National Clothesline

Silver Spring, MD, has been home to the International Fabricare Institute, and before that its predecessor the National Institute of Drycleaning, for so many years now that it is firmly fixed in the minds of many as the Capitol City of Drycleaning. But that is all about to change. IFI will be saying farewell to its hometown of so many years and moving to new quarters in nearby Laurel, MD.

IFI’s leadership was forward-looking when it moved the institute from its old location in downtown Silver Spring to a suburban area that at the time was not much more than a cow pasture. The area has developed and the investment proved to be a good one. But that was 30 years ago, and just as staying in the same old place was not the thing to do then, it is not the thing to do now. Times have changed, the industry has changed and IFI has changed. And now it’s time for a change of location.

Anyone who has moved a business — or their personal residence — after more than 30 years (or even just 15 or 20) in one location can appreciate the task IFI faces in relocating its equipment, furniture, files, people and, yes, its legacy. What to keep? What to discard? What to build anew? Oh, and by the way, where is the restroom?

There may be some glitches while IFI goes through this transition and we’re sure people will be understanding. But once settled in, we expect the new home will make for a new, improved IFI.

Anybody who remembers Bud Abbott and Lou Costello’s famous “Who’s on First?” comedy routine understands the intricate complexity of language. Whenever a conversation occurs, there is always a chance that key words will mean one thing to the speaker, yet something else entirely to the listener. Nuances such as tone, inflection and perspective have the capacity to create communication chaos even when a seemingly simple statement is uttered. While sometimes such verbal exchanges can be humorous, other times, they can be detrimental, especially in the business world. What you say and what your customers hear are two separate things. The same can be said of language transactions between employers and employees.

When you tell your customers they will receive quality cleaning from your plant, how do you define “quality”? More important, how do your customers define it? And, how will your employees go about obtaining it? As John Graham writes this month in his column on page 30: “If a company’s employees lack a common understanding of the meaning of ‘quality,’ how can they deliver on a common expectation of quality?” Graham details how a company can make sure that its staff members are all on the same page through the use of general exercises. Good communication is a difficult task to accomplish because it requires discipline and effort. Of course, such diligence will eventually lead to rewarding dividends.

For example — in keeping with the baseball theme of Abbott and Costello’s routine — Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks recently pitched a perfect game, a rare feat that has only happened 17 times in Major League Baseball’s 130+ year history. While the “Big Unit” possesses many skills and a lot of talent, it took all nine Arizona fielders working together in unison to ensure that none of the 27 Atlanta batters ever reached base. On more than one occasion, a Diamondback outfielder had trouble finding a fly ball hit high in the air, but his teammates always provided assistance by shouting out its location. In only the first inning, the milestone was almost nullified simply because Johnson himself didn’t perform his duties of covering first base when a grounder was hit to the first baseman. Even on a night of perfection, there were moments of confusion that needed to be sorted out. Yet, despite all of the near misses, it was inspiring to witness a pitcher and catcher communicate seamlessly from 60' apart without speaking a word. Such incredible communication skills were not cultivated overnight, nor can you expect to do the same with your company. However, through persistence and smart planning, your company can engineer similar impressive results and be in a position to do for your customers what one baseball team did for its fans: provide them with an unforgettable experience that left them begging to come back for more.