"Planning for Change"
What to Look for ..."
Finishing Inspection for Drycleaned Garments
The program covered a wide spectrum of business and drycleaning related topics. Tile first area of review was the personal goals and lifestyle of the owners. From this, each operator can set their own agenda for corporate and personal success. Next was a review of existing personnel, equipment and financing. Innovative financing options were discussed. The next module was about finding, selecting, retaining and compensating staff. Many interesting ideas, especially about the interview process, were shared. Some simple but effective prescreening tests were introduced and demonstrated. Labour rates as a percentage of sales were reviewed and price points as they relate to bottom line were calculated.
Volume, packaging, promotion and distribution points and their relationship and dependency was explored. New markets, and expanding existing lines was discussed at length.
All of these topics and Much more, made for a very Successful seminar. All in attendance were pleased with the professional quality of the presentation as well as the depth of experience of Ms. Rechneitz. You may find her articles in many industry publications, including the American Drycleaner.
Approximately 20 association members were in attendance.
Check Points in Dress Finishing - I
A - Collar and facings smooth.
Lapels are not creased.
B - Bow is pressed, edges rolled.
C - Fabric at zipper is not puckered.
D - No impressions or glazing of seams.
E - No wrinkles on pocket flap or impression underneath.
F - Pleat edges are sharp, inside of pleat is smooth. Pleat lines
are straight, uniform in depth.
Check Points in Dress Finishing - 2
A - Collar smooth, without seam impressions, collar points smooth under buttons.B - Sleeves Smooth, Cuff lower edge rolled.
C - Loops rolled flat, no belt impressions.
D - Full skirt hangs evenly, no wrinkles.
E - Edges are straight, not scalloped.
F - Facings are smooth
What are We Saying to the Public?
Glancing through the National Clothesline, looking for whatever is happening, hoping to find goods news and just looking. You can never tell what's going on unless you keep looking. I see that there is a lot of drycleaning equipment advertised. That's interesting,
I come across a Picture showing two guys standing in front of a new drycleaning machine that has just been installed.
One is a tall guy and the other is short.. Now the tall guy must be the salesman because he is wearing a big smile. I can understand why he's smiling. The short guy is not smiling. He must be the owner. He has the genuine look of an owner. He's not wearing an expensive pin stripe suit or pointed shoes. He looks tired. You can see that he's a workaholic".
He has found the American Dream -- owning his own backbreaking- business. Good Luck, sir.
Turning some more pages, I see Stan Golorrib's smiling face. He's smiling- because he is a happy guy. He likes people. He must have read Dale Carnage's book. Stan knows how to win customers. His business is advertising and marketing. He is the kind of guy our industry needs.
The reason I say that is that we have problems with advertising and marketing. For some reason, drycleaners prefer to fiddle around with slogans rather than advertising their expertise and services.
Here is a slogan that recently appeared in Forbes Magazine. It was found by Margaret Talbot, writer for the New Republic.
The slogan was on the wall in a drycleaning store. This is what she said when she saw the slogan: "At the cleaners down the street, the proprietors are forever coming up with sweetly failed attempts at sales slogans, such as the current example, imagine that you are in your clothes."
Now that is is some kind of imagining. But what kind of business are they thinking about?
There is a lot more to read but I'll get back to that later. I want to write about other things that are on my mind.
False Economizing
Could it be that the need for drycleaning has slowed down, which would cause a drop in solvent usage? Or is it that there are drycleaners who are economizing in the worst way?There are drycleaning "economizers" who have become so obsessed with economizing not only with perc but with other necessary supplies.
This miserly conduct has affected the quality of drycleaning and in some cases, garments don't get wet with solvent, let alone rinsing,
Fortunately, this is not true with the serious professional drycleaner. However, there is evidence that "graying" is happening in the cleaning process. Filter cartridges are being used beyond efficiency. Distillation has become nonexistent, and the results of this process could be called the redistribution of dirt.
In the eyes of the consumer drycleaning is a profession, and in this endeavour, the drycleaner is recognized as a professional. For this reason, consumers entrust the drycleaners with their garments. This entrustment must be respected with responsibility.
Common sense tells us that both the customers and the drycleaners will benefit from this responsibility.
The Tools of Great Stain Removal
Towels
It is important to have a plentiful supply of clean, white cotton towels in the stain removal department. Towels are used to absorb water and cleaning solutions from garments, absorb stains and spots flushed from a fabric, help prevent the formation of rings, show any dye bleeding from a fabric, and prevent stain removal agents from collecting on the stain removal board and damaging the next garment. During the course of a day it is not unusual to use many towels in the removal procedures. Towels should be clean to avoid transferring stains from the towel to a garment.Brushes
Brushes are used for tamping. The best brushes to use in stain removal have curved handles and are about nine inches long. This style of brush is easy to hold and control during the stain removal process. You will need three brushes: one with black bristles, one with white bristles, and one without bristles. The black brush is for use with dryside stain removal agents; the white brush is for use with wetside stain removal agents; the bristleless brush is used for stain removal on delicate fabrics. The head of the bristleless brush is covered with a white pad. Tamping helps the stain removal agents to penetrate into the fabric and break Lip stains. Place your thumb and middle fingers under the end of the brush with your index finger on the top of the brush handle, behind the bristles. Use a light tamping (or tapping) action. Be sure that the bristles of the brush hit the fabric squarely and not at an angle. Never use pressure; you do not want the bristles of the brush to bend. If you use more pressure, the brush may damage the fabric and cause chafing or yarn slippage. When the brush tamps the stained area squarely, the bristles will force the stain removal agent into the fabric and the stain. For tamping, always use a hard surface under the garment. Never tamp oil the screened area of the stain removal board or with a towel under the garment. When the bristles of your brush hit a soft surface, they tend to spread out and can damage the fabric.Brushes should be kept clean. Clean them when you have finished using them for a stain removal project; whenever they become soiled; or at the end of the day. Clean the brushes thoroughly with steam. Shake out the excess water, and then place on a solid part of the stain removal board with the bristles down. This gives the bristles a chance to drain and dry. If the brushes are placed oil the board with their bristles up, the water will drain into the wooden handle, causing damage to the brush (warping, splitting, and/or distortion). With proper care, the lifetime of your brushes can be lengthened.
Spatula/Bone
Another important tool in stain removal is the spatula. The tool is flat and has smooth edges with a point at one end. It is important that the spatula be smooth and have no rough edges. A bone or plastic spatula is best because various acids, alkalis, and bleaches do not affect it. A metal spatula might be affected by some chemicals or might affect the chemicals, as metal can increase the action of many chemicals. The spatula is used to work stain removal agents back and forth over the stain and into the fabric. Since fabrics can be damaged severely if the spatula is not used properly, it is necessary to follow proper procedures. The spatula should touch the fabric at a very flat angle, not with a point or an edge. Use the rounded surface of the spatula, touching the stained area about one-half inch from the point. Use very little pressure. The spatula is not used for digging stains out; it is used to soften them by working the stain removal agent into the fabric. Too much pressure can cause fibers to break or be permanently damaged.Cheesecloth
Cheesecloth is used for feathering on the dry side, removing pick-up dirt, testing for colorfastness, and wrapping brushes for tamping delicate fabrics.Blotters
Use blotters to test for colorfastness. Only white blotters should be used.Scissors
Keep a good pair of scissors at tile stain removal board to cut small fabric samples for testing. Cut only a small sample, making sure that it is taken from an unexposed seam area of the garment.Cotton Swabs
Cotton swabs are used to apply agents to a small area of fabric. By using a cotton swab, you can place the agent only on the area that you wish to work in to prevent damage to other parts of the garment that may be damaged by the agent you need to use. Cotton swabs should be used only once so that staining agents are not carried to other areas of the garment.Tweezers
Tweezers are used to hold small samples of fabric when testing for fiber identification. Always burn over a tray, or other small nonflammable containers to catch the ash or residue.Eyedropper
Use an eyedropper to apply small amounts (1 - 2 drops) of an agent to the fabric. Eyedroppers should be cleaned after eachuse to prevent mixing of residual chemicals.
Magnifying Glass
A magnifying glass is used to identify fabric construction, check for color loss, color change, stains, and fabric damage.Litmus and pH Paper
Litmus and pH paper are used to insure that all agents have been flushed from fabric and to test the acidity and alkalinity of the stained area. Litmus and pH paper can be used only once.Rubber Gloves
Don't forget to wear your rubber gloves. Gloves will provide hand protection when using harsh chemicals such as rust remover during stain removal procedures. Gloves should be washed and rinsed periodically to remove any agents that may have accumulated.Lessons Unlearned
Given enough time, everything seems to come around again. Rampant discounting is back. Lessons of the past have not been learned. Permanent discounting has been proven to be short-lived. In order to perpetuate longevity, services must provide identifiable values that customers recognize and want.In order to grow into the future, drycleaners must provide valued services today.
When discounting allows cheap to surpass good, then the future will find less need for our services.
Now here is some good news that doesn't come around too often. The need for perc has dropped by 70 percent. Elaine Murphy, spokesperson for Dow Chemicals Co., explains why this is good news.
She is right to a point. However, underneath the good news, there may be some bad news and here is why
The Stain Removal Board
Now, let's take a took at the most complex tool for stain removal -- the stain removal board. It is the central stain removal tool in a drycleaning plant.Stain removal boards have a hard, smooth work surface, usually made of glass, marble, or stainless steel. Glass or stainless steel can be damaged by commercial rust removers. It is important to place a towel on the glass board before using a rust remover. In fact, towels should be used with any stain removal agent.
Tamping and brushing should always be done on the solid area of the board. Extra care should be taken to keep the surfaces of the board, both the solid and the screen areas, clean at all times. The board should be wiped off whenever dirt dye, soil, or stain removal agents accumulate on the surface.
All stain removal boards are made in sections to allow stripping down for periodic cleaning. Boards should betaken apart and cleaned at least once per week and more often if necessary. Steam or water can be used to loosen soil and lint that may build up on the surface of the board or in the areas under the screens and solid surfaces.
Most stain removal boards have an area at the end of the board that is a perforated screen or mesh, called the "nose" of the board. When the vacuum pedal is pressed, a vacuum is created under the screen area. Use of the vacuum decreases drying time, helps flush stains and stain removal agents out of the fabric, and helps prevent the development of rings on fabrics. Never tamp a fabric on the screen area. The brush bristles tend to go through the fabric and spread out when they hit the open areas in the screen. This damages the fibers and can damage the garment.
The sleeve attachment board is a small stain removal board that is in a raised position and can be pulled forward for use. The sleeve board is useful when you are working on small articles, or small sections that may not fit on a larger board.
Foot pedals are an important feature of the stain removal board. Most boards have three separate foot pedals: one for air, one for steam, and one for vacuum. A stain removal board should have 80 pounds of steam pressure in its lines. For dry steam, slightly depress the pedal. For wet steam, depress the pedal all the way.
Steam/Air Gun
Exercise caution when using the steam gun, as it can be dangerous to use if certain precautions are not followed. Before using steam, aim the steam gun toward the waste receptacle underneath the board. Depress the steam pedal all the way to remove any moisture in the gun. If there is moisture in the steam gun, you may wet the fabric more than desired. Remove your foot from the pedal and then slightly depress the pedal for dry steam. Always hold the gun at a right angle to the fabric and at least four inches from the fabric when using steam or compressed air.The Vacuum Pedal
When the vacuum pedal is depressed, a vacuum is created in the screen areas on the stain removal board and the sleeve board. On some boards, the vacuum is started on the sleeve attachment by pulling the sleeve board toward you.Air Pedal
In addition to steam and vacuum pedals, most stain removal boards have an air pedal. When the air pedal is depressed, compressed air comes out of the steam/air gun. When using air, exercise the same precautions as with using steam. Keep the gun at least four inches from the fabric and hold it at right angles to the fabric. Air and a vacuum can reduce the chance of rings forming on moisture-sensitive fabrics, reduce the chance of a dye bleed, and decrease the drying time, resulting in greater production capacity for the drycleaning plant.The Trays
There are two trays attached to the stain removal board. A tray underneath the board keeps garments off the floor to avoid unnecessary soiling. The tray should be placed about halfway between the board and the floor. A netting or cloth cover on the tray should be brushed daily and removed and washed weekly. The tray should be free of sharp points that might snag or tear fabrics. Do not store stain removal agents, clothes hangers, or anything else on the tray underneath the board.A separate tray for stain removal agents is located at the end of the stain removal board.
Most stain removal boards have bowls which can be used for soaking stains or holding additional tools such as blotters.
Drain Receptacle
The drain receptacle collects waste from the board. All chemical waste should be placed in a hazardous waste receptacle.The Drying Cabinet
The drying cab i net should be tall enough for a fu I I- length dress to hang in it Without touching the floor. It Should also hold more than one garment. For average drying, a temperature of 100 to 120 degrees F is desirable. The cabinet should be kept clean at all times.The Supply Cabinet
A supply cabinet in which to store extra supplies should be kept near the stain removal board. The cabinet provides a safe place for chemicals and supplies and makes them readily accessible.Lighting
Lighting in the stain removal area is very important. Fluorescent lighting with a daylight tube is recommended because it has less glare than incandescent lighting and is more like natural daylight. The recommended intensity is 100-foot candlepower.Conclusion
Used correctly, these tools can lead to successful stain removal. Remember, no matter how well finished a garment may be, if the stains remain, the customer will not be happy.When Yellow Pages Do Your Talking
Advertising is a tricky thing, What catches the eye and what pricks the ears is subjective at best.
And yet, every day -- in our living rooms watching television, in our cars listening ' a to the radio, at work reading the newspaper, in a doctor's office where we pick up a magazine in the waiting, room -- we are bombarded with thousands of images,each one vying for our attention and trying to convince us to spend our hard-earned dollars.
Some of these images work and some don't.
As business people who rely on advertising to bring, in customers, understanding this tricky and subjective equation can seem daunting.
But this understand in", is essential for every small business owner, especially when each year, 57 million references are made to the "Dry- Cleaner" heading in the Yellow Pages.
Moreover, according to a recent usage survey:
- Eighteen percent of American adults refer to the Yellow Pages every day.
- 49 percent of the time that consumers refer to the Yellow Pages, they have no name, or two or more specific business names in mind. As a result, what they see and read in a Yellow Pages ad will influence which business they choose.
- Ad flow and design: A successful ad decision draws the reader's eye directly to the ad.
- Keep the reader's eye heading, directly toward the business' phone number.
- Vary the size of the type to keep the reader's interest. Don't use a type style that is too ornate or distracting.
- Highlight with reverse type, especially for the company name and phone number.
- Make sure your ad is clean, uncluttered and easy to read. Make use of white (or, in this case, "yellow") space.
The Headline
A successful headline is catchy and draws readers to your ad- Make your headline funny, or bold, or in the form of a question.
- Make your headline act as a quick identification for customers referred to your business.
- Identify the single most important feature of your business that sets you apart from the competition and highlight it.
Copy
Because you are competing for the reader's attention as well as for space, keep your copy succinct and to the point.- Emphasize the benefits of your product or service.
- Specify brand names and areas of specialization and emphasize information that sets you apart from the competition.
- Include vital information such as location, hours, parking, credit, etc.
- Give special attention to your phone number
Colour
Colour can enhance your ad, and creatively illustrate your product. If you have a distinctive logo, use it to gain attention your ad. This also encourages people to associate your logo with your business.Illustrations
An illustration is one of the most effective ways to attract attention to your ad.- Use large, graphically pleasing images.
- Use illustrations to display your products or services.
- Use an illustration to break the border fok added visual interest and appeal.
- Illustrations should always point to your ad, not your competitor's ad.
Borders
Borders can be very effective, especially if all of the other adds on the page use a bold or a hairline border, and you choose the opposite.Spot color
- Ads that use process color and white knockout capture attention regardless of ad placement on the page.
- The illustrations look more realistic.
- Ads that use these techniques make strong statements and stress unique selling points.
- These ads can also convey prestige.
Going on-line
Print ads are, naturally, the most common form of Yellow Pages advertising. But like many other industries, the Yellow Pages are keeping up with technology and have gone on-line.The rules for creating a successful on-line ad for your dry cleaning business are much the same as those that apply to print. However, some unique tips do apply:
- Keep it simple. By keeping it simple and by making sure you can continually modify Your site, you will save money, prevent confusion and avoid future delays.
- Satisfy Seekers and Explorers. "Seekers" -- users looking for specific information -- will have the most impact on your bottom line. Sell to them directly, give them information fast and make it easy. "Explorers" need entertaining designs and content to keep them interested, not just products and descriptions.
- Narrow your focus. Apply what you know about your offline customers and then add in your Web-user demographic information.
- Reach out to the individual. Give e-mail links, ask for opinions about your site, exchange information and communicate with your individual customers.
- Be creative and communicate in fun, original and succinct ways. Show your company's personality while keeping your sentences short and the content flowing. Don't force too much detailed information on users. If they want it, they will link to it.
- Reduce download time: Hold your graphics to 30k or less per page so that users don't get frustrated due to slow download time. Graphics that don't detail a concept should be kept particularly Small.
- Use external links. Links to related sites serve to strengthen the impact of your site. And providing industry-specific links is a very simple way to dramatically increase your hit count and generate goodwill.
| Larry Tessier | President |
| Lloyd Dobrescu | Vice President |
| Shane Bancescue | Secretary/Treasurer |
| Terry Thorsteinson | Past President |
Directors
- Bob Tefler - North Sask.
- Ed Herbert - Central Sask.
- Arlene Clarke - South Sask.
SPDA NEWSLETTER
P.O. Box 3482
Regina, S4P 3J8
E-mail: sbancescue@regina.dominionco.com