When it comes to our clients’ satisfaction, we’ll happily go out of our way. Especially our very own Santiago Espin. As Route and Customer Service Manager, he’s our traffic control man behind the most convenient aspect of the Sudsies experience, pick up and delivery. Our bubbly vans, 21 drivers to be exact, cruise all throughout your neighborhoods six days a week. Santiago ensures that each driver is expertly trained, each van meticulously maintained, and all customer orders sustained.
Santiago first came to us five years ago as a referral from our very own Luis Moreno. He first worked in customer service, then as a Valet before being promoted to his leadership position.
“Hard work is something I’m never afraid of,” Santiago says of his professional approach. “I invest everything I have to make sure that both our customers and employees know that I love what I do, which is caring for them.”
That hard work requires significant attention to detail. Every morning, a daily manifest is printed with a run-down of all pick-up requests, orders ready for delivery, and client preferences. All drivers reference this manifest to pick-up and deliver orders within client’s preferred timeframes, track inventory and ensure no articles are left behind, process payments, and accommodate any last-minute requests seamlessly. With thousands of orders processed each day, it’s crucial to organize this incredibly complicated process.
“You can’t miss a step, and there’s certainly no cutting corners in this business,” Santiago muses about the day-to-day operations.
Also under Santiago’s umbrella is managing the Miami Beach boutique, where he runs the training programs for new and existing employees. All new hires undergo extensive orientation, but continuing education trainings take place regularly to promote professional development.
“Training is ever-growing here, but the one thing I always stress is our company culture and our founding mission to invest our hearts and emotion into the job,” Santiago says. “That’s what puts a smile on our face and subsequently our clients’ faces.”
One of his favorite customer stories is about a gentleman who was “in the dog house” for damaging his wife’s limited edition handbag. After the initial spill, he tried getting the stain out himself, performing all sorts of tricks in the book including Windex, alcohol, wipes, detergent with warm water… all of which only made it worse. When he confided in Santiago about his dilemma, Santiago asked him to put his trust in Sudsies because simply “the dry cleaner is the best.”
“Once he turned over the purse to me, my team worked its magic and we were able to take all the stains out. It really looked like nothing had ever ever happened,” he recounted. “After seeing the expression on his face when we gave him back the handbag, I understood just how much we had helped him get out of a tough spot.”
A couple days later, the client’s wife came into Sudsies boutique and the couple have since become customers for life, sending the boutique all of their finest garments that they would trust with no one else.
“My role at Sudsies is such an important part of my life that I bleed yellow and blue,” says Santiago as he closes his interview. “It’s about making garments look their best, but more importantly, making our customers feel their best.”
Now, that’s a driving force.
