Revive your business with more
There was a time when most of the fabrics on the market were wool and cotton and
a little linen
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Finishing also advanced to permanent press with creases that were easily
maintained.
The housewife was also aware of these miracle fibers, and the drycleaner’s volume went down accordingly. Fortunately, more women entered the workplace
and with little spare time they needed cleaner’s services which helped pick up the slack and became a factor in cleaning
volume.
That explains a boost in route pickup and delivery, another reason to offer
multiple services. Nobody can argue with convenience and one-stop shopping. I
was not surprised to see many plants selling custom jewelry and sharing front
office space with computer repair, real estate sales, locksmiths, etc. Rent was
reduced, and I’m certain, drycleaning volume was increased.
It’s time offer more services that will boost your profit and support your image as
the neighborhood problem solver. Have you looked into carpet cleaning? It’s a steady business and it’s simple to promote, especially with the new steam extraction equipment. The
system can work wonders because you witness the results immediately, and the
carpet is dry just as quickly.
This service is attractive to the homeowner or any commercial enterprise,
office, or restaurant that must maintain clean carpets. Their business demands
a clean, neat appearance.
Some years back I introduced a company called Steamex that had a simple method
for cleaning carpet and offered the homeowner rental of the unit at a modest
cost. It came at the time of wash n’ wear that reduced the shirt laundry business by 50 percent and it was a means
of survival for many a struggling plant.
What was unusual was that it cleaned the carpet from the bottom up by simply
injecting the cleaning solutions, and at the same time a strong vacuum
immediately brought solution and the dirt to a holding tank. This permitted the
carpet fibers to be cleaned in an upright position compared to other methods
that cleaned from the top down and imbedded the soap, only to attract new dirt
after drying. This was somewhat revolutionary from previous methods and was
greatly appreciated.
Any housewife could operate the equipment and the results were immediate and
obvious. At present most major supermarkets offer similar equipment for rental,
and the labor is the only item, which is furnished by the person doing the
renting and the chemicals for spotting, or heavy traffic lanes. The results are
up to the individual whose has their own standard of excellence.
How can you promote the system, be it rental to customers or offering to have
the carpet cleaned by a professional? Want to make a “traffic stop” of attention?
Steam clean the entrance to your store and paint the question… “Is it time to have your carpet cleaned?”
Yet another method of diversifying. Need more?
What else can you offer your customers? Remember, if you don’t offer multiple services, your competitors just might — and there goes a customer!
Think of the most successful supermarkets or department stores and you soon
realize they are successful because they are so diversified. A drycleaner can
do the same, either offering services on premises or farming them out to a
reliable specialist.
Start with an attractive tailoring alterations department. All it takes is a
well-lit three-sided mirror, a convenient fitting room and a small platform for
marking hem lengths. Experienced alterations specialists are eager for
part-time employment and are conveniently located in your neighborhood.
You could also promote drapery cleaning with the offer of “We will remove, dryclean and finish your draperies so they are like new and
rehang them are at your convenience!”
Maybe you should offer leather cleaning and even shoe repair. There are many
specialists who would like to have the business you could send them. A
reasonable mark-up is guaranteed for you.
Have you considered doing wedding and gown cleaning? The work is easy and the
profit more than compensating. It also lends a point of prestige if you simply
display a finished gown in your window, at night with a changing colored light
on a revolving mannequin. Could you ask for more attention?
