Some Simple Tips For: Asking Customers the Right Questions

Coin laundry owners tend to picture their own clientele as being much more sophisticated than those who choose to use a competitor. That’s because they feel they know the other laundry’s weakness and think their place offers some advantages. This is all true, even for those laundry operators who actually run an untidy place. A problem with too many operators in our industry is that they can not find any fault in the way they operate their own coin laundry business. Is it because some simply do not see their place of business through the eyes of their customers? Maybe some of those who would normally use their laundry have already chosen to go elsewhere. In our industry it is believed that a coin laundry customer will usually choose the most convenient facility when they are selecting a coin laundry to use. The thought is customers will normally select the ones that are either close to their home or adjacent to a favorite shopping site. Then why is it that many good laundries have customers driving to them from many miles away? Why also does the customer from the neighborhood go to another laundry further away? How can you discover the motivation of those who come to you and at the same time find why others don’t? Ask questions! Visit competitive laundries to see what mix of equipment they have and see the condition of the premises. Ask customers what they like or dislike about this particular laundry. Is there anything they would do to improve the laundry? Don’t openly try to sell anyone on changing to your place. It’s not ethical and it invites competitor retribution. All you want to find out is what draws customers there instead of to another coin laundry. Ask your clientele why they come to your laundry. Knowing what brings them to you can help you plan. Carry a note pad. Ask what they like about the laundry. What features they like, and what they don’t. Write it down so that they see you’re serious about the matter. When they see that they will likely give honest answers. Don’t forget to ask why they chose to do their laundry with you. You really need to know how to plan for growth and success. If your own clientele tells you they like big washers, will bringing in more bring you more business? The object of questioning laundry customers, yours and your competitors, is to learn what they like and want. After you compile that information, take the time to analyze it to see if you need to make improvements in your laundry. Can it be modified to provide service or equipment most customers want? Odds are, if you have more of what customers want, your bottom line will improve. So will your attitude and your laundry’s value. Some laundry owners actually prepare a printed question form, usually done on their home computer. The advantage to using such a form is that it shows the person being asked that you are serious about knowing what they think about your laundry. The advantage of having the preprinted form, to you is that it gives you extra time to think about what it is you really want to know about why the customer made the choice to come to your laundry over other places they might have gone. Knowing the likes and dislikes of present and future customers gives any laundry owner an edge in planning any changes he or she might make.