Stan Caplan: Training is the basis of success

Training is a never ending process. It never stops. But are we doing it?

The answer is a simple "NO." But should we do it? The answer is a simple "YES."

Are our production processes standardized? In other words, do we clean and spot and press and detail completed orders the same way day in and day out? The answer is a simple "NO." Processes have not changed over the years, but they have been improved with better equipment and supplies.

When I watch old movies from the 1950s and before on TV, I take notice of how the clothing was pressed, especially men's suit/sport coats (my biggest complaint on today's pressing). Last week I saw an old western movie, made in the 1950s, starring Glenn Ford. He wore a suit with a three-button coat tailored in the style worn in the 1880s. This coat, which was pressed almost 50 years ago in Hollywood, had its lapels creased through the gorge seams and then rolled (very crisp and firm) to about 3ˇ4 inch above the first button. The collar was creased, not rolled.

Fifty years later, clothing manufacturers of better quality suits are still pressing their suit/sport coats exactly the same way, but not all the drycleaners.

Years ago, the drycleaners who were especially quality-minded pressed very closely to the factory specifications. The chest was formed, not smashed. The collar was shrunk, shaped and creased to conform to the wearer's neck and hugged it. Several pressing equipment manufacturers made steam-air form finishers with collar pressing attachments. But today, only one manufacturer offers that type of machine, and very few cleaners buy it. They just do not press and shrink the collars. Form finishers today do an excellent job on the body through tensioning, but the collar, lapels and pocket flaps still need to the pressure pressed.

Don't count on ignorance
I have heard many cleaners say that consumers really do not know what quality work looks like. Maybe that is because they have never seen it. But if they see it once, they will know it.

What about spots? Most spotters have never been professionally trained, either in a school environment or in a planned training program in the plant's training area. Those employees and managers who are fortunate enough to be trade school graduates usually revert back to their old methods of unconventional spotting procedures. Chemical bottles are not properly labeled and placed in uniform positions on the tray. Spotting brushes are worn and not segregated for wet, dry and pH. Tamping is not always performed on the smooth portion of the spotting board. I could go on and on.

What about drycleaning? Most drycleaners classify according to color and pay very little attention to garment weight which is the cause of uneven drying and odor remaining after removal from the machine. The alternative solvents to perc have reduced the need for rigid garment classification for colors, but heavyweight and lightweight garments still need separation, especially in hydrocarbon and petroleum solvent.

My biggest complaint is the fact that if we hire an experienced, but not properly trained, presser or spotter we get the same poor quality work that he or she gave his or her previous employers.

Critical lack of expertise
Finally and critically important, is the lack of basic technical expertise of our customer service personnel (CSR's). Most of them are mere clerks who have learned the routine of receiving, marking, filing and delivery of completed orders very well. But what about selling your services to the consumers, and what about being able to discuss spot removal or proper pressing? This situation is similar to an automobile repair service writer who now is called a "consultant."

When my new car developed an electrical problem and the car began to smoke as I was coming from the car wash bay, I had it towed to the local Lincoln dealer (Florida in 1986). I was greeted by a customer service writer, a woman.

She explained the mechanics of the car's electrical system and what had to be done to correct the problem. She said that the job would take a few days since the wiring and other accessories had to be replaced, and a loaner car would be given to me immediately.

Well, I was so impressed with her basic knowledge of my car's electrical system and with the manner that she handled me without the necessity of turning me over to the service manager, that I asked her if she was also a mechanic.

Her answer was: "No, but I was trained by my service manager in searching for technical answers to my customer's questions." All the service writers attended scheduled training classes, both during the day and some evenings. They were even paid extra for evening sessions.

How does all of this apply to our industry? The answer lies in standardization of our processes, both at the counter and in the plant. This can only be achieved through well planned training programs (in-house) and continuous. Going to seminars and training schools is essential, but they are worthless without follow-up supervision and training. Our military services are the best in the world, despite the critics who say otherwise because of poor funding. Why are they the best? Simply because their training is ongoing and never ending, and they are monitored and tested continually.

Achieve consistent quality
The restaurant industry uses standard recipes and menus to ensure uniformity in the taste of its food. A premier upscale restaurant's food tastes the same today as it did 20 or more years ago. Cooks and chefs have come and gone over the years, but the food still tastes the same due to standardization through constant training with follow-up supervision. When they sometimes deviate from their standardized cooking, the customers can immediately detect it, and either complaints follow or that restaurant is "scratched off their list."

Thanks for complaining
This is the same in our drycleaning industry. Most customers do not bother to complain; they simply go elsewhere. As my father always said: "It's the complaints that you don't get that really kill you." This is why I hate to hear cleaners say, "Well, we don't get any complaints on our work."

With the knowledge that we must have a well planned training program in order to get quality work through standardization of process and efficiency at the counter with good customer relations, my article next month will discuss the implementation of a viable, in-house training program.

Don Desrosiers: You paid for it. Now learn from it.

This month, let's talk about paying your school tuition.

You aren't in school and don't have a school loan to pay? Don't put this down yet. I say that you are paying "school tuition" and if you don't know it, then I suggest that you read this column twice.

Tuition is what you pay for schooling. It is what you pay to learn about something. Everyone fits into one of the following three categories:

1. You don't pay any tuition and you don't learn anything.

2. You pay your tuition and you sleep through the classes.

3. You pay your tuition and you learn from it.

Perhaps you cannot yet classify yourself because you have no idea what I'm talking about. Well, the suspense is over: I am talking about paying claims.

Let's deal with Item #1 first.

If you don't pay claims for damaged or lost shirts, you aren't paying tuition and you aren't learning anything either. Let's say Mr. Smith comes to your store and expects you to pay for a damaged oxford shirt. He wants $50. You listen to his point of view and you make a subjective decision; you want to pay him $0.

This is probably a bad move. Notice that I have completely left out Mr. Smith's case. It doesn't matter. I am not judging the validity of his concerns. He either has a legitimate gripe or he doesn't.

A relay driver who worked for me for many years made a terrific observation once. He said that people don't throw out shirts. I think that he's right, at least to some extent. How many shirts did you process today that are over three years old? Probably over 50 percent.

According to the International Fabricare Institute, every one of those is beyond its usable life. But nobody's discarding them, right?

You are going to come across shirts, every day, that are destined to fail sometime soon. Live with it. An issue arises when a customer feels that you've damaged something and are therefore responsible to make amends.

The worst thing that you can do is to pay the claim and let it rest. This is Category #2. Yes, that is the worst thing that you can do.

If you decide that Mr. Smith's concern is simply not your fault (and you may be 100 percent right), sending him on his way is probably not advisable. What is very strongly advised is giving Mr. Smith an education.

Explain to him, in full, what has happened to his shirt. You must know. If you don't know, it is time to get an education.

If you are a good "people person" and a good communicator, you should be able to show Mr. Smith what has happened to his shirt, earn his trust and make him feel confident that this is just one of those things that can happen.

The best-case scenario is that Mr. Smith leaves with a complete understanding of what can happen to a shirt during normal care procedures and he gains the knowledge that he is dealing with a shirt launderer that knows his business. He knows that you are the right person for the job.

You may not always get instant gratification here. It may take a bit of time for him to see your point of view. His realizations may happen after he leaves your store, or maybe after he uses your competitor for a while. I have paid thousands of dollars in claims over the years for damages that were absolutely not my fault. Those thousands of dollars bought me two important, priceless things:

1. The trust of the other party.

2. The education that helps prevent the situation from happening again.

If you don't pay a claim when the situation calls for it, the customer will probably not return. Good chance, you rationalize, that this is exactly what you want to happen. You think, "I'd have to do his shirts for a year before I ever recoup that $50."

Bad move. Mr. Smith will tell people that you don't stand behind your work. Trust me, he will. Now, let's say that you explain it all to Mr. Smith (sure, that it isn't your fault), you pay him all of the money that he is looking for, or just some of it, but you have still lost him as a customer.

What have you learned? Lots, actually, provided that you didn't fall asleep in class.

You have learned that you didn't handle the explanation correctly; you weren't convincing at all, or you do not give the impression that you know what you're talking about, or that Mr. Smith cannot be pleased.

Don't assume the latter until you are sure about the other two things. If you do, you are paying tuition, staying awake in class, but convinced that you can learn nothing from the teacher... and you don't care about your grades. If you don't pay, you get what you pay for.

Let's say that Mr. Smith is right, but you don't know it. You pay him nothing, he leaves and tells his buddies. You think that you've won. Wrong. You lose. You lose his trust, his business and the business of others. And you go on your merry way, destined to repeat history.

A wise man once said that those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it. This is the ultimate truism.

If you pay a claim and say to yourself, "That's part of the business", you are cheating yourself out of an education. Yes, it is part of the business.

But if you pay claims with the right attitude, you will become better at your job. Your job is to look for trouble and fix it before it becomes the norm, before it becomes the accepted standard.

I have a client that used to have a staff, and all kinds of forms, just to pay claims! He did right by his customers, for sure, but he treated the symptom, not the cause. If you pay a claim, however gleefully, you take care of the symptom. But, if it is something that you can prevent or minimize, failing to turn this $50 pay-out into a new project, failing to make it your mission to avoid doing it again is failing at your job.

When you pay a claim, even if it's only $10 or $20, make a big deal. Investigate. Show the shirt to your peers. Show it to your chemical rep. Send it to a lab. Check your equipment.

It may be that you come to realize that it is your fault. Make it stop. Find a way. If you find out that it isn't your fault, make sure that you know all there is to know about the unfortunate situation. Get literature. Practice the dialogue that you will have with the customer.

Dealing with your customer's complaint on the defensive is entirely different than approaching him or her with a complete explanation of what happened. If you come out of the corner saying why this isn't your fault, you appear to be a cheapskate that doesn't want to part with $50.

Telling Mr. Smith about the problem before he tells you is a vastly better approach than the other way around. You don't appear defensive; you appear honest, concerned and professional.

All this applies, of course, to a missing shirt, as well. Lost shirts are a very scary thing to a customer. If you simply accept it as "part of the business," you'll soon be paying out your profits in claims.

This is how I developed my tagging and assembly system, which is a part of the engineering work that I do all over the country. I refused to accept lost garments as part of the business. It didn't matter to me that my distributor rep said "everybody's got missing shirts." That meant nothing to me. I was determined to make sure that it wasn't part of my business.

Hiring a consultant or an engineer <wink> is a tuition that you pay in exchange for an education. The people who engage the services of these people are the best managers because they have identified a problem and want correct it. They realize that they may be terrific drycleaners, but they lack expertise in engineering or problem-solving.

Don't be afraid to seek professional help. Paying for it may seem painful, but chances are you are already paying. You are paying money to your customers. Are you getting the maximum "bang for your buck?" I hope so.

This reminds me of client that I had a great conversation with a few months ago. We are both pilots. After completing an engineering job at his plant, he said (commenting on the successes of the last three days, "This reminds me of the movie Top Gun, where the best pilots are gathered in a room for advanced training. The teacher says to them, 'You're the best of the best. We'll make you better.'"

Sure this is a great compliment to me, but that isn't the point. The point is that you can never be complacent. Always try to get better at what you do. You can never accept something as "part of the business." You must pay your dues and learn from your mistakes. Look for trouble, find it and work at improving it. Paying a claim is finding trouble.

Never regret paying a claim. Look at it as tuition. It's cheaper than Harvard. But stay awake in class. Monitor your grades. Your profits are your grades.

By the way, the guy that had a staff to pay claims doesn't anymore. I'll let you guess why.

Dan Eisen: Things can go wrong during storage

One of the most confusing occurrences is the appearance of stains or discolorations that appear after a garment is hanging in a closet or stored by the customer.

Obviously, the most likely person that a customer blames is the drycleaner who previously cleaned the garment.

Insect stains. There are numerous varieties of insects that can plague the household. Scientists have identified 800,000 different insects and stated that there are 1 million to 10 million kinds of insects still undiscovered.

All insects excrete water and waste, which can stain fabrics. Insects lay eggs and excrete blood, which is yellow or greenish in color. These types of stains are usually very difficult to remove.

Sublimation of dye. Sublimation of dye is a term used to describe the evaporation of a solid into a gas without passing through the liquid phase. Gases in the air dissolve certain dyes. Black, red and blue dyes have a greater tendency to dissolve. In this gaseous state, the dye redeposits on another fabric (usually whites) as yellow stains or streaks.

Mildew. Many fabrics, including those made of vegetable and animal fibers, are affected by a microorganism. A fungus growth is referred to as mildew. The mildew stain can appear in many colors, including tan, yellow, brown, pink, purple and black.

Warmth, dampness and lack of fresh air combining with starch or sizing in a fabric present ideal conditions for mildew growth

Plastic bags. The use of plastic bags creates poor conditions for garment storage. Reports of tests reveal the plastic can combine with some finishes on fabric and produce yellowing. Plastic bags also have the ability to confine stagnant, warm air. Moisture present in the air can result in an acid condition that can stain and discolor fabrics.

Fume fading. Fume fading is a color change or color loss caused by the action of airborne gases found in varying degrees of concentration. These gases are more commonly the products of combustion from car exhaust, heating with coal, gas and oil. Frequently, higher concentrations of these gases exist in closets.

Darker colors will turn pink or red, but not unnecessarily evenly. Sometimes fume fading shows up after the garment has been hanging in a closet or after drycleaning. In either case, there is no way to correct it. Discolorations may appear after drycleaning or pressing because the heat accelerates the action of the gaseous chemical that has already attacked the dye.

The dyes on silk and acetate fabrics are most affected by fume fading.

Light fading. Exposure to artificial or natural light can cause the dyes on many fabrics to face of cause a white or fluorescent dyed fabric to oxidize or yellow.

Moth damage. Moth damage is usually isolated to wool, fur and leather since animal or protein substances act as a food for the larvae. Insects that are trapped in the weave of a fabric eat through most fibers.

Other type of insects can damage other fabrics. Carpet beetle larvae attacks all natural fibers including silk, wool and cotton. Cockroaches, fleas and other insects damage other fabrics.

Inspection
Examine garments carefully when accepting for cleaning. A characteristic odor of mothballs or camphor indicates that the customer stored the garment. Mildew gives off a characteristic dank or damp odor. The customer should be notified.

Observe any fading, yellowing or unusual staining. Fading can be readily observed by comparing the exposed area with an unexposed area. Check wool and wool blend fabrics for any staining or yarn weakness, which could indicate moth infestation.

Drycleaning and box storage
Cleaners who promote box storage should first properly prespot and dryclean the garment. The garment should never be stored with stains since that can contribute to insect or moth infestation.

There are several ways to prevent moth infestation on a wool garment. Mothproofing products are distributed by a few companies and may be purchased in the following forms:

1. Paradichlorobenzene, or moth balls. These substances are effective for cleaners who offer box storage for their customers.

2. Liquid mothproofing charge. This is used in the drycleaning machine as a charge or on a batch run. This can be used for the cleaner who stores clothes or it can be applied to fabrics that the customer intends to store. This is made for use in both synthetic and hydrocarbon cleaning systems.

Finishing
The heat used to finish or press a garment destroys moth and most insect infestation.

Correction procedures
Correction procedures usually involve the use of bleach. Careful testing is advised.

Insect staining. The tannin and protein formula may help, but last traces of staining will involve bleaching. Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia is helpful on silk and wool. Sodium hypochlorite is effective on linens, cottons and other fabrics.

Make sure you follow a bleach bath with acid to neutralize yellowing of the fabric.

Sublimation of dye This is usually difficult to correct. Sodium hypochlorite may be effective. Some commercial products with an alcohol composition have also been effective.

Mildew. The use of chlorine bleach or sodium hypochlorite is most effective on mildew stains. On wool and silk, use sodium perborate or hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

Fume fading. This type of color change is not correctable. Although dyeing is an alternative, the results are unpredictable.

Light fading and yellowing (white fabrics).

1. Oxidizing bleach: Sodium perborate or chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite).

2. Reducing bleach: Sodium hydrosulphite. Some commercial products combine sodium hydrosulphite with a fluorescent dye to aid restoration of white fabrics.

Stan Golomb: So you want to be a millionaire?

This is a story about a drycleaner and his wife that I met on the phone in 1967. Their names are Nell and Grady Brantley.

I had been writing a monthly article on sales for a leading drycleaning trade publication for years. One day I got a phone call from a gentleman who told me he had just opened a plant in a small paper mill town in Crossett, Arkansas.

He told me that he and his wife both worked in the mills and saved every dime in order to someday own their own business. He said they brown bagged it to work every day (took their lunch with them from home), did not go out socially and saved every dime they could.

Finally, they had enough money to open their own plant.

Finally they had enough money to open their own plant in this dirt-poor town, and, as luck would have it, got in trouble from the start.

Grady called and asked me what he could do. When I heard his story, I realized that he had too many people working in the plant for his small volume.

I told him about a machinery friend of mine in Chicago who really knew how to set up a plant for production. We worked out a deal for this gentleman to go down there and get him straightened out.

The man's name is Harold Rodin and his dad was the owner of one of Chicago's largest machinery distributors. Now, 33 years later, Harold is retired and his son-in-law is running the very successful business. They are still selling drycleaning and laundry equipment.

Harold went to Crossett, moved all the equipment around over a weekend and let half the help go since they were not needed for the volume at that time.

Grady called up to thank me and asked for help with his marketing -- and the rest is history.

He had only one small competitor, but in a town like Crossett, there really isn't much cleaning. Grady was able to double the volume that this town would normally produce.

Grady with his wife, Nell, working side by side with him, promoted their business to the point that they were making good money.

I told Grady years ago that if he kept this up and invested his money wisely, some day he would have a net worth in excess of a million dollars.

A few years ago, I got a call from Grady and he asked me if I was sitting down. I said I was and he told me that he had reached that point.

He now had a net worth of over a million dollars.

I knew he couldn't have saved that much from the cleaning business and he told me that they invested their profits in real estate. And he did tell me that they were doing over $320,000 a year. That volume is amazing since their potential was not more than $150,000.

And this is the reason I'm writing this story. You see, Grady and Nell used guerrilla marketing techniques and took funds away from the big players like Coca-Cola, Frito-Lay Potato Chips and Budweiser and got more market share than any cleaner I know.

Yes... they were spending over $20,000 a year to market their service and they sold good grooming and cleanliness like nobody did before them.

So, when I'm asked the question, as I have been for the past 30 years, "Can I improve my sales?" my answer is that even if you didn't add a single customer, you could increase your sales dramatically.

The average home provides our industry with a shade over $80 a year in drycleaning and shirt laundering.

But one order of drapes or furniture covers can easily come to $50 to $100 dollars. One order a year like this almost doubles sales without adding any customers.

And this is not the only way to increase sales without adding customers.

When you make people more concerned about cleanliness and good grooming and motivate them with strong promotional programs, you can get them to divert some of the money they have been spending on frivolous items to spend more on services that you can provide.

I know they give me a great deal of credit for their success, but this is not true. I did motivate and educate them to marketing years ago, but they did all the work.

I have never seen their plant but people who have tell me it's immaculate. Grady and Nell are there to wait on the customers who have all become their friends. They have met their goals and dreams, and my hat is off to the Brantley's of Crossett, Arkansas.

These folks are American Heroes. They, and others like them, are the backbone of this country.

Frank Kollman: When firing employees, be precise

Bad attitude. Not aggressive enough. Too aggressive. Lazy. Uncooperative. Unqualified. Difficult to work with. Doesn't fit in. Pain in the neck. Hard headed and stubborn.

No one wants an employee who meets these descriptions, but the use of these subjective terms to explain why an employee was fired can cause trouble if the employee sues over his or her termination.

First, many of these expressions are considered buzz words for racial (attitude), sexual (aggressive), and ethnic (lazy) stereotypes.

Second, courts have found the use of imprecise words to be evidence that the real reason for termination is union activity, race, or some other illegal reason. The logic is that imprecision is used to cover for flimsy objective evidence.

Third, the use of these terms can make it more difficult later to explain, in detail, the misconduct and bad behavior that led to the employee's discharge. It looks like the employer is embellishing the reasons later just for the courtroom.

When it comes time to fire an employee, do not pull punches, and do not hide behind imprecise language. For every employee with a bad attitude, there are dozens of incidents that can be used to form a clear, concise, understandable reason for the termination.

Instead of firing an employee for a bad attitude, tell him he is being fired for numerous acts of insubordination with his supervisor, failure to assist or cooperate with other employees, and poor interpersonal skills when interacting with customers. Be prepared with some examples.

Remember, courts and juries want to know the reason why an employee was fired, and they also look to see what the employee was told at the time of the discharge. Therefore, never try to soften the blow by calling a termination a layoff, or saying something like "it just isn't working out." You can say things aren't working out, but follow it up with a series of examples. That way, you can say the employee was fired for a series of cash register shortages, poorly written customer tickets, and four absences in one month.

The process is made easier if you have an employee handbook with rules of conduct and a system of discipline. Those rules of conduct are usually precise, and you can tailor the reasons for termination to those rules.

Here are 20 rules that might be found at a typical company:

COMPANY RULES OF CONDUCT

Proper cause for suspension, subject to discharge, shall include but not be limited to the following major offenses:

1. Failure or refusal to carry out orders or instructions.

2. Unsatisfactory work performance.

3. Failure to fulfill the responsibilities of the job to an extent that might or does cause injury to a person or substantial damage to or loss of product, machinery, equipment, facilities or other property.

4. Chronic or habitual absenteeism or lateness, under the Company's separate attendance standards.

5. Violation of an established safety, fire prevention, health or plant security rule.

6. False, fraudulent or malicious statement or action involving relations with the Company, another employee, or a customer, or any action disloyal to the Company.

7. Falsification of hours worked or Company records and/or omission of information requested on Company records or documents.

8. Unauthorized use of, removal of, theft, or intentional damage to the property of the Company, an employee, an independent contractor, or a customer.

9. Threatened or actual physical violence or profane or abusive language.

10. Carrying any weapon on Company premises without authorization from the Company.

11. Bringing onto Company premises, having possession of, being under the influence of, or consuming on Company premises or while on Company business, any intoxicant.

12. Violation of the Company's drug policy.

13. Gambling, disorderly, or immoral conduct while on Company premises or business.

14. Performing work or services for a competitor of the Company.

15. Excessive garnishments, to the extent permitted by law, except that no employee will be discharged because of garnishments for any one indebtedness.

16. Absence from work for two (2) consecutive scheduled work days without notifying the Company during the absence of an illness or accident preventing the employee from working (as evidenced by written certification of a medical doctor if requested by the Company), or other satisfactory reason for such absence, as determined by the Company.

17. Failure to return to work within the three (3) consecutive scheduled work days after registered or certified mail notification of recall from layoff status by the Company without notifying the Company during such three (3) day period of an illness or accident preventing the employee from working (as evidenced by written certification of a medical doctor if requested by the Company); or a minimum of two (2) week's termination notice to another employer.

18. Failure to work for any reason for a period of three (3) months.

19. An arrest, the filing of a disorderly person or criminal complaint, or the return of an indictment against an employee for any alleged wrongful activity may result in an indefinite suspension without pay, subject to discharge depending on the particular circumstances and the offense charged. (All employees are obligated to cooperate with the Company by notifying their Supervisor of any arrest or charges filed involving them, to provide and assist the Company in obtaining all relevant information needed to enable the Company to consider the allegation, and to provide current status information on the arrest or allegations as required by the Company.

20. Violation of Company policy on removing property from the premises.

Be precise; avoid lawsuits.

Frank Lucenta: Changing color of suedes and leathers

Changing the color of suedes and naked leathers by dyeing them has certain limitations that must be taken into consideration if potential problems are to be avoided.

First of all, never try to change from a darker color to a lighter color by spraying the lighter color dye over the existing darker color. It just won't work that way! The dye you spray on will mix with the darker dye that is already there and the resulting color will mostly be like the original dark color.

The only way it could work is to first strip all the dark color out of the skin and then recolor it with the lighter color. This is not usually a practical thing to do. So, for the most part, forget about changing a darker color to a lighter color with a dye.

Second, avoid attempting to change from one color to another unless the result of the mixture of the two colors is first explained to the customer and they agree to do it.

Remember that the dye color being sprayed onto the suede or naked leather will mix with the dye color that is already there. The resulting color will be a mixture of the two rather than the color being sprayed on. The resulting color may be very different from the desired color.

For example, if the color of the suede or naked leather was yellow and we desired to change it to blue and sprayed it with blue dye, the resulting color would be green, NOT blue!

Yellow mixed with blue will always be green!

This would be a disaster if blue was the expected color!. However, if green was expected, everything would be A-OK!

Yellow + Blue = Green

Third, always change the color from a lighter color to a darker shade of the same or a similar color. Making this type color change will not result in the creation of a different and unexpected secondary color. Instead, it will just darken the existing color.

For example, pastel colors can be made darker by spraying with a darker shade of the same color. Pale blue can be sprayed with blue dye to achieve a darker blue color. Pink can be sprayed with red dye to obtain a darker, deeper pink color. Light gray can be sprayed with black to get a darker gray color. Pale green may be sprayed with green dye to get a darker green. Beige may be sprayed with tan dye. Tan may be sprayed with brown or rust, and so on.

The mixture used for redyeing, should be two parts of the appropriate color of Brit-N Dye and one part Suede Nu Neutral. This mixture will insure good penetration and leveling of the dye and avoid crocking of the dye on the skin surface.

The spray pressure should be 80 psi of air pressure. Spray distance should be three inches from the spray nozzle to the surface being sprayed. Spray with slow deliberate strokes. Apply a heavy spray so that the dye mix will penetrate and saturate the skin throughout its thickness. Garments dyed in this way will retain their color after repeated cleanings.

Remember that all dyes are transparent and therefore will never cover spots, stains, blemishes, discolorations, blotches, glue bleed, etc.

Remember, however, that stains that do not come out in drycleaning may be removed in wetcleaning, and a stain should not be considered unremovable until it has been spotted and cleaned on BOTH the wet side and the dry side.

For suedes, there are no further coloring procedures to be followed and unremovable spots, stains, blemishes, etc., will remain noticeable even after spraying with the dye.

For naked leathers, however, there are additional spray procedures which can be employed, that will cover unremovable spots and stains, and make possible a wider range of color changes through the use of the pigmented Leather Pro Leather Finishes, which are applicable to all smooth leather surfaces.

Covering spots and stains
The procedure for covering unremovable spots and stains on naked leather is as follows:

First, press the leather, to remove wrinkles and to obtain a smooth surface before spraying.

Then, spray with the appropriate color of Leather Pro Color Leather Finish. The adjustment screw on the back of the spray gun should be screwed closed and then opened 1ˇ4 turn. This will limit the amount of Leather Finish that will spray from the gun.

Spray at 80 psi of air pressure from a distance of eight inches between the spray nozzle and the surface of the naked skin leather.

Spray lightly and evenly. Apply just enough leather finish to cover the old color and unremovable spots and stains.

The high air pressure, the restricted flow of leather finish and the longer distance between the gun and the naked leather surface insures that a light coating of the finish will be fogged on to the surface instead of a heavy coating. This fogging technique ensures that the original dry look and feel of the naked leather will be retained, while all unremovable stains are covered.

NOTE: Do not press after spraying or the dry dull finish will become a gloss finish and all the hard work done to keep the leather looking naked will have to be repeated.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Do not attempt to use products that are not specifically formulated for use on suede and leather. The Royaltone suede and leather products referred to in this article are formulated to process suedes, leathers, furs and trimmed cloth without causing color loss, color bleed, color transfer, stiffening of the skins or matting down the nap. Other brands of products for use on suede and leather may not give the same results when used as described in this article.

Dennis McCrory: Why customers keep coming back

No matter how well set you might currently be in terms of having plenty of work to keep you busy, marketing should become an integral part of your everyday business operation -- if it's not already. This applies to any company, large or small.

In today's fast-moving competitive world, you have to differentiate yourself and be able to communicate to your target audience why you are different and special.

If you don't tell your customers why you are different or, worse yet, you don't actually do something to make yourself different, customers will perceive you as the same as every other cleaner.

At this point you are forced to chase after their business by discounting. The perception that "all drycleaners are the same" is the reason for the relative success of the discount operators.

A basic marketing plan can be initiated by even the smallest plant owners. It involves four steps: analysis, planning, execution, and tracking.

Analysis helps you develop an understanding of your market. Whom do you want to target. How do you want to reach them? What response are you hoping to generate? What are you going to do when you get that response?

A good demographic analysis of your area will give you a clear picture of your store's potential. This can be purchased from the Golomb Group for about $200. With this information in hand you can begin to answer some of the above questions with insight and logic, instead of just wishful thinking.

Planning is straightforward. Decide what will be the most effective way to reach your targeted market. E-mail messaging, links to a Web site, yellow page ads, newspaper advertising, consumer publications, radio or television campaigns, and sponsored events are all valid techniques.

However, if your budget is limited and you want the greatest "'bang for your buck, go with direct mail. Direct mail is a highly effective and cost-efficient means of marketing.

Direct mail will target individual homes in your immediate area who are genuinely potential customers. While other media may reach a greater number of people, many, if not most of them, are not realistic candidates to do business with your store.

Execution is the nuts-and-bolts aspect of the job. This is where most small businesses go awry. They want to handle the job themselves, but don't have either the time or the know-how. They attempt to put their plan into action but fall over so many stumbling blocks they eventually give up, without ever finding the true potential of good marketing. This is a job for professionals whose only job is fulfillment of your marketing plans. They will get the job done, while you concentrate on your core businesses,

Tracking is important for two reasons. First, it provides feedback on how well your marketing program is working. Second, it keeps you abreast of market changes. If a particular promotion that has proved fruitful in generating sales in the past suddenly stops working, chances are good there have been some changes in your market.

Of course, the message you deliver in your marketing campaign is the most important aspect of all. In effect, you are "branding" your business to both your existing and prospective customers. As marketing guru David Aaker says in his book, "Building Strong Brands," too often, the message to customers is weak, confusing, or worst of all, indistinguishable from competitors.

Marketing experts agree that the marketing message should be to clearly state what your prospective customer has to gain by do doing business with you. The truth is, the one question most people ask when faced with any marketing message is: "What's in it for me?" Answer that single question, and you will have a successful marketing program on which you can grow your business.

As every business owner knows, the only thing more important than landing your first customer is landing your second. And your third. And your fourth.

The time to start working on getting more customers is right now. Begin by answering these questions:

What are you good at?

Who is your competition?

What kind of revenue do you need?

How satisfied are your current customers?

Who else could benefit from your services?

After you've answered these questions you can develop a marketing plan. The plan you put in place should be a sustainable one. One that you can -- and are willing to -- repeat for the life of your business.

Finally, go after the big fish, rather than the small fish. It takes the same amount of time to bait the hook!

Dennis McCrory works with The Golomb Group which provides direct mail and marketing services for drycleaners. They also produce the following book and video packages:<
"The Caplan Method of Stain Removal"
"The Caplan Method of Shirt Laundering and Finishing"
"Pre-employment Screening Kit."
To order any of these, call The Golomb Group, (630) 887-7339.

Alan Robson: Keeping your business in the family

More than 90 percent of the drycleaners in the US are family-owned and closely held businesses, therefore, the following statistics should be of interest to all readers. This information comes from a recent Wall Street Journal article entitled, "Couple Coaches Family Businesses on Survival Tactics".

This article states, "Since family-owned and closely held businesses generate half of the U.S. gross domestic product, their success and failures play a big role in the U.S. economy" according to Sidney Barton, executive director of the Goering Center for Family and Private Businesses at the University of Cincinnati. "But according to most studies, only one-third of family businesses are successfully transmitted from parents to children, and only 10 percent of family businesses remain in a family for three generations," says Professor Barton.

Many factors come into play in the transfer of any family business, but those factors are even greater in the drycleaning business. The drycleaning business is very demanding. For owners, the hours are long, the plants are very hot, and there is tremendous pressure to get the garments done right and back to the customers on time. Add to that, the demands of your customers and the personal needs of your employees.

Furthermore, when children do join the typical drycleaning business, they join as an employee. As time goes on, they get married, have families of their own and their financial needs increase. Now the company is faced with having to fulfill the financial needs of two families. If more than one child joins the business, the financial demands on the business become that much greater.

The family dynamics
The WSJ article focused on the efforts of Mr. De Gaspe Beaubien and his wife to turn their business into a "multigenerational enterprise". This couple spent decades talking to hundreds of families and found that "family dynamics, not just business practices, are essential in developing a long-term succession plan." It is the family dynamics combined with the pressures of running a business that often ruin a successful transition from one generation to the next.

In a family owned business, the business itself puts a great deal of pressure on every family member. The business and the family become blended to the point where it is extremely difficult to separate the personal needs of each member. Each family member makes up the family dynamics.

As stated by Professor Louis B. Barnes at the Harvard Business School, "So many family businesses just fall apart over in-fighting and sibling rivalry."

The De Gaspe Beaubiens counsel families on "how to set up a continuing formal discussion forum, or family council, to deal with business and family issues.

They also recommend using a trained discussion facilitator to sort through family members' grievances and goals." They recommend establishing family councils, which include non-family members. The non-family members are not burdened with the emotional issues that exist between family members.

They recommend that the family hold formal council meetings twice a year. To be successful, one of the semi-annual meetings should include all the family members, even the children who are not involved in the business. It is the outside facilitators responsibility to keep the family members focused on issues relating to the business and not allow personal conflicts to dominate the meeting.

Get advice from others
From time to time, one of my management group members will ask the group to make recommendations on developing a succession plan. This is an excellent opportunity to get advice from business owners who have faced the same dilemma with all the accompanying fears and anxieties. Furthermore, the group members are very familiar with the people involved in the company and, also, the business.

Developing a long-range succession plan requires the ability to identify the needs of each family member and the ability of the company to meet those needs. It is all about communication. An article in Harvard Management Communication newsletter from Harvard Business School Publishing is all about the mistakes managers make when trying to communicate with employees.

These mistakes also apply to family communications. Most communication in business is to inform others about change. People instinctively resist change.

The article says the biggest mistake managers make is in not communicating with employees.

The second biggest mistake is in under-estimating the emotional impact your communications will have on the individual.

One drycleaner I know gave a presser a raise of 25 cents per hour and the presser quit.

The owner couldn't understand the presser's actions. Two weeks earlier, the owner had given another presser a 50 cents per hour raise. The presser who quit was insulted.

Had the owner explained that the 25-cent raise was a reward for the presser's improvement and that there would be another raise if she continued to improve, chances are she would still be working there. It is important to take the time to explain your actions.

Are you listening?
Your actions speak louder than words. If you only hear bad news when it is too late, it may be because everyone knows that you explode when you hear about a problem. People will avoid communicating with you for fear of your reaction... or over-reaction!

For those of you who have children in the business who will someday take over the business, begin developing your succession plan today. First, you must determine how much money you will need for retirement, and how much you will receive from your retirement programs (Social Security, IRA, etc.).

Determine the value of your business
The next step is to determine the value of the business. If you own the business real estate you are in very good shape. The value of the business is not based on the sales volume; it is based on "recast earnings."

Recast earnings are profits the company generates before interest, taxes, depreciation and owner's compensation. That figure is then multiplied by a factor of four. The factor of four will give the new owner a 25 percent return on investment. This figure does not include real estate.

If you own the real estate, the business can be sold to your children for less than market value and you can keep the real estate. The rent they pay will be a part of your retirement package. This protects your future in the unlikely event that something goes wrong with the business. You will still have the property.

Alan Robson is a private consultant dealing with the specialized needs of the drycleaning industry. Readers are encouraged to send him questions he can address in future columns. For more information, contact him by telephone at (508) 753-6619 or send e-mail to him at: agrobson@ma.ultranet.com

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