National Clothesline

years and had resigned myself to thinking it was just one of the curses of our industry and we just had to live with it.

The harsh realization came to me one day when I wanted to close a machinery sale. The customer and I had agreed on a firm price, but we came to that moment of deciding on his down payment before the financing could be approved.

He had no assets, no home nor any tangibles that would serve as collateral. He was somewhat shocked when told his uncalled-for stock would not serve as a down payment or collateral, since those unclaimed garments did not belong to him. He was only entitled to the service fee, if and when they were called for.

Meanwhile, he had to play father and mother to the orphaned garments until such time as they were redeemed. He finally came to understand “you don’t own them only the service charges, even though you paid for the processing.”

In another case, I remarked on the large stock of garments held by a small plant in a large apartment district in Brooklyn, New York.

The owner explained to me he was more of a “no-charge storage house” than a drycleaner. It seems this building developed a small leak in a top floor apartment, above the main closet, and the leak traveled to each successive closet below, bringing in closets full of damp clothes to the local neighborhood cleaner. Having the customers pick up the clothes was a matter that had to wait until the water problem was resolved.

One drycleaner solved the problem of unclaimed garments, which drastically reduced the inventory, improved his cash flow and increased his route business.

When the order was taken in, the smiling counter person was instructed to say, “This will be ready on Thursday and, if you prefer, you can have it delivered. It’s your choice and it’s no extra charge. We’re glad to accommodate you.”

“We are also offering a new, special 10 percent discount by simply paying in advance. Any standard credit card will do, and all your future orders will be process prepaid, just a one-time procedure. It’s much like EZ-Pass on the turnpike — no more change booths, no waiting and, once a month, you get a statement! Our customers just love this new service.”

The secret here is that drycleaning that is paid for will be called for.

When you consider the cost of maintaining insurance and the cost of space for rental, you have to take a second look at how to control profit for a service your customers are not totally aware of. Proof of that statement is when you remind them of an old order that they no longer want or remember!