Running a successful laundromat business is about more than ensuring that your washers and dryers are doing their jobs. Optimizing your location and the hours that best suit your customers can make a huge impact on your revenue. If you want to maximize your earning potential, you need to carefully consider how you set your laundromat hours of operation. If your current model isn’t working as well as you had hoped, it may be time to consider some changes.
Typical Laundromat Hours of Operation
Laundromat hours of operation vary from location to location. Some owners choose to keep their businesses open 24 hours a day, while others operate on a limited schedule. For laundromats that aren’t open all day, the owner may choose hours that better suit the working population by opening the laundromat early or closing it late. Carefully consider your location and the people who patronize your laundromat to make the best decision for your business. Finally, if you’re considering a 24-hour operation, analyze the pros and cons first.
The Pros of Running a 24-Hour Laundromat
If you choose to keep your laundromat open 24 hours a day, you’ll have a wider potential customer base. Clean clothes are a necessity for working people, and many people who live in apartments don’t have access to their own laundry equipment. By choosing to keep your location open at all hours, you may become a popular stop for those with irregular hours, including college students and shift workers. In addition, keeping your business open the full day and night may also help you gain an edge over a competitor with fewer hours.
The Cons of Running a 24-Hour Laundromat
Keeping your business open 24/7 often means higher costs and more work for you and your employees. With more people visiting your laundromat, you will need to devote more time to keeping the location clean, and you may need to temporarily block access to some of your machines so that you can clean the area around them. Your washing and drying machines will endure more frequent use, and you will have to spend more time repairing the machines.
In addition, you will need to make a decision about whether to let your laundromat run unattended during non-peak hours. Running your laundromat unattended lets you earn revenue while minimizing your expenses. If you decide to do this, you may want to consider investing in some remote security measures, such as security cameras.
What to Consider When Setting Your Hours
Still not sure what your laundromat hours of operation ought to be? Thinking about the type of business owner you want to be can help you decide. If you want to maximize profits with an unattended laundromat during off-peak hours, a 24-hour laundromat may be the ideal choice for you. If your off-peak traffic isn’t heavy enough to justify keeping your laundromat open at all hours, or if you don’t feel comfortable leaving your machines unattended, then it may be wiser to keep your laundromat open for limited hours each day.
You should also carefully consider your laundromat’s location. For example, maintaining similar hours to nearby retail shops and eateries (like coffeeshops and diners) can help boost your own business. In addition, consider who lives near your laundromat. If your location is frequented by college students of shift workers, keeping your laundromat open 24 hours a day might help you attract more customers.
Changing with the Times
The hours of your laundromat can play a major role in the number of customers that you attract. Keeping your business open for 24 hours a day can help draw more customers, but it’s important to remember the drawbacks as well. Balance the pros and cons to make your final decision, and don’t be afraid to adjust your hours a few weeks or months from now if they aren’t working out as you’d hoped.
If you’re interested in opening a laundromat, be sure to check out Laundry Solutions Company, a full-service provider of premium vended, on-premises, and multi-housing commercial laundry equipment. Since 1976, we have been providing exceptional sales support, laundry design services, commercial laundry equipment (and leasing options), and laundry equipment service and parts. To learn more about our products and services, please give us a call at 800-383-9274 or contact us online. We look forward to hearing from you and we would be happy to offer you more laundry business tips!