If you hear the words commercial laundry service and immediately think, “No way, we can’t afford that!,” this message is for you. We’re here to challenge whatever assumptions you have about what a hotel laundry service cost vs. the cost of your on property laundry operation.
Because we know that shutting down the in-house laundry room at your property and switching to a large-scale, eco-friendly laundry vendor is one of the most cost-effective decisions you can make for your bottom line and for guest satisfaction.
Still have doubts? Keep reading to discover how a commercial laundry service for hotels and resorts can save money.
Say Goodbye to Laundry-Related Expenses
One of the main reasons that properties assume that outsourcing to a linen service will cost more than running an on-property laundry, or OPL, is that they underestimate their current costs.
OPLs cost money for the things you see every day – the hotel laundry equipment, detergent and cleaning chemicals – but there are “hidden” costs, too, that properties tend to roll into their overall operating expenses without considering their full impact over time.
“Hidden” on property laundry costs include:
Utilities: Unless you’re monitoring your laundry costs separately or have a way of accurately tracking them, you’re probably underestimating how much in gas, water and electricity it’s costing you to run your commercial washers, dryers and ironers every day.
Commercial laundry equipment upkeep and depreciation: Repair and regular maintenance for your large-scale equipment can add up quickly, especially when you consider the overhead of having downtime or if you have machines go offline unexpectedly. And as with any piece of equipment, the value of your machines will decrease over time, money that you’re washing down the drain.
Equipment upgrades: If a recent renovation, refresh or rebranding has increased your guest capacity or demand, you may quickly find that your existing machines, while still working well, just can’t keep up. Or that they aren’t adequately equipped to properly handle your new luxury hotel sheets and towels.
Square footage: In addition to costing you money in upkeep, your commercial laundry equipment is taking up valuable real estate that could be transformed into a revenue generator if you shut down the linen and laundry service in your hotel. Consider the hotel revenue streams available if you suddenly had all of that space at your disposal. Your OPL could be all that stands between you and a new spa, salon, or store.
And, of course, there are the not-so-hidden costs of laundry-related staff and the time they spend handling your laundry.
Consolidate into One Cost
Switching to a laundry vendor converts all of those disparate hidden and out-in-the-open costs into one bundled package. The right hotel laundry service will offer everything you need, from pickup and delivery to high tech energy efficient equipment that keeps costs low and quality high.
Pay Solely for Occupied Rooms
With an on property laundry, many of the costs mentioned above are fixed. You’re losing or spending money on square footage, laundry equipment depreciation and laundry staff whether you have a hotel or resort full of guests or not.
The right hotel laundry service will offer a flexible pay-as-you-go model that means you’ll only pay laundry-related expenses for occupied rooms. Fewer guests will equal less laundry and lower costs.
Give Your Linens a Longer Lease on Life
All hotel linens have a lifecycle, no matter how considerable the investment you’ve made in luxury sheets and towels in order to meet the high expectations of your guests.
The powerful commercial equipment being used at large-scale hotel laundry vendors has been engineered to eliminate tough stains, prevent damage and protect fibers so that your sheets stay smooth and your towels and robes fluffy, even as they’re being thoroughly cleaned.
From the very start of the laundry process, tunnel washer technology allows for less water to be used for each load and less wear and tear to result. The “tunnel” in the name enables the machines to be tough on stains but gentle on linens.
Dryers are equipped with sophisticated sensors to prevent the overdrying that can damage materials. And ironers and folder do their jobs efficiently without putting a strain on valuable fibers.
A hotel laundry service will also have protocols in place specifically to reduce the number of items you send to the rag pile. Heavily stained items can be sent through a specially formulated wash in a separate machine for a little extra oomph.
A large-scale laundry will also be in the business of keeping their machines clean and running smoothly to avoid inflicting stains and damage to your linens. Anyone who’s ever had a rogue ironer leave oil stains on their hotel sheets or table linens knows how important it is to run a clean ship.
Provide Another Set of Eyes
Working with a laundry partner also offers the opportunity to surface personnel or resource issues you may not have been aware of otherwise.
What do we mean?
Say, for instance, that members of your staff are improperly using your guest towels for cleaning, subjecting them to harsh chemicals and breaking down the fabric more quickly than guest use would.
If your linens are being processed in-house, you might never catch on that it’s happening, and you wouldn’t be able to address the issue by providing more rags for cleaning, as well as refresher training for staff.
A commercial laundry service, however, will sort all of your linens by hand before they’re processed. They’ll be able to spot guest towels that have been mishandled and alert you to the issue.
Enlist a Partner in Creating Exceptional Guest Experiences
Ask any one of your guests to put a price tag on a good night’s sleep or the pampered feeling of a perfect bath robe, and they probably won’t be able to do it because some things are just priceless.
Working with a commercial laundry service will save money for the reasons above and help ensure that your property is known for the intangible value delivered by well-maintained luxury linens.
Great linens are part of the overall guest experience, and the right hotel laundry service will be your partner in making every stay stand out.
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