Problems looking…Goldilocks and…

Problems looking…for a solution

So, the laundry manager says they don’t have the capacity to get all the soiled linens processed and back to the floor before check-in time. And their shelf stock is limited, so pulling clean inventory to make up all of the rooms isn’t really possible.

Encountering that situation is a challenge we can address when it’s a current customer. But if it’s a prospect it’s simply a golden opportunity!

First where’s the roadblock? Is it washer capacity or perhaps too few dryers? Perhaps the dryers aren’t hot enough. But more likely the problem is limited washer throughput. Either way the solution lies right there in front of us ready to be addressed and capitalized upon.

If the dryers are the issue and the temperatures are already maxed, then we need to look at the wash formulas. Might a longer extraction cycle be the answer so that there’s less moisture to remove in the dryers? If the dryers aren’t the roadblock, then are the wash formulas just too long? Might a more efficient formula design – or a different chemical approach be the answer?

No matter what, that problem’s an opportunity. And to the extent we’re prepared to address it, we’re in the enviable position of turning a problem (need) into a solution that either cements our position, or better yet leads to a new customer. Either way we’re in the driver’s seat.

Next up: Dealing with rewashes.

Goldilocks and…And the sweet spot

Is hotter always better? Likewise, if a 1:10 dilution works, is 1:5 more effective? There’s an old (and kind of sarcastic) saying in the soap business that goes: “If some is good, then more is better.” Like most tongue in cheek sayings, it contains a kernel of truth and a bit of cynicism.

Yes, there are circumstances where more may be better. But in full disclosure, while using that degreaser at 1:5 results in more use, the simple fact is that if the floor is clean at 1:10, it won’t get any cleaner with more.

Likewise, if we elevate that wash tank much past 155F, chances are good that we’ll do ourselves more harm than good. Run it above 160 and that residue of egg yolk may well end up a hardened baked on film transforming what was an easily removed soil to one that’s stubborn, and that worst of all results in a justified service call.

In the end, Goldilocks balance of not too hot, or too cold, not to concentrated or diluted but just right is exactly where we want to operate. And if we do, we’re maximizing the benefits we promised when we closed that prospect. Looking at it cynically, we’re also protecting our flanks from a competitor who might correct our error.