National Clothesline

In reviewing the lessons of history, some learned the hard way, I see that drycleaners have found many additional avenues of generating revenue for survival.

There are those drycleaners who properly manage their business, who know how to motivate their personnel, who not only know their exact cost of doing business but have the skill to insist on friendly, courteous counter help and to produce and package a near-perfect garment on time. Those operators maintain a clean and friendly environment and, if they are absent for a day or a week, the business will still operate successfully.

A utopian dream? Not necessarily. They represent a good number of the drycleaners in business.

But what about the rest? Maybe they are doing most of the above, but due to competition or a lack of general managerial skill, they are not making the return on investment they should be and if they can ’t turn it around they are at risk of failing.

Concerning managerial skill… I make no special tribute to the owner/operator who can remove the most difficult stain or press a washed raincoat and have it look like new.

Those skills were paramount when the individual went into business. But shame on the owner/operator who never left the drycleaning room or went beyond the technical part of the business. Sure, it is great to know every phase of your operation so you have the knowledge to train and recognize a job well done. But at some point, managerial skills must begin to factor into the formula for a successful business.

Success is equated with making money and profit. It is of prime importance when we rate success or failure. How good a manager are you? How profitable is your business? How much time is left for you to promote your business and open new avenues of revenue?

Now let’s examine why you are not getting your market share and what you should be considering to keep your business on an upward profitable curve.

Let’s start with drycleaning, which is the reason you opened the door in the first place. It would be poor on my part to ask, “Have you done everything possible to insure your quality and have it in place?”

Let’s just assume that part is working well, but for reasons beyond your control — maybe the loss of a strong customer-drawing neighbor or nearby supermarket — you can not turn things around. You have to rescue this business with the number of customers you now have. Your choices become: open a drop store; start a route service; agree to do wholesale work; or add in a commission agent.

Once those areas are fully exhausted, it’s time to consider diversifying. The first areas to consider should always be those that are adjuncts to drycleaning. Maybe you could add tailoring/alteration services then or even full-time tailor in residence. As with an on-premise shirt laundry, this can help drycleaning volume increase as much as 15 percent.

You might want to look at custom drapery sales or slip covers, including hardware, in conjunction with a drapery manufacturer which would not only offer an increase revenue, but also can enhance the appearance of your call office.

What other drycleaning-related businesses would match up with your location and add revenue or increase drycleaning shirt laundry volume? How about those sleeping giants, carpet cleaning and fire restoration?

Maybe necktie sales with a promotion of picking out a new tie with an introductory $30 drycleaning offer. Monogramming, with the right promotions, can be a high-profit, quick service. Or there is shoe repair with modern, easy-to-use equipment.

Next you might consider a partnership with a furrier, or uniform or tuxedo rentals.

These are just a few related businesses a progressive drycleaner can introduce to increase traffic and dollars. The rule of thumb is a rather simple one. First and foremost, secure your drycleaning business with high quality and good public relations. If the profit is not what you have a right to expect, then seek out every drycleaning and fabric related business as a supplement.

If all those avenues are exhausted, then and only then can you diversify by starting another business outside the fabric care realm but still within the confines of your existing location. But try to select a service-type business.

Hereafter, the governing factors are:

• Survival.

• Physical properties of your call office.

• Restrictions on your lease.

• Investment.

• A need in your area for your choice business.

It is indeed sad to enter a drycleaning store and find locksmith service or custom jewelry sales, but it ’s far better than finding a huge sign: “Please call for your garments. We’re going out of business.”