Laundry Delivery Service: Startup Considerations

With the right information and a solid plan, setting up a laundry delivery service can be quite easy and doable, without large costs in terms of investment for the set-up, business operation, fabric care and management. Here are the main points of starting it up.

What is it all about?

A laundry delivery service is the answer to a daily situation for many busy people. Whether you’re a working parent, an employee in a company or an owner of your own, you still need clean clothes every single day. In this case, a laundry delivery service is a true lifesaver that enables you to accomplish even more on a daily basis.

This type of business is excellent for someone with a great sense of management and organisation, and an urging need to help others. A lot of these startups began as a way of making extra money by stay-at-home moms or as a part-time job that helps pay the bills.

Who is the target market?

Depending on the scope and amount of work you are able to take on, you can target bigger groups, such as restaurants, spas and hospitals, who need laundry service every day, or it could be individuals who are simply too busy to get this item checked off of their to-do list.

Targeting upper class and wealthier members of the society may not always be the best strategy to develop your client base. If you set your price in the range acceptable for busy middle or even lower middle class, you’ll be able to develop a much bigger clientele.

How do you get started?

Initial startup costs for this type of business are quite low, especially if you plan to do it from your home. You can easily start today, provided you have a car, a washer and dryer, some cleaning products and an iron. However, if you’re planning to get a bit more serious about it, whether it’s from home or a rented location, it’s advisable you get top quality equipment that will help you go through a large amount of clothes faster and deliver it all at a high level expected by your customers. One such piece of equipment is a steam gas boiler that is ideal for generating the steam necessary for clothes pressing and dry cleaning.

How do you set the charge fee?

The basic consideration when determining the charge fee for your laundry service is the cost of gasoline and expenses, but at the same time, you need to set a fair and competitive price in order to attract and retain customers. Firstly, calculate in the cost of running your vehicle (gas, oil, tires, servicing), but also include road tolls, parking fees, the time it takes to deliver the goods and hired help, if you decide to get them. After that, you can set a flat fee per pick-up and delivery or adjust it according to circumstances.

How do you grow your business?

Regardless of how good your idea is, nothing is going to happen if people don’t know about you. So advertise your business and do your marketing both online and offline. Create a unique and detailed website and update it regularly. For the offline strategy, distribute your cards and flyers at the local shops, cafes and businesses.

What are the legal considerations?

It’s imperative you do the research and find out about the legal side of starting up a business as you’ll probably need certain licences and permits. Moreover, most businesses are required to pay sales taxes on the services they offer and if you plan to run your business out of a physical location and not from your home, you’ll need a Certificate of Occupancy that confirms all building codes and government regulations have been met.

If you structure your business as an LLC, you’ll ensure the protection of your personal assets in case the business is sued. In addition, obtain a liability insurance policy to cover the expenses in case the goods you’re handling get damaged.

Like any other business venture, this too requires a lot of planning, research, resourcefulness and persistence. With the tips outlined here, you’ll be on a sure path to opening your own business and making your entrepreneurial dreams come true.