CHICAGO — In the day-to-day operation of a drycleaning company, it can be easy to lose sight of the elements that customers might notice about the store and the service they receive. That’s why it’s vital to seek feedback from clients to make sure they are being treated properly and that, from their perspective, the business location is running well.
From gathering online reviews to hiring marketing companies to performing mystery shopping experiences, today’s cleaners have more options than ever to hear from their customers and see how their stores work from the other side of the counter.
Feedback and Reviews
Seeking out feedback is a priority for both David Meyer, owner of Elite Cleaners in Phoenix, Arizona, and Michael Harris, owner of Oceanside Cleaners in Jacksonville, Florida. Both businesses have hired a marketing company to oversee the feedback process, ensuring that it’s done regularly and uniformly.
“(The company) reaches out to the customer to see if they had a good experience,” Meyer says. “If so, they’ll ask for a review, and it works beautifully. So, we’re not really standing at the counter asking the person. It’s through a system of barriers we create, and then as people get through the barriers, we’ll ask for the review.”
Harris, who operates his company with his children Mark and Clare, also has a team he relies on for feedback.
“We have a board of customers, about 10 or 12, and I talk to them a couple times a year,” he says. “What I want is honest feedback from them on how things are going. How is our quality? How is our service?”
The counter staff is the first level of communication with clients, says Mark Harris.
“Your interactions at the counter are vitally important,” he says. “We also have three full-time office employees who answer the phones and are customer service staff. If a customer calls and has a concern or a question, or wants to know when their laundry will be ready, our team will answer anything of that nature. We also use Slack a lot to communicate within the company, and the office staff monitors the general email, as well.”
Every customer interaction is an opportunity for gathering their opinions.
“When we get customers on the phone — if we’re asking them for approval on a cleaning issue, for instance, or any sort of issue they’ve had — my dad or I will ask them for feedback,” Mark Harris says. “‘What are your thoughts on this? How did you like that?’ A lot of the times, they’ll just be upfront about everything.”
Come back Tuesday for Part 2 of this series, where we’ll look at how dry cleaners can put their feedback into action.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
