Recently Crown Cleaners unveiled a new feedback program called ReviewMyDryCleaner.  The folks at Kona Cleaners in California developed this software a few years ago that allows current customers of a cleaner to give almost instant feedback to the cleaner on how they performed.  The way this is done is by emailing the customer once they pick up an order from Crown.  In the email, the customer is given a few options on how to rate the cleaner and if they want to post their review to social media websites.  Of course, this can only happen if the cleaner has collected the customers’ email address and entered it into their software.

There are a few objectives for a cleaner in implementing the ReviewMyDryCleaner program.  The obvious objective is for the valuable insight on the many facets of the business that is provides.  The quality of cleaning, spot removal, pressing, packaging and customer service feedback are just a few of the things that a cleaner is looking for.  Turn-around time, communication and value or pricing are some of the others.

Because social media is playing such a big part in how a consumer chooses to spend their money, drycleaners have been a little late to the table.  Not anymore.  The ReviewMyDryCleaner software automatically posts the reviews it receives to social media sites such as Google, Yelp, Facebook and to the cleaners’ own website.  The reviews, good, bad or indifferent, get posted.  The reviews provide critical feedback to the cleaner to make changes to improve their services.  The emails also serve as an opportunity to keep the lines of communication open between the customer and the cleaner.  The logic built into the software prohibits the customer from getting too […]

One of the challenges of owning a dry cleaning business is dealing with dozens and dozens of abandoned items each year. It’s not unusual for a certain amount of ties, button-up shirts, expensive suits, and even wedding dresses to hang on the racks for months without being picked up. Sometimes it happens because the owner has moved. Other times (s)he simply forgot about the garment. Or, sadly, our customer has passed away. Whatever the reason, abandoned items tend to accumulate in this business if they’re not addressed.

So where do all of those clothes and household items, such as comforters, go? They’re almost always donated, but only after the item has been left for at least 30 days and after several attempts have been made to contact the owner. Over several weeks, we make phone calls, send emails, and mail postcards asking that the item(s) be picked up and providing notification that the property will be disposed of if no response is received. After we have exhausted all methods of contacting an owner, our employees have the option of purchasing the item at cost of the dry cleaning bill. This might take care of a few items each year, but not many. Everything else is donated to a variety of organizations, including Goodwill and Ladies of Charity off Baxter Ave. Sometimes a small production company stops by and requests clothing donations, which will be turned into costumes for an upcoming performance. Sometimes a local restaurant will ask for white button-up shirts for their new wait staff. Abandoned property is NEVER thrown out. We do our best to find homes for anything that isn’t picked up.

The loss in sales for this abandoned property averages to be […]

Would you believe marketing?

There are traditional ways of advertising a small business such as television, radio, newspapers, and direct mail. Advertising on social media and other websites has become very common. But I want my money to do more than just market my business, so I keep my eyes open for ways it can make a difference at the same time. Recently, I was able to do both by sponsoring a llama in Knoxville’s first Great Llama Race, held at World’s Fair Park on Saturday, April 5.

The Great Llama Race was a fundraiser benefitting local schools, Southeast Llama Rescue, and Casa de Sara, a Knoxville non-profit that organized the event. Local celebrities were paired with a Knoxville school and a llama to form teams that raced against each other in heats. The event also included food, entertainers, crafts, games, and music. It was a lot of fun. More information about the race and Casa de Sara can be found at www.thegreatllamarace.com.

The Crown Cleaners Team didn’t win the race, but we had a great time while supporting a few good causes and spreading awareness of the business to an estimated 5,000 people. I call this a win-win-win situation, and I’d spend my marketing dollars on opportunities like this over traditional methods any day.

Community involvement is one of Crown Cleaners top priorities, and I thought The Great Llama Race was a chance to be part of something unique. We’ve sponsored plenty of teams in golf tournaments over the years, but never have we sponsored a team in a llama race. I loved the originality and synergy of this event, and the team is overflowing with creative ideas should Casa de Sara hold the event again.