The
Mobile Dry Cleaning
Quarterly Newsletter
September
2002
In
This Issue :
“tis
the season to be jolly
Referrals
– The Mobile Drycleaner’s most effective tool
How
do you compete with the cut-rate one price drycleaner?
“tis
the season to be jolly.”
Summer
is ending! Schools are open and most families have returned from
vacation, autumn is in the air, and lower temperatures will bring
about wardrobe changes. Closets
and wardrobes will soon be re-opened and garments will be recycled for
changing seasons. This is a happy time of the year for the drycleaner.
If
this is your first season as a mobile drycleaner, you will be thinking
that these garments have been cleaned in the spring and they have not
yet been worn. WRONG!
Not all households clean their garments in the spring.
Many times, garments are left to hang in closets until ready
for the next season and when taken out to be worn, spots, stains, and
soil become apparent and are then sent to be drycleaned.
Even those who have their wardrobes cleaned in the spring will
hold out several garments because they are still wearing them at the
time of spring-cleaning or have kept them accessible for cooler days.
Be prepared. Don’t let
those garments get into the hands of the competition.
Whether
delivering or picking –up an order, always ask for a specific
garment or inform the buyer of one of your services such as tailoring
or water repelling etc. When
you receive a garment for cleaning, ask for a different item. For
example, If Mrs. Jones sends a pair of slacks for drycleaning, ask if
she has any sweaters that may need cleaning.
Conversely if she sends a sweater ask for a pair of slacks or
coat etc. This question helps create a need or may act as a reminder
of some other item that was overlooked and you will gain additional
revenues simply by being thorough and helpful to your customer.
If you
wish to offer specials or discounts promote quantity discounts. For
example:
-
Introduce
a sale that offers to clean sweaters at $1.99 each if three or
more are sent for drycleaning.
-
Offer
to clean a particular garment at a discount if another item is
sent with that garment, for example charge $1.99 for all sweaters
that are combined with a raincoat to be cleaned and water
-repelled.
-
Offer
a 3for2 special where you clean the lowest cost garment for FREE.
-
Offer
a cash discount for two or more specific articles, such as: $1.00
off all outer coats and jackets when sent in quantities of two or
more.
You
may argue that if this is such a busy time, why should I be cutting my
prices? Won’t I get
these garments anyway? It
is possible that you may have created such a strong relationship with
your customer that they won’t send their drycleaning to any one
else, but reality dictates that today’s consumer will use more than
one source for drycleaning services and you must constantly strive to
win their business. Many times these garments will need more than just
drycleaning , Many sweaters contain pulls or are in need of depilling
and these services will bring you extra dollars.
Always ask if a garment needs repair.
Perhaps there is an open seam or tear that needs attention.
Asking
if a garment needs any repairs, may act as a reminder to your customer
. If nothing else, you
have promoted another of your services that may be used at a later
date.
You
can offset some of your costs if you can reach an agreement with your
drycleaner to share in these specials. However, if an agreement
can’t be reached a quantity sale will still generate profits because
you will receive larger orders and many times other full price items
accompany these sale items.
No
matter what marketing plan you use, direct your attention to getting
larger orders from your customers.
The soiled or worn garments are there and your job is to remind
your customers to have them drycleaned.
Fall
is an excellent time of year for the dry cleaning industry.
Marketing efforts and responsible
management of the extra revenues received now will help you
weather the storm for the slower months of February and early
March.
-------------------------------------------------------
Referrals –
The
Mobile Drycleaners Most Effective Tool
Referral
and Word-of-mouth advertising
from satisfied customers is the most effective advertising a company
can use to increase business. Recent studies show that referrals
outrank advertising, sales presentations, and other forms of marketing
and promotion as the dominant reason for purchasing decisions.
When
a customer feels the service received exceeds expectations, you are
not only rewarded with a happy customer, you also create an
unsolicited ambassador of goodwill.
Others tend to view recommendations from those who use your
services as highly credible and are inclined to respond to those
recommendations.
As
an added bonus, a customer who comes to you through word-of-mouth
advertising has been pre-sold on your services and competitive price
shopping becomes less of a priority
Take
time to create an effective referral system. A good referral system
will generate more repeat customers and business in less time at less
cost than any other promotion you undertake.
Exceptional
service and customer care promote favorable comments but customer
rewards help insure those comments.
Offer your satisfied customer a free drycleaning coupon for
every person who tries your service based on their recommendation.
Be sure you say thank you and acknowledge their help. To see a
sample flyer promoting customer referrals, see page 39 of The Mobile
Dry Cleaning Manual. To
order The Mobile Dry Cleaning Manual, visit www.themobiledrycleaner.com
.
Competing
with the one-price drycleaner
If the one-price
cut-rate drycleaner is not operating in your marketing area, then you
are not faced with this problem but you should be aware of their
existence and know what steps to take when competing with their
services.
First,
a one-price drycleaner advertises they will clean any garment at one
price and generally at wholesale cost.
You must pay with cash in advance to take advantage of this
service. There seems to
be a growing number of these drycleaners in any given area, but there
are some drawbacks and some very serious problems facing them.
The
work force they must hire are generally inexperienced, unreliable, and
low paid. The drycleaner
relies primarily on automation and quick turnover.
Quality control levels are generally very low and almost
non-existent. Many times garments are returned with poor spot removal
and in many cases, garment damage.
Many
times, a customer will use this service for poorer quality garments or
once they have experienced a distasteful situation will return to
their old services and become a much more satisfied customer.
When faced with
this competition stress your quality, service, and reliability.
The old axiom remains true.
“You get what you pay for.”
In order to be profitable, these operations must rely on very
high volume and low wage schedules and these two ingredients always
equate to poor service and low quality.
Be persistent and patient.
If your customer decides to transfer to the one-price
drycleaner, a high probability exists that they will return to the
fold. Don’t loose
contact with this client. Eventually, in not too short a time, you
will be serving them again.
When
you encounter a prospect who uses these services, continue to maintain
contact with them. Eventually you can earn their business with proper
service.
The
future is yours, you are now a business owner, and only you can make
it happen.
Wishing
you all loads of success.
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C. E. Hill
The Mobile Dry
Cleaning Manual
www.themobiledrycleaner.com
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