Healthcare Laundry: Jay Juffre, ImageFIRST, King of Prussia, Pa.
2025 holds plenty of opportunity to keep or make your business a healthy one.
Since the philosophy should always be who rather than what, start with your employees. People continue to talk with their feet, and attracting and keeping talented employees at all levels is vital for success.
It is impossible to run an efficient laundry with high turnover or in a situation where you have to rely on temps or a constant influx of new employees to get the job done. Take time to create an environment where people enjoy coming to work and then take the time necessary to train and develop all employees to be successful.
Once you have the people part in a good place or have a plan to keep it there, you can focus on what needs to be done.
Let’s start with the physical plant. In today’s world, you need to have reliable equipment. Even if your plant is brand new, you have to have a strong, focused miniatous team to keep it running (refer back to the who in the first part). This can be extremely challenging, so once again make sure that your maintenance team has all the tools they need (both figuratively and literally) to keep your plant reliable and functioning well.
Being in a situation where you are not going hand-to-mouth or constantly playing catch up due to equipment failures is important.
Another important element inside the four walls of your building is a focus on safety. Healthy businesses are not dealing with accidents on a regular basis, and every time there is a workplace injury, it derails you and the team from focusing on what is important.
Looking outside the operation is the customer. Taking great care of your customers is always key and the biggest thing to focus on is being a reliable partner which always prevents them from looking at competitors.
Delivering quality products on time becomes easy when you are fully staffed with a team that has the tools they need to be successful.
People working safely on reliable equipment and taking care of customers was the recipe for success in 2024, and it will be the same in the years to come.
Equipment/Supply Distribution: Ross Sanders, Streamline Solutions, Orlando, Fla.
Well, this is an interesting question as “nobody has a crystal ball” as they say, but I guess many things are relatively basic when predicting what a company must do in the new year so let’s go that route first. My company is certainly no different than any of the laundries in our industry.
You need to look at what made you strong in 2024 and see how you can continue down that same successful road. At the same time, you will need to look at what issues occurred and see how you can fine-tune them and make them better.
Over the last two years of being a member of the “Panel of Experts,” many of these same types of questions were discussed, so I will certainly try not to repeat myself.
Maybe a good idea is to realize how seeing where your strong points were over the last year and seeing how you can make things better for the upcoming year is as simplistic as contacting your customers. Find out how they feel about how you performed for them over this last year.
To do that, you need to make sure that you ask them honest questions and not be afraid to hear them out. Then, of course, you will need to stay with what made you strong and look to make needed changes for the new year.
Financially, there are so many unexpected things that as of today we have no idea what will happen tomorrow, let alone over a full year. I am actually typing this only a few days away from our presidential election. No doubt, the next year will be affected by who wins the presidency.
Not only that, but how your state and local elections end up will influence your upcoming financial year. And hopefully for everyone reading this, it ends up well for you whether the candidate of your choice wins or not.
Certain things are out of our financial control and you as a businessperson must adapt in the best way possible to make everything work for you.
For my company, Streamline Solutions, we have already put pieces into place to the best of our ability to safeguard whatever the result will be for us. When saying that, it is to hopefully help us but also to make sure that our customers are in a good place as well because of what we have decided to do on our end.
I’m not sure if many things are more important than planning for the future but when doing so, you have to make sure that you do so looking at so many different angles that may come your way.
At this point, all I can really say is to do the best that you can to make sure that your company is just as successful in 2025 as you were in 2024. If you need to adjust, do not be afraid to do so. None of us are perfect but you can certainly attempt to be.
Good luck to everyone in 2025 and hopefully it will be the best year that you have ever had!
Textile/Uniform Rental: W. Kirby Wagg, Performance Matters, Sarasota, Fla.
As we approach 2025, the textile rental industry faces a rapidly evolving landscape. To stay ahead, operators must proactively address several crucial trends and challenges.
1. SUSTAINABILITY
The push for sustainability continues to reshape industries worldwide, and our industry is no exception. In 2025, expect increased pressure from both regulators and customers for sustainable practices, including:
- Eco-friendly materials: Consider expanding your product range to include environmentally friendly textiles.
- Energy and water usage: With utility costs rising, maximizing energy and water efficiency is not only a cost-saving measure but also a competitive differentiator. Investing in energy-efficient equipment and water recycling systems will help meet regulatory demands while reducing operational costs.
- Waste reduction initiatives: Implementing programs to reduce textile waste, whether through better inventory management or extending the life cycle of linens, will become increasingly important.
2. ADOPTING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS
Advancements in technology are accelerating, and staying current with new developments is vital. Some of these are:
- Automation and robotics: To alleviate labor shortages and reduce costs, more facilities are adopting automation for sorting, folding and even washing tasks. Automated solutions can improve consistency, productivity and reduce manual handling errors.
- Digital tracking systems: RFID (radio-frequency identification) and other tracking technologies are becoming more accessible and can significantly improve inventory management, providing real-time data on linen usage, losses and rotation efficiency.
- AI and predictive maintenance: Using artificial intelligence to anticipate equipment maintenance needs can help avoid costly downtime and extend the lifespan of machinery.
3. NAVIGATING LABOR MARKET CHANGES
The labor market remains a challenge with ongoing difficulties in attracting and retaining skilled workers. Actions include:
- Investing in training programs: Upskilling employees can improve productivity, reduce turnover and enhance service quality.
- Employee wellness and incentives: Offering programs that focus on employee health, safety and financial well-being can make your company an employer of choice.
- Flexible staffing models: Consider using temporary or part-time staff during peak periods, coupled with cross-training to ensure employees can manage multiple roles.
- Use stay interviews: Talk to your employees regularly to let them know they are appreciated.
4. STRENGTHENING CYBERSECURITY MEASURES
With increased reliance on technology comes the need to protect against cyber threats. Cybersecurity should be a top priority in 2025, including:
- Protecting customer data: Ensure your systems are equipped to protect sensitive client information.
- Preventing ransomware attacks: Regularly update software, train employees on phishing risks and implement strong access controls to safeguard against malicious attacks.
- Data backup and recovery plans: Develop a robust strategy to recover from data breaches, minimizing downtime and protecting your reputation.
5. RESPONDING TO MARKET VOLATILITY
Economic uncertainty can significantly impact demand for textile rental services. Tools to navigate this include:
- Flexible pricing strategies: Consider introducing tiered service options or short-term contracts (on core items) to accommodate clients facing economic pressure.
- Diversifying client base: Expanding into new sectors, such as healthcare or hospitality, can help cushion your business from downturns in any one area.
- Managing supply-chain risks: Collaborating with multiple suppliers and maintaining a stock of essential items can help mitigate disruptions.
6. EMBRACING CIRCULAR ECONOMY PRINCIPLES
The concept of a circular economy, which focuses on reducing waste by reusing and recycling products, is gaining momentum. For the textile rental industry, this could mean:
- Textile recovery programs: Encourage customers to return damaged textiles for repurposing or recycling.
- Second-hand linen sales: Consider selling used linens in secondary markets, like to commercial cleaning services or even consumers.
CONCLUSION
Preparing for 2025 involves staying adaptable and initiative-taking.
Sustainability, technology, labor, cybersecurity, market volatility and circular economy principles are critical areas to focus on.
By addressing these trends, textile rental businesses can position themselves to thrive despite the challenges ahead.
Click HERE to read Part 1 as equipment manufacturing, hotel laundry and commercial laundry experts look ahead to next year.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
