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GOOD dry cleaners
are responsible operators and individuals who care about their
customers, the environment and their employees. The cleaners treats
their employees well and maintains a safe working environment.
TRADE associations
like the Iowa/ Nebraska Fabric Care Association and the International
Fabricare Association are important to us all. These associations
filter relevant information to their members about fashion and
fibers, the laws and regulations pertaining to the fabric care
industry and channels trade magazines to its member.
ENVIRONMENTAL concerns
are always on top of all good dry cleaners’ minds. Good cleaners
follow responsible fabricare. They follow safe handling of all
chemicals including cleaning solvents. Good dry cleaners remove
their filters and waste products using a government licensed hauler
to an accepted and approved waste facility. Good dry cleaners
keep manifests of all restricted byproducts that are taken to
waste facilities. Good dry cleaner uses no less than fourth generation
dry-cleaning machines to minimize negative impact on the environment.
Good dry cleaners exceed the minimum plant air quality standards
as posted by OSHA and EPA. Their plants do not smell of solvents
or chemicals.
ATTENTION to detail
is always important. Does the dry cleaners get the stain out?
Does the cleaner ask for a release from the customer for garments
with no care labels or with special trim? Care labels are important
because they contain important information from the manufacturer
on how to properly service their garments so the customer can
have many years of enjoyment and use from them. Trim may pose
problems for cleaners because sometimes the manufacturer applies
them to garments after the care label had been attached to the
garment. The trim then may not withstand the cleaning process.
A good dry cleaner will often recognize these conditions and,
prior to cleaning discuss the concerns with the customer and suggest
alternatives in the cleaning process.
GARMENTS are returned
to customers wrinkled free. Garments are not damaged at the stain
sites. The good cleaner knows to be cautious and stop before damage
occurs in stain removal. Garments are inspected before they’re
returned to the customers. Many garments are not placed in the
same poly bag to prevent re-wrinkling due to crushing. Tags are
not stapled through clothes in order to avoid damage and are removed
before returning the garments to the customer.
QUALITY is often
advertised but not so often found in many dry cleaners operation
and products. What to look for in determining quality includes
a neat appearance and clean call office and plant, friendly knowledgeable
employees dressed professionally and prepared to handle question,
even tough ones. They should have the ability to handle problems
which arise in any aspect of customer service. Are the products
done right and ready on time as promised? Is their dialogue with
customers regarding problems and potential problems before they
arise? Do clean clothes look right on the hangers? Are they lint
free? Are buttons replaced free if broken or lost? Are all loose
threads trimmed? Does the cleaners use special hanger forms to
keep garments looking right? Do the garments smell fresh and clean?
To the touch, is the natural feel present? Does the cleaner use
hanger covers to both advertise and protect the customers garments.
Does the cleaners offer technical information? Is there a Fabricare
library of material available to the customers? Is there evidence
of the importance of educating the customer about care, cleaning
and wearing garments? Are computers used in making the operation
efficient and timely?
EDUCATION is a critical
ingredient for the dry cleaner and his/her employees. With the
enormity of new fabrics reaching the market, changing technologies,
new chemical procedures, a dry cleaner, along with his staff,
must keep current in the field. Evidence of training should be
seen in the plant and call office. Dry cleaners are proud of their
credentials and often display them for customers to see. Specialized
certifications like Certified Professional Dry cleaner, Certified
Environmental Dry cleaner, Certified Wet Cleaner represent advanced
levels of training often not found in dry cleaners establishments.
MISSION and vision
are important aspects of the dry cleaners focus on service, quality
and the customer. Mission statements are often available for view
in the plant and are sometimes printed on customer tickets.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
is important. Does the drycleaner make promises that he/she cannot
keep? Are your clothes ready when promised? If a problem does
occur, does the cleaner try to work them out with the customer.
If a claim does occur, do they use the industry-accepted guide
to determine fair value like the international Fabricare Fair
Claims Guide?
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION is
a critical area for any business and a good drycleaner is always
sensitive to the needs of the customer. Information is often gathered
from customers through surveys and questionnaire, phone calls,
etc. to insure that key ingredients of service are always present
and always improving.
COMMUNITY involvement
is often a characteristic found in well-operated dry-cleaning
establishments. Chamber of commerce, better business bureaus,
children’s events, community event sponsorship are often found
as indicators of a drycleaner community involvement. Sponsorship
of the local church directory, theater productions, and charity
are often areas of involvement of good dry cleaners.
TESTING, when needed,
occurs on an unexposed seam and is performed on an item when no
care label exists or a processing concern is brought to the cleaner’s
attention. A good drycleaner classifies every load of garments
to be cleaned by color and material to insure the proper cleaning
techniques.
CHEAPER isn't always
better. A big danger to clothes is a cleaner who tries to cut
cost by cutting corners. Quality cleaners add special detergents
and sizing to their solvent to enhance the cleaning ability and
give the clothes additional body and feel. Solvent is distilled
after every lead in order to clean solvent to be used in every
cleaning. Filters are used to remove any impurity and soil that
the solvent picks up as it passes through the garments.
TECHNOLOGY is ever
changing. A good drycleaner will use current technologies in spot
removal, in the cleaning process, in repairing garments, in stain
removal, in computer applications for marking, tracking, and locating
garments. Current customer’s lists enable a good drycleaner to
track business activity and to communicate with his customers.
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