National Clothesline

What do drycleaners and delis have in common? More than you might think.

The Couture Cleaners Group (CCG) met in Ann Arbor, MI, November 11-13 for a customized two-day seminar presented by ZingTrain, one of the companies operated by Zingerman’s, which is mostly known for its highly successful delicatessen and mail order business.

In attendance were representatives from seven of the eight member companies of CCG along with two guests from Select Risk Insurance.

The first day was devoted to “The Art of Giving Great Service.” The full-day seminar covered topics such as tools and techniques that Zingerman’s has developed to hire, train, motivate, measure, compensate, and reward their customer service staff, along with several other topics including how to deal with difficult customers.

The second day covered topics on leadership, vision, and management philosophy and organizational culture. The CCG members were also treated to a one-hour Q&A session with one of the two company founders, who discussed key success factors in growing what was once a small deli to a $45 million operation with over eight core businesses.

CCG is comprised of eight drycleaners who are dedicated to delivering exceptional quality fabric cleaning and related services as well as providing progressive leadership in each of their metropolitan areas.

The self-managed group, which was formed five years ago, talks monthly and meets in person two or three times a year to share best practices and problem solving.

Current members are Parkway Custom Drycleaning, Chevy Chase, MD; Holly Cleaners, Boston, MA; Fabricare Cleaners, Fairfield, CT; French Cleaners, Hartford, CT; Rey’s Cleaners, Miami, FL; Bibbentucker’s, Dallas, TX; Embassy Cleaners, Larchmont, NY, and La Nouvelle Fine Cleaners, Denver, CO.

For more information about the group contact Jon Simon, Parkway Custom Drycleaning, (301) 652-3377.

Joon Han, owner of AB Cleaners in Westwood, MA, hosted free demonstrations Dec. 11 and 13 to show other drycleaners how he is using professional wetcleaning technology to clean “dry-clean-only” clothes.

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute at the University of Massachusetts Lowell had awarded AB Cleaners a grant to show how clothes can be effectively washed with water and detergents in computer-controlled machines and finished with tensioning and pressing equipment.

“We knew that perc was not good for us,” he said. “I was concerned for the health of my pregnant wife and baby and also for my employees. You know perc is in the air especially when you see the dust build up and smell the air when you first come in the shop. I always had a bad feeling about it.”

“We made the switch to wetcleaning and are very happy with the results,” Han said. “There has been a huge improvement in the way the air smells and the clothes come out cleaner without any shrinkage or the feel of chemicals.”

Han added that switching from perc to wetcleaning saved him money by reducing the shop’s utility costs.

“I thought that I would be spending more because of the detergents but I am actually spending less,” he said. “All of my utilities have gone down by a lot — my water and sewer bill has been reduced by about 30 percent and electricity is down by 50 percent. In the end, I am making more money because of wetcleaning.”

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute provides research, training, technical support, laboratory services and grant programs to reduce the use of toxic chemicals while enhancing the economic competitiveness of local businesses.

For more information, visit www.turi.org. For more information about professional wet cleaning visit www.turi.org/drycleaning.

Donna R. Boyd, owner of Tip Top Cleaners in Chambersburg, PA, is being honored as a 2012/2013 Professional Woman of the Year by National Association of Professional Women, a distinction awarded by the 400,000-strong membership of NAPW who work together to develop innovative business and social relationships.

Boyd's Tip Top Cleaners specializes in expert affordable drycleaning and laundry services for residents of Pennsylvania's Franklin County. She takes great pride in providing prompt service to her customers and has developed a reputation for excellent service and always going that extra mile.

As the owner of Tip Top Cleaners, Boyd has built a reputation for consistently offering convenience, quality, and personal service. Tip Top Cleaners is committed to accommodating the needs of its customers and provides drycleaning services for everyday and formal wear.

Boyd's cleaning expertise also features the specialized care and cleaning of leather and suede. In addition, she offers the preservation of bridal gowns as one of her specialty services.

Boyd also takes pride in the services she offers her community and is currently involved with the local Chamber of Commerce and local charities.