Executive Suite: Robert Doyle, of Coinmach

When the economy slumped and unemployment rose, apartments went vacant. Plainview-based Coinmach, which leases and services laundry rooms nationally at apartments and colleges, saw its lease renewal rate dip, too, from 98 percent to 94 percent.

Coinmach chief executive Robert Doyle, 55, said he realized he had to help rent apartments by making sure his laundry rooms were in great working order and his service technicians were friendly and visible.

"We said, 'The world has changed. It's no longer OK to do your job and get out. You've got to deliver a very good experience.' If we do that, everybody benefits," said Doyle.

Now the service techs actively help customers in laundry rooms and tweak some of the machines by Smartphone. Coinmach has expanded to fix pay phones, air pumps and car vacuums and feature machines that can accept credit cards and text you when your laundry is finished. Renewals have climbed back above 96 percent, Doyle said.

How do you motivate your on- and off-site employees?

A lot of them want to be able to help the customer. It's about training, putting together a knowledge base and getting the right equipment . . . If you allow your employees to deliver a good experience, they're happier, and happier employees stay longer.

Your company has switched from public to private twice. What was it like to go back to being private?

As a public company, everybody sees your financial statements; they can access information about the company. [That access] is also positive from an employee perspective. We hadn't thought of that when we went private: All of that information disappeared for our employees and our customers. So one of the things we needed to do as a management team was to get out, see our people and let them know the company they used to see in the public eye was still the same company, run the same way, producing with great results.

Will you go public again?

I think becoming a public company again is a possibility when the time is right.

What's your biggest headache?

Trying to make sure that I'm listening. That's why I reach out to the front- line people who deal with the customer, because if they're not delivering . . . nothing else happens. If you have a meeting with someone and they give you five things to work on, if you get one of those things done in a day or two, it shows so much. People realize they talk to us and we react.

How do you unwind at the end of a day?

I play guitar in a folk group at church. I also have a motorcycle: There's nothing like going out into the open air for a half-hour after work.

Corporate snapshot

Name. Robert Doyle, chief executive of Coinmach in Plainview

What does it do. Provide "a diverse set of service products that now includes everything from laundry equipment to tire inflation gear . . . By satisfying our customers' customers, we drive revenue for our clients at multiple levels."

Employees. 1,500 full time. On Long Island, 60 full time, 2 part time

Roles they play.  Accounting, accounts payable and IT (in corporate offices)

Revenue. $500 million to $600 million