How do I check a commercial laundry’s rework and complaint rates?

Rework means linen that has to be washed or pressed again. Complaints are what customers say about it. Begin by asking whether the seller keeps a log of both, and how entries are made. A tidy log with no entries is less trustworthy than a messy one with real detail.

Read through it for patterns. Are the same customers complaining? Do problems cluster around one machine, one shift or one product type such as table linen or towels? Ask what was done about each one. A laundry that fixes root causes will show a decline in repeat issues, whereas one that just redoes work will show the same faults again.

Then go to the customers. With the seller’s permission, speak to a few of the larger accounts and ask what they think of quality and how quickly problems get solved. Also ask staff, since they know where the shortcuts are. Credits and discounts given for poor work should appear in the books, so ask your accountant to check them against the log. The first months after you take over are when a new owner’s approach shows, so decide how you would respond.

Key takeaways

• Ask how rework and complaints are defined and recorded.
• Look for patterns by customer, machine, shift and item type.
• Speak to customers and staff, and check credits against the log.
• Ask how credits and discounts for poor work appear in the books, and whether they match the log.