5 Signs to Upgrade Your Commercial Laundry Equipment
Installing new laundry equipment is important for attracting and retaining customers. If your laundromat looks and feels outdated, your customers may choose to use a competitor’s services. Purchasing new washers and dryers shows your customers you care about their experience, while also saving your business money by cutting utility costs and reducing the amount of repair costs. It’s also crucial to help with building a new customer base and retaining your existing customers.
If your machines frequently break, you have high electric and water costs or you need to serve more customers, you should consider investing in new laundry equipment to manage transactions better and serve more customers.
Another often overlooked reason to upgrade your washers and dryers is to keep new competitors from coming into your market.
How Long Does a Commercial Washing Machine Last?
A commercial washing machine’s longevity depends on the type of machine and preventative maintenance. Common machine types typically last for the following lengths of time:
– Topload washers: Topload washers typically last five to eight years.
– Frontload washers: Frontload washers typically last 10-15 years
– Dryers: Dryers usually last 10 to 15 years.
– Heating systems and coin changers: Water heating systems and coin changers typically last between 10 and 15 years.
– Card Systems: depending on the system selected and the technology used, your system should last as long as your washers and dryers
When to Replace Your Laundry Equipment
Although you could wait 10 to 15 years to replace your commercial laundry machines, it may be beneficial for your company to upgrade your laundry equipment sooner. When considering when to replace your laundry equipment, you should take a look at the following signs:
1. High Utility Costs
As a laundromat owner, your utility costs might be your largest expense. Although water use depends on the type of machines you offer, commercial washing machines use an average of 37.74 thousand gallons of water and 910 kWh of electricity annually. These bills add up, and old appliances can cost your company more money.
Comparatively, newer washers and dryers are more energy- and water-efficient, saving you on utility costs. Today’s machines use 70% less energy, with ENERGY STAR models using a quarter less energy and 40% less water than traditional machines. Although modern machines may have slightly higher upfront costs, they’ll save you money in the long run. Plus, your company will be desirable to environmentally-concerned customers with more efficient machines.
2. Outdated Equipment and Payment Technology
While your older machines may still work, machines that look run-down could harm your business by reflecting poorly on your company’s reputation. Most customers prefer to attend laundromats with a more modern look. Plus, newer machines tend to be more reliable, as older washers and dryers are more likely to suffer from mechanical failures. When machines break, you lose out not only on service because customers will be unable to use the broken machines, but they might choose to go to a different Laundromat next time instead.
Further, you should offer multiple payment options to make the customer experience seamless (like it is at every other retail store today). While some people may prefer to pay with coins, modern payment technology like credit and debit card readers, contactless payments, mobile wallets and reloadable laundry cards provide customers with a flexible range of payment options. Systems like SpyderWash provide updated payment options and can be retrofitted to older machines to modernize outdated equipment.
3. Growing Business
When growing your business, you should consider upgrading your laundry technology and machines. If you’re expanding your physical space, you may want to upgrade your laundry equipment at that time. If you’re experiencing increased business, investing in new machines will let you process loads faster to serve more customers. Include equipment and technology upgrades in your company’s growth strategy to serve new and returning customers best.
4. Larger Capacity Washers
Replacing older laundry equipment with multi-load units can increase efficiency and decrease the time it takes to do laundry. Small machines can lead to longer wait times for laundry to finish or available washers and dryers. Replacing older models with washers with multi-load capacities will increase the customer experience by getting their laundry done faster, allowing you to serve more customers in a day. Plus, larger machines encourage users to wash full loads, increasing energy efficiency.
5. Web-Based System
New laundry payment management technology allows you to monitor machines and payments remotely. SpyderWash secures your data on the cloud, allowing you to access information anywhere with an internet connection. As a result, you can monitor transactions made with coins, credit and debit cards and loyalty cards, observing the busiest times of the week and year to make better business decisions.
Other SpyderWatch features include:
– Wash/dry/fold business monitoring: A web-based system helps you monitor your wash, dry and fold business. Attendants will be able to start machines with their own attendant card, making transactions easy to record and track. There’s even a way to set cards to reload automatically whenever they drop below a certain balance. The SpyderWash platform makes it easy to train new employees.
– Coinbox alarm: The platform will send you an email notification when coinboxes are almost full so they can be emptied before a full coin box puts the machine out of order.
– Marketing: Use the SpyderWash portal to send customers marketing emails about special events and promotions.
– Loyalty Programs: offer your customers loyalty rewards like free washers or dryers for using your laundromat. No apps to download and registration not needed for rewards.
– Installation: SpyderWash is entirely wireless, with fast and straightforward Bluetooth installation. Plus, it has a modular design, so it’s easy to replace each part.
Upgrade Your Laundry Payment System With Setomatic-SpyderWash
Modernizing your laundry payment system gives customers a better experience using your services. Setomatic Systems SpyderWash laundry payment system gives your customers the best experience possible by offering them more ways to pay. The days of fumbling for coins are over — your customers can quickly and easily pay however they choose, whether by card, coin or with a mobile wallet.
With our system, you can attract new customers and serve more people in a day, expanding your customer base. Additionally, customers can automatically enroll in a loyalty program to earn points toward rewards like free washes, increasing their satisfaction and improving their experience. Although you might not be considering investing in new laundry equipment at this time, you can still modernize your existing machines with our SpyderWash System..
Contact us today to learn how SpyderWash from Setomatic Systems can grow your business!
By Setomatic Systems on June, 2 2023
