Q2 2023

Hiring & Retaining Good Employees

Finding and keeping reliable, trustworthy employees can be a complicated and difficult task. Short-term gig work opportunities and remote working options are disrupting industries across America, meaning business owners and managers alike are all struggling to recruit from a dwindling pool of competent applicants, and keep them. The true costs of turnover can be hard to determine, but everyone seems to agree it is very costly to constantly hire and train new employees all the time.

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Q2 2023

Using Hashtags to Promote Your Business

Rechelle Balanzat, CEO and Founder of Juliette Dry Cleaners in New York City shared how hashtags can help raise  business profiles on social media in a DLI webinar, February 22. “Social media has really become synonymous with digital marketing,” Balanzat said. “Your clients expect you to be on social media. People want to engage with you on their terms.”

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Q2 2023

EPA to Propose New Perc Drycleaning Rule

In December 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a final risk determination for Perchloroethylene (Perc).  Since the 1970s, Perc has been one of the most studied and reviewed man-made chemicals with regard to human and environmental risk associated with its use. Over the years, perc drycleaners have seen increased scrutiny with its use, including phase outs of older equipment technologies, additional reporting requirements and increased risk management controls.

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Q2 2023

DLI Operating Cost Survey Underway

Your Data Make the Results More Accurate

Some of the material members most frequently request from DLI is information concerning drycleaning industry operating expenses. DLI periodically performs a survey and releases the results to members. This involves aggregating figures on various revenues and expenses so DLI can create a clear image of the overall industry’s operations.   

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Q2 2023

Free Up Your Time: Empower Your Team with DLI’s Resources

DLI’s services are designed to help member cleaners and their teams succeed. We realize that while you may have access to DLI’s Drycleaning Encyclopedia, Social Media Posts, Stain Removal Guide and more, you may not be the person who needs this access. Rather than having to help employees log in to access DL’s services, you can add them to your account so they can access the information they need when they need it.

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Q2 2023

On Screen or In-Person, You’re DLI’s Greatest Resource

Jeff Schwegmann, DLI President

It is hard to believe we are already at the end of the First Quarter of 2023. Looking back at this decade, it is hard to believe all the challenges drycleaning businesses have been through over the last three years. What stands out most to me is the level of cooperation and the commitment of drycleaners to share their best practices and work together to improve their businesses. Continue reading “On Screen or In-Person, You’re DLI’s Greatest Resource”

Q1 2023

DLI Defeats Plastic Bag Ban

Comments from Mobilized Members Saved the Day

The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI) and California Cleaners Association (CCA) mobilized members to defeat a proposed ban on drycleaning bags in the city of Los Angeles.

DLI and CCA learned about the city’s proposed ban about one week before the city’s December 1 vote. DLI and CCA immediately worked to mobilize members and share comments in defense of the industry’s use of poly bags.

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Q1 2023

Graduates Complete DLI’s 381st Drycleaning Course Sessions

DLI’s School of Drycleaning Technology trained another group of students in the art and science of running a successful drycleaning business. Students attended The Institute’s 381st General Drycleaning Course, comprised of the one-week Introduction to Drycleaning and two-week Advanced Drycleaning Courses.

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Q1 2023

Taking the Pulse: Tap profit-and-loss statements frequently to check the health of your business

Chances are you’ve had a health checkup in the recent past. You know the routine: A doctor listens to your lungs, checks your blood pressure, draws some blood, and does a few other exploratory diagnostic procedures. The process might occasionally be uncomfortable, but it’s a crucial part of catching any larger health problems before they become life-threatening.

As a business operator, you’re the doctor and your business is the patient. You have to keep its vital systems running smoothly, keep its lifeblood flowing, and uncover any unusual problems or concerns before they metastasize and threaten its long-range viability. And the profit-and-loss (P&L) or income statement is your primary diagnostic tool.

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