August 2012

newslink

ncca

August 2012

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

Features:

Carpet Cleaners Carnival Insurance Scheme Update ŠAbbotsford by Brintons

Contents 03 From the editor From the President 06 Stoneman’s corner 08 Insurance work for members - update 10 Cracking the code 12 The first twelve months (part one) 14 Do you test your marketing?

16 Carpet Cleaners Carnival 2012 23 Forget the hard sell Choosing a reputable company New businesses 24 Why you should have a video running on your website

Published monthly by: The National Carpet Cleaners Association 62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH Tel: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk Editor Nikki Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law President/ Technical Director Paul Pearce Vice President/ Marketing Director Keith Robertson Vice President/ Events Director Nigel Lay Member Liaison Director Glyn Charnock

26 It’s a kind of magic

Franchise Liaison Director Denise Pitt

28 Avoid unnecessary tax payments

Co-opted Directors Rob Whitbread (Corporate Liason) Martin Johns Christian Ramsey (Training) www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_

Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage.

©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association).

No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.

page 2

From the editor

T

he NCCA has launched its new video on YouTube. It's also now available for members to use on their own sites and social media.

This video is aimed at the consumer. It focuses on why it is important to care for their soft furnishings and explains the need to employ a trained professional.

Videos are quickly becoming one of the most vital ways for an internet marketer to get information about their product or service to their customers.

What was once seen as an expensive 'nice to have' is fast becoming a key element in any marketing campaign.

If your products or service require any sort of explanation, a video is a far better way to communicate with your audience because it's such an easily digestible and accessible format. Most people would rather watch a video than have to read.

The presence of a video also instantly authenticates your company as using the most current and technologically advanced methods of promotion, hence immediately increasing your credibility with prospective clients.

The new video can be viewed on the NCCA

website or on our YouTube channel by entering the following URL into the address bar: www.youtube.com/carpetcleani Nicky Law ngassoc Once you have found the video on YouTube, members have the option to utilise it in their own online marketing. In order to do so you will need to retrieve an embed code. This can be located by clicking the Share button underneath the video. You then need to click on the Embed button (below, right of the Share button) to reveal the code which will appear in a window below the Embed button.

This code can be copied for your own use, utilised in social media or sent to your website manager who can upload the video to your site.

YouTube provides links for sharing the embed code via email, Facebook and Twitter. Visitors to social media sites can click on the code within your post and be transported through to the video from there.

If you have any problems please do not hesitate to call us and we will talk you through the process. Call me on 0116 271 9550.

From the President

I

learnt, many years ago, that it is a good idea to advise your customer of your intended course of action with regard to their work. This doesn't mean they want to hear about how powerful your machine is and how much bigger it is than your competitors, it's the procedures you will be carrying out that they will be interested in.

I promised last month that in this issue of Newslink I would share with you my 10 Step Plan for cleaning upholstery, something with which all my clients are acquainted.

Now, in fairness, this is a plan that has been created by others over the years and which I have adapted for my own work. I always follow the plan

to ensure that nothing is overlooked and to create a sense of procedural orderliness for the benefit of the client. Ordered procedures will suggest professionalism which in turn will convey value for money.

Here is my 10 Step plan: Step 1: Pre-inspection We will inspect the furniture, noting fabric type and soiling conditions. We will also advise you of any possible permanent staining.

Step 2: Pre-vacuum Your upholstery will be vacuumed prior to any Continued on next page Page 3

Continued from previous page cleaning taking place.

Step 3: Floor Protection Your carpet/hard floors will be protected with an absorbent material to ensure we do not drip or over spray as we clean the upholstery, regardless of whether we are cleaning the flooring or not.

Step 4: Pre-spray & Pre-Spot The fabric is 'pre-sprayed' with special cleaning compounds specially designed for your particular fabric and soil condition. This loosens up the soil to make rinsing more effective.

Step 5: Pre-Agitate A pre-spray will be worked into the fabric with a horsehair brush, specially designed for this use, to evenly distribute the cleaning solution.

Step 6: Rinse and Extract Once the soil has been loosened, we will thoroughly flush the fabric with our specially designed upholstery extraction tools. This step removes soil from the fabric and leaves it soft and residue free.

Step 7: Post Spot Treatment If any spots are not removed during the cleaning process, specialty-spotting techniques will be used, although we can't guarantee to remove all stains.

Step 8: Post Grooming If the fabric has a nap, it is set in one direction using a grooming brush, along with a white towel wipe to ensure that as much soil has been removed as possible.

Step 9: Fabric Protector Apply a protector to repel oily soils and drink spills as a recommended additional service.

Step 10: Speed Dry High velocity air movers are set in place to speed dry the upholstery, so that minimum disruption is caused and you can get back to using your upholstery.

Now of course you can add as many steps as you want, but whatever you do say make sure that you carry it through.

See you all soon at the Carpet Cleaners Carnival on 15th September at Wicksteed Park.

NEW NCCA MEMBERS FULL MEMBERS Daventry Carpet Cleaning (Daventry, Northamptonshire) William Lane Carpet Cleaning (Hardwicke, Gloucestershire) Carpet Cleaning 4 You (Bristol, Avon) Unique Cleaning & Restorations North East (Newcastle, Tyne & Wear) Bee Clean (Stockport, Cheshire) Zap-Clean (Macclesfield, Cheshire) Aura Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning (Bristol, Avon)

Member referral report Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 102 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 65 referrals from the NCCA office, 35 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 7 referrals to members without an email address, which we have tracked using the office database.

Website enquiries Members may receive enquiries via the NCCA website.

The site features a membership directory that includes a full list of NCCA members.

Visitors can search the directory by location, service or use the general search feature to find a company.

Enquiries from the NCCA website will be sent via email and go directly from the enquirer to the member, with the title “NCCA Member Enquiry�.

It is important that the office know your current email address for you to benefit from this service. Please contact the office to make any changes to your entry.

Members also have the opportunity to advance their NCCA website listing for a small one-off fee. This includes benefits such as a direct link to your website, further copy space for promotional information about your company, your logo, or video, being included in your entry, your company name being highlighted within the list and more.

For further information please contact the office by phone or email and request an Advanced Entry order form.

Diary Dates 2012 NCCA COURSES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 21st - 22nd September 23rd - 24th November Carpet Cleaners Carnival 15th September (Wicksteed Park, Kettering, Northamptonshire) Spot & Stain Removal 19th October Health & Safety for Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners 18th October The Cleaning Show 19th - 21st March 2013 (Birmingham NEC) NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated.

Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details.

IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Applied Structural Drying Technician 18th - 21st September with Adam Jankowski Carpet Cleaning Technician 9th - 10th October with Adam Jankowski Odour Control Technician 11th October with Adam Jankowski Fire & Smoke Restoration Technician 17th - 18th October with Adam Jankowski Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician 23rd - 24th October with Adam Jankowski Water Restoration Technician 13th - 15th November with Adam Jankowski Applied Structural Drying Technician 4th - 7th December with Adam Jankowski Held at National Flood School, Farnham, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses Page 5

Keith Robertson

Stoneman’s Corner The beauty of marble

T

o some, marble is simply limestone, which has been altered through the action of heat, pressure and time deep beneath the earth's surface. To others the very word, marble, conjures up pictures of roman temples, the Taj Mahal, a feeling of natural beauty, even opulence.

We know for certain that the use of marble predates the Romans because certainly the Greeks were building with it, but it was with Emperor Augustus that we associate the beginnings of the Carrara quarries which have become world famous.

It was from the Carrara quarries, although perhaps not the same as those used in Roman times, that Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci obtained marble with which they produced exquisite sculptures.

So for thousands of years marble has been used as

a decorative and yet practical surface for walls and floors. Now it's our turn to enjoy marble by offering a maintenance and/or restoration service.

The hardness of different marble varies considerably, from 2.5 to 5 on the MOH scale, depending on the composition of different types of crystals and this can have a bearing on the methods and even the products that we use.

There are many ways you can involve yourself in marble maintenance. The most straightforward would be to offer a cleaning service which might extend, when appropriate, to the removal of seals and protecting with impregnators. Marble can come polished to a mirror finish so perhaps you may wish to offer a refinishing service which restores a high shine. There are ever increasing methods of achieving this, either using polishing powders or page 6

cream, or by crystallising or utilising a set of diamond dusted or impregnated floor pads and a rotary machine.

The usual rule applies that not all systems or products are the same so it is important to experiment. It is all too easy to blindly follow someone else's recommendations, particularly if they are a manufacturer or supplier.

For example, not all polishing powders are the same. One of the suppliers I use has six different products, one which is designed to be used after grinding, another for daily maintenance where an economical product is required, another designed for soft marbles such as Carrara; there is a powder designed to polish the majority of marbles, one for marble that is difficult to polish and finally one for green marble and marble that contains iron. It is important that you test and experiment‌ and not on your customer's floor!

Don't be deceived into thinking polishing powders will remove all the scratches. If you want to tackle scratching with powders, seek a honing powder which is better designed for the job. Honing powders will leave the floor matte so if your customer requires a polished finish you will need to repeat the process with a polishing powder of your choice.

If you prefer to use impregnated pads, once again remember they are not all the same. Some are more heavily marketed than others but that does not necessarily mean they are the best. Again, practice and testing are important. You may find one system works best for you on most marbles in general, but another system produces a better result on specific marbles.

Using the process of recrystallisation or vitrification is another method to achieve a high shine, although strictly speaking it is not marble polishing as it is a chemical process. Take care as some vitrifying and crystallising products are stronger than others and when used regularly can quickly cause the marble to lose its clarity and look as if it is plastic so test, test and test.

There are still constraints to the service we can offer if we are limiting ourselves to powders or impregnated pads.

Although it is quite possible to build a successful business around these systems there will be some work we will be unable to do. Whether that matters or not depends on your business and what you want to achieve.

You cannot completely restore a floor without resorting to the traditional method of using diamonds and a traditional heavy single or multidisc machine. Okay, I accept that if you had enough time you might be able to tackle the job on your hands and knees with carborundum stones but, let's face it, that's not likely.

Uneven floors should be levelled and that means removing lippage and irregular height differentials and preferably cutting until it is level with the grout lines to achieve a continuous flowing finish.

There are plastic base plates - that hold diamond pads and are suitable for use on a single disc rotary polisher - which can be used for small areas, or where the intention is to remove more scratches than you will with powders. Certainly, this is a great way to expand your range of marble care services but if you are determined to be able to do everything, you will at some point reach the conclusion you just have to purchase the right equipment to do it expertly and cost effectively.

Remember though, that even with the best equipment and a selection of the most appropriate products there are still certain things that restoration cannot do.

For example, the white stun marks that appear after something has been dropped on the stone, or sometimes caused by a damaged stiletto heeled shoe, can quite often be impossible to remove, as some of these marks have travelled through the full depth of the stone.

Marble is a wonderful stone not only because of its range of colours and textures, but because for us it is a source of substantial financial profit.

And remember, when you are with a prospective customer don't forget 'the story', show interest in the product they have chosen, talk about its beauty, the cleverness of their choice, exude concern as if you were their plastic surgeon and your conversion rate will soar, even if you are charging considerably more than your competitors. page 7

Insurance schemes, work for members - update Glyn Charnock

W

e have had a very good response to our two emails regarding insurance work, with many of you wishing to become involved in the scheme.

We would like to thank all of you who have replied so far and let you know that if you have not yet replied we would still be pleased to hear from you. You can add yourself to the list at any time by contacting Nicky on 0116 271 9550 or nicky@ncca.co.uk Our first email received a response from over 200 members, but our next email detailing the proposed Claritas scheme received a smaller response of about half that amount. It might be that some of you who responded to the initial email may not have noticed the second email, or you may feel that as you had responded to the first one you would not need to respond to the second one, so if this is the case please could you forward your details to us again so we can add you to our list of interested parties.

If you did not receive the second email then please contact us and we will forward it to you.

However bear in mind, as I mentioned previously, that advanced spot and stain removal training is highly recommended to be considered for any carpet and upholstery work.

It is clear from the comments received in response to the emails that there are issues to be addressed. The first one is that we have been approached by two different parties with regard to using our members for insurance work, with two different approaches to the work.

Our first email, back in May, was a system where a fixed fee of around ÂŁ75 would be paid to the cleaner for a visit and during that visit, if the stain was removed successfully, they would receive an extra fixed fee of around ÂŁ25. This system is still under discussion as there are a number of issues

we need to deal with regarding payment, contact process etc.

The second offer was from Claritas and I originally wrote, 'The Claritas system is very simple. They will send a claims validator to assess the problem. If they feel the issue cannot be resolved through cleaning, the members will not be involved at all. If the validator finds that the item is cleanable, they will contact the nearest member and provide details of fibre type, construction, nature of the problem, area of carpet or size of item to be cleaned and the successful product they have identified that will deal with the issue, along with address and postcode of the claimant. All the information you would gather if you were to visit and perform a survey.'

One of our members questioned the training the validators have in spot and stain removal, and whether a lack of training at their end may cause problems. I would like to assure everyone that this would not be an issue. The claims assessors are highly trained in spot and stain removal, and if they find the mark is not removable they will not contact one of our members, the carpet will be replaced.

The down side is that the homeowner may attempt to remove the mark themselves after the validator has left and before calling the member, although they will be advised against this.

Members should treat these jobs like any other spot and stain removal job.

Another question was regarding charges and payment. The client will be responsible for payment, as they will already have been paid by the insurance company to the value of the quote provided by the member. So there will be no waiting for two months to get paid by the insurers!

The validator will require a quote for cleaning the whole area/piece of upholstery as well as the page 8

spot/stain removal, and they recognise that prices vary by area, service provided, type of clean and nature of item, etc. They do not have fixed rates for the work but will be looking for a professional service, good customer relations, a high success rate and value for money. They will be looking to build working relationships with the members who can provide this.

Some members have had poor experiences working for insurance companies. With the Claritas system, members would not be working directly for insurers, but for the homeowner who has been paid the value of their quote by the insurance company. These are therefore 'hot' referrals for domestic work, not insurance jobs per se.

We have already had our first enquiry for a member through the Claritas scheme, and we believe this will prove a simple and profitable system for members to participate in. Please contact Nicky if you 'want in'.

Cracking the code

A

Ken Wainwright

part from Newslink, do you read any other trade journals? There's lots of information available - which may not be published in Newslink - that could be useful and beneficial to your business.

I'm not just thinking about specialist magazines for carpet and upholstery cleaning, but also those that are aimed at the whole cleaning industry.

Most magazines are available both as hard and on-line copies. On-line is typically free of charge and some paper printed magazines do carry a fee.

I recently found a priceless piece of information in the June/July edition of Cleaning Matters, a magazine which covers all aspects of cleaning. In an article supplied by US Products, we were informed of a voluntary labelling system being adopted by some manufacturers with cleaning instructions for upholstery fabrics.

The ASTM International fabric codes appear to offer more concise advice about how to clean the fabric than the information we have at present from upholstery manufacturers. These easy to page 10

follow codes will prove to be useful for both professionals and the consumers alike.

Code W: Dyes used in fabrics are stable (will not run, fade, or be damaged) when using water-based cleaning agents or spotters.

Code S and P: Fabrics should be cleaned by a professional technician using solvent-based cleaning agents and spotters.

Codes S/W and W/S: Fabrics can be cleaned safely using solvents, foams or water-based cleansers.

Codes X and X/S: Fabrics can't be cleaned using traditional solvents, foams or water based cleansers.

Code F: Items should be cleaned using foam cleansers.

Code W-S: Fabrics remain stable with water or dry solvent based cleaning agents.

Code X: Fibres should not be cleaned with water or dry solvent-based cleaning/spotting agents.

These will be the most commonly used codes and should be regarded as a source of information and general guide only. It will obviously be down to the cleaning technician to carry out their own inspection and tests to ensure that the recommended cleaning process is safe and appropriate for the fabric being cleaned.

page 11

The first twelve months (part one)

I

n response to the request for Newslink contributions from members (and in a moment of uncharacteristic enthusiasm) I decided to put pen to paper. Over the next two issues I will be submitting the more memorable entries to my diary recording my first twelve months in the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry. It all started last year…

May 14th 2011 One brief training course under my belt and the kit I ordered arrived last week. I tested everything (many times) on the carpets at home (the carpets have never looked so good, my wife’s delighted) and all seemed to be working fine. So, nothing to go wrong on my first job then…..

I turned up to do a straightforward hall, stairs and landing and all was going well until the extraction phase. At this point the cream carpet started to turn darker and darker and seemed to be getting very, very wet. I looked back at the machine and was horrified to see dirty water sloshing around in the porch. A quick inspection revealed the source of my misery - the dump gate had been open.

Because of this I had very little suction and what was coming through was going straight out the other side! Just as I started trying to dry the porch out, the lady of the house called through from the kitchen and asked if everything was okay (she probably heard the swearing). “Yes, fine” I lied “best not come through just yet as I don't want you tripping over the hoses and leads”.

Once I had recovered the water, the carpets started to slowly turn back to a cream colour. Many dry strokes, but panic over and disaster averted!

June 28th Is it just me or do all pump up sprayers leak, get blocked, spray a weak single jet when I want a

Peter Rowan (m2414)

powerful spray or, in the case of one this morning, essentially explode blasting protector everywhere?!! Rarely do they do what they're supposed to do. I've now tried three different makes and have yet to get real satisfaction. Argghh!! Kit!!

July 4th I'd been to do a quote and had advised the client that they might like to consider new carpets as theirs had seen better days (politely of course). “No thanks” they said “we want them cleaned”. On arrival to do the job I was met by three large Labradors. They kept getting in the way of the clean so finally I had to tell my client I could only continue if he kept them out of the house. He agreed. I was just finishing the particularly grimy hall (with a Rotovac) when a large weight landed on my back/shoulders causing me to tilt the Rotovac at an angle and tear the carpet in the process. The weight was the biggest of the three Labradors jumping up on me and it had shocked me a bit to say the least!

The owner wasn't too pleased with the damage and was initially pushing for me to replace the carpet but eventually agreed that the dog had had a part to play in it! More importantly, he agreed to pay for the job.

Why does every house I clean seem to have at least one dog?

August 15th How can one wand cause so much trouble? Never again will I lean it against a wall allowing gravity to take control! Last week, it took paint off a wall as it fell (I offered to pay to put it right but the client declined, lovely lady). Once bitten twice shy you would think wouldn't you, unfortunately not! Today, it was upright in a porch and pulling on the solution hose caught it and sent it on its way! The trouble page 12

page 13

Photograph: Afternoon Tea ©Peter Rowan

was, I had the extractor and two air movers between wool. The retired owners had 'downsized' five years me and the wand and could only watch in horror as it previously and given the main house (2500 acre took out the glass on the front door side panel! It estate) to their eldest son! Oh, how the other half was a real 'beam me up Scottie' moment! live!

Halfway through the clean the maid came up the Unsurprisingly, this client was not quite so stairs with what I thought was going to be a cuppa understanding and called the local glazier.

August 18th for me. When it arrived, I couldn't believe what I I've just completed the IICRC carpet course. Two days saw - a tray with bone china crockery, leaf tea, linen full-on theory. I feel more confident now. I haven't sat an exam like that for twenty five years though. It's a very strange feeling.

Sept 20th I arrived to do an end of tenancy clean on a three storey modern townhouse expecting to gain entry through the integral garage.

This was previously agreed with the client who wasn't going to be present while I did the job. I went to the garage and found it was locked… great start! I phoned the client, who told me the back door hadn't been locked so I could enter this way and open the garage from the inside. However, this required me to climb over an eight foot high fence at the back to get into the garden. As I was climbing the fence I saw the neighbours from two houses away looking at me suspiciously. It didn't help when, on entering the house, I heard the beeping of a burglar alarm, a sure sign that I had about napkin and homemade apple pie! I thirty seconds before the siren My afternoon tea just had to take a photo. started. I phoned the client and They also wanted eight expensive was about to get the code when the siren kicked off. I couldn't hear a thing, so I had to upholstered pale blue dining chairs cleaned which I took back to my garage to do. I finished extracting head back into the garden. The client gave me the number and I finally managed to silence the alarm. I the first one and was halfway through the second when the first chair started to turn brown before my was in the middle of unloading my kit when the eyes! Cellulosic browning, oh no! I quickly sponged police arrived, having been alerted by the a de-browner on the fabric and crikey, what a neighbours. However, I managed to smooth it over when they realised that cleaning carpets was not part transformation. Back to light blue, albeit smelling like a bag of chips… of the average burglar's repertoire!

You can read about Peter's trials and triumphs October 6th again next month as he continues his journey I cleaned the carpets in a huge manor house in the through his first twelve months in the industry.

Cotswolds. They were cream, deep pile and 100%

Do you test your marketing? David Coker

T

he beauty of direct response marketing is that it produces a tangible result. Your campaign is either profitable or it's not. You know exactly whether a mailshot or advert has worked.

But have you ever tested one advert/mailshot against another - with different headings/offers - at the same time, to see which one works best?

Just recently I decided to run this type of test with my existing clients.

In June, I sent an offer to seven hundred and fifty of my newsletter subscribers. I informed them that there was going to be a price increase but if they booked now (even if the job was booked for a few months ahead) they could benefit from the current price. I had quite a number of responses.

I then pondered on what would happen if I sent a different offer to some of those who hadn't responded. They had seen the 'book now' offer and the notice of the impending price increase, so you'd

think that anyone who'd wanted some cleaning done would've already booked… wouldn't you?

Well, I was in for a shock. Just two weeks later I sent a different (inferior) offer on a postcard to forty nine of those who hadn't responded and… a further FOUR booked my services with a total value of £784.30 at the new increased price! And all this for a total outlay of under £20! (I already had some 36p stamps from before the price increase). That's a return on investment of nearly 40 to 1.

I'm still amazed that the customers who didn't respond to a really good offer then signed up to an inferior one just two weeks later! Of course it could be that they didn't see the first offer or that, maybe, for some reason the way it was pitched just didn't appeal to those particular clients. Either way it goes to show that a two pronged attack of this kind can work.

Did I think it would work? Not really. But I'm glad that I tested it. page 14

Carpet Cleaners Carnival 2012

I

t's time to book your place at the Carpet Cleaners Carnival, which takes place on 15th September at Wicksteed Park in Northamptonshire.

If you are in the soft furnishing cleaning or floor care industry you will not want to miss this event. It will include a trade fair, workshops and demonstrations and will provide an excellent opportunity to network.

Alongside the event Clean It Up (www.cleanitup.co.uk) will be holding VanFest, where cleaners will have the chance to show off their vans both inside and out.

The Carnival is open to both NCCA member and non-member companies and their technicians as well as partners, family and friends‌ and best of all, it's free to attend!

Last year's event was a big success, so we'll be using the same format this year by combining business with fun activities to run throughout the day. There will be something for everyone to enjoy, including activity area and games, ladies interest stalls, access to the park, playground and fairground and evening entertainment with live music.

We have some excellent exhibitors this year with bookings from many of the main players in the industry. We are also receiving lots of interest from smaller local companies and shall be booking these in over the coming weeks.

See below for list of exhibiting companies: EXHIBITORS AT THE CCC

Amtech UK Amtech UK is once again delighted to be participating at the Carpet Cleaners Carnival organised by the NCCA. This year we will be exhibiting a range of high powered extractors from world famous names CFR and Powr-Flite. These highly charged extractors will deliver unparalleled cleaning results with exceptional page 16

drying times. All machines are equipped with 500 psi adjustable pumps, twin Lamb Ametek 3 stage vacuum motors and built-in 3000 watts in-line heat exchangers delivering instant hot water. CFR model is equipped with the new Lamb Ametek Air Watt motor.

On display will also be the UK's favourite Spot & Stain Remover Zip It, our unique Premium Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner, Rid A Gum Chewing Gum Remover and much more.

Please visit our stand for a chat and to see the full range of equipment and products on display at greatly reduced prices. And not only that! Anyone visiting our stand will receive a FREE gift valued at £210.00. We shall look forward to seeing you all on the day.

Tel: 01444 232211 / E: sales@amtechuk.co.uk www.amtechuk.co.uk

Chemspec Europe Ltd Chemspec Europe will be exhibiting at the CCC 2012, loaded with literature and ready to show visitors a selection of our pioneering, problem solving products. Highly experienced technical staff are looking forward to seeing customers and shaking hands with old and new friends.

Chemspec Europe and Dri-Eaz UK recently became part of the same group, we thought bringing a selection of Dri-Eaz equipment to the CCC would help support NCCA members.

Chemspec have been manufacturing carpet and upholstery cleaning chemicals since 1968. We love helping to solve many of our industries challenges through product innovation and we are passionate about supporting customers and the trade associations to which they belong.

Tel: 01274 597333 / E: info@chemspec-europe.com www.chemspec-europe.com

Chemspec Limited Chemspec Limited will be showing various machines and consumables for restoring and maintenance of stone surfaces.

Tel: 01784 259814 / E: chemspecltd@hotmail.com

Cleansmart Ltd Cleansmart was founded in November 2005 by ex professional carpet cleaner Matt Flewitt.

The company specialises in the supply of chemicals, machines and equipment to professional carpet cleaners. They supply a range of products from

various suppliers. “As a carpet cleaner, I used to use different products from various different suppliers” says Matt. “The aim with Cleansmart was to provide a one-stop-shop, where carpet cleaners could order different brand products from one company”.

At Cleansmart, you can choose from a massive selection of over fifty carpet cleaning machines which makes it a great place to get independent advice. Every machine over £1,000 comes with a free care plan, free training course and free power marketing pack.

Cleansmart have also worked closely with a product design company to develop their own range of professional carpet extractors, the Airflex machines, which have now been on sale for several years.

Tel: 0115 8240034 E: info@cleansmartsupplies.co.uk www.cleansmartsupplies.co.uk

Client Database Marketing Solutions Software developed by marketing award winning carpet cleaners that helps businesses of every size market better, quote clearer and book more. We still own our carpet cleaning business, and with over twenty three years in the industry we know the challenges of running a successful business, that's why we developed this software, to make it easier.

We've grown and streamlined our carpet cleaning business into a multi-van operation with admin staff by using the marketing tools built into the software.

Other carpet cleaners we knew kept asking if we'd sell them the software, as they could see what a difference it made in our business, especially in terms of an increase in our return on advertising spend and the reduced administration. That was back in 2006, now with hundreds of users there is an edition to suit every size of business, from owner operators to multi-van with admin office support staff.

Since last year's exhibition we've added several features at the request of users, so it's worth visiting the website or stopping by the stand to see what's new. We know times are a little tough right now so Continued on next page page 17

Continued from previous page having listened to prospective users thoughts about pricing, and how they told us they would be able to afford to use our software, there will be some new pricing option available for ALL editions. Again keep an eye on the website or better yet see them at the exhibition, where there will be 'show only' prices.

We had several new users come on board last year for various editions, both at the show and afterwards saying they had seen us there. Although we've spoken to them on the phone we're looking forward to seeing them again this year.

So if you want more free time by reducing and streamlining your administration, and want more money by marketing more effectively, you need to visit us at our stand and have a chat to see which edition would suit you best. There will be a prize draw on the day and mouse mats to take away just for saying hello.

See you there, Allan Simmons Jnr. Tel: 01405 813665 / E: allanjnr@getbookedup.com www.getbookedup.com

Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd The Wrennalls Group, a Lancashire based cleaning consultancy has brokered an exciting import agreement to work exclusively with German based floor cleaning machine manufacturer, Columbus Cleaning Machines. This new operation trades as Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd and operates as a division of the Wrennalls Group.

Columbus is an integral part of the long established Staehle Group, a family run business with a turnover in excess of â‚Ź 75 million. With its head office located in Stuttgart, Columbus has based its success on designing and manufacturing a wide range of automatic scrubbers, single disc machines, wet and dry vacuum cleaners and spray extraction machines for any environment.

Close to the customer, close to the market: Gustav Staehle developed the first vacuum polishing machine for hard floors in 1926. Today, many decades and many innovative products later, the brand name Columbus stands for a constant determination to satisfy the many varied demands of customers worldwide.

With a comprehensively application-orientated product range of over sixty machines, Columbus is synonymous with efficient cleaning. Legendarily in

the field of single disc machines, Columbus has perfectly adapted its innovation strengths to today's requirements. Thus, for example, Columbus mains or battery operated automatic scrubbers score high marks for their compact design, versatility and excellent handling.

Latest examples of the market-oriented automatic scrubbers made in Germany are the extremely agile, hand-guided automatic scrubber RA 43/55 B/BM 40 with or without driving motor, the compact ride-on automatic scrubber ARA 66/80 BM 100 and the newly launched RA 66 BM 60 with its automatic spin-on/spin-off system for brushes and pad holders.

Tel: +(44) 1772 434333 E: sales@cleanerswarehouse.co.uk www.cleanersware house.co.uk

Dry Fusion Ltd Over a decade since its original launch, the benefits of the Dry Fusion system are already well publicised with thousands of satisfied customers having their carpets cleaned via the innovative process that has made its name by being cleaner, fresher, drier, faster and safer than many of its competitors.

Following years of intensive research and development, the new enhanced Dry Fusion machine allows for better ease of operation and much improved safety. The innovative and patented rotary cleaning machine heats an Activator solution to provide an amazing cleaning and stain removal action. The Dry Fusion process is pH neutral and does not rely on water flushing to clean. In addition, the 'Pure Fusion' range of cleaning products for use with the Dry Fusion system is odourless, colourless, non toxic, anti-static and more environmentally friendly.

As with the original Dry Fusion carpet cleaning system and perhaps most importantly for the end user, the impressive drying time for carpets cleaned with the new Dry Fusion system remains at only thirty minutes.

Both the Dry Fusion carpet cleaning system and Cristal Fusion upholstery cleaning system will be part of ongoing demonstrations at the Carpet Cleaners Carnival, together with tempting package deals exclusive to show attendees. Every visitor to the Dry Fusion stand will be eligible for an impressive 10% page 18

discount when placing an order for any Dry Fusion product, when they present the promotional voucher available on the stand at Carnival 2012.

Tel: +(44) 1772 433711 E: sales@dryfusionuk.com www.dryfusion.com/store

Eastby Services Ltd T/A Alltec Network

Chris Thomas, the managing director of Eastby Services Ltd, is now trading as Alltec Network. Alltec have been manufacturing and supplying the carpet cleaning industry since 1992 and we are proud to continue the same great Alltec products that you have been used to, with a renewed commitment to excellent customer service and satisfaction!

At Alltec Network, we offer more than just cleaning equipment. We manufacture our own range of cleaning and specialist stain removing chemicals, and hand build our own hot water extraction machines. Our staff have a combined service of over forty five years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience. We are here to offer advice on anything and everything!

The Alltec Network chemical range is being expanded over the coming months and we have launched our new website; www.alltecnetwork.co.uk where you can browse our range and place orders. We will give honest timescales on all orders that are placed (we know how frustrating it is to wait for orders!) and keep you fully informed, so that you can plan your business with the least disruption.

Alltec Network is still at the same location in Fowlmere, Royston, with easy access just off the M11 and A10. You can still contact us on 01763 208222, or fax us on 01763 208906.

Ms Karra Barford, Mr Ian Chillingworth and Mr Dennis Johnson have joined the new Alltec Network, and we have welcomed a new member of staff, Kerry Thomas. Together we will be committed to providing you with excellent products, service and customer relations.

Our opening hours are 8.30am-5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am-5pm Friday. We are also available on the telephone for emergencies 24-7

just give us a call!

Tel: 01763 208222 / E: chris@eastbyservices.co.uk www.alltecnetwork.co.uk

Fun Faces My name is Stephanie Farwell, I own Fun Faces which has been established for over twenty years. I provide face painting, balloon modelling and temporary tattoos for all events ranging from small birthday parties, to corporate fun days. I usually work alone but I can also provide teams of entertainers for larger events.

I started face painting in 1992 when I was asked to help out a local summer play scheme. I enjoyed the experience and decided it was something I could fit in with family life.

I began with practicing on my own children and painting at car boot sales, standing out in all weathers to gain experience. This didn't last long as I soon got my first booking with a local entertainment agency, a birthday party, and although my quality of work was not good, it gave me the stepping stone I needed to continue. One booking lead to another and the more I did, the better I became. In 1995 I joined “FACE�, the association of professional face painters. This gave me the opportunity to meet other like minded painters and also to work with them on corporate events.

Over the past twenty years I have won numerous competitions with my art work, I have been on TV and painted celebrities, worked with amazing artists, and enjoyed every moment.

Based in Coalville, Leicestershire, Fun Faces cover the Midlands area, but if required we can travel to any part of the country. Fully insured and enhanced CRB checked, all of our artists guarantee to provide a memorable experience for any event.

All the products used are FDA approved and cleanliness is always a priority.

Tel: 01530 456 733 or 07946 278 424 E: stephanie.farwell@ntlworld.com www.fun-faces.co.uk Continued on next page page 19

Continued from previous page

Heels Club Limited Heels Club Limited was established in 2006 and is primarily an online retailer of fashion footwear and, most recently, ladies lingerie.

Initially selling through one e-commerce web site, our range has become so large now that it has been divided into specific areas such as fashion, fancy dress, bridal and couture, each with its own e-commerce shop. All sites can be visited from our main company page at www.heelsclubltd.co.uk.

Our customer service is second to none and we operate a 'no quibble' return and exchange policy.

We hold UK stock of the most popular styles and have shipments arriving from the manufacturers at least once per week to keep delivery times to a minimum. We aim to make your online shopping experience as easy and secure as possible.

We will be showing a cross section of footwear from all of our sites as well as some of the recently launched lingerie range. There will be some great 'on the day' offers as well as a 10% discount on any other orders placed with us. We look forward to seeing you at the carnival.

Tel: 01536 203848 / E: shop@heelsclubltd.co.uk www.heelsclubltd.co.uk

Kirstys Kids Kirstys Kids is a non profit making charity aimed at helping children with special needs, where EVERY PENNY donated goes straight into projects which directly benefit the kids.

The charity has been running for twenty one months and has collected over £21,000. That's a fantastic £1,000 per month - a target they aim to keep to.

The funds, so far, have been distributed to:! £5,000.00 to Over The Wall - running adventure camps for kids with serious illness. ! £1,000.00 to Kilmaron Special Needs School for special sound and light boxes.

! £10,000.00 to CHAS - Rachel House and Robin House are hospices for children where special adjusting beds are needed. ! £5,000.00 also to CHAS for weekend breaks for teenagers - teenagers who have a serious illness are still teenagers and while they may be restricted in some ways they still like to do the things that other people their age do, especially going to music festivals etc.

Following their attendance at the Carpet Cleaners Carnival John Bryden, who runs Kirstys Kids with his wife Jan, will be training for his motorbike ride to Moscow next year. www.kirstyskids.org

Oates Laboratories UK Ltd Cleaners Warehouse in the UK has benefited from the surprise acquisition of its antipodean parent company Dry Fusion Australia.

E D Oates Pty Ltd, (a wholly owned division of G.U.D. Holdings Limited), located in Melbourne Australia, acquired ownership of the chemical product range and brands of: Research Products, Citrus Resources and also Dry Fusion Australia. Oates is the biggest supplier of janitorial products in Australia, leading the market both in the industrial and retail segments. This acquisition not only complemented their existing infrastructure but added further strength to their market leading position in the region.

One change that has been implemented very quickly is the transfer of the manufacture of Research Products and Citrus Resources chemicals destined for the UK market from Australia to the UK. The agreement to appoint cleanerswarehouse.co.uk as exclusive European distributor for the Citrus and Research brands has now been completed and under the agreement, all manufacturing is being done under license in the UK. Cleaners Warehouse is offering an impressive 10% discount to any customer who places an order for any Oates Laboratories' Research Products or Citrus Resources if they present the promotional voucher available on the stand at Carnival 2012.

Telephone: +(44) 1772 434333 E: sales@cleanerswarehouse.co.uk www.cleanerswarehouse.co.uk page 20

Prochem Europe Ltd Prochem Europe cleaning solutions on show include a selection from the company's extensive offers, together with hot water extraction machines including the Steempro Powermax, Polaris and truck mounted extraction machines. Also on show, will be the NEW Endeavour portable extraction machine featuring a 150 psi induction pump; 2 x 2-stage 6.2 inch brushless vacuum motors in parallel; 50 litre capacity; “slide-in” Heat 'N' Run unit; all new construction and design.

In addition, Prochem will have members of its training and technical support teams available to advise visitors for the duration of the show.

Founded in 1974, Prochem Europe Ltd. is a leading manufacturer of carpet, fabric and floor cleaning and maintenance products. Chemicals are manufactured at the Company's UK manufacturing site and are available from an extensive network of national and international distributors, along with its carpet, fabric and floor cleaning equipment, accessories and spares, backed with a range of industry-recognised training courses for carpet, upholstery and floor cleaning and maintenance at the company's Training Academy in Chessington, covering the latest techniques and maintenance methods.

Prochem is registered to ISO:9001:2008 and complies fully to the latest EC legislation and regulations for the supply of chemicals, as well as CE marking requirements for equipment. Prochem is a European wide trademark owned by Prochem Europe Limited.

The company was granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen for the supply of carpet cleaning products on 1st January, 2012.

Contact Paul Robinson - UK & International Sales Manager.

Tel: +44 (0)20 8974 1515 / E: sales@prochem.co.uk www.prochem.co.uk

ProTeam ProTeam will be showcasing their popular backpack vacuums, often used for commercial cleaning.

Lightweight backpack vacuums enable improved

productivity without shortcutting effectiveness. They were introduced twenty five years ago by the U.S. based company ProTeam, and it soon became a phenomenon in the commercial cleaning world for speed and efficiency.

Designed to fit like a mountaineering pack, a ProTeambackpack vacuum combines a high-powered motor and multi-level filtration system to uproot deep-seated particles and capture microscopic dust (they are 99.9% effective at capturing particulate matter at 1 micron and larger) with increased productivity and effectiveness.

A cleaning professional can achieve incredible speeds using a backpack vacuum, because the unit is more comfortable for the user than an upright or tank canister. ProTeam's 5.7 litre Super QuarterVac® HEPA has a slim profile that hugs close to the torso and weighs only 4.5 Kg. With a properly adjusted harness, the weight of the backpack vacuum rests mostly on the wearer's hips and is carried by the legs, much less grueling than pushing an upright back and forth with the arm and shoulder. The lightweight wand is easy to manoeuvre around obstacles. All of these design elements allow workers to clean longer with less effort.

The backpack vacuum not only cleans carpet, but hard floors, stairs, and upholstery in addition to high and low dusting.

In the day-to-day world of large-scale cleaning, a ProTeambackpack vacuum means getting a job done more quickly and with better results.

Tel: 01622 714800 www.capitalonline.biz

Sebo UK Ltd Made in Germany, SEBO are the world's biggest selling professional upright vacuum cleaners.

SEBO BS 36 & 46 Comfort, twin motor uprights have recently undergone a rework to utilise the latest innovations making the machines easier to use and further improve on our legendary reliability. Built for heavy duty use, SEBO DART twin motor uprights are designed to be lightweight and Continued on next page page 21

Continued from previous page highly manoeuvrable. With the DART UHS polisher head the DART can be converted into an ultra high speed polisher which creates a brilliant and hygienic finish on hard floors.

New to the SEBO commercial is the Professional D8 Cylinder. A high quality, powerful machine with lots of new technology giving high performance and robustness in a very quiet way.

SEBO also produce the DUO carpet dry cleaning system which is easy to use and is ideal for maintaining carpets in peak condition.

Tel. 01494 465533 / E: commercial@sebo.co.uk www.sebo.co.uk

Textile Cleaning Solutions Textile Cleaning Solutions are manufacturers of Industrial cleaning equipment, specialising in carpet cleaning machines and carpet cleaning supplies.

Established in 1998 we pride ourselves on the performance and quality of our products.

Our equipment is designed and manufactured inhouse allowing us to ensure the highest standards of build and quality.

On display at the show will be our innovative EMV All in One machine.

The EMV201 is not just a carpet cleaning machine but a versatile all rounder. The EMV201 will allow you to adapt to each cleaning task, whether it is industrial carpet cleaning using the low moisture Texatherm process or residential carpet cleaning using hot water extraction, upholstery cleaning or hard floor cleaning.

Come and have a play!

We look forward to seeing all our old clients and potential new clients.

Tel: 01934 521155 / E: sales@texatherm.com www.texatherm.com

Woolsafe Organisation The NCCA and The WoolSafe Organisation share many of the same goals, principally to improve the standard of professional carpet cleaning in our industry. We have been working together for our mutual benefit for decades with many of our members belonging to both camps. It is therefore with great pleasure that WoolSafe will be showing our support by exhibiting at

the NCCA Carnival again in 2012.

The Carnival is a great way to meet old, and hopefully make new, friends in an informal setting quite different to the usual trade shows we attend.

These are exciting times for WoolSafe with many new developments coming to fruition. We will be on hand to discuss the new European online training course that will be launching in September and the recent WoolSafe research into 'The influence of buffered cleaning agents on the cleaning of patterned wool carpets' carried out in our laboratory. Come and see us for a chat at stand 8 to find out more.

The WoolSafe Organisation is a resource for information and advice about carpet and rug care and a range of carpet care services to carpet owners, carpet suppliers and the providers of carpet care products. WoolSafe provides: ! networks of accredited carpet cleaning companies ! networks of registered carpet inspectors ! advice on how to care for carpets and rugs ! testing and accreditation of wool carpet cleaning and maintenance products Tel: 01943 850817 / E: office@woolsafe.org www.woolsafe.org

The event is FREE to attend and the attendees have FREE access to the park grounds, play area and lakeside. There is a charge for the fairground area as well as some of the other feature attractions, however, the NCCA have negotiated discounted rates for families wishing to visit these, generating substantial savings. Wristbands for entry to the fair can be purchased on the day, but in order to receive a discount you must present a voucher (available beforehand from the NCCA office).

In addition to the discounted entry to the fairground, we have also negotiated FREE parking passes for all Carnival visitors (normally ÂŁ6).

So, don't delay. Book your place and be eligible for all the discounts available to you. Ring the NCCA office on 0116 271 9550 for more information or to pre-register or book online at: www.ncca.co.uk Discounts will not be available without the vouchers.

We look forward to seeing you there! page 22

Forget the hard sell When you are in a prospect's home, it's time to forget about the 'hard sell' which can be offputting to a lot of people.

The key is to be a good conversationalist. Asking the right questions and learning to listen to the answers is the most important thing at this stage. So instead of breezing in with all guns blazing trying to establish your ability and credibility like some crazed salesman, simply chat to establish what the problem is. The services we offer, whether for textiles such as carpets, upholstery or curtains or hard surfaces, are all solutions to problems the prospective client may have. If you are offering a solution to a problem, you really won't need the hard sell.

Choosing a reputable company In an age of dishonesty, many potential customers are unsure who they can trust when it comes to having tradesmen do work in their homes.

It is a fact that many people now look for tradesmen who are trained, or part of an organisation or association. For some this is the main criteria.

The NCCA have been setting the standard for the cleaning and care of carpets, soft furnishings and hard flooring for over forty years.

We are contacted daily by the public for help, advice and referrals to NCCA members, and our website is also extremely popular with consumers looking for carpet cleaners.

New Businesses Every year, thousands of employees make the same decision - to start a business and become their own boss. While creating a company is relatively easy, making it work is another matter.

The stark truth is that two-thirds of all start-ups fail within just two years and only one in five will make it to five years. The economic downturn, during which obtaining finance is difficult, is another barrier to starting and growing a business from scratch. However, even in these difficult times, with a mixture of optimism and practical guidance on avoiding the pitfalls, it is still possible for a new company to be successful.

You must ask yourself if you have what it takes to start and manage your own business.

Be honest - there are likely to be sacrifices to be made. There is no alternative to putting in the hours, with little time - or money - for holidays.

Many start-ups fail because they set their sights too high early on. Remember - don't over-reach. Start small before committing heavy costs: learn to walk with one product or project before you run with others. This will better prepare you for a full-scale assault on the market.

Photographs: Stills from NCCA video ŠNCCA

Why you should have a video running on your website www.sitewizard.co.uk

D

id you know that YouTube is the second most searched place on the internet in the UK and the third across the world?

Also the average user spends between five and fifteen minutes a day on it. Every minute over twenty-four hours worth of video footage is uploaded onto it. With stats like this it makes sense to have your own video on there.

If you have a video hosted with YouTube people will be able to find you this way. If your YouTube account is created correctly and you have filled in the fields about your company then having your own channel can generate traffic to your website.

You can also put your video directly on to your website. Google will love this feature - a video embedded into your site creates movement; you can also embed search terms, which is another 'plus' in terms of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

What should you put on this video? Well, the video should be promotional and portray your company as professional and conscientious. It could display before and after pictures of jobs that you have completed as well as small pieces of text. The video doesn't have to run for ages, thirty seconds would be fine. In truth, in Google's eyes, it is how the video is created on your YouTube channel and page 24

which words you add to the title and description that are most important and not the content or length of the video.

If you are wondering how to create a video then wonder no further as there is a free service that is simple to use and creates nice looking videos that you can upload to your YouTube channel, then embed into your website FOR FREE! Go to: www.animoto.com.

Note from Newslink editor: The NCCA has recently created a consumer video with Eye Film and TV, to promote themselves and their members' professionalism.

This can be viewed on Youtube and is available to members free of charge to put on their websites and use in social media.

Full instructions on how to acquire the video for your own use are printed in ‘From the Editor’ on page 3. page 25

Photograph centre, taken at a Harry Potter exhibition: ©Derek Bolton

Derek Bolton

F

It’s a kind

or the last few issues I have written about upholstery fabrics, so this month I thought I might have a bit of a change and take a cynical light-hearted look at a common phenomenon or three.

Have you ever stopped to think about what our customers actually require from us or do you just take it for granted that they will be happy with your work?

I would hazard a guess that some prospective customers will expect their cleaned carpets to look like they did when they were new, even if they're fifteen years old and well past their best in terms of appearance. Some companies actually advertise that carpets will 'look like new' after cleaning, thereby adding to the customer's expectations of us all when they accept this promise with anticipation.

In the realms of stain removal no guarantee should be given of a completely successful result. That may sound very defeatist but just slip your thinking cap on for a moment. Firstly put yourself in the customer's place, just indulge me and imagine that you are NOT a cleaning technician and you know absolutely nothing about cleaning carpets. Last night you spilt a cup of tea/coffee or maybe a glass of wine on your lounge carpet. “Oh dear” you say to yourself “Should I call out a professional cleaner?” It is likely that this thought is quickly followed by “Don't be daft, not until I have attempted to get the offending stain out myself. There are loads of cleaning fluids under the sink one of them is bound to work”. Following many unsuccessful attempts with a variety of chemicals you then decide you had better bite the bullet; call in the professional.

This action may well be precipitated by a rather aggravated partner threatening dire retribution if you don't get it sorted out.

Now put yourself back in the position of the professional cleaner. Is your cleaning hat on straight? Just imagine (as the cleaner) that you have been called in to try and sort out this problem. Not only do you have the remnants of the original stain, you now have a cocktail of unknown chemicals

of magic to deal with as well and maybe secondary damage too. If at this point you (as the cleaner) were to ask you (as the customer) why you didn't call when the spillage first occurred, you would probably reply that your cleaning persona would have had the effrontery to charge you MONEY. You now have the job of carefully evaluating the item you are going to work on and deciding whether to use the usual carpet wand or resort to a magical wand (providing of course you have a suitable diploma for magic potion use from The Hogwarts Academy). I understand that this qualification may soon be a requirement for NCCA membership!

Ok, so now imagine the magic words have been uttered (EnceceayBoltono) with due reverence, the batswing/dragonspit microsplitting treatment has been mixed and applied using a suitably sized owl feather, it's now time for the wand (magic or otherwise) to be waved over the carpet (pointy hat is optional here) and any offending soil/stain miraculously disappears… make sure there is nothing up the sleeve. Hey this guy is REALLY good! The customer is bound to be impressed. All you have to do now is get busy with the pile brush.

Wait a minute, do we really need to do all this? The answer is, of course, no.

Remember, the customer was probably expecting to have a carpet that looks 'like new' following the clean, but you would have corrected them on this point whilst completing the survey… wouldn't you? Good, I thought you had. Sorry, I had a senior moment there; you're an NCCA member so you know that the customer's expectations should always match the reality of the situation.

Just a minute…. you really did remember to set the pile didn't you? Oh Dear it hardly looks 'like new' does it?

I must finish now as there is someone at the door…. Men in white coats. Won't be a minute fellas I'll just get my hat. Bye for now.

Avoid unnecessary tax payments

A

new report has estimated that small and medium-sized businesses in the UK are set to be charged a huge £7.15bn in unnecessary tax payments in 2012. That's an average of £1,589 per business.

The Small Business Tax Action Report from unbiased.co.uk found that businesses were losing much-needed cash by failing to take advantage of reliefs, allowances and tax efficient support schemes on offer. While there is no way of claiming this money back there are things you can do now to ensure that you don't lose out next year.

For starters, make sure you claim capital allowances on any assets purchased, such as vehicles, equipment and machinery. Capital allowances give tax relief for the reduction in value

Robert Downes (FPB)

of qualifying business assets by letting you write off their cost against the taxable income of your business.

You can also claim enhanced capital allowances for energy saving plant and machinery and very low emission cars, hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, as well as water conservation plant and machinery. Find out more on the Department of Energy and Climate Change website where the finer points of how firms can go about claiming are set out.

Businesses can also claim an annual investment allowance (AIA) of £25,000 for capital expenditure incurred on most items of plant and machinery, but not cars. It can be used for expenditure on Corporation Tax and Income Tax. page 28

Companies can also make big savings by using selfemployed contractors to fill skills shortages rather than taking on new employees. Head down this route and you usually don't have to make tax and national insurance contributions which are a healthy part of any firm's outgoings.

That said though it could be tempting to allow an employee to move into a self-employed contractor role to take advantage of this 'loophole', do be careful. Using 'disguised employees' - those that leave a company to become self-employed but continue working more or less full time - is in fact an illegal practice, so seek legal advice first. Saving money on your tax bill is one thing, committing a felony another.

Reducing the amount of money firms pay for fuel - one of the most heavily taxed commodities - is something all firms which operate vehicles could

do, but often don't, via fuel cards schemes. Fuel cards can help such firms reduce fuel bills by hundreds if not thousands simply by offering fixed, preferential fuel prices from the major suppliers.

The Forum itself offers a fuel card service for intermediate and advanced members, one haulage firm recently saving ÂŁ13,000 through the scheme.

And last, but not least, one way you can easily save money on your taxes is by filing and paying them on time. Penalties increased at the end of 2011 and they are now cumulative, so the longer you take to file your returns and pay bills and fines, the more money you'll waste.

Navigating tax matters can be confusing and these are just a few ways you can reduce your tax bill. You should seek the advice of your accountant or an independent financial adviser for a solution that is right for your business.

page 29

Items for sale BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, long-established, reputable NCCA Registered, working carpet, upholstery and soft furnishings cleaning company. Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Mobile HWE and dry cleaning system. Domestic and commercial clients. Genuine interested parties only please to call 07903 497298 and leave details.

CLEANING EQUIPMENT AND VAN 2 Dryfusion carpet cleaning machines, 2 Drizair 110 dehumidifiers, 2 turbo dryers, 1 Dri-eaz fogging machine, 2 Dryfusion stair tools with pads, 1 Advance Dryfoam rotary upholstery cleaner, plus 1 large sign-written white Fiat Ducato Turbo Diesel van (less than 5 years old - mileage 41,000). Must be bought as one lot - will not be sold as individual items. Total cost: £10,000. Phone Mike on: 01443 492455 or mob: 07881 807436.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Prochem 250 ft vacuum hoses for truck mount - £150.00.

Chemspec hose reel for truck mount plastic - £200.

Prochem sadle tank for truckmount 227 litre/60 gallons £300.00. Chemspec pile lifter hoover - £800.00. contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact andy on: 07970 544806.

TRUCKMOUNT AND VAN Baneclean Truck Mount and van for sale. Due to retirement I will consider offers in region of £3500. For further details of this bargain contact Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640, 07976 218304 or email at derek@aquamasteryorkshire.co.uk EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO START CLEANING CARPETS, UPHOLSTERY AND CURTAINS. Top of the range Ashbys Ninja 400psi portable hot water extraction machine with built in hot solvent system. Full sleeved high pressure V2 hose sets, twin wand, Kleenrite upholstery tool- Viton stem, stair and crevice tools. Sebo vacuum BS36, Sebo duo pre-treatment agitator, Hurricane pro air mover and chemicals, plus many more items. Also a Citroen Dispatch LWB 2007 in excellent condition.

Equipment - £2750, van - £4000, together - £6250 (no vat).

Contact: seanhanly1@hotmail.co.uk Telephone: 07411 769559.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Prochem Bravo (complete) portable carpet spot cleaning machine (hardly used). Prochem Galaxy compact carpet and upholstery cleaner, good condition with hose and wand. 3 speed air mover (nearly new). Prochem dry carpet system (never used) complete with 3 different sets of new brushes and renovation kit. Genuine reason for sale. All items are in very good working order. £2300 or very near offer. Call Keith on 07734 144409 (Kent).

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 1 kirby g4 vac c/w full set of tools unused since recent service £100 ono. 1 nuva electric protector spray trolley c/w lance and hand gun + coily hoses offers over £75. 1 3" CFR hand tool+1 extra 3" nozzle needs repair £50 ono. 1 twin jet s/steel wand needs brazing on jet mounts c/w teflon guide £40 ono. Buyer collects or arranges carriage on items. Contact Stephen on 07766 327327 (Essex area).

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator - £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Chemspec stainless steel 4 jet floor wand in good condition - £300.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885804560.

VACANCY & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Experienced full time Carpet and Floor Care Technician required. Own van and equipment would be an advantage but not essential. Good business incentive package (profit share or buy in). Area coverage M4 corridor from Bristol to London. Apply by email to glynn.norcutt@gnccontractservices.com with full CV, etc.)

BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, well established carpet, hard floor and upholstery cleaning business based on the London and Kent borders.

The package includes a 57 plate Vauxhall Vivaro LWB Van with 53k miles on the clock, Prochem Blazer GT Truck Mount machine with only 270hrs on the clock, established interactive website (which had SEO programme last year), chemicals, turbo drier, 250 feet of solution and suction hose and van mounted hose reels, together with a property maintenance company name, website and promotional materials. Contact telephone number 020 8309 6517. Sale price: £18,000 O.N.O. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Ashby's Ninja extraction machine 135 psi, 2 hoses, 2 carpet cands, upholstery tool, 1.5 hp Hurricane Pro Air Mover. Victor 400 floor buffer. Plus a selection of carpet and upholstery cleaning equipment, including a Prochem spotter kit, tarpaulins, grooming brushes etc. Ideal as a 'starter' kit. All items in excellent condition, for full list please see our website, http://www.regiscleaning.com/ Please call Regis Cleaning, on 0208 677 8031 or email:info@regiscleaning.com MACHINERY EQUIPMENT - ACCESSORIES Mercedes-Benz 108D Van - Fully Loaded. Dri-Eaz Dehumidifiers, Turbo Dryers, Instruments and Accessories.

Host 'Dry Extraction Cleaning System' - Machine and Accessories. For a complete list Please contact Jason on: 07580 182 325 or email: info@restoration-direct.co.uk TRUCKMOUNT AND VAN Hydramaster Boxer 421 Truckmount fitted in a Ford Transit van model 115 T350. Both in good condition. Taxed November 2012. MOT July 2013. Price includes all hoses, wands, shelving, Inline filter, safety ramp & other items £10,500 or nearest offer. Photographs available. Sale due to retirement. Email: office@sm-banbury.com Mobile 07917834836.

The Association advises that all goods are checked to be in a satisfactory condition, and comply to electrical and health and safety standards, etc. It is recommended that equipment serial numbers should be checked to ensure the seller is the legitimate owner. The Association accepts no responsibility or liability arising from any transaction or dispute between the buyer and seller.

NCCA Shop The NCCA has a number of items to order by members. Below are some of the more popular items purchased. For a full list of merchandise please visit the website on: www.ncca.co.uk.

Orders may be placed online, or you can contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550. + PAS86 Code of Practice £40.00 each + Carpet Care Survey Forms (Pad of 100) £20.50 each or £52.50 for 3 + NCCA Lapel Pin Badge £3.00 each + Large NCCA Van Sticker (21x7 inches approx) Pack of 2 for £17.63

NCCA Corporate Members + Allied Insurance Services Ltd: 0844 8156211 (I) + Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 01444 232211 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd: 01254 584404 (FI) + Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C) + Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W)

+ Small NCCA Van/Machine Sticker (12x3 inches approx) £2.50 each

+ Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F)

+ Promotional Leaflet 10p each (under 500), 8.5p each (500 and over)

+ Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M)

+ NCCA Tie £12.93 each

+ Dri-Eaz: 01908 611211 (C/M/T)

All prices include VAT and Postage and packaging.

A receipt invoice will be sent by the office. Please allow 21 days for delivery. Goods will not be sent until payment is received.

+ Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd: 01772 426527 (M) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr) + Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467 + Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers): 0845 4740068 (I) + Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr)T)

NCCA Member Benefits + HMCA (free legal and councelling helpline): 01206 366500 + SiteWizard (website creation): 08450 608860 + EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650 + Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860 + Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department): 01252 390385 + Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department): 0808 100 7890 + Adalante Merchant Services: 01628 820500 + Payatrader: www.payatrader.com + Control Account PLC: 01527 882901

+ Mailboxes Etc: 01628 633336 + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C) + Oates Laboratories (Europe): 01772 433711 (C) + Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T) + Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr) + Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C) + Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C) + The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K) + Truvox International Ltd: 02380 702200 (M) + Woodbridge Comercial Ltd: 01279 422220 (C/M) C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E - Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds / Fi - Finance

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Carpet and Upholstery Training Workshops and Courses Tailored to your professionals needs Call us for specialist training needs, either regional, in-house or one-to-one Specialist topics include subjects such as: ! Low Moisture Commercial Carpet Cleaning ! Colour Repair ! Insect Textile Treatment Technician ! Advanced Spot Removal ! Selling Carpet Protection and Effective Application Why not add to your abilities this year?

Full agendas and details are available from address below Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: info@chemspec-europe.com Website: www.chemspec-europe.com