CHICAGO — While many dry cleaners can lead their employees through times of plenty, it’s during periods of uncertainty where owners will find what they, their business and their teams are made of.
In Part 1 of this series, we examined how successful operators are able to navigate their drycleaning companies through difficult times. Today, we’ll continue this series by looking at ways these leaders prepare their companies and employees for the unexpected.
Rethinking Business Fundamentals
The pandemic forced many cleaners to reevaluate their operations from the ground up. For Tom Zengeler, president of Zengeler Cleaners in Northbrook, Illinois, efficiency became paramount.
“We needed to operate as efficiently as possible,” he says. “This means having the right technology and the right employees in place and to monitor and control costs every day — labor costs, supply costs, rental costs and so on. We were efficient operators going into that time, but we’re even more efficient today.”
For Toran Brown, owner of Rytina Fine Cleaners & Launderers in Sacramento, California, the focus shifted to agility and preparation for multiple scenarios.
“We are careful not to overextend ourselves,” he says. “We’re careful to be in a position where we can pivot if need be. I try to predict some possible outcomes. It’s kind of like a chess game, trying to determine the three or four moves possible going forward. What would we do if this happened? What would we do if that happened? What resources do we need to have on hand to deal with those possible outcomes?”
Working with a business consultant, Jan Barlow, owner of Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners in Clio, Michigan, has put in place an Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for her company.
Under the EOS, Barlow’s team has quarterly planning sessions with a trainer, sets goals (“rocks”) for each quarter, creates three-year plans and documents standard operating procedures (SOPs), along with other activities.
“It helps us to hold people accountable to get the work results we need from our team,” says Nick Nelson, a member of Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners management team. “In our quarterly training sessions, we examine our last quarter rocks and then we create new rocks for the next quarter. We all hold each other liable for making sure we complete all those rocks within the time allowed within that quarter.”
Staffing and Team Building in Uncertain Times
Finding, training and retaining quality employees in the drycleaning industry has become increasingly challenging, requiring new approaches to team building.
“More than half of our employees have been with us for over 20 years,” Zengeler says, “and another 30% have been with us for 15-plus years. A new person coming in needs to fit into the culture and the work environment that has been established. And they’re trained not only by one person, but by all. They work as a team, and they’re trained as a team. They’re trained by the team.”
This is not only good for the new employees, Zengeler believes, but it also gives existing team members a sense of continuity and security.
“If they’re constantly having new employees who they’re working with, that’s frustrating for them,” he says. “It’s time-consuming for them. I don’t want people to leave working for us because they’re going somewhere else to make a dollar more. That’s just not our motive.”
Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners has implemented formal procedures to strengthen team cohesion and accountability.
“Setting proper expectations about what their job descriptions are and what we expect from them day to day has been a huge upside,” Nelson says, “being very clear on that from the moment they’re hired in. Based on our accountability chart, every job is someone’s job.”
For Brown, keeping his team in the loop, especially during uncertain times, has become essential.
“Communication is key,” he says, “because if there’s uncertainty out there, chances are your employees feel it. I don’t try to sugarcoat anything. I try to be very realistic about what’s happening.”
Technology and Innovation as Solutions
If properly researched and utilized, technology can be a valuable tool as both a response to immediate challenges and as part of longer-term strategic planning.
“We recently put in a [point-of-sale system] that allows us to barcode and track all of our garments through the system so we don’t lose them,” Nelson says. “We’re able to keep everything organized throughout the shop.”
He also highlights the implementation of 24-hour kiosk service, which allows customers to come in at their own convenience and eliminates a potential barrier to using the company’s services.
“Customers can pick up any of their cleaning either through lockers or on the kiosk turnstile,” Nelson says. “And once they pick their items up off the conveyor, it immediately charges their credit card, and we’re all set.”
Zengeler also emphasized the importance of continuous technological investment — not just in point-of-sale systems but throughout the operation.
“We try to stay on top of technology, not only with our finishing equipment and assembly equipment, but with our point-of-sale system and marketing efforts, as well. It all works together,” he says. “I’m a big believer in reinvesting into the company and staying on top of the best technology available, whether it’s in our office or it’s a drycleaning machine or in production or assembly. Reinvesting makes the job easier and more efficient for the employees.”
Come back Thursday for the conclusion of this series, where we’ll explore the value of communication with customers and strength through adaptation. For Part 1 of this series, click HERE.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
