AROUND THE INDUSTRY
ABC Conference Explores the Power of Diversification Live Accelerator meeting examined action vs. reaction with real-world examples SEATTLE — America’s Best Cleaners (ABC) recently hosted its first Live Accelerator meeting in 2022 to provide a forum for its members to interact, compare notes and share ideas. Held in Seattle in May, the event’s theme was “Diversification?” ABC’s stated goal for the event was to share ideas and experiences about how to continue to move away from simply reacting to events. “The question wasn’t if you should diversify,” ABC Executive Director Chris White says, “but to what degree diversification best fits the owner’s goals, the market needs and the ability to build successful new businesses or service offerings that will provide sustainability in the mid and long term.” To make the most of this in-person opportunity, the organization offered affiliates a real-life example of a
business that has thrived from adding additional business channels. Attendees toured Helena’s Cleaner’s new stateof-the-art facility designed by ABC’s Chris White and Ed D’Elicio. The company welcomed its fellow affiliates and provided a glimpse of the new space designed to maximize the business services they offer. During the meeting, ABC affiliates Mary Mills of Sir Galloway Cleaners, Robert Strong of Country Club Cleaners, and Dianne Lee of The Press DC also offered their insights on diversification. They also shared how they were able to expand their business plans to offer different services and achieve success during the pandemic. “It’s easy to talk in hypotheticals, but the power comes from learning directly from your peers to understand their analysis, development and implementation and execution of their ideas,” White says.
Hot-Topic Trio: Customer Experiences, Trade Shows, and Increasing Profitability Pleasantly Surprising Customers Kyle Matthews of Detroit’s Janet Davis Cleaners offers ideas and outlooks for boosting the customer experience in your store, making you the only cleaner your clients consider.
Making the Most of a Trade Show Messe Frankfurt’s Greg Jira joins us to discuss the benefits of attending industry trade shows, including ways to prepare prior to the event to get the most out of your time there. We also get a preview of Clean Show 2022.
Cleaners, Raise Your Prices
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Methods for Management’s Kermit Engh explores why dry cleaners should not be afraid to raise prices when their own cost of production is on the rise. We discuss reasons why most customers will understand this trend, as well as strategies for dealing with those who don’t.
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americandrycleaner.com/podcasts 42
American Drycleaner, July 2022
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