For every customer you lose, you need to win a new one. But what if you never lost any customers?

That’s the goal of John-Claude Hallak at Hallak Cleaners in New York. He explained his program of “Zero Customer Attrition” in a presentation at the annual convention of the International Drycleaners Congress in Baltimore last May.

Communication with customers is the centerpiece and that starts at the counter with the “customer relationship manager.” The first step is to recognize the customer and not only thank them but also make them feel special. Pre-printed but hand-addressed “thank-you” cards are sent which also serve the purposes of catching mistakes in the system and providing an opportunity for customer feedback.

Second, Hallak suggested finding an excuse to call or write to customers. A problem can be turned into a positive, for example, if an order won’t be ready on time. Personal contact with the customer will pay off in such cases. Then find an excuse for giving a gift. Secondary holidays like Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s or Halloween are good occasions. And of course, recognition of a customer’s anniversary with the company.

Beyond that, you can provide “random acts of kindness” that require no special occasion — giving tickets to an event or gourmet cookies, for example.

The goal is to elevate your cleaners to necessity status in the customer’s mind, he said. That not only keeps customers; it also makes them far more likely to give referrals to others.

Make a plan and begin executing it now, he advised, adding that a good plan today is better than a great plan tomorrow. It matters not so much what you do but that you do those things consistently, he said.

The convention also heard from Diana Vollmer, executive director of Methods for Management, Allan Berg, a sales and marketing expert, and Keisuke Uchikoshi, of Sankosha Equipment Corp.

Vollmer drew on her experience with Methods for Management in highlighting “The Five Habits of Highly Effective Cleaners.”

She described the world’s most profitable drycleaners as professional, convenient, sales driven, environmentally responsible, and marketing savvy. A business is only as strong as its sales team, she said. Professionalism and committed customer care are key to gaining and retaining loyal clients, according to Vollmer.

Berg explained how to create an exceptional customer experience, which he said goes beyond just good customer service. “You choose who to do business with by how they make you feel. What does it feel like to do business with you?” he asked.

Uchikoshi discussed ways to generate new business. He urged cleaners to upgrade the appearance and presentation of their stores to put forth the best possible image. Too many cleaners appear to be simply generic cleaners, he said.

The convention also included a tour of the nearby headquarters of the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute where they visited with DLI CEO Mary Scalco and various department heads and learned about DLI’s programs and other activities.