'I really like the job. We have customers who are lawyers, managers and domestic helpers. When I am not too busy, I like to chat to them and know more about what other people are doing,' Ms Yuen said.

She said the most important thing a dry cleaning assistant could do was give good advice to customers, especially when handling special materials such as linen, PVC, leather or wedding gowns and evening dresses.

'When customers do not know how to clean clothes made of special material, we check them out for them. Sometimes, customers ask for dry cleaning, but if we think the clothes may be sensitive to the kind of oil used in dry-cleaning, we patiently explain this to them.

'Sometimes, if we find the cleaning instructions on the labels wrong, we check with the manufacturer to find out the right cleaning method.

'It can be time-consuming but such an attitude can win customers' trust, which brings in more business.

'Whenever customers complain that clothes are not clean enough, we clean them again free of charge.' The most stressful part of the job is at peak hours before and after normal working hours and during lunch-breaks when a queue of more than a dozen people can form.

Ms Yuen has to answer clients' questions, take telephone calls and ask other clients waiting in the queue to be patient, all at the same time.

But the stress is compensated by job satisfaction and support from her family. Married with a four-year-old daughter, Ms Yuen is also encouraged by her husband who is in the restaurant business.

After winning the award, her husband treated her to dinner in a Western restaurant and is buying her a gift.

'I was a bit surprised by the award because there were over 200 competitors from 57 companies,' she said.

'We had competitions within our company before and I have won a few times. This time, we were tested on how to handle tough clients and special requests, and on our knowledge of the company's services.' To enrich herself professionally, Ms Yuen reads fashion magazines and learns about the latest technology in the business. When shopping, she always looks for new materials and then discusses with her colleagues how they should handle them.

Sometimes, she is teased by friends as having an 'occupational disease' because she often gives advice on how to clean their clothes to make them look better.

'I hope my company will give me more opportunities. Of course, if I feel there is no more potential in the job, I may do something different,' she said.

'I have given up the original idea of running our own shop with my husband because we would be too busy to have time for our daughter. It would be a 24-hour job.'