The future is arriving with a smile
It all started in the early 1970s. Some research chemist came up with a
combination of polyester and Dacron and, lo and behold, shirt volume dropped 50
percent and drycleaning fell as well.
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Next, permanent press became more acceptable. The marginal drycleaner saw
another drop in volume and desperation became the trend.
The average cleaner got the message and soon closed up while the larger, more
successful operator found the means to diversify and discovered there were
other services his customers were using and going elsewhere to find them.
So how could he offer similar, useful and necessary services?
What services did he consider to offer his customers?
The first thing he did was to secure his present business. He sharpened his
counter and cleaned up and shaped up.
He set up an alterations and tailoring department, installed new lighting,
painted with new colors and set up a final inspection station.
He cleaned up his finishing department with floor press mats and insulated the
head plates, added new padding and researched tensioning and dual press
stations.
Next he took a serious look at a route department.
Once all was secure, he literally took the local phone book and carefully
searched all businesses and services that he might incorporate into his call
office as a supplemental, attractive businesses that would not only bring in
new revenue but bring in new drycleaning customers as well.
With little or no advertisement, he put into practice those services he always
received inquiries about but never offered, such as carpet cleaning, including
do-it-yourself rental equipment and drapery cleaning with removal and
rehanging.
This opened up the possibility of soliciting of furniture display stores and
office facilities with works that could be done overnight and was very
lucrative.
The new route also developed office accounts with stage and television studios
and, in general, many other uniform functions.
Storage facilities, including fur coats and winter wear, were added. Wedding
gowns plus tuxedo rentals proved to have a steady demand.
The business had always been there, but he had never really pursued it. Now it
became a necessity and provided a welcome, steady revenue.
It soon became difficult to recognize the old drycleaner on first entering. If
the front call office had the allowable space, there would soon be an
attractive real estate office, a computer sales and repair service, locksmith
repair, an attractive counter with jewelry sales, a flower and plant and sales
facility, a retails jeans and causal clothes sales counter, shoe repair and
specialty shoe sales. Nail care and perfume service and sales might even be
added.
The list went on and on, all depending on what the town and area needed and
required and all with little competition. This major change had the advantage
of reduced rent. The increase in new business could easily transfer over to
drycleaning.
If a newly added business didn’t find acceptance and make the necessary profit, the drycleaner simply tried
another venture.
Regardless of the conditions, drycleaning has been a bedrock of opportunity and
can move in any direction it chooses to assure success.
