In order to maintain smooth operations of your multi-housing property and have satisfied residents, it’s important to choose a commercial laundry provider that offers convenience and reliability. It isn’t enough to have a company simply walk into your building and install washers and dryers. You need a commercial laundry partner that you can trust to be available and transparent whenever help is needed.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or thinking of making a change from your current laundry provider, there are several factors to consider before jumping into a commercial laundry contract. We’re here to help break down these points and explain why an experienced laundry provider like Lakeside Laundry Equipment can solve all your short- and long-term needs.
Five Important Points to Consider When Choosing a Commercial Laundry Provider
Before we discuss these considerations, it’s important to think about the big picture and overall happiness of your apartment and multi-family home residents. If you’re currently working with a commercial laundry provider, list out the pros and cons of your working relationship and include any resident feedback in your decision-making process. After all, residents are the primary users of the machines. If you’re new to selecting a laundry provider, do your research to gain a deep understanding of the following points.
1. Laundry space setup
Before a commercial laundry provider can come in and install washing machines and dryers, check to make sure your building’s plumbing, electricity, and venting systems are all up to code. If you need assistance assessing the situation, our team at Lakeside Laundry can help.
If the space needs updating or cleaning, we can help with that as well. These improvements can easily be built into our contract together. To ensure your residents stay happy, we also suggest making sure laundry services can be temporarily available in more than one location in your facility as a backup plan. In the case that maintenance or construction is taking place, residents will still need a convenient way to do their laundry.
2. Maintenance and service
We can’t reiterate enough just how important good service is. At Lakeside Laundry, we take care of our customers in a timely and efficient manner. Many landlords and management companies have to wait several weeks before maintenance takes place. At Lakeside Laundry, if we can't make it the same day, we guarantee we will make the call within the next business day. We even encourage your residents to contact us directly in order to solve urgent issues. That way, your on-site building staff can focus on their own responsibilities.
3. Payment options
Times are changing and the same goes for the way residents pay for laundry services. It’s a pain for residents to have to round up and lug around quarters and it’s even less convenient for owners to have to collect quarters from every machine.
For younger and more tech-savvy tenants, digital payment options are a huge benefit. And for building owners, it’s several fewer trips to the site to collect change and a quicker way to account for your revenue.
As an added bonus, when you switch to digital payment options, it’s now more preferable than ever to purchase and own your commercial laundry machines instead of just leasing them.
4. Equipment and operating costs
The quality of your commercial washers and dryers should never be anything less than top-notch. At Lakeside Laundry, we provide our customers with brand-new machines from the get-go, whether leasing or purchasing.
Considering the cost of the actual equipment is obvious, but there are other factors that play into your budget, including:
- Installation costs
- Ongoing operating costs
- Maintenance fees (at Lakeside Laundry, these will never be a surprise and will always be built into our operating agreement)
- Leasing versus purchasing
- Updated technology (Wi-Fi access for digital payment systems/credit card machines)
We often get asked why commercial-grade laundry machines are necessary as opposed to the average washer and dryer that can be picked up at the local hardware store. The answer is simple: Commercial machines can withstand the constant operation and heavy capacity that domestic machines cannot.
5. Contract components and potential red flags
Finally, be sure to understand every component of your operating agreement. At Lakeside Laundry, we go over each line of contracts with our customers and advise them based on their needs to form an agreement that makes sense and offers peace of mind.
Always be on the lookout for hidden fees like administrative or extra maintenance charges and make sure the percentage of your laundry revenue going to your commercial laundry partner isn’t being gouged to align with increasing CPI rates.
Lakeside Laundry operates on transparency, trust, convenience, and simplicity. When you work with us, you’ll always know what you’re getting without any surprises. We are easy to reach and value excellent service over everything else.
If you’re in the market for a reliable commercial laundry partner and top-quality equipment, contact us today.
