National Clothesline
This won’t stay in Vegas
The group recently spent two days in Las Vegas sharing professional knowledge
and industry best practices and learning from experts outside the industry on
ways to improve both their technical and customer service offerings. At the end
of the weekend, they were eager to take what they had learned back to their
businesses.
Founded in 2000, ABC is an independent certification organization with stringent
standards that include regular and strenuous onsite inspections and testing, as
well as surveys of retailers and clients and secret shopping reports, which has
grown into a network of affiliates across the U.S.
Ed D’Elicio, ABC’s founder, says that, as a group, ABC emphasizes the sharing of business best
practices among affiliates, and that meetings like the one in Las Vegas offer
opportunities to not only share what they have learned in their own businesses
but also to continue their own education in new technologies and practices.
It’s this desire to continuously better their quality and service, says D’Elicio, that sets ABC’s affiliates “apart from the herd.”
The agenda for the Las Vegas meeting provided ample opportunity for the ABC
leadership and affiliates to expand their professional knowledge.
The group heard from Michael Mills, vice president of North American Sales for
Service Sleuth, the company that performs secret shopping reports for ABC
affiliates. Mills summarized the performance of ABC affiliates, pointing out
that average customer services scores for the group are generally eight to ten
points higher than those of their competitors. He congratulated the affiliates
on their consistently strong scores.
“There are a percentage of businesses who understand the value of customer
service, and a percentage that don’t,” said Mills. “Your group’s scores demonstrate that you understand that customer service is a vital
component of your businesses.”
Jason Baker, president of the National Concierge Association’s Nevada Chapter, was also on the agenda.
“Over-the-top service is more important than ever in this economy,” said Chris White, ABC’s executive director. “Concierges are the ultimate customer service professionals, and including Jason
Baker as a speaker brought our affiliates valuable insight on how they can
improve their own customer service even further.”
ABC heavily promotes the use of new, greener drycleaning technologies as yet
another way for its affiliates to succeed in a down economy. The group has
partnered with the Green Business Bureau to create a comprehensive, tailored
green business certification for drycleaners, and with its sponsor, Kreussler
Chemicals, has encouraged the use of SYSTEMK4 as an environmentally-friendly cleaning solvent.
Don Dallons, western sales manager for Realstar, one of the makers of machines for use with SYSTEMK4, was on hand throughout the
weekend to answer questions from affiliates who are employing the new
technology.
The group got to see the system in action on a visit to Tiffany Couture Cleaners, an ABC affiliate located in Las Vegas. Owners Dan and Judy Del Rossi use it to
clean exotic furs and leathers, as well as the highly embellished and ornate
costumes of many Las Vegas stage shows.
Judy Del Rossi, whose family has owned Tiffany for over 40 years, says that ABC “saved” her and husband Dan when they took over operation of Tiffany ten years ago.
“When we came into it, the plan was for my uncle to stay with us for ten years to
train us in running the business,” says Del Rossi. “Unfortunately, he passed away a year later, and we still hadn’t learned nearly enough about running the business.”
Due to the highly-trained staff that was carrying on the high quality of the
work learned from her parents and uncle, the quality of Tiffany’s service never faltered. But Del Rossi says that although she grew up working
the customer service counter of Tiffany, she had “no clue” as to how to actually manage or market a drycleaning business. Then she and Dan
found ABC.
“Ed and Chris, they taught us how to run this business,” says Del Rossi. “They taught us everything. Without them, we wouldn’t be as successful as we are today.”
Sharing knowledge went on throughout the two days in Las Vegas. Affiliates were
asked to share current or new marketing concepts with the group, allowing them
to take home ideas that have proven successful for other affiliates. ABC also
arranged for speakers with expertise in small business marketing and public
relations to address the group and provide practical tips on implementing
marketing programs to grow their sales.
The highlight of the weekend was a tour of Cirque du Soleil’s production “KA” at the MGM Grand. Through Tiffany Couture Cleaners connections with the wardrobe department of the
show, affiliates were given a private tour of the backstage areas of the
production and an exclusive look at KA stage engineering. Wardrobe Manager Eric
Wood also offered a detailed discussion on the design, construction, and care
of the elaborate and extensive KA wardrobe.
