b'COVER FOCUScontinued from page 14flexibilitytothe wont come to you, you simply MUST go to them, saidscheduledroutes, Moen. Automation at the customer service counter, andimprovementsto in the plant, is now needed more than ever.wash&foldsubscriptions, and Q:What lessons will remain frombolstered reporting this pandemic?andmarketingfeatures.Tides A:The drycleaner who is going out and hunting downLoadsofHope business is the one coming back, said Schwegmann.Programallowed Anyone sitting in his store and waiting for business totheentireretail come to him is probably not going to do well, long-termdrycleaning industry to cross a major milestoneon - especially during a lockdown when everyones trappedApril 17th, 2020, the first ever national commercial inside basically. The main lesson is that we cannotpromoting a retail drycleaning brand aired on NBC take any part of our business model for granted, saidduring Blacklist, celebrated Nesbit. Chapleau. The businesses that will survive the winterwill use diversified distribution methods and products:Q:Are you doing less of delivery, kiosk, lockers, curbside, self-checkout, washsomething than before? andfold,andotherinnovationsthatsomeofthethousands of small business owners will dream up. AA:Wasting time, said Moen. There is so much more company can have all the revenue in the world, butwork to do chasing down every order, every piece. Im without the ability to generate cash, it can easily beworking 12 times harder than ever before. I had to quit forcedintobankruptcy,saidNesbit.Thesecondbeing dumb and get very smart very fast. Sadly the lesson that will remain is that drycleaners need to beonlythingthatwearedoinglessofislaundry& out working as hard as possible to garner new revenue -drycleaning pieces, said Nesbit. We are going 100 they either diversify or die. The only constant ismph, gas-pedal to the floor, in every aspect of the change, said Chapleau, and the only true protectionbusiness. This includes strategy, marketing, finance, from risk is diversification. The DLI regional phonehuman resources, technology and equipment, and day- calls have been really helpful. Youve got drycleanersto-day operations. Currently, we are working on an discussing what works and what doesnt work, and theextensive text messaging opt in/opt out program that barrier to entry has been lowered since someone elsewillassistwithconvertingcountercustomersto has already done the trial and error on new tech, saidcontactless pick up & delivery. Schwegmann. The more we can pool drycleaners andhelp each other find solutions to the common problemsQ:Whatinnovationshaveyou weface,thebetterwellbeabletosurviveasanadopted, or want to adopt? industry.A:Most of the revenue is coming from our websites. FosteringastrongspiritofcooperationandWithgeofencing,wedontadvertiseourleather- information-sharing amongst drycleaners is shaping upcleaning services in the areas of our client-drycleaners, to be a crucial factor in adjusting to disruption. Inand a lot of our customers send us their items by mail, addition, it looks like anyone wanting to stay afloat willsaid Schwegmann. We advertise so we dont compete have to adopt contactless innovations such as laundryagainst our customers, using geofencing to reach people lockers, pick up and delivery services, a heavy presencebeyond the areas our customer-drycleaners service. on social media, and remote payment applications.Pick up and delivery is crucial because if customers Adapt, stay calm, and be well!THIRD QUARTER 2020 15'