Trendy Wash says franchise focus is shifting to post-opening ops

• Trendy Wash says competition is moving from site readiness to post-opening management.
• The company says it manages more than 600 branches nationwide.
• It cites different customer behaviour across residential, labour, tourist and urban areas.

Trendy Wash by Urbanway says the Thai self-service laundry market is moving from pre-opening checks to post-opening management. The company says the key test now is running the branch well after launch.

Trendy Wash says franchise focus is shifting to post-opening ops

Chief executive Nimit Tangwararat said location, machine count and pricing still matter. But he said differentiation now needs to go beyond the first day of service.

He said owners now need support in monitoring operations, maintaining machines and systems, running promotions and handling problems. He added that many new investors want to run shops alongside other work and cannot stay at the store all the time.

Trendy Wash says it and its franchise network manage more than 600 branches nationwide. It says customer behaviour varies significantly by area, including residential zones, labour areas, tourist cities and urban communities.

The company says back-office systems must do more than control machines. They must also help owners see store data, manage operations and adapt services to local demand.

It pointed to several branches as examples. At its Sriracha branch, the model adds folding and storage help, Wi-Fi and other facilities. At its Erica branch in Samut Sakhon, the store adds vending machines, drinks and massage chairs. At its Bearing 10 branch, the owner began as a customer before investing. At Thakham Soi 14, a foreign entrepreneur said standards, performance and the brand's awards influenced the decision.

Nimit said the company has developed systems covering site selection, store design and installation, payment systems, an app, promotions, assistance services and maintenance. He said these are linked under its Smart Laundry Platform so owners can track store status and revenue and manage the business more systematically.

He said future growth in the laundry business may not be measured only by branch count. He said branch quality, local adaptability and customer experience also matter.