Cleaning services, self-service laundry
Cleaning services are certainly one of the most profitable businesses in demand not only today, but also over time. The speed of our days and the daily activities that occupy much of our time, leave us with little disposition to take care of the domestic tasks of each one of us. In other cases, we may not have the facilities to wash our clothes with professional means and machines for different types of garments. This makes the self-service laundry business the best alternative. In addition to this, the client can carry out any procedure required in the configuration of the machines, which allows him to respond to the business in the face of any request.
Get a guide to the types of business in services
If you’re looking for a business that doesn’t compromise a lot of your time and represents a high level of productivity, setting up a coin-op laundry might be the best option for you.
What you should consider in the process
With regard to the general operation of the self-service laundry you are planning to set up, you need to bear in mind that the forms of payment for this type of business may be by credit cards, coins, tokens, etc. One of the advantages of the coin-op laundry is that it is not necessary to have experience in the area and the cleaning sector, since the machines will be in charge of carrying out each procedure since they are automatic and it is the customer who configures it according to his needs.
Another of the main advantages of this type of business is that it is not subject to a fixed schedule, since the income is related to the independent activity. This allows the entrepreneur and owner of the business, not to spend much time in the establishment, but can perform other types of activities simultaneously.
Other aspects to take into account
Laundry equipment and investment
The laundry must have machinery such as: industrial washers, washing machines with dryers, professional equipment, dispensers, clothing stores and so on. In addition, part of the investment must be directed to areas such as modifications and repairs to the premises, installation of electrical and hydraulic systems, design consultancy, processing of documents and costs related to launch advertising.
Remember that you must be careful and put all your attention to select the best equipment, because besides being several initially, you must focus on quality, because this factor can give you the results you expect.
Profile of your business clients
You have the possibility to have different customer profiles, which correspond to different types of people. In general, the people who will become your potential customers, will be those who have little time to wash or do not have the necessary machines for particular garments, including full-time employees, professionals, young people, students and other people who lack this tool in their homes, such as: tourists, immigrants, military, among others.
Laundry location and space
Certainly this is one of the essential points for the growth and development of the business, since having a strategic location will allow you to obtain more and better results. In this location will be located the self-service laundries, in addition to other possible implements to be used, such as detergent and aromatizers. Take into account the following factors for the selection of the place:
The size: You need a place that is a bit wide to put the equipment, as well as baskets of clothes and chairs where customers can possibly wait. Remember that you must have availability of wastewater and depending on the operation of the equipment, have a closed circuit.
The location: To comply with this characteristic you must take into account that it is necessary that you are located, preferably, within a city and that it has a central space to facilitate the arrival of clients from different places. You can even be located near residential areas and areas that do not have this type of service.
Visibility: Among the aspects of advertising and customer attraction, unquestionably is the visibility of the business, because a place that has prominence and also a large traffic of people, promises successful results.
Recruitment of personnel
This type of business has even more benefits, such as the possibility of running it without the need for a large staff. This is because it is self-service, which means that it is the customer himself who
carries out all the management of its service. As for other areas such as cleaning, you may or may not, as the owner, hire a person to keep an eye on the appearance of the place or run it yourself.
Drawing up a business plan
Making a business plan that provides you with all the aspects you need to work on, besides allowing you to have a complete knowledge of your business, is certainly one of the greatest advantages of preparing this important document.
It is not enough to rent or buy the operation area and the equipment, it is necessary to make a planning of the whole business that allows also, to establish the objectives, the means and what is going to be needed at a general level. In addition, there are other aspects that you probably haven’t thought of, such as the design of the establishment, the location and organization of the facilities for the machines, the expectations and so on.
Another point of the business plan is clearly the customers. In this sense, you are looking for a means of entertainment while they wait for their clothes, as well as proposing a much more attractive place for them. You can install a TV, magazines, radio, among others. Provide your creative touch of what you would like to find to entertain you, taking into account the variety of types of customers that are likely to come in.
Inconveniences that can appear: wrong configurations, mistreatment of devices and others, are a series of events that can happen in the self-service washing machine store, so it is necessary to maintain a good security of the space, as well as to make constant revisions by specialized technicians who examine the conditions of each of the appliances you have.
Final recommendation: Given that your customers will spend at least 45 minutes in the store waiting for their clothes, it is advisable to put elements that can entertain them while they wait, such as WiFi service, television, magazines, among others that make their stay inside the store more comfortable.