National Clothesline

It seems history has always been our best teacher. Sad are those who do not learn from the past because they are destined to make the same mistakes again.

Whenever I talk to our industry’s leaders and winners, or they ask me what I think of our present condition, I always learn a great deal. For example, “Are your sales up or down since last year?” If the answer is “Good” or ”They are up” or even “About the same,” I want to know why. What is the answer?

To the winners, it appears there was no recession, no down or slow time. You have to wonder what their secret was. How can they be doing so well and others are struggling to pay their bills?

The astounding fact is that customers change and leave a drycleaner not for price or even consistent quality, but for counter help indifference!

Is it time to review your operation and heed a wake-up call? For some, it’s the routine jobs like neglecting to fix up and shape up or cutting off the boiler sooner or getting rid of the wasteful practices of a non-productive person. Sometimes this same person will contaminate a conscientious worker. I’m referring to the habitual late-comer or the one who takes longer breaks and always leave a little bit earlier than everyone else. It says little good of management if it is allowed.

Yes, there must be diversifying of services and investigating before you invest. But first and most important, review your existing overhead. How can you be certain you are operating in the most efficient manner?

If we put things in basic terms and place everything in thirds such as quality, production and costs, we would have to start with quality.

I mean consistent quality. That begins with writing a proper invoice and that tells what the customer wants — recording the stain or problem area, condition of the garment, the phone number (if a call-back is necessary) and a release explained properly when that’s in order, the date promised, and, of course, the customer’s name, which presents the opportunity of repeating it several times for the purpose of remembering. All of this is handled with courtesy and respect — how we like to be treated.

When wondering why a business is down, consider that more than 33 percent of customers change or quit a drycleaner and seldom return because of counter help indifference.

How do we recognize indifference? Sometimes it is a sullenness or an “I don’t care” attitude to the simplest questions, like “What’s the weather forecast?” And there’s a complete silence to a serious question: “Do you think this stain can be removed?”

Instead of “When would you like this ready, Mrs. Jones?” we hear an impolite “When ya want it for?”

We could spend a fortune on advertising, discount deals and special promotions and still lose customers because of indifference. The main reason many customers continue with a firm is simply because the store has accessibility, such as parking or is very convenient to where they live or work. They become creatures of habit.

Incidentally, only four percent of drycleaning customers are totally concerned with price. The moment a new deal appears, those bargain hunters will consider changing. Satisfied customers will never change because they enjoy dealing with the firm and the smiling counter person.

I have found that those firms that are least affected by a down-turn in business not only had control of their quality, they also had an organized, pleasant, smiling counter. Surprised?

The secret is that you have someone representing your business who is an extrovert, who likes and enjoys human contact. A person who can roll with the punches in dealing with the public.

How do you hire such an individual? Write for my pamphlet on how to interview and avoid the hire-and-fire syndrome. This interview contains an unobtrusive personality test and makes hiring a pleasant experience. It also goes into how to conduct a final inspection avoiding words of harsh criticism and thus making management part of continued quality control.

A step-by-step outline maintains the elusive standard of excellence that permeates every operations and avoids the element of human error that creeps into every operation.

I find it not at all strange that harmony is possible when the time is taken to interview the counter person properly and avoid trying to place a square peg in a round hole.

The training should be continuous. Pride in doing a good job should be rewarded with small acts of appreciation. Reward good counter people with an appreciation dinner for two. Set up a classy uniform dress code with legible name tags. Consider instituting a confidential mystery shopper program and learn how to inspect the inspectors.

In reality, the secret is the art of communication. All successful businesses have come to realize that the customer is king and the operation that has control has customer satisfaction.

The rules are simple. You see them in successful restaurants and retail stores where everyone is conducting business properly and with courtesy. The counter tells us exactly and immediately how and who is running and controlling the business. Imagine if we could take care of our counter and with one important fell swoop take care of 33 percent of our business. We could weather any storm coming our way.