National Clothesline

In explaining the reasoning behind the new Award of Excellence program, IFI CEO Bill Fisher said he is troubled by the fact that 80 percent of the cleaners do substandard work, making the industry an easy target for media critics and leading consumers to think that there are no good cleaners out there, or at least that a good cleaner is very hard to find.

Fisher is probably right. Every blind test of cleaners’ abilities tends to back up his statement that most cleaners do a poor job of removing basic stains and satisfying customers’ needs. But one problem with his “80 percent” figure is that, true though it may be, most cleaners view themselves as part of the “good” 20 percent. At least we have never heard a cleaner claim that he has poor quality and doesn’t care what his customers think. The definition of quality seems to be such that it is always the other guy who is below par.

The Award of Excellence program will set out some standards — and frankly they are minimum standards — that define a quality drycleaning operation. We will be interested to see how many cleaners put themselves to the test and see if they measure up. It’s a good bet that more than 80 percent won’t bother. They will have plenty of excuses for not accepting the challenge. But the real reason is that they are part of that 80 percent that do not measure up. They are part of the problem that sets the industry up for complaints about poor stain removal, gender-biased pricing, environmental irresponsibility and a “who cares” attitude toward customers.

We hope the Award of Excellence succeeds in bringing recognition to the hundreds of conscientious and professional cleaners. We hope it succeeds in impressing upon the media and the consuming public that there are good cleaners out there, that differentiating them from the pack is possible and that their services are well worth paying for. And, frankly, we hope it succeeds in convincing at least some of those back in the pack to either upgrade their professionalism or find another way to make a living. There is no need to be mired in mediocrity.

Sometimes, you just want to go where everybody knows your name. Whether it’s a cheerful pub around the corner or your local grocery store, it’s always nice to visit a place where you know the people well, and, more importantly, they know you right back. As the world continues to move into a more digital direction, it’s getting harder and harder to enjoy those face-to-face moments when humans interact directly. These days, communication that does not involve a phone receiver or typing on a keyboard is a rare thing indeed.

Of course, we all lead busy lives and are constantly in a hurry. Yet, everybody likes to slow down on occasion and just say “hi” to a familiar face. Amidst the daily maze of impersonal e-mails, pop-up ads, faxes and phone messages, it’s refreshing to hear somebody say your name and ask how you are doing in a friendly voice.

This month, columnist Bill Bishop writes about the powerful impact such an action can have on the success of your business. In his article on page 22, Bishop recounts his recent memorable customer service experiences with a small local bank. Being remembered and appreciated was all it took to turn him into a loyal customer at the new bank, despite the fact that he was quite content with the larger financial institution he had been doing business with for quite some time.

Oftentimes, cleaning customers look forward to dropping off their clothes about as much as they do unclogging their rain gutters, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If your counter help makes the extra effort to recognize your customers and recall their cleaning preferences, for example, it will turn their mundane transactions into something special. It will keep them coming back, too.

It’s quite simple, really. People don’t want to feel anonymous or unimportant. Too often, special offers are aimed at drawing in new consumers to your business, which only alienates long-time customers who have proven their loyalty time and time again. Over the years, they’ve given you a lot of their money to keep your business afloat, so it only seems fair that they get a little respect and appreciation in return.