Laundry services popular with college students
Laundry services popular with college students
Debbie A. Lubis, Contributor, Jakarta
Laundry services are perhaps most popular with those who have clothes or textile items made of silk, fur, or suede, as well as curtains. However, the service is also popular now with college students living in boarding houses nearby campuses in Depok, a suburb in southern Jakarta.
Unlike conventional laundry services, laundry operators in Depok do not charge their customers per piece but for every five kilos of garments cleaned. The highly competitive commercial laundry market has also led them to apply competitive pricing. They charge Rp 16,000 to Rp 17,000 per five kilos of garments cleaned. They also offer drop-off and pickup services.
"It would be impossible for me to drop off 15 kilos of casual garments every weekend if the price were above Rp 20,000," said Ade, a student in the psychology department at the University of Indonesia.
She has benefited from such laundry services for two years. For her, the service is really helpful, especially as there are so many campus assignments to be completed and, during the dry season, her boarding house lacks a water supply.
Another student, Rhino, said that he always relied on the laundry service as he often got his clothes dirty after playing soccer with his friends. "Besides, I'm too lazy to wash them, not to mention the ironing," grinned the student from Palembang, South Sumatra, in his final semester.
Currently, six laundry operators exist adjacent to campuses in Depok. One of them is Private Washing, established in 1999 and located on Jl Margonda Raya, Gg Kober No. 5. Initially, the facility was utilized by six college students who considered washing clothes to be a waste of time. But then they decided to turn it into a business as demands for laundry services from their friends continued to grow. Their first investment was worth Rp 5 million.
"We reached break-even point within a year. From one washing machine and a dryer, we now have three of each," said Tumirin, in charge of daily operations at the depot, which has a 2,300-watt electricity supply. It opens from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
The depot offers laundry, drying, pressing, drop-off and pickup services. Five kilos of garments that are washed, dried, and packed cost Rp 10,000, plus an additional Rp 7,000 for pressing. The laundry is packed in a bag that holds up to five kilos and may consist of linen, shirts, jeans, gowns, hats, towels, blankets, bed sheets, bed covers, curtains and pillows, but not carpets. The bag is returned in a day.
The laundering and drying process for each bag can take about two hours. Customers are free to choose whatever detergent, softener and ironing spray they prefer. Private Washing also gives a free voucher for one laundry bag to customers who have used the service 10 times.
"There is no additional fee or limited time for pickup and drop-off services in the Depok areas. However, most students come here on the weekend," Tumirin said. Every day, his two staff can handle 15 bags to 20 bags of laundry, and 30 bags to 35 bags on Saturdays and Sundays.
However, Tumirin asks his customers to abide by some regulations. He says that the depot is not responsible for any dissatisfaction caused by too dirty, discolored or worn-out clothes, or laundry not picked up after 30 days. "At present, we have donated up to 50 kilos of garments to victims of flood disasters and to orphanages because the owners of the laundry bags did not show up after 18 months."
Rimu Washing, located on Jl Margonda Raya, Gg Damai, also offers a similar service. It charges Rp 10,000 for a bag containing five kilos of laundry to be washed, dried, folded and packed, and an additional Rp 6,000 for ironing.
The depot opens from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days per week. It also offers a free voucher after 10 visits. Customers are free to choose detergent, softener or ironing sprays with a fragrance that suits their preference. However, it charges Rp 2,000 per bag in its pickup and delivery service. The pickup service is available only in the evening.
Another depot, Bibi's, located nearby Rimu, has a different charging method. It charges Rp 10,000 per 15 garments to be washed, dried, folded and packed and Rp 20,000 if the laundry is to be ironed. For single items like shirts or pants the depot charges Rp 1,000, and Rp 2,000 for a blanket or bed cover.