3. Diversity in washing programs

A quick wash of a few day-wear clothes or wash their most expensive and delicate cotton clothes – is that all consumers are looking forward to? Do consumers really get diverse options of washing in a washing machine? Consumers are demanding more features such as no sound, pre-set programs, quiet motor inverter, smooth rotation, and vertical loading. Consumers want different programs to be available for cotton and synthetics. They want options to control the temperature or spinless or more while washing different types of clothes.

4. Performance of the dryer

While washing is one aspect of the washing machine, consumers want the performance of the dryer also to be the best as their expectation of wash includes getting crisp and dry clothes after every wash. People who wish to buy washing machines prefer to have a dryer that leaves a load of perfectly dried clothes at the end of the program. When it comes to buying a new washing machine, consumers want a model that’ll dry clothes effectively without taking too long or making too much noise.

5. Noise level of washing machine

Washing machine consumers would want to have a quiet nap during the day while their laundry is being washed. But this can become a problem if the washing machine makes too much noise. Consumers prefer to have a silent machine that will allow them to run laundry at any time that is convenient for them. For a quiet and noiseless washing experience, consumers strongly say that ‘they should only see a washing machine and not actually hear it.’

Top 3 Delight Drivers – Washing Machines

Exceeding customer expectations and creating a positive customer experience leads to customer delight. The factors that lead customers to go beyond and create a memorable customer experience are delight drivers. When a brand offers delight drivers to its customers, it results in a sense of goodwill and will make the customers more loyal to the brand.

A detailed analysis of 2,787 online consumer conversations by Clootrack, has thrown light on the top 3 delight drivers that lead to customer delight while buying a washing machine.

1. Quick clothes washing program

Washing machines that allow customers to perform a quick wash setting that allows to wash a small load quickly is considered to be a useful feature specially when consumers are pressed for time and prefer to wear a particular outfit on a particular day. Quick wash program allows a consumer to quickly wash their work uniforms or workout clothes when they have forgotten to wash it. Consumers are delighted when they are offered quick wash program, quick spin program, half-hour program and any other shorter wash programs.

2. Rinsing pet hair from clothes

While consumers love their pets, removing the pet hair from bedding, clothes, or the pet’s bed can be a real task. Consumers find it a daunting task to rinse their pet hair from their clothes. Consumers are asking for short washing programs for pet hair removal that can remove pet hair from fabrics without clogging the drain pumps.

3. Thickness of water hose

Consumers are particular about the thickness of the water hose that is used in washing machines. They prefer to have a water supply hose coupled with a valve and a special magnetic filter drain. Washing machines with a thick water hose that is burst-proof would bring delight to consumers. Consumers would love to have long water hoses with enough length and thickness made of high tensile strength braided stainless steel that can ensure maximum pressure-retaining qualities. Consumers would be delighted when they never have to worry about hose-burst floods.

Washing Machines: Consumer Beliefs

A brand must reflect customer beliefs. When it comes to convincing consumers, the secret is to understand the consumer's beliefs and behavior. This will eventually lead you to know what a buyer wants from your business. Customer has a deep understanding of what they want from a product.

When it comes to washing machines, customers have their own list of beliefs. They truly differentiate a high-performing washing machine that satisfies below beliefs from the rest of the washing machines that they see in the market. These customer beliefs help washing machine makers customize the products for the customers.

1. Subsequent increase in vibration over long usage in washing machines

Consumers of washing machines believe that the machine vibrates excessively when in the spin cycle. Usually, the top of the drum is very loose and wobbles back and forth. Consumers believe that after prolonged use, the washing machines start to make loud thumping noises and move across the floor when it’s in the spin cycle.

2. Slim fit machines are preferred over other models for home usage

Consumers find it worth investing in a slim-fit washing machine if they are low on space. Consumers, who are choosing to have a freestanding washing machine or the built-in behind a cabinet to fit in with your kitchen or laundry room theme, always prefer to have a slim fit model.

3. Liquid detergent is better than powder in the washing machine

Consumers believe that liquid detergent is better to be used in washing machines when compared to using powder. Since the liquid detergent is already pre-dissolved it is believed that it does not leave a residue. It is easy to remove tough stains with the help of liquid detergent unlike in powder where consumers might have to compromise on the stain removal. Liquid detergents are also useful to pre-treat the clothes before washing.

Washing Machines: Top 4 Emerging Trends 

One of the significant emerging trends seen in the washing machine industry is the application of technology and innovation to release machines with higher efficiency which can save a huge amount of water and electricity. With these advancements, more people are moving towards owning a washing machine which will enable major players in this industry to gain large market share.

1. Personalized wash programs with App

Washing machines have gained popularity in recent times on account of the increasing penetration of smartphones. Major players in the industry such as Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd and Miele are transforming the washing machine industry by introducing smart control washing machines that can be remotely monitored by using a smartphone application. Also trend is to add functions that will enable consumers to manage the amount of water and electricity consumed per wash. Many key manufacturers are introducing features such as auto optimal wash technology, automatic detergent dispenser, power wash system, cap dosing system, and steam care functions.

2. Ultrasonic dirt cleaning

The latest trend in the washing machine industry is to introduce ultrasonic dirt cleaning that uses ultrasonic waves to clean clothes. Here the electrical power is converted into a range of high-frequency sound waves that create millions of tiny bubbles in the liquid which is called cavitation. The trend is emerging where the precisely modulated ultrasonic waves will tackle dirt and bacteria all the way up to the microscopic level. This method will clean clothing from the inside out without damaging or discoloring the fabric.

3. Low water use machines

As water conservation is catching up across the globe, washing machines that use a lower amount of water is emerging as the latest trend in the washing machine industry. Machines such as Maytag are coming up with the auto-fill option to conserve water, and a deep fill water option that many users find to be a big plus. Most machines are built to use a lot less water and their higher spin speed reduces dryer time by extracting more water.

4. More auto sensors for cloth type and wash cycle management

Washing machines are becoming smarter and are able to sense the temperature, level of water, dirt, leaks and much more. Machines with fabric sensor are embedded to detect the type of fabric and accordingly adjust wash cycle. Trend is to eliminate the need to manually set the wash cycle. The Panasonic washing machine intelligently detects the optimum washing time, temperature, water volume, soil degree and spinning time based on the fabrics. Proportion of cottons and synthetics within the load are detected via the water weight held within the fabric and the optimum spin time is applied automatically.