CLA Hits the Road

As the self-service laundry industry’s fall “show season” heats up, many on the Coin Laundry Association staff are hitting the road. They’ll be attending – and often speaking at – many of the various distributor trade shows, open houses and sales events across the U.S. in the next couple of months, as well as several of the fall meetings scheduled by the CLA’s local and regional affiliates.

A large part of the association’s mission is to connect, in person, with those on the “frontlines” of the coin laundry business – to view the very latest industry trends first hand and to hear the day-to-day issues store operators face up close and personal.
Of course, in today’s economic climate, that connection the CLA has developed with the industry is even more crucial than ever, helping the association best serve the needs of today’s laundry owners.

As CLA staffers criss-cross the country while traveling to and from these events, they will be reporting back to you – and posting the highlights of their trips in this “travel blog” right here at PlanetLaundry.com…

Pictured: Brian Wallace, President/CEO, Coin Laundry Association; Dan Grise, Teeters Products; Doug Grise, Teeters Products

October 9, 2009
Iowa Self-Service Laundry Association – Inaugural Meeting
Des Moines, Iowa

Pictured: Daryl Johnson, President, Iowa Self-Service Laundry Association; Brian Wallace, President/CEO, Coin Laundry Association; Todd Santoro, Vice-President, Iowa Self-Service Laundry Association

Pictured: Steve Siggelink, Credit Supervisor, Alliance Laundry Systems; Noel Orozco, Sales Manager, Statewide Laundry Equipment; Brian Wallace, President/CEO, Coin Laundry Association; Tom Fleck, Regional Sales Manager, Alliance Laundry Systems

Pictured: Steve Seggelink, Credit Supervisor, Alliance Laundry Systems; Tom Fleck, Regional Manager-Speed Queen, Alliance Laundry Systems; Jim Rogers, General Manager, Statewide – Your Florida Laundry Company; Brian Wallace, President/CEO, Coin Laundry Association

I began a two-city visit to Florida by attending Statewide Equipment’s 2009 Profit Seminars & Sale in Jacksonville. It was interesting to hear about the recession’s impact on Florida and how laundry owners are coping. I presented my seminar, “Surviving in a Tough Economy,” to an audience that was definitely feeling the impact of a tough state economy. Many of the laundry owners reported a decline in customer populations – a problem that is difficult to solve.

We discussed the many down-economy opportunities presented in the laundry business, from lease renegotiation to the purchase of inexpensive advertising. Despite the challenges, I found the laundry operators attending the show to be optimistic and encouraged to make further improvements to their businesses.

Several members of the Florida Coin Laundry Association were in attendance and talked about the natural gas and propane buying programs, which have saved them thousands of dollars in recent years. I added comments about CLA’s new programs, LaundryWeb Network and DIY Direct. In other words, the economy may be tough, but there are many resources available to laundry owners who are willing to take advantage of the help.

My appreciation goes out to Statewide for being one of those resources that can help laundry owners survive this tough economy.

Statewide – Your Florida Laundry Company
2009 Profit Seminars & Sale
October 3, 2009
Hialeah, Fla.

I always enjoy the several trips I make to the West Coast each year on behalf of the Coin Laundry Association – including the PWS distributor show in Los Angeles. And the company’s most recent event was no exception. Year in and year out, this show is one of the best-attended shows in the country.

In addition, this year’s PWS show was the first one I attended since the CLA rolled out its newest member benefits a few months ago at Clean ’09 in New Orleans. To be able to tell our store-owner members that the association will build and host a Web site for them – for free – was a very rewarding experience. Everyone likes free.

The other new benefit, DIY Direct, is an Internet-based advertising program that allows CLA members to design door hangers, postcards, print ads and more. Plus, laundry owners can target specifically where they want the postcards to go and actually send them directly from their home computers.

While at the PWS event, I also had the privilege of presenting “Clean & Green – Making Your Laundry Eco-Friendly.” Of course, the great thing about this industry and its relationship with the suddenly hip and fashionable “green movement” is the fact that self-service laundry operators were “green” long before it became the politically correct way to go.

Let’s face it, laundry owners have always had a huge, built-in incentive to seek the most efficient ways to conserve energy and reduce utility consumption… they’re called profits. If you own frontloaders, those machines will wash more pounds of clothes per gallon of water than most home toploading machines. The other benefit to being “green” is the fact that you will save money by reducing your energy consumption and help the environment at the same time.

Another enjoyable part of getting out of the office to meet with today’s laundry owners is getting to visit with many of the representatives from the industry’s top manufacturers as well. Traveling from show to show, many of us become familiar and welcome faces to each other when we are away from home. When you’ve been on your feet all day and begin to unwind for the evening, good conversation and a few laughs with industry colleagues is a great way to do it. I even asked Frank Rowe from R&B Wire Products to take my photo for this blog; however, based on the composition, I’m beginning to wonder how much he really likes me after all. He told me he thinks I’m “a star” of the industry… I’m still not quite sure what he meant by that.

Picture: Andy Kretz, President, Dexter Laundry; Joe Frankian, General Manager, D&M Equipment Co.; Don Tomasian, President, D&M Equipment Co.; Brian Wallace, President/CEO, Coin Laundry Association; Kevin Hietpas, Director of Sales & Marketing, Dexter Laundry

I know this show was in my hometown, but I still wanted to add it to my travel blog as a well-attended, professional open house with a focus on educating laundry owners. So, I didn’t rack up any frequent flier miles, but it was valuable opportunity to visit with laundry owners from Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana.

Factory representatives from all of the vendors in attendance gave helpful mini-seminars in their areas of expertise on everything from washer and dryer repair to natural gas purchase contracts and water heating systems – and more. By the time I had an opportunity to chat with the audience, they had soaked in several informative presentations.

With an audience of primarily laundry owners from Illinois, I focused my remarks on the looming threat of sales tax on self-service laundry in the state. Earlier this year, a bill passed out of the House in Springfield that would have removed the existing sales tax exemption for laundries in Illinois. Thankfully, the bill was lost in the 11th-hour budget battle that followed, but it remains the CLA’s top legislative priority. The CLA, along with the Illinois Coin Laundry Association and other industry partners have spent the legislative recess discussing strategy and planning a vigorous defense of the exemption in 2010. With most state budgets crashing, we all must watch vigilantly over the sales tax exemptions enjoyed by laundry owners in 44 states.

Thanks to Don Tomasian, Joe Frankian and the entire D&M team for their hospitality during my hometown visit!

Statewide – Your Florida Laundry Company
2009 Profit Seminars & Sale
October 2, 2009
Jacksonville, Fla.

Pictured: Mike Worthy, Sales Manager, Justin Laundry Systems; Brian Wallace, President/CEO, Coin Laundry Association; Phil Gray, President, Justin Laundry Systems

Today, I enjoyed a return visit to Justin Laundry Systems in Little Rock, Ark., as guest speaker at the 2009 Fall Conference & Business Improvement Seminars. Laundry owners from all over the state attended this combination of equipment exhibits and seminar education. I found this group of experienced laundry owners to be very willing to share their success stories and help one another improve their laundries.

The first of two seminars I presented was entitled “The Future of Self-Service Laundry.” The audience and I looked into the crystal ball and tried to predict the future of our business. While no one knew exactly what’s coming next, it was easy to identify the factors that will guide the future: demographic trends, utility costs, competition, vend price strategies, legislative and regulatory actions, and many more were discussed among the group. Despite the tough economy, all agreed that we are in the right business for a recession.

The second seminar focused on “Top 5 Laundry Customer Needs.” I appreciated hearing all of the good ideas shared for improving customer service and making customers happy week in and week out.

The most fun was had by those who dared to enter the “cash machine,” in which attendees took their chances in a fan-blown “cash booth.” Not surprisingly, these laundry owners knew how to grab and hold onto the green!

Thanks to all of the folks at Justin Laundry Systems for their hospitality during my visit to Little Rock.

D&M Equipment Co.
Midwest Open House & Trade Show
September 24, 2009
Skokie, Ill.

Pictured: Linda Theoharis, Director of Media Sales-The Journal/PlanetLaundry.com; David DeMarsh, President, BDS Laundry Systems; Jeffrey Barman, Co-Owner Wonder Wash Laundries, and Vice-President, SoCal Coin Laundry Association; Jeff Gardner, Owner, Sel-Dale Laundromat, and President, Minnesota Coin Laundry Association; Brian Wallace, President/CEO, Coin Laundry Association

This week brought me to the BDS Laundry Systems’ Open House & Product Show in St. Paul, Minn. More than 275 laundry operators came to BDS headquarters to visit with 14 industry equipment and service vendors and to listen to three expert speakers.

My visit to St. Paul kicked off with the opportunity to meet the Minnesota Coin Laundry Association Board of Directors for dinner on the eve of the show to discuss local market conditions and to hear the latest plans for Upper Midwest Laundry Fest, scheduled for October 23-24. For more information on this tremendous educational and networking event for laundry owners, visit coinlaundry.org/laundryfest.cfm.

Among the “takeaways” from that dinner were the insights gathered from industry veterans Bob Frandsen and John Craig. Both laundry owners are long-time adopters of full-cycle dryer pricing and proponents of large machines in the mix – both are also directors of the MNCLA. On a lighter note, John told us the story of his customer who tried to pay for a wash by inserting a folded-up dollar into the coin slot on a machine! Now that’s a new payment system!

The Open House & Product Show was well attended by laundry owners from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and elsewhere. I always appreciate learning from laundry owners from such diverse backgrounds – and in this case, many laundry owners from the smallest of small towns. You quickly realize that there are more similarities than differences between operating a 500-square-foot laundry in rural Iowa and a 4,000-square-foot store in Minneapolis.

I had the honor of introducing the first two guest speakers, Jeffrey Barman and JL Glass. Jeffrey delivered an impressive presentation on vend price strategies for profitable laundries. He reminded us that whichever approach a laundry takes to vend price, it must be a deliberate, intentional strategy. JL Glass is a unique motivational speaker who used large doses of humor to deliver a powerful message for personal development. JL reminded us that what we do as an occupation is not who we are as individuals.

Ryan Carlson of WashCard Systems added an enthusiastic demonstration of his wireless credit card payment systems.

I want to thank the staff at BDS for their hospitality, as well as all of the laundry owners who stopped by the CLA booth – especially to the several brand-new CLA members!

Justin Laundry Systems
2009 Fall Conference and Business Improvement Seminars
September 23, 2009
Little Rock, Ark.

My busy fall 2009 travel schedule got underway this past weekend with a visit to PWS’s Fall Show Sale in South San Francisco. The City by the Bay has been a frequent stop on my laundry travels over the years, but this was definitely the first time I was greeted by a rainstorm – complete with thunder and lightning!

More than 200 laundry operators braved the dreary weather to attend the open house; visit with equipment and service vendors; listen to educational seminars and service schools; and spend time “talking shop” with other laundry owners.

I was present to man a booth featuring information on the Coin Laundry Association and our latest and greatest membership benefits. Many long-time members as well as a number of newcomers visited me at the booth. There was a lot of excitement over our two newest programs: LaundryWeb Network and DIY Direct. Follow the links to learn more.

My other job on Saturday was to deliver a seminar on the show’s theme, “Clean & Green.” I took the opportunity to discuss the “greening” of the laundry business by sharing several steps laundry owners may take to make their laundries more eco-friendly. From re-equipping with high-efficiency machines to strategies for slashing utility bills, we covered it all. Several great ideas came from the audience including testimonials touting the benefits of re-lamping the laundry for electricity savings and the cost savings potential of a simple recycling program to reduce the volume of trash in the dumpster – those cardboard and plastic laundry detergent containers take up a lot of space and cost you money!

The conversation also turned to alternative energy and the handful of laundries across the country that are experimenting with solar, ozone and water recycling. We had a good laugh discussing the many “tinkerers” in our business who have come up with creative – though not always practical – ideas for keeping utility consumption to a minimum. How ’bout the guy who outfitted his wastewater drain with a turbine designed to generate electricity from the outgoing rush of soapy water?

The bottom line is that most laundries still need to update basic washers, dryers and water heating systems to achieve the maximum gains in store efficiency. But it was very interesting to discuss the future of our business and the role that “green” will play. What shade of green will your laundry take on in the future?

BDS Laundry Systems
Open House and Product Show
September 17, 2009
St. Paul, Minn.

September 10, 2009
Southern California Coin Laundry Association
Los Angeles, Calif.

The Coin Laundry Association is off to a great fall season! One of the first events to take place was a Southern California affiliate meeting in Los Angeles. Beverley Blank, Jeffrey Barman, Van Merrill and Art Jaeger attracted more than 70 people to the event.

Mike Floyd, president of Continental Girbau, Inc., the evening’s principal speaker, provided attendees with a comprehensive presentation on laundry-specific marketing. He began by dispelling the notation that advertising is marketing. Marketing is a plan that includes everything from public relations and research to pricing and, yes, advertising.

One takeaway that everyone could use immediately was the customer pricing feedback strategy. The notion is simple. If no one complains about your pricing, it’s too low. If almost everyone complains, your price is too high. The optimal “price resistance” is between 15 percent and 20 percent. Floyd furthered by saying that 10 percent of people will complain about any price. An additional 10 percent gives you the right resistance.

My presentation showcased the CLA’s new benefits – free Web sites (and hosting) for members though the LaundryWeb Network and the new DIY Direct program.

DIY Direct is the complete advertising package. The system allows members to customize postcards and brochures with images, coupons and text. Once the customization is complete, members can purchase a mailing list or upload their own and send them from DIY Direct.

Samples of the postcards, brochures, door hangers and posters were on hand. DIY Direct also contains business cards, machine talkers (table tents), print ads and raffle entry forms. DIY Direct now includes a custom project upload section. The possibilities are endless with DIY Direct!

LaundryWeb Network has three templates for member Web sites. The entire registration form takes no more than 20 minutes. In four weeks or less, CLA members have their very own Web site. Each site is professional and allows for members to update and change information. Since the sites are built in open-source software, they can make changes to the sites themselves or hire someone locally.

The evening concluded with a panel discussion that included special guest Jeff Gardner, who added color on the importance of Internet marketing for laundry owners.

One of the more hotly discussed ideas was including credit/debit card transactions on individual machines. Some believe that the individual transaction costs prohibit it from being fully successful. Mike Floyd suggested that store owners allow credit cards on the larger machines, thereby encouraging use of the machines that cost less for owners to operate, yet add higher value for customers.

For more information about the Southern California Coin Laundry Association and its upcoming events, visit the group's Web site.

Source URL: http://www.planetlaundry.com/laundry-101/2009/cla-hits-road

Links:
[1] http://www.planetlaundry.com/coin-laundry-association-staff
[2] http://www.coinlaundry.org/laundryfest.cfm
[3] http://www.coinlaundry.org/CLAs_LaundryWeb_Network.cfm
[4] http://www.coinlaundry.org/
[5] http://www.socalcla.com