Oregon Dry Cleaners Association

We had our first board meeting Saturday, January 28.  Not everyone could make it but it was nice to see our two newest board members there.  Laurie Eckstrom, owner of The Cleanery in Salem, District 3 Director , and Jim Thomason, owner of Forest Grove Cleaners in Forest Grove, District 2 Director.  New thoughts and ideas keep an organization alive and I am looking forward to their input throughout the years ahead.  We also were able to elect Chad Allred, owner of Mira Pond Cleaners in Bend as District 5 Director.  He had contacted us by e-mail asking who the director in his area was and when we told him there was no director he volunteer to serve in that capacity.  I am looking forward to meeting him as due to the short notice he was unable to attend the meeting.

Educating our members and helping them keep abreast of changes in the industry is ODCAs’ mission statement.  Continuing education is so important especially for individuals who own and operate a small business.  We all wear so many different hats and don’t have the luxury of human resources, marketing or a research and development departments.  We are planning two or three classes this year to help you make the best decisions for your business.

Your first opportunity to further your knowledge will be Saturday, May 20 at Cathy’s Cleaners in Bend 11:00AM – 3:00PM.  A factory rep will be there to demonstrate teninsoning equipment.  You will not only be able to see how the equipment works but ask questions.  I know I have seen this equipment at a few trade shows but have felt a little intimidated about asking questions with so many people standing around.  I am really looking forward to this occasion. That same day we will also be learning about what to expect during a DEQ inspection.  DEQ starting inspecting cleaners this past year this is your opportunity to find out what exactly they are looking for and how you can get your facility in order, including your paper work.  We will be cooking hot dogs and serving soft drinks.  This will give you an opportunuty to see some new equipment learn what DEQ is looking for, network with your fellow business associates and have a good time.  The cost is FREE to ODCA members and $25.00 for non- members.  A board meeting will finish out the day.  BE sure to mark your calendars now.  We will send out a flyer as the time gets closer but you won’t want to miss this one!

Speaking of DEQ I sure hope you all have completed your annual report as it has to be postmarked March 1, 2006.  WE did ours this weekend so we could get it in on time.

The convention this year will be October 20, 21, and 22 at SPRIT MOUNTAIN CASINO AND RESORT in Northern Oregon.  The convention committee is hard at work choosing the food and arranging for the speakers. Mark your calendars NOW as the time will be here sooner than we think.

Belonging to a national organization is just as important I believe as belonging to and being involved in statewide or local organization.  After listening to Nora Nealis at the last convention her knowledge and enthusiasm was so compelling we decided to join NCA (they also gave us credit for our ODCA dues).  They do garment analysis, offer educational opportunities, have brochures for your customers, send out bulletins regarding problem garments, and advocate for all drycleaners.

January 12- 15th was NCAs’ Brainstorming With the Best Conference in Las Vegas.   Jack and I decided to attend as it was so close.  Looking over the speakers I must admit I was not sure how a hair dresser or a bureaucrat could help us in our business but I was willing to wait and listen. Everett Childers was going wrap up the conference.  He holds a very dear spot in our hearts as he was the first teacher we had when we decided to open a drycleaner fifteen years ago.

Customer service, customer service, customer service that was what the “hair dresser”, John DiJulius, had to tell us.  He took a two person operation (him and his wife) to a multi million dollar operation in Ohio!  He had our heads swimming with ideas that we now have to put into action.  Joyce Chupka was the bureaucrat who tackled the DMV in New York and turned it into a more user friendly operation by involving the employees in the plans and changes that took place.  Since we are going to be moving our plant this year having our employees input will be very helpful.  Their ideas regarding layout and other changes should help the move go more smoothly.  The more input we can get the better we will be.  Everett wrapped it all together putting it into the “drycleaners” prospective.  Glad we went and are looking forward to other educational opportunities available through NCA.  We also got to meet and talk with people from all over the country plus Canada and put faces to names we read on the drycleaner forum.

Finally on a sad note, Southern Oregon lost another friend and repair person.  Murry Starks died this past week.  He had stepped into his father Lees’ big shoes this past year learning and helping the cleaners and laundry people here in Southern Oregon.  His death was sudden and unexpected.  Apparently his heart gave out.  With a ready smile and an eagerness to learn and do his best he will be missed.  Goodbye Murry.

And that I did! National Cleaners Association (NCA) put on a “Brainstorming with the Best” conference in Las Vegas - Jan. 12th through the 16th.
My husband Gary, I, and the kid (David is his name and he is 7) flew out of Portland Thursday morning. This was David’s first airplane trip and he was excited. His eyes got really big as the airplane increased speed for take off. Just before touchdown at the Las Vegas airport, as the runway was getting closer David turns to us and proclaims loudly – “this is my first time and I hope it’s good”. Out of the mouths of babe – we all chuckled. If you remember the weather in Oregon during that time you will know why I was so excited with sunny and 70 when we landed in Vegas. 
Thursday evening at the Welcome Cocktail Reception I had a chance to put faces to those I had not met but knew by name. It was also wonderful to meet others I did not know at all.  Kathy Childers, a fellow Oregonian according to her – but an official “Okie” according to her husband, won the NCA drawing of the latest & greatest (video capability) I- Pod. David (remember he’s 7) was quite distraught that she won it, as was I (remember I’m (did you really think I’d tell you!)).
Friday morning – after a wonderful breakfast with the fellow conference attendees it was down to business. “Secret Service” with John DiJulius, this was one of the best sessions I have ever attended. John DiJulius, owner of John Robert’s Spa, one of the “Top 20 Salons in America” and author of the book “Secret Service” (hidden systems that deliver unforgettable customer service) is one of the leading authorities on customer service. His presentation and the workshop that followed opened my eyes to a great need in our industry for good customer service. He talked about the correlation between the Salon business and the dry cleaning business - your front line employees not being the highest paid but having a huge impact on your customers. During the workshop session we then learned that the answer is not higher paid staff at the front counter but training for your current staff. Those attending this “Secret Service” session gained valuable knowledge to put into their businesses and will have a wonderful advantage over those in the industry that missed out! I recommend that all of you go out - buy and READ John DeJulius book “Secret Service”. The session ended about 1:30 pm and then the attendees had the rest of the day & evening to do what ever they wanted. In my case it was off to M & M world.
On Saturday, after another wonderful breakfast (I do not know where the Four Seasons get their fresh fruit but we had blueberries etc. in the middle of Jan.) Joyce Chupka, who was instrumental in turning the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles into a customer centric, user-friendly agency, spoke. She shared thoughts about ways, other than monetary, to reward employees. We did some role playing, which showed ways to avoid the verbal pitfalls that we have all had with employees. Attendees learned techniques to improve employee morale and performance. The session ended just before noon so The Childers, Anchick’s, Eckstrom’s and myself had a wonderful lunch with Nora, the Executive Director of NCA. One of the topics at lunch was “How can NCA & ODCA work together to benefit the dry-cleaning industry in Oregon?” More news on the answer will be coming. The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent at Circus Circus, you cannot take a kid to Vegas and skip Circus Circus, or so I was told.
Our final day, Sunday, started as the others – wonderful breakfast and a chance to visit with the new friends I met over the course of the conference. Nora, with NCA started the final session off with a presentation about the proposed EPA “NESHAP” on PERC and the position NCA was taking. Since this newsletter is after the deadline for public comment I will not elaborate, but if you would like any more information please contact me directly. Nora then revealed who the recipient of their 1st “Cleaners Choice Award” was. The winner of the 2006 Cleaners Choice Award went to Liz Claiborne clothing line in recognition of the garment manufacturer’s excellence in customer service, care labeling and quality control. You can obtain a copy of the press release from the NCA website – www.nca-i.com. Unfortunately our flight departure home was such that I was unable to attend the final speaker Everett Childers. 
Nora and the rest of the NCA staff put together a wonderful “Brainstorming with the Best” conference which benefited the attendees and their businesses. And whenever you have the opportunity to get together with peers from all over - you and your business benefit. Watch for upcoming news on next year’s NCA “Brainstorming with the Best” conference and plan for your continued success and growth by attending!

We stayed in Medford Saturday night after the board meeting and had an interesting trip home. As I was saying during the meeting, we always have an adventure getting to and from the January board meeting. Last year ice, several years snow, then there were the car problems. Once we had to be towed from Portland to Astoria, at least we have AAA.

This year as we were heading home, we were only 50 or so miles away, thinking “wow this is good, we're even going to get home early”.  That’s when the  traffic came to a stop.  It's raining like crazy, all we can see is tail lights for a mile or so ahead. Finally after an hour a person comes by, there's a tree down, it took a power line with it and it landed on a car. I guess we can be happy it wasn't us. So another hour or so goes by and finally we can move. Wow, things are looking good again. About 10 miles out of Seaside we're stopped again, flooding, it's about 2 foot deep and rising.  If we were a passenger car we'd have to turn back or wait.  High tide was still 3 hours away, however we could take our chances and go for it, which is what we did.

There were several flooded areas but only one real high spot about a half mile long. So here we are we made it! Now we're only a few miles from home, 3 hours late but at least we're here, when a 1/2 mile from home there's a tree across the road.  Luckily it’s only across the lanes, there’s still space on the shoulder.  So we inched around it and made it home safely.

 Yes, we survived one more January board meeting. and it was worth the trip.

Tip Top Cleaners - Portland

Towne & Country Cleaners - Medford

45th Avenue Cleaners - Portland

Campbells Cleaners - Corvallis

Plaza Cleaners - Portland