Stan Caplan: Training is the basis of success

In-plant training actually begins with personnel management and the initial hiring. Each job in the organization should have a detailed "Job Description."

The basic duties required to perform the job, the relationship of each basic duty to the entire operation, all the allied tasks as part of the job, and any other significant and insignificant details and tasks should be outlined in the Job Description.

For example: the requirement to keep the work area clean is very important even if a janitorial company or salaried janitor is employed, and the employed janitor(s) should have a Job Description for themselves.

The Job Description avoids the ever familiar statement by the employees: "That's not my job!" Also, starting/training wages are indicated and advances in both wages and position are included. These provisions avoid confusion, arguments and legal entanglements later on and the familiar phrase: "You never told me that."

Next to attending an association training school in an academic and technical environment and without the requirement to get the work out first and train second, a well-organized in-plant training program is the most viable. Merely putting the new recruit with a veteran worker in a technical position for training is not the answer.

Training must be conducted by a well-trained instructor from the management or supervisory levels since a good supervisor and a good instructor are one and the same. No matter how good a worker he or she may be, there must be, inherent, the ability to transfer his or her knowledge to the workers. A good supervisor must try to get the work out with efficiency, quality and on time. The more carefully and thoroughly trained his or her employees are, the closer he or she comes to achieving these goals.

Therefore, a viable in-plant training program must stress two points for good instruction: First, how to get the trainees to do a job, correctly, quickly and conscientiously; and, second, if the worker hasn't learned, the instructor hasn't taught.

It must be pointed out that merely telling a person how to do a job has its limitations since many people do not "get it" through telling alone. Also, since many operations are difficult to put into words, the instructor cannot always think of the exact words necessary. If the instructor tries to tell too much, the entire operation appears complicated and is lost to the trainee.

Showing, as a method of instruction, also has its limitations since many trainees simply try to copy motions, and many motions are difficult; to copy. Tricky or unusual points are missed by this method of instruction.

Therefore, the most viable method of instruction is a combination of both, called the "tell and show" method. In this method of training, the instructor must prepare for the job and the training facility.

First, understand that training is more then telling and showing. It is a well planned process whereby a person is taught to perform a task properly and in a timely manner. It is based upon motivation, patience, respect, skill and reward. It must be administered by well-trained teachers, not good production workers or supervisors only.

The six objectives
Training has six objectives:

1. To increase the worker's knowledge and skill.

2. To enhance the worker's value.

3. To prepare the worker for advancement.

4. To improve the plant operation.

5. To maintain morale among workers.

6. To promote motivation among workers.

There are two major phases in a well-managed training program:

1. Establishing the training program

2. Implementing the training program.

Establishing the training program
If this major phase is not established with the proper preparation, the entire training program and your trainee enthusiasm will be destroyed.

A small area or room should be set aside for a classroom. The area or room should be ventilated and well-lit. You will need a few tables and chairs, a chalk board or flip chart (having both is ideal) and visual aid equipment, including a television and a video cassette recorder.

The hands-on phase is conducted in the plant or the customer service area. The group of trainees must not be too large since the number of spotting boards and finishing units should accommodate no more than two persons (one per unit is ideal). This phase is conducted after production is over or in the evening in order not to conflict with daily production quotas.

The instructors must be thoroughly trained and familiar with the methodology of the company's objectives for quality work and customer satisfaction. They must be familiar with the equipment on hand. The program of instruction, which forms the basis for the training schedule, must be similar to the methodology used by the company. It would be very confusing to the trainee if one method of finishing and spotting were taught and another method actually performed on the job.

The instructor must be skilled in making the training interesting and motivating the trainees. Some of the points that an instructor can stress are:

1. A raise upon completion of training course.

2. Promotions require completion of training course.

3. Feeling of self-satisfaction upon completion of training course.

4. Job security is increased by customer satisfaction due to quality work and timeliness.

5. Job security due to increased value to company, and you are the "best of the best."

The initial planning begins with a Program of Instruction. This document is like a syllabus and each subject is listed with the training area involved, the time requirement and a short description of the subject's content. As noted above, it forms the basis for the training schedule and must conform to company procedures.

There are four basic "get ready" points for a viable "tell and show training program" as follows:

1. Prepare a timetable and training schedule.

2. Prepare a job breakdown or analysis.

3. Have everything ready.

4. Have the workplace properly arranged.

Timetable or progress chart
A timetable or progress chart (shown below) is advantageous when training several persons to perform a similar job. It shows who can do what and how long it will take to teach that person to do the job. It also shows how skilled a person is compared to how unskilled another person is.

On the timetable above, for example, the symbol "X" represents the operation the trainee knows; the symbol "--" represent the operations the trainee is not adaptable or qualified to learn. The date indicates the operations to be taught and the time of completion of training.

Where the chart was prepared, it showed at a glance that J. Jones had enough prior training and experience to warrant a very little training here, other than teaching our way of doing the job. It also showed that we had to train the other two persons in more phases of the job in order to reduce our total dependence on Jones.

Finally, the chart indicates the weak points and lack of experience claimed by the trainees when interviewed. M. Smith will not make a first-class finisher. When a new employee is hired, he or she automatically becomes a trainee, whether experienced of not.

A glance at the timetable, after a few days, will show instantly where training is most needed and what needs to be upgraded.

Initially however, a training schedule has to be prepared based upon the Program of Instruction.

The training schedule lists the subject to be taught, the time and place of the instruction, the name of the instructor and the time for breaks. The trainees should have this information in advance so management does not need to continually remind the trainee of the sessions.

Job breakdown chart

Garment: Shirt

Equipment: Cabinet Sleever

Operation: Finish sleeves

Steps	Key Points
1. Remove from damp box	Grasp collar on each end with back facing operator.
2. Slip sleeves on sleever forms (bucks)	Both sleeve seams face operator down center of sleeve buck.
3. Adjust cuff	Clamp cuffs with spring clamp just above the cuff seam and both sides of cuff, almost touching.
4. Straighten sleeves with karate chop	Apply tension by pulling sleeves down, sleeve seam running down rear, center of buck facing operator. Step on air bag pedal and inflate bags.
5. Press sleeves should	Raise or lower sleeve measuring device with light shining on shirt's seam. Press red button on measuring device.

The job breakdown, or analysis, is a memorandum from the instructor to her or himself to help organize the operation in the instructor's mind so that he or she will not miss some important detail, and to furnish a basis for uniform and standardized training. It is simply a reminder of what is really important about completing the job or task.

The breakdown can be prepared for each job in the plant, thus a very valuable method of instruction is built up so that all future training will be uniform.

Often we know a job so well that we overlook the points that confuse the new worker, or sometimes we think we know a job when we really do not. Remember one rule in adult education: "If the student hasn't learned, the teacher hasn't taught."

Somewhere during the instruction process, the instructor fell down on the job. That is why preparing the job breakdown is so important. It should be prepared on the job, not in the office. It is surprising how many points are missed unless it is actually made out on the job where every move can be observed.

In the breakdown sheet, each move is analyzed and the important step set down with any key points necessary in performing that step.

A "step" is an operation in a logical group of operations necessary to competing the job. Try to avoid more than nine steps to avoid teaching too much at one time. Make it simple and brief.

A "key point" is:

1. Anything in the step which will make, or break the job.

2. Anything which simplifies the performance of the job and makes it easier.

3. Anything that might injure the worker if not followed.

The chart on the next page shows an example of a breakdown sheet for finishing sleeves on a cabinet bag sleever.

Have everything ready; Have workplace properly arranged

These two final steps are so closely allied that we can cover them together. Here is where the instructor should set the right example for the worker. The right tools and equipment, in good working condition and properly placed, should be used in exactly the same way as the trainee will be expected to use them after training is completed. Pressing machines should have new combination pads plus wisk broom, brushes, a pelican sleever and shoulder pad, etc. All utility presses should be equipped with an all-steam iron, water spray gun and sleeve ironing board. Steam air form finishers should have good sleeve expanders, water spray gun and clean cover.

Spotting boards should be clean and have both water and steam guns, and the spotting bottles clean, labeled and placed uniformly on the top tray. Spotting brushes should be new and labeled. If the instructor has to apologize for using the wrong tool, dirty equipment, wrong type of equipment or for the disorderly condition of the work area, the trainee will lose respect for both the instructor and entire organization. If, on the other hand, everything is exactly right and properly arranged, the trainee will be impressed with the fact that it behooves him or her to keep everything in a similar manner.

Next month this series will conclude with Part 3 -- Implementing the Training Program.

Note: My video, "The Caplan Method of Stain Removal," which includes my comprehensive text (edited by Hal Horning) and the handy spotting board reference, is now available from the Golomb Group, c/o Dennis McCrory, 7664 Plaza court, Willowbrook, IL 60521; phone (630) 887-7339.

Also available is my video on step-by-step shirt finishing with a viable wash formula for whiter whites and bright colors. This shirt finishing procedure was developed by me for top quality with no touch up (regular sizes) together with top production. Both one and two-operator cabinet shirt units are demonstrated, and the sequence of lays involves the use of a cabinet sleever and a single, or triple, heated collar former.

Avoiding shrinkage, wilting and dipping of the collar, together with proper breaking and forming on the heated collar former, are all demonstrated. Proper dressing of each portion of the shirt is demonstrated to get a smooth crisp finish and thoroughly dried under the press head with no loss of "pieces per operator hour (ppoh)."

Attractive detailing and packaging of the hangered shirt, padding, steam pressure and machine timing are discussed. A looseleaf, comprehensive text explaining the sequence of lays, wash formulas and other pertinent information is also enclosed.

Ray Colucci: Should you be panting for profit?

This fall's convention in Atlantic City, sponsored by the Pennsylvania and Delaware Drycleaners Association, was the most informative meeting I have ever attended.

That is where Dave Giguere of Hoffman/New Yorker's northeast territory showed me the light.

Dave and I both agreed that if the drycleaner took care of "half his business" he would be turning over the profit and the volume he has a right to expect. The half we were talking about is pants. It has been proven time and time again that half our business is pants -- the processing of pants, be they trousers or slacks, ladies' or men's. It's half our business. It's pant-tas-tic!

Dave researched the cost of a shirt unit and the cost of labor and figured how many shirts it would take to process and to finally realize "a pay back."

Then he took the investment of a pants topper and blower, a legger/utility and even a mushroom topper and estimated just how many pants it would take for a payback and, in the process solve the bottleneck of quality/production and more than cover the vital, stable half of your business. It's pants, pants, and pants!

I recall some 30 years ago a smart operator who had a super busy drive-in in Connecticut. He suddenly got fed up with the problem of pants labor and production and decided he had to do something. He went ahead and invested in two topper/blowers and two legger pressers. Some 30 years ago, they were no way near today's perfected product, but he was desperate and willing to take a chance at finally solving the problem.

Training for success
His only requirement was that they be dependable, punctual and possess some dexterity.

Then he gave careful instructions how they would carefully dress the pants top on the blower/topper, start the cycle and, when complete, remove and place the legs of the pants on the legger (but don't start until the next pants were dressed and placed on the topper), and the cycle again started.

Now he achieved tandem pressing with just a pivot, one operator working on two presses, with no loss of motion. No more ceiling gazing waiting for a cycle to complete itself.

Here was the amazing part. He paid these totally inexperienced seniors 5 cents a pair of pants the first week, and insisted on only a perfect product. Production was about 20 pants an hour.

The next week he increased the pay to 7 1Ž2 cents, still insisting on perfect quality. Production climbed to over 30 pants an hour.

The next week he upped the piece work to 10 cents and was pleased at over 50 pants an hour! He even had to cut the number down when they started to exceed 55 and 60 pants an hour.

Keeping up quality
He also instituted a final inspection and correction rule. If too many pants got rejected, the operator was dismissed and replaced with the back up presser, who was anxiously waiting. You also have to remember this was 30 years ago and averaging $5 an hour was a fair wage.

The plant now had no more back-ups and the part-time workers easily accepted the four-hour day after school and Saturdays. He also knew the mentality of a teenager, so he instituted bonuses and gifts like a walkman radio and a pizza party on Friday or Saturday when the extra effort was apparent.

30 years later
Today's equipment is space-age compared to what was on the market 30 years ago. Now it is completely sophisticated and automated -- insulated heads for a cooler more comfortable environment, timers and releases, with hand iron attachments, all with better lighting.

Hoffman has even developed a self-contained unit with its own electric boilers, vacuum, and air compressor, all contained beneath the table of the legger.

Units can be purchased without the additional mushroom presser, thereby reducing further the investment.

To make the training more comprehensive, since some operators don't possess the ability to instruct properly with patience, Hoffman is developing a simple 20-minute video that is offered with the equipment purchase.

The most convincing piece of literature is a brochure that Dave developed to clearly show the cost per piece, per pants and how the units can be purchased at basically "cost free." In the same piece there is a great analogy of the comparative cost of the pay-back in the investment of a shirt unit. Gone forever is the lament that we can't make any money or maintain production with quality in the drycleaning business.

We're constantly confronted with "casual dress," wash n' wear, and faulty home cleaning products, but I can assure you, we will not see pants washed and pressed at home or the absence of pants as an essential part of our wardrobe. Certainly not in my lifetime -- unless nudity becomes the style!

I invite my readers to look closely at this new advancement. For more information please write to me at the address below.

Don Desrosiers: Unraveling the mystery of starch

So what about starch levels? I feel compelled to write about this today because today, like most days, I get a question about it. Seems that so many of my clients, acquaintances and friends in this business handle starch as almost a company secret.

Here is what I mean:

If you are among the 90+ percent who have two starch levels, yes and no (that is; starch or no starch), you may already be relieved to know that you are in the tremendous majority. So many of my clients tell me that they have this company "secret" in a kind of apologetic tone. Often the wash person will say, in a hush-hush voice, "We only have starch and no-starch here."

They are so happy to hear that I expected that. I think that some of the employees in a lot of places think that management is deceiving the customers by seemingly offering four options; no starch, light starch, medium starch and heavy starch. Some of the employees will tell the customers that they can't have light starch. They'll pressure the customer for a yes or no answer. Do you want starch or don't you? We don't do light starch here.

These statements are probably unnecessary. Few consumers will understand the reasons why the starch feel will vary from fabric to fabric. They may claim to understand, but they probably don't. Most have no clue that starch is a rinse additive.

Let's say John Doe brings in four shirts. One is a 100 percent polyester, one is a 60/40 blend oxford, one is a cotton oxford, and the last one is an all-cotton broadcloth.

Pick any starch level that you like, but each shirt will feel different than any of the others. You can even try some creativity if you like. Heavy starch the polyester shirt and no starch the cotton oxford. You won't get them to feel alike. Never.

I have a client on the west coast who had five starch levels. I have been doing shirts for almost 23 years and I did not know that there were five levels. He had (notice the key verb is had) no starch, light starch, medium starch, heavy starch and extra-heavy starch!

Too eager to please
This happens, I speculate, when a relative new-comer to the business is a bit too eager to give the customer whatever she or he wants. I don't advocate telling a customer that "we don't do light starch." Or "medium starch, heavy starch... it's the same thing."

My advice: don't bother. Chances are quite high that he is only saying that he wants light starch because he is happy with the starch feel on his shirts now. If he says anything but light starch, like medium starch or no starch, he fears that he will be disappointed.

Have you ever had a customer who, every week, asks for "Light starch on the cuffs, heavy starch on the collar and no starch on the rest of the shirt"? There are lots of people like this across the country.

Everybody in the business knows that this person can not be accommodated, but this customer most likely fears that if she or he forgets to exclude the cuffs and the body of the shirt from the dreaded "heavy" starch, he or she will be disappointed. I have seen customers make a phone call back to the store that they just left to say something like: "I forgot to tell you that I want light starch on my shirts. I didn't mean to say no starch." In nine out of ten plants, it is exactly the same thing.

So then, why not be honest with the customer? Because if you tell a customer that you "don't do light starch," you run the risk of saying it to a customer who knows that she can get light starch at your competitor's place. Your customer may feel that you are ill-equipped to do it correctly and therefore you cut corners by not offering light starch.

In actuality, your competitor doesn't do anything that you don't do, and knows nothing that you don't know -- except to know enough not to tell a customer something that they don't absolutely have to know.

In the English language, if you add the word "yet" to the end of a sentence, you completely change the meaning of that sentence. Why am I saying this now? Because I am going to do it. Here it goes.

No difference, yet...
There is absolutely no difference between light starch, medium starch and heavy starch, and yet...

There, I did it. I have left some room for doubt. The new starch cookers seem to be exacting enough to show some distinguishable difference between starch levels. This is a revelation to an old laundry man like myself.

After putting forth some 700 words here, implying that there is no difference, I thought it quite important to say that there can be. I do not advise, though, buying a starch cooker for that reason alone. They have several advantages, not the least of which is being able to starch colored shirts with perfect results.

Test yourself
So how do you decide what to do in your plant? Have an employee bring you three completed bundles of four or five shirts each. Hang them on a rack in front of you.

Now, without looking at the invoices, touch the cuff on each of the shirts.

Tell yourself what level of starch is in each of the shirts. You may be in for a surprise. This is how I changed the west coast client's perceived need for five starch levels. I took three bundles of five shirts each.

All of the orders were marked for medium starch. I asked the client to tell me the starch level in each of the shirts. Every shirt should have felt like medium starch, but I knew that there wasn't any way that that was going to happen.

I'd like to say that he gave me 15 different answers for 15 shirts. Naturally, I can't say that, but he did say that some were starched heavily, others medium starch, some no, and some light.

Wow! If this happens to you, think about the trouble that you go through to separate those shirts by starch type. It is only worth the trouble if you get measurable results from all of that sorting.

Starching shirts is important because customers can not do it themselves at home. They really have to come to you.

Give customers what they want, but be sure that, at the end of the process, you are giving the customer what you think you are giving them.

Dan Eisen: Get up to date on vintage fabrics

There has been an increased interest by consumers in wearing garments from another era.

Clothes that were just hanging in a closet for 15 years or so are now back in vogue. Wedding gowns originally worn 25 years ago are popularly passed down to the children to wear at their weddings.

Many shops that sell vintage clothing are springing up, responding to the desires of the increased number of people interested in acquiring vintage garments. In fact, many people are willing to pay significant sums for garments previously worn by an earlier generation.

Vintage fabrics can range from men's and women's wear to blankets, quilts and wall hangings, The more frequently encountered fibers are silk, rayon, linen, cotton and wool. Less commonly seen are polyester, acetate and acrylic fibers, developed in the 1950s.

Fabric problems
Due to the age of the fabric encountered, a great deal of fading and oxidation from atmospheric gasses is to be expected. Also found is fading from exposure to light.

Many stains may be encountered, as well as substances such as chloride salts will degrade silk and other fabrics. Chloride salts are found in antiperspirants as well as in foods and beverages. The routine cleaning process used will remove the grease and soil, making discoloration more obvious. Weakened dyes will be revealed from the heat and mechanical action of cleaning. Routine spotting procedures can accelerate weakened areas, especially when moisture and mechanical action are used.

Identification
Inspect vintage garments for fading and discoloration. Inspect exposed areas and compare with unexposed areas. Hold the garment up to the light and inspect for weakened and tender areas. Inform the customer that stain removal may not be possible in all instances.

Customers can expect to have a cleaner fabric and more vibrant colors when the dirt and soils are removed. In addition, faded and discolored areas may be more vivid when soil is removed. Customers should sign a release before processing is undertaken.

Drycleaning

Before drycleaning, test surface prints and colors. Rub an unexposed area with a cloth damp with volatile dry solvent and note the extent to which color is transferred. Dryclean in a high solvent level for one to three minutes, depending on the fragility of the garment.

Avoid the use of moisture in the cleaning solvent. Dry at a temperature no higher than 140°F.

Spotting
Test wet and dry side agents before using. The dye on the vintage fabrics may be fugitive. Use a padded special silk brush or wrap a cloth around bristle brush to limit mechanical action on a fabric.

Remember, old fabric may not be drycleanable even through they appear drycleanable. Even the use of digesters on old wool fabrics will accelerate fabric deterioration if the fibers is oxidized and weakened.

Some vegetable dyes may be highly sensitive to mild acids and even alkali may be affected by moisture.

Wetcleaning
Vintage fabrics may often be unsafe in wetcleaning. Test dyes by first applying a lubricant on an unexposed area and flush with steam into a white cloth. Note the extent of dye transfer. Watch out for sized and glossy fabric which may be impregnated with water-soluble sizing.

Restoration
Many white gowns or fabrics that have yellowed may require restoration and whitening. This can be accomplished by using mild oxidizing bleaches such as sodium perborate or sodium percarbonate. Some reducing bleach such as sodium hydrosulphate is also effective.

Finishing
Normal finish, according to the fabric. Avoid spraying and steaming acetate fabric. The combination of steam and moisture will deluster some of the vintage acetate.

Summary
When accepting vintage garments and fabrics, careful inspection is imperative. Carefully examine the fabric for facing, oxidation, staining and other problems. Note such fabric limitations on the sales slip and obtain a customer release when accepting a vintage garment for processing.

Stan Golomb: They made it big in a small town

Last month, my column was about a drycleaner who started with humble beginnings and accomplished the American dream.

He and his wife became millionaires, but never really changed their life-style as these are real down to earth folks.

The title of the article was: "So you want to be a millionaire?"

Grady and Nell Brantley sent pictures that would have appeared in last month's article, but they arrived too late. But, because these folks deserve so much credit, I decided to reproduce the pictures they sent and explain some of the promotions they ran.

As you can see, their plant is a beautiful free-standing building and, if you look carefully, you will see a four-panel sign in the window. Incidentally, that was a changeable letter sign I sold them years ago so they could use it for their Jackpot promotion.

The sign reads:

CASH JACKPOT
$1,400
WEEK #37
WINNING NO. 5825

On the One Hour Martinizing property outside the store, they have a large sign with moving lights that shows the prize for the present week.

Also note that they have given out $99,000 in prize money over the years.

I asked the Brantley's to pose in front of the store. They did, but you can't really see them too well. Also, note the canopy and side drive through.

They also included a picture of a sign leading into town.

The population of Crossett is only 6,282, and if you divide their sales by the number of residents, counting every man, woman and child, they average $50.94 a year.

This is an incredible number in a small mill town with a below-average income level and a town of working people. There is nothing of any consequence within 50 miles of Crossett.

Since the average family size is 2.7 people, there are only 2,327 homes in town.

Perhaps you want to know how they were able to generate $137.64 average expenditure per household when the national average is only $80 a year.

Well, I'll tell you how they did it.

In 1967, shortly after they opened, I put them into a Jackpot program. The way this works is that every customer is given a ticket with a number on it and they toss the stub with the corresponding number in a bowl. The customer fills out a form and that is put in a numerical file at the counter.

Every week the Brantley's offered a $100 prize providing the customer came in that week and signed their card. They didn't have to bring in any cleaning.

At the end of the week, a number was drawn and a guaranteed winner got a $50 gift certificate at the local grocery store. Another number was drawn and if the winner had not signed a card, the $50 was added to the pot.

Each week the pot grew and as you can see in the picture of the outdoor sign, the cash prize was $1,500.

The Brantleys have given away $99,000 to their customers who are residents of Crossett. Business booms whenever the prize gets high, even though they don't have to bring in cleaning to register. There was a grocery winner every week.

A few months after the Brantleys started this program, we added the Jolly Tokens with redeemable gifts right at the plant.

Every time a customer came in with an order, they were given tokens at the rate of one per dollar spent.

We gave away blankets, cutlery sets, piggy banks, photo albums and an array of gifts, all related to point values.

I was supplying them with the tokens and gifts, and we were processing orders for them every week.

They were spending $20,000 a year at the beginning even when there was little excess cash while they were paying off the debt service.

Once that was completed, the Brantleys started buying up local real estate. Today, their plant is a model of what a drycleaning plant should be. It is very attractive and immaculate, according to people I have sent to visit them.

And both Grady and Nell Brantley are there to greet their customers, who are also their friends. And the quality is the best that any drycleaner can produce.

These people are professionals and deserve all the credit in the world. They are still active members of the Golomb Group. It's working with people like the Brantleys that makes my work as enjoyable as it is.

We've been working together for the past 37 years even though we never met face to face. The Brantleys run the kind of drycleaning business that gives the industry a good name. We need more people like them.

Frank Kollman: Workers' comp can help employers

Recent studies suggest that workers' compensation insurance adds more than 2.25 percent to the cost of a company's payroll. A reduction in that figure would not only add to the profit margin, it would enhance the prospects of a new business surviving and an old business thriving.

There are plenty of reasons to try to change the Byzantine system that permits claimants to recover benefits for nebulous or questionable claims. Before we, as employers, call for the system to be scrapped in full, however, we need to take great care to retain the employer protections in the law, and to use them whenever possible.

Many employers do not realize that they are protected from multi-million dollar law suits for wrongful deaths because workers compensation benefits are the exclusive benefit.

In one case, a 16-year-old employee was electrocuted while using a sump pump with electrical components that had been found to be in serious violation of safety standards by a state agency. The employer inaccurately informed the state that the problem had been fixed before the problem caused the young man's death.

The employee's mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit, claiming that the death was a deliberate, intentional act. The court ruled that even though the employer may have acted recklessly and lied to the state, the sole remedy was the workers' compensation death benefit (there $40,000).

Those same protections extend to off-duty conduct that is work related in almost any way. In another interesting case, a welder died as the result of an accident that occurred while he was using an arc welding machine to repair the exhaust of a friend's automobile.

Although the machine belonged to his employer, the project was purely personal and occurred on the employee's own time. His family sued the employer for wrongful death, claiming that because the project was a purely personal one, unrelated to his regular work and after hours, the death was not covered by workers' compensation.

The court disagreed, finding that the incident was covered by workers' compensation. The court stressed that the activity benefited the employer because it promoted positive employee morale. The court wrote, that even recreational activities generally provide "a direct, albeit intangible benefit... to [an] employer."

That same reasoning has saved many employers from unanticipated headaches. It is not uncommon for employers to hold company picnics, holiday parties, and outings to amusement parks. It is surprising how often serious injuries or death result from incidents such as diving into a swimming a pool and breaking one's neck, or breaking a leg sliding into second base.

In almost all such cases, employers are safe from multi-million dollar legal actions because of workers' compensation law.

Other important employer protections are included in most state workers' compensation laws. If an employer uses temporary agency employees, who are paid by the agency and receive benefits from them, the employer still is protected from liability for tort actions because of workers compensation. In the eyes of the law, the worker is considered the employee of both the temporary agency and the contractor. Thus, in the case of injury or death, the employee's remedy against both companies is limited to workers' compensation.

In some states, because workers' compensation exclusivity is paramount, courts do not allow even intentional torts to go forward. Suits for intentional infliction of emotional distress have been barred as being covered only by workers' compensation in many jurisdictions, and some state courts even have thrown out claims for defamation and false imprisonment as being limited to benefits available under workers' compensation.

Yet another protection which is afforded to supervisors and managers where they are acting within the scope of their employment.

So long as the supervisor or manager is acting on tasks that are the responsibility of the employer, and his conduct is not extremely outrageous, he may be immune from any independent lawsuit under the exclusivity provisions of state workers' compensation statutes.

While these few examples of advantages that employers gain under workers' compensation systems do not mean that workers' compensation is not in need of serious reform, those who join the battle on behalf of employers should be aware of, and jealously guard, the protections already in place. The applicable cliche -- Do not throw the baby out with the bath water.

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's web site at www.kollman-sheehan.com has more articles and other information on employee/employer relations. The firm also sponsors a web site for human resource professionals at www.hrlawforum.com.

Frank Lucenta: Adding a repellent shield with aerosol

Suede and leather can easily be made resistant to liquid stains and rain by applying a special stain and rain repellent aerosol made specifically for suede, leather and trimmed cloth. This shield of repellency can quickly and easily be applied to any suede or leather item from the aerosol can.

The protective coating, sold under the trademark Royal Shield, is sprayed evenly on the surface of any suede or leather from a distance of approximately three inches.

Spraying repellent on suede
Caution: Regular water repellent made for use on cloth should never be used on suede or leather, as those products will normally not give satisfactory results. Use of cloth type water repellents on suede and leather can cause: matting down of the nap of the suede; stiffening of the skin; change in color of the suede or leather; and failure to provide the desired repellency.

A repellent designed for suede and leather provides a shield that is effective from the time of the application until the article is recleaned; a color that is unchanged; a soft and pliable skin; and a deep and lush suede nap.

The repellent shield can be applied to all sorts of suede and leather articles such as ties, shoes, hats, hand bags, gloves, chairs, desk tops, etc.

By offering customers a high quality stain repellent shield, an extra charge can be added to the price of each suede, leather or cloth garment or other article sprayed, to generate extra income. The extra service will also make customers happier.

Put a shine on dull smooth painted leather
Loss of shine or gloss is the most common problem that occurs on smooth painted leather. This problem is normally a result of excessive wear or improper cleaning.

The lost shine can easily and inexpensively be restored to any slick painted leather by applying a special leather polish aerosol available under the trademark Ultrashine. Use of an aerosol leather shine product eliminates the need for special spray equipment.

The special leather polish should only be sprayed on leathers after they have been cleaned.

Never spray a leather finish on a dirty oily surface because the finish will not properly bond to the surface of the leather and will eventually peel and flake off.

The leather polish will restore a durable shine to leather by simply spraying it on like you would spray paint a piece of wood or metal.

There is no need to brush, buff or rub. Once dry, it stretches and flexes with the skin without cracking or peeling and is abrasion resistant, so it will not come off in wearing or cleaning.

Spray the leather polish on to the leather surface from approximately 10 inches away. Spray a light even coating for an instant shine.

Spraying a shine on leather
The degree of the gloss or shine is in direct proportion to the amount of leather polish applied and the distance from which it is applied. The more leather polish that is applied and the closer the spray nozzle is to the leather, the more glossy the shine. If too much leather polish is sprayed it may also run. So easy does it!

Always test the leather before spraying with leather polish to determine if the leather to be sprayed will absorb the spray. This test can be done by spraying an inside seam or inside a pocket and observing if it soaks into the skin. If the skin absorbs the spray, the leather must be sprayed with one or more very light coats of the leather polish to keep it from soaking into the skin and making it stiff.

Restoring the shine to leather garments will justify adding an additional charge to the price of each leather. This service will generate extra income and will also produce a happier customer. A shine can also be put on other items such as shoes, hand bags, hats, gloves, chairs, etc. with leather polish to generate even more extra income.

Dennis McCrory: After the hire, the recruiting begins

It's no secret: Happy employees make happy customers. In fact, a recent study confirmed a direct link between employee turnover and customer turnover.

The study reveals that companies with employee turnover rates below ten percent also had ten percent higher customer retention rates than those companies whose employee turnover rates were about 15 percent.

The following is a collection of the best ideas I have found for hiring and keeping good employees.

Always begin an interview by asking my 10 best interview questions:

1. Tell me about yourself.

2. How many days a month do you miss from work on average?

3. What special characteristics should I consider about you?

4. How would you describe the ideal job for you?

5. What do you do when two priorities compete for your time?

6. What's the toughest communication problem you face?

7. Tell me about a time when someone has lost their temper at you in a business situation.

8. Have you ever worked in a place where it seemed to be just one crisis after another?

9. How did you handle it? How did you feel?

10. For what have you been most frequently criticized? This is the same as asking, "What are your weaknesses?"

At the end of the interview, when the applicant thinks it's over, ask them one final question: "if I met your former boss at a social function, and asked to hear just one sentence about you, what would that sentence be?"

At this point, the applicant will not be able to load his answer with a lot of fluff, and you should get a pretty clear picture of the candidate,

Study after study has shown that if employees feel appreciated, they are much less likely to look for another job. Right now, go through your calendar for the next six months. write the name of a different employee on each week. When that employee's week comes up, catch him or her doing something right -- and dish out the praise.

Just telling people "You're doing a great job" isn't going to make them want to stay with your company. It isn't specific enough. Praise can help you retain your top employees - but only if it is detailed and relevant. Develop an arsenal of "openers" that you can use to keep your praise specific. Here are a few to get you started:

The best managers realize that they should never stop recruiting the people they work with. That's because they know that if they want to retain employees, they have to constantly recruit them.

Judge people on their best day. Many plant owners do the opposite: They pass out judgment based on an employee's worst day. If you believe in your employees, they will be more likely to stick around when they get another job offer -- and your best employees will get other offers!

Never use guilt to motivate people. This tactic may work in the short term, but it will eventually drive people out of your organization.

For instance, if a spotter or presser has ruined a particular type of garment once in the past, and a similar garment comes in for cleaning, saying; "Please be careful with this," is preferable to, "Don't screw this one up like you did the last one!"

According to Maria Grant, a partner at Deloitte & Touch in charge of their human capital program, it costs $12,000 in recruitment and training expenses to replace the average non-professional worker. Other experts say it will cost, at least, 75 percent of a non-managerial worker's annual salary to replace him or her and 150 percent of a manager's annual salary.

If you want a return on your investment in people, the first thing you've got to do is invest in them. You hire and train them and develop them. Do all of the things that will cause them to have the skills and abilities and motivation to do an effective job. It's foolish to sit there and say, "Gosh, I don't know why my people aren't doing a good job," when you haven't put anything into developing the employee yourself.

It all boils down to "Nothing in, nothing out."

If you'd like to know what sort of answers you should receive to the ten best interview questions, given at the beginning of this article or a few quick and easy tests to select the best applicants, contact The Golomb Group to order my "Pre-Employment Screening Kit." For $36 you will receive all of the tools you need to hire all the winners the first time around.

Alan Robson: New year, but the same old problem

As we prepare for the coming year, it seems like just yesterday that we were totally consumed with Y2K. The other day, I heard Ted Koppel refer to Y2K as the biggest non-story of all time! So, what does 2001 hold in store for the drycleaning industry?

All key economic indicators point to a cooling of the economy. Major corporations are cutting back expansion plans and are reducing their 2001 budgets for capital expenditures.

The driving forces behind this economic slowdown are higher wages, higher energy costs and higher interest rates. The US is still experiencing record low levels of unemployment, which is forcing companies at all employment levels (unskilled, skilled, technical and high tech) to increase pay scales and benefits in order to compete for a diminishing labor pool.

Thus, the number-one concern for the year 2001 remains personnel. How do you attract good people? Many drycleaners are wishing and hoping for higher unemployment rates. They feel that if the economy slows down enough for unemployment to return to five or six or even seven percent -- they will be back in the driver's seat. Don't count on it!

The long run of low unemployment has forced employers to recognize their better employees with higher wages and better benefits. When the economy slows down, these increases will not be taken away. Remember, your most important asset -- especially in this labor intense industry -- is your people.

During the past three years, every drycleaner has lost some very good employees to jobs that paid more, looked easier and were more prestigious. When these people get laid off from the banks, insurance companies, etc., they will be eligible to collect six months of unemployment benefits. When that runs out, the odds of them running directly to your open arms are slim to none.

The work environment
Proactive drycleaners are creating employment conditions that make it hard for their good employees to leave and making it easier to recruit new ones. They realize their employees bring their personal problems with them to work. By acknowledging this reality and by accepting the fact that everyone handles stress differently, you can create a work environment that will help him or her cope.

When dealing with stress, some people become aggressive with those around them, others withdraw and still others lose all their motivation. By recognizing and dealing with these different personalities on an individual basis, you will find yourself spending less time as a baby-sitter and more time managing your business.

Here's some advice from the book, Peanut Butter and Jelly Management by Chris and Reina Komisarjevsky: "You can't get off the ground without a pilot. Organizations need a leader, someone to make the decisions."

How to lead
Most managers would like to lead by consensus -- everyone in agreement. Unfortunately, that is not possible.

When promoting people to leadership positions, it is difficult to train them to "take charge." Making hard or unpopular decisions requires mental toughness. This level of leadership can only be accomplished when there are clearly stated goals and objectives. When owners and managers document the specific goals that need to be accomplished and when they openly communicate to their employees why these objectives must be met, the process of team building begins.

When talking to your employees, you must remember they are the people who are doing the work. They come to work to earn a living, they are intelligent people and they will respond to logical requests. That is, the majority of your employees will -- there are always one or two people who will resist any change -- even when those changes are in their best interest.

During a recent business survey I conducted, I held a meeting with the drycleaning pressers. The purpose of this meeting was to explain the new production standards and the accompanying incentive plan. These meetings with the employees are always interesting and a challenge because the employees are instinctively looking for the ways that the company is going to take advantage of them.

This particular meeting was even more interesting because the employees don't speak English and I don't speak their language. But with the help of another employee acting as translator, these employees came to understand and accept management's position and goals for the team.

My experience is that in every situation where logical and equitable management programs are installed, the company gets better quality work at a lower per piece cost and the employees who do the work make more money per hour than ever before.

Furthermore, once the new program is up and running, the company is in a position to advertise their higher wages when they are looking for new employees.

Another way in which many proactive drycleaners today are retaining their good employees is by researching and acquiring new equipment.

How equipment helps
The new equipment seldom increases the number of pieces that can be cleaned or pressed each hour, but new equipment does: reduce fatigue, produce garments with a better finish and demonstrates the owners' commitment to this industry.

I am impressed by the amount of time, money and energy many of my management group members are investing in their relentless pursuit of alternative solvents. These forward-thinking owners are looking at four alternative solvents to supplement or replace perc. Also, they are looking at a variety of finishing equipment.

Many drycleaners cannot understand why other drycleaners wouldn't just wait for a new solvent to prove itself or wait for some government agency to force them into using a new solvent. This, my friends, is the difference between the individuals who own a job and the people who own a business.

Time to reflect and plan
As the year 2001 approaches, it is time to reflect on the past year and to plan for the future. I know this sounds like a recording but you cannot achieve the level of success that you deserve if you do not plan for it.

Write down your goals for 2001. Do you want to increase sales, open new markets, reduce costs, work fewer hours, maintain a positive cash flow...or maybe just put the fun back into going to work every day? Write it down and follow-through. Contact me with questions, concerns or comments...call or write me at the numbers below, or visit my website, www.bizbuilderonline.com and put a message on the Message Board.

Remember in the game of business the more you know the better you can play the game.

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