The home and laundry care industry is expected to total $33.9 billion between 2024 and 2029. What’s more, this market is dominated by coin-operated laundromat services, which means there’s plenty of room for upgrade. By adding new technologies and services to your laundromat, you can position your business with an edge in this growing industry.
What Additional Services Should I Add to My Laundromat?
These supplemental service ideas for a laundromat aren’t all new, but they are proven to be profitable. You can also adapt multiple methods as long as your business has the capacity to do so.
Dry Cleaning Services
Dry cleaning services use a non-water-based solvent to remove stains and clean clothes. Tough stains often get pretreated with various chemicals suited for different kinds of stains and fabrics.
Dry cleaning is usually for delicate fabrics that need special care in washing or for stubborn stains that require specific treatment. Washers used for dry cleaning are much bigger and adjustable. After spinning the fabric, the staff will press or steam the clothes to remove wrinkles.
Many laundromat owners make a deal with a local dry cleaning plant to pick up dry cleaning at the laundromat and return it once it is cleaned. The more services you offer, the more you can expand your customer base.
Pickup and Delivery Services
Pickup and delivery services offer additional convenience to your customers, especially if your customers are typically busy workers and parents. You can pick up their used clothes from their doorstep and deliver the clothes back once you’re done washing and drying them. You can offer rush services, too, for an extra fee. This lets you prioritize the clothes of certain customers and have them ready earlier than usual. For instance, a rush could mean a same-day delivery if you typically deliver the next day.
You can accept bookings through a call. However, some laundromats use an online platform or mobile app for customers that lets them schedule a date and time. You can also set up subscriptions so customers can schedule recurring laundry services.
Remember to factor in logistics when adding this service to your laundromat. Consider which employees can make the deliveries. How much will fuel and vehicle maintenance cost? By nature, this service works hand in hand with wash-and-fold and dry cleaning services.
If you are using a delivery service such as DoorDash, make sure you know the fees and add them to the order.
Other Services
There are many commercial services you can incorporate into your laundromat. These are especially beneficial for self-service laundromats. Some additions are simple and can easily be implemented if you have the capital. Others might require a partner who can add these services to your laundromat and split the revenue with you, which will require little work on your part.
Here are a few options:
- Vending machines: Food and beverage vending machines are quite popular. They can be handy for customers waiting for their laundry who might need a snack, and can be an additional source of income.
- Games: You can add arcade game machines to keep your customers occupied. Or you can add an area for board games for a quieter alternative.
- Laundry essentials: You can sell laundry essentials through vending machines or over the counter at staffed facilities. Examples of things you can sell include single-use portions of detergent, softener and stain remover, and items like bags and sewing kits.
- Cafe or coffee shop: Adding another business type with your laundromat makes it a hybrid business. Adding cafes or coffee shops can make waiting a pleasant experience for customers.
- Convenience store: Similar to a cafe, adding a convenience store makes your laundromat a hybrid business. This business type can be sustainable compared to other types, since you can sell a lot more merchandise and target a larger audience.
- Something that has become very popular is reading/learning areas for children, where you have books available and other learning toys. LaundryCares from the CLA can help you set this up.
If you choose to have a hybrid business, you should know the other requirements necessary. You’ll need to review zoning requirements and relevant regulations. You also need to consider training your staff for the additional services and how you can manage new inventory costs.
Modern Card Payment Systems
A modern card payment system is more of a feature than a service, but it contributes to your profitability and a great customer experience. While coins are still the most common payment method for laundromats, 44.1% accept card payments. You can give your laundromat an edge by accepting card payments, too, which lets you increase the audience you can accommodate. The more payment options you offer, the greater the customer experience. Let them pay for their laundry the same way they pay for everything else they buy. Adding credit card payment to your washers and dryers has been shown to add a significant increase in revenue and your customer base.
How to Determine the Best Services to Make a Laundromat Better
The best service to add to your laundromat depends on several factors:
- Target audience: It’s possible to incorporate a service that no one is interested in, so researching your target audience is important. For instance, if you find yourself in a location with many office buildings, you likely have a lot of audience for wash-and-fold, pickup, and delivery services.
- ROI of the new services: You can assess the ROI of a new service based on your pricing. Ensure the price is profitable for your business while still being reasonable for your audience.
- Staff training: New services require additional training for your staff. For instance, if you added new vending machines, you probably need to teach your staff how the new inventory works. If you’re adding a cafe, figure out if you need new staff members who already know the ropes.
- Long-term growth: Ensure the additional service is sustainable for your business and that it can scale with you.
Improve Your Laundromat With SpyderWash
SpyderWash is a leader in the laundry payment industry, offering hybrid payment solutions that let you accept coins, credit cards, debit cards and contactless payments. You can also set up a loyalty program for your customers, encouraging them to keep doing business with you. You can also remove coins and have a “Modern Day Card Only Laundry” which will still allow your customers to use their own credit/debit card without purchasing a loyalty card. SpyderWash is a Setomatic Systems brand, which has been in the laundry space since 1968. You can count that you’re getting trusted and reliable service, as you’ll be working with one of the veterans in the industry. Ensure that your laundromat is future-ready with our updated technology! Learn more about our offers by contacting us today.
