American Drycleaner - July 2015

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“Business has never been better.”

“The support from CBS was great. Even before we signed up, they were responsive and flexible in their approach. They have helped our team become more efficient.”

“I don’t have to rely on anybody for information. I can see immediately what I have for inventory, orders and accounts receivable.”

Preserve and Protect

The pair of slacks that went missing the first time

I ever used a dry cleaner weren’t special by any means (in fact, they may not have even been in style), but I was still quite disappointed when they didn’t turn up and the cleaner didn’t demonstrate what I felt was the proper amount of care and concern for their loss.

How much more special would you say a bridal gown is?

I can only imagine what my wife Sandy would have done had she entrusted the handmade gown she wore on our wedding day 24 years ago to a cleaner for preservation and it inexplicably went missing or was damaged in some way.

Yes, the business of cleaning and preserving bridal

Publisher

Charles Thompson 312-361-1680 cthompson@ATMags.com

Editorial Director

Bruce Beggs 312-361-1683 bbeggs@ATMags.com

Production Manager

Roger Napiwocki

National Sales Director

Donald Feinstein 312-361-1682 dfeinstein@ATMags.com

Digital Media Director

Nathan Frerichs 312-361-1681 nfrerichs@ATMags.com

Main: 312-361-1700 Fax: 312-361-1685

gowns and other cherished garments carries with it a supreme responsibility. If one specializes in such service, then I would say that expectations are even greater.

No garment or item is more important than any other; they all carry tremendous sentimental and oftentimes intrinsic value. And so they must be treated with the greatest of care.

Thus, it wasn’t surprising, after questioning three garment preservation specialists for this month’s cover story, to learn the level of detail that each operation puts into receiving, logging, cleaning and packaging the cherished and oft-delicate garments, as well as communicating with customers throughout.

Turn to page 10 to learn how some of today’s leading preservationists work hard to make sure that brides’ faces light up once they see their treasured gowns looking as good as new.

American Drycleaner (ISSN 0002-8258) is published monthly except Nov/Dec combined. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $39.00; 2 years $73.00. Foreign, 1 year $89.00; 2 years $166.00. Single copies $7.00 for U.S., $14.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Drycleaner, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 82, number 3. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Drycleaner is distributed selectively to: qualified dry cleaning plants and distributors in the United States. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason. © Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2015. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Drycleaner does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Drycleaner or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

American Drycleaner, July 2015

Bruce Beggs

Survey: Clean 2015 attendees more likely to do business with exhibitors visited in Atlanta

The vast majority of dry cleaners who attended Clean 2015 in Atlanta and took June’s American Drycleaner Your Views survey report they are more likely to do business with a certain company based on information they received at the show.

Eighty-five percent of respondents said they are more likely to do business with a certain manufacturer, distributor or supplier based on their show experience. Ten percent rejected that notion, and the remaining 5% were not sure.

Among survey respondents, 37.3% attended this year’s show and 62.7% did not. The majority of those who did not attend (51.6%) said they couldn’t work it into their schedule, and 41.9% explained that their “budget didn’t allow it.” Roughly 23% of respondents said their “past show experience was sufficient,” and 12.9% “had no interest in attending.”

“Definitely do not schedule the show during the spring or fall busy seasons,” writes one cleaner. “This makes it a challenge to get there. And what you purchase cannot utilized for the season, as you have to wait until the volume lessens.”

Exhibit categories of interest to respondents ranged from drycleaning and finishing equipment to POS software systems. Specific products or services of interest included shirt units, alternative-solvent drycleaning equipment and marketing support.

Attendees also could attend various educational sessions as part of their registration, but interest among respondents was mixed. Thirty percent reported having attended two sessions, while 35% attended none. Equal shares of 15% attended either one session or three. Just 5% of respondents attended four or more sessions.

Overall, half of respondents who attended Clean were “fully satisfied” with their show experience as a whole, 45% were “somewhat satisfied,” and 5% were “neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.” No attendee who took this month’s survey reported being dissatisfied in any way.

While the Your Views survey presents a snapshot of readers’ viewpoints at a particular moment, it should not be considered scientific. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Subscribers to American Drycleaner e-mails are invited each month to take a brief industry survey they can complete anonymously. The entire trade audience is encouraged to participate.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Textile Care Allied Trades Association. Annual Conference, to be held July 29-Aug. 1 in Napa, Calif. Call 973-244-1790.

Midwest Drycleaning and Laundry Association. Annual Convention, to be held Aug. 7-9 in French Lick, Ind. Call 765-939-6630.

Textile Rental Services Association. Annual Conference, to be held Sept. 9-11 in Isle of Palms, S.C. Call 877-770-9274.

International Drycleaners Congress. 2015 Convention, to be held Sept. 14-15 in Osaka, Japan. Call 403-685-4755.

Independent Textile Rental Association. 2015 Annual Convention, to be held Sept. 27-29 in San Diego. Call 706-637-6552.

National Cleaners Association. TexCare 2015, to be held Oct. 17-18 in Secaucus, N.J. Call 800-888-1622.

JET Expo. To be held Nov. 8-10 in Paris, France. Visit www.jet-expo.com.

Texcare Asia: International Trade Fair for Modern Textile Care. To be held Nov. 25-27 in Shanghai, China. Visit www.texcare-asia.com.

Southwest Drycleaners Association. Cleaners Showcase 2016, to be held April 2224, 2016, in Fort Worth, Texas. Call 512-8738195.

Texcare International: World Market for Modern Textile Care. To be held June 1115, 2016, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Visit www.texcare.com.

South Eastern Fabricare Association. Southern Drycleaners and Launderers Show, to be held June 24-26, 2016, in Jacksonville, Fla. Call 877-707-7332.

EDUCAT I ON & T RAINING

Spotting with Alternative Solvents. NCA course, to be held July 12 in Bronx, N.Y. Call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

Total Training for CSRs. Series of NCA webinars, to be held July 1, 15 and 29, and Aug. 12 and 26. Call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

Introduction to Drycleaning. Five-day DLI course, to be held July 13-17 in Laurel, Md. Call 800-638-2627 or visit www.dlionline.org.

Extreme Stain Removal. NCA course, to be held July 19 in Palm Beach, Fla. Call 212-9673002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

Advanced Drycleaning. Ten-day DLI course, to be held July 20-31 in Laurel, Md. Call 800638-2627 or visit www.dlionline.org.

NY State DEC Certification. Two-day NCA course, to be held Aug. 2 and Aug. 9 in Nanuet, N.Y. Call 212-967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol. com.

Basic Pressing & Finishing (incl. Blouse Machine). Two-day NCA course, to be held Aug. 23 and Aug. 30 in Bronx, N.Y. Call 212967-3002 or e-mail ncaiclean@aol.com.

Stain Removal Course. Three-day DLI course, to be held Sept. 16-18 in Laurel, Md. Call 800-638-2627 or visit www.dlionline.org.

Introduction to Drycleaning. Five-day DLI course, to be held Oct. 12-16 in Laurel, Md. Call 800-638-2627 or visit www.dlionline.org.

Advanced Drycleaning. Ten-day DLI course, to be held Oct. 19-30 in Laurel, Md. Call 800638-2627 or visit www.dlionline.org.

American Drycleaner, July 2015 www.americandrycleaner.com

Garment Preservation

By Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

Wedding Gown Preservation Co., a family-owned and -operated business based in New York that celebrated its centennial last year. Schapiro is the third generation of his family to run the business.

Wedding gowns, christening gowns and the like carry special significance to their owners and require a high level of attention and care.

This month, American Drycleaner asked representatives from three businesses and organizations devoted to garment preservation to answer some basic questions about what it takes to provide such services and how they meet the challenges that come with the territory.

Sally Lorensen Conant, Ph.D., operates Connecticutbased gown preservation service Orange Restoration Labs and is the executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, a not-for-profit trade association that has members in 10 countries that focus on the care of specialty gowns. Association members share their experiences and promote the brand with designers, wedding publications and wedding websites.

Kyle Nesbit is vice president of business development for Memories Gown Preservation, a Texas-based gown preservation company that services more than 90,000 bridal gowns annually. MemoriesGP provides wholesale, environmentally friendly gown cleaning, preservation, packaging and shipping services to bridal salons, tux shops and dry cleaners across the continental United States.

Michael Schapiro is president of the

While there may be slight differences in their approach, each described utilizing a highly detailed process for receiving, logging, cleaning and packaging the cherished and oft-delicate garments, as well as communicating with customers throughout.

Conant: Traditional dry cleaning is short-term care, and the goal is a clean, wearable garment that looks and feels as close to new as possible. Preservation is longterm care, and the goal is the same, but it often requires extra steps as well as special packaging to achieve that goal.

QHow would you say that garment preservation differs from traditional drycleaning services?

An example of extreme gown pressing performed at Margaret’s Cleaners, a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists headed by Executive Director Sally Lorensen Conant (inset). (Photo: Courtesy Margaret’s Cleaners)

Answering the call to clean, preserve cherished, delicate gowns and more

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For example, any foam rubber pads must be removed and discarded or returned separately. If left in place, they will emit fumes as they disintegrate over time, and the fumes will not only discolor the fabric but also pearls and other decorations.

Nesbit: Garment preservation differs from traditional dry cleaning with added levels of inspection, gentler cleaning cycles, more labor added in finishing, and the most important difference: the packaging materials are utterly imperative for guaranteeing the integrity of a garment. All cardboard storage materials should be clean and completely acid-free. The garment isn’t left hanging because this can cause the fabric to stretch over time.

Schapiro: Our facility is specifically designed for the processing of wedding gowns. All of our focus is on cleaning and preserving wedding gowns. This, in combination with our specially tested formulas and highly trained cleaning technicians, allow us to offer the highest-quality service available in the industry for the care of wedding gowns.

QBesides the preservation of wedding gowns, what other types of special garments does your business or association members offer to heirloom and/or restore for clients?

Schapiro: While we specialize in wedding gowns, over the years we have preserved many special items such as celebrities’ garments, quilts, uniforms, dance gowns, Azalea Trail Maids gowns, kimonos, Indian ceremonial garments, children’s clothing, and vintage clothing.

Nesbit: Flower girl dresses, baptismal/christening gowns, letter jackets, quinceañera dresses and military uniforms.

Conant: We offer care for everything—vintage veils, christening gowns, uniforms, quilts, linens, doll clothes, nurses’ caps, etc. If it is important to someone, it is important to us, too.

Dublin Cleaners in Ohio was asked to preserve khakis for “Jungle Jack” Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium—complete with the mud from a special occasion. Another member was asked to clean and preserve a wedding gown without disturbing the candle wax that dripped on the gown during the ceremony.

QWhat special precautions must be taken during processing to protect these unique, often one-of-akind garments?

American Drycleaner, July 2015

Nesbit: Special precautions are taken with bead work, embellishments, and when actually processing the garment with formulated cleaning cycles. These delicate cleaning cycles are especially important when trying to restore an aged garment to prevent the material from tearing or falling apart.

Schapiro: During out 12-point inspection process, each gown is inspected for fabric content, embellishment, staining and damaged areas. Based on these findings, certain precautions are taken to protect the gown in processing. An example would be to cover or remove appliqués or embellishments prior to cleaning and then replace them in their original position. Photos are often taken to match the placement of decorative items.

Conant: In order to avoid mistakes that will damage the garment, we evaluate it and develop a plan of action before beginning treatment. Ideally, special garments should be spotted by hand. At a minimum, fragile decorations should be covered with muslin, or even padded, to protect them. Often, it is better to remove such things, add them to the record of receipt, and reposition them later. Here again, photographs or even drawings recording the original placement are critical.

Throughout the process, the less mechanical action the better, so the machine should be set for the shortest possible cycle. Some garments may be so delicate—even brittle from age—that they must be processed by hand throughout.

QDescribe the importance of good customer service in the acceptance, tracking and delivery of garments received for preservation and/or heirlooming.

Conant: At the counter, the garment’s owner wants to know he or she can trust the process from beginning to end. For example, the last thing a bride (continued)

Unloading a washer at Memories Gown Preservation; VP of Business Development Kyle Nesbit is pictured in the inset. (Photo: Courtesy Memories Gown Preservation)

wants is someone else’s gown, and a good system incorporates multiple identifiers— ideally including a photograph—that can locate the garment at any point in time.

At the counter, it is also important to point out problems, document them, and discuss them calmly. That is, never scold anyone or promise the garment will look like new, especially if the hem is a ‘hot mess.’

Nesbit: The importance of good customer service is imperative when dealing with items customers have such an emotional connection with. To ensure great customer service, our reps are trained to understand our entire preservation process so that they can answer customer questions and help customers efficiently, in a friendly manner.

Schapiro: We have six customer service representatives available to answer questions or explain our service. We receive hundreds of calls and e-mails each week from brides on where to have their gowns preserved. Our customer service representatives direct the brides to our closest authorized dry cleaner.

Keeping the dry cleaner and bride informed on the status of their gown is important. Wedding Gown Preservation sends an e-mail to the dry cleaner and bride when their gown arrives at our facility. A second automated e-mail containing the tracking number is sent when her completed gown is shipped from our facility.

QGiven the sentimental and often high monetary value of wedding gowns and similar ceremonial garb, how should insurance coverage be structured for the dry cleaner that offers preservation services?

Schapiro: Our service includes a $500 declared value. Dry cleaners have the option to purchase additional declared value up to the full purchase price of the garment they are sending. Declared value covers the gown during both processing and shipping.

Nesbit: At MemoriesGP, along with other national preservation companies, we have standard declared value insurance set at $500 included with each of our preservation kits. If a customer wants to declare the garment at a higher value, we charge $5 for every additional $500 over the standard $500 included.

Conant: Our members know the value of garments, especially if they are vintage ceremonial clothing or high-dollar items made by famous names. Very probably, things that are going to be preserved will also be on hand for longer periods of time than ordinary clothing. Our members protect themselves with insurance that

American Drycleaner, July 2015

covers not only the value of everything in the plant but also specific high-dollar items. If an insurance policy limits the coverage for a single item to an amount such as $5,000, it is not enough protection for garments that often cost a great deal more than $5,000.

QIs running/managing a cleaning business that offers garment preservation services more difficult than running/managing one that does not? If so, why?

Conant: Finding the time and space to work on special garments can be challenging, in particular when stains require treatment over a period of days or even weeks. Also, most cleaners have a pretty good idea of how many shirts per day they can expect, but gowns, for example, can arrive in clumps of five or 10 in the wedding season. However, unless a bride is experiencing “separation anxiety” and wants her gown processed immediately, there is usually no rush to return it.

Nesbit: I wouldn’t say that the preservation business is harder to manage than a retail dry cleaner, it’s just different. As a wholesaler, MemoriesGP has two customers to satisfy: the retailer that ‘owns the bride’ and the brides themselves. Also, as stated before, these garments have more sentimental value than a laundered shirt or drycleaned blouse. These truths require that the preservation business maintains an additional level of customer service and professionalism.

Schapiro: Running a wholesale preservation company is multi-faceted. There are many variables. The seasonality of gown preservation requires hiring in the early summer and tapering down in the fall. We have had very good success recruiting on college campuses for summer employment. Our college students can focus on making boxes, hanging gowns and shipping. This lets our experienced staff focus on gown cleaning, pressing and repair. ADC

The clean-by-hand area at Wedding Gown Preservation Co.; President Michael Schapiro is pictured in the inset. (Photo: Courtesy Wedding Gown Preservation Co.)

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A Busy Day is Not Always a Productive Day

Just about all dry cleaners are hard workers. You can’t run a drycleaning business and not put in the hours, pitch in with the “grunt” activities, and do endless paperwork. Workweeks of 50, 60 or 70 hours are not unheard of. But working hard doesn’t mean you’re working smart. It doesn’t mean that you’re undertaking those activities which ensure your firm’s continuance, if not prosperity. Nor does it mean that the company is obtaining the best that you can offer.

Your workday is determined by the size of your business, the workload, the staff, and the procedures set in place. Your day is a patchwork of solving customer problems, helping out with the processing, dealing with vendors, and ordering supplies.

Being a hands-on manager is necessary to run a good business, but possibly you can release yourself from some of these obligations and do more overseeing and spend more time with big-picture issues.

As a starting point, estimate your daily breakdown. Say you work from 8 to 6. That’s 10 hours, which breaks down to a 50-hour workweek (if you work just five days a week, of course). Apportion how much time is devoted to being a line worker—delivering orders, being a counterperson, or removing stains. Then calculate how much time is spent dealing with problems, either customer- or vendorrelated. Then figure out how much time is devoted to assigning work. Add everything up and divide by the total hours. Do this for three or four weeks, and you’ll get an idea of your time use.

Perhaps 40% is devoted to line work—working the counter, making deliveries, and the like—and 20% each devoted to three other tasks. Examine this breakdown. Wouldn’t it be good if you had more time for creative management activities? These activities might include evaluating and motivating individual performance, solic-

iting new commercial and residential accounts, exploring new technology, talking with vendors about ways to improve efficiency, and examining where the company is heading.

The level every dry cleaner should aspire to is employing a manager who does the cleaning as well as handles the day-to-day issues and problems. At that point, your schedule is freed up somewhat. But even at

To find past columns from Howard Scott or share this month’s with your colleagues, visit www.AmericanDrycleaner.com.

this level, many dry cleaners are still overwhelmed with daily details and obligations. Certainly, some dry cleaners who have managers takes three-hour lunches or spend four afternoons a week on the golf course. But others—the more aggressive ones—will utilize the time to improve his operation, to streamline processes, to win new accounts, and do other strategies to propel the business forward. But first it is necessary to get to that point where you can afford a manager. Many of the suggestions that follow is for the owner who is striving to employ a manager.

My idea is that, at mid-range volume level, one-third of your time should be devoted to obtaining new business. Perhaps you might make cold calls in neighborhoods where you have a delivery route customer. Yes, it’s the delivery route person’s job to solicit. But if he is not particularly adept at selling services, he won’t pick up new business. Possibly your successful solicitations could inspire him to seek out additional business himself.

Stand in front of a supermarket and hand out notices about your business. Specify on the notice a special event. For example, run an anniversary celebration during which all prices are cut in half, prizes and refreshments are handed out, and there’s free

Howard Scott

“The level every dry cleaner should aspire to is employing a manager who does the cleaning as well as handles the day-to-day issues...”

pony rides for kids. Or feature a coat gathering and giveaway to poor families. In other words, have a purpose for standing there with something worthwhile to offer.

Give the public a reason for coming into your store. Does this soliciting sound demeaning? Are you reluctant to “beg” for more business? Maybe it won’t feel so humiliating when you realize a half-dozen new customers from the effort. If such soliciting is not permitted, then obtain special permission from your town leaders. The point is, where there is a will, there’s a way.

Make cold calls from the comfort of your office. Out of the phone book, call prospects and try to convince the individuals to give you a try. To mothers, suggest that you use special cleaning solvents for children’s wear. For senior citizens, talk about Senior Day every month, during which such individuals receive a 25% discount. For mature, busy families, tout your pickup/delivery service at standard prices. Offer an incentive: “Come in this month with some clothes to clean and receive a $5 supermarket coupon.”

Give talks at clubs and organizations. Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Columbus, and other organizations all regularly have speakers. Many of these groups meet at lunchtime during a weekday. Give a 10-minute talk on the benefits of dry cleaning for preserving garments. Or give a talk on making your life less complicated by employing “make-life-easier” agents, such as dry cleaners who do pickup and delivery.

Once you have arranged to devote a third of each day to winning new accounts or expanding the business, see what else you can do to make the rest of your day more productive. If you spent an hour a day inspecting finished product, perhaps you could assign that task to an underling, making sure to train him to look for everything you do. Such a step could free up another hour, which can be devoted to something more important.

Maybe you’ve been manning the counter every afternoon, after the day staffer leaves and before the evening high schooler comes in at 5 p.m. Only two hours spent was your old thinking. But perhaps you can hire a person to come in for two hours every afternoon between 3 and 5, which would free up your workday to do more pressing activities.

Yes, it is important to know what’s going on at the front counter, but possibly that could be done more efficiently by periodically coming in and observing counter staffers. Besides, having a 10-minute talk with your old customer, Mrs. Kelsey, about the future of the Republican Party is not exactly doing business. Probably, those freed-up two hours spent in the plant seeing that each staffer is performing his/her tasks as efficiently/productively as possible would be more valuable for the long-

American Drycleaner, July 2015

run health of the firm.

If you spend a good one-third of your day responding to customer problems, perhaps you could assign a staffer—a counterperson or the cleaner—half the task. Divide up the calls each morning between you and the other person. You have customers with last names beginning with A to L. The other person services those customers whose last names begin with M to Z. Of course, you must carefully train the individual as to the nuances of dealing with difficult customers. This will free up an hour and a half every day.

You’re probably thinking, “This delicate task cannot be done by anyone else but me, because only I know all the customers.” Think again. Everyone is replaceable. Staffers can be trained to do even your sensitive jobs. It’s a matter of selecting the right person and training him completely and overseeing his interactions so that the customer is placated.

Possibly you could reduce the time you spend on giving directions to workers—say you spend an hour a day at the task—by writing out worksheets or even better, typing the information in the computer the night before and having staffers obtain their assignments on their cell phones. Or put all information on a clipboard for the person to pick up in the morning and come to you only when there is a question. Yes, you want to keep in touch with your people, but the connection could be made much more effectively over other matters during spare moments in the workday. Do this and you free up an hour every morning.

Yes, you are hard-working, but you might not be as efficient as you could be. Yes, every hour of the day is occupied, but that time might not be occupied productively. For instance, if you do not devote a third of your available time for soliciting and building your business, it is a good indication that you are not fully utilizing your time effectively.

Howard Scott is a longtime industry writer and dryclean ing consultant. He welcomes questions and comments and can be reached by writing Howard Scott, Dancing Hill, Pembroke, MA 02359, by calling 781-293-9027, or via email at dancinghill@gmail.com.

“

If you spend a good one-third of your day responding to customer problems, perhaps you could assign a staffer ... half the task.”

Enhance the Bottom Line by Offering

Fluff Fold

&

Specialist spells out benefits of ancillary service

By Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

While roughly 60% of U.S. coin laundries offer some form of fluff-and-fold services, based on a recent survey by the Coin Laundry Association, only an estimated 15% of dry cleaners do. That means there’s a tremendous opportunity for cleaners willing to offer this ancillary service, says Beverly Blank, who ran a successful wash-dry-fold business in the Los Angeles area for more than a decade.

Speaking during a Clean 2015 educational session in Atlanta sponsored by the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, Blank laid out her concepts for developing a money-making ancillary service.

THE BASICS

Depending on where you live, fluff and fold may be known by some other name, Blank says: dropoff laundry, laundry services, wash and dry, bundled services, full-service wash, or wash and fold.

But no matter what it’s called, she says the basics are the same:

Staffing — You only have a short time to make a lasting impression, Blank says, so select and train your staff carefully.

“They should be friendly, informative, and possess great communication skills,” she says. “Neatly attired staff send a professional message to your customers.”

Phone Etiquette — See that your business phone is answered promptly, and that the person who does speaks clearly. If you utilize a voice mail service, make certain that any messages left are answered quickly.

“When your staff answers the phone, make certain they are smiling, and that they act professionally,” Blank says.

Receiving the Order — Weigh the entire order while your customer is present, then fill out the invoice completely (include the number of pounds, price per pound, and total amount due), making certain that your company’s contact information is included.

The customer’s name, contact phone number, date the order was

received, and date of pickup should also be listed, as well as any special requests. Tag all bags or containers associated with the order with a specific color to keep separate from other orders while processing.

Accept payment, provide the customer with a receipt, and always thank him/her for the business, Blank says.

Sorting — Use rubber gloves when sorting and separating items according to texture and color before washing. Separate whites from lights, and lights from darks. Using lingerie wash bags is ideal for protecting delicate items during processing. Wash blankets, rugs, rags, etc. separately for best results.

Inspection and Preparation — Check pockets, remove any contents and place them in a plastic bag to be attached to the order. Close zippers to avoid possible damage to other articles. Turn shirts, pants and outerwear inside-out to contain linting. Mark and pre-treat stains.

“Dry cleaners are experts in this (continued on page 36)

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

WETCLEANING EQUIPMENT

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The company’s 30022 V8Z washer-extractors successfully reach 300 Gs (machine does not slow down during out-of-balance conditions), Milnor says, removing consistent moisture from load to load, including shirts.

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•Wascomat

With a Wascomat Wetcleaning system, distributed by Laundrylux, one can easily clean garments that until now were considered dry-clean only, the company says.

Wascomat washers and dryers comply with OSHA, EPA and other environmental regulations while producing outstanding results, according to the company.

Wascomat wetcleaning systems eliminate filter, still, button trap and water separator maintenance and record-keeping.

They offer the ability to clean most garments—including wedding gowns, delicate hand-wash items, leather and suede, as well as shirt laundering—in-

American Drycleaner, July 2015

house, eliminating the need to sub-contract specialty work, the company says.

With a push of a button, the washer is able to handle traditional laundry such as shirts, comforters, drapes and “wash-dry-fold” goods.

A shock-absorbing suspension system allows for easy installation on wood floors, upper floors, and over basements.

Residual Moisture Control (RMC) prevents damage to garments caused by over-drying, Wascomat says, and reduces lint and wrinkles by automatically stopping the dryer when the exact pre-set moisture level is reached.

www.laundrylux.com | 800-645-2205

•Aero-Tech USA

The Green Jet cleaning machine, from Aero-Tech USA, utilizes a combination of technological advancements fused to reduce the overall environmental footprint that certain other drycleaning machines occupy, the company says.

The machine cleans and dries garments in a single, standing computerized unit. It uses a unique air-pulsating system to remove dirt and soil from the fabric, filter the composites captured, introduce the water-based DWX-44 (Dry-Wetcleaning Solution that harnesses nontoxic, non-flammable and non-polluting ingredients) and, finally, tumble-dry the load, Aero-Tech says. The process removes all surface soil (continued)

and most embedded soil, as well as minor spots that were collected in the garments, the company adds.

The Green Jet occupies minimal floor space, and only consumes 3.7 cents per pound, which AeroTech says is less than half the cost that operators encounter today.

www.greenjetclean.com | 800-333-8883

•Miele

Since 1899, Miele has been an innovator in the field of laundry and cleaning systems, the company says. As one of its milestones, the Professional Wet Cleaning system was invented in 1991. These washers and dryers were specifically developed to be able to process normally “dry clean only” garments and can safely clean silks, satins, wools and even suede, Miele says.

Its Wet Cleaning system is designed to provide the ultimate in program mability and is manu factured to the highest quality standards, the company says.

The patented Honeycomb™ drum is designed to be gentle on sensitive fibers and fabrics, as its structure allows fabrics to float on a protective film of water.

The amount of time garments spend in the dryer is reduced thanks to the residual moisture sensors and the final extract capability of 500 G’s.

www.miele-pro.com | 800-991-9380

•Renzacci USA

Renzacci’s HS Series washer-extractors make professional wet cleaning easy using the new Aquatron™ touchscreen computer display, the company says, allowing quick, easy selection and customization of cycles.

Operators can create an almost infinite combination of times, pauses, rotations and temperatures with a single touch, Renzacci says, so even the most delicate garments can be professionally wet-cleaned.

Features include a quiet, stable and solid design; an extra-large stainless steel loading door; advanced soft-mount engineering for higher extraction speeds;

an electronic inverter with advanced software for expert handling of special garments; and more.

The Renzacci R and RZ model tumbler dryers have a sleek design, and a stainless steel housing for long-lasting durability and quiet operation, the company says. The exclusive PDC (Power Dynamic Control) System offers superior wear resistance, and the dryers have an extra-large loading door.

The “Soft Dry” computer is flexible and easy to use, Renzacci says. The drying speed is adjustable through the inverter, and the residual humidity is controlled through a sensor.

The Renzacci RZ model is a closed-circuit system that does not require venting, solving installation problems in locations where venting is not allowed.

www.renzacci-usa.com | 513-638-5405

•Yamamoto Japan

Technologically advanced, yet easy to use, The Harmony Cleaning System from Yamamoto has simplified professional wet cleaning, the company says. One machine, one detergent, and one shot is all that is needed for brighter, fresher, cleaner garments, it adds.

The WUD22S washer/dryer combo unit is designed to be efficient, easy to use and effective. The average processing time for a 40-pound load, dry-to-dry, is 45 minutes, and water usage for a full load can be as low as 82 gallons, Yamamoto says.

Automated programs and touchscreen controls make the machine easy to use for any operator, the company says. Users can create up to 100 custom programs to accommodate different

American Drycleaner, July 2015 www.americandrycleaner.com

load capacities, garment types, soil levels, or any other special needs.

Using the recommended wetcleaning solution, a full load can be processed with a single 9-ounce shot, Yamamoto says. The Harmony cleaning solution is designed to neutralize the harmful effects of water and prevent garments from fading and shrinking.

Wash programs are designed to partially fill the machine and add cleaning solution prior to loading garments. The solution is made from all-natural ingredients and can be disposed of through a normal drain, the company says. www.harmonywetcleaning.com | 800-345-4551 ••••••••••

Imesa’s LM series washing machine, in the Wet Clean configuration, is equipped with six detergent pumps mounted on a trolley and with a door injector for finishing and waterproofing substances. Thanks to the machine’s IM8 computer flexibility and mod ern technology, each laundry can manage up to 200 customized washing programs. The LM’s innovative mechanical system allows a soft treatment with low

mechanical stress to the fibers, Imesa says.

The ES series tumble dryers offer 30 customizable drying programs. It comes standard with residual humidity control, meaning that the programs can be set to stop when the desired moisture level has been reached. Additionally, the dryer can control the drum speed and the suction fan capacity.

For a laundry with limited space, Imesa has the Tandem, a stack washer and dryer unit. Fitting in less than 1 square meter, the Tandem frees up space by offering two machines in the same footprint. The washer and dryer can work at the same time or inde pendently from one another, Imesa says. www.imesa.it | 877-873-8451

www.americandrycleaner.com

Drycleaner,

MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

G etting to Know Your Distributor

Dry cleaners have a valuable resource close at hand that may be overlooked or, at best, be taken for granted.

Distributors not only provide the products, supplies and equipment needed in your operations but they also have an abundance of experience and knowledge at their disposal to aid in making your operations more successful. It is like having a gold mine waiting to be excavated.

Many of the important offerings of distributors are taken for granted:

Timely Service — Distributors strive to provide immediate service to their clientele because they are aware of the disruption to your business when supplies run short, a piece of equipment breaks down or uncontrollable outside influences—i.e. the city unexpectedly changes the water supply, or the air quality board changes the environmental regulations—affect the business. They can also be called upon when you have emergency staff turnover in a key position like the cleaner/spotter.

Just-in-Time Delivery — Having the products readily available and stored in the distributor’s warehouse allows for you to order just the necessary amount of inventory that you anticipate using in the immediate future, thereby keeping your stock turnover high, your expenses in check, and your supplies fresh and current.

Product Sourcing — There may be a product you believe is needed but you have no obvious source for it. Ask your distributor to locate it for you. They have networks for this service and can also benefit from adding a useful product to their line.

Ability to Test New Products — One of the beneficial services provided by distributors is the testing of new products to determine which ones are effective so that you don’t have to do the initial testing on everything in-house.

The neutral environment generally can allow for control of the components of the tests for more reliable and predictive results. A distributor’s network of operators also contributes a source of information about results that

can be applied to your situation.

New-Equipment Introductions — New equipment is conveniently introduced through the distributors if you do not attend the national and regional shows. The newest models might be exhibited at the distribution center or possibly showcased at your location or at the plant of another local operator.

Troubleshooting — Because of their collective years of experience in the industry, and the extensive training provided to the distributors and their representatives, they can often contribute their expertise to quickly and effectively find the source of a breakdown in the cleaning processes and procedures. This can save enormous amounts of time and money, not to mention saved downtime in the plant and the rest of your distribution chain downstream of the plant.

Optimizing the Cleaning Operation — Conversely, due to that same expertise, they can make suggestions to optimize operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Distributors are available to share their knowledge by training your staff to be better at their jobs and to be able to handle unique situations that arise in this challenging industry where every piece requires singular treatment.

Sales and Marketing — Sales materials provided by the manufacturers can help you explain the benefits of working with you and spell out your competitive advantage to consumers and businesses to whom you sell your services.

THE D ISTRIBUTOR TEAM

Most distributors and their representatives have extensive knowledge of the cleaning and laundry business and of the products that the distributorship represents.

They can help identify the source of a problem with equipment or the reason for less-than-desired cleaning results. They are trained to know the best combination of chemicals, water/solvent temperatures, cycle times, and processes.

They know when new products are introduced that might be appropriate for your operation and how to use them to their best advantage.

All of this expertise and information can be shared with you and your staff to continually improve your results.

Diana Vollmer

In addition to the internal distributor team knowledge, the product suppliers with whom they work provide a network of experience and knowledge that is exponentially larger than that of a single distributor or operator.

All of your suppliers want your sales and profits to improve because it is through you that their business may also grow and prosper. Improving your operation is a win for them as well as for you.

The win-win of mutual prosperity is the strongest incentive for distributors and suppliers to join forces and dedicate their combined resources to providing information on a variety of related and seemingly unrelated subjects.

For example, cleaners attending a distributorsponsored seminar on lease negotiation found it to be highly informative, and operators who applied their new knowledge saved lease and tenant improvement expense. They also learned how to balance location and rent for more profitable and productive facilities.

Distributors are often the sponsors of industry speakers on management development, sales and marketing, process improvement, productivity, site selection, diversification, strategic planning, expense control, human resource management, government regulation, environmental issues and other challenges faced by owners on a regular basis.

This expertise can be presented either within your company or in venues where multiple operators gather.

The training can be on products and processes for the production staff or on sales benefits for the counter, service and sales team.

The material can become ever more sophisticated for management training. You may want to ask your distributor to sponsor these or other themes that you deem important:

• Team development

• Production management

• Sales and marketing planning

• Strategic planning

• Profit improvement

The speaker can be from the distributor/supplier internal network or an outside expert that the distributor invites in.

Remember, just as you strive for more touch points in your customer and prospect interaction, so do the distributors and suppliers wish for more contact with you as their customers and prospects.

ADC

Diana Vollmer is managing director of Methods for Man agement (MfM), a consulting firm that has served the dry cleaning and laundry industry with affordable management expertise and improved profitability since 1953. She can be reached at dvollmer@mfmi.com, 415-577-6544.

Make ‘Sorry’ Tags a Thing of the Past

The yellow of the mustard is barely touched. The spaghetti sauce is a lovely shade of “burnt” orange. The crimson of the blood is as bold as the moment the garment was presented at the counter. The thing they all have in common is the “Sorry” tag hanging on the bag. If you exceed more than three tags per 100 garments, you need to seek additional stain-removal training.

With proper inspection/pre-spotting, your post-spotting and re-cleans can be drastically reduced. I long for the day when that the “Sorry” tag goes the way of the buggy whip and the slide rule. I hope that some of you recognize that a competitor’s “Sorry” tag is an invitation to claim another customer for your own.

It ain’t that complicated. It ain’t that risky. It ain’t that expensive. It requires thought. It requires time. It requires effort. Most of all, it requires more than lip service and going through the motions. If you intend to kill time, make it work for you.

Inspect for stains before cleaning. It should go without saying that a cleaner’s task is to clean items, not just put them through a repetitive process. Even better, have the CSR ask: “Are there any spots or stains we need to be aware of?” Then place spots and stains in a unique location for further consideration. But, if your CSR knows more about stain removal than your cleaner, well, you have a problem, and you should switch their jobs.

Mineral stains (paint, nail polish, etc.) should be prespotted on the dry side, to assist the drycleaning machine. Experience will quickly teach you the difference between solvent-soluble stains, which come out in the machine, and these chemically soluble stains, which need to be broken down by a more aggressive chemical tool.

Water-soluble stains are best pre-spotted for two reasons. First, pre-spotting allows the specific stain to be removed and the garment to dry before cleaning. Second, pre-spotting eliminates the possibility of the heat of drying making further stain removal difficult to impossible.

When you are sure that the stain will be completely removed in the drycleaning machine, go for it. If there is

any doubt, a quick brushing with a general pre-spotter/ leveling agent will pay huge dividends when it comes to stain removal.

When your experience has taught you that paint, nail polish, correction fluid, glue and others will not be completely removed in your immersion solution, pre-spot the stain so you won’t have to post-spot and also risk the heat of drying setting the stain.

Place the stain over the solid portion of the spotting board, then apply a small amount of your POG on the stained area. Apply mechanical action while the stain breaks down. Flush the area with your general prespotter and clean as normal.

Stains that come from animals are usually removed using an alkali-based chemical tool. The days of mixing distilled water, glycerin and ammonia are past. There are a multitude of pre-mixed, protein stain-removal tools available. Each has its own characteristics and strength.

Enzyme digesting agents are available and are ideal for those animal stains that have some age on them. In fact, I recommend that any animal stain that is showing age (darkening) be pre-treated with a digesting agent and allowed to stand for at least 30 minutes. This step can be substituted for the normal wet-side step of using NSD. Using a neutral synthetic detergent has proved to be a time- and money-saving idea for those spotters that have included it in their wet-side stain-removal protocol.

As I have admitted in the past, plant stains (tannin) are where I have to really concentrate and apply some extra effort. I work strictly by the book, one step at a time. Part of the problem is that many “tannin” stains are not pure vegetable, but filled with artificial coloring. In other words, they are loaded with dye. An example is a wine stain.

Martin Young

“ It should go without saying that a cleaner’s task is to clean items, not just put them through a repetitive process.”

A good, natural burgundy will be removed in about three steps and require no spot-bleaching. An inexpensive screw cap/supermarket burgundy may take five steps just to get it to a point where spot-bleaching is effective. Things like mustard, instant coffee and fruit drinks are very likely to have artificially enhanced coloring.

There will come a time in the process when the stainremoval specialist must decide if a reducing bleach is a viable option. Reducing bleaches are a necessary part of each spotter’s life, either by use or by neglect.

There are far too many variables in tannin stain removal to stray from proper protocol. Pre-spot tannin stains on the wet side. Flush the stained area over the vacuum nose of the board. Move the stain to the solid portion of the board and apply NSD and light mechanical action. Move the stain back over the vacuum nose and flush again with steam. If there is any trace of the stain, move it over the solid portion of the board and apply your pre-mixed tannin formula and light mechanical action. Move the stain back over the vacuum nose and flush the area with steam. Repeat as often as you are getting results.

You may wish to move to a more aggressive chemical formula as you repeat the process, until the stain is completely gone.

When I have the pleasure of meeting cleaners or spotters while on the road, I can only smile at their success stories, especially when bragging about their increased success after adding the step of using NSD before the dedicated stain-removal agent. ADC

Martin L. Young Jr. has been an industry consultant and trainer for 20 years, and a member of various stakeholder groups on environmental issues. He grew up in his parents’ plant in Concord, N.C., Young Cleaners, which he operates to this day. Contact him by phone at 704-786-3011, e-mail mayoung@vnet.net.

(Photo: ©iStockphoto/Romanchuck)

How to Sell to Selfie Generation

By Bruce Beggs, Editorial Director

As the quantity of ads per prospect is increasing, marketers are turning to behavioral psychology for an edge over competitors. During his Clean 2015 presentation, How to Sell to the Selfie Generation, Ricardo Gonzalez, social media coordinator for the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, described why customers switch companies and make purchases, and how it all applies to

(Photo: ©iStockphoto/william87)

selling drycleaning services to a self-absorbed, Internet-connected generation.

Early in his marketing career, Gonzalez was charged with updating a college’s established marketing strategy to something that would appeal to “millennials”—people born between 1980 and 2000. When he found his efforts were floundering, he searched for experts in the field and connected with Stanfordeducated Ramit Sethi, who sells personal finance courses online.

“He said his goal, when researching a new customer set, was to understand their hopes, fears and dreams better than anyone else,” Gonzalez says. “What he really wanted to know was where they shopped, why they shopped there, what they read, and what media they were using to get that information.

“Most importantly, he wanted to understand why a customer

that would benefit from a service wouldn’t buy it and how to use psychology to change their minds.”

UNDERSTANDING MILLENNIALS

At any given moment, people believe they know what they want for the rest of their lives, Gonzalez says, but what someone wants at age 20 is very different from what they want at 30, 40 or 50.

There are more millennials now than baby boomers, he says, and by 2025, that generation will represent 75% of the U.S. workforce. Millennials are changing behaviors from previous generations due to having less money (many entered the job market during the Great Recession). They’re less interested in owning homes and cars, and they’re more careful about their spending.

“They’re using technology to find company information, reviews from other customer experiences, and

price comparisons,” he says. “Those of you who have been neglecting your web presence should really start looking into that now more than ever.”

Millennials are drawn to companies that utilize social media, because texting, tweeting and blogging are primary means of communication for them.

“We’re so self-centered that we’re going to use your service, we’re going to take a selfie in front of your store, and we’re going to brag to all our friends about it,” Gonzalez says.

TIMELESS STRATEGIES STILL APPLY

Once you have a better understanding of millennials, it’s time to apply some timeless sales strategies, Gonzalez advises:

Deliver Value — Put the customer at the center of your world, even it means taking a temporary loss.

Lapels CEO Tackles

Entrepreneurial Insanity

Kevin Dubois, president/CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning, has co-authored a new book that he says demonstrates how current and prospective dry cleaners can take an entrepreneurial approach to their business rather than becoming an owner tied to their store day in and day out.

In Entrepreneurial Insanity in the Dry Cleaning Business, Dubois and co-author Roger McManus have created what they say is a road map for current and prospective dry cleaners to achieve a greater level of success in the industry.

“What we’ve found in training Lapels Dry Cleaning franchise owners is there are certain skills you can learn to successfully run a drycleaning business, regardless of what you previously have done,” says Dubois. “I always thought it would make for a good book. Fortunately, I met Roger, and he agreed.”

McManus has authored or co-authored other Entrepreneurial Insanity titles, including those focusing on the restaurant and sign businesses, and the tire industry.

“Can your business operate without you being there or do you have to be on the clock 24/7? Many people dream of owning their own business but it ends up with the business owning them,” says McManus. “This book provides

time-tested solutions on how to be a drycleaning entrepreneur as opposed to a drycleaning store owner—the book will show you the difference.”

The 208-page tome covers managerial tasks such as hiring, marketing, daily operations, job descriptions and more, all specific to dry cleaners.

“I think people will read it and say, ‘Yes, that was me. This is what I thought getting into business was, and I’ve turned into this guy with my head down, waiting on customers or pressing pants, and I’ve got to get back to the bigger picture of growing my business,” Dubois says.

Some of the chapters include “Do You Own an Asset or a Job You Can’t Quit?”, “Are You the Doer, the Overseer or the Entrepreneur?” “What Are Your ‘Anti-Success’ Forces?”, “What Does Your Business Look Like Without You?”, and “If You Aren’t There, Who’s Watching the Store?”

“I maintain that I’m an entrepreneur, I’m going to grow my business, and maybe some days I have to press shirts, some days the boiler’s not working and I gotta to do something about it, but I don’t get derailed and become that person. That’s really been the premise of the book,” Dubois says. “Don’t get stuck in a job—work on the business, not in the business.”

The book is available in paperback or Kindle versions from Amazon, or from a dedicated site, www.thedry cleaningbusiness.biz.

Kevin Dubois

New book describes taking entrepreneurial, not hands-on, approach to owning dry cleaner

CRDN names Callan national sales manager

Wendy Callan has been named national sales manager for CRDN, the Certified Restoration Drycleaning Net work, according to CEO Wayne Wudyka.

Prior to joining CRDN, Callan served as director of operations – key accounts for The Dwyer Group, where she focused on new business opportunities and man aged an account team tasked with delivering quality, consistency and professionalism in the trade service industry.

Stevenson

serves the Tulsa metropolitan area from a dozen locations.

Rothrock described his late fa ther-in-law as a generous leader who “always ran things from behind the scenes and preferred to let some one else lead the parade.” Stevenson prided himself on honesty and “do ing the right thing,” he adds.

Stevenson was proud of Yale’s participation in dry cleaning organizations such as the Varsity Group (which was by invitation only), the Marketing Concepts 12, and another group organized by veteran operator and consul tant Stan Golomb, Rothrock says.

He was also a “big supporter” of drycleaning industry trade associations, Rothrock says, and was a past presi dent of the Oklahoma Dry Cleaners Association.

Callan

“Wendy has a valuable and thor ough understanding of our industry, and her background includes a dy namic mix of insurance experience and sales over the past 20 years,” says Wudyka. “In her role with CRDN, she will focus on developing and strengthening insurance carrier and restoration contractor relationships, as well as serving as a significant resource for our textile restoration franchises. We look forward to her contribu tions to our organization.”

In memoriam: James T. Stevenson, Yale Cleaners

James Thomas Stevenson, retired owner of Yale Clean ers, Tulsa, Okla., died May 25 at the age of 87.

He was born Aug. 10, 1927, in Broken Arrow, Okla., to William Coffman and Tommie Josephine (Johnson) Stevenson. He began working for a dry cleaner at age 14, graduated from Broken Arrow High School in 1946 and married Betty Lou Peterson in June of that year.

With backing from his father, Stevenson built and opened his first dry cleaner, Arrow Cleaners, in down town Broken Arrow, a Tulsa suburb, at the age of 20.

It was January 1959 when Stevenson and brother-inlaw Barney Bebout purchased Yale Cleaners. When Be bout retired in 1979, Stevenson invited his brother, Jerry, and son-in-law, Bill Rothrock, to join the family busi ness. Stevenson retired in 1999, and today Yale Cleaners

Among Stevenson’s survivors are his wife, Betty; daughter, Judy Rothrock; son, Jim Stevenson; sisters, Verna Bebout and Edna Jo Stegal; brother, Jerry Steven son; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Memorials can be made to The Oklahoma Baptist Chil dren’s Home, 12700 E. 76th St. N., Owasso, OK 74055.

DLI presents Fawcett with its highest honor

The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) recently pre sented Donald C. Fawcett, owner of Dependable Clean ers in Quincy, Mass., with its Diamond Achievement Award, the Institute’s highest honor.

DLI President Alan P. Johnson III made the presenta tion following an educational session during Clean 2015 in Atlanta.

Fawcett served as DLI’s District 1 director in 20002004, DLI president in 2003-2004, and chairman in 2004-2005.

The Diamond Achievement Award recognizes excel lence across all aspects of the cleaning industry, and has only been awarded “a handful of times” in DLI’s 107year history, the Institute says.

ness started by his father. Today, De pendable Cleaners employs 230 peo ple in 16 locations.

Over the years, Fawcett made time to serve the in dustry through his membership and service in organiza tions like the Var sity Group and the International Dry cleaners Congress.

He remains in volved in the fam ily business, but his daughter, Christa Hagearty, directly oversees daily operations. This, according to Fawcett, allows him more time to enjoy his family (including 12 grandchildren) as well as maritime pursuits such as rac ing and competitive sport fishing.

Whirlpool to acquire American Dryer Corp.

Whirlpool Corp. has entered into an agreement to ac quire American Dryer Corp. (ADC), a privately held manufacturer of coin-operated, on-premise, industrial and specialty laundry equipment.

Terms of the planned transaction will not be disclosed, the companies say.

Whirlpool says the planned acquisition gives its com mercial laundry business a platform to reach new mar kets and channels.

“Acquiring ADC strengthens our commitment to the commercial laundry industry and is aligned to our objec tives of driving growth in adjacent businesses,” says Jeff M. Fettig, Whirlpool Corp. chairman and CEO. “We be lieve this acquisition nicely complements our leadership position in the overall laundry category.”

“The acquisition of ADC by Whirlpool is an important milestone in the evolution of innovative global commer cial laundry equipment,” says Chris FitzGerald, CEO of ADC. “Whirlpool Corp. commercial laundry business and ADC are each leaders in global commercial laun dry innovation and development. Together they will be able to offer an impressive array of commercial laundry equipment as well as significant research and develop ment capabilities.

“I firmly believe this combination will be good for

both Whirlpool and ADC, and just as importantly it will be good for ADC’s customer base due to the expanded product portfolio as well as the combined strength of the two companies in manufacturing and R&D.”

Massachusetts-based ADC is home to approximately 230 employees, a 300,000-square-foot manufacturing fa cility, and a state-of-the-art engineering and design center.

Whirlpool expects to close on the ADC purchase this month, with integration activities happening throughout the balance of 2015.

Westbank Dry Cleaning honored for ‘Exceptional Service’

Westbank Dry Cleaning, Austin, Texas, is the inaugural winner of the YES! Award, an honor bestowed by Mar ketwise Consulting Group upon the dry cleaner judged to have provided the most exceptional service nationwide.

Marketwise Presi dent Carolyn Nanker vis presented the award to Westbank CEO William Charnes and trainer Stacey Luster in Atlanta during Clean 2015.

“The YES! Award stands for ‘Year of Exceptional Service.’ Nationally, Westbank Dry Cleaning scored the highest in overall customer service and cleaning in 2014,” Nankervis says. “Our firm has worked with dry cleaners since 1997 to assess service at the counter. Our Profes sional Mystery Shop ping Program rigorously evaluates and scores front-line staff and cleaning services offered by cleaners through out the United States. This year, Westbank Dry Cleaning was the clear winner.”

“Our customers are the reason we are in business,” says Charnes. “I am proud of our staff at our eight lo cations for their dedication and high level of customer service. The real credit goes to them when we meet and exceed industry standards.” ADC

Drycleaning & Laundry Institute

President Alan P. Johnson III (right) presents Don Fawcett of Dependable Cleaners with the Diamond Achievement Award, DLI’s higher honor. (Photo: DLI)

Carolyn Nankervis (right), president of MarketWise Consulting Group, Appleton, Wis., presents her company’s YES! 2014 Award for exceptional service to Westbank Dry Cleaning CEO William Charnes (left) and trainer Stacey Luster. (Photo: MarketWise Consulting Group)

area, and that is a very big plus with your fluff-and-fold customers,” Blank says.

Washing and Drying — Use hot water for whites, but cold water for everything else, Blank says. Spin washer and dryer drums so small items like socks don’t go missing. Avoid problems by following wash label instructions carefully.

Blank says she had her team resort goods by fabric type before drying. General temperature guidelines are hot for blankets, jeans and towels; medium for permanent press such as T-shirts and blouses; and low for delicates.

Finishing Touches — Fold and deliver the clean goods in a new plastic bag, Blank says, or perhaps even a logoed bag that will further promote your brand to customers. She does not favor wrapping the laundry in plastic, although she does know of other fluff-and-fold providers that prefer it.

SERVICE OPTIONS

As for equipment needs, Blank favors the use of two or three front loaders per order.

“The average fluff-and-fold customer is probably in college up to 40, maybe 45 years of age, in general,” she says. “Those people will generally have 25 to maybe 50 pounds of laundry, depending on how often they do it. … In general, for fluff-and-fold, I’m a firm believer that maybe a 20-pound or 30-pound machine, and using two of those, is the perfect mix.”

Finally, she described several options for offering fluff-and-fold service, including processing the work at your drycleaning site, doing it at a nearby coin laundry, or subcontracting the work.

• Perform Service On-site —

“Doing fluff-and-fold at your own store will probably generate

American Drycleaner, July 2015

the most profits, but it requires the most [investment],” she says.

You’ll be able to maintain complete control of the process and develop a satisfied clientele that will tell others about your work, she explains, but you’ll need more staff, floor space and equipment to achieve this. Wash supplies, marketing and extra utility usage would be among the additional expenses.

• Perform Service at Nearby Laundromat — Advantages would be no additional equipment cost or labor expenses, but any profit would be reduced by having to pay the retail price to use another company’s laundry equipment, plus one may see productivity sag because staffers are unsupervised, she says.

• Farm Out the Service (A) — Contract with a company that performs the fluff-andfold service for your business. You’ll not incur added staff, utilities, etc., but the delivery costs as part of the contract will eat into any profits to be

made. Additionally, you’ll have little control over the provider’s performance.

• Farm Out the Service (B) — Contract with a company that processes the fluff-andfold goods, but you handle all customer pickup and delivery. Here, you maintain greater control of the process and serve as the face of the service.

• Exchange of Services — Blank’s business partnered with a local dry cleaner in an exchange of services. Perhaps there is a possibility of reaching a mutual agreement with another business in your area, she says.

Blank believes that a dry cleaner offering fluff-and-fold should “charge whatever the market will bear.”

“We started out in 2001 at $1.50 a pound with a 20-pound minimum,” Blank says. “I now do up to $4 or $5 a pound. … There are many, many places where you can market both your dry cleaning and your fluff-andfold, and I think people are leaving a lot of money on the table.” ADC

Beverly Blank (right) presents a Clean 2015 audience member with what she called a mini fluff-and-fold starter kit, containing a laundry detergent pod, stain remover pod, safety pin, and more. (Photo: Bruce Beggs)

He used Chipotle as an example. The restaurant chain uses ethically raised meat in its dishes, and when a supplier failed to meet its standards, it suspended the sale of pork. This hurt sales for a time, but customers took notice of its value-based position and continue to support it.

Positioning — The basic approach is not to create something new and different but to manipulate what’s already in a customer’s mind, to fortify connections that already exist.

“When you’re positioning yourself as a cleaner, you’re positioning yourself as the first company that comes to mind for your type of cleaning,” Gonzalez says.

Most people know George Washington was our first president, but fewer know the second and so on. Likewise for the tallest moun-

tain, Everest, but fewer as the peaks become smaller.

Being first doesn’t necessarily mean being first to create a certain

type of product, he says, but the first company whose marketing and services are actually memorable to the customer.

Remove Pain Points — Work to eliminate individual barriers facing your younger customers.

For example, for a shoe company that sells online, like Zappos, customers can’t try on a shoe before buying it. The solution: offer unlimited returns.

“What prevents 25- to 35-yearolds from using a dry cleaner?”

Gonzalez asks. “Do they know why dry cleaning is important? Do they understand that it’s not just meant for the suit owner, that you can use it for many more things?”

Making business changes based on your research probably won’t be easy, he says, but the cleaner willing to evolve stands to profit from the next generation. ADC

Drycleaner,

Heidle Baskin Baskin Laundry LLC, Canton, Texas

Ricardo Gonzalez, social media coordinator for DLI, speaks to a Clean 2015 audience in Atlanta. (Photo: Bruce Beggs)

BOILER TREATMENT

Imperial Industrial Technologies - Los Angeles based company, specializ es in cleaning chemicals for laundry, dry cleaning/uniform services in the cleaners’ industries. The company is under the umbrella of Franco American Textiles www.franco-american.com. Seeking Vice President of Sales with an exten sive sales and marketing experience and knowledge

No Seam Unturned

10 YEARS AGO. You might expect a Navy helicopter pilot to want to get the most out of technology. And that’s part of what drives Steve Phillips, the owner of Z Cleaners in Scottsdale, Ariz., and his wife, Geralyn. Using a combination of cutting-edge bar-code garment identification labels, sophisticated point-of-sale (POS) software, and an automated conveyor system, Z Cleaners has carved out a profitable niche in this upscale area north of Phoenix. … Appearance Plus launched its “Dapper Diploma” promotion last month, a program that assists recent graduates’ job hunts by offering free cleaning services. During the program, any 2005 high school or college graduate presenting a diploma or other proof of graduation at Appearance Plus locations in greater Cincinnati will receive a free suit cleaning in advance of an interview.

25 YEARS AGO. The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUMM) is using a guideline of less than 1 part per billion as the amount of perc that should be found in outside air or in any neighbor’s premises. Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey belong to the organization. This information came to the attention of NCA when a Putnam County, N.Y., dry cleaner’s plant was shut down because perc vapor exceeding that level was found in apartments over him. NCA intends to fight this threat. … Brown’s Cleaners in Santa Monica, Calif., is probably the most expensive cleaners in Southern California, according to its owner, but for the money, customers get a personal attention to their garments that is unusual even for a quality cleaner. Lois Von Morganroth tells her pressers to have the tailor take a seam apart and put it back together if the garment can’t be pressed properly. The tailor will also take a garment apart so that part of it can be dry-cleaned and the other part wet-cleaned.

50 YEARS AGO. A call office designed to appeal to the carriage trade. That’s a nutshell summary of one businessincreasing approach that has doubled cash-and-carry sales in four years for the White House, Pasadena, Calif. The business numbers top names of the motion picture, sports and business world among its customers. Many

of the celebrities and business leaders prefer to drive in rather than send in their dry cleaning, according to Executive VP J.E. Brittain. This proves the right kind of call office can attract business from all income groups, but what’s the right kind of call office? One that provides fast, snappy service; employs good personnel; and offers spacious drive-ins and attractive appearance. These three points make up the White House cashand-carry merchandising package, which is backed by quality work at a premium price ($1.50 for suits, $1.75 minimum for dresses). … Promotional campaigns don’t often strike it as rich as the consumer education program Bonnie Cleaners, Ottawa, Canada, has been running. It got radio and TV news coverage, a congratulatory letter from the mayor, and an NID Prestige Builders Award. Owners Mr. and Mrs. Harry Kershman developed a program of 90-minute lecture demonstrations and plant tours for Ottawa high school students that tied in with their home economics courses on clothing.

75 YEARS AGO. According to the June 1940 issue of Standard Rate & Data Service, 15,000 U.S. drycleaning plants in 1937 had total sales of $500 million. Estimates for 1939 place the figure for the year at $485 million. Drycleaning sales generally rise and fall with the national income, although during any year the sale volume is subject to seasonal variations. During 1939, fewer than 350 drycleaning firms went out of business, while about 600 new plants were established. One factor responsible for the greater number of plants is the development of drycleaning systems that use chlorinated solvents. Although 75-80% of plants still use Stoddard Solvent (petroleum solvent) for cleaning, the chlorinated solvents are making exceptional progress. The use of chlorinated solvents has accelerated the growth of smaller independent plants, and the addition of drycleaning departments to commercial laundries. ADC

— Compiled by Bruce Beggs

July 1965