National Clothesline

The National Cleaners Association and the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute will get together again this winter for a joint conference, this one to be held in Cancun, Mexico, Jan. 17-20.

The setting will be the new Secrets the Vine beachfront resort, which features a spa, golf course access, pools, and cocktail lounges.

The program will open on Thursday evening, January 17, with a welcome party with food, drinks, and conversation.

The seminar program, which will focus on the four elements that customers base buying decisions on — convenience, customer service, quality, and price — will get underway Friday morning with keynote speaker Jack Mitchell leading off at 9 a.m.

Mitchell is the author of Hug Your Customers and Hug Your People. The Mitchell family owns and operates one of the largest, privately held, high-end clothing retail operations in the nation. For three generations the family has grown its business and their profitability by maintaining and building upon the “hominess” created by the founders, who began with three suits, a Christmas card list, a pot of coffee, and a determination to greet every customer as if welcoming them into their home.

The family’s commitment to those service visions has proven once again that when service and quality are exceptional, price is a non-issue.

Saturday morning’s speaker, Darnell Holloway, will tell how to get the most from on-line reviews at a time when more people are turning to on-line review sites to find out where they can go to get the service and quality they care about at a price they can afford. Holloway will discuss how to unlock Yelp business tools to manage your online reputation.

Rounding out the program on Sunday morning will be Ray Keating, an economist who will discuss Economic Wisdom in Times of Stress.

As chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Keating studies what the economy is doing and where it is going. He will place the current economic situation into historical perspective so attendees can see where the economy is likely heading and plan accordingly. History is repeating itself and current government corrective policies are likely to prove ineffective, he believes.

Every room at Secrets the Vine, a new beachfront resort, is a 475-sq.-ft. ocean view double suite offered specially to DLI & NCA conference attendees. Room rates are $227 per night for a single and $304 for a double, which includes all taxes and fees along with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in six restaurants, 24-hour room service, premium liquor, in-room mini bar treats, nightly entertainment, and more.

Registration for the conference is $595 per person for DLI and NCA members; for the second person and any others from the same plant, the fee is $295. There is no registration for DLI Premier Club members.

For more details or to register, contact Melissa Wagner at DLI, (800) 638-2627, or Ann Hargrove at NCA, (800) 888-1622.



								National Clothesline


						DLI, NCA select venue, speakers for winter conference in Cancun



						The National Cleaners Association and the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute will get together again this winter for a joint conference, this one to be held in Cancun, Mexico, Jan. 17-20. The setting will be the new Secrets the Vine beachfront resort, which features a spa, golf course access, pools, and cocktail lounges. The program will open on Thursday evening, January 17, with a welcome party with food, drinks, and conversation. The seminar program, which will focus on the four elements that customers base buying decisions on — convenience, customer service, quality, and price — will get underway Friday morning with keynote speaker Jack Mitchell leading off at 9 a.m. Mitchell is the author of Hug Your Customers and Hug Your People. The Mitchell family owns and operates one of the largest, privately held, high-end clothing retail operations in the nation. For three generations the family has grown its business and their profitability by maintaining and building upon the “hominess” created by the founders, who began with three suits, a Christmas card list, a pot of coffee, and a determination to greet every customer as if welcoming them into their home. The family’s commitment to those service visions has proven once again that when service and quality are exceptional, price is a non-issue. Saturday morning’s speaker, Darnell Holloway, will tell how to get the most from on-line reviews at a time when more people are turning to on-line review sites to find out where they can go to get the service and quality they care about at a price they can afford. Holloway will discuss how to unlock Yelp business tools to manage your online reputation. Rounding out the program on Sunday morning will be Ray Keating, an economist who will discuss Economic Wisdom in Times of Stress. As chief economist for the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, Keating studies what the economy is doing and where it is going. He will place the current economic situation into historical perspective so attendees can see where the economy is likely heading and plan accordingly. History is repeating itself and current government corrective policies are likely to prove ineffective, he believes. Every room at Secrets the Vine, a new beachfront resort, is a 475-sq.-ft. ocean view double suite offered specially to DLI & NCA conference attendees. Room rates are $227 per night for a single and $304 for a double, which includes all taxes and fees along with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in six restaurants, 24-hour room service, premium liquor, in-room mini bar treats, nightly entertainment, and more. Registration for the conference is $595 per person for DLI and NCA members; for the second person and any others from the same plant, the fee is $295. There is no registration for DLI Premier Club members. For more details or to register, contact Melissa Wagner at DLI, (800) 638-2627, or Ann Hargrove at NCA, (800) 888-1622.