How to Run a Laundry Shop with Software

Replaces manual recordkeeping

Instead of writing orders in a notebook or tracking them on a whiteboard, a laundry app stores every order digitally - including service type, weight, status, and payment.

Connects shop and customer

The app sends SMS notifications to customers when their order is received and when it's ready for pickup - no manual texting from the owner needed.

Gives you a real-time dashboard

At any moment, you can open the dashboard and see how many orders are active, how much revenue you've collected today, and which orders are pending pickup.

Order ticket system

A good laundry app auto-generates unique ticket numbers for each order (like YYMMDD-001). This prevents confusion at pickup and helps customers track their orders without calling you.

SMS notifications

The app should send automatic SMS to customers - at minimum when the order is accepted and when it's ready. Manual texting from your personal number looks unprofessional and wastes time.

Payment flexibility

Your app should support Cash, GCash, Maya, and Bank Transfer. In the Philippines, most customers pay via GCash - your system should record and track this per order.

Printed claim stubs

Look for software that prints a proper claim stub on a normal 80mm receipt printer, ideally with a QR code the customer can scan to check their own status. Handwritten stubs get lost and cause arguments at pickup.

An edit and audit trail

Mistakes happen at a busy counter. You need to be able to correct a ticket - and to see afterwards who changed it and what changed. Software that lets staff edit amounts silently is a liability on cash orders.

Free plan for small shops

If you're just starting out, a free plan with no time limit is essential. Avoid apps with 14-day trials that pressure you to upgrade before you've tested the product.

Received

When a customer drops off laundry, you create an order: phone number, kilos, service type (e.g. Wash Dry Fold), and payment method. A ticket number is generated automatically.

Washing → Drying → Folding → Ready

As laundry moves through your shop, you update the status through each stage. Staff can see the current state of every order without asking you - reducing confusion during busy hours. Tapped the wrong stage? You can move a ticket back a step.

Released

When a customer picks up their order and pays, you mark it Released. The order moves to your completed records and is counted in your daily revenue.

Full order history

Every order is permanently stored. You can search by ticket number, customer phone, or date to find past orders, resolve disputes, or review payment history.

Print a stub at drop-off

After you create an order, print a claim stub and hand it to the customer. It shows your shop name, the ticket number, the service, the weight, the total, and whether they've paid. It replaces the handwritten stubs most shops still use.

Works on a receipt printer

The stub is sized for a standard 80mm thermal receipt printer, the same kind used at any sari-sari store or carinderia POS. If you only have a normal printer, it still prints on A4 with a cut line.

Customers scan the QR code

Every stub carries a QR code. The customer scans it with their phone camera and sees a page showing exactly which stage their laundry is at - washing, drying, folding, or ready for pickup - plus the amount due.

No account, no app, no login

The tracking page opens straight in their browser. Customers never create an account or download anything. The link works on any phone, and each stub has its own private code, so nobody can see another customer's order.

Edit any ticket

Weighed 5.5kg but typed 55? Open the ticket and edit it. You can change the service, the weight, the add-ons, the pickup time, and the notes. The total recalculates automatically, so your revenue figures stay correct.

Cancel with a reason

For a duplicate ticket or a customer who never came back, cancel the ticket and record why. A cancelled ticket stops counting toward that customer's visits and lifetime kilos, so your reports don't get padded.

Every change is logged

Each ticket keeps a history of what happened: who created it, who edited it and which fields changed, who marked it paid, and who cancelled it - with a timestamp on each. Nothing is edited silently.

Paid tickets are protected

Once a ticket is marked paid, the weight, service, and add-ons lock. Changing what a customer already paid needs the payment reversed first, and only an owner or admin can do that. Notes and pickup times stay editable.

Set a price per kilo

Each service type has its own rate - for example Wash Dry Fold at ₱60/kg and Dry Clean at a higher rate. You can add as many service types as your shop offers and deactivate ones you no longer run.

Add a minimum charge

Give a service a minimum weight, say 3kg. A customer who brings 1.5kg is billed as 3kg, because the machine, water, and detergent cost you the same either way.

The stub explains the charge

When a minimum applies, both the real weight and the billed weight appear on the claim stub and in the SMS. The customer sees 'billed at 3kg minimum' instead of a total that looks like the wrong arithmetic - which prevents arguments at the counter.

Add-ons on top

Charge separately for fabric conditioner, hangers, stain treatment, or express handling. Add-ons are recorded per order with their own note, so you can see what customers actually pay extra for.

Order received notification

When you accept a new order, an SMS is automatically sent to the customer's phone number confirming their order and ticket number. This sets expectations and builds trust.

Ready for pickup notification

When you mark an order as Ready, the customer gets an SMS immediately. This reduces the need for customers to call and ask - and gets them in the door faster.

No app needed for customers

SMS goes directly to the customer's phone. They don't need to download an app, create an account, or check a website. Plain text works on all phones, even older ones.

You only pay for what sends

Each notification uses one SMS credit. The Pro plan includes 1,000 credits and you can top up a prepaid balance at any time. If a message can't be delivered, no credit is used - the ticket shows you why instead.

Cash

The most common payment method for walk-in customers. Record cash payments per order and track outstanding balances from your dashboard.

GCash

GCash is widely used across the Philippines. Mark orders as paid via GCash with one tap - no QR code integration needed for recording purposes.

Maya

Maya (formerly PayMaya) is the second most popular digital wallet in the country. Supported as a payment option the same way as GCash.

Bank Transfer & Others

For customers who prefer bank transfer, you can record the payment method and confirm it manually before marking the order as paid.

Create your free account

Go to smapey.com/laundry and click Get Started. Select the LaundryOS product and the Free plan. No credit card required.

Set up your service types

Add the services your shop offers - Wash Dry Fold, Dry Clean, Steam Press, etc. Set a price per kilogram for each one, and a minimum weight if you don't want to run a machine for a single kilo.

Accept your first order

Click New Order. Enter the customer's phone number and name. Choose the service type, enter the weight in kilos, and submit. Ticket number is auto-generated.

Print the claim stub

Hand the customer their stub. They can scan the QR on it to check their own laundry status later, instead of calling your shop.

Update order status as you go

As your laundry moves through washing, drying, and folding, update the status. When it's ready, mark it Ready - the customer's tracking page updates immediately.

Collect payment and release

When the customer arrives, confirm payment via Cash, GCash, or Maya. Mark the order as Released - it's counted in your daily revenue.