Proving that less really can be more, IFI opened its new headquarters in Laurel, MD,
for inspection by the industry last month. Yes, it’s less
than the overall square footage of the former headquarters in
Silver Spring, MD, but in every other aspect, it is more.
The downsizing, such as it is, comes in
the form of 6,000 fewer square feet of floor space. The upgrade
comes in the form of better utilization of the 20,000 square
feet in the new location, newer furnishings, a more efficient
workflow, and a vastly improved training center with more
equipment and more room to move around in. Students and other
visitors will appreciate the better access from I-95, the
area’s major highway, and nearby hotels for overnight
stays.
The visitors were out in force on Nov. 12
for the official grand opening of the new facility. Over 100
cleaners and association representatives turned out to take the
tour, cheer the ribbon-cutting and, although it wasn’t on
the official agenda, sing the praises of IFI’s new home
and the planning and hard work that went in to creating it.
Those who stayed overnight, and most did, took in a conference
the next day with discussions on a variety of topics of
industry interest.
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The new home, a one-story brick building
just off I-95, is just over 12 years old. Part of the purchase
deal included furnishings in like-new condition. The deal was
sealed earlier this year and planning began. Then the work,
much of it going on over the summer, got underway. Walls were
removed or relocated to accommodate IFI’s needs, then
came the process of moving in and setting up. If any part of
the move-in remained to be done, it was not in evidence at the
grand opening. Not only was every desk, chair and shelf in
place, every piece of equipment up and running in the
instructional area and the garment analysis lab fully
operational, the new place was replete with finishing touches,
too. The walls displayed photographs and memorabilia from
IFI’s past. The cornerstone from a previous headquarters,
dated 1947, was displayed in the main entrance area, just below
a photo of a convention of cleaners from 1909.
That cornerstone came from the National
Institute of Drycleaning building in Silver Spring which the
association was forced to vacate to make way for Metro transit
construction. The more recent move was entirely voluntary and
many IFI staffers volunteered beyond their normal job
descriptions to help get things in place in the new
headquarters. Their pride showed throughout on opening day as
nearly anyone who stood looking about for a few moments was
asked, “Have you had the tour yet?”
After the grand opening festivities,
participants headed to the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in
Baltimore where, the next day, IFI and the IFI Alumni Society
sponsored a conference that covered government relations,
customer satisfaction, maximizing revenue potential and how a
suit coat is made. That last topic proved to be an eye-opener
even for a room full of people who handle hundreds of suits a
day. Ralph McElroy, president of Hart Schaffner and Marx,
walked the audience through the process, from selecting and
inspecting materials to making patterns, cutting the pieces and
assembling the components.
Leading off the day’s program were
Gary Dawson, IFI’s president-elect, and Karen Brown,
Small Business Ombudsman for the EPA. Dawson said that
government regulators often don’t understand business
practices, but by taking a proactive approach and working with
programs under the Ombudsman’s office, it’s
possible to head off things that could be harmful to the
industry. Brown said that IFI has done “a super
job” of representing the industry and making sure its
concerns and issues are heard. It’s important that small
business concerns are heard when rules are being written, she
said. She invited cleaners to contact her office whenever they
need assistance (800) 368-5888.
Completing the morning program,
IFI’s Chris Allsbsrooks discussed how to keep customers
satisfied. She noted that a few years ago cleaners were
clamoring for seminars on stain removal and finishing.
“Now it’s customer service,” she said. She
urged cleaners to aim for better quality, provide training and
education for employees, make sure equipment is running
properly and the work flow is smooth and keep a neat and clean
plant.
Dennis McCrory, president of the Golomb
Group, led off the afternoon program with a talk on
“Maximizing Your Revenue Potential.” He said that
U.S. population growth is slow and household growth is even
slower, thus cleaners who want to grow must market aggressively
and creatively. Having a good product to sell is just the
starting point, he said. Every contact a customer has with your
store must be a positive experience. To illustrate, he pointed
to drivers’ licenses. They are perfect, in as much as all
the information is correct. “But was going to the DMV to
get the license a pleasant experience?” he asked.
Rounding out the program was industry
consultant Jane Zellers who guided the audience step-by-step on
how to measure productivity for the plant and for individual
employees. Standards should be posted for each station in the
work place, she said, and employees should know what is
expected and whether they are doing a good job both in terms of
quality and production.
