, sewer, gas and electricity), the importance of efficient machinery is a paramount concern for the store owner.  Remember, as a coin store operator, you are essentially “selling utilities!”

When the laundry equipment is brand new, the efficiency of that model is at its best.  However, as time goes on, the wear and tear on the equipment increases and the efficiency declines.  Also, newer models with increased efficiency features are being developed constantly and there is a strong emphasis on energy efficiency in the design process.

What contributes to the loss of efficiency in your older laundry equipment?  What new developments help the most modern equipment be even more efficient?  Let’s take a close look at the washers and dryers to determine how the efficiency is affected as the machines get older.

Washers

One of the biggest technological advantages that new washers possess is the water consumption needed to effectively wash a load of clothing.  However, the water usage of the washer affects many areas of utilities which can represent a huge saving.  When you use less water, you not only save the direct water supply costs, you also save the sewer costs and heating costs for any hot water used in the cycle.

Newer equipment also has a distinct advantage:  the motor drives which turn the drum during the cycle.  Most recent washer models feature an inverter motor drive system which allows the machine to gently ramp up to speed, helping to decrease wear and tear of washer components, such as the shaft, bearing, seals, and belts.  These drive systems also eliminate large electrical draws when the motor powers up by gradually (and more efficiently) ramping up to speed.

One of the major components (and most expensive repairs) in a washer is the bearing system.  To help washer bearings last longest, be sure to pay attention to any preventative maintenance instructions for maintaining bearings within the washer.  This is definitely a case in which a pound of prevention far outweighs an ounce of cure!

The rubber and plastic parts within a washer should be carefully monitored and maintained for optimum efficiency.  Be sure to check your washer belts regularly and replace as soon as they show evidence of wear.  Also, make sure that any hoses, gaskets, and water screens are not damaged, worn, or leaking.  This will ensure that the water usage remains at a minimum.

Dryers

One of the biggest technological advantages that new dryers have over the older models is lower gas consumption.  Measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units), the modern dryer is nothing like the “gas hog” of the past.  There are new energy-efficient models of dryers which provide the same performance with a large reduction in BTUs.  This is achieved by insulating the doors and cabinet, improved tumbler seals, and creating a true axial airflow (air moving through the clothing, rather than around it).  This savings in gas costs results in direct cost-cutting for the store owner.

A dryer is essentially a large hot air circulator and, to operate at maximum efficiency, requires air tight seals whenever possible.  The flexible, rubber seals and gaskets have a tendency to wear over time.  As these items get older, small air leaks occur and efficiency of the whole system declines.  Care must be taken to ensure that these parts remain effective in minimizing air leaks as they get older.  Also, the insulation in the cabinet has a tendency to break down as the dryer ages.

One very important, and frequently overlooked, aspect of dryer efficiency is the venting system.  The air that is expelled from a dryer is frequently mixed with a fair amount of airborne lint.  Over time, the lint will settle out of the air and wind up inside your dryer cabinet and venting system.  Lint inside the dryer cabinet can easily accumulate in critical areas of the dryer, including the thermostat and areas near the burner box.  If a thermostat is blocked by a lint accumulation, it will fail to do its job of regulating temperature properly and your efficiency will suffer.  Worse yet, large lint accumulations can even provide the potential for a dryer fire.  Be sure to frequently clean your venting system to minimize this risk and maximize the all-important airflow.

Preventative maintenance can also play a large part in controlling ongoing inefficiencies in aging dryers.  As with washers, rubber component materials in dryers such as belts, gaskets, and seals tend to wear faster than the mechanical and electrical components.  Replacing these items before they completely break down can really help to keep your equipment running smoothly.  Make sure to pay attention to the preventative maintenance guides that are included in the operational manual for your dryer.  These parts are generally inexpensive and are designed to be easy to replace.

The Overall Cost of Ownership and “Intangibles”

To ensure that your machinery (and investment) is working at its peak efficiency, a comprehensive service plan and machine parts warranty are very important factors to consider in commercial laundry equipment.  Since some washer or dryer parts can represent a significant cost, the longest parts warranty available is a valuable feature in laundry equipment.  Always make sure to check on the warranty length and coverage when evaluating new equipment.

Also, there is the intangible factor of the “newest” of your laundry equipment.  A store full of old (and sometimes broken down) washers and dryers is one of the first things that your customers notice about your laundry store.  Customers will be pleased to use brand new equipment with the newest and most modern features and controls.  Old equipment definitely works to the contrary, deterring old (and new) customers who use this equipment every day.  Remember, the coin laundry is one of few service industries where you are inviting the customer to come to your location and use your equipment to do a menial chore.  Make sure to make it an easy process by providing dependable and modern equipment!

At its core, coin laundry store equipment represents an investment on your part and you owe it to yourself to protect your valuable machinery by keeping it running at optimum efficiency.  With utility costs such as water, sewer, gas, and electricity representing such a high operating cost in the laundry business, the key to efficient operation is efficient equipment.  Cutting your utility bill will make a big difference in your bottom line profits.  Be sure to complete the preventative maintenance suggested in the operation manuals, obtain a strong equipment parts warranty and pay attention to the service concerns which can cost you in the long run.  By doing this, you will protect your investment, save money on utility costs, and provide the best possible experience for your valued customers.

Build Your Own Website – It’s Easier than You Might Think!


Advertising used to be limited to print media.  If you wanted to get noticed, you could turn to the yellow pages, the newspaper, printed flyers or signage.  These days, a quick way for customers to find you is through a digital method, namely the Internet.

Previously, I spoke about building a web presence by listing your business with informational sites like Google, Yelp and YouTube.  The next step to build an Internet presence is to create a website for your coin laundry.  There are several companies out there who can help you to do just that!  You no longer have to learn complicated computer code or hire a graphic designer.  There are companies who make it their business to help you to easily create a website using pre-built templates and cut through the confusion of this operation.

Planning your website is probably the most important step in the process.  Once you have collected the basic information about what you want to communicate to your customers, you can transfer this information into a template with only some basic computer skills.  What’s important?  Here are the building blocks of your coin laundry website:
1.      Contact information (Contact Us) – Obviously the most important part of the website is your telephone number and address.  This is, of course, the main reason that you’re creating a website in the first place.  This information is typically in the Contact Us section of every website.  Other information that fits in this section is your hours of operation and an email address.
2.      Summary (Welcome or Home) – Another important section of information is a basic summary of your business.  What basic services do you offer at your laundry?  What sets you apart from the competition?  Are you attended?  What amenities do you offer?
3.      Special Services – Other than laundry equipment, do you offer any other special services?  This is where you can go into detail about a wash/dry/fold business.  You can tell your customers that they can buy detergent and laundry supplies at the store.  Do you have a debit system which offers convenience and special offers?  Do you offer Internet access?
4.      Promotions – Do you offer a special day when your laundry equipment operates for a cheaper price?  Can you provide a simple coupon here to entice customers to visit your store?
5.      Specifics - How much equipment?  What capacities?  What is the square footage?  Coin changers or ATMs?  TVs?  The more line items, the better it looks!

If when developing this information, it looks like you don’t have much to say, don’t worry about it.  Remember, your webpage doesn’t have to be elaborate or even very detailed.  In today’s fast-paced digital world, an introduction, incentive and contact information are all that you need!

Once you have the outline of information, the next step is to get some content to liven up your webpage.  The easiest and most important is photos of your location.  Be sure to have a photograph of the overall outside of the store (so that people know what they’re looking for).  Photos of smiling people lets your customers know that your laundry is a welcoming atmosphere.  Photos showing long views of laundry equipment lineups imply that there is always an open machine.  Shots of people relaxing shows that it’s all not a hard day of laundry!

The final preparation step is to come up with a website address (like www.laundromat.com).  This is called a domain.  The most important thing to keep in mind is simplicity.  The most obvious choice is simply the name of your laundry.  Tom’s Laundry becomes www.tomslaundry.com.  Start by jotting down several variations since the name of your laundry may already be taken by someone else.  A .com address is preferred but there are also suffixes like .net, .biz, or .info available.  You can also add words like “online” or hyphens (toms-laundry.com).  Short domains name which are very memorable are preferred.

Once you’ve completed these tasks, the final step is to put it all together.  There are several websites that provide a simple and easy way to design a website using pre-built templates.  Some of my favorite are Intuit Small Business (http://www.intuit.com/website-building-software/), 1&1 (http://order.1and1.com), and GoDaddy (http://www.godaddy.com/).  All of the sites above allow you to purchase a domain (typically less than $25 per year) and then add a hosting package ($5 - $15 per month).

If you’re not up to the task of creating your website yourself, you can always ask your children or other family members for help.  The younger generation is very computer literate and can be a valuable resource!