ATLANTA — Between visits to the Clean Show’s extensive exhibit floor, those attending the April 16-19 event will have the opportunity to attend educational sessions targeting the unique issues of their industry segments, as well as some broader general sessions that offer strategies on improving operations, engaging workers and increasing business, among others.
Access to the educational sessions is included in conference registration, and is not dependent on association affiliation.
All morning sessions will be staged on level three of the Georgia World Congress Center. Afternoon educational sessions will be located at the end of the main aisle of the exhibit floor in the Sponsor Education Theater, just beyond the sponsor pavilion.
Educational sessions will take place between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., daily Thursday through Saturday. On Sunday, the show’s final day, sessions will take place only in the morning.
In this first part, we’ll focus on the six sessions sponsored by the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute, as described here by DLI and Clean Show organizer Riddle & Associates:
THURSDAY, APRIL 16
- 8:30-9:45 a.m. — Is Great Customer Service Worth It?, presented by Carolyn Nankervis.
How can great customer service affect your bottom line? Learn how to spot weaknesses and reward excellence as Nankervis, who is CEO of DLI’s mystery shopping partner company, shares insights and data from the drycleaning industry.
FRIDAY, APRIL 17
- 8:30-9:45 a.m. — How to Sell to the #SELFIE Generation, presented by Ricardo Gonzalez.
Learn how to get 25- to 35-year-olds to recognize the value of your services and do business with you. As the quantity of ads reaching prospects increases, marketers are turning to behavioral psychology for an edge over competitors. Gonzalez, DLI’s social media coordinator, will explain why customers switch companies and make purchases. He’ll also show how it all applies to selling dry cleaning to an Internet-connected generation.
- 1-2 p.m. — Boiler Alert: Save Money on this Massive Expense, presented by Ted Heiderscheit.
Make sure your boiler is working with you and not against you. In this session, Heiderscheit, who is director of loss control for Hartford Steam Boiler, will demonstrate how to get more work out of less energy and lower your insurance costs by maintaining maximum energy efficiency in your production facility.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
- 8:30-9:45 a.m. — Wash, Dry, Fold — Profit (also titled Success = More Than Just Drycleaning), presented by Beverly Blank.
You have to clean more than suits and formalwear to succeed in today’s market. See how some of your fellow industry professionals are expanding their services to accommodate the changing needs of today’s customers. Blank, an expert on wash/dry/fold services, will spotlight a natural diversification for dry cleaners to attract more revenue.
- 2:30-3:30 p.m. — Problem Garment Parade, presented by Brian Johnson.
Preventing claims not only stops payouts, it increases customer confidence in your business. Johnson, DLI’s director of education, will help attendees learn how to identify and prevent common claim-causing garment problems.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19
- 8:30-9:45 a.m. — Policing Employee Policies, presented by Kylie Luff.
The way employees look and behave is changing—are your company policies current with today’s employment issues? Luff, from Seay Management Consultants, will explain the value of implementing and enforcing company policies.
Check back Thursday for previews of sessions from the Coin Laundry Association, Textile Rental Services Association, and others!
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].