Singapore has risen to be a business hub in Asia. More and more people from nearby countries have transferred to this country to gain employment from the many large and competitive companies of different fields. This even includes people from the west, who have found the opportunity to build their business here.
These young and competitive workforces are too focused on their careers that simple household chores, like doing the laundry, are often left on the hands of professional cleaners. This is why dry cleaning service is one of the local businesses that prove to have good returns with the many customers it has from the corporate population. If you own such a business, here are some tips to maximize on your services in Singapore.
Reach Out To Customers
Gone are the days when dry clean shops wait for their customers to knock on their doors with armloads of laundry. If you want to increase your sales, you need to be proactive at winning those customers. One way is to offer a delivery service. Be the one to knock at their doors to pick up their clothes and bring it back to them. Instead of paying sales people who will focus at getting your customers, you can give that job to your delivery drivers. They can sell your services as they go along their route. You can just give them commissions for every customer that they bring in. Once you have stabilized your services in your current location or coverage, entertain possibilities of expanding. For instance, if your delivery service is just within the 2-mile radius at first, you can bring this up to 3 or 4 to get hold of a bigger population.
Value Loyal Customers
Promotions and discounts will keep your current customers coming to you. The dry cleaning industry is highly competitive. If you ignore the value of keeping your customers, other shops will steal them under your nose. These promotions are like rewards that you give your patrons and this will not be left unnoticed. Any profit loss you sacrifice for such incentives will bring great returns as these customers can also refer their own friends and family to avail of your service. Give them a reason to keep coming back.
Quality Service
Nothing beats quality service at maintaining your current list of customers and doubling it in the future. Do not wait for customers to point out specific stains or proper care instructions. Inspecting the clothes you clean should be standard protocol that each of your employees should practice. Needless to say, you need to be an expert in this business and you should provide your employees with proper training too. Give your customers the convenience they are after, like extended hours or extra services like stitching up loose buttons.
Upgrade Your Technology
Use modern equipments and software. These machines are more efficient, meaning they will cost you less on energy. They will also assure you of consistent high performance. You would not want to lose customers just because you failed to clean their clothes on time. A modern software that your business can use for automated internal accounting and record keeping will give your staffs time to focus on more important tasks. Solution software can also help you communicate well with customers through emails to keep them updated of their orders and advertise promotions.