CHICAGO — Seasonal fluctuations and difficult economic times can affect every drycleaning business, but some operators have discovered that, while it might not be quite as profitable, cleaning in bulk for other businesses can provide some much-needed stability for their bottom line. 

In Part 1 of this series, we explored how and why cleaners might find corporate clients and ensure they’re the right fit for the business. In Part 2, we examined what a cleaner might expect, how they should establish pricing and payment terms and the practical issues that come along with this type of work. Today, we’ll conclude by exploring ways to get started, keep clients happy and how to determine if a client isn’t a good fit for the drycleaning business.

Retention in commercial work often comes down to consistency. The work has to land the same way every time.

Nick Gausling, chief operating and financial officer at Al Phillips Cleaners in Las Vegas, does regular walk-throughs and pop-ins with key accounts, sometimes daily, to ensure this consistency.

“A lot of times we’ll find a problem before they call us,” he says. “Clients don’t stay because of promises. They stay because of repeatable results.”

Tom Fox, owner of Martini Dry Cleaners in Burien, Washington, agrees with that assessment. 

“The key to retention is the quality of service,” he says. “Once we’ve made a commitment that says, ‘Yeah, you can have this on Thursday,’ we’ll make sure it’s there on Thursday. If they need it at noon instead of 4 o’clock, we’ll juggle stuff around to make sure we get it out at the time, not just the day.”

Will Waterstraat, CEO at Helena’s Dry Cleaning & Laundry in Seattle, says the smallest complaints are the ones to take most seriously. 

“If you hear any complaints at all, there’s a problem,” he says. “If you end up hearing that there is a hair on a folded towel, that’s a big enough problem.”

All of Helena’s commercial accounts, Waterstraat says, sign a contract that requires 90 days’ notice to exit and includes a minimum-volume clause for accounts where Helena’s has built out a dedicated production staff for the work.

Being able to see when to walk away from a commercial inquiry is an essential part of running the business as well.

“It’s an important part of protecting our operation,” says Ricky Salazar, vice president of client services at Al Phillips Cleaners. “We’ll walk away if the expectations don’t align with reality when it comes to elements such as pricing, labor cost or even unrealistic turnaround times. Another red flag is inconsistency without communication. If the volume increases or drops rapidly without any forecasting, those are things we look for. We’re not trying to be everything to everyone.”

Fox once walked away from a uniform contract for police officers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport based on price. 

“If it’s two-thirds of my normal pricing, it’s not worth my effort,” he says. “If somebody else wants the business when they have to bid that low, then they can deal with it.” 

Waterstraat recently turned down a diaper company, even at an open-ended price: “There’s no way I’m going to have my staff deal with baby diapers.” 

Beyond the unusual cases, the biggest signal that an account isn’t worth pursuing is how the prospective client treats the relationship. 

“We’ve turned people down because they don’t treat us like a partner,” Waterstraat says. “If I’m not treated like a vendor partner, then I’m going to make sure that I’m getting paid accordingly.”

For independent cleaners considering commercial work for the first time, Fox suggests looking inward first. 

“What’s out there for commercial that I can match my current workflow to?” he asks. “What kind of garments am I currently processing that are going to fit reasonably well within something that’s out there for commercial work?” 

He also advises that cleaners make sure their website describes their availability for commercial work and that they cultivate relationships with purchasing contacts at larger nearby organizations.

Waterstraat encourages going in with an open mind and treating the early work as tuition. 

“Be curious,” he says, “and understand that in the beginning, it’s probably going to be a loss leader. Personally, I always price low because I look at it as an education. Then, once I start understanding that business, it gives me optics into that whole industry. That’s when I can start looking at other businesses that might have the same type of work.”

Gausling cautions that commercial work isn’t right for every shop, especially smaller operations where the owner is still hands-on in production. A discount-retail cleaner will get squeezed even harder on margin in the commercial space, he says. 

But for shops with the foundation in place, his advice is to keep it simple.

“The first step is just putting yourself out there and getting that first client,” he says. “Don’t overthink it. Don’t try to buy a bunch of new equipment or hire a bunch of people before you have the volume. That’s a mistake. Just go get your first client and then learn from that. And then go get another one, and then another one, and scale up slowly and learn as you go.”                   

For Part 1 of this series, click HERE. For Part 2, click HERE.