iSPA Diaries
So many people have asked me why, of all things, do I want to start a dry-clean/laundry business that I thought I would start a thread here to tell you of what made me decide to do it in the first place, how I managed to get the thing off the ground (it wasn't easy) and what plans I have for the future of the business.
www.shanghai-drycleaners.com
www.shanghai-drycleaners.com
posted by iSPA at
11:19 PM
7 Comments:
Hi iSPA,
I'm thinking of starting my own design business as a freelance/consultant in Shanghai.
So the question you've asked sounds interesting to me ... or actually I could use the answer !
Why do we offer a bulk wash service?
When we first started Sophisticated Cleaners, the one service I wanted to offer was bulk washing. What would that service entail? A 2.5 KG load of laundry for the low price of 25rmb. We would take care to separate the colors, then wash and tumble dry separately, throw in a sheet of fabric softener, and finally fluff, fold and package the clothes. We would even match the socks! All the other cleaners in the neighborhood laughed at us. They thought it was the most stupid thing we could do, a sure way to lose money – after all, who would want that level of service? Now, I’m not completely sure whether or not we actually made or lost much money doing this, but I insisted that we continue this aspect of the business simply because I knew that many of my friends and neighbors needed this “premium” level of service. If you are a foreigner, living in a studio or a one-room apartment in Shanghai, you need laundry service; and there simply is none around town that would be suitable to your needs. Sure, you could take your socks and underwear to a mom and pop shop; but it may be a good 30 minutes walk away, they would probably charge you by the piece, and it would of course take a week to get them back (Why? Because they hang them out to dry, yikes!). Or - you would wind up doing it all yourself, and be forced to hang them up to dry in your little apartment. I know how it is and I wanted to help these friends of ours; profit is not my #1 concern here. I believe our first job is to help make life a little easier for our many foreign friends.
A year and a half has gone by, and although the price is now 30rmb for 3 KG, I still believe that it is one helluva deal for our customers. It may even rank as one the best deals to be had in Shanghai, among all types of services. Will I continue doing it? Yes, as long as I am in charge. Now, many newcomers to Shanghai have heard of us offering this premium level of service, and they seek out our number and call us to inquire how to send us their bulk laundry. Sure, we have a few exceptions that we exercise with this service such as, we won’t include your dress shirts, jeans, or collared polo shirts. Yet we still think it's the best deal around. It's convenient, it saves you money, and you get your underwear, socks, and T-shirts all cleaned and ready to wear with no hassle. And, let’s face it, for you just to have clean underwear, it's something to cheer about!
Hello kev-in,
I did it because there was no such laundry service that could cater to my (and my friends) needs. Those washers that the landlords install in our apartments only does the wash but they won't dry our clothes. I actually, at one time, had one that did dry, a siemens model. But it took 2+ hours to dry a load of clothes. God only knows how much electricity it eats up. My monthly electric bill was always at around 1,000rmb for a one room apartment. So as they say, I saw a need, a niche(my very own) and I decided that I would try to fill it myself.
So what challenges, what issues did you face when you started your business?
Starting a business that is traditionally hold by local people was even more difficult I imagine ...
Hello kev-in,
Very few of the problems we had (and many we are still having) are customer or market related. The problems are almost all operational ones; like making the local staff understand the service needs of our clients, who are mostly expats. I started the business because I was exasperated by the lack of “expat” quality dry clean and laundry service here in Shanghai and now I realize why. It is difficult to convince the local staff, especially those who have worked in the local shops, of the need for being meticulous in our quality of service.
Could this happen in Shanghai?
Afraid of laundry? You will be after reading this
Thu Jul 17, 6:26 PM ET
GORHAM, Maine - Mara Ranger will be a little paranoid doing laundry now. When she was removing clothes from the washing machine at her Maine farmhouse Wednesday, the clothes moved. She told WMTW-TV, "I jumped back" and saw a snake. She quickly shut the lid and called for help.
Maine Animal Damage Control operator Richard Burton reached into the machine and pulled and pulled — all 8 feet of a reticulated python.
Burton guesses the snake got into Ranger's washing machine through water pipes. The snake's future home will be York Animal Kingdom in York.
Ranger is going to start looking into every corner of her washing machine. She says, "I'm going to be looking in the tub first — before and after, maybe even during, the rinse cycle."
Of course...You wouldn't have to worry if you are a Clothes Spa customer ...
Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!
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