Equip Mix

[CDJ]

My mat has machines that are all about 15 years old. It's in a very small (5000 or less) working class city. I'm wondering how I go about figuring out what my equip mix should be considering my clientele.

My impression is that the mat is currently too heavy on top loads:
14 maytag top load
5 18# (Primus Double Hard Mount)
2 35?# (Primus Triple Hard Mount)

I also have 14 30# Huebsch dryers.

I'm considering replacing 5 Maytags with 4 Continental Auroras (because I can soft-mount them), but I want to be sure that it's the right choice for my customers -- is there research or data out there that might help me?

Thanks!

[azkid]

If I was you, I'd ask my customers about their preferences. You should be able to get a feel of it from watching how they use the laundry and by counting your TPD per machine also. How many seniors vs. young families do you have, etc. Vend price may also be a consideration

[CDJ]

Yes -- I do plan to ask my customers, and I think that's a great idea. I know that I've got a good number of seniors and a fair number of students and some large immigrant families. Right now my tpd are higher for the double and triple loaders.

I do have a survey planned to ask my customers their preferences, but I'm curious about other sources of information too -- or gut instinct too from more experienced owners.

I'm at 1.25 for a top load (14)
2.00 double (3), triple 3.00 (2)

The competition is all over the place, from 1.25 to a place that has only double-loads at 2.00 for their cheapest machines; that's the closest one about 1.5 miles away. The rest of the competition is 3-5 miles.

[RWSmith]

Your customers seem to want more front loaders so I would add 2 #50 front loaders.
You should have enough dryer capacity.
I would vend the #50's for $4.00 or $4.50
Good -Luck

[PeterH]

Looks to me like you could use some dryers. Some stacks and 4 50# would handle your bigger loads. Do you ever have bottlenecks?

I like the Auroras, but they are the same capacity as your 18#'s. Would you price them the same?

I'm with Reynolds; a 50# washer is a good idea also.

[CDJ]

Thanks for all the info!

I sometimes get bottlenecks in the dryers -- that's true.

The other problem, though, is that I'm in an old building with a full basement beneath the laundry, so adding hard-mount machines is considerably more expensive.

Do you think that 50's are a good idea even in this case?

[PeterH]

You need to find a distributor who is very close with the equipment manufacturer or contact manufacturers themselves. As far as I know, no one makes a 50# softmount coin-op washer -- Ipso and Continental make a 30# softmount coin-op, and I think you can special order 18# and 30# coin-op softmounts from Wascomat -- but working with the distributor and manufacturer, you might could see if they could adapt a 50# OPL machine to coin. Be prepared for sticker shock, though. If doing a special 50# order is cost prohibitive, then the 30#'s would be the way to go.

[oky2k]

My experiences with Continental 30# Express softmount washer. These washers are over 3 years old now . My experiences... positives: /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif built tough ~ not a single electrical/mech. problem in 3 years old; nice computer control & very programmable; customer loves it; wash/dry cycle done in about 45 minutes. Negatives: /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gifexpensive purchase price, coinbox could be better secure, 30 sec delay start (due to elmination of prewash) after last coin confuse first time user; manuals can be better.

[petefritz]

I would not buy more 20# washers, you have enough 18's, maybe to many.
I agree with others, get more bigger ones, 30's to 50, you can take 2 top-s and put in 1 30 or 50, electric wise.
If the floor is such an issue than look at soft mount 30's

[Scott9876]

Offer the 50# service by installing the OPL machine behind the counter and have the customer pay the attendant for the service. Just a though.