The route to success, via the
office
It’s a changing world! Changes seem
to appear naturally, but trends or changes in customer or
business habits must have several factors present if they are
to be tolerated, endured or successful.
For instance, all new ventures must be
easily available and offer the following: Opportunity, Convenience, and of
course, Profit. For a drycleaner, doing business with office workers
not only opens a door to increased profitable volume but also
assures a steady high-income clientele, eager for and
appreciative of this very convenient service.
 | ||
Today’s young, growing families,
with both parents in at work, have little time to wait for a
door-to-door service or to provide a convenient, safe place for
receiving and storage of drycleaning. This explains why evening
route service or Sunday store hours have taken a leap in
popularity.
Pick-up and delivery at the workplace is
another fringe benefit that costs no more to office management,
has no disruption to business and, with personal automatic
credit payment in force everywhere, eliminates the chore of
cash and collection or making another stop on the way to and
from the office.
All drycleaners have learned that their
business is governed by better dressed and always fashionable
clientele. They have also learned that their profit and income
derive largely from customers who must maintain a clean and
neat appearance and who are not subject to the vagaries of a
fluctuating economy. A fashionable wardrobe and appearance
spells success.
The convenience of an office pick-up
service offers an additional savings, to management and
customer alike, because the drycleaner has but one high-volume
stop to make, and the discount can go to the individual using
the service, or to a fund for various office gifts, an annual
Christmas party, favorite charity, etc.
The office fund can be boosted by
including a 10 percent discount, credited toward office drapery
or carpet cleaning.
Unfortunately, a program such as this
cannot be condensed into one article, and I ask that interested
readers order my latest booklet “The Route to
Success… Home and the Office,” which explains in
detail and covers the Do’s and Don’ts. There are
pitfalls to avoid, and some procedures are required for
appraising which facilities are qualified and desirable for
this unique service. Also, there are a few techniques and steps
to follow to make this a win/win situation for management,
clientele and the cleaner.
Management always has the problem of
offering more benefits and more incentives to conscientious
workers. An office route has no disruption in office duties. It
needs only the brief, occasional use of an empty cloak or
storage room, and an assigned individual to accept the tally of
the dollar bonus that keeps accumulating, or how to reward and
accept individual office gifts, such as a dinner for two.
A nylon bag with an attached name tag is
offered at no cost and returned with the finished order, plus
the first order can be one garment drycleaned
“no-charge” or five shirts laundered free.
The rewards are indeed numerous and, most
important, those offered are not only stable but can
continually keep growing. The drycleaner gains a new outlet,
having a facility with a rent-free captive trade.
Most cleaners choose to introduce a new
name for this service regardless how long the present firm is
established or how good a reputation. The purpose here can be
two fold. They might have limited room for workflow expansion
or the possible need of a larger less expensive quarters.
A separate name or entity offers some
additional advantages. For example: “Office Valet,
Division of XYZ Dry Cleaners” or “Clothes Friends
Service Drycleaners, Division of XYZ Cleaners.”
Should the decision come to expand or
reduce this service “division,” it will not confuse
the present drycleaner’s reputation, his volume, or
long-term management objectives.
It’s a changing world and the
progressive drycleaner must adapt and innovate during these
challenging times. Most drycleaners nationwide report a serious
drop in business since our recent tragic events, and there
appears to be little one can do to reverse this trend. What
have you done, to make the adjustments? Maybe it’s time
for “Route to Success… Home and the
Office.”
Ray Colucci, a consultant to the fabric
care industry, has revised and made available three timely
pamphlets: “Up Front Is Where It Counts” for
counter training; “Pressed for Perfection” for
finishing techniques; and the popular “Route to
Success” for complete route training. The pamphlets are
$20 each or all three for $50. Immediate delivery with all
postage paid is promised for requests sent to R. Colucci, 410
Warren Ave., Mamaroneck, NY 10543.
