“A campus that is looking to revamp laundry operations should discuss goals and student needs with their internal team or contracted laundry provider and seek input from their students,” says Emery. “Student focus groups are a great way to determine what services should be offered and participants can serve as a sounding board for different concepts.”

It’s likely, however, that most student polling and focus groups will share a common thread. “What students want is a reliable solution that is simple to use and convenient,” says Emery. “They want to wash their clothes and pay for it in the way they are most comfortable with – the ID card, credit card or debit card.”

The future of the campus laundry will also center on the measured addition of advanced technology. “Secondary services – in particular mobile apps – that add convenience that enable students pay for their laundry, add funds or to view machine status and receive notifications when their laundry cycle is complete will be huge assets.”