National Clothesline

I can’t thank everyone enough for the support that was given to our company in New Orleans for the Clean Show. You are the reason for my success and your participation in the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute was the best time I have ever had since I started The Route Pro, Inc., a few years back.

Our industry is fighting many battles and we need to support it in each and every way we can. So here is a list of some lessons learned from Clean ’09.

First of all, those who are the most successful are the ones who are constantly learning from consultants, experts and, of course, each other. I had a group meeting Saturday and we all shared marketing, retention and other unique ideas in order to ensure growth and profitability.

From machinery to operational techniques and marketing plans, the New Orleans’s air was filled with cleaners bonding together in order to defeat this economic plague that many complain about. I learned that I must strive to educate myself in all areas of the industry in order to be on top of my game, which is essential for all my clients.

Another thing I learned is not to order cigars from a place that sells five-dollar drinks. My vocal cords may never be the same. I blame Dryclean Dave Silliman for forcing me to locate those stogies Friday Night.

A big one is that we need to support the industry more. From our suppliers to our organizations, there is so much information that is out there geared to increase your profitability. DLI, the National Cleaners Association and other support organizations are there to be the eyes, ears and voice of drycleaning.

Members of our group gave me incredible support during my presentation and our group meeting. This encourages me to look evermore at my vision statement as well as the personal goal of my company.

A fourth lesson learned was that this show was not the same without Sid Tuchman’s presence. I met Sid at the last show and his kind words to this rookie provided the inspiration to improve my appearance and performance. Recovering from back issues, Sid promised to be there next time.

I also found that receiving the DLI Merit Award for Professionalism means that I must raise the bar even more. Those who have won awards in the past continue to excel in the industry and I will look to them as role models. You should think about what operator you can look to in order to elevate your business.

I have looked towards Jeff Schapiro at Cleaner’s Supply and the business model of CRDN to learn from their successes. Your business always has room for improvement; you must know where to look to figure that out.

Many of us also learned that the Maytag guy is taller than Yao Ming.

Another lesson learned came from the networking, which validated what I have been preaching for years: get out from behind your counter or Unipress and network, network, network.

Harvey Mackay wrote, “A network replaces the weakness of the individual with the strength of the group.”

This is the foundation of my group and the main reason to join a group like BNI. You or your business will only grow as big as your vision and knowledge. This means learning from other businesses outside our industry.

I also had the privilege of conversing with owners from outside the states. I learned that they experience some of the same issues we do. Demographics do dictate how and why you run your business the way you do, but the model may be a little different from one place to another.

I saw the same pain though: we need more customers. I would get asked the same question and I had to present an answer no one wanted to hear. I cannot validate something I disagree with.

The Clean Show taught me another thing. This is an industry of survival and there is room for revival. Just like New Orleans did after Katrina, the industry will rebound, but only if you go in the right direction.

Again, I have the privilege of being a route consultant at the right time. So many people have talked to me about starting routes yet are still waiting for a sign. If today’s economy has not presented enough red flags, then Godspeed. Your competitor is doing it and we may be there. Someone actually chewed me out, claiming I am the reason the stores are drying up! Man, I actually didn’t know what to say to him!

Talking with operators after the show, many of them felt recharged to go back, hit their business head-on and make those necessary changes in order to step into the 21st century. Judging by the responses that our company received from all of you at the show, vans are going to be hitting the roads more. Thus, no matter where you are with your delivery service, it’s time to step up your marketing game.