I talk to hundreds of laundry owners every month on how to start doing pickup and delivery and many are new to offering wash and fold too. Here are some snippets from recent conversations that you may find helpful. If you have any specific questions, feel free to call me at 562.480.8427.
With regards to pricing, which wash and fold services and options should I offer?
Pricing is usually broken down into two parts. Per pound charges and per item charges. You want to charge per pound for laundry and you may charge a different per pound charge for same day service, next day service, pickup and delivery, and some places charge twice as much for baby clothes since they take a long time to fold.
The per item charges are often times things like comforters, where the price depends on the size. And down comforters should be a premium, since those take a long time to dry on low heat.
Many laundromats offer service items, such as hang dry, organic free and clear, perfume free dryer sheets, premium detergent, and putting shirts and pants on hangers.
The Curbside Laundries software gives your pickup and delivery customers the option to check which extra services they want. I would definitely give people the option to use free & clear detergent and fragrance free fabric softener, because some people’s skin are sensitive and can break out in a rash if you use regular detergent. Also, you may want to offer an eco-friendly detergent at premium pricing. Some laundromats charge $0.15 to hang shirts and $0.25 to hang pants.
How do you promote repeat business?
Many delivery services provide their customers with wash and fold bags. My personal favorite bag is from Cleaner Supply and you can brand it with your company information. Our laundry software keeps track of who are your first time customers, so it is easy to give a free $5 bag to your first time clients. I would also put a welcome message inside their bag along with a promo code for their next order. The average pickup and delivery customer at our laundromat spends over $500 a year, so it is worth investing $5 to create brand loyalty.
What information do you put on the laundry bag?
I would put your laundry name on it, your logo, your phone number, and your website. Your address is not needed, because you are a delivery service and your location is not relevant.
What do you do if people leave things in their pockets?
I would have preprinted paper bags that say, “Oops, you left this in your pocket” or something to that effect. If you return change or even a dollar bill, you will have a loyal customer for life. Let your employees know that they will be more likely to tip if they return items too and come back. Also, when emptying out pant pockets, make sure to lay the pants down on a flat surface and pat the pockets. If you feel something shaped like a pen, hold the pants upside down and shake the item out. Most likely it will be a pen, but you don’t want to poke yourself in case it’s a needle. Make sure to train your employees on how to properly empty out pockets.
