IFI Management Seminar

Seventy-eight cleaners attended “At Your Request: Management Techniques for Today’s Drycleaner,” a conference sponsored by the International Fabricare Institute at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas February 21-22.

Attendees were looking for ways to enhance their businesses in the midst of difficult economic times for the drycleaning industry.

The seminars brought new perspectives to industry problems, such as environmental concerns, diversifying your business, shake-out survival tactics, becoming a better employee manager, and dealing with customers in the most effective manner.

The program was created in response to requests by IFI 5-Star members (comprised of members in IFI’s top two dues-paying categories) and was geared toward cleaners with large operations, although it was open to all of IFI’s membership.

The overall theme of the conference was to help cleaners prevent and counteract the forces working to close their doors. IFI CEO Bill Fisher’s opening seminar was a “No Holds-Barred Look at the Future of the Industry” in which he outlined the obstacles and challenges facing the industry.

Following that glimpse of what many cleaners have been or could be going through, attendees were invited to learn what they can do to keep their businesses alive and thriving.

The first survival seminar came in the form of “Contamination: What’s Under Your Plant? Will EPA Object?” Mark Wagner, engineer and senior project manager for Arcadis Geraghty & Miller, spoke on the issue of plant contamination.

In another contamination seminar, “Welcome to My Contamination Nightmare: Contamination Case Studies and How They are Being Cleaned Up,” Wagner, Mike Saul, Steven Henshaw, and Lamar “Chip” Priester III explained the evolution of remediation technology and discussed other horror stories about high remediation costs.

For confronting the problems of today’s economy, there were seminar topics like, “The Crunch in the Industry is Here: What Can I Do to Survive?” Eric Kloter of Swiss Cleaners, in Rockville, CT; Jim Douglas of Prestige Cleaners, Sacramento, CA; Eddie Mannis of Prestige Cleaners, Knoxville, TN; and Mike McKernan of NuTrend Dry Cleaners, Omaha, NE, explored ways cleaners could turn their situations around and find new success in their markets.

In the presentation “Why Diversification Works for Me,” guest speakers were invited to share their success stories and warn the audience of potential pitfalls in branching away from straight drycleaning sales.

Guest speaker Pat Godo, owner of Avon Cleaners in Dallas, TX, spoke on developing routes and some of the ways she has promoted this program in her operation to increase sales.

Consultant Doris Easley spoke about restoring antique and historic items and the type of training and supplies needed to do a professional job.

John Vassiliades from WashPro presented ideas about in-plant laundry drop-off, on-premise coin laundry operations, and remote location coin laundries. He discussed the costs of starting up and determining the best types of locations.

George Beetz of ApparelMaster discussed uniform rental and how to evaluate if this service will meet or exceed your corporate culture and requirements.

In her presentations, “Motivating and Retaining Good Employees” and “Customer Relations: Dealing With the Irate Customer,” speaker Laura Barron gave energetic overviews on ways to motivate and retain good employees and develop great customer relations.

Given the success of this seminar, IFI plans to hold another management program next year. Participants were asked to contribute ideas and topics they would like to see next time. Among the ideas offered by attendees were: diversifications, customer retention, employee interaction, business building, handling customer complaints, and roundtable discussions.

“The management technologies seminar was by far the most educational and valuable meeting I have ever attended in this industry,” said Bob LaFave of Fairlane Cleaners in San Diego. “I can’t wait for the next one!”