ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — America’s Best Cleaners (ABC) announced that it added 40 more drycleaners to its roster of affiliates during its annual awards ceremony held in March. Kurt and Jodi Lucero, operators of The Cleanery in Albuquerque, hosted the event.
Joining ABC is contingent upon adherence to strict criteria. The certification is valid for one year, after which cleaners are retested on-site. ABC also proctors monthly quality tests and sends mystery shoppers to affiliates’ stores to test for customer service and quality.
“We are very excited to be chosen as of one of America’s Best Cleaners,” says Kermit Engh, owner of Fashion Cleaners in Omaha, Neb. “We pride ourselves on delivering only the highest quality, with superior customer service, and we’re glad to be recognized by this top-notch organization.”
Criteria for selection are based on standards determined in conjunction with the ISO-accredited German textile-care research organization Hohenstein Institutes. ABC representatives visit prospective affiliates to determine if they meet minimum requirements of cleanliness, equipment, stain removal and finishing quality. With monthly fabric tests evaluating chemical usage, ABC says, it offers the most stringent certification in the drycleaning industry.
ABC recently expanded into World’s Best Cleaners (WBC), which acts as a liaison between the drycleaning industry and third-party interests such as high-end garment manufacturers and media outlets such as National Public Radio and the Wall Street Journal.
“Just as Mercedes recommends that authorized dealerships service their products, the manufacturers of $3,000 suits want to offer their clients the same level of security and convenience when it comes to care and maintenance,” says Chris White, ABC’s technical director. “Our recognition provides that security, and our international network provides that convenience.”
In addition to achieving ABC certification, Engh also received an ABC award for Best Client Relations, after winning the highest rating among affiliates from Service Sleuth, a mystery-shopping service. Robert Smerling of Brentwood Royal Cleaners, Los Angeles, Calif., won an ABC’s Best Quality award; and Robin Kraemer of Jones Cleaning Centers in Fresno, Calif., won Most Improved.
This awards ceremony was sponsored by Hydroproducts, Solvair, Metalprogetti and Unipress, with ABC Platinum-level sponsors CompassMax, Eastern Funding, Kreussler, Mainetti and SPOT Business Systems. For more information about ABC and a list of affiliates and sponsors, visit www.americasbestcleaners.com.
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