www.sefa.org February, 2013 Volume 11, No. 2 IN THIS ISSUE Check out our Website www.sefa.org President’s Message..Page 3 Shirt Laundry and Dryclean- ing Finishing............ Page 5 Social Media Marketing for Today’s Consumer... Page 6 Green Garmento Visits the Shark Tank .............. Page 8 What to Tell Employees about Facebook.........Page 9 Meet the Allieds: Orville Johnson...... Page 10 Improving Sales through Customer Service... Page 11 SEFA Annual Membership Meeting .................. Page 14 Allied Trade Members................. Page 15 Truth in advertising... What Message Are We Sending? Green marketing is all the rage, every where you look. But have we gone too far? Has the “green-washing” phenomenon made most eco-friend- ly claims fall on deaf ears? Signs like the one on the leſt leave many scratching their heads. “Organic Cleaning” sounds pretty environ- mentally friendly, but what does it really mean? By the strictest defini- W H O C A R E D R Y C L E A N E R S tion, “organic” means carbon based, which technically could refer to almost all drycleaning methods including perc. What most customers think of when they hear “organic” or “eco-friendly” or other buzz words they think of things like chemical free, etc. is can lead many consumers to feel they are being deceived or mislead. Some states are already looking into the “green-washing” of consumers, and most recently looking at the drycleaning industry. Just recently, six dry-cleaning establishments in Santa Monica agreed to stop making unsubstantiated environ- mental claims in their advertising according to the city attorney’s office. An investigation by consumer protection and environmental officials showed that the cleaners could not support claims that their operations were “non- toxic,” “environmentally safe” and “environmentally friendly. One of the six uses “Green Earth,” and the others use a hydrocarbon. “We’re glad these companies have started using less-toxic chemicals, but market- ing them as ‘eco-friendly’ just goes too far,” said Dean Kubani, director of the city’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment. While the industry has a lot of “green” activities like recycling, water preserva- tion, less toxic soaps, and other environmentally beneficial properties, be careful of the advertising you use -- and the message you are sending.
Transcript
www.sefa.org February, 2013Volume 11, No. 2
IN THIS ISSUE
Check out our Website www.sefa.org
President’s Message..Page 3
Shirt Laundry and Dryclean-ing Finishing............ Page 5
Social Media Marketing for Today’s Consumer... Page 6
Green Garmento Visits the Shark Tank .............. Page 8
What to Tell Employees about Facebook.........Page 9
Meet the Allieds: Orville Johnson...... Page 10
Improving Sales through Customer Service... Page 11
Truth in advertising...What Message Are We Sending?
Green marketing is all the rage, every where you look. But have we gone too far? Has the “green-washing” phenomenon made most eco-friend-ly claims fall on deaf ears? Signs like the one on the left leave many scratching their heads. “Organic Cleaning” sounds pretty environ-mentally friendly, but what does it really mean? By the strictest defini-
WH
O
CAR
E
DRYCLEANERS
WH
O
CAR
E
DRYCLEANERS
SOUTH EASTERN FABRICARE ASSOCIATION
tion, “organic” means carbon based, which technically could refer to almost all drycleaning methods including perc. What most customers think of when they hear “organic” or “eco-friendly” or other buzz words they think of things like chemical free, etc. This can lead many consumers to feel they are being deceived or mislead.
Some states are already looking into the “green-washing” of consumers, and most recently looking at the drycleaning industry. Just recently, six dry-cleaning establishments in Santa Monica agreed to stop making unsubstantiated environ-mental claims in their advertising according to the city attorney’s office.
An investigation by consumer protection and environmental officials showed that the cleaners could not support claims that their operations were “non-toxic,” “environmentally safe” and “environmentally friendly. One of the six uses “Green Earth,” and the others use a hydrocarbon.
“We’re glad these companies have started using less-toxic chemicals, but market-ing them as ‘eco-friendly’ just goes too far,” said Dean Kubani, director of the city’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment.
While the industry has a lot of “green” activities like recycling, water preserva-tion, less toxic soaps, and other environmentally beneficial properties, be careful of the advertising you use -- and the message you are sending.
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President’s Message...
Wash Respess
Annual Membership Meeting, Educational Seminar, and Social
Heading to Nashville!On April 20-21, SEFA will hold its annual Membership/Board meeting at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel in Nashville, TN. During the weekend, SEFA will be pro-viding an educational seminar followed by a social hosted by SEFA. Ron Garrett, Senior Vice President with MW Cleaners and Memories Gown Preservation will present the seminar “Where’s Your Focus”. The seminar will demonstrate how improving your customer service level will lead to improved sales.
Ron Garrett, a second generation dry cleaner, began working with The Johnson Group after graduating from Clemson University. In 1988, Ron purchased Lexington Dry Cleaning and was president for 15 years. His father, Tom Garrett, joined him as partner after retiring from The Johnson Group and remains the current owner today. Ron was active on The SEFA Board of Directors for 15 years, serving as President in 1996 and was also a member of The Tuchman National Management Group. Ron joined The Men’s Wearhouse in 2004 and currently has the position of Senior Vice President of MW Cleaners and Memories Gown Preservation.
Following the seminar, SEFA will be hosting a member social at the hotel. The member social will included SEFA Board members, invited guests and hopefully you. Networking will be the name of the game at the social. The SEFA Board wants to know more about how we can better serve our Tennessee members. This information can only come from you. There is a nominal fee for attending the seminar, but the social is free. You do not have to attend the seminar to attend the social, but we hope you will join us anyway. All we ask is that you first register for one or both of the events so we can plan ahead. Complete details can be found in this issue of the Reclaimer or call the SEFA office for additional information.
Finally, the one day “Shirt Laundry & Drycleaning Finishing” seminar on March 23rd with nationally recognized trainer, Jane Zellers is filling up quickly and space is limited. If you are interested, register now! On April 18th, Peter Blake will hold a seminar on “Social Media” in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Most people have had at least some contact with Social Media and you may have heard of the tremendous benefits of using social media to improve sales, stay in contact with customers and promote your busi-ness. Peter Blake, who has 30 years of experience in the drycleaning indus-try will help attendees separate fact from fiction and give you the informa-tion needed to use social media to your advantage. Details and registration information for both seminars can be found in this issue of the Reclaimer..
February 2013 Reclaimer www.sefa.org4
www.sefa.org 5 Reclaimer February 2013
Shirt Laundry & Drycleaning Finishing Presented by Industry Expert Jane Zellers
Sponsored by SEFA
Attend this seminar and learn how to: Produce a quality-finished garment in drycleaning and laundry
Set production standards for your drycleaning and shirt laundry departments
Set individual, departmental and plant PPH’s. Every employee has a PPH to achieve
Manage your production floor, decrease your labor hours and increase your profitability.
Understand the importance of workflow and proper equipment placement.
Perform scheduled maintenance for all drycleaning and laundry equipment
Hands-on seminar
WHEN
March 23, 2013 Classes begin promptly at
8:00 am conclude at 3:00 pm
WHERE
Gulf States Laundry Machinery Co. 4035 Nine McFarland Dr.
Alpharetta, GA 30001
REGISTRATION
SEFA/DLI Members - $99.00 Additional Member - $89.00
Non-Member - $129.00 Lunch Included
How to Register:
By Mail: SEFA 14700 Sweitzer Lane Laurel, MD 20707
By FAX: (240)295-4200
By Phone: (877)707-7332
On-Line: www.sefa.org (go to Events & Seminars)
Need a Hotel: Call 877-707-7332
Registration Form Owners Name: ________________________________________________ Name of Plant: _______________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________ City: _________________________ State: _____ Zip:_________________ Telephone: ___________________________________________________ Fax: ____________________ E-mail: ______________________________
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February 2013 Reclaimer 8 www.sefa.org
As Seen on TV...The Green Garmento Visits the Shark Tank!
Jennie Nigrosh, president of The Green Garmento, North Hol-lywood, California, recently appeared on the national hit show “The Shark Tank.” The show features entrepreneurs and executives who appear before a panel of successful entrepreneurs - “sharks” - seeking investments to help fund their start-up businesses. Jennie appeared on the program seeking an investment from the sharks in return for an equity position in the company, which manufac-tures reusable drycleaning bags as an alternative to the expense and waste of single-use packaging. While she did not succeed in obtain-ing that investment, Jennie said the appearance was worthwhile even though she felt as though she “aged 10 years in ten minutes” given the high pressure of appearing before hard-nosed executives.
The show gave The Green Garmento an opportunity for national exposure for their products and Jennie, along with co-owner and Rick Siegel, said they’d appear again if they had it to do over. Be-cause shows like this are often edited, Jennie encourages customers to contact her if they have any questions about statements made during the show.
(Reprinted from TCATA Tidings E-mail Newsletter)
Our Pledge to You…. *IN STOCK *ON TIME *NO MISTAKES
Jennie Nigrosh, President of the Green Garmento
Reclaimer February 2013 9www.sefa.org
The Seay Management Report...What To Tell Employees About Facebook
Article written by Raleigh F. “Sandy” Seay, Jr. Ph.D.,Seay Management Consultants
“Captain, the Klingon ship has changed course. It is heading toward us at warp speed.”
. . . some Star Trek episode, somewhere in space . . . To What Universe Is Social Networking Heading?(Someone might rightly refer to the following state-ments as “a tremendous grasp of the obvious,” but here we go, nevertheless . . . .) The proliferation of social networking and the social media is continuing to move forward at warp speed, which is to say that it’s push-ing ahead so fast we can hardly keep up with it. News, messages, texts, emails, tweets – 140 characters, more or less – all instantaneous and mobile, and all with a great opportunity for good or ill, as Manti T’eo, and others, might tell us. Our society today is a digital society and we know that the workplace mirrors society – that is, what is going on in society will, ultimately, make its way into the workplace. Thus, our employees now come to work armed with “smart phones” that include voracious social networking capabilities, not the least of which is the ubiquitous Facebook.
If employees use Facebook to talk about their own personal interests, that’s one thing – but if they use Facebook to talk about work related activities, all of a sudden we’re in an entirely different arena, because em-ployees might post derogatory information about their employer, their work, their pay, their co-workers, their supervisor, their customers or, the case of churches and synagogues and private clubs, their members. If they post in this way, what can we, as employers tell them and what restrictions can we require? Very little, and very few, owing to the National Labor Relations Board’s regulations on “concerted protected activity.”
For the most part, according to the NLRB, employees have the right to engage in “protected concerted activ-ity” which is where two or more employees are discuss-ing their wages, benefits and working conditions. They have the right to engage in this activity and we, as em-ployers, cannot prohibit it. An example would be where two or more employees discuss their pay rates with one another -- employees have this right and employers are not allowed to have a policy prohibiting it. They have
this right at work, at the water cooler, on the job and . . . on Facebook. As strange and objectionable as it seems, this right even extends to offensive language about the employer or the supervisor, language my mother used to call “uncouth.”
However, in order for the behavior to be “protected concerted activity,” it must meet the following criteria – it must (1) concern wages, benefits and/or working conditions and (2) two or more employees must be involved. Thus, if an employee posts something to the effect of, “My supervisor is a purple jackwagon,” and if other employees respond with their own postings, then the behavior has met both criteria and is, thus, “pro-tected concerted activity.”
The situation gets a bit more complex when it comes to members of a private club, congregants at a church or synagogue, customers, clients, etc., in the following way. If a person posts a derogatory comment about, for example, a club member, and if that comment relates to wages, benefits and working conditions, then it is protected. An example might be, “Mr. Blogcycle was rude to me when I was serving him at lunch today. Sometimes he can act like a real jerk.” Other employ-ees answer the post and agree that Mr. Blogcycle is a real jerk. Then, as much as we don’t like this sort of thing, and as much as Mr. Blogcycle might get upset, it is “protected concerted activity,” in this context, as it has to do with working conditions. On the other hand, if the comment does not relate to work, it is probably, but not assuredly, not protected. An example might be, “Did you see Mrs. Blitherington’s outfit today at the tennis court. She looked like she belonged in a circus!” Since this comment is unrelated to wages, benefits and working conditions, then it probably would not be “protected concerted activity,” as contemplated by the NLRB regulations. (Continued on page 13)
www.sefa.org10
Meet our Allied trade Members...
Orville Johnson of FH Bonn Company
February 2013 Reclaimer
Orville Johnson credits two things as the main reason for his success as a salesman, His wife Tammy getting a job transfer from West Virginia to Atlanta, GA, the opportuni-ties for a young man were much greater in Georgia, and a crucial piece of advice he received as a rookie salesman for the Ash-
land Chemical Company back in 1986. The advice was this, “It’s alright to be a green salesman….but never a blue one.” It took me a while to figure out the meaning, that your attitude is everything and being positive will get you further than being nega-tive, but once I got clued in the sky was the limit.
Orville left Ashland Chemical in 1990 and joined the FH Bonn Company, the largest manufacturer of press pads and covers for the laundry and dry cleaning industry in the US, where he has been a Regional Sales Manager for the past 23 years.“FH Bonn is a great company and I really enjoy work-ing for them.” states Orville. “They have given me many opportunities to grow and advance both personally and professionally. I get kidded all the time that my job is the easiest in the industry, next to a hanger salesman, but I think it’s the fact that I really love what I do and have fun doing it, that gives the appearance of being easy. It’s a lucky man who gets to make his living doing what he loves.
In addition to his duties with FH Bonn, Orville has given many seminars on press pads and cov-ers, and finishing techniques for SEFA, MILD and other associations in our industry. “At FH Bonn we are totally committed to supporting the dry clean-ing industry, and doing the seminars is one of the
many ways we give back.” Orville has been a SEFA board member for many years and has recently gotten involved with the Textile Care Allied Trades Association, serving as the Golf and New Comers committee chairman. “Being involved with these different associations has allowed me to make many friendships within the industry and one of the reasons for the success I have had. I would rec-ommend joining your local association to anyone.”
When not working Orville enjoys spending time with his family. “My kids are twelve years apart…yes I know not good planning…but the age dif-ference has given me the opportunity to focus my all my attention on one at a time. My son was very involved in the Boy Scouts growing up and we were able to backpack all over the US and Canada, I wore out three pairs of hiking boots. Now with my daughter, who is 13, she is an avid golfer and has a good little game, so we spend a lot of time playing golf together. I must admit the golf is much easier on my body than all that trekking through the woods. As I get older the thing I enjoy most is spending time with my wife Tammy and relaxing with a “Big Ol’ Diet Coke and a good cigar, or even a bad cigar for that matter.
Orville Hiking with his son’s Boy Scout Troop
Orville Johnson, FH Bonn Company
11Reclaimer February 2013www.sefa.org
Where’s Your FocusWhere’s Your FocusWhere’s Your Focus Presented by Industry Expert Ron GarrettPresented by Industry Expert Ron GarrettPresented by Industry Expert Ron Garrett
Sponsored by SEFASponsored by SEFASponsored by SEFA
WHENWHENWHEN
April 20, 2013 Seminar begin promptly at
3:00 pm to 4:30 pm Social 5:00 to 6:30 pm
How Improving Your Customer Service How Improving Your Customer Service How Improving Your Customer Service Level Can Lead To Improved SalesLevel Can Lead To Improved SalesLevel Can Lead To Improved Sales
WHEREWHEREWHERE
Renaissance Nashville Hotel 611 Commerce Street Nashville, TN 37203
REGISTRATIONREGISTRATIONREGISTRATION
SEFA/DLI Members - $29.00 Non-Member - $49.00
SEFA Social - No Charge
How to Register: By Mail: SEFA 14700 Sweitzer Lane Laurel, MD 20707
By FAX: (240) 295-4200
By Phone: (877)707-7332
On-Line: www.sefa.org (go to Events & Seminars)
Need a Hotel: Renaissance Nashville Hotel Call 605-255-8400
Registration FormRegistration FormRegistration Form Owners Name: ________________________________________________ Name of Plant: _______________________________________________
Ron Garrett, a second generation dry cleaner, began working with The Johnson Group after graduating from Clemson University in 1984. In 1988, Ron purchased Lexington Dry Cleaning and was president for 15 years. His father, Tom Garrett, joined him as part-ner after retiring from The Johnson Group and remains the current owner today. Ron was active on The Southeastern Fabricare Board of Directors for 15 years, serving as President in 1996 and was also a member of The Tuchman National Management Group.
February 2013 Reclaimer 12 www.sefa.org
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Point your route drivers in the right direction with Compassmax Delivery AssistantDon’t Be Led Astray.
Reclaimer February 2013 13www.sefa.org
Social Media in the Workplace (from Page 9)
From an HR standpoint, our best recommendation is to leave the Facebook pages of employees alone as much as we can. We strongly recommend that supervisors not access the Facebook pages of their employees, not “friend” employees on Facebook (we know we’re in trouble when a noun becomes a verb . . .), not comment about the Facebook pages of employees and not post on the Facebook pages of employees. This is TWTH (Trouble Waiting To Happen). We also don’t recom-mend an employment policy that instructs employees about proper posting on Facebook, as this moves us ever closer to the protected category. If absolutely nec-essary, a few words about caution and prudence might be all right, but in general terms, the less said about employees’ personal Facebook pages, the better.
In addition, we recommend that you exercise extreme caution when considering whether to discipline or reprimand an employee for a personal Facebook post-ing. We don’t say it can’t be done, but we do say that, if it is done, we have to be very, very careful. We might come out ahead at the end of the day, but sometimes we can spend a lot of money proving we were right. I am reliably informed that when someone asked Coach Bear Bryant if he walked on water, he replied, “Well, I won’t
say that I do and I won’t say that I don’t. But if I do, I do it real early in the morning, when no one can see me.” The question of the use of smart phones at work is another, similar issue. Some employers completely prohibit their use at work, while others allow restricted use. Employees should not be allowed to use their smart phones to access any of the social networking sites at work, or to take pictures with their smart phone cameras, as this is TWTH.
We trust this information is helpful to you on this evolving workplace issue. If you have a social network-ing situation occur at work, be sure to contact your Seay Management consultant, so we can work through the situation with you and provide you with the comfort and assurance that you’re handling it the right way. When it comes to employment matters like these, we most definitely do not want “. . . to go where no man has gone before,” as Captain Kirk tells us, because that is TWTH. “Enterprise, out . . .”
If you have an employment issue or challenge, and you need an answer right away, and you want the very best Human Resources Management advice available, you need to call . . . The Seay Team!
1114 February 2013 Reclaimer www.sefa.org
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All Members Welcome to Attend...SEFA Annual Meeting to be
Held in AprilSEFA will be holding its annual meeting at the Renis-sance Nashville Hotel in TN April 21, at 8:30 am, in con-junction with the Quarterly Board of Directors Meet-ing. The event will feature
the Board Meeting, an Educational meeting and a social. All members are invited to come and learn more about the association’s programs, services, and activities.
Watch the Reclaimer, your e-mail newsletters, and check the website for more information.
Ideas that Work...Educate Your Customers
Take the time to demon-strate your expertise and your knowledge. Visit www.dlionlin.org and start using all the benefits of member-ship!
E-mail marketing and social media work, but don’t use it just to inundate your customers with promo-tions, offers, and coupons. Use the time to educate them on fashions and tips. Use the DLI Heads Up information and warnings. DLI has done a great job of providing members with consumer based information and warnings on fibers, fashions and fabrics. They have a great supply of ready to use consumer bulletins and articles.
2013 SEFA’s Allied Trades
www.sefa.org Reclaimer January 2013 15
A-1 Products, IncBirmingham, AL(205) 787-1403
www.a-1products.com
Adco, Inc Albany, GA
800-821-7556www.adco-inc.com
A.M. Chevy EquipmentPompano Beach, FL
(954) 946-9703amchevy.com
Central Equipment Company, IncColumbia, SC
(803) 779-2390centralequip.com
Cleaners Supply CompanyConklin, NY
(800) 568-7768cleanersupply.com
CompassMaxFalmouth, ME
(207) 781-5590www.compassmax.com
East Coast Drycleaning EquipmentRivera Beach, FL(888) 632-3784
www.eastcoastdrycleaningequipment.com
Enviro ForenicsIndianapolis, IN (317) 972-7870
www.enviroforensics.com
Epsilon PlasticsMarietta, GA
(770) 578-4228www.sigmaplastics.com
EzProducts International, IncWauchula, FL
(863) 735-0813www.ezproductsinc.com
Fabricare Management Acworth, GA
(888) 299-9493www.fabricaremanager.com
Fabritec International, IncLutz, FL
(813) 990-7401www.fabritec.com
FH Bonn CompanyCumming, GA(678) 472-6202
www.fhbonn.com
Gulf States Laundry MachineryAlpharetta, GA(770) 343-8455
These suppliers support the work of SEFA as Allied Trades Members. When you need supplies, equipment or other goods or services, contact a SEFA Member first. Show
them you value their support of the association and the industry.
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