Are you looking for ways to increase revenue on your property? Here are three profit generating resources that won’t require a lot of staffing, financial investment or management.

Source #1: Vending Machines

Vending Machines provide a convenient amenity for guests / residents and a simple source of income for property owners.

• • Think Outside the Box: Traditionally when you think of vending machines, you think about soft drinks and candy. Think beyond refreshments to household and personal items your residents or guests might purchase such as trash bags, light bulbs, cleaning supplies, lip balm, shaving gel, and toothbrushes.

• • Willing to Pay for Convenience: Even if there are nearby grocery stores, on premise vending machines are always going to be more convenient. If a resident needs laundry stain remover, it’s easier to purchase it in a vending machine in the laundry room than it is to drive to a store. The key is to have machines located in high traffic areas where guests will have a need for the vending machine items. For example, vending machines with beverages would make sense near the gym or pool.

• Hands Off Management: With a vending machine, transactions are automated, so you don’t need to hire employees to run it. Vending machines have the possibility to be open 24/7 which means profit isn’t limited by time and machines are available any time guests or residents have a need. You don’t have to purchase the machines, because there are companies that will deliver and service the machines for you. You share the profits with the vending companies just by having the machines on your property.

Source #2: Laundry Room

Having an on-premise laundry room can add value and an additional revenue source to your property.

• • Raise Vend Prices by Pennies: Don’t miss out on potential revenue by keeping prices in your laundry room the same over a long period of time. Raise vend prices over time in small increments (pennies) instead of quarter increments. The change will have a minimal effect on residents and increase profits for you.

• • Loyalty Cards = Increase in Float: Utilizing a laundry loyalty card system encourages your residents to do laundry at your property. As residents add value to their laundry cards, your laundry room will build ‘float,’ or the amount of money added to accounts but not yet spent. As float increases, so will your profit!

• • “Time is Money” When Collecting Coins: Collecting coins from each machine in your laundry room is time consuming. If you are paying someone else to do it for you, that is still money out of your pocket. Implementing a card-based payment system gets rid of the need for coins, saves you time and allows you to easily track sales.

• Technology Based Amenities: Smartphones play an integral role in our lives. If a guest or resident can use their cell phone to pay for laundry or remotely check machine availability and cycle completion, doing laundry at your property becomes convenient. Overall, this improves resident satisfaction and increases usage.

The FasCard System for Multi-Housing Properties allows you to implement incremental vend pricing, accept debit/credit/loyalty cards, save time collecting coins and offer mobile technology in your laundry room. Contact us to see if the FasCard system is a good fit for your laundry room.

Source #3: Parking

Parking can be a luxury, especially in high density areas where there is a parking shortage. Parking is a desired amenity and by charging for it at your property you can increase your bottom line.

• • Premium Parking: People will pay more to park in a guaranteed spot, covered parking or in a garage. Consider giving residents a numbered parking space that is reserved for them. Charge more for covered or garage parking if you are not already doing so. If you don’t have covered parking, consider building carports over spaces.

• • Prime Location: Charge guests and residents more for parking in coveted locations. Residents will pay more to be close their unit. If your property has popular parking spots, think about advertising those spots as reserved parking that can be rented.

• • Rent Out Extra Parking: Does your property have more parking spots than it needs for its residents? Allow residents to rent extra parking. If you are in an area next to professional buildings or event spaces, consider renting additional parking out to the public for a fee.

• Don’t Forget About Cyclists: Is your property in a bike friendly area or do you have residents that are cycle commuters? Install traditional bike racks and rent them out for a fee. Create an indoor bike room on your property and charge for bike storage with additional security and protection from the weather.

By implementing these three sources of additional income at your property, you can increase revenue with virtually no extra effort or major staffing needs. After you take care of your upfront costs to make these changes, it’s pure profit moving forward!

Today’s laundromat customers prefer to use their smartphone for purchases and have come to expect to be able to pay for goods and services via mobile device. Mobile-pay is a great option for laundry purchases because it is fast, secure, easy and convenient. However, if you’re using a mobile-pay only system, you could be missing out on the benefits of a complete card payment system. CCI’s complete card systems allow you to accept mobile payments, credit/debit payments and can even work with existing coin laundry machines. In addition to accepting payments, CCI FasCard and LaundryCard systems offer benefits that will take your laundry business to the next level. Here are five reasons to consider investing in a complete card system over a mobile-pay only system.

1) Increase in ‘Float’ and Loyalty

With a CCI system, customers can add value to a loyalty account and have the choice to purchase a flat amount or preconfigured value packages (i.e. Buy $10, Get $11). With loyalty accounts, not only will customers be encouraged to pay you in advance, you now have them obligated for that amount of money in service! The more they add, the more loyal they will be to your business.

2) Loyalty to Your Laundromat, not a Payment Company

CCI’s FasCard system has an app that acts as a loyalty card. Customers who use the app will no longer need to own a physical card but can instead use the app in the same way. They can take advantage of any of the loyalty programs you offer, and the app will keep track of it all. If they forget their loyalty card one day, they can use the app, because the functionality between the app and physical cards is interchangeable. For some mobile-pay only systems, if customers add money to their account, they may be able to use that at several different laundromats, therefore their loyalty is to the mobile-pay company and not your specific laundromat. With CCI’s system app, the customer’s float is your money and can only be used at your business, so their loyalty stays with your laundromats.

3) Marketing Tools for the Laundry Industry

CCI FasCard and LaundryCard systems offer advanced marketing and loyalty programs. Loyalty programs include Loyalty Points, Bonus Packages, Free Dry, Group Discounts and more. Utilizing the integrated marketing programs will help you attract new business and encourage loyalty with your current customer base. Mobile-pay only companies make a one size fits all product that doesn’t take into consideration the marketing and management that goes into a laundromat business. CCI was born from over 40 years of experience in the vended laundry industry and designs all products with both the operator and end user in mind.

4) Remotely Running Your Laundromat

Managing your laundromat with a CCI system is simple and can be performed from any web browser at any time. You can remotely control, view and configure your laundromat in real-time. Run profit reports, see usage statistics and sales data for each machine and change vend prices all from your smartphone, tablet or computer!

5) Hands Off Employee Management

Managers can create, edit and monitor one-time and ongoing employee work schedules in a FasCard or LaundryCard system. Your employees can use the system to view upcoming work schedules as well as clock in and out for shifts. Our task scheduler ensures employees are reminded of what they are supposed to do and lets you run reports on what tasks are not getting done.

CCI’s solutions give store owners additional tools to increase success in one integrated system. If you’re a laundromat owner or investor looking to set your business apart from the competition, contact us today to learn more about our payment solutions and how investing in the right technology can benefit your laundromat business!

Marketing is a large component of increasing business for your property. Having a marketing plan in place will help you attract renters to your property and turn them into residents. Here are five steps to developing a winning marketing plan for your property.

Perform a SWOT Analysis

Make a list of your property’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Define the amenities and services that offer value to your residents and give you an advantage over competitors. Outdoor spaces, extra storage, ample parking, a modern laundry room, smart technology, a fitness room, and new kitchen appliances are examples of value added amenities to advertise.

Describe Your Target Audience

Look at your current residents and what they have in common. Analyze your competing properties and their residents. Decide what your ideal resident looks like. Define the demographics, lifestyle and motivations for the market you are trying to reach. Consider what that ideal customer will be looking for in a property.

Set Marketing Goals

Make your goals measurable and time specific. If you want to reach prospective residents on social media, make the goal clearly defined by saying you want to reach X number of followers on X social platform by X date. If you want to increase sales, you can make it quantifiable by saying you want to increase new leases by X percent in the next X months.

Define Your Strategies

What marketing strategies will you put in place to reach your objectives? How will you market to your target audience at every step of the sales process, from those who aren’t aware of your property to those that are ready to sign a lease? Consider print, email, online advertising, direct mail and promotional products.

Build a Plan

List which marketing strategies you are going to implement at each stage of the customer life cycle, from a cold prospect to a hot lead. For example, you could use social media advertising to build awareness, email marketing to those that have taken a property tour and promotional gifts to those ready to become a resident. Make sure your strategies are aligned with your marketing goals.

Our FasCard system for multi-housing properties is a great way to market to potential residents. FasCard gives your property a valuable amenity and helps attract new residents to your property. Our “Roll into Rent” feature allows you to advertise your property with “Free Laundry” and our Smart Technology adds a cutting-edge service to your property’s laundry room.

Want to learn more about how FasCard can add value and an additional revenue source to your property? Let’s Talk!

On premise laundry rooms can add value and an additional revenue source to your property. How can a multi-housing laundry room increase revenue beyond what is currently being brought in? Moving away from coin-operated laundry machines and toward a card payment system will expand your total profits, provide a faster, more convenient vending experience for your residents and take the stress out of running your laundry room. In this post, we’ll show you three ways that adding modern payment options to your facility’s laundry room can add value and boost profits for you and your property.

Incremental Vend Pricing

Using incremental vend pricing allows you to increase your pricing by smaller amounts over time, without the restriction of having to use quarter increments. By replacing the perception of “putting one more quarter in the machine” with the quick swipe of a card, the price increase will have minimal effect on your residents. Raise vend prices incrementally with FasCard and stop missing out on potential revenue!

Roll into Rent

Having the option to add laundry costs right into rent prices, allows you to advertise your property with “Free Laundry”. Your residents will receive a laundry card that auto-fills with the same amount each month, creating a hassle-free laundry experience. Add FasCard’s “Roll into Rent” feature to your facility to make doing laundry more convenient for your current residents and help attract new residents to your property!

Time is Money

Collecting coins from each machine in your facility is time consuming. If you are paying someone else to do it for you, that is still money out of your pocket, combined with the uncertainty of how much is actually being collected. FasCard allows you to see real-time profits and sales data for each machine remotely without having to collect coins, so you can take control of your time and revenue!

CCI’s FasCard system works with existing coin laundry machines and gives your residents and guests an alternative to coin laundry. FasCard can do more than just accept payment; it can help you and your property make more money! Property managers who are looking to get more out of their laundry room are turning to FasCard. Contact us today to learn more about our FasCard payment solution and how investing in the right technology can take your laundry room to the next level!

A property’s landscaping and exterior painting are always kept up with, but a facility’s laundry room is all too often ignored and put at the bottom of the priority list. Showing your laundry room a little attention can turn it into a valuable amenity for your multi-housing property. Incorporate the following tips to give your laundry room a facelift and create a place where your residents will want to do their laundry.

Safety and Security

Provide a safe place for your residents to do their laundry by making sure the outside and entry ways of your laundry room are well-lit. Consider placing locks on the doors and making your facility only available to residents. Improve security by minimizing the risk of coin theft and vandalism, by simply getting rid of the need for coins with FasCard.

Clean and Bright Space

No one wants to do laundry in a facility that is dark and dirty. Consider updating or adding lighting to make your room more attractive. Adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls is an easy way to bring new life to your laundry room. Make sure your facility is clean and there are trash/recycling cans for residents to use.

Adequate and Reliable Equipment

Do you have enough equipment for the needs of your residents? Do you have any washers and dryers that need to be replaced? Adding a FasCard system to your laundry room gives property managers web-based management tools to monitor the status and performance of all their equipment live.

Smartphone Technology

Smartphones play an integral role in the lives of your residents. Smart technology in your laundry facility streamlines the way your residents interact with your machines and makes doing laundry easier. With the FasCard app, your residents can manage laundry cards, remotely check machine availability, request cycle completion notifications and even pay for cycles!

[resources align=”left”]

Flexible Payment Options

Providing flexible payment options makes doing laundry at your community convenient for your residents and encourages them to use only your facilities. The FasCard system works with your existing coin laundry machines and accepts credit/debit, laundry cards and in-app Apple pay to give your residents a faster vending experience.

Comfortable and Inviting

Make your laundry facility an attractive place where residents want to come and stay. Consider adding accessories to create an environment that feels like home. Provide seating, magazines, board games and TVs to encourage relaxation and socialization. Turn your laundry room into an area where residents experience comfort and a sense of community.

If you’re ready to take your laundry room to the next level and start making your laundry room work for you, let’s talk.

Integrating technology conveniences into your property can reduce costs, save time and give your property additional revenue opportunities. Adding technological enhancements is a great return on investment and will take your property to the next level with current residents and marketing to potential renters. Here are our top ten technology-based amenities to consider adding to your multi-unit property.

Leasing Documents

Reduce paper by putting leasing applications and renewals online and allow your renters to sign documents electronically.

Paying Rent

Allowing online payments makes collecting rent and utilities easy. Give renters the option to set up recurring payments making it easy for on-time payments.

Maintenance Requests

Give renters the ability to put in 24/7 requests for maintenance online and submit pictures if applicable. This reduces the amount of calls coming into the property office and makes it easier for you to manage maintenance priorities.

Keys and Locks

Consider replacing mechanical locks with keyless locks that can be opened with a smartphone. This gives your property better security, makes it easier to change locks when there are resident changes and saves you money by eliminating the need to make and copy keys.

Package Deliveries

Package lockers are electronic lockers used for package deliveries. Adding package lockers saves you the time of receiving and distributing package deliveries and offers your residents a secure delivery place for their packages.

USB Outlets

Almost all of your residents own a smartphone. Adding outlets with USB ports for charging devices provides a convenient, tech-based amenity for your residents.

Thermostats and Lighting

Installing smart, programmable thermostats and light bulbs makes it convenient for your residents to control utilities in their unit from anywhere, at any time and reduces energy costs.

Doorbells

Installing video monitoring doorbells makes it convenient for your residents to answer their door from their smartphone and provides enhanced security for both your residents and your property.

Wi-Fi

Providing a fast, reliable Wi-Fi connection for your residents is a must. Having high speed and reliable internet is probably one of the most important amenities among renters.

Card Laundry Machines

Installing a card payment system in your laundry room gives your residents flexible payment options when doing laundry and allows you remote management of your laundry room. With the addition of a card system, your laundry room can become a great source of additional revenue for your property. CCI’s card payment systems can be controlled with a smartphone making doing laundry quick, easy and stress free for your residents.

Having a common laundry room is an attractive, convenient amenity for your residents and can make your life as a property owner easier. Here are some advantages of having a community laundry room versus laundry machines in each unit, from both the perspective of the laundry user and a property manager.

Benefits of a Laundry Room For Residents and Guests

• More Space: Multi-housing units typically don’t have a lot of square footage to spare. The place where laundry machines would go could be used for extra storage or an additional closet.
• Less Stress: Renters don’t have to buy, move and connect machines or perform repairs. CCI’s FasCard system takes the hassle out of doing laundry by providing a smartphone app to manage laundry cards, remotely check machine availability, request cycle completion notifications and make mobile wallet payments!
• Multiple and Larger Loads: Residents save time by being able to do multiple loads at once in a laundry room versus one at a time in-unit. Also, full size machines might not fit into multi-housing units. With full size machines in a laundry room, renters have the ability to do larger loads and wash bigger items such as bedding.
• Saves Money: Residents don’t have to spend money on buying a washer and dryer if it’s not provided by the property, they only have to spend money in the laundry room as needed.

Benefits of a Laundry Room for Property Owners and Managers

• Save Money: Having machines in each unit uses more water and energy, which requires more plumbing and electrical setup. Having a laundry room can save you money on utilities, connection requirements, as well as the cost of buying machines for every unit.
• Less Maintenance: With in-unit laundry machines comes a greater risk of flooding and water damage, which requires timely repairs. If maintenance is needed in a laundry room, repairs are centrally located, making damage quick to detect and repairs more efficient.
• Save Time: CCI’s FasCard system eliminates coin completely and allows you to manage your facility’s laundry room remotely from any smart device. Seeing real-time profits and sales data for each machine without having to collect coins saves you time.
• Extra Income: A laundry room can generate additional revenue for your property. By adding card acceptance with CCI’s FasCard system, you can increase profits by selling cycle upgrades, raising vend prices incrementally and growing your community through marketing programs.

Today’s multi-housing laundry rooms look very different than facility laundry rooms of the past. Property managers who are looking to transform their laundry room into a modern amenity for their facility are turning to the FasCard system. Implementing this system into your laundry room gives you the ability to provide your residents with benefits that will bring value to your property and take the stress out of running a laundry room!

Technology has made just about everything in our lives more convenient and that includes the management and use of multi-unit laundry rooms. Having modern amenities in your laundry room such as online monitoring via smartphones and card payment systems will bring value to your property and set your property apart from the competition. As an owner or manager, introducing automated systems into your laundry room will save you time and money and reduce the stress of running a laundry room. In this blog post, we’ll show you how bringing technology into your multi-unit laundry room will turn it into a profitable and valued amenity of your property that is easy to manage.

Remote Management

Installing CCI’s FasCard system in your laundry room gives you the ability to manage cash and collections, provide immediate customer service, configure vend prices, implement marketing programs, run sales reports and monitor the status of equipment – all live and remotely from your smartphone or laptop! Having web-based management means accessing your FasCard system is simple and can be performed from any web browser so you can manage your laundry room at anytime from anywhere. With FasCard you can accept cash payments and resolve problems without having someone physically there. If a tenant or guest has a problem with a machine, you can simply log into their account and refund their money.

Card and Coin Auditing

Using FasCard in your laundry room allows you to audit both coin and card sales on any specific machine. This will give you the ability to not only track the success of your credit card sales but monitor the number of coins in each machine. You can configure FasCard to send you email notifications when coin boxes reach capacity so you collect only when you need to. If you are having someone else collect for you, you can receive an email notification that details the coins collected from each machine once your collector has finished. Having less cash in your machines will reduce theft and you’ll always know at any time how much money is in your laundry room. FasCard isn’t just a card payment system; it introduces a holistic solution to running your laundry room.

Flexible Payment Options

Installing FasCard in your laundry room makes the experience of doing laundry easy, quick and stress free. Whether a customer prefers using currency or credit/debit cards, FasCard provides the ultimate in convenience by accepting all types of payment. Customers can even insert some coins and swipe their card for the balance. By adding card acceptance, you are make it easier for your customers to use your laundry room, encourage more use of your machines and therefore produce more revenue for you. No longer do your residents have to obtain coins and cash or deal with the hassles of coin dispensing equipment. In addition, our F2 Card Reader makes it even easier for your customers to pay for their cycles.

Smartphone App

Residents want to complete their laundry as quickly and efficiently as possible. With FasCard, instead of your consumer having to revolve their schedule around doing laundry, the laundry card system makes it convenient for them to do their laundry and easily fits into their busy schedule. Smartphones play an integral role in our lives and FasCard includes a smartphone app for today’s latest devices. From their smartphone, your customers will be able to create an account, add value, manage loyalty cards, check machine availability, request cycle completion notifications and even start a machine! No longer do your residents have to make unnecessary trips to the laundry room to check the status of machines, sit around and wait for their cycle to complete or risk loss of clothes sitting in the machines for hours.

CCI’s systems will give you the technological tools to create a modern laundry room that is a valuable business, easy to manage, and meets the needs of residents and guests. Our FasCard system is a perfect fit for multi-housing applications such as apartment buildings, hotels, condominium buildings and residence halls. If you’re a property owner or manager looking to get more out of your facility’s laundry room, contact us today to learn more about our FasCard payment solutions and how investing in the technology can take your laundry room to the next level!