Modern laundromats are moving away from coin operated systems and moving towards cashless payment systems that provide more convenience for their customers. One of the most popular forms of cashless payments at laundromats are laundry card systems. Laundry cards can be topped up by customers for use at specific laundromats or chains. Laundry cards can also be digital, adding even more convenience for customers, and opening the door for the implementation of rewards programs. If you’re thinking of modernizing your laundromat by implementing a laundry card system, here are some key considerations to keep in mind.
Choose the Right Laundry Card Machine
One of the most important considerations is the laundry card machine you choose. There are different types of laundry card machines available in the market. Some are equipped with a laundry card reader, while others may have a bill acceptor, a coin acceptor, or both. The laundry card reader you choose should be easy to use, secure, and reliable. It should also be able to accommodate a large number of customers during peak hours, and require minimal maintenance so that you can keep your operations running 24/7.
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Decide on the Type of Laundry Card System
There are two main types of laundry card systems: closed-loop and open-loop. Closed-loop systems are proprietary, and the card can only be used at your laundromat. Open-loop systems, on the other hand, are more flexible, allowing customers to pay with their regular credit or debit card, for example. Laundry card readers such as Nayax’s VPOS Touch accept both open payments and closed-loop, prepaid payments. This can be a great option if you’d like to give your regulars special treatment without preventing walk-ins form coming in and paying for a one time wash.
As mentioned above, a laundry card can be either physical or digital, such as a prepaid card in a payment app like Monyx Wallet. Digital prepaid cards have advantages for both customers and operators. Customers can simply pay with their phone and don’t have to worry about carrying another card around, and operators can create loyalty programs for prepaid card users, incentivizing them to return. Programs such as punch card campaigns, top-up bonuses, or happy hour discounts ensure that your customers are loyal, only wash their clothes at your laundromat, and keep it full and working at all hours.
Set Up a Management System
To ensure the smooth operation of your laundry card system, you need to set up a management system. This includes software that tracks card usage, reloads, and refunds. If you offer physical laundry cards, you should also have a way to manage lost or stolen cards and issue new ones. In addition, you need to have a system in place to reconcile transactions and provide detailed reports.
On top of just managing your laundry card system, you’ll want to be able to manage your laundry card machines as well to ensure that they’re working properly and are able to accept transactions at all times so that you don’t miss out on a sale. With telemetry technology, you can make sure that you receive information about your machine as well as your sales all in one place. A mobile management app such as MoMa 2.0 allows you to receive alerts either via push notification, SMS, or email. This added flexibility enables you to stay on top of your business no matter where you are.
A management system allows you to stay on top of your business and to manage and monitor your sales, machines, and customers all in one place. Customized reports help you make smart, data-driven decisions about your business such as how to price your services and what kinds of discounts and promotions you should offer. For example, if you see that certain hours of the day are less busy than other, you can offer a happy hour discount during these times to see if you can get more people through the door at off hours. And with multi-pricing features, you can display up to six different prices for your services on the laundry card reader screen, meaning that you can charge different amounts based on the wash time, wash temperature, or more. This is a simple and seamless way to upsell your customers and increase average transaction value. And the best part is that all of this can be managed remotely, helping you save time and money.
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Train Staff and Customers
Training is essential for both your staff and customers. Your staff should be trained on how to use the laundry card system, how to load and reload cards, and how to troubleshoot common issues. Your customers also need to be educated on how to use the system, how to load and reload their cards, and how to report lost or stolen cards.
Hang up signs with instructions throughout your laundromat to help your customers get used to the new system. If you choose to go with digital prepaid cards, add a QR code to your machines encouraging your customers to download the app.
Consider Security Measures
And last but not least, you need to consider security. You need to ensure that the system is secure and that customers’ personal and financial information is protected. Cashless transactions tend to be more secure than cash for operators. With no cash on the premises, the risk of theft is greatly reduced. However, if you go cashless, the most secure way to do this is to make sure that your laundry card reader accepts EMV cashless payments. These payments are encrypted to help prevent fraud, and are one of the best ways to protect both you and your customers.
In conclusion, implementing a laundry card system can be a game-changer for your laundromat business. However, it requires careful planning and consideration of various factors, such as the laundry card machine, the type of laundry card system, the management system, training, and security. If you keep these considerations in mind when you make the switch, you’ll be able to modernize your laundromat to offer your customers the most convenient laundry experience. Ready to get started? Contact us today.
