CHICAGO — When a dry cleaner has multiple locations, their leadership style changes from being able to oversee everything to running the locations as parts of a whole. To accomplish this, systems must be put into place, along with people capable of executing the leader’s vision in place.
In Part 1 of this series, we examined how owners need to set up clear expectations of each store’s performance and customer experience. In Part 2, we examine the role of trust and leadership in running multiple locations. Today, we’ll conclude by offering advice for cleaners who are planning to expand past their ability to oversee everything themselves
Individual Parts of a Whole
Instilling a companywide sense of unity and collaboration when teams are spread across different locations can be challenging.
Because no two people are alike, the sites will have their own personalities and ways to connect with customers. Without cohesive leadership, however, a drycleaning company with 10 different locations can start to feel like 10 different companies.
“Our stores are not copies of each other,” says Norman Way, vice president of Puritan Cleaners in Richmond, Virginia, “but the culture is very much duplicated in each location. When I first entered the industry, I pictured a chain where every location should be cookie-cutter, and that is absolutely not what we do.”
Way likens Puritan’s location structure to fine dining.
“We say that the entrée should always be undeniably Puritan Cleaners, and the employees’ personalities provide the seasoning for the entrée,” he says. “That allows us the freedom to be ourselves while always being true to the brand of Puritan Cleaners and providing that consistently.”
“We’ve got some negotiables,” says Gerrayl Bryson, general manager at Tiffany Couture Cleaners in Las Vegas, “and then we’ve got some non-negotiables, in the sense that our reputation and our revenue must always be intact. That’s what we’re going to prioritize. Short of that, though, I welcome ingenuity and creativity.”
Mary Mills, president of Miami-based Sir Galloway Dry Cleaners, believes that building a team also requires social interactions.
“We celebrate every holiday and special occasion, such as long-time employee anniversaries or retirements,” she says. “We also help with voluntary collections for unfortunate situations, and the company always adds and/or at the least matches all collections. We have a family atmosphere at Sir Galloway. We respect each other and listen to suggestions. There is no silent voice in my company.”
Advice for Expanding Dry Cleaners
For dry cleaners who are expanding to the point that oversight, delegation and company capacity and services are starting to become an issue, Way believes that half-measures are not the way forward.
“When you’re planning to expand, truly plan for success,” he says. “I know a lot of people who really want to grow their wash-dry-fold service, for example, but they’re still trying to do it with one washer and dryer and a drop store. If you really want to scale, you’re going to need some washers and dryers, and the people to do the work. You’ve got to think big to be big.”
When doing this, Way says, addressing the human element is critical.
“Expansion has its blessings and its challenges,” he says. “My No. 1 piece of advice is that if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, take others with you. You can’t do it all.”
Way also believes in leaving room for personal leadership styles and, yes, the occasional error, especially for new leaders.
“No one is exactly like you,” he says, “and they might not do it exactly the way you would, but we learn from our mistakes, and we owe it to others to give them the opportunity to grow, as well.”
Constantly investing in her team brings benefits otherwise unattainable, Mills believes.
“You must have trust in your management,” she says. “So, training the managers with a clear vision, expectations and goals leads to those being managed following the Galloway way. It’s amazing what you will see and hear if you develop trust with your CSRs and listen to their suggestions.”
For Bryson, finding the right kind of leadership is vital.
“It’s something that we in the military call ‘mission command,’” Bryson says. “There’s ‘command and control,’ which is borderline micromanagement. I’m going to do it or stand over your shoulder. Then there’s ‘mission command,’ which is where I give you the objective, and you tell me how you’re going to get after it.”
Through his education and military experience, Bryson has found that allowing team members to think for themselves within the structure the leader has set up can be a clear path toward success.
“I have a master’s in adult education training, and that has come in so handy for this position,” he says. “I know that these are adults — they have minds and they have experiences. They have skills that just need to be fostered and brought to light. You’ll be amazed by what you’ll see.”
Hands-on owners may find this delegation and trust difficult in the beginning but Bryson says it’s worth any initial discomfort.
“I can understand an owner’s hesitation in that,” he says, “but I’ve seen it in action, time and time again. It’s always beautiful to see people start to take on that ownership on their own.”
For Part 1 of this series, click HERE. For Part 2, click HERE.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
