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Written by Cents' Business Development Team: Pablo Marvel & Adam Goldstein (with a little help from AI 😉)
Laundromat owners have a lot on their plates. There’s always a customer to help, a machine to fix, or a report to run. What if there was a way to make it all a little easier?
That’s exactly what we focus on in the Business Development team here at Cents. We help laundromat owners grow their businesses with smart tools—and one of our newest is Cents Assist, a virtual team member that uses AI to answer phones, help customers, and give your staff more time to focus on what matters.
Cents was one of the first laundry tech companies to use AI, and while the idea used to seem scary or too futuristic, more people in the laundry world are warming up to it. Once you see how helpful it can be, it’s hard to imagine going back.
This blog post is a practical guide to using AI to improve your laundromat—especially if you’re just getting started. We’ll keep it simple, give real examples, and show you how tools like Cents Assist and ChatGPT can make your business a whole lot easier, and more effective too.
First, What Even Is AI?
AI (short for Artificial Intelligence) is technology that can think, talk, and even make decisions like a human—but way faster. There are two types of AI tools we talk about most at Cents:
1. Generative AI
This kind of AI helps you write things, answer questions, and come up with ideas. Think of it like a super smart assistant who can help you write texts to customers, plan marketing campaigns, or explain hard business numbers.
Example: “Write a text message reminding a customer to pick up their laundry.”
2. Agentic AI
This is more advanced. It doesn’t just give you ideas—it actually does things for you. Cents Assist is a great example. It can answer your laundromat’s phone, tell customers your hours, and even send you updates—all without anyone on your team having to lift a finger.
Example: A customer calls asking when you close. Cents Assist answers, tells them, and texts you a summary of the call.
How to Talk to AI and Get What You Need
Here’s the truth: AI only works well if you ask it the right way.
Imagine giving a new employee vague instructions like “close up.” You wouldn’t do that, right? Instead, you'd say something specific like, “Can you wipe down the folding tables, restock detergent, and lock up at 9pm?”
Same goes for AI.
ChatGPT works best when you give it three things: your goal + some background + the way you’d like the answer to come back.
This simple formula helps you get useful responses the first time—without having to redo anything.
Let’s walk through how this works in real situations laundromat owners face.
Improving the Customer Experience
You want your staff to greet every customer in a friendly, helpful way—especially new ones.
Tell AI: “I want a short greeting my team can use when someone walks into the laundromat for the first time. We just launched a wash & fold service and want to let people know about it. It should sound friendly and only take about 30–45 seconds.”
AI might respond with something like: “Hi there! Welcome to [Your Laundromat Name]. Have you heard? We now do wash & fold! It saves time and makes laundry easier. Want to check it out today?”
Message template for customer orders
Here’s another request: “I want a short text message to tell a customer their laundry is ready. It should sound casual, be under 30 words, and include an emoji.”
Example response: “Your laundry’s fresh and ready to roll! 🧺 Pick up anytime before 7pm today. Thanks for choosing [Laundromat Name]!”
Getting customer feedback
You want honest feedback from your customers. You might ask, “Can you help me put together a quick survey to see how we’re doing? I own a small family laundromat and want feedback on cleanliness, wait times, and service.”
AI might give you a 5-question survey like:
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How would you rate the cleanliness of our store? (1–5)
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Was our staff friendly and helpful? (Yes/No)
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How was the wait time before someone helped you? (Really short / Kind of long / Very long)
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What could we do better? (Open comment)
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Would you come back or recommend us to a friend? (Yes/No)
After that, ask AI to create you an image or graphic to use when you send out. Here is the AI generated graphic from the requests above.
Running Your Store More Smoothly: Creating a weekly task list
Let’s say you want a checklist for your employees, sorted by day of the week.
You might say: “Can you make me a weekly employee task list? Include cleaning machines, folding area upkeep, and customer service.”
You’ll get something like:
Monday:
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Wipe down all washer and dryer doors
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Restock detergent and supplies
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Greet every customer with a smile
Tuesday:
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Deep clean soap dispensers
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Organize folding tables
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Check trash bins and empty as needed
...and so on for each day.
Using AI for Laundromat Promotions and Marketing
You might ask: “Can you write a fun Instagram post for my Fourth of July sale? We’re giving 20% off wash & fold.”
It might come back with: “Celebrate freedom from laundry this Fourth of July! 🇺🇸 Get 20% off wash & fold all week. Drop it off, enjoy the fireworks!”
Creating Newsletter templates
Try this: “I want to send a newsletter every month to let customers know about deals, new services, or holiday hours. Keep it short and friendly.”
It could come back with something like:
Subject: July at [Your Laundromat Name]
Body: “Hey [Customer Name]!
This month we’re celebrating with 20% off wash & fold and extended holiday hours. We’re also now offering detergent add-ons for pickup orders!
Stop by soon—your laundry will thank you.”
Bringing in more local customers
Ask: “What are some ideas to attract new customers from nearby apartment buildings? We just started pickup & delivery.”
You’ll likely get ideas in 3 categories:
Digital:
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Run Facebook ads targeting local ZIP codes
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Offer first-time customer codes online
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List on Google and Yelp with updated service info
In-Person:
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Drop off flyers with front desk managers
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Host a “laundry day” with free samples
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Offer referral rewards for apartment residents
Understanding Your Finances
You could say: “I make about $12,000 a month from self-serve and $8,000 from wash & fold. I spend $2,000 on labor and $7,000 on other things. I want to buy two new machines at $2,000 each. Help me build a monthly financial plan.”
AI might break it down in a table like this:
Planning for the Future
Ask: “What would make my laundromat more attractive to a buyer in a year or two?”
You’ll get tips like:
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Keep clean, accurate books
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Build a strong brand and customer base
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Keep machines in good shape
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Show stable or growing profits
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Offer pickup & delivery (buyers love growth potential!)
What Is Cents Assist?
Imagine this: It’s a busy Saturday. You’re helping a customer fix a jammed machine. Meanwhile, the phone rings. Instead of running to answer it, Cents Assist picks up the call for you. A customer wants to know your wash & fold hours. Cents Assist gives them the info and then sends you a quick message just in case you want to follow up. It’s fast, friendly, and saves you time.
Cents Assist is a smart AI call center made just for laundromats. It was built to solve a big problem: laundromat staff can’t always stop what they’re doing to answer every call. And when they do, it pulls them away from helping customers in person.
With Cents Assist, you get:
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A friendly voice answering every customer call
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Help with common questions like hours, pricing, and services
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Automatic follow-ups and notifications sent to you
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It gives you and your team more time to focus on the stuff that really needs a person—like helping customers face-to-face
In January 2025, Loads of Clothes implemented Cents Assist and the system immediately began serving as the first point of contact for all incoming calls.
Owner Colton Oakley explained the immediate impact: “After implementing Cents Assist, the constant stream of calls to my personal phone stopped. The AI system functions as a screener, filtering calls and only forwarding those that truly require my attention. It saves me time while ensuring customers get the assistance they need.”
The AI system now handles routine inquiries, screens unwanted calls, and only forwards important matters to staff. “Our team can stay focused on serving customers in-store without constant phone interruptions,” Colton explained. “When an issue truly needs attention, the call is directed to the appropriate person, making our responses more efficient.”
Using Cents Assist is like adding someone to your team without putting anyone on payroll. And that’s just one way AI can help your business run smoother.
Final Tips for Using AI Tools Like ChatGPT
To make sure you’re getting the best results, try these quick tricks:
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Be specific: Instead of “help me market my laundromat,” try “give me three Instagram ideas for promoting my pickup & delivery service.”
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Mention your tools: If you use Cents Campaigns or Business Manager, say so. That way the AI gives answers based on your setup.
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Set the tone: Want something playful? Serious? Professional? Say that up front.
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Ask for formatting: Need a checklist, a table, or a short caption? Just say it.
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Keep going: If the answer isn’t quite right, don’t give up. Ask follow-ups like, “Can you shorten this?” or “Give me three more options.”
Conclusion
In the past, people thought AI was something only big companies used—or that it was too advanced for small businesses. But times have changed. These days, small business owners are using AI every day to get more done and make life easier. That includes laundromat owners like you.
Using AI won’t replace your team—but it will give them more powers. Tools like Cents Assist and ChatGPT help you save time, improve service, and grow your business in ways that just weren’t possible before.
So whether you’re answering customer calls, planning your next promo, or just trying to stay on top of everything—AI is there to assist you.
