Holiday Vacation - the work goes on

Leaving your business, even for a short time, is like leaving your firstborn child for the first time.
There's a bit of trepidation - can it survive without your constant presence?

Fortunately we live in a new-age of international business.
Between live web/security cameras, skype, and machines computer programmed to let us know how many times each one is run in a day, we can keep a pretty accurate pulse on what's happening at Bubbles - even when we aren't physically in the store.
And little is more exciting than checking those cameras, getting good skype calls, and seeing lots of completed wash and dry cycles.
Perhaps a little "Big-Brotherish" to get a skype call suggesting we use dryer 9 more, and dryer 3 less - since we see that dryer 3 is getting more use than 9 ... but that's what we're here for.

Here's a picture that makes us smile: two great Bubbles employees finishing up an order - all systems a go!

Here's another positive Bubbles business story for the digital-era:
A local business contacted us, via email, to do weekly contract wash for their catering service.
We email back, work out the details with a couple of skype calls, create a contract that both parties sign with digital signatures, and it's a done deal.
No meeting in person, wasted time in the car, or actual face-time ... just agreed upon business services with the help of technology.

A Season of Giving

Merry Christmas from Bubbles!
Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated on January 7th.
To honor the season of giving, Bubbles is giving back to the community.
On January 4th and 5th, ALL walk-in revenue goes to a local orphanage.
This event is co-sponsored by Lviv Radio, and endorsed by several print publications ... which means lots of local, positive press for Bubbles.
Plus, this is a great way for us to involved Project Reach Out (our initial humanitarian efforts that brought us back to Lviv all those years ago) with Bubbles.
A few of the Bubbles workers went to the orphanage to take pictures for the print media endorsement.
So touched by the children and what Bubbles is doing to make the holidays a bit brighter for these little ones, one worker asked that half of her personal week's earnings be donated to the cause.
We have great workers - and Project Reach Out is a great cause.

Honest Change

We've been a little surprised at how honesty is the exception rather than the norm.
Here are three examples:

1. While laundering a recent fitness club's order, 36 hryven (less than $5) of changes was found.

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"What do we do with it?" an employee asked.
"We return it with the completed order."
All the employees seem a little surprised and pleasantly pleased with this response - they are good employees after all.
The money is returned to the client with the cleaned towels and robes.
The fitness club is shocked.
"In the last five years, we have never had loose change returned," they say, "this occurring must be really rare."
Sorry, not so rare at all.
Every day we've laundered their robes and towels, loose change has been found.
Never more than about $5 dollars ... but over a five year period, someone at the previous laundry service definitely filled a few piggy-banks worth.

2. After securing the daily washing order for the previously mentioned fitness club, the wash service who held the contract tried to sabotage our soap.
We buy German-grade industrial soap out of the back of a car from a guy who brings it across the boarder - when in Rome ...
Anyway, our seller got a mysterious call from one of "our employees" switching the ordered soap from non-bleach to BLEACH. Result, a few loads of beige towels are a bit more white.
We get business competition ... but more in the form of lower-prices or better service, not directly damaging the other guy.

3. There are two night workers at the aforementioned fitness club who hand-off the soiled robes and towels. Strangely, when worker B is on duty, and we arrive to pick up the soiled goods, he tells us that their former laundry service is washing the order that day.

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Whatever ... maybe it was the bleached load that deterred the fitness club?
We leave empty handed ... and as we drive away, we get a phone call from the fitness club asking why we didn't pick up the dirty wash.
We explain we were told not to -
Turns out, over the last five-years each night that worker B distributes the soiled goods to the former washing service the dirty towels weigh in 30 kilos more than on other nights. I guess you could say he had a separate 'contract' with the former service to say there was more wash then there actually was, thus charging the fitness club more ... and he got a kick-back from the laundry service.
Worker B lost his job that night.

Join the Clean Revolution!

Here's a copy of a radio add currently playing on Lviv Radio :

English Transcript:
"Join the Revolution to make your life cleaner. 
Clean Clothes, Clean life.  
Wash and dry all of your clothes, including your large coats and blankets, at the laundromat "Bubbles", all within one hour.  
You can use the machines yourself, or if you do not have time, leave your clothes and our professional team will gladly make you cleaner. 
This is a big step to a cleaner Ukraine and a cleaner life. 
You will always remember your first time at Bubbles. 
...Address and website." 


We came up with the "clean revolution" all on our own ... see, those college marketing classes may not have been so useless after all. 
Plus, who doesn't want to join an Eastern European Revolution ... even if it is just for clean clothes?

A Little Something More

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You never know where an introduction will lead... or how doing just a little more than expected will be received.
A small 10-room hotel initiated a contract with us ... we went over to work out details and get the first load.
When we returned the laundered linens, the first thing the owner said was:
"You even washed the bags!"
Of course we washed the bags ... they're canvas.
Plus, we weren't going to put clean sheets and towels in unclean bags ... first impression is everything.
Evidently the previous laundry service never thought to wash the bags as well as the linens.
Not only did we get the contract for the 10-room hotel, but the owner also wants us to do the laundry for several other bed-and-breakfast and rental apartments that he manages around Lviv.
Simple example, and two points noted: 
1. What may seem like a small order can lead into larger orders.
2. Do something extra and unexpected ... like wash the canvas bags.

Window Banner

This is the new banner on the first window of Bubbles.

It is a transparent, net-type, sticker banner that still allows light and use of the window. 

We've had so many people walk by, stop and stare (sometimes for an extended period) and we realized these potential clients don't know what we are ... or that they're welcome to use our services. 

The banner gives a brief description of our services, the machines, and the laundromat concept. 

Synthetic materials ...

Melt in a dryer.
Here's one unanticipated laundromat issue we've run into with Bubbles.
The U.S. has fire standards for clothing and household fabrics (blankets, and couch covers) that don't exist in Ukraine.

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Of course, we learned this the "less easy" way.
The synthetic lining of a couch cover, a coat, and a blanket are the three synthetic mishaps we've had ...
The silver-lining is that our pro-active customer service response has been really well received - customer service is about as foreign a concept as the laundromat itself.
For the inner-lining of the couch cover, we found the identical material (no easy task), and had a seamstress replace it that day (again, no easy task) ... When we returned the cleaned, newly re-lined covers to the client, she was truly shocked that we fixed the problem free of charge, and even more surprised that we were completely honest with her about the incident ... I'm pretty sure we gained a friend.
The melted coat hood was likewise fixed, and the blanket replaced.
Again the customers were so pleasantly surprised about the way the accident was handled that they've already returned with other things to wash.

"Informator"

Here is a copy of an article that recently appeared in Ukraine's "Informator" Business Magazine.

The caption under the image of the two workers running the dryer says, "American 'Bubbles' in Lviv."

We've been delighted with the positive public response and press coverage Bubbles has received thus far.

"Advantage" Magazine Article

Ukrainian economist, Василь Скріба, came by Bubbles for an interview.

Here is an online version of his report for "Advantage" Magazine.

http://prybutok.com.ua/news/amerikanec_zatijav_u_lvovi_velike_prannja/2011-11-22-601

For those not fluent in Ukrainian, the article is something like a Q & A.
Why did you open a laundromat in Ukraine? - check "What the What" on this blog if you aren't familiar with our response.
How much did it cost? "A lot." They pushed for exact numbers, we gracefully dodged.

How long did it take? "A few years of planning and research, bout 5 months full-time work."

How long would it take to open a laundromat in the States? "A few months."

Why do you think this will work? Everyone has their own washing machines in Lviv? "Here you can wash and DRY your clothes in an hour. The machines are lagerger so people can wash things they can't fit in their own machines ... and this gives people an option of how to dry clothes in rain and cold. Plus, there are people like students and tourist who don't have access to washing machines. In America, people have washing machines in thier homes too ... and there is still a need for laundromats." 

On TV!

Here's the news clip of Bubbles opening that aired on local and national Ukrainian television.

No, this wasn't an Amway product placement - but Downy, the German soap we use, and other contraband American washing products are not yet certified in Ukraine ... so we couldn't show that we use them too (but we do).

Hit Music

Those who attended Bubbles Grand Opening unanimously agreed that the live band was a hit!

Our favorite part, of course, is watching the dryers spin.

Grand Opening

Friday, November 18 Bubbles hosted our grand opening event.
150 personal invitations were delivered to people who were involved with getting Bubbles up and running - city counselors, commissioners, gas, water, electrical personnel, those who helped with marketing, and preliminary work.
500+ people attended and we feel it was a complete success - 5 to 8 pm open-house.

The national, and local television stations were there - videoed, interviewed, and actually let out an audible gasp at the finished quality.
The national station said they are suggesting our bubble chandelier be one of the "Top Ten things to see in Lviv" list ... pretty cool.

We served fruit tea, cake, and fresh fruit.

A band entertained as we washed clothes and mingled with people.

Here are a couple funny stories - we had a remarkable balloon entry that we think turned out great.

Several adults came in off the street to see what was going on inside ... and then as they were leaving asked, "May I have a ballon?"
"For you or a child?" we responded - keep in mind they are all tied together as part of an entry arch.
"For me, of course."
We sigh. "You are welcome to come by after we're closed and when we take down the balloons, you may have one."


Second story: as part of Ukrainian tradition, people throw money at the person who's opened a new business. So, throughout the night, people thew small bills (most worth about a US quarter) at us, and at one point there were at least 50 bills on the ground. By the end of the night, when everyone left, there were three paper bills on the ground! People (not the one for whom the bills were intended) took the bills off the floor as they left!

Final story: one of the workers was in charge of handing out Bubble's t-shirts. She left her post for a moment to help a client with their wash - yes, we continued business as usual during the event, which was wonderful because people were able to see how the machines worked, and the quality of wash. While she was gone, a woman came over and started shoving t-shirts into her purse ... what she wanted with 20+ Bubble shirts, we don't know. The worker came back and asked, "what are you doing?"
"Oh," the startled woman replies, "the owner said I could take these."
"Really? Could you please point out the owner to me?" our employee asked her.
Well, she couldn't, of course ... and reluctantly returned the t-shirts.

At any rate, we are thrilled to be open, and happy to have had such positive feedback, reviews, and press coverage thus far.

November 1

We opened for business to the public on November 1st.
Since then we've been busy getting contracts (hotels, restaurants, catering, salons, event planners,etc.).
While we can't compete with the current competition in price - every client who has tried our service is amazed at the quality and speed of our work.
And we've put in a few finishing touches ... a clock, coffee table, and added bubbles to our soon to be 1,000 bubble chandelier.

No Joke

The day after our first 'friends and family' event we entered the store to find this ...

About four-inches of water flooding the basement.
Yes, a pipe burst, and made the machinery unusable.
The reason - poor installation. So you better believe we had incompetent Abilit over to fix the problem right away ... with threats (not empty) of what would happen to them as a company, and personally, to expedite the process of clean-up and fix-up.
The landlord had an ear-full for Abilit too.
So, last Friday was spent overseeing the de-flooding of Bubbles.

Friends and Family

Bubbles first "Friends and Family Wash Night" was a success!
It was a great training experience as workers learned how to take 'wash and fold' orders, greet customers, stain removal tips, how to take and process an order start to finish, the importance of keeping orders separate and organized as they transfer from washer to dryer, how to operate the equipment, and customer service training.
Some of these things may seem intuitive, but that is because customer service and how a dryer works may be more common in the culture where you reside.
We also realized some details we've over-looked ... like a coat rack, garbage can in the restroom, and a table for customers to set their complimentary fruit-tea on while they wait for their clothes.
Finally, it was truly rewarding to see people stand in awe as they wash blankets for the first time ever, and feel clothes come out of a dryer, warm and clean.
Here's an updated picture of our work-in-progress Bubbles Chandelier ... a few hundred more bubbles to go, and it's going to be a dazzler!

A Broken Scanner

Before you can open a business in Ukraine, you must submit all the documentation (a moving puzzle game with many parts) to the local government ... then and only then, they submit a form of completion to the national government in Kyiv. Once Kyiv signs off on the paper, the paper is electronically submitted to a national data-base where your business receives a work number to operate. The local government (our case, Lviv) must then print that work number, and then we pick it up, and march it over to the city-council office for it to be filed and on record. No more signatures, but the city-council has to have a record of it before you can do business. 

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This process was painfully close to being complete last Friday ... we had everything submitted through the government in Lviv, and they forwarded their form of completion to Kyiv. We should have received the work number on Monday, allowing us to open our business for customers, but it didn't come.

So, we called to find out what the problem is ... A BROKEN SCANNER. That's right - our final documentation is sitting on a desk in Kyiv waiting to be scanned before it can be electronically submitted and printed off in Lviv, so we can file it with the city-counsel. 

Didn't Adobe solve this problem years ago with electronic signatures and pdf, you may ask? We ask that too - but since said technology hasn't made it this far east ... we are all waiting on a 'technician' to fix the scanner, so we can print, pick-up, drop-off, and file our official work number and finally get this laundromat show on the road!

Metal Trim

How did we get these great looking metal baseboards?

Here's how.
First, go to an industrial metal warehouse like this one.
Try not to think of all those scary Hollywood movies of Ukrainian mafia and torture, because if it does exist ...
this is probably the place it's all happening at.

Once the metal is purchased, and you have safely exited the premises with all extremities attached, find another abandoned looking building where they actually cut the metal. Mind your step, because there is a bit of a moat around this structure ... so good luck traversing (with all that metal) the wood and metal scraps to get to the door. If the first place didn't scare you just a bit - this one is sure to give you the creeps ... and if anything were to happen here ... we're pretty sure there would be no evidence, or remains, to find.

Great - now we're good to go. Have the metal, got it cut, head back to the store to have the baseboards installed ... just another work errand to check off the list for the day. 

Maybe there are some benefits to a desk job.

The Iron

This is Bubble's industrial iron:

It's great for sheets and other non-pleated items.

You need two people to operate it correctly. 

They stand on either side, and feed the sheets through - pulling tight on each side to eliminate edge wrinkles. Then in about 7 seconds the finished, pressed, and ironed product comes out the bottom ... 

Only time (and a few lucrative hotel contracts) will tell if it was worth the pretty penny it costs. 

Here's a demo:

Did you know there are machines in America that wash, dry, iron, and fold sheets and towels - all in ONE machine. Yes, they are several hundred-thousand dollars to buy ... but isn't that incredible?
Who knew the laundry business had so many facets.

Washing Up a Storm

Though not officially open for business (still waiting on that 'declaration' document) we had an employee training meeting today and invited each worker to bring a load of wash from home. Who doesn't love washing clothes at work?
It was good for us too, since we were able to run the machines, fix a leaky pipe, and show everyone how great the Dexter products are. The wash is done in 26 minutes and the clothes are dried in 30 - it's amazing - perhaps life changing.
So fast, so efficient, and so much better. Plus, Dexter machines really do look sharp. Aside from the quick turn-around time for washing, everyone was very impressed with the dryers - how fluffy and soft sheets and towels can feel, how clean and warm the finished product is compared to line drying.

See the woman in the red turtleneck and blue coat (far right) - that is the worker who tied two thousand bowline knots in the fishing line for the Bubble's chandelier.





Here is a video of the back of the gas dryer - sort of boring (nothing happens) but you can see why it was so important to have gas ... gas dryers just don't work the same without gas!

First Load

Bubbles ran the first load of wash today - a personal load of sheets and towels. Hot soapy water, working pipes, gas run dryers spinning, glowing lights that show things are properly installed ... all good signs.

Though not yet officially open for business (a few more stamps and signatures), we are finally able to run the machines, and thrilled to do our first loads of wash in Ukraine's first self-serve and full-service laundromat.

Sewage Connection

Abilit, the not so honest construction firm, insisted that we had to create our own sewage line - rather than taking the less expensive, more obvious road of connecting to the land-lord's existing line. So, we went through the lengthy, time consuming, headache causing process of getting 'official' documentation from the water and sewage department that insists we connect to the landlord's line rather than dig our own. In a meeting with Abilit two weeks ago this situation was among those discussed on our list of grievances ... we explained we were not paying more money and spending more time on construction to put in our own line, showed them the official paper from the water and sewage department and told them to connect us to the landlord. They consented.
So, we were a little confused yesterday when this crane, six workers and all this equipment showed up and started putting in a separate sewage connection. Apparently there isn't a lot of communication within the Abilit structure - we told the man in charge of the dig that we weren't paying for any of the parts or labor they were using to create our own sewage line - that we already agreed to connect directly to the landlord.
Well, that did not go over well at all - and a conversation of more expletives than actual words ensued. We ended up bringing in three other engineers, and our local attorney ... they installed the thing anyway ... and we are not paying for it.
Whatever.
As long as we're connected (finally) that is the main thing ... because we can't turn on washers if there is no where for the dirty water to go.

AMAZING

While we've had more than a few run-ins and set-backs with construction, permissions, and the firm doing our work ... we've also had lots of second and third opinions on the work that has been completed. And, the really great news is, all those added opinions from engineers, the gas, water, and electrical departments are all very impressed with the quality of construction, piping, and work that has been completed. 

That's all fine and well. It's costing enough, taking long enough, and giving enough grey-hairs and premature wrinkles that it should be done well. 

Saturday another plumber came to do some work. He was truly in awe with all the piping and work that we've put in. His response, similar to too many local responses to mention, was something like:

"Wow, this is a lot of work. You must have been at this for what ... a year-and-a-half? Two years?"

No. Four-plus months, thank you very much. 

But here in lies a major problem ... all the local people are patting themselves on the back for doing so much in such a short period of time, and we are banging our heads against the wall saying "why is this taking so long!" Different perspectives? Maybe. Different expectations? Certainly.

Blending American and Ukrainian building and business techniques requires a bit of finesse and patience that we are trying to cultivate.

Changing Laws

A week ago we were fretting about a certain document we had to have ... we found out yesterday that the law that requires that document is no longer valid.
Great news for us ... hurrah!
But that hurrah, as is often the case in Ukraine, was short lived.
Because, today a new document was discovered that we must have before we could open Bubbles.
So, the better part of the day has been spent running around (which on over-trafficked cobble-stone streets takes far more time than it should) trying to figure out if we need this document ... how to expedite it's six-week processing time, and if anyone in this whole country knows for sure what documents are and are not needed.
It's a wonder that any businesses at all, other than government, exist in Ukraine.

Question?

How many Ukrainians does it take to clean the floor?

Not as many as it takes to make a Bubble Chandelier.