On-Premises vs. Outsourced Laundry Services for Businesses
In industries such as hospitality and healthcare, efficient laundry service is a major consideration. Many businesses prefer to manage this operation internally, but ensuring the budget for equipment, labor, maintenance, and utilities are in place can be a challenge. Many organizations therefore choose to use outsourced laundry services that offer a pay-as-you-go model, which can cost much less than supporting an on-premises operation.
Prudential Overall Supply offers uniform rentals and laundering services, but to those not familiar with the choice of managing laundry in house or outsourcing it, there are a number of advantages and disadvantages to both methods. For businesses that manage their laundry in-house, rather than go with, for example, Prudential Cleanroom Services , the benefits include complete control over linen-cleaning duties, quick turnaround, and complete availability of inventory.
However, the downside includes high costs and a labor-intensive function. The business must pay for the water, electricity, sewer, and natural gas services needed to maintain the operation. Maintenance and repair of equipment are costly whether you hire in-house personnel or sign on with an outside provider for related services. Plus, there are the expenses of supplies, chemicals, licenses, permits, and insurance, as well as factors such as overhead and taxes that can create budgetary headaches.
On the other hand, outsourced laundry services that a work uniform rental company can provide avoids these concerns, and add the following advantages:
- All Equipment Needs Are Met: Efficient machinery is a major expense for a business like a hotel. One person can only do so much, and is capable of stacking perhaps 100 to 120 linens each hour; however, automated folding systems used by service providers can handle up to 800 per hour.1 The company does not have to purchase the equipment, and gets an upgrade by outsourcing its laundry service.
- A Focus on Core Business Functions: Hotel management can concentrate on hospitality for their guests, or a healthcare business can focus on treatments and wellness, rather than running operations they’re not experts in. By avoiding the costs of a laundry operation, the business can focus on core competencies that make it competitive. Cleaning and freshening up what employees wear to work doesn’t have to strain the budget.
- Trained Staff Are Not Needed: Industry training and accreditation are often provided by the Association for Linen Management. The people employed by a reputable provider already have the skills and experience to use equipment and wash and dry linens and clothing. Let the uniform companies handle the dirty work. Running the business should be your priority.
An external laundry service provider does more than save on costs and helps conserve capital for other business purposes. It can also free up more square footage for any facility. If the idea of cleaning hospital uniforms and work apparel faster and for less still seems illusive, use the On-Premises Laundry (OPL) Cost Calculator to see how much can be saved.
Lastly, contact us at (800) 767-5536 for more information about our uniform, facility, and cleanroom laundry services.
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