This month, February 2000, marks the longest economic expansion in American history. This expansion is clearly being fed by the phenomenon known as the "new economy."
So, what is this thing called the new economy? How long will it last and, most important, what does it mean to the drycleaning industry?
The new economy is basically about three things:
1. Global economics.
2. Electronic technologies.
3. The battle between emerging economic realities and traditional economic forces.
Global economics
As a result of the global economy, manufacturing (the former backbone of the American economy) continues to be exported to countries around the globe. As we lose manufacturing jobs, we lose white and pink collar jobs associated with manufacturing.
As more and more large corporations downsize, more and more people are becoming self-employed. As a matter of fact, 15 years ago there were five million small businesses in the United States and English-speaking Canada. Today, there are 10 million small businesses in the United States alone. Small businesses are companies that employ fewer than 500 people.
Furthermore, the fastest growing business segment in our economy is companies that employ fewer than 50 people.
These new businesses are primarily in the service sector and work out of their homes or small, informal offices. How many small business owners are in the habit of dressing up -- shirt and tie, silk blouse and skirt -- to go to work in a small office? For the answer to that question, look at the drycleaning industry.
How many drycleaners dress up to go to work? How many sales reps are dressed up when they call on you?
We are all quick to whine when others go "casual," but what about the example we set?
Electronic technologies
Home and small offices are multiplying daily and this is being made possible by electronic technology. A personal computer can answer the phone, receive and send faxes, and do business on the Internet. Get dressed up to do this stuff?!
We are in our longest economic expansion in history, unemployment is hitting record lows and still no runaway inflation. This is not all Alan Greenspan's doing. It is the result of cheap foreign labor producing our manufactured goods. There are over one billion people in China and 100 million of them are looking for work. Furthermore, the new technologies are improving efficiency around the world, which is also keeping prices down.
Old and new: a quick review
Our extremely low unemployment rate should be causing inflation, but it is not because of global manufacturing and improving efficiencies through technology. That addresses our national economy, but what about local and regional economies?
In order to understand the dynamics of our industry in terms of the importance of regional economic conditions, we must redefine the term "service business." Gasoline stations, fast-food restaurants, office supply stores, etc., are a part of the service industry, but they are less dependent on local conditions than are other service businesses. This is because their biggest cost is the products they are selling and those products are not locally or even nationally produced. Gasoline can come from almost anywhere, fast food burgers can come from Australia or South America, and most office supplies are manufactured abroad.
On the other hand, things like health care, construction and drycleaning are more dependent on local or regional economic conditions because these are labor-intense businesses. Health insurance and construction costs are increasing at rapid rates. This translates into higher prices due to higher costs and increasing demand.
What do you do if you are in a local economy with low unemployment and increasing wages -- in an industry with flat or decreasing demand with increasing pressure from a growing number of competitors?
Help!
To date, no one company has dominated the drycleaning industry and there is no evidence indicating that any one company will do so in the foreseeable future. What is happening is that some of the larger local drycleaners are buying up their marginal competitors. They are doing this to increase their market share and market visibility. The big question is what are the large cleaners doing that gives them the ability to grow even larger?
Today, more than ever, information and communications will be the driving force behind successful drycleaning businesses. A major portion of that information refers to the financial and statistical inner workings of your company.
First, you need to know and understand the relationship between the following areas within your company;
You have all the information you need if you have a counter computer, generate financial statements and have payroll records. If you do not have this information, begin accumulating it now.
The next part of the information matrix that you must understand is your customers' needs. The only way to truly understand the needs of your customers is to ask them. The best way to accomplish this task is with a Customer Survey. Once you have designed, distributed, collected and analyzed these surveys, you can begin to work with your employees.
To effectively train your employees, you need to know what motivates them. Unfortunately, most owners think that their employees care only about how much money they are getting paid. If you really think that is all they care about, you must have skipped Chapter 1 in Sociology 101. If an employee leaves your company for a 50-cent per hour raise, you have more serious issues than wage rates.
Once an individual's basic needs of food and shelter are met, they need to live and work in an environment where they are recognized and appreciated for the contribution that they "think" they are making. If they are not making a contribution and you don't tell them what you expect of them, shame on you!
For drycleaners, the new economy is about capturing, understanding and utilizing more of their own company's information to fulfill their customers' needs. Our goal at Biz Builder Services is to provide every proactive owner with the management tools needed to make this happen.
In a survey of our clients, we found that these leading industry entrepreneurs wanted us to develop a website to deliver more management information and education. Our response to their feedback can be found on our new website -- www.bizbuilderonline.com. Bookmark this website, participate in our message board, check out our "online learning" site, and give us your feedback.
Remember, in the game of business the more you know the better you can play the game.
Alan Robson is a private consultant dealing with the specialized needs of the drycleaning industry. Readers are encouraged to contact him with questions or comments by telephone at (508) 753-6619 or on the web at: www.bizbuilderonline.com.Part III
Last month in Part II, we discussed and described the more popular -- and more productive -- method for finishing the suit coat and sport coat.
This method was described after the collar was finished and the coat was removed from the steam-air form finisher. The procedure was called "Three-Lay Plus Pocket Flap Method." Each lay had several steps to perform.
This article will describe the procedure for finishing a suit coat and sport coat on a 42-inch or 45-inch utility press to produce classic quality without the use of a steam-air form finisher if none is available. However, a steam-air form finisher is recommended after finishing the collar (as described in Part 1 of this series) in order to make the actual finishing on the utility press much easier.
In addition to achieving classic quality, this method is used for wetcleaned and hard-finish cotton and linen drycleaned coats as well.
Drying a wetcleaned suit coat or sport coat is ideally accomplished on a wind whip. My school at Denton, TX (the Southwest Dry-cleaners Association drycleaning and laundry school at Texas Woman's University) had a very comprehensive wetcleaning department, and the wind whip was always demonstrated showing how a suit coat/sport coat could be dried quickly and in perfect shape, making final pressing easy, productive and attractive.
This article will take the final pressing of the coat after wetcleaning and drying/conditioning. Also, a hard-finish fabric sport coat or suit coat that has been drycleaned and sized will be finished in a similar procedure.
Unlike the "Three-Lay Plus Pocket Flap" method, which can by-pass finishing of the total lining if it is rather smooth and not very wrinkled, this classic method does include finishing the total lining to give it the "sheen" that it had when it was purchased.
To obtain quality finishing on a suit coat or sport coat, the finisher must endeavor to retain the tailored fit of the coat and not leave any seam impressions at double thicknesses.
On soft finish fabric coats, only contact head pressure is used, and only after buck steam has been applied to a point only after the fabric has been saturated with steam -- and no more.
Vacuum is applied (generously) only after the head has been raised off the fabric, and the operator's hands are used to give a little tension to the fabric drying during the initial few seconds of the vacuum cycle.
Finger tips are excellent tools for removing small wrinkles from the fabric during the initial few second of the vacuum cycle.
On medium finish fabric coats, such as worsted wool and wool blend, and also on fabric that is loose and woven widely apart, medium head pressure is used. Only a burst of head steam is applied, and only after the buck steam has been applied, while the head is down in the contact mode.
After the burst of head steam is applied, the head is placed into the high pressure mode for only one or two seconds. Then the head is raised off the fabric and generous vacuum is applied. During the initial few seconds of the vacuum cycle, the operator's hands and finger tips are used to give tension and to remove small wrinkles from the fabric.
On hard-finish fabric coats, including those that are starched (laundry) and wetcleaned, buck steam is used only for the purpose of removing wrinkles or unwanted creases. The head is closed onto the smooth fabric with the vacuum applied to hold the fabric in place. Then the vacuum pedal is released and head steam is applied for about two seconds with the head in high pressure mode.
Do not over steam to avoid softening the fabric. Release the head and apply vacuum generously until the fabric is dry and cool.
The following sequence of lays is described after the collar has been finished as described in Part 1 of this series (December, 1999).
Left shoulder lay (steps)
1. With the right hand underneath the center of the collar, and with the left hand guiding the bottom of the coat, lift the collar, move the coat to the right (in front of the buck) at the same time turning the collar slightly so that the lapels turn toward the buck. Pull the coat slightly forward toward the operator and onto the narrow end of the press.
2. With the thumb and first finger of the right hand, the lapel is flipped face downward as the left shoulder is placed onto the narrow end of the buck at about a 45 degree angle with the buck. Make sure the sleeve head is off the end of the buck to avoid crushing it.
3. Press the area as described for the appropriate fabric.
Left chest lay (steps)
4. Still keeping the coat at about a 45 degree angle with the buck, with both hands, slide the coat slightly away from the operator until the narrow end of the buck is under the dart seam that runs from the underarm to the side pocket. The handkerchief pocket is just barely on the buck or just barely off the buck, depending on the size of the coat.
5. Press the area as described for the appropriate fabric.
Note: The shoulder and chest lays preserve and remold the shape of the coat. The full front should never be pressed in one lay if quality work is desired since this will break down the tailored, rounded shape of the chest.
Bottom left, front edge lay (steps)
6. Slide the left front edge of the coat so that it is on the edge of, and parallel to, the buck.
7. Have the left pocket off the front edge of the buck with the middle button hole close to the narrow end of the buck.
8. Press the area as described for the appropriate fabric.
Left pocket lay (steps)
9. Slide left pocket to the corner of the buck so that the top of the pocket is approximately three inches from the end of the buck.
10. Smooth the pocket lining by running the right hand into the pocket while holding the outside bottom portion of the pocket with the left hand.
11. Remove the hands from the pocket and apply enough buck steam to just saturate the pocket.
12. With the pocket saturated with steam, pull the top edge of the outside of the pocket to the right so that it is flush with the seam which joins the flap with the coat. Make sure it is square, not dipped.
13. Fold the flap down and apply vacuum.
14. Press the area as described for the appropriate fabric.
Remove pocket flap impressions lay (steps)
15. Slide the top of the pocket to the end of the buck and fold back the pocket flap.
16. Apply vacuum and steam with the hand iron across the flap impression.
17. Apply vacuum to cool and dry the area.
Note: If no hand iron is available, press the area by closing the head onto the fabric (steam, raise the head and then vacuum as described for the appropriate fabric).
Left underarm to bottom of coat lay (steps)
18. Slide the left pocket (chest) slightly off the back edge of the buck. The underarm seams should make a slight angle with the buck, running to the left and away from the operator, and the narrow end of the buck should come slightly to the right of the underarm dart seam.
19. Press the area as described for the appropriate fabric.
Left back lay (steps)
20. Slide the coat away from the operator and to the left. The narrow end of the buck should fit into the left, back shoulder, The left pocket should be off the buck, and the back, middle seam should be at a slight angle to the buck; the left end of the seam being farther away from the operator. The left sleeve head must be off the buck.
21. Press the area as described for the appropriate fabric.
Right back lay (steps)
22. Slide the coat so that the narrow end of the buck fits into the right back shoulder. This lay is similar to Step 20, but the angle the middle makes with the buck is now reversed so that the left end of the seam is closer to the operator.
23. Press the area as described for the appropriate fabric.
Center back lay (steps)
24. Pull the coat toward the operator until the center back seam is in the center and parallel with the buck.
Keep that portion of the coat, in the back of the buck, hanging straight and free from wrinkles.
25. Press the area as described for the appropriate fabric.
Note: On some coats, especially small ones, this lay may be omitted. Some operators prefer making this lay before step 22, but there is less possibility of wrinkling the coat at the back of the buck when the center back lay (24) is made last. This is especially true for lightweight hard-finish and tropical worsted fabrics.
Next month, this series will conclude with the final steps for finishing the suit coat and sport coat using only a right hand utility press equipped with a water spray gun, an all-steam hand iron and a sleeve ironing board attached for cuffs and touch-up. A three-way set of puffs (four-way with egg puff is better), equipped with fabric heads and vacuum, is recommended for puffing and touch-up.
Of course, a steam-air form finisher, especially the Hoffman Coat-A-Matic, is recommended to complete the all-purpose coat/utility unit.
Note: My video, "The Caplan Method of Stain Removal," which includes my comprehensive text with handy spotting board reference, is available from Dennis McCrory, Successful Management Group, (800) 646-5736, PIN 4615. Also, my latest video on step-by-step shirt finishing, utilizing the sequence I developed for top quality with no touch-up and top production, will soon be available from Dennis McCrory. Both single-operator cabinet and two-operator double buck cabinet units are demonstrated. Attractive detailing, packaging, padding, steam pressure and timing are also discussed. The video shows how to properly dress each pressing machine and the proper breaking and forming of a collar.There is a wealth of material written on how to attract new customers, and how to build your business. They are all tried and true successful methods and practices. They are all good!
We know that all geographic areas are different -- some with more competitors, some promoting price, some with added services -- but because of location, all are offering some continuous form of convenience. In some cases, it is the proximity or the draw of a supermarket or shopping mall.
The simple truth is that when something is convenient, we seldom change our habits and will disregard competitors who have less consistent quality, packaging and even price as long as we believe the firm we are dealing with is reasonable and the service offered is a fair value.
Perhaps convenience is the thing we look for in a location. How many people can we serve? How is the traffic pattern? How many anchor stores are there and who are they? Where we can draw customers from? What are the town's projections for expansion, schools, industry and general growth.
If we "investigate before you invest," we attempt to have a crystal ball and project which way the population is going. Is it up or down? Is your location at a standstill with retirees, or is it growing with newly married couples? For whom do your potential customers work? Sad is the case when a major employer closes down and the entire area suffer a financial loss.
When we start a new business we must establish a standard of excellence with a pattern of doing the best and a management policy that perpetuates quality and service. If we are the new owners of an old established firm, we must advertise that we are keeping everything that was good and are now offering better quality, the latest in technical equipment and newer services. Most important we must prove it right from the start!
Whether the business is new or old, we must take advantage of a little known phenomenon.
You and I, and all businesses, deal with people who are creatures of habit! We go to the same gas stations, the same super markets, the same hair dressers and barbers. We seldom switch because of price or even quality. If something isn't perfect we forget about it, but remember the good work in the past, because the "creature of habit" syndrome takes over.
We can say convenience is important because we really do not like change. Occasionally we get attracted to a better price or offer, but we only consider changing if there is some reason to be so disappointed or dissatisfied. All habits, good or bad, are difficult to break. (Ever try to quit smoking or to lose weight permanently?)
That's the advantage all established drycleaners have! We are all "creatures of habit."
There is one factor that comes up often and that is price, but believe me on this one, your customers do not change because they see a lower price.
In fact, it has been proven only four percent are truly price conscious. Those are the ones who go out of their way for a lower price. They scan the papers and collect coupons and, strangely enough, are even wealthy, but they still only buy when the price is low.
If you're curious about that four percent number, check with the manager of your local supermarket (not a discount house). Simply ask "How many customers collect and submit coupons? It's one out of 25. And there's your 4 percent!
One other way the habits of your customers can be broken easily is if they are solicited by a route driver offering a pick-up and delivery service at no extra charge. This driver or delivery person need not be a super salesperson. He just has to place a simple "Hi Neighbor" card on the door of an adjoining apartment or home when he is delivering to a new customer, outlining his services.
He is accepted by association and he can easily service a minimum of six calls with each stop of the vehicle. No sales pitch -- just a simple "I have the pleasure of serving your neighbor, and I would like you to try us." Or "May I call on you next week?"
The driver never leaves empty handed. Here the convenience factor is immediately introduced. People with little "quality time" do not want to carry clothes to a drycleaner! Now, they can be picked-up and delivered because of the simplicity of no extra cost.
A trial offer is also hard to refuse. A convenient drop-off box can be made available on a 24-hour basis. Garments placed into the box in a nylon bag with instructions and identification on a luggage tag can be cleaned and delivered to the customers door any evening or Saturday morning as requested.
We have all learned the advantages of ATM banking and credit-card charging with points now offered for gifts or airline travel credits.
Smart drycleaners know that by charging for drycleaning when clothes are deposited, they receive their money in four to five days. Gone forever are the racks full of unclaimed garments. It matters not when the order is picked-up or accepted for delivery, since it has already been paid for.
All in all, we're in a changing world and we recognize that the two-income family has little quality time. Running that household is a full-time job shared by two. If young ones are involved, it seems Mommy or Daddy are among the only available chauffeurs to keep a rigid schedule of athletic events, ball practice or ballet lessons. Gone are the days that the kids went out and played and only came home when it was time for supper. Anything that can relieve that busy schedule is happily received and welcomed.
Route pick-up and delivery is the drycleaner's salvation. Any area is fair game. The wealthier the better. There is even an army of part-timers who are eager and willing to work two hours a night or a Saturday morning.
Times are changing. Everyone wants and can afford service. The year of the millennium is upon us and the professional drycleaner is the master of service!
Ray Colucci, a consultant to the fabric care industry, has three booklets available that cover key topics. The titles include: "Up Front is Where it Counts," which tells how to train people to work at the counter and contains a pre-hiring personality test; "The Route to Success," which tells how to start, hire, train and sell routes and use a convenient, free-standing drop box; and "Pressed for Perfection," which ends the dilemma of hire and fire in the finishing department and provides a quality control final inspection color coding system. The booklets are available for $20 each or all three for $50. He also has a slide presentation seminar entitled "Management and Motivation" and he is available for speaking engagements. For information, contact Ray Colucci, 410 Warren Ave., Mamaroneck, NY 10543.Quilted fabrics are lightweight and designed for warmth and comfort. The insulating materials, which can be down, polyester or Thinsulate, are referred to as batting, filler or quilting. Thinsulate insulation type C used for apparel is 65 percent olefin and 35 percent polyester.
The filler may be held in place by separate inner baffles or separate compartments seen on the outer fabric or pockets created by cross stitching through the outer fabric and the lining fabric.
The stitching is sometimes widely spaced, which results in larger compartments. By using more stitching, the compartments become smaller.
The stitched-through seams usually provide a source of heat loss. These seams bring the fabrics closer together, reducing the thickness of the quilting and providing heat loss by conduction. The more seams a quilted garment has, the greater the heat loss.
Of the three types of filling, pound for pound, down is considered the best for warmth.
Polyester filler and Thinsulate absorb very little water and therefore can keep the wearer warm even in damp weather.
The outer shell of quilted fabric can be nylon or polyester (especially in ski wear), polyester blends and cotton. Quilted jackets are used for outer garments and ski wear.
Fabric problems
Construction. If the compartments (baffles or pockets) are too large, the filling may lump, shift or mat. This causes a loss of insulation and fluffiness.
Streaks and swales occur on quilted fabrics because of the difference in drying time between the outer fabric and the filler. The filling holds more solvent than the outer fabric.
Stains and swales occur more frequently along seams or areas of double thickness. The problem is more readily seen on light colored, shiny outer fabrics.
Fillers
Down filler. If the down used has not been thoroughly cleaned, the down will release oils which may stain and darken the outer fabric. This type of stain is difficult to correct.
Down or blends of down and feathers can be used in a variety of ratios. Garments labeled as "down filled" may have as much as 20 percent feathers. If there is less than 80 percent down, it must be noted on the label.
Polyester fiber fill. The loose polyester fiber may be held together by the use of resins and heat.
Because of polyester's heat sensitivity, compacting and fusing may result from the heat in drycleaning, washing or drying. This will result in loss of insulation and fluffiness, neither of which can be corrected.
Thinsulate insulation is microfibers consisting of olefin and polyester.
The olefin fiber is considered more heat sensitive than polyester.
The insulating material can compress and separate from the heat of drycleaning, washing and drying.
Shell (outer) fabric
Many manufacturers use a cotton multicolored fabric. The dyes used are often subject to dye crocking and color transfer in both drycleaning and wet cleaning.
Coating. The shell or outer fabric may be coated with a plastic or rubber to give the garment waterproof properties. The coating may peel, puckering and stiffening when drycleaned. The coating can be used on the outside or inside of the shell fabric.
Prints. Some leading designers of ski jackets may use fancy pigment prints on the lining or shell fabric. This print can dissolve, pucker or transfer when drycleaned.
Feathers showing. A common customer complaint with quilted jackets is feathers showing. This occurs because the feathers work themselves out from the baffles and become visible through the shell fabric. This usually occurs when the shell fabric is nylon or polyester.
Inspection
Examine the garment for broken stitches. Widely spaced compartments may result in filler shifting. Examine the garment for staining from ski wax, which oxidizes and becomes impossible to remove.
Examine for dye crocking and signs of wear on areas subject to friction and mechanical action. The most common areas of damage are the collar, cuffs, pocket and hems. Discuss any problems with the customer and note them on the sales slip.
Prespotting
Prespot quilted jackets with any type of moisture-bearing prespotting agent. Avoid excessive mechanical action on cotton and cotton blends. Quilted fabrics can be drycleaned in a moist or damp condition except if the outer shell is silk.
Drycleaning
Look for the label that identifies the filler material.
For a down filled garment, routine drycleaning 10 to 12 minutes. Extract for twice the normal extraction time. Dry in the reclaimer at normal temperature. (140 degrees F).
For polyester fiberfill, Thinsulate and other synthetic fibers -- dryclean for six to eight minutes to avoid filler separation. Keep reclaimer temperature no higher than 140 degrees F to avoid compressing and fusing of fiber.
Wetcleaning
To wetclean down-filled, Thinsulate and polyester fiber filled garments, use a front loader on a permanent press cycle. To raise and fluff the down while drying, use white tennis balls or a sneaker to give required mechanical action.
Dry polyester fiber filling and Thinsulate by tumbling the garment in a cool or warm tumbler. (100 degrees F)
Finishing
Do not over-steam a quilted fabric. Quilted jackets can usually be shaped on a steam-air finisher using air only. If necessary, touch up with a hand iron.
Correction of streaks and swales
Using the following methods in the order shown.
Rinse the garment in clear solvent and extract twice as long as normal. Reclaim with other dry garments.
For down, Thinsulate and polyester fiber quilted garments, try the wetcleaning procedure.
Summary
Quilted ski jackets may range in serviceability due to construction of filler. Common problems occurring with quilted ski jackets are peeling of coating, dye loss, streaks and feathers showing through. Careful inspection at the counter and advising customer of possible problems will reduce claims.
In the December issue of the National Clothesline I relayed comments from an individual who discussed his interpretation of the future of the drycleaning industry.
He made a number of points, addressing each point in detail.
Rather than go through his entire article I will simply state the various subject matters he addressed.
1. Casual dress and its impact on drycleaning sales.
2. Telecommuting and home offices.
3. The value proposition as it relates to the cost of goods and the cost of drycleaning.
4. Dryel, Procter and Gamble's product for home drycleaning
5. Internet start-ups. He recognized this as a potential threat to drycleaning, but not up to strength at this time.
6. The environment. The cost to upgrade to meet environmental mandates.
7. Labor. How does a dry cleaner compete in the labor market?
8. Innovation. The equipment does nothing, according to him, to increase the market.
9. Industry associations. He admits that the associations do important work but only to maintain the status quo.
10. The chains. He refers to newcomer Zoots The Cleaner and claims that it may be different in that it has the capital and the best technology.
11. Machinery manufacturers. He claims they encourage unsuspecting investors to enter the fray based on exaggerated expected profits.
12. Industry gurus. They continue to pontificate on every issue but the core issue: How do you increase market size and productivity?
Here are some of the responses to those comments.
Dear Stan,
I read with great interest the opinions of your correspondent in your December 1999 article on the state of our industry.
There are certain advantages in being a senior citizen, mostly because of having seen so many changes in the past few decades and the consequences from all those dramatic events.
It was the death knell for our industry when coin-op (eight pounds for $2) or wash n' wear, double knit and polyester came upon the scene. Remember?
Your writer has done a thorough job of covering some of the major factors we face and I would like to comment with a brief thought on each of those circumstances, perhaps shining a light on those present conditions.
Low priced foreign merchandise where proper cost of drycleaning can or should far exceed the purchase price. Since foreign merchandise offers improper labeling or guarantees, drycleaners should charge a risk factor for processing.
Dryel. Regardless of the money Procter & Gamble is putting into this venture, it still has a long way to go. It does little in soil removal and has only a pleasant odor. There is still a labor factor that the consumers want. They don't want an increase in work. That's something that was proven with wash n' wear. Aside from doing a poor job, the majority of this affluent society is not concerned with saving money.
Casual wear and home office work. Yes, it's a trend that may get worse before it improves, but one never knows. There is even a move to "Dress Up Friday" that appears to be catching on, where the office workers arrive in their very best, including jewelry. It is interesting that the fashion industry and beauty salons have shown signs of promoting this new trend. Many companies with bimonthly paychecks have started making every other Friday "Dress-up Friday."
Environmental restrictions. I think they pick on our industry unfairly when I see the array of chemicals under the kitchen sink. Yet we are in for a lot more curbs in the future, when our nuclear waste is still accumulating and questionable transportation with limited storage sites are available. If we supported each other and our associations, we could do much more.
Labor shortages. We still have lots of room for improvement just by using the labor-saving methods and equipment presently available. The savings, if we take advantage of them, will dramatically change our profit picture and make truly successful management more possible.
Industry associations. They do a commendable job of educating us and fighting for us. The problem -- too little support from the rank and file membership. It's time to join-up, sign-up, stand-up and be counted.
Chains. I don't think they are the cure-all and end-all. But I think the local neighborhood drycleaner can offer much more in the way of continued personal service, and I believe that is what the consumer wants and respects.
It's also time for the local, single-owned plant, to make the counter shine and to remember customers' names. Up front is where it counts, because you never get a second chance for a first impression.
Machinery manufacturers. They have nothing to be ashamed of. Because of research and engineering, they have brought the use of solvent -- perc in particular -- from 5,000 pounds per drum to above 60,000 pounds. And they're still looking for new developments in costs and new improvements.
Gurus. They are doing what they know best, and that is to improve quality and maintain profitable production. They can show us ways to market our industry through the experience of their brother drycleaners. As in any given advisory capacity, do drycleaners "choose to listen?"
What the letter writer appears to be concerned with is not some of the conditions with which we live with but, "how to get more of the disposable dollar to go to drycleaners."
That's always a problem, not just for drycleaners, but for any industry.
I think one of the solutions will be in the form of offering conveniences due to the tremendous interest in routes and receptacles for route pickups.
There is no easy answer. There never is.
When we promote successfully, we increase our business. We are, in essence, taking the volume away from another drycleaner.
Perhaps we need a very dramatic message.
I subscribe to the theory that "Drycleaning is healthier" and that drycleaned clothes are "germ free!" I know that clean laundry is definitely healthier, and that hospitals use germicides in the wash wheel. I am also aware that "steam" in finishing certainly is a bacteria killer.
Isn't it time we told the public about it?
Bill Bohannon of Hollin Hall Cleaners in Virginia has these comments.
Casual wear. There are signs that casual wear in the workplace has reached its peak and is beginning to decline. In the fashion world, one thing is certain: "fashion will change." The clothes you wear make a statement before the first thought or idea ever leaves your tongue. For this reason employees of equal performance and ability who dress better will find greater success than their dress-down counterparts.
The Internet. The beauty of the Internet is the ability to sell products to anyone, anywhere in the world from one location. This will be severely limited in the drycleaning industry because of the necessity to have a location in the region. The internet has the potential to destroy the shopping mall, but its impact on the drycleaner is limited.
The environment. I'm a bit surprised Daren failed to address the industry's Superfund issues. In my opinion this is the biggest threat to the long-term health of the industry. Only after this issue is resolved will drycleaners be able to safely re-invest in the technology of tomorrow. For this reason, current government policies continue to hurt the industry and restrict our ability to protect the environment.
Innovation. Even if someone develops a pants press that doubles production, it will only reduce payroll by three percent of gross sales. The drycleaning process is a marriage of 10 time-consuming steps or more. Increased productivity will come from maximizing productivity during each phase of the process.
Chains. Many stocks are trading at 20 to 30 times earnings while the average drycleaner struggles to sell for four times earnings. A location doing $250,000 with a 20 percent profit margin might be worth $200,000 in drycleaning dollars, but in stock market dollars its value could exceed $1 million. Investment bankers from Wall Street have pockets lined with cash looking for opportunities to make more. Our industry has a potential total worth of perhaps 40 billion dollars. Zoot's may be the first big money player in the industry, but there will be others.
Growth. Finding ways to increase demand for our service is a real challenge. Recent attempts to form a cohesive group of industries that will benefit from a change in fashion offers the best framework for success in building demand for our services. This will need to be coupled with the development of the industry's own point of sale campaign to maximize the benefit.
Conclusion. The days of simply working hard and finding success in this industry are nearly over. The future will demand that nearly everyone will need to have better drycleaning skills and better business skills to survive and prosper.
A person who shall remain anonymous due to his high position as a manufacturer to the trade sent these comments:
"This industry has always faced challenges. But are the present ones any more difficult than in the past?
"(For instance), in the '70s, it was polyester and coin-op drycleaning. And before that, it was wash 'n wear, and one thing after another throughout the life of the industry."
The cleaner who wrote this letter had shown nine years of growth before seeing sales decline the last year when he became an absentee owner.
"He may not have used marketing properly, [as] most cleaners don't really understand marketing.
"This drycleaner charges $4.50 for a blouse compared to $6.50 for a two-piece suit. It takes far more expertise to do the suit than the blouse, but the price charged probably does not make sense to the consumer.
Concerning changes in innovation, Anonymous called attention to "Henry Ford who implemented an assembly line and increased productivity, but the drycleaning process calls for different types of garments, which hinders the implementation of automation."
Anonymous is also concerned about the pricing of drycleaning. He noted that he paid $3 for a haircut in 1966, which also was the price of a suit cleaned that year.
Now he pays $12 for a haircut (even though he has "less hair on my head"), but his two-piece suit only costs $5.50 to clean.
"The drycleaner accepts a higher damage risk than someone cutting hair. (After all), the barber's bad haircut will grow out. What's wrong with this picture?
Another writer, Dennis J. Porter of Porter's Cleaners in Lansing, IL, had these comments:
The lack of innovation is a bigger factor than most of us think. I've been crying for years that our industry has had no significant gains in productivity in 25 years. Actually, our productivity has gone down.
Meanwhile, all other industries have been able to hold or reduce prices from productivity gains, and now our customers are resisting any price increases, even though they are necessary. This causes the value proposition that he discusses. The leather industry has been decimated by this problem, also, where it is cheaper to buy a new coat than to clean it.
And now in closing, here are my comments:
In his original e-mail, the drycleaner mentioned that after nine years of steady growth, that his sales dropped after he became an absentee owner.
My response to that situation would be that maybe he replaced himself with someone who did not have his motivation or authority. And this can result in a change of direction for sales.
A successful business can continue to grow on its own momentum, but it will eventually start to coast. Coasting is a downhill proposition unless the manager has the same qualities as the owner and treats the business as his own.
All businesses need a driving force to show continued growth. Maybe the man's business lost its driving force and, as a consequence, his sales started to drop.
Finally, I want to thank those of you who responded to the issues brought up by this article, Honestly sharing ideas and concerns is the only way that we can pull together and make this industry not only survive, but thrive.
Stan Golomb is president of The Golomb Group Inc., a firm that designs marketing programs for drycleaners. Contact him at The Golomb Group Inc., 7664 Plaza Ct., Willowbrook, IL 60521; phone (630) 887-7339. His e-mail address is: sgolomb@ix.netcom.comGood employees are hard to find. Every now and then, however, a business gets lucky and finds a terrific, hard working individual, and it just so happens that this terrific employee has a brother or sister interested in a job.
The impulse to hire the employee's relative is almost irresistible, in the hope that the brother or sister will have the same fine qualities as your "super" employee.
Then, there is also the circumstance where two employees start a relationship, which blossoms into love. Before you know it, you are getting an invitation to attend a wedding.
Or perhaps they secretly marry, meaning that you are the only one in the shop who doesn't know Jacob and Emily are married.
The result is that you have two related employees working together.
Sometimes, relatives are hired quite by accident. Even if the employment application asks for the names of relatives who work for the company, employers frequently miss critical details during the hiring process. As a result, you find yourself employing all the children in the Smith family.
But who cares? What harm can there be in having related employees working for the same company? They can carpool, work side by side in harmony, and share the same work ethic.
Then again, anyone who has siblings knows that brothers and sisters rarely share the same characteristics, even of their same-sex siblings.
Moreover, the statistics on divorce suggest that 50 percent of the marriages in this country are doomed to failure. What workplace needs to go through the trauma of a divorce involving one employee, much less two? What workplace needs to fear that discipline taken against one employee will have a domino effect with related employees?
For this reason, many businesses have adopted anti-nepotism policies.
Under these policies, the employment of relatives can be prohibited, or severely restricted. For example, one company may have no problem employing the spouse of a current employee, provided there is not a supervisory relationship between the two.
As one might imagine, these anti-nepotism policies have come under scrutiny by the courts.
In many states, it is against the law to discriminate on the basis of marital status. Some argue that an anti-nepotism policy concerning spouses amounts to unlawful marital status discrimination.
These challenges, however, rarely succeed. For example, a court in Wisconsin recently ruled that the state's marital status discrimination statute did not prohibit discrimination based on to whom a person was married.
The statute prohibited discrimination because an employee was married or unmarried, not because of the identity of an individual employee's spouse.
Anti-nepotism policies relating to brothers and sisters cause fewer problems.
I suppose a creative lawyer could argue that such a policy discriminates against certain ethnic groups, noting that many first-generation immigrants try to find jobs for family members. I am not aware of any cases that have raised the issue, but it's something to think about.
Should your business have an anti-nepotism policy? There are many reasons why it should.
First, blood is thicker than water. When you discipline one family member, you frequently have to deal with the effect on other family members. My brother and I once worked at the same McDonalds. He was fired, in my mind, unfairly. I quit the next day. You get the picture.
Second, having married employees working for you presents the same type of problem. In addition, you can also be faced with the breakdown of the relationship. Why risk the disruption?
Most companies have a policy stipulating that either the most senior employee stays, the highest ranking employee between the couple stays, or the couple is allowed to decide who stays and who leaves.
On the other hand, relatives can work in peace and harmony. And families are sometimes a good labor pool in a scarce market.
You must decide, based on how your business works, whether an anti-nepotism policy hurts or hinders you.
If you decide to adopt one, consult your lawyer about any peculiar problems your state laws may present.
Frank Kollman is a partner in the law firm of Kollman & Sheehan, PA, in Baltimore, MD. He can be reached at (410) 727-4391. His firm also has a web site with more articles and other information on employee/employer relations at www.kollman-sheehan.com.Do you want to press the wrinkles out of some of your own customers' suede and leather garments?
Let's examine how you can do it using a standard dry cleaning automatic steam press.
As I stated previously, do not use live steam on suede and leather.
If you do, the items may draw up and shrivel up and become a damage claim. The thinner and the more delicate the skin of the suede or leather, the greater the chance of damaging the skin if you let live steam from the head and/or buck of the drycleaning steam press hit the suede and leather, especially with the press head in the closed position.
The reason the steam will damage the skin is that the steam pressure used for pressing cloth items is too high to safely press suedes and leathers.
How do you avoid this danger? I thought you would never ask!
If your press is automatic, it probably releases head steam in the down and locked position. Try it to be sure.
Shut off the steam
If that is the case, cut the steam off to the head when pressing suede or leather.
How do you do that?
Most automatic presses have an air-actuated, piston-operated cylinder that opens and closes the head steam valve.
The air line going to the actuator cylinder has a small manually operated on/off valve.
Turn this valve to the off position and activate the press to be sure the steam is cut off before placing a suede or leather on the press for pressing.
Activate the press to be certain that no head steam will be released when the press head is lowered and locked.
Once safely assured by this test that no live steam will be released from the head of the press when the press is closed, check to see if buck steam is automatically released when the press is closed. Buck steam is usually applied manually by the operator and when pressing .
If buck steam is released automatically, it too must be cut off before pressing suede or leather. Then you can safely proceed with pressing the wrinkled suede or leather using your automatic drycleaning steam press.
Regulate steam pressure
Another way to adapt your automatic steam press to pressing suede and leather is to regulate the steam pressure entering the press to 40 psi or lower
The steam temperature will then be low enough to be safe for suedes and leathers and not cause damage to the skins.
This can be accomplished by using a steam regulator to reduce the steam pressure coming into the press, whenever suedes and leathers are to be pressed.
If a bypass line with a cut off valve is installed around the regulator, the steam pressure can be adjusted from pressing cloth to pressing suede and leather and back again with the turn of the valve.
Frank Lucenta is president of Royaltone Co. Inc., a firm that manufactures products for drycleaning and wetcleaning suede, leather, fur and cloth garments. He also teaches plant owners to identify, accept, spot, wet clean, dryclean, press and recolor suedes, leathers, and furs at the two-day training academy. For information on training sessions or the subject covered in this article, or information on handling suedes, leathers and furs, or for a free three-ring binder to hold copies of these articles, or for information on the Royaltone Instruction Book & Spotting Charts, call (800) 331-5506 or send e-mail to royaltone@royaltone.com. Information is also available at the company's website: www.royaltone.comGurus and fanatics have made a cottage industry out of customer satisfaction. Numerous books and articles have been written on how to dazzle, love, partner with, or just hang onto that person called a customer.
We, as business owners, are told the customer is always right, sometimes right, sometimes wrong, or usually wrong -- the customer is the CEO, the customer is king, the customer is a butterfly (don't even ask).
Dozens of books have been written on How to use customer feedback (every complaint is a gift); How to keep customers for life; How to be inspired by customers; How to handle tough customers (go the extra mile); How to prepare for the age of the never-satisfied customer.
The simple reality is that you have to hold onto your current customers while attempting to take customers away from your competitors.
One often overlooked aspect of customer retention is reinforcing the perceptions of your existing customers. You should make them feel smart about being your customer. A customer satisfaction survey can make customers feel more satisfied then ever. All it takes is proper planning.
Ironically, most customer satisfaction surveys cause customers to become even more dissatisfied. This is because most businesses don't appreciate the role such a survey plays in a company's relationship with its customers. The fact is customer cooperation rates for such surveys are already lower than 40 percent and dropping rapidly.
Have you ever started to fill out a customer survey and found such opening questions as, "How long have you been our customer?" or "What services of ours do you use?"
Questions like those show that the company either doesn't know you from the man-in-the-moon or doesn't care about building a relationship with you as an individual. Obviously, a customer database is needed here.
Constructing a customer database should be the first step in developing a customer satisfaction program. It can be used not only as a means of producing a more personal questionnaire, but it also can serve as a warehouse for storing data on a customer-by-customer basis.
A dual purpose
A customer satisfaction survey can work two ways. First, it is a means of collecting information to help improve your services. Second, it is a way of demonstrating your company's desire to communicate with customers in order to serve them better and learn more about their expectations.
A customer satisfaction survey, in and of itself, makes an implied promise about your concern and commitment to your customers. So follow-through should be an integral part of the program.
Always end your survey by giving customers the option of including their name or not. That way, if a customer is concerned about privacy he or she will give more honest responses. Other customers -- those who have problems with your company -- may not want to remain anonymous. On the contrary, they expect their problems to be listened to, acknowledged and resolved.
Not just a poll
Customer surveys are not just for polling. They are a unique means of communicating with your customers. The more frequently you use customer surveys the more comfortable your customers will become in answering what may, at times, be sensitive questions.
As they become more comfortable with your surveys, their answers will be more honest.
Basically, what I'm saying here is that a customer survey should not be a one-shot deal. You will need several pollings before your findings can be considered truly valid.
The size of some customer bases can make a customer satisfaction survey a costly endeavor, especially for low-margin operators. However, customers' commitment to a company is what keeps it in business. Measuring all of your customers' satisfaction is a good investment in the future of your business.
If you would like help in developing and/or implementing customer satisfaction surveys, please contact me at (800) 646-5736, PIN#4615.
Customer satisfaction surveys satisfy everyone. Customers believe that someone cares about what they think, and you learn how to retain current customers and capture even more.
Dennis McCrory offers several programs and products to assist drycleaners. For more information or to place an order (credit cards accepted), call (800) 646-5736, PIN 4615. Identify the package you are interested in as follows:
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