Dry Cleaners Service Chicago
Dry Cleaning and The Invisible Stain
That will stain was not there when I brought this garment in, the customer told the young lady working on the counter at a local dry cleaners. The counter person stuttered and stammered, unsure how to respond to the accusation by the red faced, irate customer. Finally, she wrote up a new ticket and took the garment back to be re-done. The customer left, without her favorite blouse, that your lady had intended to wear this evening, along with a less than desirable experience that may prompt her to try another cleaner the next time. I have seen this same interaction time and time again. The customer blames the cleaner for putting the stain on the garment and the cleaner swears that he(or she) did not do it. The interesting twist on this instance, was that they were both wrong. The stain wasn't there when the customer produced it in and the dry cleaner did not put the stain on the garment. Yes, it was the case of the "invisible stain".
One of the more common and problematic stains that occurs with garment care is the stain that seems to show up all by itself. They were not visible before cleaning or pressing, but believe it or not, they were there. Often these are stains that are the result of sodas, food oils or perspiration.
One example could be the customer who has dripped a droplet from a soft drink, it dries and is invisible at this point. Over time, the stain begins to caramelize or oxidize(when it is an oil stain) and becomes a visible brown/yellow stain. Or the stain isn't removed in the cleaning process (due to the limited amount of moisture available in the dry cleaning system) and the heat of drying makes the stain brown/yellow and much more difficult to remove. The customer doesn't realize this spill happened and therefore doesn't point it out to the cleaner to be pre-treated. This type of stain can sometimes be a difficult stain to remove, depending on fabrics, dyes, etc . and may not be removed. At this point, the 24 hour dry cleaners Chicago, IL puts his "sorry" tag on it and ships it out, only to end up with the problem we started this post out with.
Another example may be the stain that contains unsaturated oil such as in foods. These oils are very quick to oxidize and create another very difficult stain to remove. When these type stains are on a garment made of polyester they can be almost impossible to remove. This type of stain can often be identified by the checkerboard or criss cross pattern that can be seen in the stain. And again, if it isn't pre-spotted and cleaned soon after the spill, you've got the appearance of the "invisible stain". Often , oils from our skin can produce a very similar stain, especially in shirt collars, underarms and cuffs. Usually these will be more yellowed and lack the criss cross design that indicates an oxidized oil stain. So , what is the best way to handle the situation that the young lady working the counter had experienced. The best way is to educate and inform the consumer/your customer. Get educating the consumer part of every point of sale interaction. Explain to them the importance of detection, cleaning the garment promptly after the staining occurred and making sure to point it out to the customer service rep when they drop the garment off to be cleaned. Once these stains become visible, there is no guarantee that it can be removed safely. Explain to the consumer to never attempt a home remedy, do not try to apply or brush the stain out. If an attempt is made at home to remove the stain and it does not come out, do not put the garment in a dryer (heat will make the stain more difficult to remove). Explain that this is a stain best left for the professional dry cleaner.
Lastly, take the time and train your customer sales reps, give them the answers they need. Explain to them what causes these type marks so that they can explain this problem with confidence and put your business one step ahead of the competition.
One of the more common and problematic stains that occurs with garment care is the stain that seems to show up all by itself. They were not visible before cleaning or pressing, but believe it or not, they were there. Often these are stains that are the result of sodas, food oils or perspiration.
One example could be the customer who has dripped a droplet from a soft drink, it dries and is invisible at this point. Over time, the stain begins to caramelize or oxidize(when it is an oil stain) and becomes a visible brown/yellow stain. Or the stain isn't removed in the cleaning process (due to the limited amount of moisture available in the dry cleaning system) and the heat of drying makes the stain brown/yellow and much more difficult to remove. The customer doesn't realize this spill happened and therefore doesn't point it out to the cleaner to be pre-treated. This type of stain can sometimes be a difficult stain to remove, depending on fabrics, dyes, etc . and may not be removed. At this point, the 24 hour dry cleaners Chicago, IL puts his "sorry" tag on it and ships it out, only to end up with the problem we started this post out with.
Another example may be the stain that contains unsaturated oil such as in foods. These oils are very quick to oxidize and create another very difficult stain to remove. When these type stains are on a garment made of polyester they can be almost impossible to remove. This type of stain can often be identified by the checkerboard or criss cross pattern that can be seen in the stain. And again, if it isn't pre-spotted and cleaned soon after the spill, you've got the appearance of the "invisible stain". Often , oils from our skin can produce a very similar stain, especially in shirt collars, underarms and cuffs. Usually these will be more yellowed and lack the criss cross design that indicates an oxidized oil stain. So , what is the best way to handle the situation that the young lady working the counter had experienced. The best way is to educate and inform the consumer/your customer. Get educating the consumer part of every point of sale interaction. Explain to them the importance of detection, cleaning the garment promptly after the staining occurred and making sure to point it out to the customer service rep when they drop the garment off to be cleaned. Once these stains become visible, there is no guarantee that it can be removed safely. Explain to the consumer to never attempt a home remedy, do not try to apply or brush the stain out. If an attempt is made at home to remove the stain and it does not come out, do not put the garment in a dryer (heat will make the stain more difficult to remove). Explain that this is a stain best left for the professional dry cleaner.
Lastly, take the time and train your customer sales reps, give them the answers they need. Explain to them what causes these type marks so that they can explain this problem with confidence and put your business one step ahead of the competition.
What You Really Need To Know About Starting A Dry Cleaning Business
Should you be anything like me, then you've probably spent a long, long time simply dreaming about the day that you would finally be able to give up the daily grind of your 9-5 job and set up your own company. There is something about being your own boss that many people aspire to, and with good reason. With it, comes the freedom to run things the way you see fit, you are not answerable to anyone else, and your chances of either success and failure will rest entirely on your own shoulders. As a result of so many different businesses that you can potentially get involved in, it could take you a long time to stay on one that suits you best. As you think through your options, I would urge you to think about opening your own dry cleaning business.
A dry cleaning business may just be the break you're looking for. Not only it's a much-needed service that nearly everyone needs, but is also based on repeat customers. Besides unlike a lot of establishments out there, you don't need an MBA, years of experience, or a hundred thousand dollars in capital just to get into the business.
The key ingredients you need in order to make your dry cleaning business a success is the knack to develop a strong rapport with your clientele, and a dedicated work ethic. And, with the several franchise opportunities available these days you could get started in the dry cleaning business earlier than you thought possible.
A lot of people have decided on to shop for into a franchise rather than start their own dry cleaning business from scratch. This approach comes with several advantages. For starters, you won't be weighed down with having to build up trust in your name because the franchise name will likely already be recognized in the minds of customers. One must give it some consideration as this kind of goodwill towards the franchise name is very important from a marketing perspective view.
An added advantage of investing in franchising rights is that the initial fee you pay gives you access to a full network of training and support. Obviously this is something you wouldn't get if you started your dry cleaning business on your own. As a franchisee, you'll be trained in all the main aspects of running a dry cleaning business. This also includes expert guidance on how to use the equipment, how to recruit, hire good employees as well as how to keep the catalogs, and how to market your services. What's more, a majority of franchises will assist you get established in your local area by making sure you get some customers right off the bat. Then, you can get continuing assistance and training as needed.
Starting a dry cleaning business doesn't have to be a lengthy, complex, confusing process. Simply check out the local or national franchise opportunities that exist and see which one is the best suits for your needs. For sure if you find the right one, you could be functioning your own dry cleaning business before you know it!
A dry cleaning business may just be the break you're looking for. Not only it's a much-needed service that nearly everyone needs, but is also based on repeat customers. Besides unlike a lot of establishments out there, you don't need an MBA, years of experience, or a hundred thousand dollars in capital just to get into the business.
The key ingredients you need in order to make your dry cleaning business a success is the knack to develop a strong rapport with your clientele, and a dedicated work ethic. And, with the several franchise opportunities available these days you could get started in the dry cleaning business earlier than you thought possible.
A lot of people have decided on to shop for into a franchise rather than start their own dry cleaning business from scratch. This approach comes with several advantages. For starters, you won't be weighed down with having to build up trust in your name because the franchise name will likely already be recognized in the minds of customers. One must give it some consideration as this kind of goodwill towards the franchise name is very important from a marketing perspective view.
An added advantage of investing in franchising rights is that the initial fee you pay gives you access to a full network of training and support. Obviously this is something you wouldn't get if you started your dry cleaning business on your own. As a franchisee, you'll be trained in all the main aspects of running a dry cleaning business. This also includes expert guidance on how to use the equipment, how to recruit, hire good employees as well as how to keep the catalogs, and how to market your services. What's more, a majority of franchises will assist you get established in your local area by making sure you get some customers right off the bat. Then, you can get continuing assistance and training as needed.
Starting a dry cleaning business doesn't have to be a lengthy, complex, confusing process. Simply check out the local or national franchise opportunities that exist and see which one is the best suits for your needs. For sure if you find the right one, you could be functioning your own dry cleaning business before you know it!