LONG BEACH, Calif. — Playing in the waves in the Pacific Ocean is a treat, but so was “surfing” all the exhibitor booths at the recent Fabricare 2016 conference, hosted by the Long Beach Convention Center.
The Aug. 27-28 conference consisted of four wide aisles full of exhibitor booths, several break-out educational sessions (see Smile, Smile, Smile later in this story for details on one), and of course the one-on-one time so vital to us all.
Attendee John Norton of Norton’s Green Cleaners in Placentia, Calif., says: “Good to see people come out at this show. I’ve been coming to shows for more than 40 years. Times are changing. Old-timers might not change with the times but you’re not going to get anywhere unless you embrace social media.”
He adds that “dry cleaners are a diverse group. They are changing the industry image.”
Exhibitor Yuriko Tanabe, vice president of European Finishing/Hi-Steam, says, “This is a good show. We’ve sold a machine here already.”
Tanabe has to talk loud over the crowd to be heard from just a step away. Her booth has many visitors checking out the demonstrations, as are many other booths around. She smiles and adds, “Good traffic!”
Another exhibitor, Bill Odorizzi of Sankosha, indicates that the California show “surprises us in a very positive way. There’s a rebirth in the industry, and this is a committed group.”
“The economy has made the industry battle-tested,” says Odorizzi, noting a theme of how the strong survive and grow stronger in the process.
The sounds of talk, laughter and the machines in operation in various demonstrations made discussions difficult at times, which is a good sign at any show.
Crowds at the Unipress booth were constant all day long; same for ScanQ, Starchup, Columbia/ILSA, GreenEarth, Leonard Automatics, Garment Management Systems, Parker Boiler, SPOT Business Systems, Fabricare Management Systems, and many more.
Dry cleaners attending from California and other states filled the aisles.
At the White Conveyors booth, Tom Ginefra is demonstrating use of a semi-auto assembly conveyor for a group.
Over at Trevil, owner Stuart Ilkowitz mentions, “I made a connection with a New York-based dry cleaner out here. The show’s great for me.”
Cozy and energetic, the show has a healthy pulse. The smell of the ocean and the bright lights of the Long Beach promenade along the bay serve as an added gem of a backdrop.
One group of attendees walking through the Fabricare aisles includes Beth Shader of Milt & Edie’s Dry Cleaning in Pasadena, Calif., along with her husband, Michael Shader, and her father, Milt Chortkoff.
“It’s a great show," she says. “We’re enjoying ourselves, and my dad is stopping to see all his friends he’s known over the years.”
After the group poses for a photo, Chortkoff chuckles, “Half a dozen 8-by-10s please.” And we share a laugh. “This is wonderful. Having a great time,” he adds.
The issue of social media comes up in conversation, and Beth Shader notes that her store posts on both Facebook and Snapchat. She notes that its posts on Snapchat get consistently more hits nowadays.
With a smile and a wave, her group moves on and gets lost in the flow of people down the aisle.
There are many well-dressed exhibitors in business suits at the show but attendees adorned in relaxed, colorful shirts can also be seen throughout the crowd. Hey, it’s a beautiful summer day in California, and the vibe is good.
Attendees enjoyed equally the beautiful ocean vistas along with the equipment and services being displayed in the convention hall at Fabricare 2016.
Jeff Cha, sales manager at Unisec, says, “We get our name out in the marketplace at Fabricare and that’s the goal here at this show.”
The four aisles of exhibitor booths were jostling with action.
“We’re here to support the Fabricare show,” notes Fred Schwarzmann, president of A.L. Wilson Chemical Co., who was busy studying all the offerings in the aisle as he walked toward his booth. “We’re here to meet people and it’s going very well.”
The takeaway from the show is this: a venue that is friendly and compact and is accompanied by great energy and enthusiasm.
Sam Ahn, president of Itsumi, seems to sum it all up as he munches a snack and smiles: “We sold a machine here! This show is good!”
SMILE, SMILE, SMILE
“All employees have to help bring in money,” says Diana Vollmer, Methods for Management, during the Getting Your Team on Your Side of the P & L educational session she presented for an audience of about 30 Fabricare attendees.
“They might tell you they won’t sell, can’t sell or don’t want to sell, or even, ‘I hate what I sell,’” says Vollmer.
The key today, she explains to the audience, is to become a trusted adviser to the customer.
“Our customers need us, trust us, rely on us to share information about our products and services,” she says.
Sales can have a bad reputation, Vollmer notes. Start having your employees think of your customers’ clothing as special, like their own.
She points out several examples of a successful sales culture, including McDonalds, Wells Fargo and Zappos. “The key component is that everyone at these companies feels responsible.”
Reduce the friction of buying, she advises. Get your employees to care. “Send employees out in the field to take clothes to the competitors, see what they find out,” she offers.
“Listen to what they say when they return,” Vollmer says. Many in the audience are taking lots of notes.
“Get [employees] to believe you’re the best operation,” she says before asking the audience to break up into groups and discuss ways to make their employees care more, and in the process, increase sales.
One attendee, Sassan Rahimzadeh, owner of Arya Cleaners in Chula Vista, Calif., near San Diego, says, “If you can communicate the front end with the back end, it makes things easier.”
Every customer has a different need, so treat them individually, he adds.
“I make my counter staff say the customer’s name three times and smile, smile, smile! Everyone loves hearing their own name,” he notes with a warm smile himself.
About upping your sales and motivating your team, Vollmer summarizes: “Plan together, share information about how wonderful customers are, and smile!”
Lastly, she leaves the crowd with this: “Make sure your people know your customers by name and face!”
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].