|
Take a walk through your store looking at it as your customers might view it. What do your customers see when they come into your business? Do they see burned out lights on your store’s signs? Are there more machines out of service than in service? Do visitors trip over cracked concrete on your store’s sidewalk? Use a restroom that isn’t adequately stocked or not cleaned? If you don’t like what you see, then probably need to make a few updates to your existing location.
1. Give them a sign.
Store signage can be the one thing that has the biggest impact on your store’s exterior. An outdated or worn-looking sign does one of two things: It causes potential customers to make an immediate negative judgment of the laundry, or it allows them to overlook the store altogether. Does your sign look clean and professional? Can it be read from the street? Does it need to be cleaned or repaired? Consider investing in a current sign, as large as zoning and the landlord will allow and full of color that includes your company logo and phone number.
If your store has a beautiful new parking lot or street-side sign, maintain the look of the sign throughout the store. Hang smaller versions of the sign above the doors and/or on the walls inside. Use the same typeface, design and/or colors in any mailing or print advertisements. This reinforces your store’s image and brand, and helps keep your communications to your customers consistent.
Awnings are another type of exterior decoration that can look fantastic when done well. Custom awnings can be done in the store’s color scheme and can be printed with the logo as well as any special services offered, such as drop-off or dry-cleaning. Some awnings can even be illuminated for visibility at night or in bad weather. They also keep the customers and passersby
dry in a rainstorm and shaded during the height of summer.
2. Give Your Store Front a Face Lift.
If your building codes and lease allow, consider remodeling your store façade to give your laundromat a whole new life. Even just repainting or power washing the outside walls can make a world of difference. Consider installing more or larger windows, installing a new roof or adding aluminum or cedar siding. Landscaping can transform a drab, barren store into a lush green eye-catcher. Careful planting of trees, shrubs and flower beds provide beauty and also cover up unsightly meters, drains and pipes. If there are mature trees on the property, make sure they do not block your store from traffic, or obstruct view of your signage. Prune any trees or shrubs regularly and remove any obtrusive branches.
Sealing, black-topping and restriping the parking lot can work miracles on the outside. Not only will the exterior of the store look nicer, but traffic flow will also improve when customers can see which direction to go in and where to park.
3. Open your doors for business.
Is your entryway inviting and customer friendly? Are the main doors wide enough for customers to come through with large bundles? Do they open easily and close tightly? Automatic doors are extremely helpful to laundry customers, and they keep air conditioning and heat in the store where it belongs. If you don’t have automatic doors, customers will often prop a door open with a chair or cart to bring in several loads, which can waste energy and let in insects. Automatic doors eliminate this, making them cost-effective as well as useful and attractive.
Does the store have a ramp leading from the sidewalk to the parking lot? Not only does a ramp meet ADA standards, but it also makes it easier for customers who use the laundry carts to get cleaned clothes to their cars.
4. Look down.
Does the floor gleam like the rest of the store? Is it even, uniform and attractive? How well does it reflect the light from overhead fixtures?
The floor does not have to be the most expensive tile to look nice and to do its job. Nearly every type of flooring can work for a laundry with proper upkeep — some just do it better than others.
Cement floors are cheap and easy to install. However, they also crack and are hard to keep clean. If the store has a cement floor and cannot be upgraded at this time, have it sealed. Sealing makes the floor easier to mop and it looks professional. Some owners have even painted a “tile” pattern onto the cement. This does look nice for a short period, but the floors take such a beating that the paint can wear off in a short time.
Vinyl tile is more expensive, but with proper care it can look great and last for years. The main problem with vinyl tile is that it requires regular buffing in addition to mopping and sweeping. If the vinyl tile is looking worn, consider replacing it — especially if it is more than five years old. If it cannot be replaced, consider stripping and buffing it. The entire store will have a different look with a clean, shiny floor.
Replace broken, bulging or worn tiles. Not only are these unsightly, but they are also a liability problem. If they cannot be replaced, at least mark them clearly.
Ceramic tile is the king of laundry flooring. It wears well, requires little more than regular mopping and looks fantastic. It is also very expensive and is slippery when wet. If the store has ceramic tile, check it regularly for cracks and either replace or fill the offending tiles. No matter what type of flooring is in the store, consider laying down clean, attractive carpet runners in high-traffic areas. This protects the floor and can cut down on slips and falls.
Always keep the floors mopped and swept. Adding a few strips of colored tile along the walls or around the washing machines splashes color onto an otherwise drab floor. If there is a children’s area, use colored tile or lay down a washable area rug with a children’s motif.
5. Machine Care and Repair.
The first step in sprucing up the machines is to clean them, inside and out. This provides a clear view of what needs to be changed. Once they are clean, check carefully for rust, dents, peeling or chipped paint and other signs of wear. Determine which machines really need to be replaced and which just need a bit of a “face lift.”
Stainless steel machines can be polished with special cleaners and rubbing compounds. Dexter does offer their own brand of stainless steel cleaner that is available for machines. Ask your Dexter Authorized Distributor for more details.
If the machines still look bad, consider replacing the front panels. Most distributors also stock the washing instructions stickers for the frontload machines. Replacing these decals can make a big cosmetic difference. Also, do a thorough cleaning of the door glass using vinegar and commercial cleaners to remove calcium, lime and soap scale.
Replace any loose or worn door handles. Painting the machine base a bright color can help perk up an older row of fronts.
Top-loaders can also have panels replaced, or they can be sandblasted and repainted for about half of the replacement cost. Don’t put a fresh coat of paint over another since the paint does not adhere well.
Bulkheads can be replaced or refinished as well. Make the best use of the bulkheads by decorating them with plants, professional-looking signage or laundry-related knickknacks.
6. Finishing Touches.
Make the most of the space above the dryers. Do not clutter the area up with signage. Hang artwork from local artists. Paint a laundry-related mural. Sell ad space to other local businesses. Run neon bulbs along the wall. If nothing else, paint it and hang a decorative wallpaper border along the top. Anything is better than a boring, white wall.
Replace or refinish the folding tables, and add some extra tables if there is space. Most laundry owners (and customers) agree that there can never be too many folding tables. If the store does not have a television, consider adding one. If there is no adequate wall or counter space, hang one from the ceiling on a bracket, tilted down so customers can see it.
The same goes for clocks. Customers need to keep track of time to get their loads changed and finished quickly. A large, classroom-style clock is inexpensive and attractive.
Check all of the laundry carts for sharp edges. If they cannot be replaced, at least file down the edges or replace the bumpers. Not only are sharp edges dangerous to customers, but they can also scratch the machines.
Cleaning the fixtures and replacing burned out bulbs improve the store’s appearance at virtually no cost, and are also energy efficient. Yellowed louvers can cast an ugly glow on any store. Dirty bulbs diffuse the light, making even the cleanest store look dingy. Cracked louvers look terrible and cause light to pass through them unevenly. Replace them quickly.
There is no such thing as too much light in a laundry. Install quality lighting and lots of it. Skylights also work well and cut down on electricity and heating costs. Keep the windows clean and try not to completely block sunlight with signage.
With all the basic improvements made in the store, it is time to add those final touches that make the store a pleasant place to visit. Plants, whether real or artificial, look great and are inexpensive. Place them along bulkheads, at the attendant counter and on top of machines (always leave room for customers’ bottles and bundles). Mirrors can make a small store look and feel larger and also help reflect the light around the store. Be sure to keep them clean.
If there is room for a children’s area, consider adding a molded plastic playhouse from a toy store. They look cute, are easy to clean and very hard to break.
Ceiling fans are a welcome addition to any store. They are very attractive and keep the air circulating well, even when all the dryers are going at once.
Once the store’s “face lift” is complete, don’t let it go unnoticed. Customers will appreciate it when the store is more inviting. Promote it. Hang a “Grand Reopening” banner out in front. Advertise the changes in the local paper. Best of all, these upgrades can help justify an increase in vend price, if desired. Banners are available from your Dexter Authorized Distributor.
|
