Contactless Technology
With our laundry technology, communication between the card and the card reader is accomplished using short-range wireless communication, similar to RFID technology used by key fobs and access cards.
To use the card, simply present the card to the reader, or lay it in a designated pocket. In contrast to traditional smart card technology that uses a Chip, contactless technology has no exposed electrical contacts, which are prone to damage from wear and the environment, and requires no maintenance.
Wireless Networking
All card readers use wireless communication to communicate with the Value Add Centers, which act as the gateway to bring the entire system online for reporting, diagnostics, and real-time control. This a key tenet of our laundry technology.
The system uses a mesh networking topology where each reader can act as a wireless signal repeater. This allows coverage of complex laundry room layouts such as those found in garden court apartments and high-rise apartment buildings with machines on every floor. Laundromats are a non-issue for wireless coverage since all equipment is in one room.
The wireless network is formed automatically – there is nothing to configure or special equipment to set up.
LaundroPortal
The LaundroPortal is another component to our laundry technology. It is a cloud-based, real-time, command-and-control center for the system. It is designed for store owners and laundry service providers, scaling easily to the management of 1000+ locations.
Key Features:
- Data:
- Real-time diagnostics of equipment
- Email notifications of problems
- Detailed usage reports from all cards
- Aggregated financial reports across any timeframe
- Machine activity reports
- Cash collections (track how much money is pulled from bill validator)
- Multi-access levels, depending on need (store owners vs attendants, or route operator admin vs property manager that only needs to see revenue)
- Controls:
- Refunds to laundry cards
- Vend price control and time of day scheduling
- Ban cards
- Lost cards management
- Dispense cards
- Start machine cycle (coming soon)
MyLaundroworks
MyLaundroworks is a web app for use by your residents/customers which integrates with the Card System. As it is web-based, you don’t need to install it and your residents/customers can access it from home or mobile devices.
Key Features:
- Card Balance and printable purchase summary
- Real-time washer and dryer availability
- Usage trends designed to help predict laundry room activity
- Ability to subscribe to receive text messages when laundry is ready
- Ability to subscribe to receive e-mail receipts for all transactions
Payment Options
Credit card technology is changing. Magnetic stripe technology, where the credit card information is stored in the clear on the magnetic stripe, is being replaced by electronic Chip-based and contactless (often referred to as NFC) technology, where sensitive information is stored and handled much more securely. It is very likely that your credit or debit card already has a Chip on it.
In an effort to accelerate migration to these more secure payment methods, the payment industry has been moving liability such as chargebacks to the merchant (the company accepting credit cards) – if the merchant’s point-of-sale equipment is unable to accept these payment methods. In other words, if you operate a system that only takes mag stripe credit/debit cards, you have liability risk.
The Laundroworks system accepts credit/debit cards with Chip and contactless/NFC payment methods like ApplePay (in addition to magnetic stripe cards). It is EMV and NFC compliant.