There are two ways to start a laundry business. One is to build your own, the other is to buy a franchise. How do you choose? This is the first of a 3-part series to give some insights into this question. In this first article, we will look at the pros and cons of building your own laundry business from scratch in Malaysia.
Pros of self-owned laundry business
Full control
Starting from scratch gives you total control over every part of your business. You can create your own unique brand identity and shape the customer experience that reflect your values, vision, and style. You decide on the pricing and what services to offer. This flexibility allows you to quickly adapt to market changes based on customer feedback.
Relatively low labour cost
If you choose to open a self-service coin laundry, there is no need to hire an attendant. Labour in Malaysia is still relatively affordable compared to other countries such as Singapore if you plan to open a full-service laundry business with staffing.
Franchising opportunities
Self-owned laundry business owners can expand via franchise if their operations succeed. Some of the highly successful home-grown laundry business brands with franchise opportunities are LaundryBar, dobiQueen, and Laundry Hub.
Cons of self-owned laundry business
High initial start-up cost
Starting a laundry business from scratch requires significant upfront investment. This includes renting or purchasing a shop-lot, buying and installing machines, and renovating and interior decorating.
Time-consuming set-up, steeper learning curve
Unlike buying an existing laundry franchise, you will need to do everything from scratch. You will need to do research on locations, learn about permits, utilities, equipment, customer service, and more. There will be extensive planning and execution from logistics, staffing, equipment to daily operations. This can be extremely daunting if you are new to the industry.
Lacking in brand power and marketing support
As a new business, you will need to build your brand from ground-up. It might be tough to compete with well-established franchise brands. You will also have to strategise and execute all the marketing plans on your own.
Starting a laundry business of your own has its merits. The freedom of autonomy and sense of achievement can be very satisfying. But it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to succeed. PLE Laundry Equipment Sdn. Bhd. is committed to help laundry businesses level up their operation with our wide range of high-performance Huebsch commercial laundry equipment. Contact us at 016–262 2965 or 603–5633 6405 for more information today.
