In the dry cleaning business, average is just another word for mediocre

The choice to be average is a choice

Every 2 years, dry cleaners from all around the USA, Canada and beyond will descend on a US city for the "Clean Show," the world's largest trade exposition showcasing the latest in equipment, technologies and services.

In order to cover the cost of staging such a large event, the sponsors (five textile care associations) understand that they must attract the largest possible number of paying attendees and vendors.

So who constitutes the largest number of attendees?

Value (or discount), ordinary (middle market) and wannabe (illusion) dry cleaners who are perfectly satisfied with producing an average product delivered by average people for the average consumer at an average price.  

And who constitutes the largest number of vendors?

Those vendors peddling equipment, technologies and services that target value (or discount), ordinary (middle market) and wannabe (illusion) dry cleaners.

The Clean Show's focus on value (or discount), ordinary (middle market) and wannabe (illusion) dry cleaners is understandable.

The choice to be average is cringe-worthy

In today's price competitive, fast turnaround dry cleaning environment, value (or discount), ordinary (middle market) and wannabe (illusion) dry cleaners face a recurring dilemma: how to push more and more pieces of fabric (aka your fine garments and household textiles) faster and faster through their production facility using a mix of low skilled labor and highly automated equipment.

The problem for all these dry cleaners is that they'll continue to face that same recurring dilemma -- year in, year out -- no matter how many Clean Shows they attend and no matter how many labor-saving machines they buy.

So the answer isn't the number of trade shows they attend or the number of labor-saving machines they install.

The answer is say NO to being average.

The answer is to stand for something. Instead of standing for nothing.

Dry cleaners -- established or new market entrants -- have 2 choices:

• Be ordinary and serve those who, for the most part, couldn't care less about their garments, household textiles and accessories as long as the price is cheap enough and the turnaround time is fast enough.
• Be extraordinary and serve those who are passionate about maintaining their fine garments, household textiles and accessories in pristine condition -- those who understand that true quality cleaning is all about craftsmanship, time, passion and pride.

Here's the sad truth...

I'd bet dollars to donuts that nothing will change because dry cleaners are not prepared to risk alienating a substantial portion of their current and potential customer base.

Nothing will change because dry cleaners are comfortable producing an average product delivered by average people for the average consumer at an average price.

Nothing will change no matter how many Clean Shows they attend and no matter how many labor-saving machines they buy.

The fact that nothing will change is music to my ears.