Laundromat Management:
If you are a business owner in need of an on-site laundry facility, it’s easy to assume that you are going to have to do everything on your own. From ordering the machines to figuring out how you receive payments from clients, it can be a major endeavor—even if you’re used to big plans.
Thankfully, you never have to go it entirely alone. At SmartoMat, our job is to make sure that you are able to worry about your business rather than your laundry room. We make it possible to get all the right machines, all the accessories you need, and also streamline your business.
A good laundry room has a lot of different elements to it. You already know there’s a demand for high-end eco-friendly washers, electricity-conserving dryers, and amenities like dispensers, chairs, and easy payment methods.
What many business owners don't realize is that they also need software to manage their rooms. This is where SmartoMat’s work truly shines. Our software is one of our best products.
What does laundry management software do?
In the past, laundromats were primarily managed by a person. That person would have to keep a written account book of all the transactions they received, keep track of all the detergent that has to be ordered, and also schedule maintenance.
Along with scheduling maintenance and ordering supplies, the person would also have to deal with logging in work hours, hiring individuals, and keeping an eye on any equipment breakdowns that could impede the room’s functionality. That is a lot of work to track.
Laundry management software replaces much of the work with a single one-stop platform. Good laundry management software is in the eye of the beholder. It’s important to choose a platform that works with the functions that you need for your specific business model.
Track income
This can include tracking different pricing models for different services, tracking the amount of money taken in via each unit, and more. This makes accounting a breeze and can also help you (as a business owner) predict how much money you make, if you choose to charge people to use the facilities.
If your laundry room has a point of sale, then it should be able to link up to your software and create reports. Income tracking can be done through a wide range of different methods. It just depends on which method you use to get paid by clients.
Automate maintenance scheduling
Rather than have to put an alert on your phone on when to hire a handyman, wouldn’t it be easier to let your software kit do it for you? Laundry management software can automatically schedule maintenance or just add it to your own to-do list.
Keep notes on specific units
Does a washer unit regularly receive complaints about a mildew smell? Do you have a dryer that’s squeaky as a mouse? Good laundry management software can make notes if you get client complaints and also make it possible to call a repair company in a pinch.
Being able to make maintenance notes or quick submissions to a laundry management company can revolutionize the way your laundromat is run. It can also make communication between you and your repair crew easier.
Fast repair calls without a phone call
Anyone who has ever worked in a laundromat or owned a faulty washing machine can tell you that it only takes a small blip in time to create a chaotic scene in your room. Floods can ruin floors in an instant, so it’s crucial to get those repairs in time.
If you have great software, then you will have no problem being able to stop disasters just as they happen. In fact, Smartomat’s software makes it possible to alert local repair crews the instant something goes awry.
Remote monitoring
Traditionally, laundry room management would require hiring someone to watch over the room whenever it was in use. This is costly and also doesn’t always make much sense. Hiring good help can be difficult, and so can be retaining it.
Great laundry management software will allow you to monitor your machines at a distance. That includes seeing which machines are being used, which need maintenance, and which machines are getting error messages.
Alerts
Monitoring alone is not enough to make a difference. You need to be made aware of any distinct changes that happen to your machines as they happen. For example, if a machine breaks down, you can’t wait until the next week’s report to find that out.
Good software kits will ofter alerts that are easy to spot. A good way to get alerted to happenings in your laundry room would be by the use of text messages.
Advanced reporting
Advanced reporting can include finding out when your room’s peak hours are, how much income you can predict on getting every day, when you should expect to run out of laundry detergent, and when you need to call a repair staff member.
In other words, it shows the success of your room at a glance. Advanced reporting is typically done at least once a month, with many programs offering to do it on a weekly basis.
Where do you access laundry management software?
This all depends on the software kit that you chose as well as the craters of the software. Certain companies that offer Point-of-Sale terminals may have a built-in software kit that they use for people who run a room’s checkout line.
This is great if you are in the laundromat business, but it’s a poor choice if you just want to have a laundry room. For people in a business like an apartment or a hotel, your best bet is to choose software that can be accessed through a phone—like SmartoMat’s!
Some also have a hybrid platform that can be accessed through terminals as well as cellphones.
Are there any situations where laundry management software might not make sense?
Generally speaking, laundry management software tends to be used exclusively for rooms with multiple machines used by multiple people. This would include retail laundromats, apartment-wide laundry rooms, as well as hotel laundry rooms meant for long-term travelers.
If you have laundry equipment in individual apartments, laundry management software may not be the best option for you. In most cases, your tenants will tell you when there is a problem with their machine and they will usually be in charge of paying for the electricity and water the machine uses.
With that said, each situation is different. Having a professional laundry management consultant talk with you is the best way to find a plan that works with your goals.
How can you tell if a laundry management software kit is right for you?
Every laundry operation is going to be different—and that means that you have to use your own judgment when it comes to choosing software. With that said, certain traits can tell you if a specific software platform is right for you:
Is it capable of performing functions you need? Income reporting and working with staff hours can be important if you have someone behind the counter. However, if you want to have a fully automated, separately managed laundry room, this doesn’t make sense. Having remote monitoring, on the other hand, would be very important to you.
Does the software make it easy for you to keep your machines in good shape? A laundry management kit that doesn’t make repairs a cinch is not a kit worth having. Fast action is a must for laundry rooms, and the more units you have, the more important it is to get a repairman there as soon as it’s needed.
Can you access it with ease? More and more business owners are choosing to get laundromat management software that works with their phones. Being able to see everything via an app is a cinch, and also makes your workflow easier. As long as you have a phone and login ready, you should be able to see what’s going on with your laundry room.
Do you get any form of customer support with the software? Anyone can put software out onto the market and say it’s good. However, if you don’t have anyone to call when something goes awry with it, it’s going to be pretty useless in long-term situations. Customer service should be prompt, individualized, and easy to access.
How much does it cost? Affordability is always a major issue with any type of business endeavor. If it doesn’t fit in your budget, it’s best to look into a more affordable alternative for you.
Is it easy to use? While it’s true that most people do have some level of tech savvy these days, the truth is that software can stll be a pain to learn. With any form of business software, a fast learning curve can help iron out issues and decrease the chances of problems with your business.
How much of your work can be automated through the software? Software is there to make your life easier and reduce the number of people you have to hire in order to keep your business running. If it does not help you do that, then there is a problem. Automation is one of the most important parts of software, because that’s how you cut your worktime.
Does the software in question work with my currently workflow? Your laundry room will have a certain way things are done. Whether it’s a payment terminal or just a bunch of remote monitoring apps doesn’t matter. What matters is that you want your software to link up with your equipment seamlessly.
Quick Note: If you have a laundry room that is prone to vandalism or similar issues, you may want to get a security monitoring program alongside your laundry management software. In many cases, having video apps or access control apps can keep your laundry units safe and protect your bottom line.
Where should you look for laundry management software?
It depends on your situation, but it often boils down to how you run your laundry room. Retail laundromats often have software provided to them by their payments processor terminal companies, which is then maintained by on-site staffers they hire.
If you don’t have a laundry management company you work with and don’t have retail-style laundromat employees at your facility, you might need to do your own research to find the software that’s right for you. This can include digging around on the net, or just asking for a referral.
In many cases, it’s actually best to work with a laundry management company that offers end-to-end support. This will give you the opportunity to get your machines, software, workflow, and accessories all under one roof. It also tends to mean that you can reach their customer service for almost anything.
Working with a laundry room management company also may mean that they have their own unique in-house software. That’s what SmartoMat does, and that’s specifically why we made it. We worked to create highly-secured, specially-tailored software for busy business owners like you.
Need help managing a laundry room?
If so, then laundry management software might be only part of the solution that you need. There’s a good chance that you may need to have a company help you streamline every part of your laundry room experience. The question is, who are you going to hire to help you out?
At SmartoMat, we don’t just offer high-end laundry room management software. We are an end-to-end company that works with every single facet of your laundry room’s needs. That makes it easy for you to sync up your work flow, find the right machines, and also bolster your profits.
No matter how big or small the project is, we can make it easier for you to handle. Just give us a call, and we can get started today.
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