Store Layout

[controllersteve]

In my laundry I have two rows of dryers on the outside walls facing in. One row has 8 30 pound stack dryers. The other row has 8 single pocket dryers which are about 20 years old. I want to replace these older dryers. I have an offer from a dealer at a fantastic price. Problem is the dryers are a different brand than the stack dryers. I really want same brand of dryers on both sides but this may be too good of a deal to pass up. My question is how important is it to have similar equipment? Will the store look like I have no master plan if I mix brands? Will customers care? In ten years will I wonder why I did that? Will I have inventory problems? That is more than one question but you get the idea.

[canon]

It's not the most ideal situation, but it will work fine because you are changing a whole wall. Nothing looks trashier than mixed machines within a row or block.You should replace machines in groups. Your customers will appreciate the new equipment.

[Howard]

The one problem you might have is balancing the machines so they take the same amount of time to dry a load. If you don't do that you will likely find that customers develop a strong preference to only use the machines on one side of the store that dry faster.

I know when I bought my store there was a similar sort of mix and the old owner ended up giving more minutes per quarter on the machines that dried slower.

What you will probably want to do (even before you let customers use the new machines) is adjust their temperature to give the same equivalent drying performance. The other option is to adopt a pricing strategy to charge more for the faster drying units.

[STOUT]

I have put a row of different brand of washers in my place about 4 years ago. To this day no one has said any negative comments. They like the newer units.
I do not believe that customers much care as long as you keep your place in tip top condition.

[Howard]

Washers and dryers are very different animals. Customers accepting variability in washers but not with dryers.

[STOUT]

Originally Posted by Howard

Washers and dryers are very different animals. Customers accepting variability in washers but not with dryers.

In your opinion why is that?

[Howard]

Originally Posted by STOUT

In your opinion why is that?

Because a customer puts their clothing in a washer and that is it until the cycle is done. You can't open the machine and check the process out as it is going. That is not the case for dryers, customers micro manage the drying process. They put their hands on the glass to check how hot it is. They often open the door to check what is going on. They take some cloths out partway through the process and then dry the remaining stuff longer.

Even with all the same model dryers there are certain customers that will only use certain machines because they "know" which ones are better. When you add complexity with two types of dryers of the same size you are asking for complaints. The customers will very quickly learn which ones they feel are better.

[Xiong]

my preference would be same brand of machines in the laundromat.

mix and match just be too troublesome, from keeping parts, uniform operations, customer issues, etc...

yes, some customers have a perception that a particular dryer is much better than the others, even though all the dryers are the same brand and programmed the same way. in my mats, each one has a favorite dryer and washer for the customers; they are not necessary the one closest to the doors either. seems like it's a psychological human behavior

someday, if space permitted, i think building a mat using the concept of assembly system might work well. that is by having all the washers at the entrance door and having all the dryers in the middle, then all the folding tables at the exit door. so you would need two doors for access

[Howard]

Well I guess that could work, but only in you hired a valet to move their cars from the front of the store to the back of the store.

[bodman]

Hello i have 5 mats and my 2nd best mat has, wasco dryers, adc dryers two models,3 speed queen antiques, one ipso 80lb and one new stack sq. washers are wasco , speed queen, and huebch . That store is the price leader in the area ( still under priced) today I passed by my 4 closest competitors not one customer inside mat. arrived at mine and had to park in the convience store next door not a space to be had, Putting 2 different brands of dryers across from each other no problem. If the older ones look tired Paint them. If the new ones allow you to do full cycle drying set them up that way from the get go.