Last September, the father-son duo of Ed and Mike Kaprielian decided it was time
for some big changes at their Executive Cleaners plant in Albany, NY.
With the country mired in an economic recession, a lot of business owners were
also making big changes to their companies, mostly scaling back expenses and
cutting corners wherever possible.
 | ||
“We worked with an outstanding interior decorator whose first suggestion was all
granite countertops,” Ed recalled. “I initially thought this was a little over the top, but I realized that the
counter is the only place where we have contact with the customer.”
The arduous project wasn’t completed until the middle of January, but the Kaprielians felt the time and
expense was justified. After all, they wanted to live up to the Executive
Cleaners’ slogan.
“The quality of the counters, rugs, lighting, ceilings, along with custom
carpentry for counters and office spaces underscore our values as a business
and are a projection of our company motto of ‘Setting the Highest Standards.’”
The same attention to detail and focus on quality of materials was used for the
exterior remodeling, as well, with different wood, slate and tiling which
compliment the look of the interior, Ed explained.
While many Americans are losing consumer confidence as the recession wears on,
Executive Cleaners’ customers viewed the renovations as confirmation that they were doing business
with a successful company that was committed to excellence.
“The positive feedback from our customers has been overwhelming,” Ed added. “The elegant appearance of our store gives our customer the confidence that their
clothes are getting first class treatment.”
Ed first bought Executive Cleaners 26 years ago with his father-in-law who had
been involved in the drycleaning industry since the mid-1930s.
The investment was part of a strategy to secure some roots in Albany in order to
remain close to family. After all, Ed had spent over 20 years in the Army and
had moved more a dozen times during that span.
Initially, he signed up in an ROTC program while he studied history at Siena
College. Before long, he completed two tours of duty in Vietnam.
“The Army was nice enough. I was a young infantry officer and when I got off the
boat in Vietnam, they were taking officers and putting them where they needed
them because they were having a tough time,” Ed recalled. “So, they put me down in Saigon Port as the harbor master — and I get seasick on a rowboat.”
It didn’t take long for Ed to acclimate to his new role. Before long, he was hooked with
Army life. He retired as a colonel after 27 years of service, including stints
in Germany, Greece and Turkey.
During his long career, he attended the Army Command and General Staff College
and the Army War College. He also earned his Master’s Degree at Georgetown studying Soviet history as his major.
By 1983, however, he decided to start a settled life for himself in Albany. When
he first opened the doors to Executive Cleaners, the small plant had only six
employees, but one invaluable resource.
“My father-in-law had been retired from drycleaning for five or six years at that
time,” Ed said. “There was no better person to learn the business from because he ran things the
way they should be. Know your customers. Know your needs. And, of course,
everything has to be done correctly.”
Drawing from his years of Army training, Ed prefers to run a tight ship. He
believes professionalism is the key to harboring success in any industry.
“A professional is someone who knows and has gathered all of the knowledge of
whatever he does,” he noted. “Even if he’s a garbageman, if he knows all of the knowledge about garbology and he executes
it and he responsibly provides a service, then he is a professional. It’s the same way with drycleaning.”
In just over a quarter of a century, Executive Cleaners has expanded three times
and now has approximately 20 employees, including Mike, who has been working
full-time with the company for the past seven years.
Prior to that, he attended Siena College, just like his father, and then
received his Master’s from Ohio University. Both degrees were in Fine Arts.
Mike worked as an actor and an adjunct professor for collegiate drama, but opted
for a more stable career in drycleaning in order to raise a family.
“He is chief of operations and maintains all of our electronics and computers, as
well as being an expert spotter and drycleaner,” Ed said. “He brings youth to the business and the outlook of his age group.”
Ironically enough, Mike’s “safer” choice has proven to be anything but in recent times. Still, both men believe
strongly in the success of the company, which is why the recent remodel was an
easy decision.
“Like everyone else, we are not seeing a great degree of growth,” Ed admitted. “However, we are holding our own thanks to a loyal customer base that appreciates
our focus on quality through good times and bad.”
Of course, that customer base is quite leary of spending money unnecessarily
now. Only the best plants will be able to raise prices successfully.
“In any economic climate, a price increase that is not supported by the quality
of service is a recipe for disaster,” Ed explained. “Customers are extremely value conscious right now. Everyone is cutting back
where they can and if you are not providing value for their money, they will
find someone else who will.”
Executive Cleaners is aptly named as the business’s location in upscale Stuyvesant Plaza is convenient for numerous state
government employees who work in the state capital. It is also within walking
distance of the University of Albany and the new Nanotech College facility.
“The location is key,” Ed said. “It’s near two major interstates, I-87 and I-90. I wouldn’t typify us as a typical neighborhood drycleaner because people sort of swish in
and then swish out at night just like they might in any big city.”
While the area is an excellent place for a cleaners, even bigger franchises in
the region are struggling to make ends meet. Ed and Mike have received many new
employment applications, indicating that layoffs have been occurring.
“There is one big chain with multiple stores here and they have a tough time
turning in situations like this... like a ship versus a rowboat turning in the
middle of the ocean,” Ed noted. “If they are going to change policies, these are the hardest times to do that.”
Instead of making changes, Executive Cleaners plans to continue the proven
methods that have worked well thus far and hope for the best.
“Drycleaning is a very tough business. It’s hands-on from the moment the customer comes into the front door until they
leave. It’s dealing with something that is very valuable to people — it’s their outer skin,” Ed said.
“I guess it’s a lot like the restaurant business,” he added. “You have to produce every day. It’s got to be something of quality or else your customers will know right away. In
some ways, the Army was easier, believe me.”
It was the Army that taught Ed that you are only as good as your last action.
“It’s the same way in this business,” he added. “You’re only as good as your last garment.”
Typically, the Kaprielians consistently perform minor upgrades every five years
to stay fresh, but the recent upgrade took things up another notch.
“While the store looked good, we wanted to keep pace with the improvements in the
Plaza to stay way ahead of the pack,” Ed emphasized. “I feel we have accomplished that. We have always maintained that the appearance
of the call office is paramount in marketing your image and services.”
In other words, image means everything, especially for a business that tries to
protect and preserve the image of its customers.
“I think when you do look good, with everybody sort of down and out, I think it
says you’re doing something well and are still successful,” he added. “I think that’s what you want to tell people, if you are doing well — and we are. It’s just like when you invite somebody into your house.”
The customer feedback has been surprisingly strong, too. One day, two customers
came in at the same time and were excited that the granite countertops were the
same ones that they had at home.
The cost for them was quite a bit more, but the Kaprielians feel that was well
worth it. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the colonel had his own secret recipe for minimizing the risk.
The family business has always been wise enough to put “rainy day” money aside for future investments so the current economic climate or
fluctuating lender rates are much less likely to pose an obstacle.
“What I’ve always done, before I buy any equipment or anything like that, is put money
in a savings fund,” Ed explained. “Whenever I am ready to do something, I know what I have in hand and so I have
never taken a loan out for any of that stuff.”
