CHICAGO — Once a dry cleaner crosses the threshold of having enough locations where they can’t keep an eye on everything all the time, decisions have to be made, duties have to be delegated and systems must be set up where customers of each store have a similar experience.
In Part 1 of this series, we examined how owners need to set up clear expectations of each store’s performance and customer experience. Today, we’ll continue by examining the role of trust and leadership in running multiple locations.
You Can’t Be Everywhere
As a drycleaning company grows, its leaders will find it difficult to personally watch over each store. Eventually, it becomes impossible for them. These leaders will need to cultivate new skills and raise team members to be leaders on their own.
“I tried to sum up the most important leadership skill in one word, and simply put, it’s ‘trust,’” says Norman Way, vice president of Puritan Cleaners in Richmond, Virginia. “You can’t be everywhere, so you’ve got to communicate with your team and allow your team an opportunity to grow. Having frequent engagement with the team allows them to understand the cultural compass. You know they won’t miss the target by much if they understand the culture.”
Part of this trust factor for Gerrayl Bryson, general manager at Tiffany Couture Cleaners in Las Vegas, is seeing that his company’s mission is indeed being carried out.
“We’ve got quality checks,” he says. “Just going down there and looking at each location — the vehicles, the store and the plant — we’re checking for quality. Not only of the product, but the operation as a whole. Customer feedback is huge, as well, so we’re constantly sending out surveys, or giving customers an opportunity to provide feedback. We also have mystery shoppers who come in and assess us on a wide variety of metrics.”
For Mary Mills, president of Miami-based Sir Galloway Dry Cleaners, developing the necessary level of trust comes back to training.
“It really does start at the top and trickles down,” she says. “So, start training at the top with a clear set of goals and expectations, and never take your foot off the gas. Make necessary changes if the goals and expectations are not being met. Also, I have found great success in hiring and promoting from within.”
Trust is a two-way street, Way adds. If leaders are to trust those under them, the team needs to know those above them have their best interests at heart.
“I have to give credit to Gary Glover, the owner and president of Puritan Cleaners,” he says. “Gary is an amazing example of a listener and an encourager. He’s our very best cheerleader and is always asking the team members how we can help them.”
Building Leadership Skills
Part of leading multiple locations and routes is delegation, and that means finding the right people who can be trusted to carry out the company’s vision. Finding these people might not be easy, but Bryson believes it’s an investment that is well worth the effort.
“It comes in the form of observation,” he says. “I’m going to see how you communicate with me, with your subordinates, your peers and the customers. Then, I’m going to watch your performance and your behaviors, as well. And based on that, I can see if somebody has that potential for more responsibility.”
“We’re blessed with our support team,” Way says. “They take ownership of their respective areas, and we all communicate well and respect each other. As far as recognizing new people, we look for those who are already doing what we want to get done, and then recognize them.”
Mills also looks for this type of performance: “I recognize the employee who goes the extra mile — showing up on a Sunday when we are closed to get forgotten clothes for a customer who’s leaving town that night, for example. I look for people who make great suggestions, or who are continually being complimented by customers on reviews. Most importantly, I look for those taking pride in their position and store location. Those who do their job the Galloway way and strive for excellence.”
Come back Tuesday for the conclusion of this series, where we’ll offer some advice for cleaners who are planning to expand past their ability to oversee everything themselves. For Part 1, click HERE.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
