We are all doing our best to adhere to social distancing guidelines, as the reality of COVID-19 sinks in a bit deeper each day. Because the virus is adept at surviving for long periods on flat surfaces, cleaning is first and foremost, not only for vended laundries, but for all of us.
The second part of the equation is reducing contact points as much as possible. This is where laundromats with a mobile pay option for customers should be recommending it or go mobile pay-only.
Consider the reduction in touch points between a coin customer and one using mobile pay. A coin customer likely will need change, so they are interacting with a change machine upon entering the store. That’s extending their time in the laundry as well. In addition, they are obviously touching each of the pile of quarters or dollar coins, including a second time when they put them into the coin drop on the washer and again in the dryer.
A mobile pay solution removes each of those touch points. Customers using the Speed Queen Insights app can even add value to their mobile wallet at home before coming to the store. Then, the customer enters the store and proceeds immediately to the washer, loads, selects wash, scans the QR code and leaves. Because they have a mobile app, there’s no guesswork on when to return to the store from their car; they are alerted by text message. Same on the dry side – limiting exposure to the environment.
Owners of stores with a mobile pay option are at a clear advantage operationally. Once seating and folding tables are removed, cleaning the laundry is simplified greatly because of the reduced touch points. But we can all agree that the major benefit is improved safety for customers and staff.
If you have the option, it may make sense to go mobile pay-only to ensure a safer experience for all. Marketing this additional feature also will give your store an advantage over coin-only competitors. For owner that have a robust CRM component to their system, they can proactively text app customers (or e-mail them or send an in-app notification) with their operational changes – so customers know what to expect before getting to the store
While good old-fashioned attention to cleanliness is immensely important today, leveraging technology is another way to help ensure a safer experience for customers and staff.
