drycleaner
FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
8
Getting Up and Running with New Equipment
Pre-Inspection 4
Prepare for the Expected
Talk of the Trade
The View from the Voting Booth
Around the Industry
Classified Ads / Ad Index 22-23
Wrinkle in Time
Marketing ROI, Good Shepherds and Moving
OCTOBER 2024
Bringing in new tools and machinery into a drycleaning plant is an exciting time, but what are the right questions to ask to ensure that the installation goes smoothly, downtime is minimized and the operators are able to take advantage of the new equipment’s features?
10
Documenting Drycleaning Processes
Every company has its own policies, procedures and philosophy when it comes to performing the duties of every station in the plant. We examine some best practices in making sure both new and existing employees have the best guides when it comes to getting the job done the right way.
HUNG UP ON THE HIDDEN HANGER?
If you need a little help finding this month’s hanger hidden on our cover, here’s a clue. Good luck!
(Photo by yacobchuk1 / depositphotos)
Preparing for the Expected
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin
Dave Davis
It’s human nature to put off things that don’t have immediate rewards, especially when dealing with the day-to-day activities of running an active business like a drycleaning company. The “I should really do that” activities often fall away in the face of our “I gotta do that today” tasks.
However, if we take time (or sometimes make the time) to work on some of these important-but-not-yet-an-emergency actions, we pave the way to make the future a little less hectic. We know we should do it — we just have to make it happen.
This month’s features in American Drycleaner magazine highlight two such times when we should prepare for what we know is coming in a drycleaning company’s life: installing new machines and onboarding new employees.
The first feature, “Getting Up and Running with New Equipment,” highlights the need to prepare and ask the right questions when it comes to installing new machines in a drycleaning plant, and making sure you are getting the full benefits that come with them. Some of these questions can be complex, while others are so basic that they might be overlooked. For success, they all need to be asked and answered.
The second feature, “Documenting Drycleaning Processes,” deals with capturing the details of jobs and tasks at a store or plant. By using print, graphics and video, owners and managers can teach new employes the right way to do things at their store, and employees can quickly get up to speed or seek guidance when necessary.
This issue also has our latest Your Views survey, which deals with preparing for election day. We asked out respondents about their voting plans for the 2024 presidential election, and what they see as the most important issues facing both the country in general and our industry in particular.
Taking the time to prepare for events we know are coming takes discipline, but if we do, we can avoid many unpleasant surprises as we step into the future.
American Drycleaner (ISSN 0002-8258) is published monthly except Nov/Dec combined. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $50.00; 2 years $100.00. Single copies $10.00 for U.S. 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., PO Box 23, Forest Park, IL 60130. Volume 91, number 7. 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, 2024. 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.
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The View from the Voting Booth
While political pundits are predicting a 2024 presidential race with razor thin margins at this moment, the choice is much clearer in the drycleaning space. For this American Drycleaner Your Views survey, we asked our audience about their plans for election day.
When asked who they were voting for in the presidential race, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance won the race in the drycleaning segment, netting 62.1% of the vote. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz took home 34.5% of the vote, with Cornel West (Independent), Chase Oliver (Libertarian) and Jill Stein (Green) receiving no votes.
We also asked which issue would most influence their votes. Jobs and the economy was the hands-down winner with 44.8%. Write-in answers related to protecting the U.S. Constitution and democracy came in second with 20.7%. Other topics receiving votes were immigration (17.2%), civil rights (6.9%), healthcare (6.9%), and national security (3.4%).
When asked, “What action could the next administration take within its first 100 days to assist dry cleaners and other similar-sized businesses?” answers included:
• Drill, baby, drill
• Funding for growth and employee benefits. Promote local businesses with better tax breaks for smaller companies.
When asked, “Which election do you think will have the greatest impact on your business?” 72.4% felt that the presidential election will affect them the most. State races came in second, with 13.8%, followed by congressional races (10.3%) and local races (3.4%).
We also asked, “What is the most overlooked issue in the 2024 presidential campaign that could significantly affect the drycleaning industry?” Answers included:
• The biggest issue for dry cleaners is the high inflation and interest rates. This is driving real estate and occupancy costs up and making it harder and harder to do business and keep EBITDA margins.
• Allow more immigrants into the country. Offer fiveyear work permits to ease the labor market. Fingerprint and ID cards with the work permits to anyone who wants to work and more pathways to citizenship.
Finally, when asked for additional comments about the election, answers included:
Who do you plan to vote for in November’s presidential election?
Which
• Trump 2024 — we are in big trouble if we continue down this same disastrous road we’re on. Hope and joy — give me a break! Vote Trump and let’s get to work.
• You can vote Harris this time and it doesn’t mean you’re a Democrat, (because we can survive a Democratic administration); it means you’re a Patriot (because we cannot survive a second, supercharged Trump administration).
• Both parties have a record. Which one was better for you?
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.
Kamala Harris/ Tim Walz (Democrat)
Donald Trump/ JD Vance (Republican)
Getting Up and Running with New Equipment
How dry cleaners can minimize downtime and maximize usage
By Dave Davis, Editor
Getting new equipment is a big day for any drycleaning store or plant, but it can also cause interruptions and disruptions during installation and the first days of use.
Or, worse, what if the equipment doesn’t fit through the door on installation day?
Dry cleaners and their staff can minimize the downtime and take full advantage of the new tools at their
(Photo: © photography33/Depositphotos) (Manual Photo: © destinacigdem/Depositphotos)
GETTING READY
Getting Up and Running with New Equipment
disposal by asking some questions and taking some steps before the new machinery arrives.
Planning for installation — and any possible downtime that will be involved — is key, says Matt Lipman, sales representative for Union Drycleaning Products. This also involves looking at the big picture when it comes to the entire facility.
“I encourage people to check out the utilities in advance,” he says. “If your machine needs electricity, air, steam, water, or what have you, you need to make sure you have the correct sources. That’s probably the No. 1 thing that causes us problems in the field is they think their boiler is big enough, but it’s not. They think the chiller is big enough, but it’s not. They think they have the right size (circuit) breaker, but they don’t. So, all those things can be done in advance.”
“Get a cut sheet on the piece of equipment, which generally has all the specs, and go over that,” agrees Wesley Nelson, president of Sankosha USA. He notes that dry cleaners should also look at the physical space that the new equipment will be going into.
“It’s always good to talk to the manufacturer and the distributor,” he says. “Most manufacturers and distributors are able to provide layouts and do some CAD drawings. Normally, we’ll do an on-site visit and just see what the customer is trying to get accomplished. And that way, once you’ve installed it, you don’t have to move it again. You get things right the first time, and you don’t end up with a plant that’s inefficient.”
Lipman believes this type of planning is crucial for a smooth installation.
“I like to have a clear timeline for the entire process,” he says. “I always sit down and talk to customers. Again, the first thing you check are the utilities and the space. Then, we put together a schedule, with a day for the installation and a day for the training. We need a clear timeline and a set of goals to get the task completed.”
Failing to get one particular question answered can lead to major headaches on installation day, says Nelson.
“Make sure you can get the equipment from the outside of the building into the spot it needs to be in,” he says. “Make sure that if there are height issues or width issues, all of that is addressed ahead of time. Normally, a good installer or distributor would take care of that for
people, but just make sure that there aren’t any issues with ingress.”
QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED
Before planning for installation day, Nelson and Lipman each say there are certain questions they like to hear from cleaners so they can better assist them in finding the right equipment for their specific needs.
“I like questions along the lines of, ‘What type of garments can the new equipment do well?’ and ‘What kind of garments might that new piece not do as well?,’” Nelson says. “I just want to make sure it’s a good fit for them up front. Other questions I like are, ‘Who in my area has this piece of equipment? Who can I talk to about it? Where can I go to see it?’ That way, especially with a larger or more expensive piece of equipment, they’re absolutely sure that’s the right machine for them, and we always welcome that.”
“I always look for how production could be improved,” Lipman says. “For that, typically you’re going to ask, ‘How much labor can I save?’ If you’re looking at replacing two small machines with one bigger machine, are you going to save labor? Are you’re going to save time, which is directly related to labor?”
It’s also wise, Lipman advises, to take future-proofing into account when buying equipment, especially when evaluating large pieces of machinery.
“The one big mistake I see people make is that they don’t look for growth,” he says. “They look at, ‘This is what I’m doing today. This is all I’m ever going to do.’ If, for marginally more money, they’re able to go to a slightly bigger size or a different design, they can look at the future for growth for their business. When they install one machine, do they want to leave room for two machines? I hate to use (an) old cliche, but not thinking of the future can be ‘penny-wise and pound-foolish.’”
THE HUMAN ELEMENT
Of course, a new machine is only of benefit if the people operating it know how to take advantage of everything it offers — and are willing to learn potentially new ways to accomplish their tasks.
“I definitely believe in getting the employees involved in the planning process,” Lipman says, “because if you do, they’re part of the process. They’re likely to get more excited and be more cooperative. The other thing
(Continued on page 20)
Documenting Drycleaning Processes
Putting your company’s DNA in front of your team
By Dave Davis, Editor
While there are similarities in the way every drycleaning company operates, each one has its own policies and procedures that separate it from the competition, making it a distinct entity.
This is why many cleaners believe it’s important to create documents that communicate this vital information to team members and allows both new and existing employees to have their questions answered.
‘WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE?’
While gathering the pieces and processes that make a company unique might not be an easy task, it’s a worthwhile one, says Amy Wischmann, policies and proce-
dures manager at Benzinger’s Clothing Care, located in western New York state.
“I think, particularly in the drycleaning industry, people still struggle with how to capture that kind of information,” she says. “How do they document what they know? How do they transfer that knowledge? I do think the techniques for doing that have evolved because we have so much more access to technology that can help with that. I think the tools have evolved, so that’s a good step in the right direction.”
“When I first started, back in the 1980s, lots of people didn’t even have a staff manual,” says Jan Barlow, owner and president of Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners in Clio, Michigan.
(Images licensed by Ingram Image)
Documenting Drycleaning Processes
“If you didn’t document it, then you weren’t going to be held accountable to a process, which is exactly why we do it now, so you don’t have to keep repeating yourself over and over.”
In Barlow’s case, she started gathering best practices from industry and cost groups, and then applied those lessons to her own operation and captured those processes.
“I just kept trying to make sure that I documented how to do things and was able to pass on the information,” she says. “For me, it was the repetition factor — not only was I saying it, but I could show them a piece of paper that made it more legitimate.”
Over the years, Barlow evolved her process documents and, as finding quality employees grew more difficult, they became more important to her business. When the pandemic hit, her documentation changed the game.
“That really confirmed to me that having all my standard operating procedures and making sure that everybody knew what was going on was critical,” she said. “Now, with the advent of video cameras, social media and technology, you have a thousand different ways you can get educated on how to do things right and find your best practices.”
FIRST THINGS FIRST
So, what are the topics such process documents should address first?
“Our production manual starts, literally, with how our day begins,” Wischmann says. “‘This is what has to be done at 6 a.m. This is how you fire up the boiler,’ with pictures. This way, if a critical employee is missing, someone knows what to do. If no one in your building knows how to turn on your boiler, nothing’s going to happen that day —
the subsequent tasks aren’t going to help much.”
Barlow has a similar philosophy.
“When I started hiring new people, about five or six years ago, we literally started taking videos of how to blow down the boiler, so that everybody knew,” she says. “We have every single piece of equipment videoed in our store about how to turn it on and off, so that anybody could come in and figure out how to start up the plant and how to turn everything off.”
With those primary tasks spelled out, the process documents can start to reflect the organization’s goals.
“The vital information in that is going to depend on the organization to a large extent,” Wischmann says. “At Benzinger’s, one of the top priorities is customer service. So, our procedure manuals have a very heavy customer-service focus. Even in the production department and the delivery department, that is always the focus. What does it mean specifically in this company to make a customer happy? What do we have to do?”
Part of Benzinger’s production documents are designed to give team members, and especially customerfacing employees, guidelines to follow when difficult situations arise.
“For instance, there’s specific guidance on when special requests are made,” Wischmann says. “How are those handled? If someone has to say, ‘No,’ who makes that decision? What level does that have to rise to before a customer can actually be told, ‘I’m sorry. That’s not possible.’ Who has the authority to respond to customer complaints? What decisions can your frontline customer service person make, and what has to be run by management?”
While they are valuable learning aids and reminders of how to do
specific tasks, process documents are also a must-have when it comes to cross-training, Barlow says.
“It’s not just how to finish pants or do the steam tunnel or do drapes or wedding dresses, but it’s also so that they understand how things actually move through the whole plant,” she says. “We want everyone to be cross-trained. Our goal is to have two or three people who know how to do every single job, so that we’re not beholden to anyone.”
Barlow says she’s learned this lesson the hard way: “I’ve literally been in a position where I was beholden to somebody because they didn’t want to teach anybody how to do a particular project. So then, if they didn’t feel like it, or they didn’t come into work, we were screwed.”
GETTING IT TOGETHER
When it comes to presentation, owners and operators have many more options today than they had just a few years ago.
“Video is great, and I think a lot of people like to see pictures and flow charts,” Wischmann says. “If it does have to be written, make it short bursts of information. What we have found is that it’s very difficult for people when things are just too wordy. If it’s just a text-heavy document, forget it. If they are in a stressful situation, they’re never going to find the little piece of information that they need to know.”
This ease-of-use philosophy, Wischmann says, is key to developing worthwhile process documents.
“If it is something that has to be written, keeping it as condensed as possible with a lot of white space and bullets is very helpful,” she says. “But, if you can translate something into a visual representa-
tion of some kind — pictures or flow charts — that really works for people. They can use it at a glance.”
Modern technology is providing options that were unavailable in the past.
“First, we took pictures, and now we’re taking videos,” Barlow says, “and the technology continues to evolve — now to the point where we can literally speak it and then get it translated, documented and edited. The more senses that are involved, the better it is. Now they can hear it, they can see it. There’s so much video learning out there, we just have to get in line with everything else going on.”
“Using little YouTube video clips for training can be great,” Wischmann agrees. “Video is a fantastic medium that people really respond to because people these days are so used to pulling up little videos on their phones. That works for everyone, but especially the younger generations.”
It’s especially helpful because the teaching is repeatable without aggravating a leader.
“If you need to watch that video 25 times, you are not going to be frustrating the trainer,” Wischmann says. “Or, if the trainer simply doesn’t have the time that day, you don’t feel like you’re dead in the water, because you can call that video up and be able to train yourself.”
“How many cooking videos do people watch?” Barlow asks. “They just play the video while they’re making whatever it is, and they can watch it 50 times. And that’s exactly what we’re doing here. I’m visualizing for these guys when they’re pressing pants — you can visualize what you’re doing over and over.”
STARTING THE PROCESS
The first steps of creating a pro-
cess document are the most difficult, Wischmann says, but they are worth taking.
“We’ll have someone who really knows the process take a stab at it,” she says, “literally writing it out. ‘This is what I do. Here’s step one, step two, step three,’ and so on. It’s
almost like writing a recipe, where you have to walk someone through it, and you have to write it really clearly.”
Benzinger’s has found that it’s important to thoroughly review the document before calling it “done.”
“We’ll shop that around to the ▼
1918-2024
Documenting Drycleaning Processes
people who are actually doing the work and have them test it, because undoubtedly we’ve missed a step, or the order might not be quite right,” Wischmann says. “So, it’s done a bit by committee. It does take some time, but it is the way to get that procedure written the best possible way that it can be written. And then, if they can translate it into something other than text, they will. But the very first step is literally, unfortunately, writing out that process.”
But once this step is done, the document can be made better and clearer.
“Then, someone might say, ‘Hey, I could put that in a really nifty chart for you,’” she says, “We use a lot of tables and charts because it’s a lot easier to read if you put a graphic here and there and make it more visually appealing.”
However, Barlow urges cleaners to never lose track of the goal of the process.
“Have some guidelines about what
makes a perfect product,” she says. “Have that standards quality — then it’s drilling down from there about whatever steps you think that need to be done and how you are going to communicate it, whether it’s in words, pictures, videos or whatever.”
BUILDING AND TRACKING SKILLS
Another benefit of documenting processes is that it makes it easier for managers to evaluate employees, and for employees to evaluate themselves.
“You’re either a trainee, you’re intermediate or you’re proficient,” Barlow says. “So everybody starts at ‘one’ as a trainee, then ‘two’ means that you can do the job, and ‘three’ means that you can teach the job.”
This process, she believes, clearly indicates both how to do the job and what management expects.
“If we think it’s important for them to learn to increase their values, then we better figure out a way to implement it,” Barlow
(Photo: © tombaky/Depositphotos)
says. “We’ve got everything written down, but we’ve started our own YouTube channel, and we are putting in more cameras, and we’re literally streaming. We could have an hour or two of straight video to show how to press 30 pairs of pants an hour and do it right. That’s the way they can start to visualize it. They see the difference.”
“If you don’t have any of that written down, and have more of a hodgepodge approach,” Wischmann says, “you’ll have everyone doing things a bit differently. If everyone has their own way of doing something, you don’t have those consistent measures to then evaluate your people and see who is ready to take on a different challenge.”
A LIVING DOCUMENT
Part of a successful process document procedure is creating one as clearly as possible, and then keeping it current.
“If you are embracing the new technology, then you are eliminating a lot of the problems,” Barlow says. “You have to understand how the equipment functions if you’re going to write a document telling someone how to best use it.”
“Probably the biggest pitfall cleaners find is that the document never gets updated.” Wischmann says. “It’s a big dedication of time, which is a valuable resource. So, maybe it gets partially finished, and then gets stuck on a shelf somewhere. If no one takes the time to make those updates, it becomes outdated, and then it really isn’t a resource for anybody.
“You have to make the commitment to do it and keep it a living, usable document. If not, you’ve spent all that initial time and energy really for nothing.”
DLI Unveils 2024 Hall of Fame Award Recipients
Douglas, Nesbit and Stoddard named for leadership, dedication to industry
LAUREL, Md. — The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) recently inducted three industry professionals into its Hall of Fame. “This prestigious honor,” DLI says, “recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the drycleaning and laundry industry.”
The 2024 recipients are:
Jim Douglas (GreenEarth Cleaning) — Douglas, DLI says, “played a pivotal role in advancing environmentallyfriendly cleaning technologies. As a co-founder of Prestige Cleaners in Sacramento, CA, and GreenEarth Cleaning, Douglas developed and promotes safe, sustainable cleaning methods. His leadership roles, including serving as president of the California Cleaners Association and other industry groups, reflect his commitment to the industry.”
Mike Nesbit, (Edit TX, LLC) — Nesbit “has made
substantial contributions through his leadership and innovation,” DLI says. “As a past president of DLI and a key figure in the establishment of the Texas Dry Cleaner Remediation Program, Nesbit is a strong advocate for environmental responsibility. His innovative spirit is also evident in his role as a pioneer of offsite locker pickup and delivery systems, which have since become standard in the industry.”
Joseph William “Dixie” Stoddard (past president of DLI and inventor of Stoddard Solvent) — Stoddard “revolutionized the drycleaning industry in the 1920s with the development of the less-flammable Stoddard Solvent,” DLI says, “significantly enhancing safety standards throughout the industry. Stoddard’s dedication to improving industry practices and promoting education continues to influence DLI’s priorities and modern drycleaning practices.”
“These inductees exemplify the highest standards of leadership, integrity, and dedication to the industry,” DLI says. “The DLI Hall of Fame Award recognizes industry professionals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, innovation and commitment to excellence.”
Contactless Automation
Getting Up and Running with New Equipment
(Continued from page 10)
I believe is that it’s important to train the employees on the new equipment as the equipment is being started for the first time. You could break any bad habits they have, and the owner will truly get a return on their investment. They can then reap the full benefits.”
Getting buy-in from staff is critical for the smooth adaptation of new equipment, Nelson agrees.
“I think that’s really important to get the managers and also the operators involved in the purchase process,” he says. “We see a much higher acceptance rate of new equipment when owners decide to bring in the operators early on. They feel like they’re being involved and are being respected. The alternative to that is just to have a new piece of equipment show up on Monday morning and them being told to use it. When that happens, the piece of equipment is perfectly fine, but they weren’t involved, so they could hesitate to accept it.”
Part of this early process involves answering the specific questions cleaners and their staffs have about equipment. Sankosha has a Chicago-area showroom where a potential buyer and their staff can actually operate the equipment they are considering.
“A lot of times, we encourage people to bring in their own garments,” he says. “We have garments set up in our showroom — they’re what we think should be put on the machines — but people have different customers and different types of garments that they need to press. It’s good to bring in your own stuff and try it on the piece of equipment, just to make sure that you would be happy with it.”
Once the equipment is set up in the cleaner’s facility, it’s time for hands-on training.
“We’ll go over basic training — how the equipment works, teach the operator what all the buttons do, and go through some garments,” Nelson says. “Then, after two or three days, when they’ve had time to use the equipment, we’ll do some follow-up. They’ll have more questions or comments. On the very first day, it’s hard to go through everything and get them up to speed. So, usually it’s a two-stage process, giving them time to use it and come up with their own constructive questions. That usually goes a long way to long-term satisfaction with the units.”
WORKING TOGETHER
It’s important to take a holistic view of the drycleaning
facility, Lipman says, and not just look at a new piece of equipment on its own.
“I always like to ask clients, ‘What are we solving?’” he says, “and then, ‘Are we going to create another problem?’ In other words, if they double the size of the drycleaning machine, for example, but they don’t have the ability to press (for) it, are they going to create another problem instead of solving a problem?”
It’s important to realize that every piece of equipment in a plant connects to everything else.
“You have to look at the entire picture,” Lipman says. “If the new machine creates a bottleneck somewhere, then that’s probably something they need to look at, as the new machines are supposed to integrate and make your process better and smoother.”
Nelson adds that where cleaners decide to physically place their new equipment is a critical decision.
“Let’s say you’re getting only a legger, and you already have a topper,” he says. “Make sure that the layout works well with the new equipment. If you’re getting a whole new station, work carefully on that layout to make sure that the workflow is there, that you have the machines on the correct side of each other. Look at the overall layout — not only that station, but how it fits in with the rest of the plant’s workflow.”
THE CARE OF NEW EQUIPMENT
Cleaners and operators should also know if the new machine’s maintenance requirements differ from that of the equipment being replaced.
“Newer machines have a lot more technology, and just keeping the machine clean can make a huge difference,” Lipman says. “As an example, most drycleaning and washing machines today come with power inverters, and every inverter has a fan on it. If you let that fan get covered in lint, it’s going to overheat and burn out. Keeping a machine clean is a good start to having good maintenance, because new machines are more susceptible to dirt, dust and lint than the older machines were.”
New machines do offer some maintenance advantages over older equipment, Nelson says.
“Basic maintenance probably isn’t that much different than it was with the older machines,” he says, “but with newer technology, a lot of the air cylinders and the pneumatic systems don’t require constant oil as they did in the past. There was an oiler in the airline. Newer equipment, for the most part, doesn’t need an oiler. So actually, the
maintenance is often a lot simpler with newer equipment.”
When it comes to preventative maintenance, there’s never a better time to ask about it than on day one.
“I recommend that the best time to set up a maintenance schedule is during the installation and training process, while the manufacturer is available,” Lipman says. “Go over all the maintenance: what you have to do daily, weekly, monthly, semiannually and annually. If somebody there really understands the machine, hopefully they will maintain it and make it last even longer than the machine that we’re replacing.”
“There’s a maintenance section of the manual,” Nelson says, “and we go over that with the operator, but also try to get the owner involved, as well as any maintenance personnel on-site.”
GETTING — AND STAYING — UP TO SPEED
It’s important for cleaners to track machine performance, Nelson says, to make sure they’re using it to its greatest benefit.
“I look at two different things,” he says. “One would be the pieces per hour, the PPH, and watch how it changes from when the machine was first integrated, and then a week later, a month later, two months later, and make sure that the basic guidelines or goals are being met.
“And then, it’s important to see what their touch-up rates are — maybe some adjustments need to be made, either to the machine or to the way the operator’s using the machine.”
One of the most valuable resources available to dry cleaners contemplating a new equipment purchase, or getting tips on getting the most out of a machine once installed, is other cleaners.
“When I talk to a customer about new equipment, if they have questions, I often suggest that they talk to another operator — someone who’s got the same piece of equipment,” Lipman says. “If I’m talking to somebody in Texas, I might give them a reference in Tennessee, someone who wouldn’t be competition but has a similar business. If they clean a certain type of garment, for example, how well would this machine do that type of garment? Is it going to integrate well with their entire process?”
This peer-to-peer interaction can be invaluable, he says: “Sometimes, if they were able to talk to somebody who’s got the same identical process, then they’re much more comfortable with the integration. It certainly doesn’t hurt if they want to go put their hands on a machine before they buy it.”
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Marketing ROI, Good Shepherds and Moving Stories
10 YEARS AGO. Getting Marketing
ROI — The work dry cleaners were putting into marketing was paying off for the majority, with 70% believing their efforts were generating real dollars, according to the American Drycleaner Your Views survey. Maintaining a company website was the most common marketing initiative, used by 67.2% of respondents, with social media coming in at a close second with 59%. Other popular efforts included community outreach (54%), direct-mail marketing (45.9%), email marketing (39.3%) and print advertising (34.4%). A small percentage (9.8%) used other outlets, such as radio, billboards and door-to-door sales. “Without [marketing], your volume will automatically start falling every year,” warned one cleaner.
25 YEARS AGO. The Limits of Dryel
Answering Procter & Gamble’s “campaign of misinformation,” International Fabricare Institute (IFI) official Jackie Stephens appeared on a segment of “CBS This Morning” in September 1999 to demonstrate what the P&G Dryel project could and couldn’t do for clothing care. On Sept. 1, P&G broke newspaper ads featuring the tagline, “In the next millennium, people will care for their ‘Dryclean only’ clothes at home.” Within hours, IFI was making arrangements with CBS as part of what appeared to be an ongoing counteroffensive and consumer-education campaign. “Dryel is basically a freshening process,” Stephens
said. “There is no actual cleaning involved [with it].”
50 YEARS AGO. Good Shepherd
George Shepherd, the California Fabricare Institute’s executive director, became the first state secretary in the fabricare industry ever awarded a special allied trades citation. The presentation was made at the group’s state convention held in Anaheim. Shepherd was honored in two areas: for his exceptional ability to encourage membership in his state’s association, and for his willingness to direct an extensive campaign designed to regain the lost volume for professional dry cleaning and laundry.
75 YEARS AGO. Moving Stories —
Marge and Dick Kelley, owners of Melody Cleaners in Oklahoma City, believed in performing good deeds for their customers as a way of thanking them for their business. The couple dry cleaned wedding dresses without charge, for example, saying “It’s our wedding present to them.” They also helped customers moving within Oklahoma City by sending out a truck to move the family’s garments. While customers appreciated it, Marge Kelley said, “some customers can’t resist making a good thing even better,” and related the tale of requesting the cleaner’s staff to move some furniture she didn’t want to entrust to the movers.
— Compiled by Dave
Davis, Editor
THE CLOTHES AND IMPRESS YOUR CUSTOMERS.
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