Clothing is such an important aspect of our lives these days that the condition of our clothes is more important than ever and it plays an important part in the context of how you present yourself to the world. That said, it’s highly unlikely that most of us have the time to look after them in terms of having them cleaned and then ironed at home given the incredibly busy lives we lead on a daily basis.
The option that remains is to have your clothes to be dry cleaned so that they look the way we want them to so as long as possible. But there are a few things you must keep in mind to make sure that your choice of dry cleaner is in the best interest of your beloved garments and it allows you to wear them with confidence anywhere you want to.
· The quality of treatment: Having your clothes to be dry cleaned is a trust-influenced decision depending upon how much you value your clothes and assuming that you value them pretty highly, there should be a great emphasis on how well your dry cleaner takes care of your clothes. The last thing you want is having them back in a condition worse than what you handed them over in. So, it’s important that your clothes get the care they deserve before, during and after the process of cleaning from your service provider.
· Track Record: The company which you choose should have a proven track record and that you can know simply by asking other people who have used it. There’s nothing that you can rely on more when making these decisions than word-of-mouth. Ask people about their experiences with the cleaner to make an informed decision.
· Attention to detail: Now this is a very underrated aspect of the cleaning process. It’s normal for a cleaner to be asked to clean more than one kind of clothing and from more than one kind of customer. That makes it imperative for them to separate these clothes as some of might have a tendency to lose color while others might require a certain water temperature, for example sake. Both these kinds of clothes can harm the others in their company which would not be pleasant if you own them. Thus, you must make sure that your cleaner actually makes the effort of separating the clothes on the basis of their texture and the kind of cleaning process they need to go through so that everyone is happy when they receive them back.
· Punctuality in delivery: The one thing you would want just as much as getting back clean clothes is getting them back on time. Nothing frustrates people more than having to wait longer than they were supposed to and wear something other than your favorite shirt in the interview the next day only because your cleaner could deliver on time. That’s also something you can get to know from past customers and you have to rely on that information.
· Recognition for quality: Since the trust factor involved is very high in these decisions, nothing aids you in making it faster than knowing that the cleaner you’re choosing is recognized by an authority for its quality of operation and that they live up to the standards prescribed by these authorized which are usually very high. And companies that have actually gone ahead and made that effort of getting that recognition would make you even more certain that they are sincere and have a good work ethic.
· Valuing the customer: As a customer, you should be on the top of your cleaner’s priority list and if you have any requests for you clothing that differ from the usual in terms of any specific treatment you desire for your clothing, they should cater to those requests and cater well, just not for the sake of retaining you as customers. Additionally, some cleaners also have the facility of getting clothes picked up from your doorstep and for people who don’t have much time on their hands, this can be a significant value add.
· Pricing: In a tough economy such as ours, few things matter more than affordability and that’s something at the back of most people’s mind while making choices like these. But if you are paying too much attention to that aspect, more often than not, you’ll end up having to buy new clothes which will cost you more eventually as your cost-effectiveness got in the way of quality and your clothes were no longer in a wearable condition. So, consider options that benefit you in the long term on both counts and make a balanced choice.
· Diversity in service: Laundry companies that offers services to a wide array of customers are not that common. Offering quality services to more than one type of customer also goes to show that the company you’re choosing is a reliable choice as they have considerable experience in handling different kinds of customers.
· Other factors: It’s important that you should be conscious of other aspects of the cleaning process apart from cleaning. The dry cleaner should be conscious of the environmental aspects related to this process and make sure that they conserve water where they can and the hygiene of the people working there is held in high regard. That is what truly separates the good companies from the great ones. It’s easy to forget about all this and just focus on what concerns your clothing but these are the things which will impact each one of us at some point knowing about them is only going to be of help.
We have made all these points for you to help you with your choice. However, this not the be all and end all of the laundry cleaner requirements. You can have your own preferences while choosing your cleaner but through this list we are trying to make that choice easy for you so that you don’t end up missing anything while making that choice. So, the next time you collect your clothes, make sure you are satisfied with what you have received.