In modern times, we often find ourselves with little to no time dedicated to simple things like cleaning the house or washing our clothes. Washapp, which launched in October 2017, aims to help us with the latter problem.
Developed and launched by Washapp ltd. as their first app, Washapp is an on-demand laundry and dry cleaning service with delivery service included. Holding a 4.9 star rating on the play store, it naturally piqued our curiosity and so we decided to check it out.
Step one: Installing the app
Opening the app, we saw a slideshow screen that described what the app does. Passing that, we found ourselves directed to a screen that provided options to either sign up or log in. It then proceeded to get our address and the google map location.
The startup UI was simple and elegant
Step two: Sorting laundry
Finally finishing with the login process, we found a variety of clothes to could fill up our virtual laundry basket with. Much like adding items to a shopping cart, we merrily added clothes to our basket, and the price would automatically be calculated. As well as being able to individually add items, there were also package deals available.
The minimum cost for one order was Rs. 900. Any orders below that amount would not be accepted. However, there exists a “lazy laundry” option which means we could give one bag of laundry, Washapp would then sort through it and send us an amended bill later. Being the bunch of lazy humans we were, we chose that option. This also conveniently bypasses the minimum cost requirement because until the amended bill is sent, it’s approximated as Rs. 1000.
Once our basket was filled (lazily and with much bickering) and proceeding with the order we were required to select a date and time for the clothes to be picked up. Then we got a delivery date of 3 days after the pickup date if we pick standard service.
Washapp also offers priority washing. This is where the order would be placed instantaneously and the delivery would be done within 24h of the order. This service charges 50% of the standard rate, which we thought was still a pretty good deal. However, we were feeling stingy, so select we did.
Step three: Waiting for the pickup bike van
To put Washapp to the test, we decided to place an order by picking the “lazy laundry” option. I added my formal suit, two T-Shirts, and a pair of denim. Meanwhile, Mazin – our Editor, offered his blazer as well. Once the order was placed, we ran into our first bump.
Our pickup guy was late. But he made sure to call and notify us that the pickup would be delayed, and the reason was due to a traffic accident. Yet, that didn’t help us stop worrying about whether our clothes would return undamaged. Two hours later, the doorbell rang and our laundry was picked up.
Step four: The paranoid days of waiting
Once our laundry was picked up, we were able to keep track of our orders through the app, and we received the amended bill by SMS within two days. On the day of the delivery, we received a text message stating the delivery agent would be arriving shortly, in “– mins”. As in literally, there was a dash as to how many minutes it would take. That led to more than a little confusion on our end, but he did arrive 20 minutes later.
How we received our laundry
Once we got the bill settled, and the delivery van sent off. Yes, they send an actual van, which in hindsight makes sense. You can’t actually imagine a biker going through Colombo carrying a blazer bag. And then we took a good look at our freshly laundered clothes.
Step five: Clothes cleaner than when they were bought
The first thing we noticed that was the covering looked extremely good, and more importantly, durable. It would actually protect your clothes. Once we got the cover off, the general agreement was that the laundry was extremely well done as well. So well to the point that we were sure some of them have never actually been this soft in their lifetime.
The ordering and delivery process: communication is key
We also discovered that if we keep it in a cloth bag overnight the bag ends up smelling like it was laundered as well. It was to our added benefit that this was done at a relatively low cost as well. For a blazer, a formal suit, two t-shirts and a pair of jeans we were only charged Rs. 920/= with pickup and delivery.
Step six: Discussing the service pros and cons
Kudos to Washapp for their extremely suave use of technology. Not only was the mobile app up to standard on user interface and functionality, but so is their website. Added to that, they make use of text messages and even phone calls to communicate with customers. But most importantly, they deliver a top-notch laundry service.
Ordering on the Washapp website
The only noteworthy downsides we noticed was the fact that there’s a delay in syncing the app to the orders. For a few hours after our laundry was delivered, the app still showed it as to be delivered. The other thing is that their reach is still somewhat limited, so far only operating in Colombo 03, Colombo 04, Colombo 05, Colombo 07, Battaramulla, Rajagiriya, Nawala, and Talawatugoda.
So what does this mean for everyone?
For a service that started only 3 months ago, Washapp is currently doing a stellar job. Currently, they have competition from pretty much every other laundry service. However, Washapp already has a strong edge because of the pickup and delivery services for a relatively cheaper price. The only thing we want from it now is an express service to get laundry on the same day. If you’re interested in trying out Washapp, check out their website here.
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