National Clothesline

By Bill Bogus

Necessity makes for changes. For instance, labor in past years was mostly physical and today labor is mostly mental.

Today we need to learn how to work. We need to learn new skills to meet today’s requirements. We need education and knowledge to meet those requirements.

Drycleaners who bypass knowledge and go after business instinctively will be troubled with right and wrong. When customers ask questions we should be able to give the right answers.

Today, more than ever, we need knowledge to better our services; otherwise, customers will shame us with indignities caused by poor service and disappointments

However, customers don’t realize they are part of the problem. And the problem I speak of is fast-food service. The sub sandwich in particular, the meal in one that is eaten without knife and fork, like a hungry lion devouring it’s prey, which is known as sloppy eating that unavoidably slops up garments with spots and stains.

The fast-food industry is helping drycleaners in getting more business. And it’s going to take a knowledgeable spotter who knows his chemicals to be successful in removing fast-food stains.

Spot and stain removal has been a problem for generations. Shakespeare, in trying to remove a spot, was frustrated when he yelled, “Out damn spot,” and nothing happened. Today, some spotters feel the same way when they can’t remove a spot.

Drycleaners who neglect spot and stain removal are destroying the value of drycleaning service. How many drycleaners who are guilty of providing such service is a matter of conjecture, but evidence of disappointments is growing.

Women more than men notice this neglect. Women are more careful and particular about clothing. For them, wearing a stained garment would be an embarrassment.

It is a known fact, and serious minded drycleaners are proving it, that good drycleaning that is stain- and odor-free begets more business.

Drycleaners who are more focused on price are wishful thinkers. They go broke waiting for good times to come. People who are dissatisfied with drycleaning don’t become frequent customers. Evidence of that is clear. The dirty ring around the collar and smelly perspiration stains are proof of that.

Fast-food establishments are a good source for getting food stains. People get splattered all the time. Eating habits are terrible. Some eaters go through life without ever using a knife and fork. They devour a squishy jumbo sandwich with dirty hands, lick their fingers, then wipe the mayonnaise off their face with the back of their hand. Now there are plenty of people like that who could become candidates for dry or wet cleaning. It’s worth a try.

People make choices. They make choices for better, not worse. To make choices there has to be more than one choice. Shakespeare had problems in trying to remove a spot. He was frustrated because there was no one to help.

In drycleaning there are many drycleaners giving customers many choices. Drycleaners provide a reason to be chosen. Drycleaners who can provide a good reason have a better opportunity to get more customers.

The International Fabricare Institute can help drycleaners through education and information to provide better choices. During Shakespeare’s time, there was no IFI and no choices to make.

To avoid frustration in trying to find solutions, become a member of IFI. Help is available. Call this number: (301) 622-1900. June Clark will answer your call. She knows who at IFI can and will help you find better tried and proven solutions so you will be a better choice for customers.