American Coin-Op - September 2024

Attended vs. Unattended Service expectations, available funding drive business model decision

INSIDE: SEPTEMBER 2024 TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT

FROM PAULIE B: GETTING A LAUNDROMAT READY TO SELL

KEEPING YOUR LAUNDRY BUSINESS SAFE FROM VIOLENCE

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CONTENTS COVER STORY

SEPTEMBER 2024 VOLUME 65 ISSUE 9

ATTENDED VS. UNATTENDED Comparing and contrasting the two laundromat business models to illustrate the sensible choice for a store based on service expectations and available funding.

(Cover image: iStock.com/Marti157900)

8

INSIDE

COLUMNS

14 DEEP DIVE INTO DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT

20 POINTERS FROM PAULIE B: TAKING STEPS TO GET A LAUNDROMAT READY TO SELL

The aid that distributors can provide an investor or current store owner goes much deeper than equipment and parts sales. We speak to several distributors from around the country about these added services and how they can benefit customers old and new.

By starting the wheels rolling at least six months in advance, advises retired multi-store owner Paul Russo, you’ll have time to make improvements, find a good lawyer who specializes in small-business sales, get your books in order, and, if necessary, find a business broker.

24 KEEPING YOUR LAUNDRY BUSINESS

SAFE FROM VIOLENCE

No business wants to consider that its workplace could be the scene of violence—as it was in May when a Philadelphia-area linen services employee shot five co-workers, killing two—but the simple act of denying it could happen can set the stage for calamity down the road. .

DEPARTMENTS 4 VIEWPOINT 6 INDUSTRY SURVEY 23 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 27 WEB UPDATE

28 NEWSMAKERS 30 CLASSIFIEDS 31 AD INDEX

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DID YOU KNOW...

American Coin-Op recently released a new episode on workplace violence identification and prevention? Give it a listen at AmericanCoinOp.com/podcasts.

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VIEWPOINT

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

Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director E-mail: bbeggs@ATMags.com Phone: 312-361-1683

OPERATING OPTIONS

Bruce Beggs

I think it’s great, having the opportunity to build a laundromat and run it in pretty much whatever fashion you want to. But whether you decide to hire employees to man the store or you run the place unattended, the choice you make impacts how your business can serve the public.

Our cover feature this month examines the laundromat business model in “Attended vs. Unattended,” especially how service expectations and available funding can drive the business decision. That article opens on page 8.

The other main feature this month is “Taking a Deep Dive into Distribution Support,” beginning on page 14. Whether brand-new to the industry or looking to improve or expand an existing operation, laundromat owners often call on a distributor serving their area.

And while these distribution businesses may be best known for supplying vended laundry equipment and parts, their menu of services oftentimes stretches beyond the physical products they sell.

I polled several distributors to get a sense of what else they bring to the table, which can include operational consulting, site evaluation and store design services, just to name a few offerings.

And lastly, we remember the five Delaware County Linen employees who were shot in an incident of workplace violence earlier this year; two died. No laundry business wants to consider that their workplace could be a scene of violence but denying the possibility can set the stage for calamity.

Dave Davis, editor of sister publication American Drycleaner, shares “Keeping Your Laundry Business Safe from Violence,” featuring an expert who suggests steps you can take to protect your team and yourself. Get into it on page 24.

Until next month, I hope your summer season has been busy enough and that the upcoming fall season brings your business to new heights.

Bruce Beggs Editorial Director

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

ADVISORY BOARD Douglas Pratt Tony Regan Sharon Sager

Michael Schantz Matt Simmons

ADVERTISING Linda Lee, National Sales Manager E-mail: Linda@ATMags.com Phone: 218-310-6838 or 312-361-1682

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 $50.00; 2 years $100.00. Single copies $10.00 for U.S. 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., 125 Schelter Rd., #350, Lincolnshire, IL 60069-3666.

Volume 65, 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, 2024. 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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INDUSTRY SURVEY

DISTRIBUTOR AID CAN GO DEEPER THAN EQUIPMENT/PARTS SALES E

ngaged self-service laundry owners draw on many sources of information in managing and operating their small businesses but none may be as important as their distributor. Full-service distributors can offer many benefits, particularly when a laundry operation is just getting started.

While acquiring laundry equipment and parts are the most popular distributor services store owners rely on, there are several others that draw owner or investor interest, based on the results of the latest American Coin-Op Your Views survey.

When asked what type(s) of services they rely on, the vast majority of store owners said “equipment sales/leasing/financing” (88.5%) and “parts/supplies ordering/requests” (84.6%); respondents could choose any

and all from among several choices. “Maintenance/repairs” (46.2%) also got a healthy response.

There were varied levels of interest in other services, too, such as “laundry operations consulting” (19.2%), “store planning/design” (15.4%) and “pricing strategies” (11.5%). And 3.8% of respondents pointed to “other” reasons, including distributor sales providing them access to vendors beyond the washer/dryer makers.

Half of the store owners polled said they are “somewhat satisfied” with their distributors, and another 26.9% are “extremely satisfied.” About 8% are “somewhat unsatisfied,” and 15.4% report being “neither satisfied nor unsatisfied.” No one taking the poll said they were “extremely unsatisfied.”

Despite this level of satisfaction, more than half of respondents (57.7%) said “no” when asked if their distributor works diligently to stay in contact with them and keep them informed about things like product offerings and industry trends. Roughly 31% said distributors do stay in touch, and the remaining 11.5% said they are “unsure.”

Respondents described the variety of methods that distributors use, including personal visits, phone calls, emails, flyers, direct mail, and events like open houses and service schools.

Concerning the latter, respondents said they would most look forward to “deals/specials on equipment/parts” (34.6%), “equipment demonstrations” (26.9%), “technical/operational advice” (23.1%) or “networking opportunities” (15.4%) were they to attend such an event. No one taking the survey chose “other.”

We asked store owners if there was a certain area in which a distributor “could be of greater assistance to [their] business.” Here are some of the responses: • “Warranty processing (and) faster parts delivery.”

• “New location finding.”

• “Repair of machines. My distributor used to be very good at assisting with machine issues but since COVID, it seems like they are always busy.”

• “Not building on top of existing laundromats, especially ones I own.”

• “They haven’t had a trade show since the pandemic. Certainly would love to go again. I go to other distributors’ shows.”

• “One problem we often run into is there is no customer service through telephone anymore. Most of the help lines are all through online networking, so when we have an issue that needs consulting, we are often in limbo waiting on a response to help resolve the issue.”

American Coin-Op’s Your Views survey presents an unscientific snapshot of the trade audience’s viewpoints. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Subscribers to American Coin-Op emails are invited to participate anonymously in an industry survey each quarter. The entire trade audience is encouraged to participate, as a greater number of responses will help to better define owner/operator opinions and industry trends.

What type(s) of service do you rely on What type(s) of service do youall rely on (Check that apply) from your distributor(s)? from your distributor(s)? (Check all that apply)

Equipment sales/ 88.5% leasing/fi nancing Equipment sales/

88.5%

leasing/financing Parts and supplies 84.6% ordering/requests Parts and supplies 84.6% ordering/requests

Laundry operations 19.2% Laundry operations 19.2% consulting consulting

Maintenance/repairs 46.2% 46.2% Maintenance/repairs

15.4% StoreStore planning/design planning/design 15.4% Pricing strategies 11.5% Pricing strategies11.5% Other Other 3.8% 3.8%

If you were attenda adistributor distributor open open house house or If you were to to attend orsimilar similar event, which aspect would you most look forward event, which aspect would you most look forwardto? to?

Networking

Networking opportunities 15.4% opportunities 15.4% Deals/specials on

34.6% Deals/specials equipment oronparts34.6% equipment or parts Technical/operational

23.1%

Equipment

26.9%

advice Technical/operational 23.1% advice demonstrations Equipment 26.9% demonstrations Other

Other

0.0%

0.0%

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Attended vs. Unattended Service expectations, available funding drive business model decision

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

T

8 AMERICAN COINOP SEPTEMBER 2024

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(Image: iStock.com/Marti157900)

here’s no magic formula when it comes to choosing a self-service laundry’s operational model—attended or unattended—but there are certain factors that can influence the call.

“When you deal with an attended store vs. an unattended store, an unattended store does not have an individual, an employee, at the store to greet customers when they’re walking into the store, to answer any questions, maybe to be crisis management should a situation come up,” says Mike Enz from distributor Laundry One; Enz was the guest on an American Coin-Op Podcast episode on the topic.

“You’re completely on your own should you have a question. There may be a phone number on the wall for you to call, whether the owner or a cleaning person, and ask a question.”

It’s pretty easy to determine whether a laundromat is attended or unattended based on the “overall freshness” of the location, according to Enz. There are a couple different types of attended stores, he continues.

“You have the attended location where the employee is just there to sit behind a counter, read a book and answer the occasional question they have to field from a customer about how to operate a particular piece of equipment,” Enz says.

“But then you have another attendant that … the owner uses as an additional profit center. They’re there to help customers, to maintain customers. They are there to greet the person with a smile and say, ‘Hey, how can I help you?’”

In the Midwest markets where Enz’s company operates, he estimates 60-70% of laundries operate unattended.

“We certainly have seen the trends and mode of operation ebb and flow over time,” says CLA CEO Brian Wallace of his national trade association’s annual surveys on store operations in the American Coin-Op article, “Making the Unattended Laundromat Business Model Work for You,” based on a CLA webinar.

“Most recently, the last four or five years, it’s 40% to 50% fully attended. The unattended, or self-service only, would be in that 15-20% (range) most years, with the balance being … partially attended, where you’ve got somebody there, just not during all hours of operation.”

The manner in which a laundromat is operated can have a lot to do with its area demographics, says Enz. “When you get into more urban areas, you’ll find that they’re probably a little bit more attended because maybe the volume of the location is going to be a little bit greater. Or you’re going to find that there’s a larger concern for vandalism in a location.

“Then, in some of the rural areas, you’ll find the stores are probably smaller. They probably don’t have the revenue to justify having an employee in there.”

“My rule is that if your laundry is making $15,000 gross a month www.americancoinop.com

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or less, it probably should be unattended,” says multi-store owner Brian Brunckhorst. “You don’t really have enough money in there to afford even a part-time attendant, you know. So you hire an independent contractor and have it unattended.

“If you’re between $15,000 and, say, $25,000, maybe partly attended, and anything over $25,000, it’s busy enough, machines are getting dirty—cleanliness is important—so you know, maybe that’s when you go fully attended.”

FACTORS OF INFLUENCE For the laundry owner eager to take advantage of social media and some of the tools integrated into today’s advanced laundry equipment and payment systems, the attended model is probably best, Enz says.

“If the owner is a person that’s really an aggressive marketer, really wants to get out there and just market the heck out of his or her location, you have to have an employee in there,” he says. “You have to have somebody to answer the questions, because this is not normal laundry that some people are used to. We’re taking it to that higher level of operation and customers are going to have questions.”

On the flip side, the owner setting up in a small town or treating the laundry business as a “plan B or C” may be better suited running a simpler, unattended location.

Store size and machine numbers can influence a laundry’s operational choices, too, according to Enz. “If we have a much larger equipment mix in the store and it’s several thousand square feet more than the standard store, we’ll find those locations do” lean toward the attended model, he says. “They have a higher investment involved and they want to make sure they can utilize and capture as much business as possible.”

Plus, security can become an issue, because the owner doesn’t want anyone vandalizing the premises or their equipment: “When you have a sizable investment, you can’t afford to have any reason for customers not to want to come into your store and patronize your location.”

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hen comparing unattended and attended side by side, each has its pros and cons. Here’s a list, courtesy of distributor Coin-O-Matic’s (https://www.coinomatic.com) blog: Pros of Unattended Laundromats Reduced Labor Costs — No need to hire attendants, leading to cost savings.

Easy Management — Managing human resources is typically toward the top of the list of challenges facing business owners.

Eliminating employees makes a business owner’s job much easier, especially in today’s competitive labor market.

Cons of Unattended Laundromats Limited Customer Support — Lack of on-site staff means customers may face challenges without immediate assistance.

Security Concerns — The absence of personnel may lead to security risks, such as

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BEYOND THE SELFSERVICE VARIETY Fulfilling the desire to offer laundry services beyond the self-service variety—with wash-dry-fold being a popular choice—will almost certainly require a store to be attended in some fashion.

Even if an investor decides to open as unattended but envisions their store being attended one day, taking some steps now will help them facilitate that transition later.

“I’ve actually had a handful of customers do that,” Enz says. “There’s not a better time to do it when you’re building a new store, redesigning a store or going into a retail space, to put that as part of your footprint.”

Running an attended store presents some management challenges that an unattended store doesn’t, and that starts with the employees.

“The challenge is going to be finding qualified individuals,” Enz says.

“The key is finding reliable employees. You need more than just a body, you need someone who has a nice smile, somebody who’s willing to greet that customer and open that door.”

Operating a partially attended store can be a nice compromise between unattended and fully attended, Enz believes.

“The quick answer is yes, but you as the owner know when your store is typically going to be the busiest. I have several customers who opt to do that. Somebody will come in in the morning, they’ll be there for a couple of hours, then they’ll be gone pretty much all afternoon.

Somebody will come in after suppertime and they’ll be there from, say, 6 o’clock to closing.”

And partially attended stores will typically have someone on duty for longer periods on weekends.

“In the Midwest, we build stores a little larger and you’re dealing with a rush of individuals on the weekend. You want to be there to make sure you’re capturing and answering the questions, because what happens too many times at an unattended location is a customer comes in and they have a bad experience on a weekend, well, they’ll go someplace else.

“It’s important that somebody is there to answer that question and take care of that customer and provide them the service they walked in the door for in the first place.”

theft or vandalism.

Maintenance Challenges — Without attendants regularly monitoring machines, ensuring maintenance and repairs can be more challenging.

Dependence on Technology — Technical glitches or failures may disrupt operations and require prompt resolution.

Reduced Personal Touch — Unattended laundromats may lack the personalized customer service that some patrons prefer.

Pros of Attended Laundromats Personalized Customer Service — On-site attendants offer immediate assistance and guidance, enhancing customer experience.

Enhanced Security — Attendants can monitor the premises, reducing the risk of theft and vandalism.

Immediate Issue Resolution — Attendants can promptly address technical problems

and customer concerns.

Trust and Reliability — The presence of attendants instills confidence in customers, leading to repeat business.

Customer Engagement — Attendants can build relationships with customers, encouraging loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.

Cons of Attended Laundromats Additional Expenses — Hiring and retaining attendants leads to increased operational expenses. Employee training and benefits incur additional costs as well.

Staff Dependence — The quality of customer service relies on the availability and attentiveness of the attendants.

Management Challenges — Managing human resources ranks toward the top of the list of challenges business owners face every day.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

DEXTER LAUNDRY CELEBRATES 130 YEARS IN BUSINESS

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his year marks 130 years of business for commercial laundry equipment manufacturer Dexter Laundry, helping people and companies all over the world process laundry faster and more efficiently.

Its journey began in tiny Dexter, Iowa, in 1894, the era of hand-powered wringer washers. As wringer washers gained popularity, Dexter founder W.H. George realized he could improve upon the existing designs and capabilities. He wanted to provide customers with an affordable laundry solution that would withstand the test of time.

As the years passed, the Dexter business grew in size and prestige. When it outgrew its space in Dexter, George looked for a new location and new partners, and he found what he was looking for in Fairfield, Iowa.

Fairfield was a rural town with a growing population and both an east-west and a northsouth railroad for shipping and receiving goods

and materials. A group of businessmen saw the company’s potential and a purchase agreement was signed August 10, 1911. Ground was broken for a new plant, and Dexter moved to Fairfield in 1912.

As the company’s journey progressed through that century, it manufactured many types of laundry equipment. Its wooden hand-powered wringer washers gave way to single and twin tub wringer washers made of zinc, copper and porcelain. These washers featured a variety of power options, including belts, steam, gas and electricity.

Around mid-century, Dexter began to manufacture top-load and front-load laundry equipment for the home and commercial markets.

These machines were the precursors to the home and commercial laundry equipment that are familiar today. A couple of decades later, Dexter restructured its product offering and began focusing solely on commercial laundry products.

More than a century later, Dexter says it’s still proud to call Fairfield home. The employeeowned company designs, engineers, and manufactures all of its products from start to finish.

It offers a complete line of washers, dryers, and management systems for laundromat owners and managers across the globe.

“With an emphasis on quality and a refusal to compromise, we have flourished and grown into a premier brand and leader in the vended and on-premise laundry industries,” the company reports.

“While our company and products have evolved over the years, we haven’t forgotten our roots. Our Dexter horse icon logo reminds us of our champion namesake and symbolizes our dedication to performance, unmatched strength, unrivaled endurance and loyalty to our Dexter customers. We look forward to continuing our Dexter legacy while wowing and supporting our customers for another 130 years.”

Iowa-based Dexter Laundry began its journey in 1894. The employee-owned company designs, engineers, and manufactures all of its washers, dryers, and management systems for laundromat owners and managers from start to finish. (Graphic: Dexter Laundry) 12 AMERICAN COINOP SEPTEMBER 2024

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TAKING A DEEP DIVE INTO

SUPPORT (Photo: © ra2studio/Depositphotos)

How and why laundry distributors aid customers beyond equipment sales & service

by Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

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or the investor first entering the vended laundry business, or a store owner looking into improving or expanding their operations, they often call on a distributor serving their area.

Supplying vended laundry equipment and parts is perhaps what these distribution businesses are best known for but their menu of services stretches beyond the physical products they sell.

This month, American Coin-Op polled a variety of distributors throughout the country about their approach to service and support.

HOW MAY WE BE OF SERVICE? ACE Commercial Laundry Equipment distributes equipment to many laundromats, hotels and apartment complexes in Southern California from its Orange County headquarters, says Sales Manager Andy Wray.

Along with SUDSY Vending Supplies, ACE “pretty much provides everything A-Z to the laundromat customer,” including change machines, card payment systems and full washer and dryer lines. “Many a telephone call spent chit-chatting, sitting in the office giving out situational advice, and putting ourselves in owners’ shoes is where we like to help out,” he says.

Also based in California, Continental Girbau West is a full-service commercial laundry distributor serving Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico, according to Vice President Tod Sorensen. It represents several brands of vended washers and dryers, and provides payment systems, bill breakers, coin changers, laundry carts, custom bulkheads, 14 AMERICAN COINOP SEPTEMBER 2024

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vending machines, parts, ozone systems and chemistry. Besides serving existing customers with parts and factory-trained service technicians, CG West works closely with customers, architects and contractors to design and build new laundries, as well as renovate and retool existing laundries. Financing, service training and marketing are also some of its added services.

Michigan’s Eagle Star Equipment, led by President Michael “Stucky” Szczotka, provides distribution services to vended, on-premises, drycleaning, wetcleaning and restoration customers. It represents a number of brands in both laundry and dry cleaning. It serves Michigan on the laundry side and many states in support of drycleaning, wetcleaning, and restoration services. Eagle Star can offer turnkey solutions, or any services needed a la carte, Szczotka says. It provides service on equipment and parts, as well as demographics, layouts with utility ledgers, and equipment rigging and installation.

President Douglas Pratt leads Gold Coin Laundry Equipment, Jamaica, New York. It covers New York City, Long Island and parts of New York state, New Jersey and Connecticut. Besides selling laundry equipment, payment systems, changers, soap venders, water heaters and more, Gold Coin acts as consultant for new investors and existing customers. Its part department ships internationally, and its web store has an easy-to-use phone app. There are factory-trained technicians on staff for on-site service.

Metropolitan Laundry Machinery Sales, led by President Marc (continued on page 18) www.americancoinop.com

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SUPPORT (continued from page 14) Katzman, is based in South Richmond Hill, N.Y. It provides vended and non-vended laundry equipment and ancillary products to laundromats, apartment building laundry rooms, hotels/motels, and more in the New York City’s boroughs and areas of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. It represents multiple brands of washers, dryers, payment systems, water heaters, bill breakers, and other ancillary equipment and products. Besides solution-oriented sales and a fully stocked parts department, Metropolitan offers site selection assistance/evaluation, demographic reports/analysis, store layout/design, lease negotiations and financing assistance, and more.

Sav-A-Day Laundry Machinery, based in suburban St. Louis, just celebrated its 67th anniversary, says President Jeff Seele. The second-generation company is one of the country’s oldest Wascomat laundry equipment distributors, serving a radius of roughly 200 miles in Missouri and Illinois. Sav-A-Day maintains a parts department; sells new/used/rebuilt equipment; performs installations and service; and offers assistance with store design, demographics, site evaluation, financing and more.

Southeastern Laundry Equipment Sales of Marietta, Georgia, provides a variety of vended, OPL and multi-family laundry products to customers in seven Southeast states, says Vice President of Sales Jason Downey, including equipment sales, leasing, service, parts, design consultation, site selection, demographic analysis, complete buildouts, and more.

Rita Troyanovsky is director of operations for Superior Laundry Equipment, Brooklyn, N.Y. It’s an authorized dealer for several brands of laundry and ancillary equipment, servicing New York state, the New York City boroughs, New Jersey, Delaware, and sections of Pennsylvania and Maryland. Equipment sales, rental, leasing and service, as well as parts, chemicals, and business brokerage are among its offerings.

VARIETY OF WAYS TO GET THE WORD OUT Whether it’s the products they sell or the related services they offer, simply communicating that they’re available is a key factor in distribution success, so these businesses use a variety of ways to get the word out.

Pretty much across the board, this group uses standard marketing practices. They call, email, and send direct mail pieces, for example. These companies maintain websites, and most actively use social media. But one may rely more heavily on one tool than another, or maybe even deviate

from the typical entirely.

“Personal communication is essential for connecting with our customers,” Katzman says. “We’ve found reaching current customers and perspective new ones requires a strategic approach that incorporates social media, Google marketing, print media, and making personalized connections.”

“The majority of our business is either repeat or by word of mouth,” Szczotka says, “as well as providing a website to request quotes, mailing calendars to existing customers and potential customers in our area, and posting information on our Facebook, but we have not aggressively marketed for many years.”

CG West utilizes a multifaceted advertising strategy to effectively reach its target audience, according to Sorensen, adding that its comprehensive approach “allows us to build strong relationships, gain referrals and maintain a consistent presence in the market.”

“We recently did smaller service-based road shows across our geography, so our customers had a chance to connect with their regional sales managers and the manufacturers face to face,” Downey says. “There is no better way to listen to their pain points and see if we can provide a solution for them.”

Sav-A-Day heavily promotes its fall open house, Seele says: “We have a 13,000-square-foot building and I think it’s nice when people can come to your business, spend the day with you face to face.”

Despite all the efforts, these distributors wish certain aspects of their business profile were better known or more appreciated.

“That we can calculate their potential income,” Pratt says. “We can do that at more than one location to help the customer decide which would be better for them.”

“I think a lot of customers or potential customers don’t always realize that the distributor can help you with the lease, can help you with the site evaluation,” says Seele. “Can tell you, ‘Hey, you don’t want to go there.’”

Troyanovsky wishes Superior’s sales of existing stores and store buildout capabilities were more widely known in its region.

“The comprehensive support and service packages we offer, ensuring equipment longevity and minimizing downtime, are aspects I wish were more appreciated,” says Downey.

“We avoid competing with our customers, have not established company-owned laundries, and do not represent proprietary payment systems that work only on [a specific brand of ] equipment,” Sorensen says.

“All distributors and equipment are not equal,” Katzman says. “There is a big difference between a full-service distributor with many years of experience and knowledge and one that does not have a team to provide ongoing support or a warehouse and parts department.”

IN THE FACE OF ‘JUST TRYING TO SELL SOMETHING’

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There are times, justified or not, that a prospective customer may feel like a distributor is coming on strong “just because you’re trying to sell me something.”

Hearing negative stories of what Wray calls “‘trunk-slammer’ distributors without brick-and-mortar or history” motivates his company to work harder to disprove that connotation.

“Many new people getting into the industry for the first time say they are thankful to hear about all of the pros/cons before entering (the) laundromat business through preliminary chats with us,” he says. “Hearing the good, the bad, and the ugly before they take on loans or sign leases is where you have to help—in addition to a sale. Being part of a long-term www.americancoinop.com

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laundry family business, a reputation for integrity is one of the things you can’t negotiate on and always comes first over a sale in our book.”

“We are never just selling a product, we are committed to exploring all product options to ensure we maximize our clients’ success in the laundry industry,” Katzman says.

“To be straightforward, I can’t remember a time someone accused us of trying to only sell them something,” Szczotka says. “Our model is to service and sales will follow. Throughout my career, I have advised more people not to enter our industry for numerous reasons than I have advised into our industry, as well as assisting established operators that now may not be the right time for a particular purchase. I enjoy helping people build their businesses, not move iron.”

“I respect the opinion, however it couldn’t be further from the truth,” Sorensen says. “We take a ‘community we live in’ approach, offer indepth expertise that’s backed by a gamut of services designed to enhance how laundries are designed and operated. We work in good faith to help make our customers more successful than they’d ever be alone. Our success is driven by our customers’ success, both now and into the future.”

“My initial reaction is the confidence of knowing that our distribution model is essentially about the complete opposite approach to that statement,” says Downey.

“Being in the sales and service industry, our goal is ‘to sell something,’” says Troyanovsky. “As long as we are selling products we can stand behind, we are OK with it.”

Pratt’s response to the notion that his company is “just trying to sell something”: “That we are more interested in building their second store (after building their first). We want them to succeed. We have a long list of happy customers who will gladly speak for us.”

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THE DEPTH OF SUPPORT Is there anything else you’d like to add about the depth of distributor support in the vended laundry industry?

“My personal take on commercial laundry is three simple concepts, and that is 1) how efficient is your equipment, 2) how well was that machine built, and 3) who is taking care of you? And in my book, the ‘who is taking care of you’ is No. 1 in this industry,” Downey says.

“Support for our customers is vital to the success of our business,” says Katzman.

“Our small industry is made up of years of relationships, helping people, follow-up, seeing owners grow and succeed, not just sign the dotted line and see you later,” Wray comments.

“We truly feel like we are partners in their business, and we tell them that,” Seele says of Sav-A-Day’s customers. “Our slogan has always been ‘Exceeding Your Expectations,’ and I believe we do.”

“Just that we usually have every answer to every question a potential investor or customer could ask,” says Pratt.

“As I have said hundreds if not thousands of times over the years, I make this promise: If you have a question, give me a call and if I don’t have the answer, I guarantee someone in my phone does,” Szczotka pledges.

“Be sure the distributor you select isn’t based on equipment price alone,” advises Sorensen. “Look for one that adds value to your business, one that will help take you to the next level of success in all segments of commercial and industrial laundry, and one that will support you now and into the future.”

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POINTERS FROM PAULIE B

TAKING STEPS TO GET A LAUNDROMAT READY TO SELL T

Paul Russo

here are many reasons why one might sell a laundromat. Illness, retirement, owner relocation, or even the owner’s death could be behind it. Or the seller is doing great and just wants to sell so they can buy or build a bigger mat.

If the mat is losing money, or a big, new mat has opened nearby, that could be it. These are usually cash sales at a low price. (Obviously, the less your mat earns, the smaller the sale price.)

Whatever the reason, let’s examine what you can do to make your mat ready to sell for the best price and at the least cost to you.

EARLY PLANNING MAKES FOR AN EASIER, MORE PROFITABLE SALE By starting the wheels rolling at least six months in advance, you’ll have time to make improvements, find a good lawyer who specializes in small-business sales, get your books in order, and, if necessary, find a business broker.

While you always want to increase sales and profits all along, it’s even more crucial when it comes time to sell. This is because every dollar in profit usually translates to 3-5x in the sale price.

Obviously, if you want to impress buyers, fix up your mat.

Laundromats should always be in great-looking condition, but many owners tend to neglect their mats.

Making improvements can range from a simple paint job or making sure all equipment is in good, functioning condition, all the way to installing some new equipment.

New equipment allows you to increase your selling price and improves the odds that you’ll impress enough buyers to get your equipment investment back in proceeds from the sale.

Just like you want to dazzle your everyday wash customers, you’ll want to dazzle any potential buyers as well.

Unless you draw interest from experienced mat owners looking for a rundown mat to raise from the dead, buyers aren’t impressed by a mat with very old, dilapidated equipment.

That said, they are more likely to buy your mat if it has even some new equipment. How much depends on your mat, and it’s a real judgment call.

The biggest buyer complaint comes when they see a mat needing a lot of work, yet the seller is asking too much money for it. It’s very common for sellers to overprice their mat. Most of the time, buyers will know more about market prices than you will because they will have been shopping for a while.

Eventually, the market humbles all.

If you’ve had your mat for less than a year, it will be harder to sell … unless you’ve really boosted its sales and profits, and made it more desirable.

Whatever you do that attracts wash customers will almost always attract mat buyers, too.

Once your employees hear you want to sell, some may quit on you. Consider their feelings and offer them a few weeks bonus if they stay with you up to the sale or beyond. This way, you won’t be scrambling to replace them while under the stress of selling the store.

Be honest about what you are selling. Don’t try to hide things or trick prospective buyers into thinking your mat is worth more than it is. Many will know what’s going on and you will have wasted a lot of your own time when they back out.

HIRE A GOOD LAWYER

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And not your cousin, or a friend of a friend. Get a lawyer who specializes in small-business sales. This type of attorney can put together contracts that will protect you in more ways than you realize.

Yes, in some cases, a business lawyer can cost you more, but a professional like this could help you save tens of thousands of dollars in protection. The peace of mind in knowing that you are well-protected is worth it, and a good business attorney can protect you in ways people don’t even think of. www.americancoinop.com

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quences to anyone who tries to sell your hardearned business secrets.

Yes, you can find these contracts online as boilerplate documents, and your attorney may even use one. But a good business attorney will add or subtract language in your favor that could make a big difference in the agreements.

I once sold a mat with a 50% promissory note agreement for five years, meaning the buyer put half down and I personally financed the rest. So you’ll want to know this person’s credit rating, and if he/she has successfully run a business in the past. Your attorney can check things out.

If the buyer doesn’t pay you, you could ultimately repossess the mat plus keep whatever the buyer already paid in previous notes.

One thing my lawyer told me that I did not know was that in New York City, promissory notes must be renewed by the seller after a couple years. My notes went out longer than that, so he earned his fee with that work alone!

And just as important, you want to continue to be paid if the buyer sells the mat, so language must be included for that, too.

BROKERS AND SUPPLIERS Like everything else, there are good brokers who will have your back and bad brokers only interested in the sale and not much else. Keep in mind that business brokers typically can charge as much as 10-12% of the sale, making home brokers look cheap by comparison.

Don’t forget to tell your suppliers you plan to sell. Like brokers, parts suppliers, equipment distributors and local detergent vendors will know all the laundromats in your area, and maybe a few buyers, too.

They’ll want a piece of the action for matching you with a buyer. Maybe not as much as a broker, but you still need to pay them something. And it’s only right. If I were to go this route, I’d probably agree to pay up to 5%.

Here’s a tip: Look at who in your market is buying mats. If you notice certain ethnic groups buying up a lot of mats in your area, advertise your store for sale in the classified section of the newspapers serving them.

For example, I sold one in 1993 by placing a New York Times classified ad under “Business

▼

How about help in negotiating a longer lease if there is one? Just a few more years on the lease can add thousands to the value of your mat.

How do you know if your buyer has the proper resources to buy your mat? How do you know they aren’t someone who has cheated sellers in other transactions? After all, you’re selling a laundromat possibly worth many hundreds of thousands of dollars, not a bicycle. Don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

Having a good attorney on your side is especially helpful if you plan on taking promissory notes from the buyer (more on that later).

Your lawyer will protect you from lawsuits, make sure you don’t get stuck with spurious fines or fees, and, most importantly, make sure your notes are structured so that the proper penalties are in place if you don’t get paid.

They can also guide you in drawing up a non-disclosure agreement to help protect your business secrets from being spread around, before you let anyone in on your mat’s details.

After all, you’re going to have to open up your books to strangers, so there should be conse-

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POINTERS FROM PAULIE B

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Opportunities.” Back then, that was the way to go. Even the equipment distributors placed ads in the Times to bring in people interested in building new stores.

After it became clear that the Chinese were beginning to dominate my market, I looked up the Chinese- and Korean-language newspapers in my area. Their classified ads were cheap compared to those in the Times but drew a lot more serious buyers. The foreign-language newspapers would even translate your ad for you, and have their national editions broken down into local circulations!

I sold two more mats that way and saved a ton of money on brokers. I never paid anyone a commission to sell my mats.

comes along. You want someone who has the funds as well as the skills needed to keep the laundromat profitable so they can maintain the income to pay you.

Your attorney can structure the notes so there is a short grace period, penalties are assessed if payment is late, and create the notes as “secured promissory” so you have the right to seize the collateral to recover an amount unpaid.

You’ll earn interest on the note payments just like a bank does on any loan. The interest rate is negotiable, of course. With more years comes greater exposure risk to you, so naturally, the rate would be higher in that case. It’s a win-win deal, if structured properly.

PROMISSORY NOTES

Many laundromats are leased. One of the first things you should do is make sure your lease length is for as many years as you can reasonably afford, and the lease assignment clause should provide the ability to assign it to a new buyer. (This should have been negotiated by you way back when you originally signed your lease. This is also why you should never wait until you only have a couple years left on your lease to renegotiate.)

I know someone who waited until his lease’s final year to renegotiate. The landlord tripled his rent and the laundromat owner was forced to walk away with nothing to sell.

Reasonable landlords will agree to two very important things—number of years and a fair-

Since laundromats can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, many people find it hard to obtain financing, shutting out a good percentage of buyers. If you advertise your sale as “Buyer will Finance,” you’ll get more potential buyers for your mat with your “bulletproof ” promissory notes.

A well-conceived promissory note can allow the buyer to purchase and finance your mat from future proceeds, but things don’t always play out as planned.

You already know that if a buyer puts down, say, 50% on your business, they can pay off the remaining 50% from the business. This is why you don’t want to sell to just anyone who

WHAT ABOUT THE LEASE?

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minded assignment clause—but you’ll almost surely have to pay more rent in return. It could be worth it. Some landlords may even want a lump sum from the sale, which could still be worth it if the landlord doesn’t get too greedy.

Otherwise, a landlord may refuse to accept any new buyers. Then you have nothing to sell.

That’s how important the assignment clause and a long-term lease can be!

TRAINING THE BUYER It’s reasonable for you to agree to orient your buyer how to best operate the laundromat after you sell, especially if they’ve never owned a mat before.

Your negotiations in this can be the trigger point if they are on the fence about taking the plunge. It’s a scary feeling for many buyers to spend so much money. You agreeing to help them after the sale can help ease their mind, and increase their chances for success.

You can set this up so you are physically in the store with the buyer for one or two weeks following the sale, and you can agree to phone consultations for some time beyond that.

I wish you all the best the next time you’re preparing to put your store up for sale.

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 him to Editorial Director Bruce Beggs at bbeggs@atmags.com. www.americancoinop.com

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CALENDAR

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10 Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution: Dallas Fall Laundry Festival, Coppell, Texas; https:// distribution.alliancelaundry.com; click “Fall Shows.”

12 Advanced Laundry Systems Dexter Service School Open House, Golden, Colorado; https://www. advlaundry.com/dexter-training.

12 Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution: Midwest Region Fall Show, Northbrook, Illinois; https:// distribution.alliancelaundry.com; click “Fall Shows.”

18-20 CLA WDF 2024 Workshop, Nashville, Tennessee; https://www. coinlaundry.org/wdf.

24 Commercial Laundry Equipment Service School, Richmond, Virginia; https://commlaundry.com.

24 Western State Design Open House & Customer Appreciation Event, Cerritos, California; https://www. westernstatedesign.com.

25 Continental Girbau West Vended Laundry Symposium, Tempe, Arizona; https://cg-west.com/ symposium.

26 AAdvantage Laundry Systems Service School, Raleigh, North Carolina; https://www. aadvantagelaundry.com.

26 Western State Design Open House & Customer Appreciation Event, Hayward, California; https://www. westernstatedesign.com.

28 Continental Girbau West Vended Laundry Symposium, Santa Fe Springs, California; https://cg-west. com/symposium.

OCTOBER 01 Western State Design Open House & Customer Appreciation Event, Phoenix, Arizona; https://www. westernstatedesign.com.

03-04 Laundry Solutions 2024 Trade Show, Branson, Missouri; https:// www.laundrysolutionscompany. com/events.

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Keeping Your Laundry Business Safe from Violence Steps to take to protect your team members and yourself

by Dave Davis

T

he textile care industry witnessed tragedy in May when five employees of a suburban Philadelphia linen company were shot by an armed man that authorities described as a “disgruntled employee.” Two people died.

No laundry business wants to consider that their workplace could be the scene of violence — either from one-on-one confrontations or something much worse — but the simple act of denying it could happen can set the stage for calamity down the road.

This was the message of Carol Dodgen, owner of Dodgen Security Consulting, during a National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) webinar titled “Staying Safe in a Violent World.”

Since 1998, Dodgen’s company has provided services including training, lighting inspections, and security assessments for business and government entities.

“This is kind of a good news/bad news scenario,” she says. “There are so many challenges that we face, and as far as the bad news goes, we’re not going to stop crime. We’re not going to be able to legislate or cause people to obey the laws that we have in place. We can’t legislate people’s hearts and actions. What we can do are things that will make ourselves safer.”

THE INGREDIENTS FOR CRIME Dodgen has researched hundreds if not thousands of cases of violence during her company’s 26 years.

“I’ve spoken to people who have been shot, stabbed, kidnapped, hijacked, and all types of situations,” she says. “My goal has been to try to learn from what they have been through. A lot of times, there are things that were missed. There are things that, when they look back, they say they should have paid attention to them.”

She says there are three ingredients to a crime: the desire or motivation, the skills and tools needed, and the opportunity.

The first two are out of a business owner’s control, but the third “is the one thing that we have some control over.”

THE DANGER OF IGNORING SIGNS One of the first reported cases of workplace violence — and the genesis for the term “going postal” — occurred in 1986. Patrick Sherrill, 44, entered the Edmond, Oklahoma, post office where he worked and, in less than 15 minutes, killed 14 employees and injured six before committing suicide.

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• Violent and threatening behavior and hostility, • “Strange” behavior, such as becoming reclusive or letting personal appearance deteriorate, • Emotional problems, • Drug or alcohol abuse, • Performance problems, including poor attendance or tardiness, • Interpersonal problems at work, such as conflicts with others or being hypersensitive, and • Someone “at the end of their rope,” which can include indicators of impending suicide, or an unspecified plan to “solve all problems.”

“In a lot of these cases that I have studied and people I’ve interviewed,” says Dodgen, “I have seen this to be a commonality right before they do what they do. They will withdraw. They will become reclusive. It’s almost like they have reached this point of despair, and the things they cared about in the past are no longer important.”

ZERO TOLERANCE So, what’s to be done if some of these red flags are noticed?

“We absolutely have to have something in place to deal with this,” Dodgen says. “We need zero tolerance if somebody makes a threat. We have to take that seriously.”

Depending on the situation, dealing with this person can take on many forms.

“If they are exhibiting disturbing behavior,” she says, “sometimes just the intervention — talking to this person, getting a read on them

▼

“He was called into his supervisor’s office, and was reprimanded for something he had done,” Dodgen says, noting that this was not done behind doors but in front of co-workers. “He was ashamed of this, and that’s something to keep in mind as we talk about handling dismissals and reprimands.”

Sherrill had asked a co-worker whom he considered a friend if she was planning to come into work the next day — and then told her she probably shouldn’t. “This is an example of what’s called ‘leakage,’” Dodgen says. “In so many of these cases, people either brush them aside, don’t report them, and don’t take them seriously.”

These warning signs can be indicators that something is wrong.

“You often hear something like, ‘This guy just snapped,’” Dodgen says. “Chances are they didn’t ‘just snap.’ They’ve been on that path for quite a while.”

In the case of Sherrill, his neighbors had reported that he walked around in camouflage at night, looked into windows, and had a history of taking and torturing neighborhood pets. He had also threatened revenge, according to reports, out of his anger at being disciplined at work.

“One of the biggest questions is, ‘What is the greatest indicator of future violence?’” Dodgen says. “How do you predict future violence? I would look at what they have done in the past. Have they shown this to be a pattern?”

She says that if you must deal with one of your employees and have found yourself saying, “I really hate to confront him or her about this because I know how they’ll react,” that can indicate a problem.

Here, according to Dodgen, are some observable warning signs that should not be ignored:

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and handling it sensitively — can make a difference. If there’s something going on, maybe they’ve had some stressors in their life, a conversation or some kind of help can be rendered to this person, and they can return to being that productive employee.”

There is a spectrum to workplace violence, Dodgen says, starting at concerning behaviors, escalating to threatening behaviors, and then causing physical injury and, ultimately, death.

“What we want to do with awareness and training, which I believe is critical for all employees, is to recognize these things and stop them before they get to that point,” she says.

TYPES OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE There are a number of ways violence can enter a workplace, Dodgen says, listing four types of incidents.

• Type 1 — Criminal: The perpetrator has no legitimate relationship with the employer or workplace, other than to enter and commit a crime such as robbery.

• Type 2 — Customer/Client: A customer or client of the business directs violence at employees, possibly because of dissatisfaction with the service or product.

• Type 3 — Employee-on-Employee: An employee or former employee perpetrates violence against co-workers, supervisors or managers.

• Type 4 — Domestic: Violence is committed in the workplace by someone who doesn’t work there, but has a personal relationship with an employee, such as an abusive spouse or domestic partner.

“Most of us probably think about employee-on-employee violence, because that’s usually what we hear most about,” Dodgen says. “But actually the first type, the criminal type, is responsible for most murders.

So, you’re going to be vulnerable to this type if you handle money. This is somebody coming in to commit a crime, such as robbery. So, as we assess our risk, what are we most likely to deal with? We have to put our resources toward that.”

When it comes to angry customers, the most important thing the owner or employee can do is remain calm.

Most angry customers want to feel heard, she says: “Don’t tell them to calm down. That never works. Try to show empathy to this person, and if they think you’re trying to genuinely help them, a lot of times that will calm them down.”

If the employee or owner finds themselves getting upset, practices like the “combat” or “four square” breathing method — taking a breath for four counts, holding it for four counts, letting it go for four counts and waiting for four counts, and then repeat — can help counter this.

“What happens when our heart rate goes up and we get scared or upset is that we lose some of our cognitive thinking skills,” Dodgen says. “This breathing helps to slow things down, gets oxygen to the brain and allows you to think better.”

As for the case of domestic violence, she says, it can spill over into the workplace because an abusive partner knows the victim’s schedule.

Leaders should be aware of domestic situations like this, she says, and handle these events sensitively. Leaders who have clear, open lines of communication with their staff are better able to determine when there might be a problem and how they can help.

UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATIONS One situation where violence can become an issue is during employee disciplinary or dismissal sessions, when emotions can run high.

“It’s really important to put some forethought into that,” Dodgen says, 26 AMERICAN COINOP SEPTEMBER 2024

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“and we need to handle it with as much grace as possible. You’re not trying to humiliate the person.”

Where are you going to have this discussion? If things go badly, will you be trapped in the room with the aggressor? Are there items in the surroundings that could be used as weapons? Should there be a witness or, in extreme cases, someone there to help defend? Is there a way to call for help should it be necessary?

Leaders should also be proactive when it comes to disciplinary or termination discussions.

“When you drag something out, it makes it worse,” Dodgen says. “I spoke to a labor and employment attorney about this, because people say, ‘Well, we’re afraid of lawsuits.’ He basically said, ‘You have a rule.

Everybody is made aware of the rule. They violated the rule. You document it. You do an investigation. And then, you treat everybody the same.’”

THE ULTIMATE GOAL “Crime prevention is just recognizing risk, apprising that risk and then doing something to remove or reduce it,” Dodgen says.

Some of this is common sense, she adds: “We have to know what our current state it. The door doesn’t lock. The window is busted. What is it that we need to fix or remove? What can we do to make ourselves a less attractive target?”

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) can be a great way to reduce risk and encourage criminals to go elsewhere, Dodgen says.

CPTED can use landscaping, lighting and other simple but effective means to increase visibility on the company’s property and parking lot, and give those who mean to cause trouble fewer places to hide. Tending to shrubs that can be hidden behind and trees that can block lighting, as well as using mirrors on blind corners, can limit the ways criminals can lurk in the shadows.

Natural surveillance is also a factor in CPTED, which includes not having posters and signs all across windows so that the interior of the store can be seen from the outside.

“If I’m coming in to do harm, I don’t want to be seen from the outside,” Dodgen says. “Criminals are basically looking for the target of least resistance, so you’re looking for things that make you a less attractive target.”

Simply paying attention to your surroundings can be one of a company’s biggest safety factors.

“As people come in, look up, greet them and make eye contact,” Dodgen says. “Sometimes that’s a deterrent, because they don’t want you to look at them. They don’t want you to make eye contact and recognize them if they’re coming in to do something. So that natural surveillance, that kind of meet and greet, can be a big help.”

TAKE CONTROL Dodgen says that it can be easy to feel paranoid when thinking about workplace violence, but the key is to have a plan, and take as much control over what you can control.

“It’s not paranoia — it’s just having that forethought,” she says. “We know that trained people react much differently from those who are not trained. I like this quote: ‘A person without a plan and a ship without a rudder have a lot in common. They’re both at the mercy of events and conditions beyond their control.’ You don’t want to be the one who is controlled by the storm. Have a plan and take control.”

Dave Davis is editor of sister publication American Drycleaner. www.americancoinop.com

8/8/24 2: 2 M

WEB UPDATE

Most popular stories from AmericanCoinOp.com for the 30 days ending August 10 — (WE) denotes Web Exclusive

TOP FIVE NEWS STORIES

COLUMNISTS/FEATURES

• Alliance Laundry Product Launch Video Earns Telly Awards

• Preferred Pricing Strategies

• Georgia-based Distributor Partners with Investment Firm • HappyNest Conference Brings Partners Together Again • Coin Laundry Assn. Rebrands to ‘CLA’ • Distributor Events Dot Late Summer/ Early Fall Calendar

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OUR SISTER WEBSITES

From AmericanLaundryNews.com:

• Battling Burnout at Your Laundry Business (WE)

• Georgia-based Distributor Partners with Investment Firm (WE)

• Pointers from Paulie B: The Benefits of Getting to Know Your Laundry Customers

From AmericanDrycleaner.com:

• Three Laundries Make ‘Best Companies to Sell For’ List (WE)

• DLI Names 2024-25 Board of Directors (WE) • Labor Dept. Proposes Rule on Workers and Extreme Heat (WE)

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NEWSMAKERS

COIN LAUNDRY ASSOCIATION REBRANDS TO ‘CLA’ The largest trade organization dedicated to the vended laundry industry has updated its branding, including its name.

The Coin Laundry Association is now known as simply “CLA,” with each of the three letters signifying an action—Connect, Learn, Advocate—that the organization makes possible for its 1,500 members.

Additionally, its refreshed tagline, “The preeminent resource for laundry professionals,” speaks to its unwavering commitment to provide valuable and tangible resources to those members, the organization says.

CLA has been rolling out the refreshed name and brand look across its social channels and email communications to members. Members of the community will continue to see the new branding replace the previous brand look throughout the year.

Founded in 1960, the association has empowered thousands of store owners, investors, manufacturers and distributors to successfully navigate industry shifts, from the dramatic rise in cashless payments to the demand for value-added services like wash and fold. Now, CLA is adopting a

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refreshed name and look to reflect its dedication to staying current and helping the vended laundry community do the same.

“Updating our name and branding felt like the perfect step forward as we continue to evolve alongside the vended laundry industry,” says CLA President and CEO Brian Wallace. “Our commitment to supporting our members remains unwavering, and this rebranding underscores our dedication to innovation and growth while continuing to provide the same high level of support and resources that our members rely on.”

There will be no changes to the market insights and opportunities the association provides its members, such as white papers and training kits focused on best practices; exclusive discounts on solutions vetted by CLA; advocacy efforts at the state and federal levels; and in-person events.

STANDARD CHANGEMAKERS STAFF SEES CHANGES Standard Change-Makers, which designs and makes currency changers for self-service laundries, reports there have been some changes in company personnel in the past few months.

Keith York is the new Eastern U.S. regional sales manager, replacing Dan Wagner, who retired after 34 years serving in that post.

York’s expertise also spans sales and service for Alliance Laundry Systems. His primary responsibilities were serving the U.S. East Coast and up into Canada (from Key West to Nova Scotia, the company says).

York has extensive knowledge of the laundry industry and familiarity with many of its distributors throughout the Eastern United States, Standard Change-Makers says, and the company is pleased to have some-

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NEWSMAKERS one with that experience join its team.

Robert Lessard has been named Standard Change-Makers’ new sales representative for Canada. He takes over for Paul Thompson, who retired after 28 years of service to the company.

Lessard brings extensive industry experience and technical knowledge to his position, the company says. After working for various companies in Toronto, he started his own sales and service firm, SK Device Services.

And after promoting Amanda Duncan to production manager, Standard has added Marissa Butrum to its sales team.

Butrum will handle the daily duties of machine order entry and shipment coordination. She’s been involved in customer service and sales for several years in the greater Indianapolis area.

(From left) Pere Girbau, Girbau CEO, and Mercè Girbau, chair and CEO, welcome Diego Hervás as Girbau’s new president. (Photo: Girbau)

GIRBAU GROUP APPOINTS HERVÁS AS PRESIDENT Commercial and industrial laundry equipment manufacturer Girbau, parent company of Girbau North America, has appointed Diego Hervás as its new president.

He takes on the role with the aim of supporting Girbau’s planned growth, contributing his strategic vision and results-oriented approach, in line with the company’s values and legacy.

“Girbau is an extraordinary project and a company whose values I share,” Hervás says. “I see great potential for contributing to growth and advancing together.”

Mercè Girbau, chair and CEO, and Pere Girbau, CEO, the third generation of the family firm, will continue to perform their functions and work

on long-term strategy, innovation, sustainability and corporate culture.

Both highlighted Hervás’ career in both multinationals and family firms, emphasizing “his ability to fit into Girbau’s strategic plan and vision.”

Hervás’ career includes over 20 years experience in executive positions in multinationals like Xerox and major family businesses like Comexi, where he proved his capacity for leadership, innovation and team management.

He studied telecommunications engineering and has complemented his training with a range of courses and master’s degrees in management. (continued on page 32)

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NEWSMAKERS (continued from page 29)

“With this sale to the global leader in commercial laundry equipment, we have safely secured this legacy.”

SOUTHEASTERN LAUNDRY EQUIPMENT SALES PARTNERS WITH 4612 GROUP

More than 60 HappyNest partners from across the United States gathered in June to discuss effective strategies for building growth of pickup and delivery laundry businesses.

(Photo: HappyNest)

HAPPYNEST HOSTS 3RD ANNUAL PARTNER CONFERENCE Tech-enabled laundry pickup and delivery service HappyNest hosted its 3rd Annual Partner Conference in mid-June, gathering more than 60 partners from across the United States in Newport, Rhode Island.

HappyNest supports over 130 laundromat partners in 38 states to bring the next-day pickup and delivery laundry service to residents and businesses across the nation.

The two-day conference offered HappyNest partners the opportunity to network and share ideas surrounding growth, staffing, operations, and industry trends.

Partners also had the opportunity to engage with various HappyNest team members from departments including Partner Support, Customer Service, Commercial Sales, Technology, and Marketing.

John MacKrell, HappyNest’s founder and CEO, called the conference “the most successful one yet.”

“It was an event organized by HappyNest and led by our partners,” he says. “We are always striving to do better and support our partners as they grow and increase their revenue. Events like our Annual Conference always reinforce the strong sense of community and collaboration.”

Distributor Southeastern Laundry Equipment Sales (SLES) reports it entered into a strategic partnership with investment firm and advisor 4612 Group earlier this year.

Terms of the transaction—which 4612 describes on its website as an “equity” investment type—were not released. The deal closed in February.

As part of the partnership, CEO and owner Chase Brown continues to lead SLES. “We couldn’t be more pleased to be partnering with this unique group that holistically understands our business and culture and is supportive of us reaching our collective goals and advancing our business,” says Brown.

The SLES statement indicates the partnership represents “a commitment to alignment and growth” driven by Brown’s vision for the business, and that 4612 Group aims to support him and SLES “by leveraging its extensive experience in backing founder-led and family-owned businesses.”

Founded in 1976, SLES is a full-service provider of laundry equipment, offering solutions for on-premises, coin and multi-family laundries.

Headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, SLES serves clients across Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

ALLIANCE LAUNDRY PRODUCT LAUNCH VIDEO EARNS TELLY AWARDS When Alliance Laundry Systems launched its advanced lint capture system called ProCapture, the commercial laundry industry took notice. Now, the product launch video has caused the video industry to do the same.

The video recently won four awards at the Telly Awards, which honor excellence in video and television across all screens.

ALLIANCE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS ACQUIRES STAR DISTRIBUTING Alliance Laundry Systems reports that it has acquired the distribution assets of Nashville, Tennessee-based Star Distributing, as well as its Parts King business.

Star is a leading distributor of Speed Queen vended, multi-housing, and on-premises laundry equipment, Alliance says.

“Star Distributing President Michael Davis has been a leader in the laundromat business for decades,” says Craig Dakauskas, senior vice president, Americas Commercial, Alliance Laundry Systems. “Under Michael’s guidance, Star has built a strong reputation for developing great-looking, well-run laundromats.”

Star will become part of the Alliance Laundry Systems Distribution South Region, while maintaining its Nashville office. Parts King operations will continue as normal.

Durwood R. Davis Jr. founded Star Distributing in 1958. In 1995, its coverage area grew with the addition of Michael’s Nashville office. It increased its commitment to the industry further when the younger Davis launched the Parts King spare parts shipping business.

Star has earned a number of awards over the years for its service and finance support to customers in a variety of markets. Its coverage territory spans Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia.

“I’ve long spoken not just on Star’s history but my desire to ensure a lasting legacy that continues for decades to come,” Michael Davis says.

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A screen capture from “Lint Nightmare,” the Alliance Laundry Systems product launch video produced by Clearview Productions and winner of four Telly Awards, which honors excellence in video and television across all screens. (Image: Alliance Laundry Systems/Clearview Productions)

Produced by Oshkosh, Wis.-based Clearview Productions, the video earned the following honors: • Gold — Craft Video and Cinematography • Silver — General Products and Services • Silver – General Sizzler and Promo Reel • Bronze – Craft Editing “I’m so proud of the marketing team for driving a truly creative launch,” says Craig Madson, vice president, Marketing and Product, Alliance Laundry Systems. “The Clearview team did an excellent job of bringing our vision to life and are well-deserving of these industry awards.”

The award-winning video is available to view on YouTube; search for “the end of the ‘Lint Nightmare.’” www.americancoinop.com

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