As we head into 2020, it is important to take a look into the future of the commercial laundry industry. The industry is on the cusp of change with new technologies disrupting the production process and external factors, like climate change, demanding the industry to evolve. 2020 is going to be the year that accelerates the change that started years ago. Commercial laundries need to be aware of these trends and be ready to adapt when necessary. In this blog post, we take a look at the major trends that will transform the industry in 2020.
Trends that will affect the commercial laundry industry in 2020
Data and technology
Data is going to play a huge role in the commercial laundry industry. Commercial launderers have been using a network of sophisticated metrics to measure service quality and operational efficiency. In 2020, we are going to see data play an even bigger role as commercial launderers look for benchmarks to compare their performance against. More specifically, they are looking for ethical ways to compare their performance against their competitors to properly assess their progress and find areas for improvement. The need for more information will see data and data analytics play a much bigger role in 2020.
Technological innovations have been the bedrock of the industry and 2020 will not see that change. The coming year sees the commercial laundry industry incorporate advanced tech like AI, automation, IoT and even robotics into the production process.
We are already seeing laundry equipment that automates certain functions in the laundry washing process. The drive behind this technological innovation is the need for efficiency. With various factors like climate change, affecting water supply, commercial laundries are embracing technologies that consume fewer resources while maintaining quality.
Reducing dependence on labour
While commercial laundries have been using technology to ease certain functions, like invoicing and dispatching, 2020 will see technology that can replace entire units of labour come into fruition. The reason behind this drive to technology is to reduce the dependence on, often mistake-prone, labour. The commercial laundry industry often has had trouble finding the personnel they need, which is problematic because many steps in the washing process are still done manually. To combat this problem, commercial laundries are turning to technologies that can perform monotonous chores like washing and folding clothes autonomously and without any human intervention.
More focus on customer experience
The commercial laundry industry will place a lot more focus on personalised customer service. While current technologies are geared to make services more convenient than before, most of these technologies do not allow for personalised customer service. 2020 will see commercial laundry adopt technologies to personalise service in a manner that better serves the needs of their clients. The end objective is to be more valuable to their clients by removing as many inconveniences as possible from the process.
It’s safe to say that digital technology will play an instrumental role in improving customer service and generating more value for clients. Better customer service will lead to stronger customer connections and even build customer loyalty.
Does the future of the commercial laundry industry look bright?
The future of the commercial laundry industry is looking bright because the industry is making great strides to improve efficiency in all areas like operations and customer retention. However, despite the immense progress the industry is poised to make, some commercial laundries are not up-to-date on the latest technologies. These commercial laundries are in danger of falling behind and risk struggling to provide services on the same level as their competitors – losing clients in the process.
Since business is based on customer connections and retention, commercial laundries should adopt all measures to deliver top-tier service and an excellent starting point for most organisations in the commercial laundry industry is a system that improves operations regarding customer relationships, including invoicing and dispatching. Our system, for example, has the features for improving customer service using functions like an online portal for orders, facilitating invoice management and better inventory control to make sure nothing is lost.
Investing in the right productivity software is the ideal way to prepare for 2020 and the future.
