switch to card system

[super80]

I want switch my coin laundry to a smart card system in order to eliminate machine cheating by customer, any advice on which card system is good and simple to operate??and how much estimate cost for a 23 dryer, 24 top loader and 10 front loader store switch to card system??
by the way, I also want to change some old front loader 35-50 lbs and stack dryer 30 lbs, any advice which band is good?? Dexter or ADC??

[Howard]

I would avoid smartcard systems and go with one that uses mag stripe cards. Smartcards will run you around $3.00 per card versus mag cards that are typically $0.50-$1.00. That adds up very very very fast!!! Go with either EasyCard or Card Concepts, each has advantages. As for dryers I am very happy with ADC.

[super80]

so how much is the easy card cost and is it compatable with existing machine od ADC dryer? suggestion on front loader 35-50 lbs??

[Howard]

No problem with either system on ADC or most washers. You should call them for a quote, but ballpark I would guess you are in the $25-$35K range - but this is just a rough estimate. Remember these systems let you price in one cent increments, so over time you can easly make back what you spend on the system. Do the math.

[trek]

I have all Dexter equipment in my new store, and absolutely love it. When I built the store, I decided to have the Easy Card system built into the store, and now I wouldn't have it any other way. If you are even remotely interested, I'd recomend for you to go for the Easy Card system. Prior to making this decision, I looked at ESD and Greenwald, among the other competition, and chose the Easy Card system because of the cost of cards (mag strip) and the ease of use.

[super80]

Dexter machine reliable?? my mechanic told me Dexter is not a good machine for coin laundry !! any comment on this band of washer and dryer and what is the price of 35lbs and 50lbs washer and 30lbs stack dryer??

[Fred]

Super80, the last quote from Set-O-Matic I got was $4000 for a main card dispenser control, and $250 for each reader and $2500 for software and startup costs. If you have a full-time attendant, then you could get a cheaper value-adder controller where the attendant collects the money and adds the value to the card. Money control is the same because the computer keeps track of the money. Cards were $3.00. All other card systems are in the same price range.

Why do you feel your customers are cheating you?

I have both Wascomat and Dexter frontloaders. The last frontloaders I bought were the Wascomat Emerald Series because they were the only fronts with programable cycle prices for different water temperatures. If Dexter had programables at that time, I would have bought Dexter.

I also have Dexter single and stack dryers because they are the fastest dryers on the market. I want to get the customers in and out as fast as possible./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Fred]

What brand is he selling? Did he work on any Dexter's? Where did he get his information?
I have owned Dexter washers and dryers for over 12 years with little maintenance. T-300's, 10yrs; T400's, 13yrs; T600's, 10yrs and T900's, 3yrs. One bearing job on a T-400, and I think that was because it was used for a repair school demo unit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Howard]

Fred, only smartcards have stupid high prices like that. Mag card systems range from a high of about $1.00 per card, and most are about 1/2 that price.

[Duane]

Super,

When comparing card systems take a good look at the Card Concepts system. I have a fully automated store using CCI and it is great. Very simple to operate from the customers view and the owners view. It also doubles as a time clock if you have attendants, logs problems with each machine and has some great reports built in. I have everything in my store on the card system including the Air hockey and pool tables, vending machine and bathroom door. If you have any questions just let me know.

Duane.

www.LMARIES.com (http://www.LMARIES.com)

[super80]

where can i get more information about the Card Concepts system in los angeles, and how is the security of this card system, can they be cheated or hacked by customers??
do you know anything about Easycard?? thanks for advice!!

[Duane]

I did a comparison of Easy card and CCI about two years ago and found CCI to be much more friendly. Just look at the two and on Easy card you have a whole bunch of instrucions and a small LED screen. On CCI you have a 15" touch screen that says "Touch screen to begin" and the screen steps you through the process using videos and arrow that point to what area you need to insert money or card, etc. Very simple. CCI has a web site www.laundrycard.com (http://www.laundrycard.com) that is under construction, but the contact info is there. Give them a call and ask for some literature. I believe they have set up a store in CA somewhere so you might be able to take a drive and get a closer look.

As of now Easy card DOES NOT work on your MDB (Newer) vending machines, but CCI does. Easy card uses smaller and older computers since they are DOS based. CCI uses newer faster Dell twin computers, one for backup in case the primary goes down. The Easy card software is all in house "programmed" and probably not capable of much expansion. Whereas CCI uses Windows 2000 and MSSQL. With some training a person with MSSQL can write inquiries and do custom reporting if needed. So far CCI's reporting is great and I don't see any need for this, but it could be done.

The cabinets are also different. Easy card gives you two dispensers in one cabinet, but CCI has two dispensers in two cabinets. This way you could space out your dispensers in two parts of your store.

Let me know if you need more.....

Duane.

[Howard]

Duane: Your analysis is fairly accurate as of the state of things two years ago. The analysis of reports is not, as Easycard puts all its data into an MS-Access compatible file format, so you can very easly generate all the reports you want from Access. The store computer does run in DOS, but DOS is much more stable than any windows system - even 2000 or XP.

Easycard is field testing their new system, which will be very similar to what CCI is offering

Anytime you deal with computer technology one system will always be better depending on which generation they are one. Easycard was the first, then came cardconcepts that improved on it, now easycard is coming out with a new system which should improve on cardconcepts.

[Duane]

Howard,

I replied to this thread, but somehow I don't see it here.

Here it is again....

I did call Easy Card before my earlier post and talked to Steve. He never mentioned anything about a newer system coming out (missed opportunity on his part). I did say that I was comparing card systems.

The competition in the market will only make a better and less expensive product which will benefit owners and our customers.

Thanks for the info.

Duane.