SERIES: Laundromat Spin

If you want to learn the tricks of efficient and effective laundromat management, ask a pro who has been there before and seen it all. Don’t have access to an experienced manager? Then look no further than the CLA webinars that bring them right to your desktop or phone.

Moderator Danielle Bauer, CLA Executive Vice President, hosted a panel discussion on April 30, 2025 entitled Store Manager Insights. The webinar brought together two experienced managers to talk about issues that all managers face. Participants watched the discussion, and could use the Chat feature to ask their own questions. Danielle did a great job keeping it all on track and covered a lot of territory in a short amount of time.

The Panelists

Gina Daniels is the manager of three laundromats in Georgia, USA. She’s been in management for 7 years, and started as a customer. “I was impressed with the laundromat, and got a job there as an attendant,” she said. Her enthusiasm and attention to detail has lifted her to management level.

Craig Holloway is a manager with Tampa Laundry Company of Tampa, Florida, USA. He has been with the company for 7 of its 10 year history, and has been in management for five and a half years.

Danielle didn’t waste any time diving in to the issues. Here is a summary of many of the topics raised in the webinar, and how the panelists responded. Whether you want to see how your laundromat stacks up, or you’re interested in improving your company, their answers are frank and informative.

The Webinar

What drew you to the industry?

Both panelists said they were impressed by the great people they met, the enthusiasm they showed for the industry, and the variety involved in working for a laundromat.

What benefits does your company offer?

Gina: We have a competitive salary, 401K with matching contributions, and a profit sharing program. If you are vested in the company, you have an interest in it doing well, and you’re rewarded for that.

Craig: We also have a competitive salary, paid time off, use of a company vehicle, bonuses, free use of the facilities for your own laundry needs, and a year-end savings match up to $1,000.

What is your typical day, and what are your responsibilities?

Gina: If I’m in the stores, I’m both manager and attendant. I make sure customers have the supplies they need, answer questions, and deal with customer and machine issues.

Craig: I oversee the entire operations of the laundromat – hiring/firing/supervising employees, training, scheduling work, team morale, motivation and encouragement. I prefer to lead by example. I’m both a cheerleader and a disciplinarian for our team members. I praise in public, and correct in private (unless the employee did something in front of the entire team and it needs to be addressed with everyone.) It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.

How many employees do each of your stores have?

Gina: We have 6 at each store, 18 total.

Craig: We have two shifts, with 5 on the day shift, 2 on the evening shift. We’re currently hiring for weekends. We’ll have 10-12 when we’re done.

What training resources did you use to make you successful?

Gina: I read articles on how to be a manager – like conflict resolution, employee encouragement. The owner of my company sent me to leadership classes. She invested in me.

Craig: I was unfamiliar with the industry when I started, so on-the-job training was key. Our operations manager had over 20 years of experience, and I shadowed him. I educated myself with magazines. Our owner brought in expert consultants who worked with me, one-on-one, for weeks. As Gina said, my boss was willing to invest in me.

How big are the stores you manage?

Gina: We have 22 washers and dryers in one location, 32 of each in the second, and 36 of each in the third.

Craig: Our facility is 2000-3000 square feet, with a main building and then an adjacent building where work gets divided.

What is your favorite part of the job?

Gina: Interacting with the customers! Seeing attendants make customer experiences fun is very gratifying.

Craig: I love being the leader of a team. I spend more time with them than with my family. Having a motivated team that meshes well, with high standards, that makes me excited. I like connecting with customers. My motto is that if you come to us three times and on the third visit you don’t feel like a friend or extended family, we’re doing something wrong. I like to see customers so happy when something gets cleaned. We form relationships. Customers return from vacation and bring us souvenirs and photos. I value relationships; the best things in life are not things.

At this point, one of the people watching the webinar submitted a question:

Currently, our most frustrating problems are people not showing up or showing up late or calling out at the last minute. Can you speak to how you handle that or prevent it? Do you just have to keep getting new people until you’ve got a quality crew? How long did that take?

Gina: Our attendants have to get their own coverage for a shift before they call in. Otherwise, I have to step in and take the shift.

Craig: We noticed a change after COVID. People got used to sitting home, and didn’t want to come back to a structured workplace. We seek only quality people. You might have to go through five before you find that one person. Sometimes you have to get rid of the weeds, so the good stuff can grow. Those who call in last minute (or not at all), that speaks to their character. You have to deal with it, or the rest of the team loses respect for you as a manager.

Were there Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in place when you were hired? If not, have you been involved in creating or updating them?

Gina: There were no SOPs when I started. We are working to develop them.

Craig: There was an extensive employee handbook, with procedures in place. If something’s working we stay with it. Otherwise, we update to stay current and relevant.

What are the pros and cons of operating a fully self-service laundromat versus one with attendants offering wash-and-fold services? What exactly does an attendant do day-to-day? In locations that offer wash-and-fold, how much does that service typically account for the profits?

Gina: We don’t offer wash-and-fold as of yet. We’ve been talking about it for one of the locations. Self service is needed; wash-and-fold is wanted.

Craig: We’re there to serve people and meet a critical need. You need to have both, since people’s lifestyles are different. They may want to do their own, or they don’t have time and need someone to do it for them. We do quite well on both sides. Self-serve is open 24 hours a day. Wash and fold, and route service (which is very popular) have a 48-hour turn-around.

Who opens and closes the stores for you?

Gina: We open and close with an automatic locking/unlocking system. Doors are open from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.. with the last wash at 9:30.

Craig: Our stores are operated by a laundry card system that doubles as the time clock. We have staggered starts for our shifts. Anyone who has a card can open the store. The self-serve is always open. Wash and fold attendant side, anybody can open and all are trained to do it properly.

If you could change one thing about the stores you manage, what would it be?

Gina: Our owners did a great job on the cleanliness, layout and look of the stores. More storage area would be good.

Craig: If it were in the budget, I’d do some minor cosmetic upgrades to give the building a more modern look. It not bad now, but people base their initial impressions on what they see. They come in because of what they see; they will return because of how you make them feel.

What skills should you look for in a manager candidate?

Gina: They need to be able to multitask, communicate well, and be willing to guide and teach others. They should be fair, dependable and trustworthy.

Craig: The manager spot is a mid-level position. You have the owner over you, and your team works with you. Need to have team-building and problem-solving skills. Everybody on the team needs people skills.

What is the toughest part of your job?

Gina: Hiring is hard. You only have 15/20 minutes to decide if this is a great candidate. How are they going to mesh with the rest of your team? Some people think working in a laundromat is an easy job. It’s not. It’s a lot of work.

Craig: Customer conflict resolution can be tough. People are people. They may walk into your building in a mood that’s not your fault. You have to approach them with dignity, respect and professionalism. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Another tough situation is when you have to cut ties with a team member. You’ve befriended them and learned their struggles, but you have to tell them you are going to affect their livelihood. You’re not supposed to feel comfortable telling them bad news.

Another viewer chimed in with a question:

How much latitude to your team members have to solve issues – or does that all fall on you?

Gina: Our team does a good job in solving issues before they get to me. If they can’t handle it, they call me.

Craig: That should be part of their training. If you want to test your effectiveness as a manager, take a vacation and see how they function without you. The test of my leadership is when I’m not there.

Finally, Danielle posed a question aimed at all the bosses watching the presentation.

In your opinion, what makes a great boss?

Gina: I feel I have the greatest boss ever. She’s fair, supportive, understands and listens. She doesn’t make you feel bad if something goes wrong. Instead she asks, “How could you have handled that differently?”

Craig: All people have different strengths and weaknesses. Great owners/bosses need to care for their teams. A good boss respects and cares for the team members from manager on down. They are your greatest asset. Zig Zigglar said, “Help enough people get whatever they want in life, and they will help you get what you want.”

This webinar was fast-paced and full of useful nuggets. CLA has an ongoing series of webinars on a variety of topics. For more information on CLA, its webinars, or to sign up for CLA’s email newsletter, visit the website.

---