Not Your Mother’s Washing Machine

One of the biggest favors you can do for your customers is to tell them the good news: they don’t have to settle for major appliances that are no more advanced than the ones their parents owned. Helping them learn about the advanced options available when they’re setting up or remodeling a home can save them money, time, and work year after year. It’s the kind of good news that can earn their gratitude and loyalty.

We expect our phones to get smarter and our cars to get more efficient every year. But it seems that many people never imagine a refrigerator or an air conditioner that’s much different than the one they grew up with. They seem unaware that major appliances have gotten smarter, more effective, more efficient, and more versatile in design options.

Take the washing machine. The first electrically-powered washers arrived in the very early 20^th century, and the first automatic, self-timing machine in 1937. They didn’t change very much over the next half-century. The properties a washing machine is “supposed” to have seem very familiar.

But times have actually changed. Washing technology has improved. Moreover, there is a new emphasis on efficiency in both energy consumption and water usage, and washing technology has been keeping pace. Machines that use less water and less electricity can now also clean better, automate more of the work, and offer more flexibility for different laundering needs.

First of all, front-loading machines are gaining popularity in private homes because they are more efficient than top-loaders. (Commercial laundries, which make their money running washing machines, have known this for decades.) They use less water in both wash and rinse operations. Because they use less water, they use less hot water, which saves money and energy for water heating, too.

Another thing homeowners like to save is time. A machine like the Electrolux Model 617 reduces the need to pre-soak. It has a more intelligent method of using detergent, called Smart Boost technology. It pre-mixes detergent and water, so that the cleaning agent is dispersed more evenly through the laundry. It also offers options like steam and a 15 minute fast wash.

The new washers and dryers increase performance and need less attention from the homeowner. With a modern front loading washer like the new Electrolux LuxCare washers, all the basic functions have been improved: temperature control, smart load sensing, better washing action. (Electrolux has been making professional-grade washing machines for 90 years, and became a standard that other manufacturers had to measure up to. The company has done substantial R&D on how to wash and dry fabrics.)

These washers and dryers are design-friendly, too. Their appearance is attractive. They’re 27” wide, made to fit through standard 30” doorways, and feature reversible doors so they can be customized for any location. Pedestal drawers have become very popular because they add storage and minimize bending over to load and unload the washer and dryer. Stacking kits make it possible to install washer and dryer one atop the other in tight spaces, even in a second -floor closet. They also feature a system called Vibration Control and Perfect Balance, that detects the properties of the floor and adjusts the machine to minimize noise.

If you help your customers select appliances that are good-looking, easy to work with, and which save time and money, you get credit in the form of trust, and you end up building a better customer relationship along with a better home.

Click here to learn more from Electrolux.