Bringing A Fresh Spin To My Family’s 33-Year-Old Laundry Business | Singapore Hour

Key Concepts

• Technological Transformation of Traditional Business: The core theme of modernizing a long-standing industry (dry cleaning) through technology and innovation.
• Generational Succession: The challenges and opportunities of passing down a family business through multiple generations.
• Automation in Service Industry: Implementing automated processes to improve efficiency, reduce reliance on a shrinking workforce, and enhance customer experience.
• Stain Removal Expertise: The intricate science and art of stain removal, emphasizing the role of experience, material knowledge, and chemical/physical factors.
• Family Business Dynamics: Navigating differing management styles, financial approaches, and communication challenges within a family-run enterprise.
• Customer-Centric Innovation: Focusing on reducing customer friction and improving service through attentiveness and technological solutions.
• Work-Life Balance and Family Time: The importance of prioritizing personal relationships and family amidst the demands of running a business.

Technological Modernization of Presto Dry Cleaners

Weitian, a former software engineer, is leading the technological transformation of his family's traditional dry cleaning business, Presto. His vision is to make Presto the "most advanced technologically-driven dry cleaner in the world" and to innovate within an industry that has historically been slow to adopt new technologies. This initiative is driven by a desire to honor his father's legacy and prepare the business for the next generation, including his own son.

Viral Social Media Presence

The business gained significant attention when a video featuring Weitian and his husband, Cherie, went viral. Cherie explains that the video's success stemmed from offering a novel, behind-the-scenes look into a traditional business that most people rarely consider. While initially hesitant to be the "face of Presto" due to fears of backlash in the service industry, Weitian felt compelled to share their passion and the company's story to live a life without regret. Social media has injected excitement and passion into their operational work.

Addressing Workforce Challenges with Automation

The dry cleaning industry faces challenges in attracting younger talent and retaining its existing, often aging, workforce. Weitian acknowledges the need to "work with a leaner workforce" and sees automation as a key solution. The company is implementing backend automation for time-sensitive tasks, removing the need for manual memory. For example, scanning items updates their status, which then triggers an automatic SMS notification to the customer when their order is ready for collection.

The Art and Science of Stain Removal

Weitian's mother is highlighted as the "stain remover master" with decades of experience. She possesses an intuitive understanding of different fabrics (like cotton) and stains (such as armpit stains caused by deodorant). Removing these stains, especially those combined with body oil, requires extensive knowledge of fabric types and stain compositions. Weitian initially struggled to learn from his mother because her expertise was heavily reliant on the "sense of touch." He pursued overseas education to gain a more structured understanding of stain removal techniques.

Key factors influencing stain removal effectiveness are identified as:

• Time: The longer a stain sits, the harder it is to remove.
• Chemical: The appropriate cleaning agents are crucial.
• Heat: Temperature can impact stain set and removal.
• Mechanical Action: Physical scrubbing or agitation.

Generational Dynamics and Management Styles

Presto was founded by Weitian's parents in 1992, making it a 33-year-old business. Weitian and Cherie face challenges with differing management styles compared to his parents. Weitian describes his parents' approach as "old-school" and contrasts it with their own more "gentle parenting" style. This can sometimes lead to confusion for staff and occasional arguments.

A significant point of divergence is financial prudence. Weitian's parents are more "prudent with their finances," while Weitian and Cherie are more "courageous" and "daring" when initiating new projects, believing that "we can spend more time, we can use our time to save money." They view their spending as necessary, even if it appears "wasteful" to their parents.

Expansion and Industry Secrecy

Presto is currently undergoing an expansion of its new factory, aiming to increase capacity and further automate operations. However, there's a degree of secrecy surrounding the specifics of their innovations, a trait inherited from the industry's past. Weitian notes that during his father's generation, there was a reluctance to share suppliers or "trade secrets," and the industry in Singapore was "secretive and segregated."

To counter this, Presto actively seeks knowledge by meeting with other laundry operators overseas, particularly during holidays in places like Italy and China. This allows them to learn about processes implemented elsewhere that could be adapted for Singapore.

Weitian's Journey and Embracing the Business

Before joining Presto, Weitian was a software engineer and ran his own startup, a wedding photography platform. He initially joined the family business out of a sense of "duty as a son." Over time, he has learned to "embrace it" and now "very much enjoys the ability to take responsibility over the decisions I make." He recognizes the immense effort and love his parents invested in building the business for the next generation and aims to do the same for his children.

The Importance of Reading and Family Time

Weitian emphasizes the value of reading, particularly business and management books, as a way to learn from different parenting and leadership styles. His daughter inspired his commitment to reading, as he wanted to model the habit for her. He also stresses the importance of family time, recalling how his parents' focus on their business meant he spent less time with them during school holidays. Having children of his own, he prioritizes spending as much time as possible with them.

Relationship and Communication in a Family Business

Weitian and Cherie maintain a weekly "date night," which they believe is crucial for their relationship. They met in Junior College and have been working together for seven to eight years. They initiated date nights a year ago due to feeling "very down" and distant despite working hard, especially with young children. They consciously prioritize their relationship above their children, understanding that children eventually leave home, but they will have each other. Working together has taught them effective communication and boundary setting, including a strict "zero" rule about discussing work once they are home.

Customer Attentiveness and Outlet Design

The video highlights an example of exceptional customer attentiveness observed at a restaurant, Sushi Katori, where the chef's meticulous preparation of prawns based on serving temperature was noted. Weitian and Cherie respect this level of detail and aspire to bring similar attentiveness to Presto.

Presto is currently opening its 12th outlet, with Weitian's father advising on the layout and placement of equipment. His parents are still involved in the business, about 80% retired but contributing 20% of their time, and major decisions are still run by them.

Vision for the Future

Weitian's father expresses pride in Weitian's ability to advance the industry, noting his own lack of formal education and limited IT skills compared to Weitian's software engineering background. He hopes IT will help improve public service in the dry cleaning industry. Weitian reiterates his goal of making Presto the most technologically advanced dry cleaner globally. He believes that reducing friction is key to changing customer behavior and aims to "take the laundry out of people's lives so they have more time to spend with their families."