Third, I would like to ask him why he thinks 24-hour service makes him unique.ĭoes he think his customers appreciate the backup option? Does he feel that customers appreciate that the Laundromat is really going to bat for its patrons? Does he think that the customer feels secure in dealing with a large company? ‘WHAT’S THE POINT?’Ĭertainly, 99% of customers do not wash their clothes in the early-morning hours. If he determines that a third would most likely come during normal hours, that must be factored into the breakeven analysis. One might come in the middle of the night and talk to customers, asking why they do their laundry in the early-morning hours. The second question is, how many of his early-morning customers would come during regular store hours? If he loses $100 a week, that’s a $5,000 cut, and that’s a stiff penalty to pay for a questionable brag. He offered: “I always put ‘Open 24 hours, seven days a week’ in my bullet listing of offerings, and I feel I’m ahead of competition.”įirst, what does he mean by “approaches breakeven”?ĭoes he mean he loses $200 a week? Does he mean losing $100 a week? Does he mean he actually breaks even for half of the week? I spoke to another 24-hour operator, who said that late-evening volume approaches breakeven.īut, he went on to say that it is such a great feature to brag about that it is worth staying open all night just for the goodwill. However, Laundromats are not manufacturers, and I don’t think the same economics apply. The owner always said, “I made money because I got maximum use of my equipment-the most expensive expense in the manufacturing process.” The business rocketed to $15 million in sales. He purchased huge four-color presses and began operating 24 hours a day, six days a week. That led to a massive increase in business. Once he got his bearings, he expanded into printing circulars for discount centers. I grew up living next to an eye doctor who had bought a small chain of local newspapers. WILL YOU BREAK EVEN?įor sure, utilizing equipment 24 hours is a strategy that has made a lot of people fortunes. This operation warrants being open 24 hours. Plus, our cleaning man tends the business as he cleans, so it’s a twofer.” A lot of people in this area work the third shift and come in afterwards to do their laundry. He says, “At 3 a.m., we’ll have six or seven customers. Tyrone Akins, co-owner of Laundry Café, in inner-city Philadelphia, says his 24-hour operation exceeds breakeven. So, 56 hours times $18 is $1,008, or roughly $1,000 expense every week.Īt an average of each customer spending $7, that’s roughly 140 late-night customers every week. to 6 a.m.-eight hours a day for seven days a week, or 56 hours.Īt a cost of $6 utility and $12 staffing, that’s $18 an hour. The first question to answer is: Does the Laundromat do enough volume during the hours of 10 p.m. If the store isn’t manned, there are dangers of vandalism and homeless people seeking shelter. There are costs to staying open 24 hours-utilities, evening help, and problem-solving. Night owls are sure to patronize the 24-hour Laundromat, plus staying open all night makes for great visibility.īut, still, is staying open 24 hours a day a viable strategy? IS THE COST WORTH IT? It looks good to add that feature in a bullet listing.Ĭustomers who have no time during the day and evening come as late as they want to get their clothes cleaned.Ĭustomers with unusual schedules find the offering helpful. Should the Laundromat be open 24 hours a day? Certainly, it is a positive feature of good service. We are located on the west central side of Springdale on Thomasīlvd. Parking, we can even accommodate semi trucks. And if you're hungry, our neighbors to the right and left of us have great authentic Mexican food and Thia food. Machine, Free WIFI, Computer kiosk, and while its cool outside, free coffee. X-large dryers and 4 – 50lb dryers.Ĭonditioning, TV, a snack machine, 3 coke machines, soap Machines for large loads such as bedding and comforters. Machines for small loads of normal laundry, all the way up to our X-large Our friendly attendants also welcome commercial accounts. Handicap accessible, well lit atmosphere, monitored by our friendlyĪttendants during the day as well as security cameras throughout the night.Įveryday, we have a drop off service available so you can be free to do more Neighborhood Laundry is open 24/7 for your convenience.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |