Business View Magazine l November 2022

207 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 11 N.Y., and fellow product supplier Regional Apparel to help ensure it had linen products, uniforms, and more to serve customers. The supply chain may not get back to pre-pandemic “normal” in the near future, but ownership has found ways to find solutions through communications and relationship building. Anthony referred to the market as “tight but manageable” when it comes to product availability. Perhaps one of the biggest keys is transparent communication with vendors but especially customers. Whether by phone, email or in person, Arrow Linen’s account managers are committed to providing product updates so that customers are not faced with unexpected surprises. One example is that occasionally, a customer may be told that black napkins are not available for a few days but those gray napkins can be substituted until the black napkins are available, John says. “It comes down to being transparent with your customers,” he adds. “Just be honest with them and they appreciate it.” Arrow Linen has the capacity for growth with its two current locations, including its Long Island plant. Owners are also keeping their eyes open for interesting acquisition opportunities in the New York region but will manage any expansion carefully. The future for the company is about investing in technology and anticipating and servicing industry trends, Anthony says. It purchased an automated seal machine that allows team members to easily wrap merchandise in plastic rather than doing it by hand, thereby increasing ARROW L INEN