True Cost of OPL vs. Hotel Laundry Services
How confident are you that you know the true cost of your on property laundry (OPL) compared to what a hotel laundry services costs? Could you calculate your costs down to the price per load, including every related expense? Are you sure you’re handling your laundry cheaper than a vendor could do?
Chances are, your calculation includes one or two categories of expenses such as labour and cleaning chemicals but overlooks other laundry-related costs that aren’t separately allocated for laundry in your budget. That means you’re underestimating your costs when comparing them to a laundry vendor.
With a holistic view of your property’s expenses in mind, let’s take a look at the true cost of OPL vs. what a hotel laundry service costs.
Laundry Costs Hidden in Plain Sight vs. Upfront Hotel Laundry Services Costs
When calculating the cost of on property laundry, it’s important to look beyond direct expenses and consider all of the elements involved, including things like the water, electricity and fuel required, salaries for staff, and the maintenance to keep your commercial laundry machines running smoothly.
You’ll also want to include as costs: the depreciation in value of your laundry equipment over time, the productivity lost when your machines are down for maintenance and the value of the square footage that your OPL is claiming.
Compare that to the inclusive pricing structure of a large-scale hotel laundry service. Instead of worrying about separate laundry-related bills and expenses, you’ll have a single, straightforward contract that covers your costs. You’ll be able to track over time exactly how much your laundry is costing – and how much your property is saving by outsourcing.
Fixed Cost vs. Pay as You Go
Your OPL is costing you money no matter what your occupancy levels are like. Linens still need to be laundered, staff need to be paid and utility costs will continue to fluctuate.
Your hotel laundry service cost, on the other hand, will depend on how much laundry is being processed, so you only end up paying for occupied rooms. Fewer guests mean fewer pounds of laundry and lower costs._
High Costs vs. High Tech
Most OPL operations have commercial laundry equipment that’s large enough to meet their needs but with large price tags to match. In addition to the cost of procuring the equipment, there are maintenance and repair costs, as well as the utility expenses of washing, drying and ironing each load.
A large-scale hotel laundry services takes high capacity to the high-tech next level with washers that can handle up to 5,000 pounds of laundry per hour using four times less water than a conventional machine. And the water that is used is recycled so that it can be used again.
Linen Losses vs. Linen Lifecycle Extension
Your property has invested in premium sheets, towels and robes, and you want to protect that investment as much as possible from damage and loss. While some linen loss is inevitable in hospitality, some is preventable and could be caused by aging commercial laundry equipment.
A laundry outsourcing provider has laundry equipment and practices in place to safeguard luxury linens from wear and tear, adding to the amount of time they can be in circulation.
Laundry Equipment vs. Lattes
An OPL is a large undertaking that requires enough space for the safe handling of linens, large equipment and personnel. Properties that have decided to partner with a laundry vendor and shut down their OPLs have been able to transform that square footage into retail space, conference rooms or even coffee shops.
Whether you continue to launder your linens yourself or opt for outsourcing, determining the true cost of OPL vs hotel laundry services cost is an important step toward running your hotel, resort or timeshare property as efficiently as possible.
Content creation and credit: Crown Linen USA