American Coin-Op - September 2021

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OUT F D N A T S CULTURE G IN IT C N EX CREATE A T GENERATE EXCITEMEN

BUILD OUT A VISION

Fashion a Distinctive Identity Through Branding I N S I DI EN :S IJ DU EL :Y S 2E 0P 0T 5E M B E R 2 0 2 1 BE YOUR BEST ONLINE WITH THESE WEBSITE DO’S & DON’TS

POINTERS FROM PAULIE B: HOW TO GET YOUR STORE NOTICED

CLEANCLOUD PLAYS ROLE IN PROVIDING LAUNDRY SERVICE TO OLYMPIANS

WWW.AMERICANCOINOP.COM

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CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2021 VOLUME 62 ISSUE 9

COVER STORY

FASHION A DISTINCTIVE IDENTITY THROUGH BRANDING Developing a unique brand identity—of which the store name is only a part— positions a self-service laundry business as one to remember ... and revisit.

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(Cover image: © alphaspirit/Depositphotos)

INSIDE

COLUMNS

12 WEBSITE DO’S AND DON’TS Here’s to designing a laundry business site and developing engaging content to inform and educate visitors. But if you’re going to have a company website (fewer than 30% of laundromats do, according to a recent poll), there are obviously some things you want to be sure to incorporate and other things that you want to avoid at all costs. Wash-DryFold POS’s Brian Henderson and Spynr’s Dennis Diaz offer some suggestions for crafting an attractive, informative site that can benefit you and your customer base.

DEPARTMENTS 4 VIEWPOINT 22 CLASSIFIEDS

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23 AD INDEX 24 NEWSMAKERS

AMERICAN COIN-OP SEPTEMBER 2021

16 HOW TO GET YOUR LAUNDROMAT NOTICED When you’re driving down a street, what stores catch your eye? Big stores and big signs, yes, but what else?

For retired multi-store owner Paul Russo, standing out above the fray means employing contrast, light, something new, repetition and a sense of movement. In his Pointers from Paulie B column this month, Russo suggests a variety of means to get your laundromat noticed.

Posting a sign that reads “Drop Your Pants Here” might do the trick.

DID YOU KNOW...

American Coin-Op releases a new podcast on a different topic of interest every other month? Give it a listen at AmericanCoinOp.com/podcasts/archive.

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VIEWPOINT

Charles Thompson, Publisher E-mail: cthompson@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1680

Donald Feinstein, Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director E-mail: dfeinstein@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1682

YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE

Bruce Beggs

This month’s issue of American Coin-Op is largely about drawing more attention to your self-service laundry business.

In our cover story, “Fashion a Distinctive Identity through Branding,” and a sidebar, “The Secrets to Building Brand Power,” a couple of marketing experts examine how branding can propel business success by setting one apart from the rest.

For example, a Virginia store called Wishy Wash caught the eye of West Virginia marketer Lorelei Harloe as she hiked in the area.

The name and colorful sign made a first impression that she found fun and inviting.

Branding is about building excitement. Posting a sign reading “Laundry” clearly identifies the service within a space, but does it make the store truly stand out? Developing a unique brand identity—of which the name is only a part—positions a business as one to remember … and revisit.

Roughly one-third of laundry businesses maintain websites, according to recent polling, which can be an excellent tool for connecting with current customers and prospects. There are things you do and things you don’t do when it comes to website creation and content development. Take a look at “Website Do’s and Don’ts” beginning on page 12.

The final article on the topic of garnering attention is the Pointers from Paulie B column, “How to Get Your Laundromat Noticed.” Paul Russo owned stores in the competitive New York City market for many years. He suggests some ways that you can draw more eyeballs to your operation, beginning on page 16.

You’re so much more than just “laundry.” Tell the world what you’re all about.

Bruce Beggs Editorial Director

Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director E-mail: bbeggs@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1683 Mathew Pawlak, Production Manager Nathan Frerichs, Digital Media Director E-mail: nfrerichs@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1681

ADVISORY BOARD Douglas Pratt Sharon Sager Luke Williford

Tony Regan Michael Schantz Andy Wray

OFFICE INFORMATION Main: 312-361-1700

SUBSCRIPTIONS 847-504-8175 ACO@Omeda.com www.AmericanCoinOp.com

American Coin-Op (ISSN 0092-2811) is published monthly. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00.

Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00.

Single copies $9.00 for U.S., $18.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Coin-Op, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 62, number 9. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Coin-Op is distributed selectively to owners, operators and managers of chain and individually owned coin-operated laundry establishments in the United States. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason. © Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2021. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Coin-Op does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Coin-Op or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

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Fashion a

Distinctive Identity Through Branding

(Photo: © alphaspirit/Depositphotos)

Stand out through your store name, logo and more

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

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AMERICAN COIN-OP SEPTEMBER 2021

a store truly stand out? Developing a unique brand identity—of which the name is only a part—positions a business as one to remember … and revisit.

“Brand identity is the vision and feeling we have for our business that allows us to stand out from competitors,” explains Dennis Diaz, president of digital marketing and technology firm Spynr, which works exclusively with laundry industry businesses. “A brand is made up of a variety of aspects, including visuals, behavior traits, and how it makes you feel when interacting with them.”

Laundromats should have a brand, Diaz says, because it separates them from the “mundane chore” of doing laundry.

“You can build excitement around the service and create an

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irginia-based marketing communications consultant Lorelei Harloe was out and about recently when she came across a self-service laundry with a unique identity.

“A laundromat in West Virginia that I passed while hiking over the July 4 weekend had the name ‘Wishy Wash’ with a fun sign outside,” Harloe says. “That fun name and colorful sign definitely make it stand out — and as the name is a major branding element, it separated this business from those just identified as ‘Laundromat’ or barely discernible from other shops, especially if it’s located in a strip mall. The initial impression is fun and inviting.”

Posting a sign reading “Laundry” clearly identifies the service provided within, yes, but does it really do anything else to make

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THE SECRETS TO BUILDING BRAND POWER

By Kim Foxcroft

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f a brand is the key to business success, then what’s the best way to establish a brand and build its identity? Moreover, as your business grows, how do you expand the brand into new services and

TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR BRAND Your brand should come from who you are, who you want to be, and who your customers perceive you to be. It should also distinguish your company and services from your competitors and create a customer expectation of quality.

When creating a brand: • Carry out research to reveal how you fit into the competitive marketplace.

• Learn the needs and wants of your current and future customers.

revenue streams?

Let’s take a look at the progression from establishing a brand/brand identity to spreading the word to expanding your brand into new revenue streams.

(Graphic: Girbau North America)

• Determine what customers and prospects already think of your company.

• Write down the benefits and features of your products or services.

• Define your specialty — what do you do best?

• Define the qualities/values you want customers to associate with your company, products and services.

• Define your brand.

A 20-year marketing veteran, Kim Foxcroft works closely with vended laundry owners every day, helping them cost-effectively promote their stores. She manages Continental Creative Services, a division of Girbau North America, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She can be reached at kfoxcroft@cgilaundry.com or 800-256-1073.

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Foxcroft

exciting culture through building up your own unique identity that people will want to be part of, which is where branding comes in handy. Brands power businesses and engage customers by creating something they’re proud to show off for their friends!”

Many laundries around America use generic brands, according to Diaz, which often lead them “straight into mediocrity as every single location is virtually identical.”

“Many people turn away from laundries because they don’t want that same boring experience,” he says. “But with a welldeveloped and interesting culture, it’s easy to see why someone would go out of (their) way for a laundromat that cares about that level of experience.”

Introduce some variety and uniqueness by creating individualized branding on your storefront or even within your customer service experience, he suggests.

“You can build excitement right off the bat when customers walk up knowing that they will be treated differently than at any generic laundromat.”

But where does one begin building a brand?

Early in the process, start by asking yourself who your target audience is and do research on them, Diaz suggests. Ask questions related to how they perceive your service or what would make it better for them. Then use this information creatively to build out a vision for the brand that resonates with people like potential customers.

But don’t mistake “branding” for “marketing”: “Branded products rely on a specific message they want to convey, so marketers need that in order to make it come across. For example, Nike wants you to know its shoes are the best for athletes out there because of how durable and comfortable they are – this is their branding statement. The marketing team then takes care of making sure people hear about these points through commercials or social media campaigns with other athletic influencers!”

Once a small business has its brand in place, how can it quantify how well or how poorly it’s done in branding its operation?

Diaz says you need to understand what your customers want in order to create an effective and appealing brand.

“One way is by asking them – that’s where customer surveys come in! Surveys are a great route for understanding the needs of today’s competitive market because they collect data from real people like

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ACO ad Trimmed size- 8.125*10.875 & Plus 0.125 bleed.pdf

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yourself who have bought or frequented services offered by brands.

Plus, these methods can help laundry business owners avoid making costly mistakes with their service offerings without risking anything but time invested into surveying specific audiences before launching new features or campaigns.”

Branding mistakes are common, according to Diaz. He believes that one of the worst is thinking that you know what customers want better than they do. Ignoring your consumers’ wants and desires in favor of your own selfish ambitions can lead to disaster.

“We live in an era where brands control so much more about our lives than ever before – from the clothes on our back to how we use social media,” he says. “But at times this relationship becomes unbalanced when companies forget who’s really paying them: us!”

This mistake could be as small as neglecting customer feedback or failing to quickly address problems with your services.

“All too often, people don’t even realize these things were done until after the damage had already been done because there was no effort made beforehand for success-readiness planning … a brand can help establish the identity you carry forward in how you handle things like that in your business.”

The importance of branding cannot be overstated, Diaz says, and starting early is always best.

“Your brand will guide you through the entirety of your marketing strategy, operations, financial planning—the list goes on! It’s important to get into this headspace as soon as possible so that you can really set yourself up for success.

“There are many stages in a business’s life cycle where time should not be wasted with bad decisions, but there are few things

worse than wasting years establishing a company without solidifying its identity. A strong sense of self from day one leads toward all other aspects within an organization because it guides every decision made thereafter by making them cohesive under one roof.”

As a brand, you have two options: set an everlasting foundation or forever change, but there’s no guarantee of success with either.

“Even the best brands struggle and fail sometimes; it’s just how life goes. Some people see these failures as mistakes to be avoided at all costs while others view failure as a chance for growth and innovation. …. It’s true that some changes are better than staying static but don’t get too attached because eventually your customers may grow bored with what you’re offering, even though it was once considered fresh on release day.”

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Website Do’s Don’ts AND

Designing a laundry business site and developing engaging content to inform, educate visitors

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director starts the relationship by highlighting what you do and how well you do it.”

He says laundry business owners want to provide customers with the convenience of being able to find information about their store hours, locations, and ways to contact customer support.

“Some also desire features that allow customers a way of checking balances on laundry cards or loading more money onto it,” Diaz adds. “Others would like an order management system so they can keep track of orders from pickup and delivery customers or gift card sales.”

“There are so many ways to build websites these days that the main thing to ‘research’ is to ask yourself how involved you care to be with its creation,” says Henderson. “If you want to learn some basics about website design and hosting … you will learn a lot and save some money in the process. If you hire a service to build and host the website for you, then it will cost more, but assuming it has been built well and ranks well in online searches, then the income generated will easily be worth the investment.”

He says a laundromat website basically breaks down into three parts: information, communication, and a call to action.

“For the information, this relates to providing your store’s address, store hours, and list of services in easy-to-find locations on your site,” Henderson says. “For communication, it is best to provide contact information like a phone number and contact form. … For the call to action, this is commonly achieved by

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aving a company website offers a wide variety of benefits to a small business like a laundromat, including further establishing its presence in the marketplace, informing customers about store location and operating hours, and marketing the ways in which it serves its area.

Yet fewer than 30% of laundromats advertise their store using a website, says Brian Henderson, citing a 2020 Coin Laundry Association survey.

“Having a solid, clean website with easy-to-scan information about who, what, where and why someone should visit your laundromat will raise your website to the top of local search listings on Google,” adds Henderson, whose Wash-Dry-Fold POS firm recently began offering website creation services because of demand.

“Businesses that have websites are more likely to gain customers than those without,” says Dennis Diaz, president of Spynr, an online marketing services firm that works specifically with laundry businesses. “The reason is that people looking for products and services online might never find you if they can’t locate your website, so suddenly businesses with a web presence will be the ones getting all of their potential clients’ attention first.”

A website can make or break the start of a relationship, according to Diaz: “Your digital storefront should be treated with as much care and attention to detail as your physical storefront, otherwise, you may not receive any business from potential clients who are browsing for products or services like yours. Your website

(Photo: iStock.com/bearsky23)

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AMERICAN COIN-OP SEPTEMBER 2021

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listing some type of promotion that will encourage website visitors to come to your store.”

As for content, he recommends hiring a local business photographer to take pictures of your store, which you can then post prominently on your site.

“You might need to spend a few hundred dollars for this service, but the mileage you will get out of these images for your marketing and advertising will last you for years and the revenue generated will far outweigh what the pictures cost,” Henderson says.

“If you want to create content on your own, it might help if you outline the unique sales propositions of your laundry business and design copy around that,” says Diaz. “You can always hire a specialized online writer to help craft this for search engines, too.”

He cautions against allowing website content to become dated.

“Content on your website doesn’t need to be refreshed daily, but it should always contain timely and relevant information,” Diaz says. “I suggest that if you have a blog, post content at least within the month we’re in; there’s nothing worse than going to a page with neglected posts from last year.”

“A blog or news section to help with online search rankings was a nice idea a decade ago, but these days, it would be best to focus on timeless content for your site; something that does not have a time and date stamp on it,” Henderson says. “If there is content on your website that clearly has not been updated for years, then it detracts from the confidence a customer would have in the current accuracy of the information found on the rest of your website.”

Security is a must, and a company website has to be protected against potential hackers.

“Many web hosts provide a cheap or free SSL certificate for your website, which means traffic to and from your site is done through an encrypted connection,” Henderson says. “Enable two-factor authentication (that thing where they text or email a code to you when you attempt to log in) for your web host administrative page and website editor if possible. In this modern era, passwords alone are often not enough to keep everything secure.”

When a laundromat considers website creation, he says the most common mistake is thinking that only having a Facebook page is enough and that a website is not needed.

“It is more like a ‘yes, and’ situation,” Henderson says. “Yes, claim free listings such as on Facebook, Google Business, Yelp and many more local business listing websites and have your own website. Your website is your central hub of truth that you fully control. When you set up camp on free business listing websites, then you are sitting on land that you do not own and it is subject to changes that you do not control.”

“If you’re looking to create a website, make sure the design is customized and tailored to your specific needs,” says Diaz. “There are many mistakes that people often make when developing their own site for the first time, which include not matching goals with designs; they may find an attractive template but it does not have elements needed in order to convert customers effectively.”

Websites can be “challenging, technical beasts,” he adds, but don’t worry about getting the design just right the first time.

“Make sure you’re telling a story that is clear and speaks to people as well as customers. A great website connects above all things else, so make it easy for them.”

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Every FREE episode offers:

• Topics of specific interest to self-service laundry owner/operators like you • Engaging industry-specific conversation with an expert • Business-building tips you won’t find anywhere else • Convenience of listening anytime, either online or downloading for later • Information and insight to get a leg up on competitors – give us a listen!

NEW! Pricing Strategies

Russ Arbuckle, president of distributor Wholesale Commercial Laundry Equipment S.E., talks pinpointing the factors that may signal when it’s time to raise a laundry’s vend prices.

Coming Back from a Crisis

When circumstances beyond your control have your business down, how do you bring it back?

Helio Fred Garcia, Logos Consulting Group, takes you through initial response, changing approach depending on event, the importance of communication, and more.

Getting into Laundry Pickup and Delivery

Starting a pickup and delivery service can be as simple as having a phone and vehicle, says Matt Simmons of Super Suds Laundromat, Long Beach, Calif., but it can also be much more. He talks resources, operational impact and keys to success.

Listen in at:

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POINTERS FROM PAULIE B

HOW TO GET YOUR LAUNDROMAT NOTICED T

Only a small percentage of businesses have signs with raised-channel lettering to give a 3D effect, so you may also want to think about doing that when designing your main signs. Not cheap, but they give the impression of quality and permanence.

New Storefront and Sign — If your storefront and main sign are getting old, and you have years left on your lease, consider updating them to something new.

It’s common sense but in short, think curb appeal, just Paul Russo like a home.

No matter what kind of signage you use, its distance from passing motorists and their traveling speed are important factors in choosing the size of lettering that people will be able to digest. It’s better to err with bigger letters than small, but too big may require a sign that’s also too big. Ask your local sign shop; the folks there usually know or can use a “sign letter size calculator” from the internet.

The Rule of Seven — Keep any promotional message simple, short and sweet.

It’s well known that passing motorists will not read much more than seven words in a message. And it’s been said that people need to see a message at least seven times before it goes into their long-term memory.

Banners — A 3-foot-by-10-foot banner is a great way to talk to the public. They’re very effective if you can tie in a sale. Make sure the background and lettering are bolder and different than other signs in the immediate area.

Banners are intended to be temporary, because the whole point is to get noticed with something new and different. I’d run a sale with a banner for a few months, then change the sign and the deal before it became stale. Taking down a banner will also gain attention because some customers will notice that it’s missing. You can save it to use again at another time.

Feather Banners — Wouldn’t be my first choice, but these are another way to catch the eye. You need to put out a short message, such as “Now Hiring” or “Wash & This “Drop Your Pants” message created a lot of buzz at one of the author’s New York City stores. “We had people taking pictures of our sign nearly every other day for months,” Russo recalls. “If they are taking pictures, they are certainly shar- Dry.” Installation is easy. In concrete, drill a hole in the ground and insert the pole. ing them … possibly online.” (Photo: Paul Russo)

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hink for a minute. When you’re driving down a street, what stores catch your eye? Big stores and big signs, yes, but what else? What stands out above the fray?

For me, it’s contrast, color, light, something new, repetition and a sense of movement.

Let’s take a look at some ways that you can get your laundromat noticed: Contrast — If your street has lots of other stores with signs all trying to be noticed, yours need to be different to catch people’s eyes. If most signs in your area have white backgrounds, maybe you can try a red or a yellow background, which will contrast with the others by showing a different eye-catching color.

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In grass or dirt, use the ground stake that comes with the banner kit. But be aware that it may create a trip hazard on a high-traffic sidewalk, which could bring a fine or a lawsuit.

Scrolling LED Signs — These signs are highly effective for short messages, and you can easily change them. Some LED signs even allow you to pre-program your messages and will change to the next one on a future time/date of your choice — great for upcoming holidays. If you use one outdoors, you’ll probably need a permit. Many localities will allow one in your front window if you hang it inside.

They’re not even that expensive anymore; a couple hundred bucks can buy you a pretty decent sign online. Lettering size applies here, too, so size it appropriately, but I would buy the best one I could afford.

Rooftop Cold-Air Balloons — I once put one of them on my roof with 300 watts of light inside it, and it was like a lighthouse.

A small fan kept it inflated. I even had a banner on it so I could change my message. The only problem: the New York City Building Department made me take it down after a few weeks.

So, if you want to do this, you should check your local codes.

It needs to be securely anchored down to the roof with guy wires.

When it got too windy, I’d unplug the power and the whole thing would deflate.

Walk-Up Window — Installing one in my store (see the photo on page 16) was one of the best moves I ever made. People quickly notice anytime a line is forming. I had a mat on a busy street with lots of traffic, so I installed a walk-up window similar to the drive-up windows at fast-food places. Boy, did that help our drop-off sales!

Customers would stand at the window either to drop off or pick up, with laundry being passed through the window, all while cars were passing by. That image is not something people normally see (ex: contrast and movement), so it is a real eyeball catcher.

Person on the Corner — My mat was in a densely populated area but slightly off an intersection that had thousands of pedestrians and cars passing by. I was able to boost sales by putting a person wearing a sandwich sign at that intersection. Many stores use handheld signboards or a sign on a 6-foot pole.

But have your corner rep keep the movement to a minimum.

People who stand on corners spinning or flipping a sign does grab eyeballs but inherently distracts from the message, I think.

A cheaper way to do this is simply park a car/truck with your sign on the corner, even if you have to feed the meter. But you do lose the human/movement factor.

Arrows — When using a sign to direct people to your location, consider using an arrow to point the way. It’s short, sweet and simple.

Vehicle Near Street — If your shopping center is on a hightraffic street but your mat is way in the back and not visible from the roadway, consider parking a car or truck in the lot near the street with a banner or flag on it. These signs work best with some kind of sale motivator. Here’s where an arrow could help to point the way to your mat that is offering a deal.

Brightness — It always comes back to lighting, doesn’t it? A

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dark mat won’t draw as many people as a bright mat.

In New York City, I found that some commercial buildings change more rent for the sunny side of the same street, so keep that in mind when shopping for locations.

Sidewalk Signs — I had a mat on a high-traffic street, with thousands of cars passing every day. So I used sidewalk signs to draw attention to my promos. I often put an arrow on these signs pointing right at the mat. In New York City, the sign could not extend past the building line more than 36 inches, so it has to basically hug the building; check your community’s local regulations.

Host a Free Laundry Day — I sold my mats just as this type of event was taking off. If you partner with the LaundryCares Foundation, it will create a “Free Laundry Day” and also set up a learning center for children in your mat, with volunteers to help kids learn to read.

These events can attract your local politicians eager to ride the shine of this community help. You may even get some free publicity on local TV because it’s a feel-good promo that is actually newsworthy.

Have a Sale Countdown — Whenever I hosted a grand opening that offered a great deal such as free dry, BOGO (buy one wash, get the second free), or half off, I usually created a countdown to a date when the promo would expire.

For example, I’d limit free dry to a month, maybe two. Every

day leading up to the deadline would have a new “Only XX days remaining” sign. This did two things: It created more and more excitement as the deadline approached, and it lessened the chance that I would create a price war because most competitors, due to their own inertia, were more inclined to do nothing because the promo had a limited time.

Invite a ‘Celebrity’ to Visit — Costumed characters will live on people’s smartphones for their children for years. This is not a direct promotion, nor should it be. However, it’s a good way to raise awareness and boost the image of your mat in your area.

I hired a purple dinosaur for a day at my mat, back when children were all watching “Barney & Friends” on TV. I expected to draw about 50 people but at least 200 showed up! The character had to go outside the store because the mat was jam-packed!

In closing, let me say that aside from maintaining a great location with a striking storefront and sign, promotions should be changed from time to time. Otherwise, they become stale after a few weeks or months. You want your store to be noticed every day possible!

ACO Paul Russo owned and operated multiple Laundromats in New York City for more than 40 years before retiring in 2018. You’re welcome to direct any questions or comments for Russo to Editor Bruce Beggs at bbeggs@atmags.com.

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Advertiser Page Aaxon Laundry Systems......................... 17 AC Power ...............................................10 BDS Laundry Systems .............................13 Card Concepts ..........................................3 CleanCloud .............................................11 Cleaner’s Supply ......................................23 CryptoPay ...............................................22 Eastern Funding ..................................... 18 ESD Inc. .................................................BC Gold Coin Laundry Equipment...............19 Hainsworth Laundry Co. ........................23 Imonex Services ......................................22 KioSoft ......................................................9 Laundry Concepts ...................................21 LaundryParts.com ...................................20 LG Electronics ......................................IBC Maytag Commercial Laundry ...................7 Metro Laundry Tech Corp. .....................23 Mountain Electronics ..............................22 PayRange ................................................15 Royal Basket Trucks ...............................14 Setomatic Systems ................................ IFC Speed Queen .............................................1 Sudsy Vending Supplies ...........................20 Tjernlund Products .................................22 Vend-Rite ..................................................5 Vending Machine Sales ...........................22 WASH Commercial Laundry...................22 SEPTEMBER 2021

AMERICAN COIN-OP 23

NEWSMAKERS class solution to support Wash & Fold in this unique opportunity,” says John Buni, CEO of CleanCloud.

Powering businesses in over 80 countries, including the United States, CleanCloud says it focuses on making businesses more efficient, profitable and technologically advanced.

Sanjay Banit, co-owner of the new Speed Queen Laundry in Chicago, cuts the ceremonial ribbon, flanked by his daughter (left) and Speed Queen’s Dan Bowe. (Photo: Bruce Beggs) CHICAGO WELCOMES 1ST SPEED QUEEN LAUNDRY FRANCHISEE Speed Queen officially welcomed its flagship Speed Queen Laundry franchise store to Chicago during a ribbon-cutting ceremony there July 15.

The store—located at 6808 W. Grand Ave. on Chicago’s northwest side—boasts 12,250 square feet of space, and features washers with capacities ranging from a single load to 100 pounds and tumble dryers up to 45 pounds. All told, there are 266 pockets.

“We are beyond excited to introduce this flagship store to the Chicago market,” says ceremony participant Dan Bowe, general manager of North America franchising and retail operations for Speed Queen Laundry. “From its size and scale to the store’s bright aesthetics and touchscreen technology, this franchise model truly transcends the idea of what laundromats can be.”

Brothers Sanjay and Daxes Banit co-own the Grand Avenue franchise.

“We value our customers’ time and want to help them spend less time doing chores and more time with their families,” Sanjay says, entering the laundromat segment after amassing 30-plus years of drycleaning experience. “The size of our store provides numerous machine options, so you can wash more in less time.”

Touchscreen controls, app-based payment and rewards programs for frequent customers are all part of the cutting-edge technology on hand. The laundry also offers a full-service option, where customers drop off their laundry and pick it up washed, dried and folded.

CLEANCLOUD PLAYS ROLE IN PROVIDING OLYMPICS LAUNDRY SERVICE Laundry point-of-sale software provider CleanCloud reports it partnered with Wash & Fold laundry service to manage all of the cleaning for the athletes and delegates at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The partnership provided CleanCloud’s POS system to Wash & Fold in order to manage the international customer relationships and the cleaning process for the Olympic Games.

Wash & Fold, which has over 30 stores across Japan, provides high-quality service and was the clear choice to manage the laundry in the Olympic village, CleanCloud says.

There were roughly 11,700 athletes competing from the 206 countries in the International Olympic Committee.

“We are privileged to have been chosen to provide our world24

AMERICAN COIN-OP SEPTEMBER 2021

ALLIANCE LAUNDRY TO ACQUIRE GULF STATES MACHINERY’S LAUNDRY DIV. Alliance Laundry Systems has begun the process of acquiring the laundry division assets of distributor Gulf States Machinery Co. and is expected to close on the purchase in the third quarter this year, Alliance reports. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Gulf States is a family-owned business founded by Harish and Pravin Parmar in Houston. It later added an Atlanta office in 1987 managed by Ben Prema.

The distributor “has grown into a leader in the vended laundry industry, displaying incredible resilience and commitment to customer service,” Alliance says.

“Gulf States embodies all the attributes we look for in a quality partner: sales excellence, strong leadership and exceptional business ethics,” says Rick Pyle, president and chief commercial officer of Alliance Laundry Systems. “We expect great growth opportunities and exceptional synergies in joining with Gulf States.”

While Alliance will acquire Gulf State’s laundry division assets, the distributor’s drycleaning business will not be part of the deal.

“We are delighted to further our already strong relationship with Alliance Laundry Systems through this new chapter,” says Pravin Parmar, co-owner of Gulf States. “Harish and I founded Gulf States on the goal of becoming the most trusted partner for new investors. With the additional resources of Alliance, second-generation Sunil Parmar and the whole team will be well positioned to build on that commitment.”

KIOSOFT MOBILE APP SURPASSES 2 MILLION USERS WORLDWIDE Unattended payment systems provider KioSoft reports that its mobile app for laundry payments, CleanPay Mobile, has surpassed 2 million users around the globe and continues to expand.

It’s a prime example of contactless alternatives gaining traction in the market, the company says, as indicated by end-user adoption levels, customer satisfaction, and its market share worldwide.

KioSoft says the iOS and Android app has gained “significant traction” in the wake of the pandemic, during which coin shortages presented new challenges for laundry users. In a period of nine months, the number of CleanPay Mobile users doubled from 1 million to 2 million, according to the company.

KioSoft has been in the electronic payments space since 2002 and specializing in the residential and retail laundry industry since 2013.

Its app offers a convenient and simple way to pay for laundry in residential laundry rooms and retail laundromats. Specially designed for the industry, the mobile wallet with stored account balance enables laundromat customers or multi-housing residents to activate machines, view machine availability, receive cyclecompletion alerts and more.

Meanwhile, laundry operators benefit from having broader customer payment options, owning customer data, accessing cloudbased reporting and management tools, and more.

ACO www.americancoinop.com

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LG’s commercial washer tub is tilted 10°. It enables the washer to have higher water level compared to competitors. This allows us to use less water while not sacrificing superior wash performance.

Success starts with LG. Contact us at 800-256-1073 to get started with LG. gnalaundry.com/lg

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