franchise.co.nz – PUTTING PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
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‘A data centre that happens to wash clothes’ is how Joy Opiniano describes
a self-service laundromat business. Joy is a systems engineer and serial
entrepreneur, originally from the Philippines and living in Wellington since
2019. He and his wife Nerissa, a pharmacy technician, launched Broadway
Laundromat (pictured above) in Strathmore Park three years ago. Within days
of our conversation, they were opening their second Speed Queen-equipped
laundromat business in Rotherham Terrace, Miramar.
“In 2022 we already had nine business interests and were looking at further
diversification,” says Joy. “Self-service laundromats generally operate with
very few if any employees, which means no complex HR management issues.
And the comprehensive Speed Queen Insights platform that we can manage
from our smartphones is the ‘killer feature’ for busy entrepreneurs like us. That
gives us a 360-degree view of our laundromat business, with remote access
to machine status, real time revenue reports, and activation of ‘lucky cycle’
customer rewards.
Joy and Nerissa say they were also impressed with the recession resistance
of the laundromat business. “Clean clothes are a non-negotiable necessity.
When the economy dips, many people transition from owning washing
machines to using laundromats.
“We like the financial benefits too. Speed Queen-equipped laundromats
regularly see a 20-35% return on the initial investment of $250,000 to
$350,000. And, because customers pay upfront and digitally, there are zero
receivable issues – a rare luxury in business. This is the holy grail of modern
entrepreneurship – recession-proof, automated, tech-enabled,
semi-passive income.”
A great business partnership
Speed Queen Laundromats is not a franchise, but more a business partner
providing substantial wraparound support to laundromat owners. This
includes design and layout, access to finance for laundry equipment, and
advice on signage and advertising.
“Technical and engineering edge was another important consideration
for us in choosing to work with Speed Queen,” explains Joy. “Speed Queen
commercial units are built for a 30,000 cycle lifespan, equating to more
than ten years of heavy-duty use. Where competing brands use plastic
components, Speed Queen uses metal. This gives durability and reduces the
frequency of service calls.”
When the couple fitted out Broadway Laundromat, they leveraged their own
electrical and plumbing business connections. As Joy explains, “We could
use a ‘smart first’ design. Instead of retrofitting tech into old pipes, we built
the infrastructure to support it. We didn’t just plug in machines but installed
robust network architecture. This means dedicated VLANS for the Speed
Queen Insights platform, separate guest Wi-Fi, and a high-security layer for
the CCTV and door access systems.
“Cycle data is just one example of analysis we access remotely through
Insights. If ‘Big Load’ washers are hitting 90% capacity while smaller
machines sit idle, we know exactly how to pivot our marketing or future
equipment mix. The system also alerts us to a leak or a slow drain before it
becomes a flood or lost day of revenue.”
Location is key
Joy has no hesitation sharing his breakdown of the socioeconomic and
strategic demographics that typically signal a ‘goldmine’ location for a self-
service digital laundromat.
“The people we call necessity users lack laundry infrastructure at home.
They are a core demographic of mainly renters. Look for somewhere near
apartment complexes which often have unreliable basement machines or no
laundry hook-ups at all,” explains Joy. “The blue-collar workforce is another
indicator. Often these are households with multiple wage earners in trades,
hospitality or healthcare, and who generate high volumes of washing…
uniforms, heavy workwear, etc.
“Then there are the time savers who may have a washer of their own but
choose the laundromat for efficiency. Larger families, or students who often
wait weeks for clothing to pile up and then wash everything in 90 minutes
using five big machines simultaneously.
“Commercial accounts are another potential customer category. These are
local businesses such as Airbnb and short-term rentals, gyms, beauty salons
and pet groomers that generate a constant need for washing, but don’t want
to invest in laundry equipment.
“The business isn’t just about selling soap and water; it’s about selling time
and access to infrastructure, to a wide range of customers.”
Hands-off operations
“With Speed Queen,” continues Joy, “we have eliminated the ‘coin headache’
of collection, security and banking, making the business even more hands-off.
The Speed Queen cashless system provides a digital audit trail that integrates
directly into our bookkeeping software, removing the potential for
human error.
“Going cashless helps prevent ram raids and robberies, eliminates the risks
of staff or collectors skimming coins, and we also save hours on the logistics
of physical cash transportation. The shift from coin operation to the digital era
has completely changed the risk-reward profile of this industry.”
Speed Queen’s Head of Laundromat Sales, Royce Little, says that some of the
owners they partner with live a long way from their laundromats. “As well as
having been very hands on in the fit-out of his business, Joy likes to take care
of the one manual job that the business requires, the cleaning. But many of
our owners prefer to employ contract cleaners and can easily oversee their
activity through the digital
security systems.”
And the last word goes to Joy, who
asks, “Are you also looking for business
diversification or a rewarding semi-
passive side-hustle? Our advice is to
look no further than a remote-control
Speed Queen-equipped laundromat –
call Royce today!”
HOLY
GRAIL
Opportunity: Retail
Speed Queen
www.speedqueen.co.nz
Contact
Royce Little
09 528 5600
royce@speedqueen.co.nz
Advertiser Info
Entrepreneurial couple finds Speed Queen
the perfect partner for their growing
laundromat business