--- title: "Automatic for the People: Couple Breaks the 9-to-5 Model in Dry Cleaning" url: https://burnaze.com/article/c4fdbffd-b2b1-4ace-b3b5-c8fcc7f36b2f source: "Franchising.com" original_url: https://www.franchising.com/articles/20260606_automatic_for_the_people_couple_breaks_the_9to5_model_in_dry_cleaning.html author: "Kevin Behan" category: "Cleaning & maid" industry: "Home Services" segment: "Cleaning & maid" published: 2026-07-16T07:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-10-31T16:10:54.484Z image: https://imgs.franchising.com/art/articles/10476_plate.jpg --- # Automatic for the People: Couple Breaks the 9-to-5 Model in Dry Cleaning **TL;DR:** Bart and Theresa Casiello, multi-unit franchisees of Zips Cleaners, have implemented an automated system allowing customers to drop off and pick up dry cleaning orders 24 hours a day, reducing labor costs by 54% and improving customer service. They were recognized with the 2026 Innovation Award MVPs for their innovative contribution to the Zips brand. *By Kevin Behan, originally published in Franchising.com on 2026-07-16. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/articles/20260606_automatic_for_the_people_couple_breaks_the_9to5_model_in_dry_cleaning.html).* ## Story **Names:** Bart and Theresa Casiello **Title:** Multi-Unit Franchisees **Company:** Zips Cleaners **No of units:** 7 **Age:** Bart, 60, and Theresa, 63 **Family:** 7 children, 8 grandchildren, and Theresa's mother, Gail Hicks **Years in franchising:** 25 **Years in current position:** 29 *Bart and Theresa Casiello are the 2026 Innovation Award MVPs (Most Valuable Performers) for bringing a new and unique contribution to their brand.* During their 25 years of owning Zips Cleaners dry-cleaning franchises, Bart and Theresa Casiello have never been afraid to think outside the traditional business model. “We never said something should be done because ‘this is the way we have always done it,’” Bart says. “We thought if it didn’t make sense, why should we do it that way? A lot of the innovations that have happened over the years have been things used in other industries, and we asked, ‘How can we apply that to dry cleaning?’” The Casiellos’ latest creation is an automated system that allows customers to drop off and pick up their dry cleaning orders 24 hours a day. They were named the Innovation Award MVPs for bringing a new and unique contribution to the Zips brand after successfully implementing the technology in their new store in Brandywine, Maryland, in November 2024. Under their system, customers can drop off their clothes for dry cleaning at any time of the day or night. They enter their cell number and order instructions on a kiosk and leave their clothes in a secure bag in an area similar to an overnight deposit box or library book return. Customers receive a text message with the progress of their order and an email confirmation when the clothes are ready. Customers can pick up their order at their convenience. Doors of the Zips’ store are locked between 8 p. m. and 7 a.m. , but customers can gain access to the facility by scanning a QR code on the window. The doors then unlock, and clothes are available for pickup on an automated conveyor rack. Under the traditional Zips dry-cleaning model, customers who wanted same-day service needed to drop off their clothes by 9 a. m. to pick them up at 5 p.m. That creates long lines for customers and a heavy load for employees during peak hours. Under the new system, work is spread out across the day, daily staffing has been reduced from 12 hours to eight, and there are fewer manual tasks for employees, which allows them to provide additional customer service. The Casiellos say the new system has reduced labor costs by 54%. “We no longer have mad rushes right before 9 a.m. because customers now have the freedom to drop their clothes off at any time, based on their schedule, and the same thing in picking up,” Bart says. “There is no rush, and it is so much more relaxed, and that is something we didn’t anticipate. It has made a major impact from the operations standpoint with staffing, and it has made life so much easier for the customers.” The 24/7 automated system is the latest example of the Casiellos using creativity and innovation at their seven Zips locations. Their stores run informational videos for customers to watch while in line, including helpful tips on how to remove a stain or properly tie a tie. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit and initial sales were cut by as much as 80%, the couple offered delivery and additional services, such as wash and fold, to better serve their customers. The latest automated system has been such a success at the new location that the Casiellos are looking to retrofit it into their other six stores. Four other franchise groups in the Zips Cleaners system are incorporating the 24/7 innovation into their stores, and more are likely to follow. MVP QUESTIONS **Why do you think you were recognized with this award?** We are truly humbled and honored to receive this award. We believe we were recognized because we challenged the traditional dry-cleaning model. We incorporated technology used in other industries and developed a hybrid system that allows customers to drop off and, more importantly, pick up their garments 24/7. This gives customers the choice to work with an in-person team member, and we’ve reduced labor costs by 54% while improving customer service. It’s rare to implement technology that both lowers costs and enhances the customer experience, and that balance has been key to our success. **How have you raised the bar in your own company?** By refusing to accept “this is how it’s always been done.” We examine and reexamine every step of our process and ask: Is this necessary? Does it add value? If not, we change or eliminate it. The dry-cleaning industry has historically been slow to adopt new technology. When we entered the business 29 years ago, machines were operated with punch cards, and receipts were handwritten. We’ve embraced innovation at every stage to modernize operations and improve the customer experience. **What innovations have you created and used to build your company?** Our biggest innovation has been building a hybrid service model that blends automation with personalized service. We implemented 24/7 automated pickup and drop-off systems and leveraged data to reduce waste and improve productivity. We also redesigned our labor model to align staffing with peak demand instead of traditional fixed schedules, dramatically improving efficiency. **What core values do you think helped you win this award?** Customer-first thinking, innovation over tradition, accountability, integrity, and discipline in execution. We believe effort alone doesn’t guarantee success. Results matter. That mindset drives everything we do. **How important is community involvement to you and your company?** Community involvement is extremely important. Our business only succeeds if our community succeeds. We support local schools, nonprofits, and initiatives whenever possible. Being part of the community means more than just operating in it. It means investing in it. **What leadership qualities are important to you and your team?** Leading by example, decisiveness, accountability, transparency, and adaptability. We won’t ask our teams to do something that we wouldn’t be willing to do ourselves. PERSONAL (Answers are from Theresa unless otherwise noted.) **First job:** I worked for the Internal Revenue Service as a revenue agent. I was a field agent, auditing business income tax returns. From that experience, I developed a set of criteria that were common to the successful businesses I audited and that I would look for in owning a business. **Formative influences/events:** My father was in active duty and training to be a Navy pilot. When I was 4 years old, he was in a horrific plane crash that drastically changed our family’s lives. He spent two years in Bethesda Naval Hospital (now known as Walter Reed National Military Medical Center), undergoing many surgeries and healing. He survived when he wasn’t expected to. It was an example of strength and resiliency. He was in pain every day for the rest of his life, but he did not complain to us. My mother was an incredible example of the strength and grit necessary for our survival. She had to immediately get a full-time job and take care of my sister and me while managing my dad’s recovery. Mom was and always has been a strong role model. She had her own successful career. These early lessons have deeply influenced and molded me into the person I am. **Key accomplishments:** Building a scalable, innovative dry-cleaning model that reduced labor costs by more than half while improving service. We also survived the Covid-19 crisis when much of our industry struggled. **Biggest current challenge:** Continuing to innovate in a mature industry while maintaining profitability in a changing economic environment. **Next big goal:** To fully automate our existing locations, improving profit margins and delivering an even better customer experience while continuing to set a new standard for efficiency and service in the garment care industry. **First turning point in your career:** Recognizing time and again that technology could fundamentally change our cost structure and customer experience and having the conviction to be the first to act on it. **Best business decision:** **Bart:** Theresa is the best person I know and the best business partner I’ve ever had. We have different talents that complement each other extremely well. I would never even think of getting involved in a business without her. **Theresa:** We may be opposites in our skill sets, but we take a divide-and-conquer approach. **Hardest lesson learned:** Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Our business felt predictable until Covid-19 devastated the dry-cleaning industry. It tested us in ways we never expected. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. **Work week:** Work doesn’t stop. We have a labor-intensive business with multiple deadlines to hit every day. We are constantly training staff, overseeing operations, and finding new ways to improve our processes. **Exercise/workout:** Rowing! I’m a member of Annapolis Rowing Club. **Best advice you ever got:** Focus your mind on your goals and make them happen. **What’s your passion in business?** Finding inefficiencies and turning them into opportunities. **How do you balance life and work?** We’re not doing the best at that currently, but it’s temporary. At least, we recognize that. Working alongside each other makes it hard sometimes to see where one ends and the other begins. Almost every conversation involves business. We do make family a priority. We have seven children and eight grandchildren, so there is always a family event to look forward to. We love to travel and have visited some wonderful places together. ****Guilty pleasure:** Dark chocolate and music. ** **Favorite book:** I’m an avid reader, finishing two to three books per week, and I enjoy historical fiction the most. I can’t pick one book. ****Favorite movie:** “Secondhand Lions.” We love the heartwarming story of two eccentric men who always went against the grain and how their nephew changed their lives.** **What do most people not know about you?** I haven’t missed a Bruce Springsteen concert tour since I was 14 years old. My college degree is in public accounting. I always wanted to open my own tax and accounting practice since I was in the eighth grade. I did just that after leaving the IRS. **Last vacation:** We went to the Cinque Terre region of Italy in 2022. It was the first time we traveled without a schedule, and it was exactly what we needed. I also went on a few trips with girlfriends: Bike & Barge trip where I cycled from Amsterdam to Bruges, Mexico for the beach, and Aix-en-Provence, France, for the Cézanne exhibit (and rosé wine). Bart takes an annual golf trip with the guys. **Person you’d most like to have lunch with:** **Bart:** Jesus Christ. I’d love to understand what this is all about. MANAGEMENT **Business philosophy:** Lead by example. Don’t ask your team to do anything you wouldn’t do yourself. **Management method or style:** Be a leader, not a boss. Teach, mentor, and guide; don’t rule. Bart leads from the front. He is involved in daily operations not because he has to but because he genuinely enjoys it. There’s no substitute for knowing your business from the inside out. **Greatest challenge:** Dealing with federal and state-level government initiatives that affect how we operate and how we manage our workforce. **How do others describe you? ** Bart is genuine, kind, caring, sincere, quick-witted, and very funny. He makes me laugh every day. Since I handle the accounting, I am very matter-of-fact. People say that I may not speak a lot, but when I do, I speak with authority. **How you give your team room to innovate and experiment:** We encourage our managers to bring ideas to the table and give them the autonomy to test improvements in their areas. If it adds value or eliminates waste, we want to hear it. Some of our best process improvements have come directly from the people doing the work every day. **How close are you to operations?** Very close. Bart is at our locations daily, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s where he is most at home. I handle all the accounting, tax, payroll, HR, etc. Even though I’m no longer on location, I’m very involved in operations. Accounting will tell you everything right and wrong with your business. **What are the two most important things you rely on from your franchisor? ** Our software and our marketing support. Those two things allow us to focus on running a great operation without reinventing the wheel. **What you need from vendors:** Consistency. ** It’s been a long road learning how to use it to our advantage, but we’ve made real progress. Social media is now an important part of how we connect with our community and attract new customers. **How are you using technology, like AI, to manage your business? ** We’re using AI to sharpen our marketing decisions and to manage our online reviews more effectively. On the operations side, our 24/7 automated pickup and drop-off systems continue to be a cornerstone of how we deliver a better customer experience while keeping costs in check. Automation is at the heart of everything we’re building. We trust our people to manage their teams well. **How do you train and retain?** Zips Cleaners has a very good online training program. Clothing styles change every year, and new materials come in and out of fashion. With every new design comes a new cleaning challenge. Staying current on training keeps our team sharp and our quality consistent. **How do you deal with problem employees?** We address issues directly and early. Clear expectations, honest conversations, and consistent accountability. Most problems can be resolved when you deal with them before they grow. **Fastest way into your doghouse:** Cell phone use on the job. We’re here to serve our customers, and nothing signals disengagement faster. It’s disrespectful to the customer and to your teammates. BOTTOM LINE **Annual revenue:** More than $7 million across our locations. **2026 goals:** Our primary focus in 2026 is automating our existing locations. We believe our biggest opportunity is increasing profit margins while delivering an even better customer experience. We’re not just growing for the sake of growth; we’re building smarter. **Growth meter: How do you measure your growth? ** We measure growth by margin improvement, customer retention, and operational efficiency, not just top-line revenue. If we’re running leaner and serving customers better, we’re growing the right way. **Vision meter: Where do you want to be in five years? Ten years?** We want to be recognized as the gold standard for innovation and efficiency in the garment care industry. This is a family business, and our goal is to build something that lasts and something our family can be proud of and continue to grow for generations. **Do you have brands in different segments? Why/why not?** We’re focused on doing one thing exceptionally well. The dry cleaning and garment care space has an enormous opportunity for innovation, and we’d rather be the best in our lane than spread ourselves thin. **How is the economy affecting you, your employees, your customers?** Like everyone, we feel the pressure of a changing economic environment. But our investment in automation has given us a buffer that many competitors don’t have. By reducing our labor cost structure, we’re better positioned to absorb economic headwinds without passing the burden entirely on to our customers or our team. **How do you handle rising employee costs? ** The honest answer is that automation is our primary strategy. Rising minimum wages, healthcare costs, and payroll expenses are real challenges across our industry. By automating where possible, we reduce our dependence on labor for routine tasks, which protects both our margins and the jobs of the people we do employ. **What laws and regulations are affecting your business?** Federal and state-level labor and regulatory initiatives remain our biggest challenge in this area. We stay closely engaged and adapt as needed, but it requires constant attention. **How do you reward/recognize top-performing employees?** We believe in recognizing great work publicly and often. The best reward is a culture where people feel seen, valued, and trusted to do their jobs well. **What kind of exit strategy do you have in place?** We’re building this to last. Our goal is to pass on a thriving, well-run business to our family. That means continuing to invest in systems, processes, and people so that the business doesn’t depend on any one person to succeed. All our children have worked with us or stepped in to help at one time or another. Our oldest son, Justin, has been working with us for more than 10 years. ## Entities - Franchising.com (publication) - Home Services (sector) - customer service (topic) - Kevin Behan (person) - labor costs (topic) - automation (topic) - franchise innovation (topic) - dry cleaning (topic) - Zips Cleaners (company) - Bart Casiello (person) - Theresa Casiello (person) - Gail Hicks (person) --- Originally reported by Kevin Behan, Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/articles/20260606_automatic_for_the_people_couple_breaks_the_9to5_model_in_dry_cleaning.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/c4fdbffd-b2b1-4ace-b3b5-c8fcc7f36b2f).