American Drycleaner - April 2021

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drycleaner

April 2021

Vol. 88, No. 1

FEATURES

Ramping Up: Retool for Recovery

With the end of the pandemic in sight, is it time for dry cleaners to start updating and expanding their plants to take advantage of increasing customer demand? Industry experts and financial professionals o er their thoughts on outfitting or retrofitting drycleaning plants today.

Addressing Customer Claims

No dry cleaner wants to deal with disappointed customers when something goes wrong at the plant. However, having plans in place for this inevitable conversation can take some of the pressure o of your countersta and make the experience, ultimately, a positive one for everyone involved.

Inching Closer

With the increasing availability of vaccines — the “big shot” we’ve all been waiting for — the recovery of our economy and our society feels like it is progressing, slowly but surely, from “someday” to “soon.”

For many dry cleaners holding onto hope, there’s a feeling that the future they’ve been waiting for is about to arrive. Have you made plans to meet the demands of returning customers?

The first feature of this issue, “Ramping Up: Retooling for Recovery,” takes a look at the realities — and opportunities — in front of dry cleaners looking to modernize their facilities. While outfitting or retrofitting their existing plants might not be at the top of the “to-do” list, many dry cleaners will be looking at this topic as society returns to something approaching normal. We’ve asked industry experts about the questions dry cleaners should ask when replacing machines or adding more equipment to meet future demand.

In our second feature, “Addressing Customer Claims,” we’ve focused on what it takes to keep your current customers happy when something goes sideways in the cleaning process. No one likes to pay out for a damaged garment or other piece that didn’t do well in the plant — especially if they are fairly confident it wasn’t their fault. Sometimes, however, it’s more important to lose a battle so you can win your customer’s loyalty.

In that same vein, for our “Talk of the Trade” section, we’ve surveyed our audience to measure the importance of their online reputation and what they’re willing to do to protect it and make sure the reviews customers are leaving are happy ones.

Also in this issue is the next installment of our Showcase series, this month focusing on Point of Sale Systems. Modern systems go far beyond their original purpose of tallying up the total as customers pick up their items; current POS systems can help with marketing, route and delivery services, customer communication, risk management and so much more. If you haven’t re-examined your existing system for a while, it might be time for an upgrade! ADC

American Drycleaner (ISSN 0002-8258) is published monthly except Nov/Dec combined. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00. Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00. Single copies $9.00 for U.S., $18.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, 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 88, number 1. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 650 West Lake Street, Suite 320, 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, 2021. 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, April 2021

Publisher

Charles Thompson

312-361-1680 cthompson@ATMags.com

Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director

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

Editorial Director

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

Editor Dave Davis 312-361-1685 ddavis@ATMags.com

Digital Media Director

312-361-1681 nfrerichs@ATMags.com

Dave Davis

Reputation, Customer Satisfaction and Your Business

Word-of-mouth is a potent form of advertising. Great experiences make people want to share the story with friends and family — but so do awful experiences. Social media and review sites have magnified this publicity to the point where a bad review can directly impact future business. For this Your Views survey, owners and operators of drycleaning businesses were asked about their views on maintaining their reputation — both online and at their front counter.

Most respondents believe that online customer reviews are important to their operation’s continuing success, with 37.5% responding that such reviews “are our lifeblood for attracting new customers,” and 34.4% saying “they’re good for attracting younger customers.” Others have mixed opinions — 15.6% believe “they don’t have much of an impact,” 9.4% say “it’s a waste of time and energy to chase them — just do the work,” and 3.1% believe “online sites are ‘pay for play,’” which they refuse to support.

The survey asked, “What steps do you regularly take to bolster your online reputation?” The answers included:

• “We ask for reviews, particularly for high-profit items like wedding gowns.”

• “Do good work, keep promises and don’t try to do difficult garments in a rush.”

• “Train CSRs to ask customers for reviews. Monitor online forums and reach out to any customer who posts a less-than-stellar review.”

• “A third party manages all my reviews and updates me daily. I respond to negative issues personally.”

When describing how they guard their online reputation, most replied that they take an active role, with 25% saying they protect it “like a junkyard dog — nothing gets past me,” and 62.5% stating they “keep tabs on it and work to keep it positive.” Of the remaining respondents, 3.1% reported they “check it when I remember it,” and 9.4% said they don’t keep track of it.

When there is a problem, customer satisfaction often hinges on how the cleaner’s counter staff deals with the situation. The survey revealed that 37.5% of its respondents fully empower their employees to make a problem right, “whatever it takes,” and 43.8% say that their

What importance do you put on online

customer reviews?

What importance do you put on online customer reviews?

What importance do you put on online customer reviews?

They are our lifeblood for attracting new customers. They’re good for attracting younger customers. They don’t have much of an impact on my business.

They are our lifeblood for attracting new customers. They’re good for attracting younger customers.

They don’t have much of an impact on my business.

It’s a waste of time and energy to chase them — just do the work.

It’s a waste of time and energy to chase them — just do the work.

I believe online sites are “pay for play,” which I refuse to support.

I believe online sites are “pay for play,” which I refuse to support.

37.5%

34.4% 15.6% 9.4% 3.1%

Like a junkyard dog, nothing gets past me.

Like a junkyard dog, nothing gets past me.

I keep tabs on it and work to keep it positive.

I keep tabs on it and work to keep it positive.

I check it when I remember it.

I check it when I remember it.

I don’t keep track of it.

I don’t keep track of it.

3.1%

37.5% 25.0%

34.4% 62.5%

15.6% 3.1%

Describe how you guard your online reputation:

Describe how you guard your online reputation:

Describe how you guard your online reputation:

9.4% 9.4%

employees are their front line, but they know they can come to the owner if necessary. Only 3.1% of owners report that they alone take care of all customer complaints, with 15.6% saying such situations are handled on a caseby-case basis. “Consistency in our brand promise is one of the most important assets of the company,” one respondent says. “Everyone’s job is to protect that asset in all that they do.”

“It’s very important to protect your online reputation,” says another. “Most, if not all, new customers check that before they trust their garment to any cleaner. There is a reason why a customer is looking for a new cleaner!”

The Your Views survey offers a current snapshot of the trade audience’s views. The publication invites qualified subscribers to American Drycleaner emails to participate anonymously in the unscientific poll each quarter.

RAMPING UP: Retool for Recovery

Those who prepare for the future will be best equipped to win it

By Dave Davis, Editor

Like almost every small to mid-size business, most dry cleaners have found themselves in survival mode for the past 12 months. The near-instant drop in business due to the coronavirus pandemic lockdown exposed underlying weaknesses in many companies, dooming some and leaving others reeling. Now that vaccinations are allowing society to at least see the beginning of the end of the crisis, the logical question many business owners are asking themselves is, “What now?” With advances and innovations in cleaning technology, coupled with environmental concerns over aging machines and perchloroethylene (perc), many owners are finding themselves tempted to update their plant. If they do, they could be better positioned to take the market share of drycleaning

customers looking for new cleaners after theirs have retired or gone out of business. But how can a cleaner balance the risk of spending hard-earned money with the potential profit of an as-yet unclear future?

PREPARING FOR WHAT’S TO COME

“Our membership across the country has told us that, in addition to the financial challenges of this past year, one of the biggest challenges has been the inability to plan for the future,” says Sarah Crozier, communication director of Main Street Alliance, a small-business advocacy organization. “‘Uncertainty’ is the word that comes up over and over again. From a business perspective, uncertainty is a very difficult concept to deal with. So, wherever you can, make investments and plans, with

(Photo:©

flexibility and risk assessment factored in. It helps to deal with some of the uncertain times that we’re living in.”

When considering a capital investment in a company, the return on investment is crucial. If there’s no ROI, then the equipment was not a good addition.

“Quality machines reduce your utilities and your labor costs, which are most of your variable costs,” says Matt A. Lipman, sales representative for equipment manufacturer Union Drycleaning Products. “That’s where the new cleaning machines come into play because they can make you faster and more efficient. Also, if you’re doing your cleaning at optimum levels, then you can look for additional pieces to clean.”

One of the most important factors of ROI, Lipman believes, is the one element no one can buy — time: “With cleaners working fewer hours and trying to minimize hours of production to save on labor and utilities, they really need to look at time. New equipment can allow you to do a better job more quickly, but so often people never look at their time when they’re looking at ROI.”

In addition to time, there are other advantages in updating or replacing aging equipment.

“You can have better solvent recovery for lower operating costs,” Lipman says. “There are also innovations like solvent heating and other advancements. You also have a lot more options for solvent. There are new solvents that do a better job cleaning, and, again, it saves time, so there’s a return on that.”

The ability of a new piece of equipment to pull its weight is a major factor that goes into loan qualification.

“We look to see the ROI as a key to profitability as well as sustaining the business,” says George Bednar, director of sales for NewLane Finance Co. “Speaking as a lender, we often look to see whether the new purchase will be a labor-saving or income-producing investment. What does it mean to go from a single-buck to a doublebuck shirt press, or to add additional presses? What does that mean in terms of other aspects of the business? Will it be cutting labor costs? Will it increase piecework? Will chemical prices drop? The questions we try to understand are how this will benefit the business.”

FUNDING THE FUTURE

Investing in new equipment as the nation emerges from lockdown isn’t for the faint of heart. Lipman believes that anxiety over the unknown is a significant factor in many dry cleaners’ decisions to hold off on updating equipment. Even though long-term interest rates are at an all-time low, there’s a reluctance to borrow money.

“The biggest thing I hear is the fear of taking on new debt,” he says. “That’s why people look for grants or save up money, because they’d rather pay in cash than have a

liability hanging over their heads. I kind of find this coun terproductive, because when your business is fluctuating, it seems like the time when you’d want to hold onto cash.”

Securing financing in this economic environment can, of course, be challenging. Sometimes, dry cleaners have to search beyond the obvious.

“Go and see if you have a community development financial institution, or (if it applies) a minority development institution, in your area,” Crozier says. “Those are more community-oriented financial and lending institutions that can work with you not only on the loan, but also potentially on technical assistance and training.”

Finding a financial professional with whom you can discuss the matter may help secure funding, rather than ones who simply rely on an impersonal credit score.

“As you’re starting out, or you’re looking to expand, particularly because of the pandemic of this past year, you’re going to see a lot of hits to entrepreneurial credit,” Crozier says. “If your credit score is the only thing that approves you one way or the other, sometimes having an ‘entrepreneur’s’ credit score can be a detriment. So, look at those types of alternative financial institutions, as well as community banks and public banks, if your state has one. That’s one way to get the support and resources that you need, if a typical bank won’t look at your application.”

When planning on a retrofit or an expansion, however, don’t jump at just any offer. Mistakes made at this point can haunt a business for years — or end it entirely.

“Not all finance companies and finance documents are equal,” says Brad Karpinecz, commercial equipment finance specialist for NewLane, “so ask questions. And if somebody is not really willing to slow down and answer those questions, stop and think, ‘Why?’ Because 99.9% of the lenders in the industry are reputable and upstanding, and they’re going to be very transparent.”

More to the point, if the lending agreement isn’t straightforward and, ultimately, simple to grasp, that could be a problem down the road.

“If you don’t feel that way about your borrowing solution — that it’s a very simple program, it’s very transparent, and you understand it — then you should probably look at a different supplier for that financing,” Karpinecz says.

“No matter what loan product you’re looking at, you want to make sure that it’s not a predatory product,” Cro zier says. “Something that a lot of people don’t understand is there are consumer protections for personal loans, but those consumer protections do not cover small business. There are predatory loan products out there with high interest rates and high fees that could get you into a debt cycle you don’t want to be in.”

Sankosha

Addressing Customer Claims

By Dave Davis, Editor

Dry cleaners who have been in business for any measurable length of time know that it’s not a matter of if mistakes happen but a question of when. Broken buttons, faded dyes, rips, unremoved stains … the list goes on. Sometimes the error occurs at the plant, and sometimes before the garment ever reaches the cleaner (“No, I didn’t already try to get that stain out” is a customer comment often heard over the front counter).

So, knowing that it’s only a matter of time before a cleaner’s staff will have to give a customer some bad news, having a plan in place for such occasions can spell the difference between an argument (or worse) and a surprisingly positive encounter.

THE EXPECTATION GAP

The best way to deal with claims, of course, is to avoid the mistake in the first place.

“The minute a customer walks in the door with their armful of clothes, the counter staff should ask if there’s anything that needs special attention,” says Trudy Adams, principal of Blue Egg Consulting. This can start a conversation that can yield valuable information about spots or other issues that might have been missed.

Brian Butler, president of Columbus, Ohio-based Dublin Cleaners, says that the more valuable an item is, the more critical it is to set expectations.

“Someone might come in with a $900 bedspread

with some unknown stains that have been there for a long time,” he says. “We’re not so much worried about whether we can get those spots off; we’re more worried about how long they’ve been sitting on that fabric and affecting that dye. When we do flush those out, will there be some discoloration?

“We’ve got to talk about it up front, and we need the customer to be comfortable with it ahead of time. But, when we’re dealing with Brooks Brothers shirts that come in hundreds of times a day, there just isn’t time to have those conversations. So, you play the numbers that not too many people are going to be too upset about it, and, if one does, what do we do to make it right?”

While setting rules and expectations is a good starting point, trying to get too “legalistic” can quickly backfire when it comes to maintaining a customer relationship.

“You might have on the back of your receipt that you’re liable for only 10 times the cleaning charge,” Butler says. “If you charge $3.50 for a shirt, you’re only going to pay out $35. But, if a customer has a Tom James shirt, that $35 is going to be a slap in the face. If he spends $50 a week in your store, it’s best to not flip that receipt over and say, ‘That’s how it’s going to go.’”

POWER TO THE STAFF

Problems are going to crop up from time to time. Knowing this, Adams believes there’s no reason for a counterperson to be unprepared.

“Management needs to sit down together and write out how they would like their staff to respond,” she says, “so collectively, as a whole company,everybody should know what they should say for common complaints. It could be a broken button, for instance, or a lost or damaged item — any of the most common things. Often, the staff is just not trained as to how to respond, and they’re not confident. I’m not saying they have to say the script verbatim; I’m saying to just have them understand what it is that they’re supposed to say.”

“You’ve got to give quite a wide latitude to the counterpeople,” says Peter Blake, executive director of the North East Fabricare Association (NEFA), the South Eastern Fabricare Association (SEFA) and the Mid-Atlantic Association of Cleaners (MAC). “When people are upset, and if there’s something the counterpeople can do right there by taking action, they need to know they can do that.”

Even if your customer service representative (CSR) makes too big of a concession, Blake says, let them know you have their back.

“If they make a promise, you can educate them afterward, but back them up now,” he says. “I would rather have a counterperson make a mistake by taking action than make a mistake by inaction.”

“We’ve told our customer service staff that we don’t want someone walking out of the store upset in a way that could lead to a bad review and relationship if it’s $100 or less,” Butler says. “I remind our customer service staff that, if they try too hard to defend us, they’ll end up hurting us. With the $100 limit, there’s no way that’s going to hurt the company, but if they don’t offer it to the customer, that might irreparably damage our business.”

Butler also points out that his CSRs are told to use common sense when it comes to their discretion: “If the customer says it should be $103, don’t say that’s out of your reach. It’s an area. Don’t say ‘yes’ to $400, but don’t say ‘no’ to $112 if everything else meets the criteria. When it comes to claims, I’ve told them, if it’s a ‘maybe,’ then it’s a ‘yes.’”

But just because they are empowered doesn’t mean that dry cleaners should allow their staff to be abused.

“If you’ve got someone yelling in your shop, being completely unreasonable,” Blake says, “the counter staff should always feel completely comfortable saying, ‘I understand your disappointment and your anger. Let me have somebody call you back right away, who can handle the situation better than I can.’ And then, give the customer a time frame where they’ll receive that call. It’s a win-win situation for everyone because now the right person will be dealing with the issue, and it’ll be in a much quieter setting.”

This approach also helps soothe the situation because the customer’s problem might not be with the dry cleaner at all.

“You’ve got to understand that your customers — all of us — are dealing with a lot,” Blake says. “Everyone’s got their own story to tell. The customer might be in an atrocious mood, and they may be venting at you. You might be the one taking the brunt of it. It’s not your fault. It’s not the cleaner’s fault. The minute you get angry, the situation escalates.”

KEEPING THE LINES OPEN

Butler says that the key to handling customer claims and defusing potential arguments is calm, clear, quick communication. Also, having detailed information can be helpful. Years ago, Dublin Cleaners installed a barcode system that keeps detailed records of the items coming in and out of the store. “That gives us a great position of objectivity,” he says.

When a longtime customer made a claim about a shirt, for instance, Butler was prepared to make it right but did a little research to determine the replacement price.

“We looked it up and told him that we had cleaned that shirt 67 times over the years,” he says. “When we asked him what he thought it was worth, he told us that, if he had it in our store once a month for six years, he had gotten full use out of it, and it was probably fully depreciated.”

Having a liberal claims policy doesn’t mean that a dry cleaner shouldn’t track its restitution history. Butler’s company has the ability in the point-of-sale system to flag customers who might be taking advantage of the system.

“I can only think of a couple of times where I’ve said, ‘Enough is enough,’” Butler says. “We had one guy come in and make six claims in two years.” While none of the previous claims were large, the sixth was for a sport coat the customer claimed was worth $900.

“I called him and said, ‘If you really believed we had caused all six of these problems, you would have quit us long ago because you would have deemed us completely incompetent, the same as the rest of the market because you would have to assume your experience wasn’t unique.’ Five times already, we’ve fallen on our sword to keep this relationship alive, but we’re at the point where it’s not worth keeping it alive.” Butler told the customer that, no matter what the situation, he would not be writing him any more checks.

This “line-in-the-sand” stance worked: “He’s still a customer today and has not asked for anything else,” Butler says. “You want to treat fair but be treated fairly.”

“You know, 99% of the people aren’t trying to get one over on you,” Blake says, “and the ones who are, it’s OK. It’s not a life-or-death situation. Giving somebody free cleaning is not the end of the world.”

“There’s an old saying that ‘It may not be your fault, but it is your problem,’” Adams says. “How many times have you paid a claim for a lost item and you knew that the customer picked it up, or it’s not in your place? And then, maybe a week or two later, the customer calls you or comes in and says, ‘You’re never gonna believe it, but I found those pants in my closet. I’m so sorry.’ It’s happened to everyone that I’ve ever worked with. It’s just part of the customer experience.”

“Give them your contact information so you can talk about the situation,” he says. “At the end, if you successfully made that person happy, ask them to take the review down. Most of the time, they’ll actually change it to a positive review.” Even if the reviewer doesn’t reach out, those reading the reviews will see that the cleaner took action and tried to make it right. “The worst thing you can do is just let it sit there and let it fester,” he says.

Blake also believes in responding to good reviews: “Say, ‘Thank you. We appreciate the opportunity to take care of you.’ If you see a three- or four-star review, you can also ask how you can improve their experience. It shows you’re always trying and striving for perfection.”

Paying attention to your online reputation can also head off potential abuse.

Brian Butler, president of the Columbus, Ohio-based Dublin Cleaners, believes in giving his counterpeople the latitude to work with customers and make claims right whenever possible. “When it comes to claims, I’ve told them, if it’s a ‘maybe,’ then it’s a ‘yes,’” he says. (Photo: Dublin Cleaners)

“We had a grad student at Ohio State University leave 330 1-star reviews across all our platforms within a week,” Butler says. “We looked into the situation, and he had made a $325 claim. I called him and asked him what he was after, because those reviews weren’t true and they were hurting our business. I also told him that this was the one opportunity he had to work it out with me, because things were going to get litigious very quickly. When he said he wanted the $325, I asked him where he was and that I would bring it to him, but not until every last one of those reviews was taken down.” The student did remove the reviews, and the issue was resolved.

That kind of situation is rare, Butler says, but dry cleaners must pay attention to their online reputation: “You do what you’ve got to do. It all boils down to communication. Don’t try to win every battle; it might cause you to lose the war.”

THE VALUE OF COMPLAINTS

MAINTAINING YOUR ONLINE REPUTATION

A customer’s voice has been amplified by social media and review sites to the point where dry cleaners cannot ignore bad word-of-mouth. When researching companies, the vast majority of consumers start their search online, and bad reviews are a quick way for them to weed out choices.

When dry cleaners find a negative review of their store, action must quickly be taken, Blake says.

American Drycleaner, April 2021

While no dry cleaner looks forward to having uncomfortable conversations with their clients, the alternative is worse: The customer quietly goes away, leaving no clue that he or she was unhappy, and never comes back.

“Look at a complaint as a big bouquet of roses,” Adams says. “If a customer keeps telling you, ‘You know, every single time I come in here, my buttons are broken,’ or this or that, listen to them and start investigating.”

“Each complaint is an opportunity,” Blake says. “It’s an opportunity to forge a better relationship, to further your reputation, and to make a satisfied customer.” ADC

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HELP THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE DRY CLEANER?

There are options that cleaners might not be aware of when it comes to financing. In some cases, environmental concerns could actually help a drycleaning business.

“Many states and municipalities across the country are really looking to move away from perc,” says Dru Shields, director of accounts at EnviroForensics LLC, “so many of them do see the value in offering either options for grants or even low-interest-rate loans, and sometimes a combination of the two, for dry cleaners looking to make the move from perc to alternative solvents. I’ve even seen some where they’ll also reimburse a dry cleaner for a percentage of the cost for professional removal of old machinery. So, there are those options.”

Environmental concerns can certainly complicate matters, but being proactive can help alleviate the pain points.

“Obviously, the sooner that they jump on preparations and get their ducks in a row, the better,” Shields says. “There are a number of things that dry cleaners should be considering if they’re looking at updating or replacing old machinery, especially old perc machines.

“If you lease your space, there may be some stipulations or requirements they would need to work out with their landlord. Also, it’s important to make sure that the removal of any machinery be done by the book. For instance, be sure that your waste hauler removes any perc from the site, or if there is any residual perc inside the machine, make sure that that is removed and disposed of properly before the machine itself gets hauled away.

going to be empty or even partially empty, to do some environmental investigation.”

Another ally that dry cleaners might not be aware they have is insurance policies of the past.

“Historical insurance is an important part of every dry cleaner’s future,” Shields says. “It’s an unfortunate truth that drycleaning businesses that have operated at any location for an extended period of time, especially back in the day of the early-generation machinery, have some underlying environmental issue that could pop up for a number of reasons.”

The key to cleaning up these environmental problems — and possibly financing newer, more earth-friendly equipment — could lie in the past.

“Dry cleaners can often use old insurance assets, whether it’s their own policies or even from operators before their time,” Shields says. “Many times, we think that once a policy period is up that the policy is no longer of use, but that really isn’t the case. Old insurance policies really can be worth millions of dollars to help shield dry cleaners from environmental liability. Insurance archaeology is a method to help track down those old policies, when a dry cleaner is unable to track down these old records themselves.”

GEORGE BEDNAR, DIRECTOR OF SALES FOR NEWLANE FINANCE

MAKING THE FINAL DECISION

There’s a lot of thought that goes into — or at least should go into — making a major purchasing decision. Besides the initial benefits of having new equipment, Lipman believes that there’s another element that dry cleaners shouldn’t ignore.

“Lastly, it would be a good time to look at buttoning up any environmental issues. If your location has a history of perc usage, there could likely be environmental contamination issues that will need to be addressed. So, it’s really the perfect time, especially if the space is

“Cleaners should consider not just the price of whatever they’re buying, but the support they’ll receive after the sale, and the longevity of the company,” Lipman says. Not only is having a piece of equipment that is no longer supported a huge headache, but it can be detrimental to the business’ long-term value.

“The equipment can become worthless and lower the value of the business,” he says. “When you go to sell the

“I THINK WE’RE GOING TO SEE A BIGGER DEMAND FOR MORE CLEANERS AND MORE OPERATORS TO UPGRADE THEIR EQUIPMENT. I WON’T USE THE TERM ‘BOUNTIFUL,’ BUT WE DO SEE THE TURN COMING.”

—

CO.

store, it’s devalued because you can’t buy spare parts for the equipment. When you’re buying equipment, it’s a long-term relationship.”

One option that dry cleaners had — and will have again once the pandemic fades — are site visits to other plants using the equipment under consideration.

“I think it’s great, because you can visualize a different approach to doing what you’re doing,” Lipman says. “I encourage that, and I offer to take customers to go look at what they’re going to buy in advance.”

Surprisingly, Lipman says, not many cleaners actually take advantage of the option. He estimates that only 1015% make a site visit before buying.

“The percentage of people that do that is small,” he says, noting that, when trade shows demonstrations are figured into the equation, the number goes up to about 25%. “For the ones who do go, it’s a great education, because anything can look good on a piece of paper in a brochure; when you see it in person, you can see the results, and you can talk to the operators.”

Lipman has found that, as machines get more advanced, another obstacle from the past is greatly reduced — the learning curve: “After the first day, the operators are up to speed with the machine. By the next day, they’re excelling. It also helps if they are repeat custom-

ers because every machine we build, builds on to the next machines, so you’re not starting from scratch.”

THE FUTURE IS OUT THERE

Dry cleaners planning to expand or retrofit their plants in this economic climate are, by definition, optimists. Making plans for a more hopeful future is their way of staking their claim on what’s to come.

That future, Lipman hopes, is coming soon: “My vision is that we’ve lost some storefronts and some older plants. The ones that survive, in the long run, will be more profitable because, hopefully, they are better-run now, and they’ll be able to grow faster. They’re more efficient, and that will allow room for growth.”

Bednar agrees that the end of troubles that started a year ago is in sight.

“My hope is that, around Q3 and Q4 of this year, we’re going to see more of a return to normalcy,” he says, “with the promises that the country will be mostly vaccinated by July. I do think we’re going to start to see the turnaround, as more and more employers get back to work and out of the work-from-home phase. I think we’re going to see a bigger demand for more cleaners and more operators to upgrade their equipment. I won’t use the term ‘bountiful,’ but we do see the turn coming.” ADC

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NEW! Selling Young Adults on Dry Cleaning’s Value

Jennifer Marquardt, a partner in Arthur’s Executive Cleaners, shares her experiences of adding young adults to her client base — including what they’re looking for, what they expect and what they might not know a cleaner can do.

Being Charitable: Doing Great Works for the Community

Tom Zengeler, president of Zengeler Cleaners, discusses the value of charity drives — how to start them, how to operate them and what they can mean for both your community and your cleaning business.

Marketing: How to Stand Out In a Crowded Field

Diana Vollmer, managing director and senior consultant for Ascend Consulting Group, joins us to discuss the importance of marketing for dry cleaners in any type of economic condition, what goes into a successful campaign and more.

Listen in at: americandrycleaner.com/podcasts

POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS

Computer Systems International (CSI)

The Cleantie cloud-based POS system, designed by Com puter Systems International (CSI), is a suite of solutions that includes Cleantie POS, Cleantie Customer, Cleantie Driver and Cleantie Dispatcher apps. CSI says that the Cleantie POS app works with PC, tablet and smartphone devices, and of fers an intuitive design for speed and ease of use. Its Cleantie Customer app, which is free for cleaners to use, allows cus tomers to request on-demand pickups and deliveries.

The Cleantie Dispatcher app is built to give cleaners control over their pickup and delivery process, and provides a communication tool for dispatchers and store managers to view all customer activities and profiles.

The company says that the Cleantie Driver app o ers a complete and comprehensive route planning system, with optimization technology designed to allow cleaners to cut down on operating costs, as well as reduce drive time and mileage and improve customer service. www.computersystemsint.com | 888-836-7274

Fabricare Systems

The Fabricare Manager POS system by Fabricare Systems o ers an intuitive design that o ers pricing and cashing functions, as well as drop-o , invoicing, and pickup functions, the company says. Its client-server system authorizes credit cards; compiles inventory, sales, and customer details; and more.

Fabricare says that the new Customer Gateway app, available in both the iOS App Store and the Android Play Store, is skinned with the dry cleaner’s logo and o ers customers many options. These include view order status, “on my way” requests, profile information, and add or change credit card information.

The new Route Dashboard enables dry cleaners to manage their routes, message customers and optimize route delivery based on current or past tra ic conditions.

Fabricare Manager can be used in both a self-hosted environment or in the company’s cloud system, Fabricare Systems says, giving dry cleaners the option of maintaining their own data.

www.fabricaremanager.com | 770-966-9323

ScanQ

In this digital age, customers expect fast, reliable and safe experiences with businesses, and dry cleaners are no exception. This is the philosophy behind the Enlite software suite o ered by ScanQ, the company says. Enlite o ers cloud-based, customizable solutions for dry cleaners with one or multiple locations. The company says that business owners can easily operate the software at their store from a PC or tablet, track delivery routes, and serve their customers with the mobile app. Automatic notifications can be sent to customers through the system, as well.

Some of the features o ered by Enlite, ScanQ says, include an easy-to-use interface; realtime multi-store tracking; fully customizable settings to match the store’s needs; encrypted payments and invoicing; live tracking of delivery routes and drivers; and targeted discounts for loyal customers. The company also states that detailed documentation of garments is included. The migration from an existing POS to the Enlite system is easy, ScanQ states, and live phone, email and chat support with ScanQ sta is always available.

www.scanq.com | 866-722-6701

SMRT Systems

SMRT is a cloud-based unified point-of-sale system that is intuitive, easy to use, and easy to learn, the company says.

Automated messaging and templates are designed to improve a cleaner’s productivity, SMRT says, while its built-in message center and issue tracker improve the customer experience and head o potential problems. The act of inputting customer information has been streamlined, making the process simpler for both customers and counter sta . SMRT also records the activity of employees with each item, order and customer, ensuring full accountability.

Route, delivery and locker functionality are also part of the SMRT system, the company says, as are automatic reminders, change alerts and integrated payments. Customers can also approve release forms and answer questions that might come up during cleaning, and billing can be automated so that cleaners can focus on working with their customers.

SMRT says its team of programmers works continuously to either improve existing features or create new ones. Current areas of research and development include the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

www.smrtsystems.com | 415-612-9885

Starchup

Starchup’s POS platform includes everything a dry cleaner needs to run its counter, production, delivery, and marketing, the company says, with a cloud-based point-of-sale, delivery apps, customer-facing apps, website, and marketing solutions.

Workstations can be installed throughout a cleaner’s stores at plants with no per-terminal fees to penalize his or her optimal workflow. Starchup’s system allows dry cleaners to choose the hardware that works best for their business, it says. Cleaners can securely access their system from anywhere, anytime, on any device to monitor production, receive robust reporting, and check real-time performance dashboards.

Branded web and mobile apps allow dry cleaners to market delivery, rewards and more directly to their customers and new prospects. Email marketing integrations and online review generation enable cleaners to automate their customer outreach to encourage more orders, win back lost customers, and encourage their best customers to review their services online. www.starchup.com | 207-200-6458

SPOT Business Systems

The new SPOT workstation/client has been redesigned to factor in the company’s experience in the field and feedback from dry cleaners for a robust and easy-to-use system, the company says. The platform is scaled to work with single stores or large enterprise operations. The system is designed to enable dry cleaners to connect quickly and directly with customers, with communications always available from one centralized location to enable rapid responses. SPOT says its new risk management technology allows dry cleaners to capture photos of items, conditions and issues that need special instructions. For pieces that require extra attention and care, the system also o ers electronic disclaimers for customer agreements. SPOT says it o ers a subscription engine that allows dry cleaners to grow recurring revenue from both new and existing customers. The engine supports weekly, monthly and annual billing cycles with per-item, per-bag or per-pound options, and renewal billing is fully automated. www.spotpos.com | 801-208-2212

Cleaner Business Systems

Cleaner Business Systems’ POS is designed to work with any size and type of drycleaning operation. Features include an employee time clock, detailed reporting, a lot-management system, route development, and the ability to integrate with major assembly conveyors.

With its Clean Route Delivery Management App, the company says its POS will allow dry cleaners to operate routes more e iciently. The app provides turn-by-turn directions, customer skip options and more.

The CBS Back O ice software allows owners and managers to access the store(s) online from anywhere, as well as track employee activity.

With CBS, email marketing, automatic email notifications, coupon tracking, customer reward programs and text communications are all in one software package. Cleaner Business Systems also o ers a full customer support system. Trained, in-house, live agents can help, via phone or online support, with any issues that may arise, the company says.

www.cleanerbusiness.com | 800-406-9649

Global Business Systems

From “software only” instal lation to barcoded scanning networks, for single stores or multi-location companies, the GBS Smart System is designed to meet the needs of any dry cleaner and grow with them. The company says that its expert programmers can also work with individual cleaners to provide customized installations.

The Smart System allows dry cleaners to stay in constant contact with their customers, the company says, sending text messages and emails automatically when their garments are racked. GBS also has a patent-pending camera feature that can be set up for various functions, including tracking damaged garments. In addition to ticketing, tagging, racking, pickup and marketing tools, the Smart System also o ers an automated garment-sorting system, delivery mapping and more.

www.smart4me.com | 800-717-2507

www.americandrycleaner.com

iDryclean

iDryclean POS systems allow the dry cleaner and sta to add new orders at garment drop-o and track pickups, print tags, and assign rack locations, the company says, as well as balance the till and show store status reports and summaries.

iDryclean charges no monthly software register usage fee, and those who have invested in computers won’t have to replace their equipment, the company says. It’s software can run on most equipment the dry cleaner already owns. As for hardware, iDryclean o ers smart registers, tag printers, bar-code readers and other devices designed to take full advantage of its software.

www.idryclean.com | 800-950-6767

is

1st.

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DEADLINE: Ads must be received by the 1st of the preceding month. For example, for a June ad, the closing date is May 1st.

Loans or Not, Veterans Were Preparing to Clean

10 YEARS AGO. Off to the Clean Show! — In the “Talk of the Trade” poll conducted for April 2011, more than half — 53.6%, to be exact — of the dry cleaners surveyed said they planned to attend Clean 2011. Another 13.6% said they weren’t sure, and 32.9% had decided not to go. “I wouldn’t miss it,” one cleaner said. “[Clean is] one of the few occasions in North America where you get to compare a wide range of products and equipment, all within easy reach.”

25 YEARS AGO. Where’s the Blame?

According to the 1996 findings of IFI’s laboratory, 41% of the 25,000 ruined garments and household textiles analyzed in 1995 were judged to be the responsibility of the manufacturer, up 6% from the previous year. In 1995, 22% of problems resulted from solvent-soluble dyes, prints and sizings. Other categories that were significant for manufacturer responsibility included other defects, color loss and leather problems. Garments with shrinkage or distortion problems rose dramatically from the previous year.

50 YEARS AGO. Take Off Your Clothes — A Trenton, N.J., dry cleaner got a lot of notice when they tried a bold, new advertising campaign, described as “sort of ‘withit-a-go-go.’” New Method Cleaners launched a campaign with slogans such as “Take off your clothes. And bring them to us.” and “Drop your drapes.” “Since we started the cam-

paign, more and more people have been taking off their clothes and bringing them in for cleaning at our five stores in and around Trenton,” said Jack Shaw of New Method. The campaign used the theme in newspaper ads, direct mail, bundle inserts, radio spots and billboards.

85 YEARS AGO. Veteran Loans Hard to Acquire — While many veterans were eager to enter the drycleaning field after returning from World War II, loans set aside for their needs were difficult to come by. In April, the Veterans Administration revealed that only 7,434 loans had been made up to March 23, 1946, with only

$23.5 million being distributed — an average of $3,155 per loan. These figures included all types of business loans. According to American Drycleaner research, many of these vets were still entering the drycleaning field, regardless of their abilities to get veteran loans, as a large percentage had plant experience before the war. “The answer,” American Drycleaner reported, “appears to be that difficulty in getting GI loans isn’t stopping vets from entering the drycleaning field. They either have saved enough money or know where to get it.”

—Compiled by Dave Davis, Editor

Safety is Always a Priority Safety

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The Beginning