Transforming Laundry Services
Laundry services in India have transformed into a thriving industry, presenting lucrative opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors. UClean, a pioneering laundry and cleaning services brand, led by visionary founder Gunjan Taneja, has emerged as a game-changer in response to the growing demand for convenient and professional laundry solutions.
Taneja embarked on a journey that led to the creation of UClean in October 2016. Talking about the inception of UClean, Taneja states, “Nobody was doing live laundromat concepts before we started with it, and especially on a franchise-based model. The requirement came from my own need.”
Dissatisfied with the existing laundry services which were also very expensive, she identified a gap in the market for a convenient and professional laundry solution. Alongside her co-founder Aruna, who faced similar challenges in the hotel industry, Taneja set out to create something unique.
The duo believed that consumers needed a transparent and hygienic experience, where they could witness the laundering process which inspired them to establish UClean.
Marketing Strategy
Leveraging Bollywood's influence, UClean was endorsed by Bollywood celebrities Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu who also became investors in the company. This lent a sense of trust and credibility to the brand, attracting a loyal customer base at a rapid pace.
As to the demand and supply in this industry, Taneja says, “I still believe that in India there's a huge demand for good quality laundry and in this industry, it is a supply problem, not a demand problem.”
UClean's marketing strategy further centered around storytelling and social media. The brand emphasized its eco-friendly practices, resonating with environmentally-conscious consumers. This purpose-driven approach created authenticity and transparency, which became the foundation of UClean's brand identity.
Leveraging Technology
Technological innovation played a crucial role in UClean's operations and customer experience. On managing the franchise management by leveraging technology, Taneja shared, “We have the entire technology suite from our invoicing franchise management system, to franchise onboarding system, to apps, to an automated WhatsApp, CRM and more, all of it is built in house.”
They further also introduced an automated WhatsApp chatbot to cater to older customers, demonstrating their commitment to listen and adapt to customer needs.
Growth Model
Two key factors contributed to their growth - a market need that went unaddressed and a well-calibrated franchise model that controlled logistic costs. Understanding the four-way logistics involved in laundry services, UClean's neighborhood stores significantly reduced operational expenses, enabling them to provide affordable pricing to customers without compromising on quality. On the business model, Taneja said, “There is a good 80 per cent gross margin in this business. It's a service business and it is a very low-cost input. The important part is to get the model right.”
Future Plans
With an eye on the future, Taneja shares “Our aim for Uclean’s future is going international. We are already in Nepal and Bangladesh and we want to take the brand to GCC, which is Middle East and North Africa.” She further added, “We also want to launch products so product side D2C is something which is definitely on the cards as well as want to expand our home services line which is direct-to-home services.
