Do you want to start and run a laundry business successfully? If YES, here are 10 greatest challenges you should expect when running a laundry or laundromat.
Now every business, no matter how lucrative the business is comes with its own fair share of challenges. The fact that laundry business seems to be a profitable business does not mean that you are not going to encounter some form of challenges when you start the business.
Either way, the challenges people who own laundry business face varies from region to region and from country to country. The bottom line is that there are challenges that are unique to laundry business.
If you are able to conduct detailed feasibility studies and market survey before setting up your own laundry business, you will be fortunate to take note of the common challenges those who operate laundry business face in the location you intend opening your own laundry business.
The truth is that once you are able to highlight the numerous challenges that confront owners of laundry business in your choice location, it will make it easier for you to devise a means to overcome some or even all of the challenges.
No doubt there is the possibility that even if you have been informed of the challenges you are going to face in running your own business, you will still struggle to overcome some of the challenges. One of the means to overcoming business challenges is to consult business consultants who have robust experience in the industry.
Now let us quickly consider the unique challenges you are going to face if you want to run a laundry business;
Challenges of Running a Laundry Business Successfully
1. Issues of Missing Clothes
One of the unique challenges that you are likely going to face in your laundry business is the issues of missing clothes. Of course, if you have enough clients with loads of clothes to dry – clean, there is the likelihood that you might misplace a clients’ clothe.
It could be a missing shirt, missing pants or most commonly, and missing singlet. In order to overcome this challenge, you must adopt effective documentation of items (proper labeling and handling) at every stage of the process of dry cleaning the clothes.
2. Issues of Stained Clothes
Another challenge that is unique to laundry business is the issue of stained clothes. If you are not careful whilst washing, some clothes could run and you might end up staining other clothes in the washing machine.
That is why it is important to properly read the label on the clothe and then follow the instructions as stated. In most cases manufacturers of clothes which run will indicate it on the label and advise that it should not be washed alongside other clothes.
The truth is that most clients will not take it likely once you stain their clothes. In some cases, you might have to replace the cloth if you come across an unyielding customer.
3. Rainy / Wet Days
Laundry owners appreciate it when the weather is sunny because it provides enough heat for them to dry clothes especially if they don’t have industrial laundry dryer. As a laundry owner one of the challenges you are going to face is rainy / wet days.
It is quite unfortunate that rainy days can’t possibly be eliminated, all you need to do is to devise a means to dry your clothes that is why clothes drying machine was invented to mitigate this challenge .
4. Burnt Clothes
If you are not careful whilst using industrial pressing iron you are likely going to get your clients’ clothes burnt. It is advisable to read the label on the shirt / clothe to know the heat that is suitable for ironing it. Of course you know that you can’t use same temperature to iron clothes made of silk and clothes made of pure cotton.
5. Clean Water Supply
Another challenge you are likely going to face as you start your own laundry business is the challenge of constant clean water supply.
If you live in some part of the world- especially in places that are prone to scarcity of water, you will agree that getting constant supply of clean water can sometime be difficult. The truth is that you need clean water to be able to effectively wash dirty clothes.
6. Electrical Power Supply
Constant electrical power supply is yet another challenge that you are likely going to face when you start your own laundry business. Epileptic power supply is common in third world countries and laundry businesses rely on electrical power to do their job.
In order to overcome this challenge, you should generate your own electrical power yourself; a standby generator will be of great help.
7. Meeting Up With Delivery Time (Set targets)
There is a stage of growth in your laundry business that you may be faced with the challenge of meeting up with delivery time. The truth is that if you do not properly manage the growth of your business you will definitely face this challenge. So, ensure that you adopt strategy that will help you meet up with set targets even if it means hiring more hands.
8. Sourcing for Clients
If you are starting out with your laundry business, one of the challenges that you are likely going to face is the challenge of attracting customers. Sourcing for customers for a new business can be quite challenging especially if there are other established laundry shops in your location.
9. Enough Space (Bigger Facility) in Good Location
Operating a laundry business requires enough space for sorting out clothes, washing, ironing, packaging and storing the clothes. If you intend starting your laundry business in the city, you will definitely be confronted with the challenge of securing a facility with enough space to effectively carry out your laundry job.
10. Equipment Breakdown
The various Equipment you have is subject to wear and tear, hence you should expect that your laundry equipment will breakdown at some point. The truth is that if you don’t have a back – up equipment and you are not prepared for an equipment breakdown, you are likely going to get stranded once your laundry equipment breakdowns during operation.
11. It requires a technical know how
You can’t just wake up and setup a laundry shop. You will need to first know how to run a laundry shop, operate the machines, take customers order, sort the clothes, etc. Therefore, establishing a laundry business requires a lot of technical experiences in order to be able to manage and control the affairs of the business.
12. Competition
This can force you out of business especially when you are not prepared and you don’t have any competitive advantage. There you have it; the unique challenges of running a laundry business.
In Conclusion
If you have being able to build your laundry business in such a way that your brand is generally accepted by people in your community, then one of the idea that you need to introduce is to open various outlets of your laundry shop in different part of town.
It will make it easier for your clients that are far away from you to connect with you since the business is now closer to them.