Burbank, CA · While neighboring businesses are struggling, Milt & Edie's has been able to remain stable during
the recession. The owners and management attribute their success to embracing new ways of reaching
customers, while keeping to traditional ideals.
Milt & Edie's realizes that they may be in the dry cleaning and tailoring business, however, they have made their
business focus on the client experience. Their first priority is to customer service. First and most notably, their
store is open 24 hours a day, everyday. Customers can come in at any time to drop off and pick up garments.
Tailors are on-hand seven days a week, working until midnight on weekdays, 9PM on weekends. There is never
a wait: there is a maitre'd at the entrance, where customers are welcomed and immediately directed to smiling
customer service representatives or tailors. Along with an always-open store, customers can also choose free
pickup and delivery service to their home or office.
Whether its a manager, a CSR, a tailor, or a driver – the customer will always encounter a friendly, helpful, and
knowledgeable staff member. Milt & Edie's has a strong and positive company culture, which helps the staff give
their best efforts and biggest smiles to the public. Every morning, owner Milt Chortkoff walks the entire store and
chats with each staff member. The work areas are professional yet warm, with music playing and open
communication. Supervisors and management welcome conversation, suggestions, and any challenges to
resolve. Milt & Edie's works hard to make sure everybody wants to be there - a happy and involved staff means
customers want to be there.
Customer service is paramount, and that priority was carried over into the online world. With their website,
Facebook, and Twitter accounts, Milt & Edie's has extended their warmth and friendliness to new customers via
the online mediums, with great results: their Facebook page is less than a year old and quickly approaching
1000 fans - adding over 700 in the last six months. Through Facebook and Twitter, Milt & Edie's has contests &
promotions, shares positive thoughts and news, and keeps fans informed of their community activities. Their
online accounts are maintained and added to daily, giving reasons for customers and potential customers to be
constantly engaged with them.
Their drive to make and keep personal connections is also why they have a strong community presence. Milt &
Edie's actively supports and gives back through sponsorship of local events & participation in charities. In April,
they donated their cleaning and tailoring services to Well Suited for the Job, a local organization that helps the
unemployed with interview and work attire; the disaster in Haiti mobilized Milt & Edie's to start a clothing drive;
and for the first time, Milt & Edie's is a sponsor and cleaning vendor for this summer's concert series at the
Starlight Bowl in Burbank.
The expectation was that the recession was going to affect their revenues, but through constant engagement
with new and returning customers, both online, in-person, and in the community, they have kept revenues
steady, and kept themselves in a good position to continue giving back to the community.
For the owners and management of Milt & Edie's the formula for success starts with people. They know without
happy employees, satisfied customers, and ways to reach new customers, they would not be successful.
Reaching out to people and finding new ways to make connections is done daily at Milt & Edie's. They take care
of their customers, and their customers take care of them. |
