CFAX C1-C4 0406.qxp - Carpet Cleaning Marketing, Disaster

Transcription

CFAX C1-C4 0406.qxp
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April 2006
a Castlerock Industries company
See page 9
M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
®
Buy 2 gallons of Kill Odor Plus
and get a FREE gallon of DFC 105
See page 17
Voice blast telemarketing:
A good idea?
page 20
The pressures of tile
and grout cleaning
page 22
www.cleanfax.com
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Circle Product Information no. 226 on page 74
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40
contents
April 2006
Volume 21
Number 4
cover story
40
Psychological odors
You say there is no more smell… the customer says
you are wrong. What can you do?
features
departments
14
8
10
Restorer’s corner
Stay legal with the proper business licensing.
20
12
47
The pressures of tile cleaning
52
54
58
74
75
79
82
What’s the condition of your
tool belt, tool box and tool shed?
Put your strongest marketing strategies into a system
that can’t go wrong.
34
Regional Roundup
Products & Services
Marketplace
Product Information Center
Cleaners Classified
Classified Advertising
The Last Word
Beyond simple hard floor cleaning
When regular cleaning and maintenance just isn’t enough…
38
Product Focus
News and events from the industry’s leading
trade associations.
Stay focused on the right things
Analyze these three points to get your company where
you want it.
30
Berberina & Olefina
Here’s the latest in duct cleaning, portables and vapor
cleaning.
Clean better and safer with knowledge of what hard
surfaces can handle.
26
For Your Information (FYI)
The latest news and trends from the carpet and furniture
cleaning and disaster restoration industry.
The Great Debate™
Voice blast telemarketing: A good idea?
22
Foreword: Editorial by Jeff Cross
The fear of pricing
Make sure the price you charge matches the services you offer.
22 30
CM/Cleanfax® magazine (ISSN 1525-481X) is published 12 times a year by NTP
Media, 13 Century Hill Drive, Latham, NY 12110-2197. Periodicals postage paid
at Latham, NY, and additional mailing offices. Editorial office: 13 Century Hill
Drive, Latham, NY, 12110-2197, e-mail: Cleanfax@cleanfax.com. Sales, circulation and business offices: 13 Century Hill Drive, Latham, NY 12110-2197, phone
(518) 783-1281, fax (518) 783-1386, e-mail: webmaster@cleanfax.com.
Subscription rates for US, Canada and Mexico: one year, $74; two years, $111;
three years, $174. All other foreign subscriptions: one year, $144; two years,
$236; three years, $311. Copyright 2006 by NTP Media, Reproduction of this
magazine, in whole or in part, without express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publisher reserves the right to reject any and all materials not in keeping with the publication’s standards, whether such standards are
written or not. The publisher makes no judgments as to claims of products or services advertised. Postmaster: Send address changes to CM/Cleanfax®, NTP
Media, 13 Century Hill Drive, Latham, NY 12110-2197.
find us online ... The full text of
CM/Cleanfax® magazine feature stories, breaking news,
CM/Cleanfax® archives, the latest product news and much
more is available on the internet at www.cleanfax.com.
4 CM/Cleanfax ® April 2006 www.cleanfax.com
on the cover ...
Cover design by Chris Greenhouse, NTP Media.
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A member of the
Trade Group
T
Publisher
Matt Gallinger
ext. 3159
mgallinger@ntpmedia.com
Jim Fazzone
Senior Editor, CM/Cleanfax® magazine
Jeff Cross
ext. 3154
jcross@ntpmedia.com
News Editor
Katy Coleman
ext. 3157
kcoleman@ntpmedia.com
Associate Editors
Ashley Sterne
ext. 3117
asterne@ntpmedia.com
Dev Tobin
ext. 3136
dtobin@ntpmedia.com
Account Executive
Micah Ogburn
ext. 3179
mogburn@ntpmedia.com
Classified/Special Sections
Rick Dorrance
ext. 3114
rdorrance@ntpmedia.com
Collections Coordinator
Barbara Albert
balbert@ntpmedia.com
ext. 3129
Production Manager/Art Director
Chris Greenhouse
cgreenhouse@ntpmedia.com
Production Manager Assistant
Erika Arnold
earnold@ntpmedia.com
Administrator of CMI®
Nicole Older
nolder@ntpmedia.com
ext. 3152
Founder John Downey
®
Senior Editor, CM B2B Trade Group®
ext. 3137
jfazzone@ntpmedia.com
Editorial, Advertising & Publishing Offices
NTP Media
13 Century Hill Drive • Latham, NY 12110-2197
(518) 783-1281 FAX: (518) 783-1386
CM/CleanfaxOnlineTM
Access via World Wide Web
at www.cleanfax.com
Editorial Advisory Board
Joey Pickett, Lexington, KY; Werner Braun, Dalton, GA; Dr. Neal
Seymour, Newport News, VA; Lisa Wagner, San Diego; Dane Gregory,
Stevens Point, WI; Timothy J. Horrigan, Gardner, MA; Craig Jasper, Park
Ridge, IL; Lonnie McDonald, Grandview, MO
Regional Editors: Mike Cohen, NEIRC; Dave Barkstedt, NYRCI; Jerry Byrne, CCINW; Robert
Pettyjohn, MSPCA; Byron Entz, PCUCA; Howard Partridge, PCRA; Nick Paolella, CRCII; Bob Merkt,
AWCC; Mike Perras, CFI; Shawn Forsythe, CFI.
Printed in the U.S.A.
For subscription information, call (518) 783-1281 ext.3167
CFAX 7-8.qxp
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industry leader
The
in carpet and fabric cleaning
systems.
bank financing as low as 6.9% or
lease payments starting at $599/month*
THE BUTLER SYSTEM
The Butler System provides a full complement of cleaning and restoration services from
delicate upholstery cleaning to dual wand cleaning for commercial complexes. The Butler
System is the one machine that will meet all your requirements. The distinctive advantages
of the Butler System are ease of operation, simplicity of service and reliability.
Perceived as expensive due to the exceptional quality and craftsmanship that goes into
every one... a Butler System is just $18,900 including factory installation.
Please call for your FREE 90-page brochure.
800.535.5025
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*Financing and Leasing are available for qualified individuals and companies. Terms from 24 to 72 months.
Circle
Product
Information
no.Offers
207 on
page
74 are subject to change.
Offers are limited and
subject
to credit
approval.
and
terms
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Foreword
Are you a ‘credible’
cleaner?
ny cleaner asked that question
is going to say “Yes”.
But credibility can be perceived
differently by your customers, and
that’s what really matters.
The American Heritage Dictionary
by Jeff Cross
defines “credibility” as “believable,
senior editor
plausible, trustworthy, reliable.”
Those in the service industry must do all they can to be credible to their customers.
A
Bad examples
How often have you hired a service company, either a
plumber, electrician, lawn mowing service, or any other type
of service?
Did you get top-notch service?
If you did, you enjoyed what many today say is a dying
breed of service companies.
Carpet and furniture cleaning are services that people can
do without; there are millions of homes out there that stand
as a testament to this fact.
Should they have their carpets professionally cleaned? Yes.
Do they? No.
Many don’t hire your services because of the black eye
given to this industry by “fly-by-night” and “bait-andswitch” scammers. Not your fault, but you feel the consequences.
Setting goals
Give an honest, credible cleaner just a few months — perhaps a year — in any given city in America and he can overcome this problem.
Word will spread; your customer base will grow. Top quality
service is in demand.
The type of service you should — you must — offer your
customers is the type that leaves the customer waving goodbye to your van as you leave, looking forward to the next
time you will be in the home.
So when you wonder what you should do to build business and your reputation, just think about the last time you
had terrible service.
It might have been in a restaurant last weekend, or the oil
change you had done to your family vehicle last month.
And then do the opposite.
I
Visit www.cleanfax.com and type in
keyword: Carpet cleaning.
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For your information
IICRC reaches
major milestone
VANCOUVER, WA — The Institute for
Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration
Certification (IICRC) announced the registration of its 100,000th technician.
Patti Moorman of ServiceMaster of
Story County, Ames, IA, received her
certification in Fire and Smoke
Restoration on February 10.
IICRC President Carey Vermeulen
called Moorman to congratulate her, and
plans are being made to present her with
a commemorative plaque to honor her
accomplishment.
Unger names
president
BRIDGEPORT,
CT
—
Unger
Enterprises Inc. promoted Mark Unger
from chief operating officer to president.
As president, Unger is responsible for
managing, leading and implementing
strategy for the company's professional
division worldwide, and is responsible
for building professional product sales
and distribution channels globally.
The son of founders Henry and Barbara
Unger, Mark Unger’s involvement with
family-owned Unger Enterprises spans
most of his lifetime, including positions as
vice president of sales and marketing and
chief operating officer.
Ellis takes top
honor in contest
Michael Ellis, president of Dryex in
Olympia, WA, is the master of the
Tournament of Champions, the grand
finale of the weekly competition on the
CM/Cleanfax® magazine Bulletin Board.
Ellis’ score not only gave him top
honor, but also earned him nearly $1,000
in prizes.
The Tournament features winners
from the Bulletin Board weekly quiz for
the past three months.
Tornado hires
Williams as rep
CHICAGO — Tornado Industries has
hired Jarrett Williams to represent the
company in Alabama, Georgia and central Tennessee as a manufacturer’s rep.
Williams has worked in the JanSan
industry for more than 13 years, previously selling pressure washers and floor
care equipment for Etowah Chemical of
Gadsden, AL.
Paul Davis,
DKI join insurer’s
vendor list
WARREN, NJ — The Chubb Group of
Insurance Companies added Paul Davis
Restoration and Disaster Kleenup
International to the firm’s preferred vendor network of restoration specialists.
Paul Davis Restoration and Disaster
Kleenup International will offer professional mitigation and restoration services for Chubb’s high-end residential
policyholders.
Connections board
elects vice president
WESTON, WI — Connections has
announced that Craig Kersemeier, president of K-tech Kleening Systems, will
serve as its 2006 vice president.
According to the report, Kersemeier
preceded his role as vice president by
serving on the Connections board of
directors; his term expires December 2006.
Kersemeier is acting president of the
Association of Wisconsin Cleaning
Contractors (AWCC).
K-tech Kleening Systems specializes
in cleaning and restoration services, and
serves most of Wisconsin with six
offices: Rhinelander, Stevens Point,
Sturgeon Bay, Fond du Lac, Appleton,
and the corporate office in Weston.
HydraMaster
names Simmons
accounts manager
MUKILTEO, WA — HydraMaster
appointed Jon Simmons corporate
accounts manager.
In addition to working with corporate
accounts, Simmons will be responsible
for overseeing product and service training and also will have marketing
responsibilities.
HydraMaster has replaced Simmons
with Jeff Seiden as customer service
manager.
ServiceMaster
promotes Cromie
and Crawford
DOWNERS
GROVE,
IL
—
ServiceMaster recently promoted Scott J.
Cromie to group president with responsibility for American Home Shield,
AmeriSpec, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry
Maids, Furniture Medic and the newly
acquired InStar Services Group.
Cromie continues as CEO of American
Home Shield, where he has worked for
20 years, and David J. Crawford was
named president and chief operating
officer of American Home Shield, where
he has worked for 19 years.
I
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Berberina&Olefina
The underestimated job
Question from a CM/Cleanfax® reader:
Ladies, I can’t seem to get the estimating part of my business
down pat. It seems I look at a job, give a price, and
then when I actually do the job it takes longer
than I originally thought and I lose money.
Does this happen to you?
— Estimating in East L.A.
Berberina: Underestimating a job is
bad news. It’s kind of like eating food
that has a bad aftertaste with the very
first bite.
You think you have something good,
but it ends up a bad experience.
Every carpet cleaner wants to book
the job when called for an estimate.
For some reason, small things like
“sanity” and “reasonableness” disappear during the estimating process.
Olefina: I will say that it is mainly
Berbie’s job to do the estimating. I’m
glad, because when there’s no profit at
the end of the day, she can’t blame me.
Performing a proper estimate for a
carpet cleaning job is just about the most
important chore to do, except for perhaps prespraying a dirty carpet before
cleaning.
That depends on how much time you
have and if you are in a really big hurry.
Here is a typical scenario:
Berbie goes into a home for an estimate. She measures the carpet, uses her
calculator and books the job.
When we arrive on the job, the carpet
Are you hunting for
• Replacement equipment?
• A truckmount to purchase?
• A new job?
• New carpet care chemicals?
son, carpet tends to double in size and
soil content each day after the estimate
is given and before the carpet is actually
cleaned.
This is dangerous when a few weeks
or — horrors! — months are sandwiched between estimating day and
cleaning day.
When we get to the job and gaze
down at what I thought would take two
Check out the classified section of
ONLINE
M
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A
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N
has somehow grown in size and soil
content.
We aren’t sure how this happens, as
we aren’t aware of vitamins or steroids
available for carpet.
Berberina: I think that, for some rea-
Look no further...
E
www.cleanfax.com
Visit www.cleanfax.com and type in keyword:
Berberina.
reference site menu on right side of screen
CFAX 11-13.qxp
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B&O
hours but will probably take all day, I ask myself two questions:
1. Why can’t I get this estimating thing down right?
2. Why didn’t I choose an easier profession, like septic
system cleaning?
Olefina: I know Berbie is upset when this happens because
she walks around the job saying things like “I hate this
@%&$ job!” and “Why didn’t I buy into that Porta Potty
franchise when I had the chance?”
I try to calm her down when she gets this way by dabbing at her brow with a nice, cool cloth. Problem is I don’t
always have a nice, cool cloth and one time I used an old
spotting rag that I found stuffed behind the spare tire in
the van.
It must have been there for a while, because Berbie
recoiled from it when I attempted to dab at her forehead;
she claimed whiplash and said that I must have been
adopted.
Some people you just can’t please.
Berberina: Problem with Olefina is she at times has the
desire of Mother Teresa to help, but with the smarts of
Daffy Duck to go along with it.
The last time we underestimated a job, it was mainly
Olie’s fault. I do my best to figure out how much time a job
will take, and it is up to her to work hard to get it done in
the time allotted.
Olefina: I remember that job, as it was just yesterday.
What really happened was Berbie did the estimate about
a week ago, so the size of the job and the soil was about
seven times more than we expected.
I mean, this place was filthy. I think she must have
looked at this job in the evening because even I know this
type of dirt takes a long time to remove.
It was so bad that I pulled out one sofa and this huge
cockroach faced me and, I swear, said something like “You
come near me with that whistling metal thingy in your
hand and you’ll regret it!”
Well, it probably didn’t really speak, but that’s the
impression I got from its body language.
Berberina: I think that room pricing might be in our
future. After all, you can’t make a mistake with room
pricing.
I
Thanks for stopping by for this edition of good, solid advice from
Berberina & Olefina. Interested in getting your questions
answered? E-mail the girls at berberinaolefina@hotmail.com.
www.cleanfax.com April 2006 CM/Cleanfax ® 13
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Restorer’s
corner
Fine-tune your disaster restoration
skills via Q&A with CM/Cleanfax®
magazine’s expert consultants.
by Richard Driscoll and Neal Seymour
Is it necessary to have a business
license for water damage restoration? If so, how can I obtain one and what
should I look for?
Water restoration firms that
expand into the fire restoration
area face significantly different business
challenges.
Q.
A.
Driscoll
Seymour
It’s really dangerous out there. All of
us restorers have either been sued or
heard horror stories from a fellow
restorer about being sued.
In our American society, it is not if
you will be sued, but it is when you will
be sued.
Visit www.cleanfax.com and type in keywords:
Water damage.
For more information on related products, visit
www.cleanfax.com, select Supplier Search from
the site menu, and enter keywords: Water damage..
Having proper business and occupational licenses in place
will greatly help the legal status of
your water damage restoration business
and provide important protection.
Are you properly licensed?
Before entering into the business of
water damage restoration, you need to
be sure that you have the appropriate
business licenses.
Proper business licenses not only give
you legal credibility as an entity, but
they provide tangible proof of your
right to conduct business.
A business license is something that is
not only legally required, but it is an
(Continued on page 16)
Questions, please
There’s nothing more frustrating than
having a question without access to an
expert answer.
That’s why CM/Cleanfax® magazine
provides this monthly feature entitled
“Restorer’s corner.”
Instead of choosing a topic each
month, CM/Cleanfax® editorial staff is
leaving that up to you, the readers.
Do you have a disaster restoration question you would like to ask? Simply e-mail it
to Senior Editor Jeff Cross at jcross@cleanfax.com or send it to Jeff Cross, 13 Century
Hill Drive, Latham, NY 12110.
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(Continued from page 14)
important tool that can be used to differentiate your water damage restoration
business from the “suck and run” guys.
Most localities require every business
to file an additional license for that particular business. The reasons for this
are that they want to regulate business
and they want to make sure you pay
your taxes.
Different services may require different licenses. Remember that many local
business license authorities may require
you to file a separate local business
license for water damage restoration.
If you perform restoration services,
which require a state contractor’s
license, you will also have to file with
your municipality for a separate business license under that category.
You usually can obtain the business
license application from your tax collection office (treasurer’s office) of your
local municipality.
Many governments have the application available on the Internet at their
website.
Filing your local
business license
You start your local business license
procedure by completing a business
classification information form or a
business license application form.
You will be asked for various information about your restoration business such
as the official North American Industry
Classification System (NAICS) code, estimated annual gross receipts (this will be
required to determine the actual cost of
the license), total original cost of equipment, furniture and fixtures (so they can
establish tangible business property tax
on the business assets) and total original
cost of machinery and tools (so they can
establish tangible business property tax
on the business assets).
It is very important that you make
sure you do not under-estimate your
annual gross as the taxing authority, at
Stay on the side of the law
Water damage restoration firms need to have proper licenses in place to help prevent legal action from both government authorities and consumers.
A business license is an important, mandatory and legal tool, which can be used to
differentiate your water damage restoration business from the “cowboys.”
Different services that your firm provides may require different local business
licenses.
Water damage may be treated differently than carpet/upholstery cleaning.
Different municipalities may require a separate business for you to operate within
that specific municipality. In metropolitan areas, this is very important.
Many states will require a valid state contractor’s license if you provide water damage restoration services.
Understand the differences between removing and replacing materials in regard to
state contractor license requirements.
The exact scope of your work (emergency response water extraction/drying, restoration and/or remediation) may determine the requirement for a state license.
Check with your state authorities on the exact differences in your state concerning
water damage contracting and mold remediation.
— N.S. & R.D.
the end of the year, will require a final
filing and any discrepancy can have you
paying interest and penalties.
The local business license fee is essentially a tax. As with any tax matter, make
sure you are never in default and that all
information you provide is truthful.
Make sure you do not overlook budgeting for your business property tax.
That bill will come at the end of each calendar year or typically by March of the
following year.
You can never afford to be delinquent
in payment of these taxes.
Different municipalities
may require a license
Many times a restoration business is
operating in a metropolitan area that
encompasses many different, independent communities.
Make sure you check with each
municipality in your area in which you
plan to operate.
Many of them may require you to file
a separate business license for each
municipality. Don’t believe they can’t
check up on this.
Tax compliance inspectors can stop
tradesman’s vans (as noted by the lettering on the van) performing a service in a
community and challenge the business
license for that community.
In some instances, the communities
can levy fines or penalties for tradesmen
conducting business in that particular
community without a local business
license. Don’t take chances; check it out.
You will be required to post your original business license at your place of business. If your business is in your home, you
may be required to post it in the room that
you use as your office.
It is a good idea to make a photocopy
of your local business license and carry
it with you on your company vehicle.
You may never know when you may
be asked to produce proof that you are
legally licensed to conduct business.
Special state licenses
Some services you perform may
require a state license.
Most states do not require a state
license for carpet and upholstery cleaning. But many states will require a valid
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state contractor’s license if you provide
any water damage restoration services
to customers.
There is a “rule-of-thumb” in many
licensing authorities that a water damage contractor may not be required to
have a valid state contractor’s license for
just tearing-out damaged items such as
sheetrock and floor covering.
However, this rule-of-thumb also
essentially requires a water damage contractor to have a valid state contractor’s
license for installing anything back
(such as trim, sheetrock, doors, flooring,
etc.) Make sure you clearly understand
the licensing requirements.
If a state license is required, you
should obtain one because the penalties
are prohibitive for contracting without a
proper license.
State licenses are obtained from your
state’s Department of Professional and
Occupational Regulation. A particular
board handles licenses for contractors.
Contact this office (quite often found
in your state’s capital) and ask for guidance concerning state licensing.
State contractor’s
license categories
Most contractors licensing is based on
different categories.
Many states have adopted common
contractor licensing models.
For instance, a class C license is for
individual jobs less than $7,500 each and
a total contracting amount per year less
than $150,000.
Higher-level contractor licenses are a
class A license, which usually requires
minimum business net worth of $45,000,
and a class B license that typically
requires a minimum business net worth
of $15,000.
Class A and class B licenses usually
require license applicants to successfully
complete an oral/written licensure
examination.
Many smaller restoration companies
that operate in conjunction with carpet
and upholstery cleaning will fall under
the class C license. The class C license
usually does not require the applicant to
take the written contractor’s test.
Special mold
remediator licenses
We all know that water damage and
mold go hand-in-hand. The same may
be true in your professional licensing.
The majority of states do not differentiate between water damage restoration
and mold remediation work.
However, some states require that firms
involved in mold remediation be specially
licensed (much along the lines of asbestos
and lead abatement contractors).
(Concluded on next page)
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(Continued from prior page)
Don’t assume that your water damage work license will automatically
cover you in cases where you actually
remove mold.
Check with your state authorities on
the exact differences in your state concerning water damage contracting and
mold remediation.
Applying for your
state contractor’s license
You can obtain the application from the
board for contractors or can obtain the
application online from the state’s website
for the Department of Professional and
Occupational Regulation.
State contractor licenses will require
information such as three-letter contractor license classification code, contractor
work references, and owner’s names,
addresses and Social Security numbers.
Most states require that contractors
have no prior disciplinary action
imposed by any local, state or national
regulatory body, no prior felony convictions, no misdemeanor convictions
within the last three years and no judgments, tax obligations or bond default
within the last five years.
The state board will conduct a background check (including criminal check)
on each applicant.
Once you receive your contractor’s
license, you will usually be provided a
wallet-sized version.
You may be required to show this to
code inspectors when you are performing restoration work.
Again, it is always a good idea to
carry a copy of your contractor’s license
with you in your company vehicle
(along with your local business license).
You never know when you will be
challenged to produce them.
Licenses protect you
Don’t fear the business or professional licensing process for your water damage restoration business.
Once you understand the technicalities, it will all make sense.
It is better to err on the side of law
than try to get away without having the
right tax and occupational licenses in
place for your business.
Make no rash assumptions about
license requirements. Check with the
licensing authorities to make sure you
understand what you do (and don’t)
need.
I
___________________________________
Richard Driscoll is a semi-retired practicing
water damage/mold remediator, and now
teaches water damage restoration/mold
remediation full-time, and is also an expert
witness. Neal Seymour is an attorney and
cleaning/restoration industry authority.
Connect to a world of
carpet cleaning
information...
CM Group
Online Supplier
Search Engine
& Buyers Guide
The most comprehensive
database of carpet care
and disaster restoration
manufacturers and suppliers
on the web.
www.cleanfax.com
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Buy all five and save 10%
Name
Company
Street Address (no PO boxes, please)
City
Phone
State
Fax
Zip
Email
Payment: Please add $6.50 shipping & handling to US locations, $20 to Canada/Mexico, $50 to all other countries. NY residents, please add 8% sales tax.
Payments must be in U.S. dollars.
Enclosed is my check or money order.
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To order mail to: Cleaning Management Institute 13 Century Hill Drive Latham, NY 12110-2197 Fax to (518) 783-1386
Questions? Call (518) 783-1281 ext 3152, visit www.cminstitute.net, or e-mail cmi@ntpinc.com
All prices and availabilities are subject to change.
64N01
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Writing in favor of
voice blast telemarketing
hen I first looked into
voice blast telemarketing,
at first I thought the system was similar to an “autodialer,”
which I find intrusive.
What I learned was that voice blast
was totally different.
While the system offers great flexibility on how it can be used, we only
voice blast to our client database.
We schedule voice blast to be
picked up by answering machines
only. If a person answers the
machine, a recording says “Sorry,
wrong number.”
Voice blasts are quite simple to do.
We upload our database to the system. We then record the message we
want to send.
After a few prompts, your voice
blast is ready to go. I record the message myself, complete with any stammering or hesitation on any part.
This provides realism to the message, which a canned presentation
does not.
In fact, when clients call our secretary, many times they say “Mike
called and left a message yesterday.”
W
We voice blast our clients two days
prior to mailing our monthly
newsletter, alerting them to be on the
lookout for monthly specials located
in the insert of the newsletter.
Prior to voice blast, we showed an
average rate of investment of 8-1.
Adding the voice blast has increased
the rate of investment to 13-1.
Most recently, we added a second
broadcast to our client list, scheduled two weeks after mailing the
newsletter.
We let them know there is only two
weeks left on our monthly special,
and then it expires.
This has doubled the response to
our newsletter.
In all the time we have been using
voice blast, we have not had a complaint from a client.
I feel this is due to the fact we leave
the message on the clients’
machines.
We schedule the calls on a
Monday or Tuesday between 11
a.m. and 3 p.m.
To continue reading this
Great Debate, visit www.cfgreatdebate.com.
Visit www.cleanfax.com and type in k
Complete Debate
To continue reading
this Great Debate, visit
www.cfgreatdebate.com.
CFAX 14-25.qxp
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Page 21
Writing against
voice blast telemarketing
s telemarketing or “voice blasting” good, bad or ugly?
Let’s call a spade a spade. This
is “electronic intrusion.”
Telephone spam, e-mail spam, as
well as its bigger cousin snail-mail
spam are all the same: Junk!
Does it produce a good return on
investment? This depends upon how
one defines a good return.
When I influence many people to
hire me to meet their needs, I deem
my marketing effort good.
I call it bad when it turns off just
one person. One bad apple can spoil
the whole barrel.
I certainly call it ugly when it
makes them jump through hoops to
hear my “electronic intrusion.”
So, is voice blast telemarketing
good? Answer these questions and
decide for yourself.
How do you feel when you hear a
recording?
Do you feel you are not worth a
live, personal telephone call?
Do you feel like a number in a
database?
Do you feel aggravated that you
I
keyword: Marketing.
Who won?
To read the entire Great Debate,
visit www.cfgreatdebate.com.
After reading, vote for the winner.
mentally and physically prepared to
receive a call and then heard the call
was recorded?
A reminder about something that
you deemed unimportant enough to
defer might make you feel important, yet I suspect you deferred it for
a good reason.
Perhaps you feel at least indifferent even if it is just a reminder to
have your teeth cleaned.
That, certainly, is a good thing. Of
course, my dentist and doctor mail
me a postcard to remind me. I appreciate that.
That leaves cleaners with the daunting task of making people feel good
about working together with us.
We do that by touching them.
Either by shaking hands, speaking
with or seeing them in person (ever
have a client see you in traffic and
feel eager to wave at you?)
Some industry marketing specialists talk about positive moments of
truth and others talk about experiential service.
To continue reading this
Great Debate, visit www.cfgreatdebate.com.
CFAX 14-25.qxp
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Page 22
Not sure how much water pressure
your floors can handle? Here’s an easy guide.
by Taf Baig
nlike carpet cleaning, where
heat plays an important role in
cleaning efficiency and quality,
hard-surface cleaning requires the use of
high water pressure to achieve aboveaverage results.
However, hardsurface
cleaning
does require you to
limit your pressure
to within a safe
operating
range,
depending on the
Baig
type of surface you
are cleaning. (See
“Pressure range” on page 25)
Typically, the harder the tile is, the higher the pressure you can use to clean it.
The Mohs scale, devised in the early
1800s by German mineralogist Friedrich
U
Visit www.cleanfax.com and type in keyword: Tile.
the site menu, and enter keyword: Tile..
Mohs, is an easy way by which hardness
of substances can be measured in relation to one another. (See “Mohs Scale of
Hardness” on page 24)
Let’s look at some hard surfaces and
the types of pressures at which they can
safely — and effectively — be cleaned.
Man made and fire-hardened
Ceramic, porcelain and quarry tiles
are man made and fire-hardened. These
usually don’t pose problems as they are
often the hardest and can be cleaned at
pressures up to 1,450 psi.
You can clean these at higher pressures, but you risk the possibility of
damaging the grout. Also, the increase
in pressure after 1,450 psi does not dramatically improve your cleaning results.
Natural stones and man-made clay
stones are a different story.
They can be of varying hardness, and
thus require proper identification for
best cleaning efficiency and quality.
Granite
Granite is the hardest of the natural
stones. It is an igneous stone that comes
from volcanic material, such as magma.
Liquid magma cools and solidifies
underneath the Earth’s surface, and
then mineral gases and liquids penetrate
the stone and create new crystalline formations and various colors.
This means that granite is much like
the man made ceramic and porcelain
tiles that are fire-hardened.
Therefore, the cleaning pressure can
be up to 1,450 psi.
Marble
Marble is the most common of all natural stones.
It is a metamorphic stone that comes
from natural change — one type of stone
to another — through the mixture of
heat, pressure and minerals.
The change can be a development of
crystalline formation, a texture change
or even a color change.
It is a much softer stone and should be
cleaned at lower water pressure, around
800 psi.
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Slate
Slate is also a metamorphic stone. It is
formed from clay-rich mud through tectonic stress and is believed to have started forming 570 million years ago.
Mohs Scale
of Hardness
Material
Hardness
Diamond
Corundum
Topaz
Quartz
Orthoclase
Apatite
Fluorite
Calcite
Gypsum
Talc
Hardest
Softest
It was created when sediments of
organisms on the seabed formed mud
deposits. Pressure and temperature in
the Earth’s crust squeezed the mud into
layers of shale that eventually caused it
to move upward.
It is these natural layers that pose a
challenge in cleaning slate. Pressure
greater than 800 psi can break off a piece
of the layer and permanently change the
appearance.
Sedimentary stones
Limestone, sandstone and travertine
are all sedimentary stones that come
from such organic elements as glaciers,
rivers, wind, oceans and plants.
Tiny sedimentary pieces
break off from these elements
and accumulate to form
rock beds.
They are bonded
through millions of
years of heat and
pressure.
Travertine is the
While pressure plays an important role in tile and grout cleaning, the use of
softest in this
chemicals that produce oxygen to safely bleach away stains absorbed in the grout
group and it also
and porous tiles is also a smart choice.
CFAX 14-25.qxp
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Page 25
has holes that have been filled with epoxy
to give it a smooth surface.
When cleaning travertine, keep your
pressure around 800 psi. There is more
leeway with sandstone and limestone.
Man made tiles
Saltillo and terracotta are two common man made tiles.
They are made from clay and then
mostly sun-dried. In the case of terracotta, it is somewhat fire-hardened, which
makes it a little harder than saltillo.
Saltillo is very common in the United
States because it is made in Mexico and
the short transportation across the border keeps the price low.
When dealing with saltillo, keep your
pressure around 800 psi. With terracotta, there is more leeway.
Products that contain oxygen work
great in these situations.
The oxygen gets absorbed into the
tile, producing a safe bleaching action to
help remove organic stains.
I
___________________________________
Taf Baig, an Institute of Inspection,
Cleaning and Restoration Certification
(IICRC)-certified Master Textile Cleaner,
started a successful carpet cleaning company in 1991 and sold it in 2003. He is president of The Magic Wand Company, a manufacturer and distributor of all types of
cleaning products. Taf’s marketing seminar
information is available online at www.magicwandco.com, or call (877)926-3748.
Chemicals and cleaning
Just like carpet cleaning, where the
temperature of the water plays an
important role, the chemicals used are
also extremely important for efficiency
and quality.
The softer the stone, the more porous
it tends to be.
If you have spills that may have penetrated the surface of the tile, then you will
need to give your prespray time to
absorb into the tile to help remove stains.
Pressure range
Tile
Cleaning
pressure range
Porcelain
Ceramic
Quarry
Granite
Quartzite
Quartzite Sandstone
Slate
Limestone
Marble
Travertine
Terracotta
Saltillo
1450 psi
800 psi
Copyright Magic Wand Company
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Page 26
Analyze these three points to get
your company where you want it.
by Chuck Violand
rowing a
business
can be a
challenge, especially
when we’re not prepared for the consequences of success.
Sometimes all we
Violand
need is a reminder
to stay on track. Other times, we need
more expansive training to overcome
challenges that keep us from growing
our businesses even further.
Each summer, I hold an executive
summit to address the latter issues. The
purpose of this article, though, is to
remind you to stay on track by focusing
on the right things.
The things we focus on in our businesses affect the level of profitability we earn.
When our businesses are growing,
we’re pulled in so many directions that
it can be a challenge to stay focused on
the essentials.
But, staying focused on the right
things is what will help ensure that our
companies grow profitably.
When we start focusing on the
wrong things, we compromise our
company’s health.
Here are three examples:
G
People
Do you have an unhealthy focus on
the people in your business?
If so, you might make business decisions based on the impact those decisions will have on the way your people
will feel about those decisions, rather
than on your bottom line.
Too often in my own career, I’ve compromised the fiscal health of my businesses by falling victim to this scenario.
I’d overlook an employee’s marginal or
even poor performance telling myself,
“At least he’s trying.”
I’d drag my feet confronting an
employee’s disruptive or counterproductive behavior because at least he
showed up every day on time.
So I’d continually relearn the same
two lessons:
1. These situations never resolve
themselves, and
2. They rarely work out long-term.
Do you keep people on the payroll out
of a sense of loyalty or guilt?
Business owners do this all the time.
But, what about all the other people
whose wages, pay raises, or bonuses
might be affected by this financial
drain?
Business.
Imagine telling a brand-new employee the reason their starting salary isn’t
higher is because you have people on
board who aren’t carrying their own
weight, but who have to be paid anyway.
You’d love to fire the non-performers
and free up more money for raises, but
they’ve been so loyal over the years, you
don’t know where they could find
another job making the same good
money, and you just can’t look them in
the eye and tell them they’re fired.
How do you think the new hire
would respond?
Yet, business owners do this all the time!
Now imagine how this decision gets
muddied up when the non-performer is
a family member. (See “A family affair”
on page 28)
Process
Do you have an unbalanced focus on
process? In other words, is your focus
on how you do your work rather than
on how profitably you do your work?
(Concluded on page 28)
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Circle Product Information no.224 on page 74
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Are your business decisions driven by
the need to produce an unrealistic level
of quality at the expense of profit?
We all want to have deliriously happy
customers who refer us to their friends.
But, if it costs us $200 to generate $150 in
revenue, our company won’t be around
to take care of all the referrals we get.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m
all in favor of producing a high-quality
product, but not at the expense of profit.
The business landscape is littered
with burned-out owners and dead companies that had really great products but
weren’t making any money.
It isn’t just production or quality
issues that owners obsess over. Some
guys will hyper-focus on ads or directmail pieces in the hope of getting a 1
percent response to their solicitation.
But, what if they’re spending 5 percent more on advertising and 50 percent
more of their time to get this 1 percent
increase in response?
What’s the net return on that effort?
Sometimes the increased response
comes by providing services or gaining
customers that are unprofitable from
the beginning.
So, if we actually succeed, we’re going
to end up performing unprofitable services for customers we don’t even want!
Give me a break. If you’re a multinational corporation with billions of dollars in sales, a 1- or 2-percent increase in
response might make sense.
But, it doesn’t make sense for most
small businesses, especially when it consumes the precious time of the owner.
Profits
Do you have a proper focus on profits
and cash flow?
Some people have the misguided
notion that focusing on these financial
measures means you have to be coldhearted to your people or offer inferior
products.
Well, go tell that to any of the companies Jim Collins profiles in his books
Built to Last and Good to Great, or to
any of the several clients of which I’m
privileged to work for.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, focusing on the bottom line
forces you to reward and develop competent staff because in today’s econo-
my you can’t sustain profitable growth
with cheap labor.
The high cost of employee churn outweighs any short-term benefit cheap
labor may bring.
And a profitability focus forces companies to offer higher quality products
than their competitors because if they
don’t, their customers will take their
business elsewhere.
So, in a nutshell, place the focus in
your business where it ought to be — on
the bottom line.
Let your business decisions be guided and the performance of your products, systems, and people be measured
by how they will impact your bottom
line.
I
Chuck Violand began his career by founding
a carpet cleaning and disaster restoration
operation in Northeast Ohio in 1977, and in
1989 began consulting full-time. Each June,
Chuck hosts an Executive Summit to help
owners and managers of cleaning and
restoration companies learn the executive
skills necessary to manage a growing business (visit www.violand.com for details).
Chuck can be reached at (330)966-0700.
A family affair
In some family businesses, parents
award jobs and overly generous compensation to children who are simply not
qualified to perform their jobs.
In others, children support parents by
giving them token jobs and awarding
them perks the company can’t afford.
Now, before you drive to Ohio to burn
down my house because you think I’m antifamily, please hear me out.
I’m all in favor of using your business to
provide opportunities to family members.
Done correctly, this can be very rewarding
both emotionally and financially for all parties concerned.
But nobody wins long term when you
drain the company treasury to support
non-performing people, no matter who
they are.
So, how is it at your company? Are there
people on board who really shouldn’t be?
Look deep inside yourself. Could one
of the reasons you continue to keep these
people on board be that it’s easier for you
to complain about their poor performance
and low profitability of the company than
it is to confront the situation?
Are the decisions you make in your
business made with the best interest of
the entire company in mind?
Or are they driven by the interests of
just a few long-term employees or family
members?
— C.V.
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Put your strongest marketing strategies
into a system that can’t go wrong.
by Joe Polish
t’s important to periodically analyze
the marketing ideas and strategies
you use in your business.
To build your business and gain the
clients you want, you must generate,
nurture and multiply your marketing
results.
I
Build your strategies
Sketch out on a piece of paper a stack
of three boxes.
Label the top box as tool belt, and in
parentheses write, “Use all the time.”
This means tools that you use daily or
almost daily.
Label the middle box as tool box and in
parentheses write, “Use frequently.”
Label the third box as tool shed and in
parentheses write, “Special needs.”
Using the analogy of tool belt, tool
box and tool shed, here’s my philosophy
on business growth and business tools.
Tools you use
When it comes to business, if you are
daily using critical tools — computers,
truckmounts, mobile phones, messaging
systems — you want these things to be
the best quality and
the most reliable.
By investing in
quality on the front
end, you end up
saving money in the
long run in this
area, rather than
Polish
going the cheap
route and ending up with unreliable
tools that when they are down, cost you
untold revenue.
With frequent-use tools, you can look
at areas in which you can save since they
are not used constantly, and with special-needs tools (used perhaps once or a
few times a year) you can see if it is possible to borrow or rent it rather than
make a large purchase and have it sit
around untouched most of the year.
Purchase only what you need
I had a friend who bought a Suburban
because he said he wanted to be able to
pack up his kids and gear and be able to
go camping and skiing on family trips
(his excuse for buying the gas-guzzler),
yet in three years, they’ve taken only
Marketing.
www.cleanfax.com, select Supplier Search
from the site menu, and enter keyword:
Marketing..
one weekend ski trip.
In the meantime, he’s spent thousands of extra dollars on using the
Suburban as the everyday family vehicle, with all of the cost of payments, fuel
and maintenance tied to it.
A smarter choice would have been to
rent a large vehicle for a weekend and
get a better everyday “tool” to drive
around.
Everyone has had an experience of
making a big purchase based on a
“maybe,” instead of thinking it through
and making a wiser choice.
I once bought 50,000 article reprints
because it knocked the price down to 10
cents per color piece, and years later I
still had piles of them taking up space in
my office.
Getting what I truly needed, and pay-
CFAX 29-33.qxp
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Page 31
ing a higher price for fewer copies,
would have saved me money.
Frequency and usage
And that’s how you should look at
your business tools. Determine what
they will be used for and how often they
will be used.
Once you determine this, you can
make better use of your financial
resources and your time.
You might invest in printing software
to bring your printing needs in-house,
or you might outsource printing to free
up the hours you would otherwise
spend on it.
People think of tools as tangible tools
like a screwdriver or a hammer, but let's
also look at thinking tools and marketing growth tools.
One of the things you should do is
identify the marketing tools that you
want to use all the time, the ones you
want to use frequently, and the tools that
are just special-needs tools.
Wear your tool belt
The marketing tools that are ideal for
your tool belt day-in and day-out are
things that help you generate business
day-in and day-out.
Your 24-hour free recorded consumer
awareness message, promoted on your
van, on business cards or on your flyers,
creates a 24/7 system of sales generation.
The message can be converted to a
print version handed out as guides to
prospects, or delivered electronically,
so that you are continually educating
(Continued on next page)
CFAX 29-33.qxp
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consumers on how to choose a professional cleaner and are essentially selling them in advance on using you as
that cleaner.
Other necessary daily tool belt “must
haves” are how you present yourself
and your company’s image — doing
professional inspections or carpet
audits, wearing booties on your shoes,
providing a strong guarantee of your
work and services, and using testimonial and referral collection forms.
These need to be presented and used
daily in the best quality manner. Don’t
go low-end on your daily needed
money-making tools.
Tool box campaigns
There are countless marketing campaigns a carpet cleaning company can use.
One that many find success with is an endorsement campaign.
This is when, perhaps once a month or so, you do a direct mail campaign through
some company that is endorsing you to their client list.
Think about companies in your area that have a client base and that might partner
with you on this project. The best ones would be companies that are also your loyal
clients and that are your current champions.
It opens up your services to a greater number of potential clients.
In addition to the endorsement program, think about a particular special that you're
going to do every month or perhaps quarterly.
It could be a price discount or it could be: “Clean three rooms and get one for free.”
You want to think about the marketing campaigns that you're going to use frequently,
such as holiday specials, seasonal specials, etc.
These are all key tool box strategies to complement the marketing tools you use daily.
Open up your tool box
From your tool box, what are things
that you're going to use frequently?
One of the most important tools to
have in your tool box is a client newsletter, so you can have monthly communication with your clients.
— J.P.
Is monthly too often? Some people
say it is, so they do it quarterly, twice a
year, etc.
If you just want to get referrals or
repeat business every six months, then
send a newsletter every six months. If
you want to get referrals or repeat business monthly, send a newsletter monthly.
Something else successful cleaning
companies do frequently is a monthly or
quarterly special campaign. (See “Tool
box campaigns” above)
Dig into the tool shed
The tool shed is your “special needs”
collection.
Once a year, you might do a client
appreciation dinner, a reward prize
drawing, a charity drive or a charity
cleaning for organizations you support.
Those types of annual events are mar-
CFAX 29-33.qxp
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Page 33
keting tools for those special needs. The
possibilities are endless.
Keep your list visible
Take the drawing you made of the
three boxes (tool belt, tool box and tool
shed) and list all of the different things
that you could use to promote your
business before the sale, during the sale,
and after the sale.
Then determine which ones you
should be using every day, every week,
every month, etc.
Build your lists of marketing strategies that work best for you.
But don’t forget to look at your lists,
all the time.
I
Joe Polish, a past “CM/Cleanfax® magazine Person of the Year,” is president of
Piranha Marketing in Tempe, AZ. He has
helped more than 4,000 carpet cleaners
take their business to the next level
They only work if they are used
The main reason carpet cleaners don’t use their tools is because they forget they have
them.
They forget that they have techniques and strategies available to them.
Just like randomly buying tools on impulse and shoving them all into the shed unorganized, you forget what you have and what items can make your life easier, make you
more money, or save you time or stress.
When you forget, you start from ground zero over and over again, and without an
organized system of your marketing capabilities and tools, you run your business on luck
rather than on strategy.
Sketch out everything you have access to, how often you should use them, and post
the information somewhere to remind you of what you have access to or what you need
to invest in.
With this simple, conceptual organizing of your marketing tools, you will be able to
strategically grow your business into a smooth, consistent, money-making machine.
— J.P.
through his Marketing Tools and Systems.
For a copy of his free report, “How to Get
into High-End Homes and Double Your
Income,” visit www.joepolish.com or call
his 24-hour free recorded message at
(800)587-1953.
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Hard floors periodically need a recoat. Here
are steps to take to get the job done right.
by Dane Gregory
o matter the cleaning method
you employ, eventually your
customer’s floor finish will
start to have soils embedded into the top
layers.
When this happens, the finish can be
selectively removed by a deep scrubbing procedure, followed by a recoating
of a compatible floor finish.
This
procedure
can be accomplished
with either a single
disk rotary or an
automatic scrubbing
machine.
An
aggressive
synthetic pad (usuGregory
ally blue or brown)
or brush is necessary to physically
remove the upper layers of floor finish,
along with a neutral cleaner as a cleaner/lubricant.
Step by step
Mix the solution according to the
manufacturer’s directions and apply to
the flooring to be serviced.
Move the machine across or over the
Wax.
the site menu, and enter keyword: Wax..
floor slowly and deliberately to ensure
even finish and soil removal.
After completion of the scrubbing
process, rinse the flooring with fresh
water.
Use your hand to test for any residue
after rinsing. Wipe a hand across the
floor at several places and look for any
remaining residue.
If residue remains, rinse again, and
when the floor is ready and dry, start the
floor finish application procedure. (See
“Applying finish” on page 36.)
Complete floor finish removal
Floor finish needs to be removed
when any of the following occur:
1. Traffic or wear patterns start to
develop
2. Excessive buildup of floor finish or
discoloration
3. Failure of coatings to properly bond
to flooring
4. Excessive black heel or scuff marks
that cannot removed
5. When routine or interim
maintenance is no longer effective.
The finish removal process is better
known as floor stripping.
Stripping uses an amine or re-emulsifying solution with abrasive agitation by
pads or brushes to remove the old floor
finish.
Be sure to use the stripping solution in
amounts recommended by the manufacturer and never add any other product
to the stripping agent.
Mix the solution with cool water, not
hot water, in a bucket without a wringer.
Apply the stripping solution with an
old mop directly to the floor.
Control the solution along baseboards
and walls.
After appropriate dwell time, usually
seven to 10 minutes, use a hand scrubber for edging.
Be extremely careful when walking on
the wet stripping solution. Stripper
overshoes must be worn to prevent slip
and fall accidents.
After completion of the edge scrubbing, use a single disk, upright, 175-rpm
machine or an automatic scrubbing
machine with black pads or silicon carbide brushes, to agitate the stripping
solution in the field of the floor.
Work in areas no larger than 200
square feet, and do not let the stripping
agent dry on the floor.
After scrubbing,
clean equipment
After scrubbing is complete, place the
floor machine on a pre-planned rest area
of walk-off matting or other similarly
backed carpet brought for the resting of
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Page 36
Applying finish
The final and most enjoyable step to creating beautiful floors
is the application of floor seals and finishes.
The proper choice of floor coating is dependent on numerous
factors, but the application of these products is the same.
To begin, always apply coatings to thoroughly cleaned or
stripped floors.
Use premium quality cotton, rayon or blended-fiber mops,
lambs-wool applicators or the newer labor-saving application
devices.
Partially fill a new, clean bucket with sealer. If a new bucket
and wringer are not available, place a new trashcan liner inside
the bucket and put finish in liner.
This will not only protect floor finish from contamination, but
also make clean up easier.
Clean wringer thoroughly.
Prepare mop by soaking and wringing out repeatedly, or soak
mop head in water for an extended period and wring thoroughly.
Dip mop into bucket and wring so mop is damp and drip-free.
“Frame” the area to be sealed/finished, staying six to nine
inches from baseboards and edges. Working in a figure-eight motion,
fill in the frame area.
Re-wet mop as needed to get thin to medium (but full) even coverage. Only apply successive coats of finish after the previous coat
has dried completely.
Depending upon finish used, temperature, humidity and thickness
of application, this can take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.
The age/porosity of the floor and the desired level of appearance
and protection will determine the total number of coats of product
used.
The final coat of finish should be applied as before, except “framing” should be done more carefully and extended to the baseboards
or edges.
Let the floor dry thoroughly and cure before opening the area for
traffic. This should be a minimum of four to eight hours, but preferably overnight.
Discard used finish; never pour back into original container as
contamination may occur. Clean mops, finish heads or applicator
heads with fresh water.
— D.G.
the machines covered with stripping product.
Wipe off all cords, wheels
of machines and buckets
and take pads or brushes off
the machines before resting.
Wipe down machines to
ensure stripping agent does not come
into contact with any other surfaces.
Remove used
stripping solution
Use a wet vacuum, or vacuum on
automatic scrubber, to pick up stripping
solution and loosened floor finish.
Nothing less than a thorough vacuuming will suffice.
Do this quickly after the scrubbing
process to make sure the spent solution
does not dry on the flooring surface.
If drying does occur, re-wet the area
with additional stripping agent.
After the flooring has dried, check the
floor for areas of incomplete finish
removal. These areas will be noted by a
shiny appearance. If these areas are discovered, re-strip the shiny areas.
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Page 37
refinished. Spend more time making
sure there is no residue to ensure proper
adhesion of the newly applied floor finish. (Again, see “Applying finish” on
page 36).
I
___________________________________
Dane Gregory is a cleaning veteran with
more than 20 years of experience. An indus-
try speaker and trainer, he started his career
in hard surface maintenance — mainly
stone, terrazzo and VCT. He currently cochairs the Hard Surface/Commercial
Division of the IICRC Certification Council
and is chair of the SMT Technical Advisory
Committee. He can be contacted at dane.gregory@charter.net.
When routine maintenance, such as buffing or
burnishing, isn’t enough, it’s time to remove and
reapply floor finish.
Neutralization
before re-application
When complete finish removal has
been accomplished, the floor must be
neutralized.
Use the neutralization agent in a mop
bucket, with a clean or new mop, or in
the fresh water tank of the automatic
scrubber, with the pads changed.
After neutralizing is complete, wipe a
hand on the flooring to ensure all
residues have been removed.
Check for a white residue on the hand
used for wiping. If residue is evident,
neutralize the flooring again.
Only a properly prepared floor can be
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Make sure the price you charge
matches the work offered.
Pricing.
www.cleanfax.com, select Supplier Search
from the site menu, and enter keyword:
Marketing..
by Dennis Klager
here are business owners all
around the country who appear
to have a great operation.
They seem to do everything right.
They are booked out three weeks
ahead, they are conscientious and hardworking and they can handle any cleaning challenge.
They are exactly what homeowners
want. They have thousands of repeat
customers who love them.
And they are broke.
T
Fear of pricing
Many suffer from what can be called
the “fear of pricing.” This is an inability
to overcome phobias about charging
“too much.”
Many of us have it, and it can be a
tough problem to overcome.
We spend as much as $50,000 (or
more) for a truck, truckmount, acces-
sories and cleaning
products, not to
mention insurance,
rent, maintenance
costs, taxes, training, and on and on.
We get ourselves
to a high level of
Klager
competence
and
then charge far less than we deserve
because we are afraid to charge more.
It is estimated, by some, that about 30
percent of people make purchasing decisions based on price, while the rest will
pay more for higher value.
You do the math. The other 70 percent
is not all going to pay the highest price
but price is not the priority with them.
Pick a number, any number
How we set our price is sometimes
scary.
When you get complaints
Complaints about your price do not mean your prices are too high.
When you start hearing, “You cost too much, I’m not using you anymore,” on a regular basis, you may be charging more than the value of the cleaning.
Perhaps you need to evaluate what you are offering for the money, or maybe this is
the most your customers will pay.
Most cleaners are nowhere near that point.
If you give value for the price you charge, you should not be the least bit embarrassed
about presenting your bill to the customer.
This doesn’t mean to raise your price without disregard to the quality of your work. A
very important aspect of running your company is providing the best quality workmanship.
— D.K.
Instead of letting our accountant tell
us what we need to charge, we often
pick a number based on the “going rate”
in our neighborhood, and whether the
“going rate” will cover the bills or not.
You must know what you need to
charge before you can get what you
want to charge. What you want to
charge is determined by how much
profit you want.
We often debate over which price is too
high. Who really knows? There are few
who have gone high enough to find out.
Here’s the tricky part. Some people
are over-charging at $39.95 for four
rooms and a hall, while others would be
grossly under-charging if they charged
$200 for the same area.
It’s all a matter of value. Your customer decides the value of the cleaning.
Smarter customers
Your customer is — generally — smart
and has a lifetime of buying experience.
Rarely can they be bamboozled on a
regular basis. They will let you know
when you are trying to charge too much.
If you have value and your company
has value, and you know if you do, raise
your price when you need to. You won’t
lose customers.
I
Dennis Klager is an Institute of Inspection,
Cleaning and Restoration Certification
(IICRC)-approved instructor. He can be
reached at dkcaw@hotmail.com.
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View Resumes
Check out carpet cleaner resumes and pay only for the ones that interest you.
Post a Job
Reach the most qualified candidates by posting your job opening on our online
Career Center.
Products/Pricing
Regardless of your staffing needs or budget, we have a recruitment product that
fits your business goals.
Create Employer Account
Quickly post job openings and manage your online recruiting efforts with ease.
Access your "My Recruiting" Account
Log in to begin managing your online recruiting account. Post jobs to our site and
browse candidates interested in your positions.
®
Jobs Board™
Visit www.cleanfax.com to take advantage of this carpet care-oriented employment tool.
Enjoy instant access to some of the best professionals in the field.
Click on CM Jobs Board™ option in site menu on right side of screen
CFAX 40-46.qxp
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Coverstory
I cleaned it.
I deodorized it.
But the customer says she still smells
Could it be…
Here’s what to do when
job properly but the custom
by Larry Lightner
he customer insisted that she
could still smell cat urine odors
in her living room, and she was
adamant that I do something more to
solve the problem.
I had already pulled back the carpet,
removed and discarded the pad, and
thoroughly cleaned the plywood floor,
the carpet backing and the face fibers.
T
Then I had applied a high-quality
urine stain and odor remover, allowed
proper dwell time and, following directions, recleaned the cleanable surfaces.
I then put everything back — including new padding — and it was as good
as new.
I asked the customer if she was satisfied with everything as I wrapped it all
up, and she replied, “Yes!”
Troubles begin
Odors.
the site menu, and enter keyword: Deodorizers..
Two days later, she was back on the
phone and insisting that I do more.
I now knew I was dealing with far
more than an odor problem; I was dealing with a psychological odor, and not a
real odor.
I made the trip
back to the customer’s home and
inspected my work.
I could smell nothing. It was a perfect
job and I was very
proud of it.
Lightner
I cautiously explained the difference between real and
psychological odors, but she would
have none of it; she smelled cat urine!
It was a lost cause.
Psychological odors
Just what is a “psychological odor”?
The best way to answer that is to first
bring to memory something we all
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Coverstory
s it!
Your customer’s friend
can be your best friend
you’ve done your
mer thinks otherwise.
learned in high school, and that was
about the good doctor Ivan Pavlov and
his dog.
If you recall, Pavlov rang a bell before
he fed the dog, and he did so for a period of months.
It got so that the dog would salivate in
anticipation of the meal, before being fed.
Finally, Pavlov quit feeding the dog
after the bell rang, but the dog salivated
whenever it heard any bell.
That was what we call psychological
conditioning.
Psychology, according to one dictionary, is the “study of behavior, mind
and thought.”
It is very easy to apply this to carpet
cleaning and odor control.
In your customer’s mind
If we smell a positive or negative odor
when we enter a room, it triggers the
same kind of response in our brains as
Pavlov’s dog.
If it is a good odor, such as food or floral, and we smell it every time we enter
the room, after a while we will smell
that odor, even though it is not present,
when we continue to enter the room.
Now, if it is a bad odor, such as urine,
it will trigger the same response if it is
there every time we enter the room, even
after the offending odor is removed.
That is because, whether a positive
odor or a negative odor, our brain tells
Once your customers think they are
right, it’s hard to convince them otherwise.
When this happens, get someone on
your side of the argument, someone your
customer will believe.
One customer complained that she
could smell “animal odors” in the apartment that her tenants just vacated.
The carpet and pad were removed and
discarded, and then the floor was completely cleaned and deodorized until there
was absolutely no smell.
A new carpet and pad was installed and
she still insisted that she detected that
“animal smell.”
I explained psychological odors to her,
and to prove it, I had her bring a friend in
who happened to have a very sensitive
nose.
We didn’t tell the friend what was up,
but asked her to take a good whiff of the
room. She declared that the room was
odor-free.
Between my explanation and the friend,
I had won a convert and gained her trust.
— L.L.
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Coverstory
Today’s carpet cleaner has a vast array of deodorizing weapons to use. But psychological odors can hinder their effectiveness — at least, in the customer’s mind.
This is where we get
into trouble with odor
control.
Try to live your
customer’s
experience
us that the non-existent scent is real, and
for all practical purposes it is; our brain
has been conditioned.
Sometimes the best
way to relate and solve
a problem is to experience it yourself. I learned
this firsthand long before I
was a carpet cleaner.
I lived in the cold climate of
eastern Pennsylvania and, usually in
mid-October, when the weather turned
just right, I would fire up the wood
stove.
I had a mustache, and the first couple
of start-ups would cause “puff-backs” of
smoke and the smell would linger in my
mustache for days, even if I scrubbed it.
One year I had shaved my mustache off,
and it was in September when we had a
cold snap that very much felt like October.
I immediately smelled wood smoke in my
non-existent mustache that lasted until the
weather turned warm again, and I hadn’t
even fired up the stove.
I now live in New Mexico, and one
year the weather felt like October in
Pennsylvania; you guessed it, I smelled
wood smoke!
I still do on rare occasions when the
temperature is just right. That is “psychological conditioning.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear the
odor is real.
Now when I get a difficult customer, I
explain what happened to me and usually, with nine out of 10 customers, the
problem is rectified.
Except for the one out of 10 who
believes the odor is real no matter what
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Coverstory
Pets in the home mean opportunity for you. The problem
often is with psychological odors, despite you best deodorizing efforts.
Psychological — or real?
It’s one thing to remove an odor and do the perfect job. But if the pet is still in the
home, your troubles may not be over.
Too often carpet cleaners will do the cleaning, remove the odors, and then be called
back because the customer still smells something.
Although psychological odors are often the cause, real odors can also be the problem.
This occurs when the pet is still in the home.
After all, if Fido or Fluffy have had “accidents” in the past, they will probably do it again.
Your cleaning efforts won’t stop that from happening.
So think twice about offering guaranteed odor control services when the pet is still in the
home.
— L.L.
you do or say, even if the source has
long since been removed.
Fixing the
psychological problem
How do I correct the situation with
those other nine?
I thoroughly remediate the problem,
then set about to re-educate the customer’s brain.
A word of caution at this point: With
so many chemically sensitive customers
out there, you should always check with
your customer about any deodorizers or
chemical treatments you plan to use.
After removing the offending odor, I
spray the surface with a
pleasant odor, and also use the same on
all of the doorframes.
Now when the customer enters the
room, he or she will encounter a pleasant
experience and over the next several
days the brain will be re-conditioned.
(Concluded on next page)
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Coverstory
After the new smell is gone, the brain
will say that it still smells it.
Immediately after spraying, I will call
in the customer and ask how they like
the new odor, then I will explain psychological odor to them.
That usually will close the deal and make
them quite impressed with my expertise.
With the truly hardcore, when all else has
failed, I’ll ask them to bring in someone they
trust who has a good nose, and ask them not to tell
the third party what they want them to discover.
The third party will take a good whiff and smell
nothing. Usually that will cure about 50 percent of the
doubters.
If the customer still insists they smell the foul odor, I usually cut my losses and tell them they have no recourse left short
of moving out of the home.
Fortunately, I seldom meet this type of customer.
Recondition the customer’s brain
Today’s urine odor removers work great, but many do not
When the pets remain in the home, it’s
tough to guarantee pet odor removal services.
leave behind a “replacing” odor that helps with overcoming
the psychological odor.
This is when you can add a scent in addition to the routine
deodorizing steps. You can use this method when all of your
reasoning efforts have failed.
Most female clients prefer heavier, sweeter scents, such as
cherry or vanilla.
Men, on the other hand, dislike sweet scents; they prefer
mild scents like citrus or apple.
I remember a couple who had bought a used recreational
vehicle. It smelled strongly of cigarettes and they both wanted it removed.
I scrubbed down everything and then placed hidden cherry odor blocks. I also sprayed the doorways.
She loved it; he hated it. I had to remove all of the cherry
and, even a year later, he was complaining.
I lost them as customers because he wouldn’t accept that it
was psychological.
Because women are my primary customers and seem to
have very acute sensory perceptions of odors, I prefer to use
cherry or vanilla and hope the man never catches on.
That’s often the case.
So if your best efforts at odor removal come up short, try
attacking the psychological side of things.
You have to fool the mind.
I
________________________________________________________
Larry Lightner is owner and operator of Southwest Carpet Grooming
in Silver City, NM, and also a professional outdoor writer. He is an
award-winning writer and Southwest editor for Bear Hunting
Magazine, and writer and contributor to numerous other magazines
and newspapers. He may be reached at larrylightner@yahoo.com.
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Focus on ... Portables, Duct
Cleaning & Vapor Cleaning
Product Focus
The following pages contain information
about the latest products and services
offered by the carpet cleaning industry’s
leading companies and organizations.
Read on to learn how they can help
boost your business!
Product Index
Portables
Century 400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 49
Clarke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 48
Hydroforce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 48
Powr-Flite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 48
U.S. Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 49
Duct Cleaning
Air-Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 50
Rotobrush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 50
Vapor Cleaning
Advanced Vapor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 51
Tornado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 51
CFAX 47-51.qxp
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Cleanfax
Portables
Product Focus
Harness the power of portables
Follow these important tips to get the most for your money.
by Steve Williams
ortable carpet extractors offer many
benefits, including lower initial cost.
Although prices vary, quality portables cost approximately half of truckmounts.
Additionally, they can go just about
anywhere carpet is installed, without
restrictions to a particular truck.
Here are some tips for findings the
best possible product:
1. Balance price with productivity.
Machines that are too small will require
frequent filling and emptying, while larger machines may not be cost effective.
P
2. Make sure the machine will be used.
To prevent your investment from gathering dust, purchase a machine that is userfriendly, lightweight, and easy to set up.
3. Select a machine with variable PSI
to safely clean a variety of fabric surfaces, from delicate upholstery to commercial carpet.
4. Ask several distributors about the
down time and repair records of various
machines.
5. Evaluate the machine’s technology.
Some extractors use state-of-the-art circuitry to provide instant heat and maintain it and have a circuit locator to avoid
blown circuits.
6. Look for machines that have lowmoisture systems to speed up drying,
minimize wicking, and reduce shrinkage.
7. Look for a wand holder, chemical
caddy, and hose management system to
organize work better.
I
Steve Williams has been involved in the carpet cleaning and restoration industry for
many years, and is senior vice president for
engineering and research at U.S. Products,
Coeur d' Alene, ID, a manufacturer of professional carpet, floor, and restoration cleaning equipment.
Clarke
Powr-Flite
Extractor
HydroForce
Olympus
Clarke has earned the Carpet and
Rug Institute’s bronze Seal of Approval
for its BEXT extractor, signifying that it
exceeds average standards for carpet
cleaning effectiveness. BEXT extractors
provide lightweight and portable carpet
extraction with the added benefit of
heated solution to improve cleaning
effectiveness by as much as 40 percent.
BEXT extractors are designed to be easy
to use, productive, quiet and portable.
H y d r o F o r c e ’s
Olympus line of
portable extractors
is designed to suit
the needs of any
type of professional cleaning situation.
Olympus
machines are available with dual 2stage vac motors,
dual 3-stage vac motors, with or without heat, and there is even a model with
a high-pressure pump for cleaning tile
and grout. Each model comes with a 12gallon tank, 5-year body warranty, topmounted control panel and sealed
motor cavity.
Circle Product Information no. 325
Perfect Heat
Powr-Flite is proud to introduce a
whole
new
technology
that improves
heating performance dramatically without
any additional
power requirements! It’s not
magic,
it’s
innovative
technology so
revolutionary
patents are pending. This technology
allows Powr-Flite extractors to maintain
temperatures as much as 30 degrees hotter than most competitor models in normal use conditions.
CFAX 47-51.qxp
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Page 49
Cleanfax
Portables
Product Focus
Century 400
U.S. Products
150 psi Ninja
The Torrent
Century 400 now offers a 150 psi Ninja
that replaces the current 100 psi version.
The 150 psi Ninja is powered by a Shurflo
pump and provides a high level of performance and durability. The 150 psi
Ninja rounds out the family that includes
the 200 psi and 500 psi Ninjas. All models
are available with either dual 2-stage or
dual 3-stage vacuum motors and have
the option of a built-in heater.
The Torrent by U.S. Products is an
easy-to-use and innovative industrial
hard surface cleaner. With adjustable
pressure of 400 to 1200 psi, there is power
and versatility to tackle any hard surface
cleaning job. The industrial strength
pump uses direct water feed for
increased productivity and will withstand water temperatures up to 185 F.
The upright and ergonomic design
makes the Torrent easy to maneuver,
store and operate by a single person.
Duct Cleaning
Make money with air duct cleaning
Take advantage of this high-profit opportunity.
by Wayne Tracy
ith the indoor air quality field
exploding due to media attention, public awareness, and government
regulations, the air duct cleaning and
decontamination industry is experiencing unprecedented growth.
Now is the time to add air duct cleaning service to your existing business or
start a new venture on your own.
Not only will this increase your new
customer database, but it will also give
W
your existing customers a bigger selection of services.
Air duct cleaning is a very lucrative
business to get involved in, with low
overhead and 50 percent to 70 percent
net profit.
Extensive training programs, marketing materials and full lines of products
and accessories are available.
Regardless of the method you use —
from the “push/pull” approach of
cleaning to the “contact” cleaning
approach — there is a product on the
market that will meet your needs.
It is very important that you choose
the right equipment and receive the
proper support and training.
It is easy to get started in the business
and the sooner you start the sooner you
can turn clean air into profit.
I
Wayne Tracy is the service manager for AirCare, Las Vegas.
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Cleanfax
Duct Cleaning
Product Focus
Rotobrush
Air-Care
aiR+
Turbojet Model 2012V
Air-Care’s Turbojet Model 2012V is a
compact workhorse perfect for residential or light commercial duct cleaning. It
is a smaller unit with a performance that
is found in
units twice
its size and
twice
its
weight.
We i g h i n g
just
over
100 lbs., the
Tu r b o j e t
2012V has
the proven
strength for
heavy commercial work and can also be a one-man
operation. It is completely field tested by
Air-Care and purchase includes a 3-year
limited warranty.
Add air duct cleaning to increase
your service offering and your bottom
line. You already remove many of the
same contaminants from the carpet,
drapes, and upholstery that are found
circulating inside the air ducts. The
Rotobrush aiR+ is the most effective
portable
air duct
cleaning
equipm e n t
available. The
unique
modular design allows access to difficult locations — including attics and
crawlspaces — and Rotobrush’s patented technology is the only one that powers brushes and vacuums at the same
time inside the ductwork.
Vapor Cleaning
The basics of steam vapor systems
Kill germs with little to no chemicals.
by Rick Hoverson
steam vapor system allows the use
of low-pressure (15 to 20 PSI
steam) ranging from 215 to 230 F to sanitize, clean and deodorize a variety of
surfaces.
A
Potent, safe sanitizing
Heat is the best germ-killing agent
known.
According to the University of Sioux
Falls, moist heat provides the advantage
of rapid penetration, which facilitates
protein coagulation to kill microbial
organisms.
Moist heat also has the ability to break
down and destroy biofilms — the protective coating of bacteria-generated
slime that enables germs to resist standard disinfectants.
Trapping steam
The surface temperatures achieved
through the use of a steam vapor system
are developed by holding the tool close
to or in contact with the surface to be
sanitized, confining the low-pressure
steam to a localized area.
This maximizes the energy (heat) carried by the steam vapor and minimizes
the need for scrubbing
When the steam vapor is free to
expand into the atmosphere, it cools
rapidly as it leaves the tool orifice.
Further, systems consume between
one to 1.5 quarts per hour of use.
Treated surfaces are exposed to minimal moisture, which means faster drying times and less facility downtime,
while retarding the growth of mold and
mildew.
I
Rick Hoverson is a principal of Advanced
Vapor Technologies in Edmonds, WA.
Contact him at rick@advap.com.
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Cleanfax
Vapor Cleaning
Product Focus
Advanced Vapor Technologies
Tornado Industries
TANCS
DE 4002
Disinfect with water only with
Advanced Vapor Technologies’ Thermo
Accelerated Nano Crystal Sanitation
(TANCS). This EPA-registered nano-tech
steam vapor technology kills germs without the use of chemical
disinfectants,
and
delivers disinfection
efficacy in seven seconds or less. TANCS
uses ordinary tap
water, improves
IAQ, removes
existing chemical residue,
and reduces
water consumption.
Take cleaning to a higher level with
Tornado Industries’ DE 4002 chemicalfree steam cleaner. Locker rooms,
restrooms, commercial kitchens, and
medical centers often
need an extra level
of
cleaning.
The twotank DE
4002 adds
the extra
power of
steam to
the cleaning
arsenal by generating up to 248 degrees
Fahrenheit steam at variable levels to
tackle a variety of cleaning situations. .
To advertise on
CM/CleanfaxOnline™, contact
Micah Ogburn,
(518) 783 – 1281 ext. 3179
mogburn@cleanfax.com
*Publishers own data: WebTrends statistics
(January – December 2005 vs. January – December 2004)
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News and events from the carpet cleaning
industry’s leading trade associations.
Submitted by Lee Senter
The Floorcovering Institute of Ontario/Certified Carpet & Fabricare Division (FIOCCFD) has a new president: Steve Aked.
We want to thank our retiring president, Paul Skeels, for his contributions and dedication during the past two years.
We are hosting the Jon-Don seminar VAST (Value Added Service Technician) on April 21 in Mississauga, Ontario.
Our annual golf tournaments are being scheduled in Kitchener and Toronto, and we do have a date for the Night at the
Races at Woodbine Racetrack.
This is a great opportunity to rub shoulders with major manufacturers, distributors and retailers. See you there.
Submitted by Wayne Moody
At the last meeting of the Washington Chapter of the Carpet Cleaners Institute of
the Northwest (CCINW) on February 13, IICRC-approved instructor George Cazares
gave us all some very interesting ideas for repairing unraveling in looped carpet.
Cazares showed how the strands could be carefully cut to reveal a patch of area
where only the primary backing showed.
He carefully cut away the layer of backing and replaced it with a “donor” piece
from which he had removed the secondary backing.
Like a carpet surgeon, he grafted that piece in by gluing the new primary backing to the existing secondary backing and blending it in.
Thank you to Steve Borders from McDowell
Supply for arranging the meeting.
A big thank you goes to Interlink by Preferred, for
providing the classroom and the speaker.
We enjoyed a very good dinner of barbequed ribs
and chicken, catered by Toney Roma’s.
FIOCCFD
Ontario, Canada
CCINW
WA, OR, ID, BC, MT,
Alberta, Canada
George Cazares demonstrates tricks of the trade.
PCUCA
Submitted by Shawn Bisaillon
The Professional Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Association (PCUCA) is off to a strong start with more exciting programs to come this year.
Legislation continues to move through the house in Colorado. Members are encouraged to get involved by voicing opinions as well as any contributions that may be available to assist in lobbyist support.
Please e-mail or call the association office to offer opinions or volunteer support.
Don’t forget to get registered now for the Connections Conference in Clearwater Beach, FL, May 4-6.
Join us on the Gulf Coast with its white, sandy beaches — it’s beautiful. (www.connectionsconvention.org)
Educate your staff, have a great time, and support your association through your attendance.
The PCUCA had representation at the IICRC meeting March 19-20 in Portland, OR. Thanks to Pam Thompson for
her dedication of taking time away from her business adventures to promote continued industry professionalism.
Please feel free to contact her with any issues you need brought up for industry discussion. Our association has a
voice in the pulse of this industry. Contact Thompson at (303) 650-1400 with comments.
The PCUCA is seeking leaders for support in areas in the outlying regions. The board has dedicated funds to
sponsor events throughout the areas where we have active membership.
Please contact Craig Thompson, association treasurer, at (303) 650-1400 if you would like to host an associationsponsored program in your area.
Another event you shouldn’t miss is the Complete Carpet School in Hays, KS, May 23-24. The instructor will be
Shawn Bisaillon.
To register, contact the PCUCA office at (877) 44 PCUCA to register.
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Submitted by Susan Noyes
The New England Institute of Restoration & Cleaning
(NEIRC) presented the innovative dinner meeting entitled
“Increase Your Sales & Profitability!” hosted on location by
associate member TruckMounts & Drying Solutions in
Salem, NH, March 2.
Our central and northern members gathered together to
foster ideas, improve processes and entertain ways of
reaching out for new business, and how to keep the interest in prior clients.
We thank TruckMounts & Drying Solutions for this first of
what we hope to be many more educational opportunities.
More information on events like this and NEIRC member benefits are available on our website at www.neirc.org,
e-mail at info@neirc.org, or by calling (978) 779-0950.
NEIRC VT, MA, RI, CT,
ME, NH, Upstate NY
SCRT
Visit www.cleanfax.com and type in keywords: Regional Roundup.
Submitted by Rob Adkins
The April 26 and May 24 meetings of the Northeast Ohio
Chapter of the Society of Cleaning and Restoration
Technicians (SCRT) will be held at the Hampton Inn in
Medina, OH.
The speakers will be Tigar Downey and Chuck Violand.
Downey will teach attendees how to get more sales using
the newest phone tactics in his presentation: “Answering the
Phone and Profitability”.
Violand will be presenting: “The Five Building Steps to a
Successful Cleaning and Restoration Business — Part ll”.
Non-members may attend up to three meetings before
joining.
Anyone wishing to attend must RSVP to Tom Sherman,
chapter president, at (330) 262-0936 at least 24 hours before
the meeting.
MSPCA
LMCCA
Submitted by Lonnie McDonald
The Low Moisture Carpet Cleaners Association (LMCCA)
released on March 15 its second technical white paper for publication.
This white paper written by the technical committee, headed by
Technical Vice President John Holibaugh, took on the daunting task of
defining the term “low moisture”.
The LMCCA board of directors saw defining the term as a crucial
element for the industry and the LMCCA as an association.
While a few have had access to the paper in draft form, the official
version is scheduled for launch in the May issue of CM/Cleanfax® magazine, and copies of the paper also will be released at the LMCCA
booth at Connections in Florida (www.connectionsconvention.org).
Remember, as an LMCCA member you receive discounts at
Connections. Sign up with us at www.lmcca.org.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Submitted by Dan Taylor
On February 10 and 11, the Mid-South
Professional Cleaners Association (MSPCA)
held a regional meeting in Columbia, SC.
The two-day event was highlighted by a
hands-on demo of the TESS drying system. This
informative session brought our members a
close-up view of the newest drying technology.
Herb Stutts, owner of Cleansource in
Columbia, was the host.
The MSPCA’s next regional meeting will be
August 4 and 5 in Asheville, NC.
We encourage all members to meet us at
Connections May 3-6.
One of our associate members, Sunbelt, is
hosting the golf tournament on May 3.
See you in Florida.
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Carpet Equipment
CLEANING CHEMICALS
The Butler Corporation’s
supply division provides a
complete line of cleaning
products and accessories, as
well as carpet, fabric, fire and
restoration equipment. Parts
and service are available for
every make and model of
equipment. Butler’s service
department can respond to
customer inquiries and provide complete instruction.
ATTACHMENT
Tile floors with grout lines
causing
you
problems?
Clarke’s® BEXT® CHAT, a
patent-pending wand attachment, allows you to use your
hot water extractor and wand
on tile and grouted floors. Hit
them with 300 PSI pressure,
200+ degrees of heated solution and watch the dirt wash
away.
Clarke
The Butler Corporation
DRYERS
Dri-Eaz’s TurboDryers® —
the Sahara Pro X3, Sahara HD
and Sahara E — offer restorers an efficient solution for
any restoration job. Benefits
include quick disassembly for
cleaning, MICROBAN® antimicrobial product protection,
an ergonomic handle for easy
pickup from any angle, and
side stacking to save space.
TRUCKMOUNT
BLUEline’s BlueWave® truckmount now comes with a
diesel fuel option. The diesel-powered machine runs off a
Kubota D 902, 27 HP engine, while the gasoline version is
powered by a Kubota WG 972, 31 HP engine. The
BlueWave® is designed for dual wand and multi-tool operation, or for when larger jobs require a more powerful vacuum pump.
BLUEline
CM/CLEANFAX® magazine invites manufacturers to submit new
product information. Selection is at the discretion of the editor and is based on
the product’s perceived interest to operators. Complete product information,
along with a photo, should be forwarded to:
Dri-Eaz Products Inc.
Micah Ogburn
CM/CLEANFAX® magazine
13 Century Hill Drive,
Latham, NY 12110-2197
MOLD-REPELLANT
PROGRAM
EnviroCare Corporation,
supplier of mold-resistant
coatings and mold removal
technologies, introduces the
ForSite-Pro Certified Installer
program, designed to promote the use of mold-resistant
coatings in new construction.
The program is built around
ForSite-Pro, a water-based
acrylic compound that incorporates
inorganic
silver
antimicrobial technology to
prevent mold growth on the
film after application.
EnviroCare Corporation
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Chemicals
THERMO-ANEMOMETERS
Extech Instruments, a
major supplier of test and
measurement equipment for
the industrial marketplace,
announces two CFM/CMM
Thermo-Anemometers: The
AN200 and AN100. Both feature a large LCD back-lit
simultaneous display of air
flow or air velocity, as well as
air temperature. Easy-to-set
area dimensions are stored in
the meters’ internal memory.
PRE-SPRAY
FiberMaxx’s
pre-spray,
PowerMaxx, dissolves all
carpet grime and leaves no
residue. Developed after
years of experimenting with
wetting agents and softeners,
PowerMaxx cleans the full
range of carpet and upholstery fibers cleanable by hot
water extraction.
FiberMaxx
Extech Instruments
HARD SURFACE CLEANER
Fabpro’s Hard Surface
Cleaner maintains a pH of
11.5 in diluted form to cut
through the toughest grease,
grout and grime of any damaged surface — without additives or boosters. It also effectively neutralizes odor, eliminating the need for additional
deodorizing measures.
CARPET PROTECTOR
Butler’s Maximum all-carpet protector with Dupont
Teflon helps to provide an invisible barrier against water
and oil-based stains and spills. The adhesive-like properties
coat fibers with a fluoropolymer, creating a unique bonding
action for soil- and stain-resistant protection. Maximum can
be applied to new or freshly cleaned carpet, wet or dry.
The Butler Corporation
Fabpro Manufacturing Inc.
DECONTAMINATION UNIT
Steril-Aire’s mobile decontamination unit is equipped
with multi-patented, high
output UVC technology.
Called the Remedial In-Room
Decontamination
System
(RIDS), it provides a safe and
effective way to decontaminate surfaces infested with
mold, viruses and bacteria.
This technology uses no
chemicals, produces no toxic
contaminants, and minimizes
worker exposure during the
decontamination process.
Steril-Aire Inc.
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Carpet Equipment
FOAM REDUCER
Masterclean’s SudsBuster
is two tanks in one: The first
reduces foam from wastewater after vacuuming, the
second applies emulsifier. To
reduce the foam, the vacuum
draws de-foamer from the
first tank into the machine’s
FilterMaster, minimizing the
risk of foam reaching the
motor or pump.
SOFTWARE
Moisture Mapper International Inc.’s Moisture
Mapper™ software is the first
that manages all aspects of a
water-damage
restoration
project.
Available for a
monthly user fee, the webbased software allows drying
contractors to centrally manage operations both locally
and at remote offices, accurately justify component
costs, and format technical
evidence of the drying project.
Moisture Mapper
International Inc.
Masterclean Products
ENCAPSULATING RINSE
New technology in Scot’s
TUFF™
UltiMax
Plus
Encapsulating Acid Rinse
improves the conventional
pre-spray/rinse cleaning protocol. UltiMax Plus rinses out
soil and residue better than
traditional acid rinses, which
are oily and attract dirt.
UltiMax Plus also prevents
wicking, speeds up drying,
stabilizes dyes, and can be
used with any pre-spray to
improve cleaning results.
TRUCKMOUNT
HydraMaster’s Boxxer™ 427, big brother to the Boxxer
421™, is the answer for the cleaner who needs big machine
power with the proven reliability and value of the Boxxer
421. With a 27 HP liquid-cooled engine and 4007 tri-lobe
blower, the 427 outperforms machines costing several thousand dollars more.
HydraMaster
VAN CANOPY
The Vanopy from the Maker Company is a canopy that
attaches to cargo vans. It
hooks into the inside frames
above door openings and fits
the side and back door of all
cargo vans. There is no
installation involved: Simply
slide it into place. Weighing
less than 7 pounds, the
Vanopy stores easily.
Scot’s TUFF™
DRY ERASE BOARD WIPES
Motsenbocker’s Lift Off
Dry Erase Board Cleaner
Wipes remove permanent
marker, pen and ink from dry
erase boards, blackboards,
desktops, countertops, office
equipment, leather and other
surfaces. The wipes are an
easy alternative for cleaning
spills and stains, and come in a
convenient pop-up dispenser.
Maker Company
Motsenbocker’s
Lift Off Inc.
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The Most Extensive Carpet
Cleaning and Disaster
Restoration Site on the Web
CM/CleanfaxOnline™ can help you solve difficult carpet cleaning and
disaster restoration problems, grow and market your business, manage
employees effectively, and identify new business opportunities.
I
CM e-News Daily™
This FREE, industry-specific daily electronic news service keeps subscribers current
with news about technological advances, corporate and financial developments, labor
issues, and new products and services in the carpet cleaning treatment industry. Go to
the site menu, subscribe.
I
Online Supplier Search Engine & Buyers Guide
Search the most comprehensive listing of manufacturers and suppliers in the industry.
Find the supplies and equipment you need and use. Go to the site menu, buyers guide.
I
Article Archives
Review hundreds of articles from CM/Cleanfax® magazine with valuable information
about technical aspects of carpet cleaning and disaster restoration as well as sales
and marketing tips. Go to the site menu, article archive.
I
Bulletin Board
Communicate with other carpet care professionals. Find out how they tackle the
toughest cleaning and restoration problems. Go to the site menu, bulletin board.
®
www.cleanfax.com
3/15/06
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Marketplace
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“Non-Traditional HARD BALL Chemical Co. Cuts The B.S. & Makes
Your Carpet Cleaning Business Easier, Simpler, & More Profitable”
Does your garage or storage area look like a chemical warehouse? Do your vans have more storage racks and containers of
chemical than a peddler’s wagon? Do you constantly ask yourself, ‘Why do I have all this stuff?’
Here are 2 reasons why you have this accumulation:
1. The entrepreneurial spirit of carpet cleaners makes all of us
want to have chemicals that work better, cost less, and allow our
productivity to increase dramatically.
2. Traditional distributors of carpet cleaning chemicals react our
insatiable wants much as many physicians treat your body for its
problems. “Try this, and this, and this…and if these don’t work,
I’ve got even more for you to try-and in 6 months we’ll have a
whole lot of new answers.”
HARD BALL Chemical Co. takes an old-fashioned non-traditional stance to solving your chemical needs. We simply mix old
and tried chemicals and procedures and bring them up to date.
In so doing, we distance ourselves from the current mania of the
market place.
SIMPLER is better. If you have employees, then you understand this better than single owner-operators. Our line of chemicals is kept deliberately short to make chemistry part of carpetfurniture cleaning easy and uncomplicated.
Pow-R-Pak is a low pH Pre-Spray. Highly concentrated (2-4
Oz. per gallon dilution). Has natural solvent d’Limonene as an
integral ingredient so you usually don’t need to add more.
Crosses over to clean any fabric, carpet or upholstery, not
harmed by water.
TWO low pH emulsifiers, 1 powder, 1 liquid, which function
synergistically with Pow-R-Pak Pre-Spray. Or, may be used as
stand alone cleaners-or finishing agent.
TWO Natural Spotter terpene alcohols. One is d’Limonene
based, the other is a pine oil terpene. Either product can be used
as a spotter or booster to any brand of chemical.
The crown jewels of our short chemical line are our two protectors.
Our HBCC Fabric Protector is a Solvent Based, High Solids
Protector which is pleasant to use-and extremely customer
friendly. We can add fragrance-or, leave it un-fragranced. Your
choice. Extended coverage of 1500 SF or more, per gallon.
SOIL BLOCKER, our water based, RTU, extended coverage
fluoropolymer is our number one product. Soil Blocker is definitely non-traditional in the water based protector market. This
means advantages to you of profit, ease of application, and guaranteed quality results.
We distribute Multi-Sprayers because we believe that the
application of protectors needs to be accurate. A power sprayer is
the absolute best applicator that you can use. We want you to
have the very best tools, so our pricing is very competitive for
Multi-Sprayers.
There is much more involved in the HBCC story. But there is
not room here to do that. So, I invite you to visit our website:
www.hardballchemical.com for more information.
Customer feedback is very important to us-and many procedural changes come from our customers. To get all the new information not yet on our website, call Mike Toll Free at 1-888-2613103. Or E-mail Mike at:hbccoldpro@aol.com
You can reach Mike directly during the day, M_F 9-4 Md West
Time Zone.
HARD Ball Chemical Co.
P.O Box 306
Lincoln, IL. 62656-0306
Toll Free 1-888-261-3103
Fax:217-735-4626
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Marketplace
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60 CM/Cleanfax April 2006 www.cleanfax.com
®
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®
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ABSOLUTE
GUARANTEE
CM/Cleanfax® magazine absolutely guarantees
the integrity of its circulation claims. It is one
of only two publications serving the carpet
cleaning and disaster restoration industries
that backs up that guarantee with a third-party
audit by BPA Worldwide. Before placing an ad
in a trade magazine, insist on seeing either a
verified BPA circulation audit or a US Postal
Service mailing receipt. (Mailing receipts are
easy to get, so don't accept excuses.) If you
purchase ads without verifying circulation
claims, you could find yourself getting
absolutely short-changed.
For more information about
US Postal receipts and audited
circulation, contact
Micah Ogburn:
mogburn@cleanfax.com or
518-783-1281 ext. 3179
®
Marketplace
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Purple Mtn. Distributors, Inc.
P.O. Box 1099
Hudson, North Carolina 28638
1-882-728-0512
Distributors Wanted
Purple Mountain Distributors, Inc. is pleased to announce that we
are currently offering exclusive regional distribution rights to qualified individuals.
Purple Mountain Distributors, Inc. is a quality manufacturer of the finest carpet
cleaning chemicals in our industry. We offer a broad range of carpet cleaning
solutions for residential, commercial and industrial use at very competitive manufacturers’
wholesale prices, and we offer a guarantee of satisfaction on all our products.
Some of the products we manufacture include the following: Truckmount solutions and carpet
detergents, portable solutions, pre-sprays, deodorants, degreasers, soil protectors, furniture detergents,
shampoos, browning agents, burst crystal defoamers, and paint, tar, grease and gum removers.
If you are a distributor in the carpet cleaning industry and would like to offer your customers
better quality, better prices and better service, do not miss this opportunity.
If you are a distributor in the carpet cleaning industry and would like to improve your profitability
by paying lower prices for your products, do not miss this opportunity.
Please call our toll free number for additional information.
1-882-728-0512
®
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®
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Marketplace
From questions to advice and
how-to discussions, the
CM/CleanfaxOnline™ Bulletin Board
is a great forum to network
with industry professionals.
Find out what all
the noise is about at
www.cleanfax.com
Click on the Bulletin Board link on the right side of your screen
3/15/06
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Marketplace
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®
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Professional Carpet Cleaners
Master Distributor of:
Marketplace
The Best Prices You’ll Find!
Visit www.crosscountrysupplies.com to see our
complete line of products for ALL of your MOLD, MILDEW,
ODOR, CARPET CLEANING and RESTORATION problems!
We also carry a full line of Floor Maintenance Equipment.
This call is free. Make it now.
1-800-787-9919 or 512-451-5652
Fax 512-451-0719
No state tax charged if outside of Texas.
AMEX
MasterCard
Visa
Discover
3/15/06
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PRODUCT INFORMATION CENTER
FREE, FAST PRODUCT INFORMATION EASY AS 1, 2, 3.
You can now get the information about products and services you see advertised in this magazine in three easy steps!
1
Provide your contact information
on the bound-in Product Information
Inquiry Form postcard bound into
this magazine to
the right of this page.
2
3
On the same Product Information
Inquiry Form circle the Product
Information Number found under
the ad or in the Directory of
Advertisers below.
Then either:
mail the postage-paid form
or
fax it to 518-785-5064.
We will process your request
on the same day that we receive it.
directoryofadvertisers
Product
Information
Number
Advertiser
Page
Number
(do not circle)
Product
Information
Number
Advertiser
Page
Number
(do not circle)
201 .........ADVANCED VAPOR TECHNOLOGIES ..........................................36
...............FLIR SYSTEMS ...................................................insert after page 18
224 .........AERO TECH MANUFACTURING INC ............................................27
216 .........HYDRAMASTER CORPORATION ....................................................3
202 .........AIR CARE ..........................................................................................11
217 .........HYDRO FORCE MANUFACTURING ..............................................35
203 .........ALLSTATE INSURANCE CO..........................INSIDE BACK COVER
204 .........BENEFECT........................................................................................18
250 .........INTERLINK SUPPLY ........................................................................32
...............K BLATCHFORDS ORIENTAL RUG CLEANING ...........................46
205 .........BRIDGEPOINT SYSTEMS...............................................................23
218 .........POWR-FLITE ....................................................................................37
207 .........BUTLER CORPORATION ..................................................................7
220 .........ROTOBRUSH......................................................................................5
...............CAMELOT SOFTWARE ...................................................................45
252 .........SLACK BARSHINGER .....................................................................51
219 .........CENTURY 400 ....................................................................................9
253 .........SOLUTIONS BY STEAM PROS ......................................................44
212 .........CHEM MAX CORPORATION .........................................................24
225 .........THERMA STOR PRODUCTS ..........................................................15
210 .........CHEMSPEC ......................................................................................17
206 .........TORNADO CORP ...............................................................................8
211 .........CHEMSPEC ......................................................................................33
209 .........CHEM-TEX....................................................................BACK COVER
213 .........CLARKE MANUFACTURING PLANT..............................................25
221 .........US PRODUCTS ................................................................................31
228 .........VAPORTEK INC................................................................................45
208 .........CTI-PROS CHOICE ..........................................................................13
254 .........VIOLAND MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES.......................................24
226 .........DRI-EAZ PRODUCTS INC .........................INSIDE FRONT COVER
222 .........VORTEX CLEANING SYSTEMS................................................42-43
227 .........FABPRO INC......................................................................................6
223 .........WHITE MAGIC INC...........................................................................29
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&
M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
®
This Month’s Featured Products
This special page of the CM/Cleanfax® magazine classified section contains only classified ads that have also been posted on
CleanersClassifieds.com. CM/Cleanfax® magazine & CleanersClassifieds.com have teamed up to provide the industry with the most powerful way to buy and sell used equipment and hire experienced employees. With only one ad placement you can advertise your products
and job openings on both CleanersClassifieds.com and in CM/Cleanfax® magazine. To place an ad, see the advertising form below.
Price: $37500
Brand New Turn Key Unit
2006 Chevy Express Van with 1100 miles and a Brand new
Prochem Legend with only 36 hours. Complete with all
accesseries including Geko tile cleaning wand, RX20 tile
cleaner, 250 feet Vac/Solution Hose, Drimaster upholstery
wand, swivel stair tool, hydroforce, pre-filter, crevis tool, 60
gal freshwater tank, 75 gal dump tank.
Truck has AC, cd player, cloth seats and the floor and
about one foot up the walls has been treated with a rhino
liner.
I also have $2000 worth of chemicals.
CC-16400
Classified Advertising Order Form
*Select category:
Category
Price for
Cleaners
classified
Equipment
$20.00
*Required
information
Provide Text:
*Classified Title (indicate bold) ____________________________________________________________
*Asking Price/Salary ______________________*State/Province ______Zip Code ____________
Truckmounts/Vehicles
Truckmount and Van
Truckmount Only
Vehicles Only
$25.00
$25.00
$25.00
Ad Text: ________________________________________________________________________________
Miscellaneous
$25.00
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Payment Information:
PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY ORDER
Payment enclosed Charge my
MasterCard Visa American Express
Place Ad:
Cleanfax
$110.00 ____
Cleaners Classified (from above) ______
Cleanfax Online
$33.00 ______
w/print
Cleanfax Online Only
Exp. Date: ________________________________ Company: ____________________________________
Total: ____________________________________ Address:______________________________________
Signature ________________________________ City: ________________________________________
Date
$50.00 ______
Your Information:
Card# ____________________________________ *Name: ______________________________________
____________________________________
MAIL TO: CM/Cleanfax®
13 Century Hill Drive Latham, NY 12110-2197
FAX TO: (518) 783-1386 or E-mail your
classified ad to classifieds@cleanfax.com
*State: ____________*Zip: ______________________
*Phone: ______________________________________
*Fax: ________________________________________
*E-mail: ______________________________________
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Classified
Advertise in the CM/Cleanfax® classified section and reach the largest audience in the carpet cleaning trade. Rates are $1.90 per word
(minimum charge: $110) or $110 per column inch. CM/Cleanfax® is distributed nationally, with a circulation of 24,500. An ad can be placed
in two ways: Order by Mail: Send copy and check (U.S. funds) to: Richard Dorrance, Classified Dept., NTP Media, 13 Century Hill Drive,
Latham New York, 12110-2197
Order by Fax: Our fax number is (518) 783-1386. Include copy (as you want it to read), credit card information (card type [MC, Visa, AMEX
accepted], name on card, card number, expiration date), your mailing address, and a phone number where you can be reached.
Equipment/Services/Supplies
CF-1297A
CF-1173
CF-1034
CF-1500
CF-1019
CF-1393A
CF-1365
CF-1413
CF-1359
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Classified
CF-484
CF-826
CF-1457
CF-16
CARPET WHOLESALE
BUY WHERE DEALERS BUY
HARDWOOD-CARPET-VINYL
MOST NAME BRANDS
•
•
•
•
316 stainless steel
Exchangers for all makes
Excellent heat
Installation kits for propane
conversion
• Exhaust diverter valves
• Pre Heaters
• Stainless headers
JOHN’S CUSTOM MACHINE
www.hotheatexchangers.com
john@hotheatexchangers.com
Lowest Price Guaranteed • Call For Quotes
CUSTOM SAMPLE PROGRAM
1-800-526-5050
CF-1162
Phone: 727-581-1700
Fax: 727-581-0707
CF-1070
CF-1498
CF-1501
CF-588
MAID SERVICE VIDEOS
Produced by American Maid Service
Association. Maid Service Operations Covers all major areas needed to run or start a
Cleaning
successful maid service.
Essentials - used to train maids. Also: Make
Ready Cleaning and Supplies &
Procedures.. Each video $99. Call 1 (800)
299-2672 or (210) 377-3015.
http://www.abiz4me.com
CF-44
CF-1333
CF-754
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Classified
CF-1390
CF-1502
CF-1469A
CMCF-7A
CF-1420
CF-1509
CF-1510
CARPET DIRECT
Increase profits with in-home sales of residential
and commercial carpet. Eastside Carpet Corp.,
P.O. Box 3003, Dalton, GA 30721
(800) 654-6123
CF-17
CF-1480
CF-1499
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Classified
CF-1431
CF-1503
CF-1417
CF-1351
or at least
your opinions
CF-1393
CM/CleanfaxOnline’s Bulletin Board
The best place for carpet care
professionals to speak up and sound off
www.cleanfax.com
click on Bulletin Board link on Site Menu on right side of screen
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the last…
WO R D
Three questions with:
Ralph Pastorelli
Tell us about yourself.
I was born on September 29, 1966, in
upstate New York (Utica), where I still
live today. I married my beautiful wife,
Andrea, on September 23, 2005, during
Connections in Las Vegas.
I have two daughters: Heather and
Trista, and a 9-year-old stepdaughter,
Alexis.
On December 29, 2005, my oldest
daughter, Heather, made me a grandfather for the first time. My handsome
grandson’s name is Elijah Reid, and he
looks a lot like his grandpa.
I enjoy golfing in the summer and
Question from the CM/Cleanfax® Bulletin Board:
I cleaned a glue-down commercial carpet in a Chinese restaurant the other day,
and when I was done, and especially after it dried, you could see a lot of dark
splotches all over it.
I went back last night to go over it again, without much success.
I noticed that my pre-spray was pretty much dried before I extracted, and I thought
that perhaps that was the problem, especially since it is very warm in there.
So I tried getting it wet, raking the moisture in and letting it dwell a few minutes, but
that resulted in minimal results and only in a few places with tremendous scrubbing.
Also, I checked the wastewater and it was black. It shouldn’t have been that black
since I had just cleaned it.
What can I do to get this carpet clean?
Ken Wildman
To help answer this question (with possible publication in the next issue of CM/Cleanfax®
magazine), send your response to: Jeff Cross, senior editor, jcross@ntpmedia.com
playing in charity golf events.
I also like to ride my 2005 Harley
Dyna Super Glide Sport. I enjoy watching National Hot Rod Association
(NHRA) drag racing. I have been to several races in New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. In the winter, I like to ride
snowmobiles.
Why did you choose
carpet cleaning?
While I was in high school, my mother had her carpets cleaned. I found it
interesting and asked several questions.
Soon after, I was hired part-time for
shop clean-up at a local company.
The Great Debate™ final results
Nearly 55 percent of carpet cleaners voted in favor of heat exchange truckmounts in The Great Debate™ topic “Heat exchange vs. fuel-fired truckmounts” in the March issue of CM/Cleanfax® magazine.
Taf Baig wrote in favor of heat exchange technology, while Dane Gregory
took the side of fuel-fired truckmounts.
Voting results on the www.cfgreatdebate.com website showed that most
cleaners agree with Baig — 55 percent said they believe heat exchange units are
best, while 45 percent believe in fuel-fired machines.
After I graduated high school in 1984,
I decided to start cleaning full-time and
hold off on continued education. After
working for two different companies for
four years I was tired of making $6.50 an
hour, and so I scraped up the money to
buy a used van and a small truckmount
and I never looked back.
Just recently I converted to a
ServiceMaster franchise so I could go
after my share of disaster restoration
work.
What advice do you
have for other cleaners?
Be aggressive and go after customers.
In the beginning of my career, I quickly noticed that customers don't come
looking for you. Everyone needs a
unique way to sell their services.
Be sure that the cleaning products you
use are of high quality.
Stay away from department store
chemicals; they are not even close to
being the same quality you would get
from a reputable distributor.
But most importantly, treat every customer with kindness and respect.
I
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CFAX C1-C4 0406.qxp - Carpet Cleaning Marketing, Disaster

Transcription

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