Sparkling Sight, Clean and Bright

“It was the automation that particularly attracted me to a Speed Queen laundromat,’ says new operator of Manurewa Speed Queen-equipped Sudz Laundromat, Jason Foord. “We run a frozen food business, but we are always looking to diversify our income. The low management requirement through Speed Queen’s automated systems had huge appeal.”

Speed Queen is not a franchise, it must be noted. Owners like Jason operate under their own brand, which can bring advantages to those looking for good ‘hands-free’ investments. “We were quite lucky” he explains, “because we started with a superb site. One of the business partners in Sudz was relocating his operation and wondered what else his building could be used for.  When we looked at what makes a great laundromat location, we realised that all we had to do was make it smart, brightly lit and open the doors!”

Not just about machines

Jason explains how he’d first had the idea of opening a laundromat four or five years ago. “Running a full-time business meant I didn’t have much time to put into researching it, however,” he says. 

“When we eventually did open a laundromat, what was vital was that it didn’t interfere with our already successful business. We boiled down our equipment supply option to two providers. Speed Queen won the day for two reasons. Firstly, their focus was on helping us create a successful business. It wasn’t just about machines. 

“Having said that, the second reason was their equipment. The industrial, American-made, robust-as-blazes machinery could easily last over 20 years, which makes them a very good return on investment.  More than that, the machines are incredibly smart. The combination of the touch screen wizard with the payment system makes it very intuitive for customers. We literally have no ‘how to use’ or pricing signage… We don’t need it with Speed Queen,” says Jason.

“Our ability to remotely manage our laundromat is excellent. The combination of cameras, remote capabilities of the payment system and cloud connectivity to the Speed Queen machines means we can do almost everything remotely,” Jason said. “What little we can’t do remotely, we can ask the cleaners to do while they are there.”

Imagination and experience

Having chosen Speed Queen as the supplier, Jason was more than impressed at the management of the process and subsequent fit-out. “We were first timers, but Speed Queen have done it all dozens of times and never failed. They helped us with various applications and consents, and they knew who to approach afterwards to get things speeding along. They were superb!”

The latest Speed Queen laundromat, on the southern side of a main road in Manurewa, has benefited from the imagination and experience of all parties involved. “The site is ideal,” says Jason. 

“It’s lovely and bright in the sunshine and we spent money to make sure it is lit up at night, which is vital for 24-hour operation. We’ve gone for a bright, eye-catching blue, which stands out on the road, and there is ample parking.”

Jason explained how Speed Queen helped ensure the space was fully utilised, including 3D design plans to show how the 47 machines would look after installation. 

“Most operators go for big local leaflet drops, but our position is so visually prominent that we felt we didn’t need to. The only marketing we’ve done so far has been ads on social media and flags over the footpath.” 

Always attractive to customers

Does Jason’s new business do what he hoped it would do? “In a word - yes! It is early days, but my fellow investors and I are really happy so far. It has started off better than we thought, which is amazing given it takes a couple of years for a new laundromat to really reach full potential.”

“It’s been a tremendous experience working with Speed Queen. They held our hands through the process far more than I was expecting. Now that the business is up and running, success is down to us as business operators, but we know Speed Queen is still there to help.

“Provided it is kept clean, bright, polished and always attractive to customers, we are confident it will continue to do really well with the lightest of input from us. That’s exactly what we wanted.”

A medium-sized investment with Speed Queen Laundromats will be between $250,000 and $300,000, says Speed Queen Head of Laundromat Sales, Royce Little. “Automation and fully cashless operation make a laundromat such a compelling investment,” he explains. 

“Some of our owners live a long way from their laundromats. With no cash handled on site, there is minimal temptation for break-ins. And you can be open 24 hours a day.

“The return on investment is in the region of, or better than, 20-30%. So, if this sounds like you, why not get in contact with me!” 

See this advertorial on page 55 of Franchise New Zealand magazine Year 33 Issue 3

Contact details for Speed Queen

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