All small business owners fall into the same trap. We build or acquire a business and have our eyes trained on every minute detail. Laser focus is applied to your entire operation. However, as time goes by, we often fall into a daily routine. While routines are good, they can mean the slow demise of a well run business. When we get into a routine we stop seeing the entire picture. You're busy with collections, machine repairs, payroll, and everything else that comes with being the boss.
I can't tell you how many laundromats I walk into where this is the case. Fans and register covers dripping with dust, gunk and grime between machines, soap compartments and gaskets sporting a nice greenish hue and cart wheels that have been devoured by the hair monster. While large improvements can cost big money, paying attention to these small details does not. However small, they matter. Customers notice. You too would notice...if you were a customer.
I encourage all my clients to take off your "boss" hat once a month and put on your "customer" hat. Bring in a load of laundry, use your changer, load your machines, and see your business from the other side of the counter. This will take only an hour or so of your time but it could be worth hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars. Spend your time as a secret shopper noticing all the details of your laundromat. You may be surprised what you find and you'll likely be pretty surprised at how many simple, yet meaningful improvements can come from it.
Happy collecting!
© 2024 Midwest Laundries Inc .
Jim Schultz
Author
Jim Schultz is the President of Midwest Laundries Inc.