NOW IS THE TIME TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION FOR A BETTER, SAFER EXPERIENCE
We are all ready to move on from COVID-19. However, one need only step outside and see the number of masks people are wearing or see the numbers on the nightly news to be reminded that we’re not there yet.
So, the bottom line is we are all quite concerned with safety and will be for the foreseeable future. The question for those in the multi-housing world of apartments and condominiums is what steps can you take in the laundry room to ensure residents feel safe?
One simple way to turn the community laundry facility into an even more attractive amenity, one that places a premium on safety, is to leverage the latest in technology to reduce touch points.
A mobile pay solution removes touch points. With a laundry solutions app, residents can even add value to their mobile wallet from their unit before coming to the laundry room. Then, the resident enters the laundry and proceeds immediately to the washer, loads, selects wash, scans the QR code (or selects the machine in-app). The in-app selection also enables users to choose their cycle, further eliminating a machine touchpoint. Because they have a mobile app, there’s no guesswork on when to return to from their apartment; they are alerted by text message. Same on the dry side – limiting exposure to the environment.
App-based payments have quickly caught on in the laundromat word – your competition. By leveraging similar technology to alleviate safety concerns for residents, your property stands a better chance of keeping them on-site on laundry day.
There are also additional benefits to the technology. No more emptying coin boxes on machines, which brings definite time savings. Laundry solutions apps also brings exceptional features and functionalities, including service alerts that can help limit downtime and speed up any repairs.
Technology, however, is just one part of the solution. Property managers should also be focusing on communicating their efforts to keep the laundry a clean safe environment as well as offer guidance on how residents can get the highest level of clean for their loads (remember, premium wash options deliver increased revenue and profits).
Laundry room signage can be a key vehicle to communicate the advanced cleaning efforts of equipment and other surfaces. Consider reminding residents to mask up and observe social distancing. Laundry room signs should also explain the various cycles offered on the equipment in addition to exactly what they get when they select a premium option. This is where intuitive controls that clearly explain the cycles options have an advantage.
Remind residents that hot water washes and high-heat drying cycles still remain the best lines of defense in sanitizing loads in killing bacteria – this is a data point that was important before the pandemic and will be long after. Don’t underestimate the value of laundry tips, especially if your residents are younger, first-time renters – we all learned how to laundry at some point. Being a trusted resource will help ensure they get the best results and your equipment is used properly.
Leveraging the latest in control technology and mobile payment, as well as ramping up communication with residents can help ensure their satisfaction with the community laundry facility is high and that they stay on-site on laundry day.
Story by: Huebsch (The Huebsch Quantum Gold Pro Control and Command app)
