CHICAGO — The laundry and linen services industry is based on many factors.
A key factor in the successful processing of goods is relationships, and one of the most important relationships is that of the chemical representative and the laundry operator.
How involved should a chemical rep be in a laundry’s washroom operation?
American Laundry News reached out to operators and chemical suppliers and communicated with five professionals on this subject.
Miriam L. Avila is operations team leader for Roscoe, a uniform rental company in Chicago; Chad Dare is executive vice president of sales for Pariser Industries in Paterson, New Jersey; Steve Tinker is senior vice president of research and development, marketing, for Gurtler Industries Inc. in South Holland, Illinois; Graham Skinner is vice president of large laundry sales for UNX-Christeyns in Greenville, North Carolina; and Leonardo Gastelum is director of national accounts, customer care, for Norchem Corp. in Los Angeles.
Should the rep be advising on formulas? Equipment? Washroom practices? Other segments of the wash aisle? Why or why not?
AVILA: Yes, they have the expertise and knowledge to help direct and recommend formula changes or if they see any equipment or performance concerns.
DARE: Yes. At the end of the day, the rep must take direction from the customer; however, the vendor’s offer should include providing advice and best practice recommendations in a professional and supportive manner.
TINKER: For certain the chemical rep should advise and/or develop wash formulas; however, this should be a cooperative relationship with management to make sure that the overall goals of the management team are well understood.
Laundry chemical cost can be only a few percent of the overall operational costs of a laundry; however, misapplied chemicals or poorly designed wash formulas can affect the other 95-plus percent of operational costs, perhaps driving water and sewer costs out of line, using too much natural gas due to unbalanced hot water use, or increased wash formula times will drive down wash aisle productivity.
Your chemical rep should be inspecting the wash equipment looking for issues, such as leaking drain valves that can cause both a quality issue and an increase in water and energy costs.
He or she should also make sure the soil sort operation is designed appropriately. A new textile or garment or customer may call for a new soil sort classification and a new wash formula to maximize processing efficacy.
SKINNER: When it comes to formulas, absolutely. That’s part of the total package.
Knowing the extended needs of the customer and the particulars of the plant and equipment usually sets some of the formula parameters.
Procedures in the washroom room can have a dramatic effect on quality as well. Helping the plant leadership team coach and guide front-line staff in proper handling and best practices can really accelerate great outcomes.
GASTELUM: The chemical rep should be adept at providing formula recommendations, titrating chemicals, and the installation, calibration, and maintenance of the dispensing equipment.
They should regularly perform quality, equipment and inventory audits with each visit. They should be identifying areas for improvement and optimization of detergent usage, water and energy efficiency, and overall wash quality.
By collaborating closely with laundry management, the chemical rep can implement recommendations and achieve desired outcomes.
A knowledgeable rep should also be able to advise on best practices for laundry operation, including proper dosing procedures, water temperature, cycle times and load sizes.
They may also provide training to laundry staff on the safe handling and use of chemicals, as well as troubleshooting assistance for resolving common issues.
How can a laundry operator and the rep create a solid working relationship?
AVILA: Good communication, being available when needed for emergencies and hands-on working together while servicing the account.
DARE: Communication! Working together to establish procedures and standards for the account builds trust and accountability. Without it, the overall program will likely not achieve its best possible results.
TINKER: Communication is the key—helping the line management make sure that their goals are met while also communicating with upper management.
Previewing the goals of the service call with management and following up with action steps keeps the information flowing from month to month. I recommend developing an approach that has long-term goals.
For example, perhaps management is concerned that there is too much overtime labor cost. The chemical rep can suggest changes to the operation designed to reduce labor costs, such as designing wash formulas that are 10% shorter in time, allowing for higher throughput in the wash aisle.
The chemical rep can establish goals, test new wash formulas or new chemistry and measure quality and time savings, and report the findings to management over the course of a few months.
SKINNER: Trust, respect, and unbiased communication and cooperation. Good follow-up on issue resolution, on both parts, will always win the day.
GASTELUM: A solid working relationship can be established by open communication, regular meetings, joint problem-solving, and training and education.
When a chemical rep shows initiative and a willingness to work together, as well as advise on matters that support the operations as a whole, it demonstrates to the operator how important they are to the chemical rep.
This goes the distance when developing trust and respect that elevates it from a customer-supplier relationship to a strategic partnership. When the care is shown in the holistic actions of the rep, it carries weight when conflicts arise and joint troubleshooting is needed.
What are some signs a rep is getting too involved? Not involved enough? How can these be addressed before the relationship is strained to the breaking point?
AVILA: I don’t think getting too involved would be an issue. That is added value if you start to see product quality decline, a spike in chemical cost and not receiving detailed service visit reports immediately after each service visit.
DARE: Customer push-back, if one is open to recognizing it, will let one know that they are approaching a sensitive area.
At a certain point when resistance is apparent, a rep should respectfully defer to customer management and simply put their recommendations in writing to document the recommendations made without appearing to be overbearing or aggressively defensive.
There will be times when one must accept the customer’s direction on implementation as it is never good to be “so right that one is wrong,” but is always wise to document and save such correspondence should it become necessary to share with alternate or new management.
TINKER: A chemical rep should only be as involved as upper management wants.
Again, good, two-way communication is the key. An annual review of the service goals and results is a good way to make sure that the service provided by the chemical rep is matching the expectations of the management team.
SKINNER: The pendulum of involvement in the plant will almost always shift back and forth depending on the issue(s).
Finding that Goldilocks spot will come from candid and objective communication without posturing. Clearly defined expectations will help as well.
GASTELUM: Signs of too much involvement include micromanaging; frequent, unscheduled visits; and overstepping boundaries.
When a rep is being relied on for matters that are the responsibility of other vendors or the laundry operators themselves, then it can certainly put tension in the relationship. Particularly if the expectations to repair or service items that fall out of the purview of the chemical rep are placed on them.
This is a critical point for resetting expectations with the chemical rep to establish the procedures needed to prevent recurring issues or conflicts.
Signs of too little involvement include a lack of communication, infrequent visits and limited support. Operators want to know that at a minimum, the rep will satisfy their service commitments.
Operations are bound to experience challenges and issues, so addressing issues early and with honest communication can prevent relationship strain from building over time. Regular check-ins and clear expectations can help strike a balance and foster a healthy partnership.
Please share anything else you consider important in the chemical rep/laundry relationship.
DARE: As service providers, one must balance being a business/vendor representative with being committed to the customer’s best interests and results.
This requires an open mind, a critical eye, tact and sincerity, and if done properly, will result in long and successful customer relationships.
TINKER: A good rep will communicate new chemistry, technology, systems and industry trends to their customers as they are developed, making sure that the customer understands the potential benefits.
Click HERE to read Part 1 on defining a rep’s operational involvement, frequency of contact and who to work with.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
