b'FEATUREKick Your Quality Up A Notch!By Don Desrosiers, Tailwind SystemsLETS LOOK AT OUR QUALITY AND SEE IF WE CAN RAISE you know they dont). When you dont find that, youreTHE BAR. Or, in the words of my famous cousin Emeril disappointed because the discounter actually does aLagasse, Lets kick it up a notch!good job.When we justify higher prices to ourselves or ourcustomers, we say we produce a higher quality product NEXT-LEVEL QUALITYthan the discounter around the corner.However, we Well, stop worrying about your competitor and takerender ourselves speechless when we mystery-shop that your quality up a notch.Itll be minor things.You docompetitor and learn they do a darn good job.I have a good job now, after all, but you want your customersseen this many times.Many clients admit openly: The to feel that if they tried a competitor they wouldntdiscounter does a heck of a nice shirt for $1.25! or the know exactly what the difference was, only that it didntone-price cleaner who charges $1.99 for the pants you feel right - the attention to detail would be missing.Lets start with shirts.Cuffs have become two-sidedprice at $8. If your defense is quality you might not objects.Look at figure 1 (on page 20).Itll be a chore tohave much to stand on. get these right, especially when theyve been pressedIts not that youre doing a bad job, its just your incorrectly dozens of times. But the errant creases onquality matches that of the other guy.If you mystery- the cuffs have got to go!On a new shirt, you will needshopthecompetitor,yousecretlyhopetofind to press both sides of the cuff so that one side doesntdouble-creasedpantswithabrokenzipper,broken relax while the other side stretches.A well-worn cuffbuttons, and shirts with horizontal creases across the like the one pictured will take some effort.I encouragebacks.If you find that, you take it to the bank.You youtotellyourcustomerwhatyouhavedonenever forget it.You share it with your customers as afterwards.Theres no sense going through all of thatthough such defects happen with every garment (and work and not getting credit for it.continued on page 20THIRD QUARTER 2020 19'