“Best of 2017” – Balfurd Cleaners, State College, PA
Each year, DLI’s Mystery Shopping partner firm, MarketWise Consulting, awards the best customer service teams it has evaluated. This year’s winner is Balfurd Cleaners in State College, Pennsylvania. Balfurd took the “Best of 2017 Award” in The Essential Customer Service category. The award represents overall excellence in counter and customer service. Scoring includes: use of name, asking about spots and stains, customer engagement and suggestive selling.
When asked how the relatively new staff at the Balfurd North location was part of providing and winning “The Best” customer service in 2017, Monika Manter, Vice President of Dry Cleaning and CRDN divisions answered, “We staff our satellite location with our two most senior employees. We train and staff our plant store with the newbies. That way, when a new employee has a question about cleaning or service, there is always a general manager available to coach them. Using The Essential mystery shop criteria, each new CSR knows from day one what is expected from them at the counter.” In 2017 it was a winning strategy!
Pictured is the entire City Cleaners team as they celebrate their big win.
2017 Customer Service Award Winner
City Cleaners, Akron, Ohio – “YES!” Award
For the second year in a row, City Cleaners of Akron, OH is the 2017 Winner of the YES! (Year of Exceptional Service) Award, scoring highest nationally on overall customer service and cleaning.
As a fourth generation owner, Jeff Sitz is very clear about the service goals of the company and how to create great customer service. The first priority is treating their employees like gold. Jeff and Route and Retail Manager Laura Loebick say their employees will reflect the same attitude back to their customers by being positive and outgoing. Their enthusiasm shows!
To be eligible for the 2018 YES! Award in the dry cleaning industry the following criteria must be met:
- Minimum of three store locations
- All locations mystery shopped each month in 2018
- In addition to scoring Drop off, Pick Up and Cleaning Evaluation the shops must include all four metrics of counter service:
- Use of name
- Use of conversation
- Asking about spots/stains
- Cross selling
- The cleaners with the highest OVERALL SCORE will be the YES! Winner each year
