EnviroForensics Accounts Director and MWDLI Advisory Board Member, Dru Shields, recaps the 2019 MWDLI Annual Convention.
The Midwest Drycleaning & Laundry Institute‘s (MWDLI) Annual Convention is the perfect opportunity for drycleaners across Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky to come together and network as friends and peers. Most importantly, it’s a time to share knowledge. And that’s what we do through the educational sessions. While every dry cleaner has its own specific issues that they encounter in their businesses, all dry cleaners are encountering the same overall concerns and trends in the industry.
Conference Overview
MWDLI’s conference format gave us the opportunity to network and share thoughts and ideas, which is the most valuable part of association events.
Friday
Friday night was the opening cocktail reception where we socialized with both old and new friends. It was a fun event to kick off the conference.
Saturday
On Saturday, we heard from three dynamic speakers:
1. Jeff Jordan, who presented on “Love’em or Lose’em! Know What Your Employees Want” where he discussed employee retention strategies.
2. Mary Miller presented on “How Creating Value Drives Results” where she shared ideas for how owners of businesses and managers of teams can create successful workplace environments by helping others realize their value.
3. Brian Rashid, who presented on “Helping You Tell Stories that Sell” where he provided useful tips for drycleaners to build their brands, increase their social media presence and thus increase their sales.
Sunday
We had a two-hour presentation from Trudy Adams about the “Psychology of Customer Service” where she discussed the need for consistency across all team members who handle customer service issues, the need for consistency in training and recommendations on how to achieve this. Attendees were then able to break off into groups and discuss issues they had been dealing with and make recommendations to each other on how to fix or improve those situations.
As always, it was invaluable for everyone to come together and contribute their unique perspective to the larger conversation. It was great to see that all come together.
If you’re interested in becoming a member, visit mwdli.org to join.
Dru Shields, MWDLI Advisory Board Member & Director of Accounts at EnviroForensics
Dru Shields has over 10 years of account management experience in the environmental consulting and engineering industry. She manages a team of account executives who work across the country. Shields is a member of numerous regional dry cleaning associations in addition to serving on the advisory board of the Midwest Drycleaning and Laundry Institute (MWDLI). Shields has extensive experience in assisting clients in securing funding for their projects through historical insurance policies. As Director of Accounts, Shields helps businesses and property owners facing regulatory action to navigate and manage their liability.
