Is Drop-Off Drycleaning Right for You?

By Wally Makowsky | Jul 21, 2009

Many self-service laundry owners these days are looking to supplement their walk-in and wash-dry-fold business with additional drop-off drycleaning revenue. Although this is a great idea, there are a few questions a store operator should ask before adding this new segment to the business plan.

First of all, you have to determine whether or not you’re in a “drycleaning area.” In general, most really profitable coin laundry areas are typically not very productive drycleaning areas, because the two businesses cater to two very different types of customers. For example, your successful drycleaning areas are generally white collar, with mainly middle- to upper-middle class residents; whereas your typical coin laundry customers are more likely to be blue-collar workers in a lower income range with a few children.

So, that initial determination must be made first. Are you in a thriving drycleaning area? Will you be able to attract enough business to make it worth your while?

If your answer is yes, the next step is to find a nearby drycleaner who will do wholesale work for you. Clearly, you need to find a reliable drycleaner who will pick up the clothes, do a consistently good job of cleaning them, and then deliver them in a timely manner. This drycleaner will do the work for you. Obviously, the closer this drycleaner is to your coin laundry the better service you likely will receive.

Above all, you must be certain that the drycleaner you choose does quality work, won't lose your customers' garments and, in general, won’t create additional problems for you and your business. After all, it's not unheard of to lose coin laundry customers due to drycleaning issues.

A second matter to consider when choosing your drycleaner is to be sure that he guarantees his work and will handle any claims that may arise due to lost or damaged articles. If something is lost, either you or your drycleaner are going to have to settle the score with the customer. As a result, you must be sure that you're covered in this area; work this out well before jumping into a business relationship with whomever you choose to do your drycleaning work.

The third crucial item to consider is whether or not your coin laundry has ample – and proper – room for hanging facilities to handle the type of drycleaning business you hope to attract. Also, do you have the right amount of properly trained labor to tackle that amount of business? If you lack the necessary room or labor at your coin laundry business, it's probably wise to not get involved.

However, if you can answer a resounding yes to the three areas listed above, the other requirements for running a drop-off drycleaning service are relatively simple. For example, your tagging and marking system will no doubt be similar to that of a wash-dry-fold service. What's more, your drycleaner will more than likely tell you what type of tags and tagging system he would prefer you to use so that you can separate his drycleaned items from your laundered garments. The drycleaner should go through all of that with you.

Again, the three important questions are:

1. Can you attract enough business to make it worth your while?
2. Can you find a reliable drycleaner to handle this new segment of your business?
3. Do you have enough room and manpower for such an operation at your self-service laundry?