Another day, another monster laundry pile to beat. It’s unbelievable how dirty laundry can double in size in a blink of an eye. Overwhelmed? The feeling is mutual. We all have our own tactic of dealing with the laundry piles (one load daily, once-a-week laundry day, etc). But sometimes, time is just not on our side. With no extra pair of hands to help, getting on top of the laundry mountain seems daunting. Self-service laundry was a boon to working adults and college/university students everywhere, until smart laundry lockers came along. Is one better than the other? We’ll let you be the judge of that.
Self-Service Laundry
Before self-service laundry was introduced to the Malaysian market, the weather played a deciding factor as to whether it’s going to be laundry day or not. We all know that our hot and humid climate is unpredictable. Thanks to the emergence of self-service laundry, we get to wash and dry our clothes, bedding, and more come rain or shine!
Today, self-service laundromats are a common sight in big cities and suburbs. Just pop into a laundry shop, find a vacant cleaning appliance, load your dirty laundry, and pay to use the machine. Most of these laundry shops are equipped with user-friendly coin-operated washing machines and dryers. The more modern laundromats may have machines that accept bank notes. No doubt, self-service laundry will benefit those who work beyond the normal working hours (9:00am to 6:00pm). However, this only applies to 24-hour laundry businesses, as certain self-service laundromats are still bound by normal operation hours.
Some laundry-goers may find joy in frequenting laundry shops because it’s their chance to have a “me time”, in addition to getting their laundry done. These days, self-service laundry outlets are decked out with add-ons such as food and beverage vending machines and cable television to keep customers entertained during the long waits. That’s right – laundromats can get crowded at peak hours (e.g. after-hours, weekends, public holidays), unless you strategise your trips.
Smart Locker Laundry
Smart locker laundry? The idea of it alone might sound weird for the uninitiated. Laundry lockers are similar to those lockers you see in gyms and schools, but better. As the laundry industry has becoming increasingly competitive in Malaysia, smart lockers aim to revolutionise the way we tackle our laundry by addressing the pain points of traditional and self-service laundries.
Lack of space to dry your clothes and bedding? No time for dry cleaning and ironing? Continuous rainy days? Dislike waiting aimlessly at the laundromat? Laundry lockers are the solution to all your laundry woes. This innovation leverages consumers’ increasing reliance on smartphones by deploying in-house mobile app to utilise the laundry lockers. From unlocking the locker unit to paying for your laundry, everything is done via the app in just a few taps. Best of all, they’re available 24/7. Just drop off your load in the designated locker and collect them once you get notified. No more rushing to beat the closing time!
Need to dry clean your favourite party dress, or iron your business suits? You can opt for these additional services via the app. Besides the competitive pricing, laundry lockers get an extra point because they don’t need a retail store to run its business – thus, more savings from retail cost being passed down to consumers. What sets laundry locker services apart from traditional and self-service laundries is that they are designed to deliver convenience, which explains their strategic locations at shopping malls, commercial spots, and high-rise residences.
Laundry is an inevitable everyday (or weekly for some) chore. So how do you want to tackle your laundry needs?