Page 66 - CIJ Feb 2024 Digital Edition

Laundry

raditionally, in smaller family to partner with, the entire differ from larger cities but the
towns and villages, laundry country seems easily accessible basic needs of the inhabitants do
is seldom outsourced, due • No one understands a not change much. This is because
to multiple factors that neighborhood better than laundry is a basic need irrespective
Tcreated mental and physical the micro-entrepreneur. If a of the place. Hence, laundry
barriers. These are: partnership is struck with a service is relevant in small cities
• Time: most women were micro-entrepreneur who hails too. Unlike other household chores
homemakers and washing from the same small town like cooking or cleaning, washing
clothes was considered their where the start-up is likely to clothes is not exactly a hobby!
responsibility be located, then the chances of Herein lies the requirement for
• Shame: People consciously the laundry venture becoming good laundry services. Since special
avoided outsourcing dirty successful are manifold garments are already sent for dry
clothes. • Customization in terms of cleaning routinely, the spending
capacity of these services does not
• Cost: The notion that laundry services offered: dry-cleaning come into question.
equals dry cleaning, limited or laundry market, special
people to using this service only garments requiring special People residing in remote areas
for expensive clothing worn care and training, and suitable have already displayed their interest
during weddings and occasions. pricing. An example of special in services that bring convenience
Laundry outsourcing was care training involves handling into their lives. The steady rise and
deemed pricey expensive and sentimental items use of e-commerce platforms like
• Infrastructure: Laundries like “Mekhala Chaador” from Amazon and Flipkart is sheer proof
of this development. It is a clear
Assam which cannot be handled
require a continuous supply of similarly to a regular bedsheet sign that they will outsource laundry
water and electricity. A majority too if given a choice.
of towns and villages in India • Brand building is tricky but
were grappling with issues like “rickshaw marketing” in small Remote areas can have access
power cuts and irregular water towns has worked well to collection centers in adjoining
supply. This made the laundry Overall, the involvement of an cities to ensure that all customers
business both unviable and enterprising microentrepreneur is receive good dry cleaning services
unlucrative paramount for the success of remote irrespective of their locations. High
• Geography: The geographical town laundries. demand and a large customer base
in remote areas hold promise for
locations of small towns in India Gaurav Nigam, Founder & mobile services with appropriate
make it challenging to transport Director, Tumbledry opines that infrastructure and ecosystems are
heavy machinery required for the dynamics in smaller towns may possible.
the smooth operations of a
laundromat
Some laundry chains like UClean
feel that the greatest hurdle to
expanding business at various
locations is the fear of the unknown.
Efforts are needed to develop the
entire ecosystem for laundry service
to thrive and survive in these remote
locations.
However, this is easier said than
done. For a country, where the
language constantly changes over
a short geographical space, it is
impossible to build a template and
replicate the same across the length
and breadth of the country. A few
learnings from past:
• India is a country of shopkeepers
and once you find the right

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