newslink
ncca
July 2012
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Features:
New NCCA Video Accessorise and Modify ŠLiberty Twist by Cavalier Carpets
Contents 03 From the editor From the President 06 Stoneman’s Corner 08 Accessorise and modify 10 TrustMark - a government approved scheme TrustMark information from Diversity 12 How do you present your vehicle? Maintaining your machinery Power cables 14 New NCCA video available soon 16 Turn it over... 18 If at first you don’t succeed 20 Rug inspection 22 The benefits of blogging 24 Proposed tax system reforms 26 Expecting the unexpected - what is risk? 29 Marketing in a recession To rent or to buy? Agitation within the cleaning process
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 Franchise Liaison Director Denise Pitt Co-opted Directors Rob Whitbread (Corporate Liason) Martin Johns Christian Ramsey 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.
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From the editor
P
eople are already booking to attend the Carpet Cleaners Carnival this year - to be held on 15th September at Wicksteed Park - so if you haven't already booked, check in your diaries and if you are free then give us a call! The Carnival is unlike other industry events, with the main focus being on fun for all the family. It is free to attend and open to everyone in the industry, together with their friends, partners and children. The day will include attractions such as an activity and games area, ladies interest stalls and evening entertainment, as well as free access to many of the features within Wicksteed's acres of beautiful parkland. This does not mean, however, that business will take a back seat. The event will also feature an exhibition populated by many of the top industry manufacturers, suppliers and advisors from within and outside the Association, together with demonstrations and workshops to run throughout the day - an excellent networking opportunity and fantastic occasion to bring together the professionals and revitalise the trade. As part of the event, attendees will have free access to the park grounds, play area and lakeside. Additionally the NCCA has negotiated discounted
rates for families wishing to make use of the feature attractions and fairground rides. There will also be free parking for all Carnival visitors. It is vitally important, however, Nikki Law that you pre-register with the NCCA office to be eligible for these discounts. Vouchers and passes will need to be provided in advance and these offers will not be available on the day without them. Contact the NCCA office today to confirm your attendance. Before the event, registered attendees will receive a pack including applicable vouchers, directions to the venue, catering options and other relevant information. We are looking forward to some fun and festivities for the entire carpet and upholstery cleaning industry. So join us on the 15th September and be part of the Carpet Cleaners Carnival! Correction to last month’s ‘From the editor’ Unfortunately the wrong date for the Carnival was published in last month’s Newslink. We would like to apologise and reiterate that the date for this year’s Carnival is the 15th September and not the 17th as mistakenly printed.
From the President
I
recently carried out a carpet inspection in a clients home, not long after the carpets had been cleaned by someone else. Within three weeks of the clean the carpets were already looking soiled again and I was called in to assess the situation. I did a simple test spraying a neutral spotter on a small patch of the carpet, blotting with a white cloth… and it was as if the soil just jumped off the carpet! I then did a residue test to see if there was any soap in the carpet and sure enough the pipette became full of froth in seconds. I asked the client what the cleaner did and how long he was there. She said he brought a big machine in the house and left it in the hall, put three buckets of water in it and twenty minutes later he was finished. The total area cleaned was forty five metres. This was someone she had procured from an internet search and who had priced over the phone. In itself there is nothing necessarily wrong with that,
however, a prerequisite of a successful clean is to carry out a pre-clean survey to assess the work to be done, because only then can you really produce an accurate quotation. For instance, with regard to this particular clean, in reality even vacuuming forty five metres of carpet can take longer that twenty minutes, if you're thorough, and this is a fundamental part of the cleaning process, so needs to be charged accordingly. In the long term healthy profit margins are not down to the speed with which you complete a job, but more to do with your ability to retain clients and gain referrals and recommendations. After all, ability to complete jobs in record time is irrelevant if you only have two jobs booked a week because your clients have gone somewhere else. I use an 11-Step Plan to carry out the cleaning work and give my clients a copy of it so that they can Continued on next page Page 3
Continued from previous page follow the process if they wish. I have included it below for your perusal, you may not agree with it, but it works. Try it and enjoy. STEP 1: Pre-Inspection Our technician will walk through your home with you to visually inspect the carpet. He will identify potential permanent stains and give you an evaluation of expected results. Step 2: Pre-Vacuum Dry soil is removed by a thorough vacuuming. Removing dry soil is one of the most important steps in cleaning. Step 3: Moving Furniture Our regular pricing includes moving sofas, chairs, tables and smaller items. Beds, dressers, and heavier pieces are left in place under our regular pricing structure. One of our consultants can quote the exact cost including any heavier pieces. Step 4: Pre-Spot Difficult spots are pre-treated with special solutions to increase chances of removal. Step 5: Pre-Spray A preconditioning agent is applied to break down traffic area soil and general spots for more thorough cleaning.
Step 6: Pre-Grooming A professional carpet groomer is used to further loosen the soil. Step 7: Soil Extraction and Rinse The carpet is thoroughly rinsed with a powerful extraction cleaning system without over wetting the carpet or leaving a sticky residue behind. Step 8: Neutraliser Every carpet that we clean is pH balanced so that there is no sticky residue left behind. This also leaves you carpet soft and fresh. Step 9: Post Spot Any spots or stains still remaining will get extra treatment with our many speciality spotting solutions. Step 10: Post Groom Your carpet is groomed with a professional groomer so that the pile of your carpet is standing tall when we leave. Post grooming helps the carpet pile dry faster and in the right position. Step 11: Post Cleaning Inspection We will walk through your home with you to point out the cleaning results to make sure that you are completely thrilled with the job. Next month I will share my 10 Step Plan for cleaning upholstery.
Member referral report
Diary Dates 2012
Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 81 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 40 referrals from the NCCA office, 37 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 4 referrals to members without an email address, which we have tracked using the office database. Of the potential customers who contacted the NCCA office for a referral to a member, 2 had been directed to us from the large pharmaceutical company Glaxosmithkline. Of the potential customers who contacted members direct through the website, 3 had contacted us after reading an article - referencing the NCCA - in a magazine.
NCCA COURSES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 21st - 22nd September 23rd - 24th November
NEW NCCA MEMBERS FULL MEMBERS The Green Cleaning Machine Ltd (Huddersfield, West Yorkshire) Aura Carpet and Upholstery (Bristol, Avon) Carpet Clean Surrey (Walton on Thames, Surrey) First Diamond Carpet Cleaning Ltd (Colchester, Essex) Pro Spec Carpet Care Ltd (Chesterfield, Derbyshire) Suds Specialist Cleaning (Portsmouth, Hampshire) Rugged Carpet Cleaning (Gillingham, Kent) Bedazzled (Swansea, Wales) Apple Cleaning Services (Pagham, West Sussex) REJOINED Mobile Carpets (Dumfries & Galloway)
Carpet Cleaners Carnival 15th September (Wicksteed Park, Kettering, Northamptonshire) Carpex 3rd - 4th October Ricoh Arena, Coventry Spot & Stain Removal 19th October Health & Safety for Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners 18th October 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) Fire & Smoke Restoration Technician 25th - 26th July with Adam Jankowski Water Restoration Technician 1st - 3rd August with Adam Jankowski Applied Structural Drying Technician 18th - 21st September with Adam Jankowski Held at National Flood School, Farnham, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 IICRC COURSES (HERTS) Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician 31st July - 1st August with Paul Pearce Stone, Masonry & Ceramic Tile Cleaning Technician 17th - 18th September with Keith Robertson Carpet Cleaning Technician 2nd - 3rd October with Paul Pearce Held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222 Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses
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Keith Robertson
Stoneman’s Corner Who are your clients and what are you selling them?
O
ver the last couple of hundred years the British have become more and more interested in owning their own homes, although there is still doubt as to how this will continue as it has become increasingly difficult for young couples, without family help, to put together a deposit. Certainly over the last three generations or so an increasing number of people have preferred to purchase rather than rent. This was assisted in the seventies by government policy to allow council tenants to purchase the homes they rented. Most of us who have purchased houses live in fairly standard thin walled boxes as few of us can afford to purchase a property of choice. If we could choose, what sort of property would it be? According to some of the upmarket property agents, 75% show a preference to live in Georgian properties and many of the younger generation have a desire to live in Victorian properties. In the cities and many towns these Georgian and Victorian properties offer greater space, have larger rooms with higher ceilings and many features from
cornices to magnificent fireplaces. For those of us developing a high-end residential cleaning business it is in our interest to pay attention to these types of properties. This is because firstly the average square footage of the properties is considerably larger than that of the post-World War II estates of semi-detached properties and, secondly, because generally the owners have greater disposable wealth to look after them. More often than not they are better educated so there is a greater likelihood that they at least partly understand the reasons why they should clean fabrics, including carpets and soft furnishings, if not regularly at least periodically. This in turn means that they are on the whole easier for us to sell to and if we are, for example, using large flyers to introduce our services there is a good chance that a fair percentage of them will read through them. Direct mail should still be an important part of your marketing programme as it allows you to pinpoint the specific streets and areas you can build your business in. page 6
It is also the case that a higher percentage of these houses will have a broad mix of floor surfaces which means that, if you are not restricting your business to carpet cleaning, you are more likely to find the type of customers who need help to restore wood, ceramic tile, stone and resilient floors. Now this doesn't mean that you are obliged to look after all the surfaces but it does allow you to expand your services into new areas. Cleaning ceramic and porcelain tiles might well be the starting point and, in fact, if you are a sole operator you may decide that this one extra niche service is sufficient to allow you to increase your turnover to the level you need. By simply adding a standard speed single disc rotary machine and a hard surface extraction tool you can start to successfully clean tiles. More powerful extractors with spinning floor tools may improve your efficiency and reduce the time each job takes but they are not essential if you are simply 'sticking your toe in the water'. The rule of thumb is to set your tile and grout cleaning prices at around three times the charge for cleaning carpet. Doing this will allow you room to manoeuvre if you feel a discount is required when selling this as an add-on to cleaning carpets on the same visit. Some tiles do require a little more skill. Victorian tiles are likely to have been on the hall floor for more than one hundred and twenty years, so you can be sure they will have had all sorts done to them over their lifetime, although in many cases they will have been protected by being covered by lino, vinyl or carpet for half of that time. It is important to inspect Victorian tiles carefully to ascertain whether they have been sealed and, if so, by what. In recent years they may have been coated with a water-based topical product but prior to that they may have been treated with an oleo-resinous varnish, waxed or soaked with Linseed oil. They should be thoroughly stripped or cleaned-back before any new protectant is added. Consider carefully how you should finish the floor. It is possible to apply water-based topical
sealants to provide a good looking finish and many do, but if you want the floor to have a long life with minimal maintenance you will find that protecting the tiles with a spirit based enhancing impregnator is the answer. It will take longer, as the floor must be absolutely dry before starting, and each coat, whether two or three, will need longer drying time between them; the products do cost more and so it is necessary to charge a higher price but you will get, at least in my opinion, a superior result. At the time of the survey you should check whether there are loose tiles as they should be refixed. If there is damage you might want to consider adding the repair and replacement of tiles to the service you offer. It is possible to find sources of preused tiles and there is still at least one manufacturer making tiles as our Victorian forebears did, although it is important to understand that most tile makers do not make tiles to the same thickness and measurements of original Victorian tiles. Early Victorian and Georgian properties regularly used flagstones in halls and kitchens and stone was also used for staircases. Each of these can provide a source of work but only if you become competent at doing them. Unfortunately, most weeks I see examples of poorly carried out work which in some cases is disgraceful. Many historic floors have been vandalised rather than restored, so please make sure that if you decide to move from tiles to stone you have learned just what is, and isn't, possible. Full restoration of early stone can be very time consuming and it is not unusual for charges of up to £140.00 per m² plus VAT to be made. If you are the customer paying that amount you will want to be reassured that the contractor has a thorough knowledge and the experience to carry out the work correctly and sympathetically. Thank goodness that so many people in the UK value property ownership. Without them it would be even more difficult for us to develop our businesses. Fortunately, most of our competitors are too busy to specifically target their ideal customers preferring a shotgun approach, so that should give us a greater opportunity to put some thought into how we plan to be successful. page 7
ŠPhotographs: Ken Wainwright
Wand and glide
Accessorise and modify
A
manufactured item is typically designed to suit the average person in the average environment and doing the average job. However, it's a fact that we all like to 'tinker' to make manufactured items more personal and to better suit our specific needs, whether it be a car, motorcycle, caravan or even our home. Our vans and carpet cleaning equipment, i.e. our tools of trade, are no different. Vans are easy to modify. We can ply line the floor and walls, maybe add thermal insulation. Racking is available 'off the shelf' or many of us will build our own timber shelves. It's amazing how a day with a toolbox can transform the way you load and work from a vehicle. But what about our cleaning equipment? Surely that is something that can't be modified. Well,
Ken Wainwright actually, you may have already made adjustments without even thinking about it. Probably the most popular modification is simply to change the jets on a carpet wand, perhaps just changing from brass to stainless steel to improve durability, or larger or smaller jets to alter the rinsing characteristics to suit your specific needs. Many of us these days have added glides to our wands, some of us claim superior drying performance, but all of us have found personal benefits when it comes to our health and stamina. Our extraction machines too can be modified/upgraded. You will often find that a manufacturer will embrace new component technology and apply it to their existing machines. I clearly remember having a machine that started out with a 70psi water pump. It was later upgraded to page 8
100psi and eventually 135psi. No great technical challenge, just a simple replacement exercise using existing fittings. I have done the same thing in the past with vacuum motors too. You will find that most machine manufacturers are willing to advise on this type of modification and upgrade. “Surely you can't improve the humble vacuum cleaner?� you may say. Well, actually you can. My own vacuums are from an NCCA Corporate Member company, who are one of the few manufacturers who offer an upgraded, stiffer brush head. You simply slide out the old and slip in the new. This stiffer brush is a great asset for most carpet types. I have also accessorised my vacuum cleaner with the addition of clips to hold my crevice and stair tools. There are also other things we can do to improve our working lives. I personally have a thing about the colour of electric power cables. All of my extension leads are in high visibility yellow, much easier to see than, for example, grey. I also have a policy of fitting high visibility cables when replacements are required. Many of us will use our dry compound carpet cleaning machines to agitate our pre-sprays when rinse/extraction cleaning. I've spoken to many users who still only use the brushes as fitted to the machine upon purchase. Most manufacturers offer alternative grades of brush as accessories for their machines. The difference this can make is considerable. These simple additions can not only broaden the use of your machine, but frequently
make the task quicker and with better results. On my own rinse/extractor, I've made an addition to the lid on the freshwater tank. By adding a simple bathroom fitting I now have somewhere to easily store my spotting solutions and brush when working on-site. I've seen colleagues who have added a bicycle drinking water carrier to the handle/shaft of a rotary machine. Again, it's somewhere to keep a spray bottle of spotting solution when rotary cleaning. Bungee cords and Link Straps are popular accessories that are invaluable accessories for both tying coils of hose and securing them, when in use, to a flight of stairs. Modifications to There's a long list machinery of accessories and modifications that have proven to be beneficial to us, but there's always something new, and often simple, that we've never come across before. And it may be you who has the unique 'gizmo' or tool that could improve all our working lives. Why not share it with us? A brief paragraph or two and, preferably, a photograph is all that you need to send to the NCCA office for it to be included in a future edition of Newslink. If you're not confident in your typing skills or the written word, no problem there either. Just phone Nikki at the NCCA office and she'll ghost write the article for you or edit what you have written. Finally, with all modifications, safety has to be your prime concern. If you are not qualified or confident to complete any work to the highest standards required, employ a capable person to complete the work for you. page 9
TrustMark - a government approved trader scheme Glyn Charnock TrustMark is a government approved trusted trader scheme. Formerly aimed at the building industry, they are keen to broaden the range of home maintenance services they provide on their website and wish to include carpet and upholstery cleaning. To this effect the NCCA is in discussion to become a scheme operator on behalf of TrustMark. Providing consumers with details of tradesmen who meet their strict criteria, their website attracts around 300,000 hits per month. There is a cost to the members who sign up, and we are in conversations with Diversity Management Services about how much this might be. The current TrustMark system is that, along with other checks, every member must receive a site visit to assess the standard of their work on joining and again every three years. However, it is likely that NCCA training, our insistence on treatment risk insurance, and compliance with our Code of
Practice will remove this requirement, reducing the cost to members accordingly. The benefits of TrustMark membership are primarily referrals from the TrustMark website, along with the use of the TrustMark logo to inform potential clients that the business is accredited by the government backed scheme. If any members are interested in joining TrustMark then please contact the NCCA office on 0116 271 9550. Please see below further details - from Diversity Management Services.
TrustMark information from Diversity Management Services
R
ogue firms are an annual ÂŁ1.5 billion problem for homeowners across the country and for a long time there was no national scheme to signpost consumers to reliable and quality companies. That is until TrustMark was set up in 2005 as a Government-backed quality mark scheme for firms. It operates under licence from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). TrustMark provides a free search facility on its website to enable consumers to 'find their local firms' using a simple postcode search facility against selected trades and services. It is a not-for-profit scheme and a social enterprise committed to greater consumer empowerment. With the largest database of accredited firms in the UK, TrustMark has more than 20,000 licenced
registered trades nationwide. Recent months has seen an increase in demand for services related to the maintenance of homes, such as carpet and upholstery cleaning, the redecoration of rooms and the installation of new kitchens / bathrooms and other trades as more people are tending to do more home improvement's to freshen up their existing properties. How does TrustMark work? Firms are vetted through an on-site inspection and if successful are then registered with TrustMark via page 10
a licenced scheme operator. TrustMark acts as the oversight body for these scheme operators, ensuring a consistency of standards across a wide range of trades and services. Scheme operators and their registered firms sign up to a carefully-monitored and audited code of practice that includes insurance, good health and safety practices and customer care. There are other 'find-a tradesmen' schemes, however, TrustMark is the only organisation to require on-site inspections to check a tradesmen's business processes using independent, qualified inspectors. The future In the six years since TrustMark was launched, the scheme has continued to grow steadily. Homeowners are increasingly searching
online for accredited and reliable businesses -TrustMark tradesmen’s details were viewed 3.2 million times last year and there are over 300,000 viewings of firms' details every month through www.trustmark.org.uk. TrustMark continues to be the only national scheme to operate to Government endorsed standards and the only 'find a service' scheme to involve both industry and consumer interests in its governance and Board. For further information about TrustMark visit www.trustmark.org.uk or speak to Steve Terry at Diversity Management Services who are a scheme operator on 0115 9673767.
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.
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FOR SALE MACHINERY - EQUIPMENT ACCESSORIES Mercedes-Benz 108D Van - Fully Loaded £3000 Dri-Eaz Dehumidifiers, Turbo Dryers, Instruments and Accessories Host 'Dry Extraction Cleaning System' Machine and Accessories For a complete list please contact Jason Telephone: 07580 182 325 or email: info@restoration-direct.co.uk
How do you present your vehicle? There are many forms of transport on the market today and the requirements of each individual will be different, whether it is an estate car, small van or a transit van. The main function of the vehicle is to get you from A to B. One of the main questions here is how do you present your vehicle? Is it a moving rust heap? Is it caked in mud, or perhaps you keep it looking A1 but it is smothered in writing? Either way it can be a bad move. You may not be able to afford a new van but you can look after what you do have. After all, it is an advertisement for your business. A re-spray need
not cost the earth but it will make your vehicle look so much better. Wash it regularly; again this is an advert for your services. Make sure that the windows are clean as well as the mirrors. Accidents do happen because of bad visibility. Keep your vehicle serviced, breakdowns not only cost money, they also lose you money if your vehicle is off the road. Check the tyres; they're not cheap these days. Make sure that your load/machines etc are secured in the back. If you have to break sharply, any loose items will travel forward fast! If that happens you could be injured, or equipment could be damaged. It is also a good idea to carry a first aid kit and fire extinguisher and remember those MSDS sheets.
Maintaining your machinery
Power cables
A machine, which breaks down whilst undertaking a job, is definitely not a good way of inspiring confidence in a prospect, so make sure that mechanical maintenance is regularly undertaken. Listen to the rhythm of your machine. By listening you can tell if something is starting to go wrong long before it actually breaks down. But just in case something does go wrong you should always have the tools to be able to make minor running repairs to your machine without assistance. Calling for assistance may make you look less competent than you are in the eyes of some people. If all else fails you should always make sure you have spare equipment on your van to back you up.
The power cords on many machines are grey or black. Why? Muted colours are often better camouflaged and although this is more aesthetically pleasing, unfortunately this could also make them a trip hazard. Some machines are supplied with a bright yellow power cord. The aesthetics of the machine are therefore awful, but it certainly reduces the trip hazard. So, a question for our equipment manufacturers is: Do you have a duty to minimise the trip hazard created by the use of your equipment? If so, should you put function before form and fit bright, visible power cables to your machines? This would then enhance our mutual obligations to health and safety regulations, instead of complicating them. In the meantime, we can all help ourselves by using more suitable colours when we need to replace old or damaged cables. page 12
New NCCA video - available soon for member’s websites Glyn Charnock from Cleanright and Nikki from the NCCA office couldn't make it. Now being short on ladies I rang round friends to see if anyone was free with no luck.
Family to the rescue Paul takes centre stage
From the left: Glyn Charnock, Nigel Lay and NCCA members Karl Wildey and Tim Adams
Norwich, who make all types of films from YouTube videos to training films and documentaries, we organised a meeting. Nigel Lay, our Events Director, came over to Norwich and we met with Charlie from Eye to produce a script for the video. Within a couple of weeks Paul Pearce and Nigel were at The Holiday Inn in Norwich to take part in the filming. This is where Mrs. C and I got married, and they kindly provided a meeting room and refreshments free of charge. Since the video is for members we invited local NCCA members to be involved, and Karl from Connoisseur and Tim from Poppyland kindly gave up their time to be part of the day. Sadly Debbie
Paul takes centre stage
Unfortunately for a camera shy Mrs. C, having avoided being in the survey and carpet cleaning part of the video in the morning, she was now the only lady left and reluctantly had to be in the page 14
ŠPhotographs: Glyn Charnock
W
hen quoting for a job I try to explain to my clients about the NCCA and how members are trained and fully insured etc, and how they should always use an NCCA member, so at least if I don't get the job the chances are one of the other local members will. Having watched the video on the NCCA website, Mrs. C thought of an idea. The NCCA should promote themselves and their members' professionalism with a short consumer video that members could use on their own websites. Having discovered Eye Film and TV, based in
training video. Hats off to Paul, he had to repeat parts of his training course over and over a dozen times to be shot at different angles. He has the patience of a saint! To make best use of everyone's time, we had also organised Paul to do a piece to camera, for another video for use in a later project. Leaving Paul and Nigel to pack everything away, we then headed off to film scenes at a local carpet retailer and upholstery supplier. With some magic work from Eye Film and TV we hope the video will raise awareness of the NCCA and help boost members website rankings in Google. The video will be available to members free of charge to put on their websites, promoted through Youtube, and available in a mobile friendly format for use on smart phones.
A big thank you to Karl and Tim. We have seen the first edit, and the video should be available to members very soon.
Turn it over...
W
Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)
hen assessing soft furnishings prior to cleaning you should always lift the corner of a carpet and, if cleaning upholstery, look at the inside of a cushion to inspect the reverse side of the covering. If you just take the time to look, the information you find there will help you decide what to use and how to clean. Carpets Lifting the carpet will allow you to see how the carpet is made and what fibres are involved. Without this information the risks when it comes to cleaning increase. Whilst you have the carpet lifted discreetly in the corner of a room, the integrity and type of fitting used can also be checked. There are still many cleaners operating who have absolutely no idea what they are cleaning and just blindly go sailing in with their 'magic wand'. I received a call for help recently regarding an
incident where the carpet had shrunk. After a bit of quizzing I discovered that the carpet had been fitted using the System 10 method. I am sure all NCCA members reading this will know what I'm referring to, but in this particular scenario the carpet was apparently quite dirty and extra moisture was introduced to the clean resulting in the shrinkage. If this carpet had been checked out and the fitting method identified, then a different cleaning technique would have been adopted and it would have prevented the shrinkage occurring. Remember my article a while back where I referred to cleaners using a sledgehammer approach‌. well this is a case in point. Upholstery Likewise with upholstery fabrics always, where possible, open up a cushion and have a look at the back of the fabric you are intending to clean. Bear page 16
Colour migration
ŠPhotographs on this page: Derek Bolton
in mind that much of the fabric manufacturing is the customer aware immediately if you come now carried out abroad and although you'd expect across this it to be checked as 'fit for purpose' before being Also, check the amount of colour which shows released for sale, I have to admit that I have through from the front onto the reverse side of the personally come to regard such checks with a deal fabric as this will provide an indication of dye of scepticism. saturation. One example is the use of the Direct Dye, which is Sometimes the colours on the reverse of the used on natural fibres; this fabric fabric bear no resemblance to will be pH sensitive. I couldn't what is on the face of the fabric resist it so I googled 'direct dye' with regard to colour - a timely and the information I obtained reminder to take great care. was quite enlightening. Remember colours can fade over Characteristics: time through day to day use, also ! Wide colour range by the use of strong alkaline ! No brilliant colours cleaning agents. Colours can move Look at reverse side of fabric ! Used where fastness is not if high alkaline chemicals are used, necessary many technicians forget that this ! Used on protein, cellulose fibres also applies to spotting chemicals. I would have thought that dye fastness was a Many cleaning technicians hate cleaning fabrics desirable quality for upholstery fabrics wouldn't for the simple reason that they don't understand you? them. Just take time to think things through, as So, obviously a good reason to inspect the back of there is always a way to clean them without a the fabric is for any sign of colour movement. Make catastrophe.
If at first you don’t succeed
I
don't expect you know much about Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka but in their time they were a great example to all struggling would-be entrepreneurs. No they weren't carpet cleaners; nevertheless, they were just as passionate about their business as we are about ours. Akio was mad about electronics and met his older business partner Masaru when serving in the Japanese navy during World War II. In 1946, after leaving the navy with about $500.00, they formed the grand sounding Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation. Their dream for the business, which had been set-up in a burned-out department store with around 20 employees, was to produce successful electronic products.
Keith Robertson
They started off with products such as an automatic rice cooker which, it is rumoured, had a propensity for burning the rice rather than cooking it and a portable tape recorder which, weighing in at 75 pounds, didn't sell as well as they hoped. They didn't give up but kept trying new ideas and in 1957 they had more success with a radio which was almost small enough to fit into a pocket. In 1960 they produced the first transistor television. As the years moved on they released the Betamax home video recorder in 1975, the Walkman in 1979 and the Discman in 1984. Before I tell you that Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka changed the name of their company to one that was much easier to remember you have page 18
probably by now worked out that it was Sony. Throughout the decades Sony continued to innovate including, in 1998, their Memory Stick format and later flash memory cards which were used in digital cameras and portable music players. The 90's saw the introduction of the Play Station and later the VAIO range of computers. It isn't necessary to change your business name to be successful but it is important to make sure you are selling something that people need and want and fulfils their expectations. It is equally important that you don't give up. If something isn't working consider how you can adjust or alter it. Akio Morita, who outlived his partner by two years, died in 1999 but left us with a quote which is worth our consideration “Don't be afraid to make a mistake. But make sure you don't make the same mistake twice.� Do you apply this rule in your business or do you keep trying the same thing again and again ever hopeful that next time it might work?
We probably don't have the ambition of either of these men but we can learn from their desire throughout their working lives to strive for quality. Whether we decide to sell upmarket or midmarket it is important that we provide a good service. Sony proved that you don't need to sell cheap to be successful. There is no sin in being expensive as long as you deliver value. At a time when Japanese products were considered to be inexpensive copies of goods made in the US, Europe and the UK, they developed a policy of globalisation which could only be achieved through a combination of improving on quality and increasing profit margins. Akio Morita was even prepared to move to the US with his family to better move his company forward. The company continued to grow after the death of the founders. Turnover peaked in 2007 at $97,714,000, 000. Since then they haven't fared so well but no doubt the current management team hasn't forgotten the early lessons of Akio Morita and Masaru Ibuka‌ and nor should we.
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Rug inspection
M
Peter Collins
any problems can be hidden in a rolled up rug, such as (but not restricted to), wear, stains, patches, mildew, moth infestation, fringe damage, distortion and pile damage. So before you take it away to clean it, unroll the rug and inspect it thoroughly. Record any problems on your survey form and also verbally inform your client and make sure they are aware these issues are present before you have carried out any work. Once you have taken the rug away, it's very hard to convince your client you have not caused any
damage during cleaning. If you have not taken the time to inspect the rug properly, you could end up owning the rug (i.e. having to pay your client for a new one) or, possibly worse, claiming on your insurance. That is, if you have proper cover for carrying out work on rugs - something you should all check if you are not sure. When you are asked to clean a rug which is hand knotted or flat woven, always look at the back of it. This is to check that any pattern on the front of the rug is just as clear on the back. If it is machine made, this can be identified by looking at the page 20
threads on the back. Machine made rugs have threads that overlap and are uniform in appearance. Also check to see if the pile is knotted, to do this pull a thread, if it does not come away it is knotted. The fringe should also be pulled gently at each end of the rug; this test will show you if the fringe is an integral part of the rug or if it has been sewn in at a later stage. Fringes are usually made using the ends of the warp threads. When inspecting a rug there are many things to consider, such as the aesthetic qualities of the rug, the patterns, colours, yarns and the technical
quality of the weaving. Look to see how closely the rug has been woven, the type of yarn and dyes that have been used. Also take into consideration the age of the rug and its condition. An important thing to remember is to look at the back of the rug. Here you can determine the number of knots it has. This can vary enormously, depending on the type and quality of the rug. Higher quality rugs will usually have more knots per square inch. A medium quality rug would have between 120 and 300 knots per square inch. It can be very difficult to establish the age of a rug, although you may see Islamic numbers or translated western dates or characters appearing in the borders or field of some rugs. Styles and motifs may not be much help either, as the same designs have been used over the centuries in every area of production. One thing that may help is to try
establishing whether chemical dyes have been used, if so you can at least date a rug as being woven later than 1860. Antique rugs have well balanced designs, which include the use of open and filled spaces; on the other hand, later dated rugs are more likely to be haphazard. Older rugs usually have motifs that are woven and incorporated in a traditional weaving pattern, while newer type rugs, which may have the same motifs, are woven in a highly stylised and exaggerated form. Colour is also a factor, as older rugs usually have many strong, brilliant colours, while others made in the 20th Century tend to have fewer colours and pastel tones. If you look at the back of a rug, you might well find holes in the warp threads. This is usually damage caused by moths. A few small holes can be repaired, if you are competent; however extensive damage would require the services of a
professional, so an expert repairer should be contacted. One way of gaining further knowledge is to contact a local in house rug cleaning/restoration expert. Seeking out such a person would be of mutual benefit as you both could learn from each other, offer services and gain extra work. The knowledge acquired would give you an in depth understanding of potential problems and how to solve them. page 21
The benefits of blogging
S
pending time, money and energy getting your company website looking magnificent and then not telling anyone about it, is like buying your family's favourite dessert and putting it at the back of your kitchen cupboard to be forgotten about. Blogging would be a great way to publicise your website and they're also free to own and update, what could be better than that? Throwing together a quick couple of paragraphs, an image or two, and a hyperlink provides a much more relaxed and easily digestible alternative source of information for your website visitors to indulge in. Or you may wish to keep the blog as professional and concise as your website; it is completely up to you. Not only is blogging good for providing up to date information, it is also fantastic for networking. Asking a mind-boggling or controversial question in a blog opens up a gateway for discussions and debates with people and businesses all over the world; people and businesses that you otherwise would not have necessarily been exposed to. You
www.sitewizard.co.uk can also build on existing client relationships, establish new ones, and generally communicate with like minded businesses and business people. Development and learning is another factor that spurs businesses on to create a blog that is regularly updated and commented upon. This is because the business itself can benefit and learn from other peoples' comments, suggestions and links. Writing blog entries aids personal development, as this encourages a practice for writing tones and how messages come across to readers. On a more technical note, regularly updating a blog and providing links between the blog and your website makes for a very, very happy Google. Generating traffic between your blog and website boosts your optimisation statistics and could in turn provide a wider profit margin. If you included advertising space on your blog, things could get all the more profitable. Adding a handy blog feed onto your website is a simple way to link the two together, and it looks page 22
great when proudly displayed as a feature. Blog feeds help to reassure website visitors that the company is serious about their active online presence; as would a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) campaign in conjunction with an all singing and dancing website. If you are thinking about linking up a blog with your website or already have one but would like to improve it, below are a few tips to get your blog noticed: ! Engage readers within the heading and first couple of sentences of each blog. ! Keep the fonts, layouts and tones consistent. This looks far more professional and less 'busy'. ! Spell check, check, and check again. It is worth getting a colleague to proof read each blog post to ensure the content reads right. ! Keep images to a minimum, if you have too many the blog will look very cluttered. ! Break up the pages and make your blogs easily readable using bullet points, subheadings, paragraphs, tables, charts, diagrams etc.
! Allow for conversation to take place using more than one method (polls, competitions, discussions and debates). ! Ensure keywords are used in tags and categories, and use a large amount of keywords within the actual content of the post. This is how people will find your blog. ! End each post with a statement encouraging readers to perform an additional action, such as 'follow' the company on Twitter, share your opinions in a public comment, vote in a poll on the website etc. SiteWizard are offering a FREE Competitor Analysis and a FREE Getting The Most out Of Google Analytics Guide which could help you get an idea of what you should be blogging about to grow a recurrent audience. This could also help to highlight what keywords would benefit your business most. If you would like to find out more about SEO or any of the other services offered visit: www.SiteWizard.co.uk/ncca
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Proposed tax system reforms
A
radical plan to bring about a raft of reforms to the UK's tax system has been welcomed by the Forum of Private Business. The not-for-profit employer support organisation was directly involved with the creation of the 2020 Tax Commission report, which calls for wideranging changes to the UK tax system to deliver growth and jobs for the economy. The Forum has welcomed many of the proposals included in the report, which drew heavily on various research carried out by the not-for-profit small business body and information it supplied in
Phil McCabe (FPB)
oral evidence last year as part of the consultation process. The 2020 report's authors, the Tax Payers' Alliance, sets out why there is such a need for root and branch reform of the UK's tax system. Forum members know only too well that the country's current system is notoriously complex, stifling economic growth and affecting the nation's wealth to the detriment of living standards across the country. The 400-page report, compiled with the help of directors and economists, argues that now, more page 24
than ever, the recession-hit UK requires a tax system that is fair, simple, and proportionate for all taxpayers - including small business owners. Crucially, the finished product must also encourage economic growth and jobs rather than act as a barrier to this - a common criticism levelled at the present system. The Forum has particularly welcomed the report's suggestion of a cut in fuel duty by 5 pence per litre in order to deliver small firms and the economy a much-needed 'shot in the arm'. Such a cut would also be a clear demonstration from ministers that they are not out of touch to the needs of small firms and are actively listening to the concerns of SMEs about the problems high pump prices have for businesses across the country. Similarly, the Forum also acknowledges that the report's suggestion to merge Income Tax and National lnsurance would be well-received. The move would make the system much simpler and accessible for firms and encourage more entrepreneurs to start-up businesses and drive employment. The proposal is for a single 30 per cent income tax rate, with an earnings threshold of £10,000 introduced. Other taxes such as death duty would go. Importantly, the single income tax would allow staff to keep more of their earnings and create larger disposable incomes. A worker earning an average wage of £26,000 a year would take home around an extra £100 a month, while it would result in a £3,400 tax cut for a two-earner
household where the joint income is £28,000. This could see an 8.4 per cent increase in the UK's gross domestic product after 15 years. Money freed up in this way would put cash back into consumers' pockets, income that has in recent years been eroded by high inflation affecting real term wage growth, the lack of consumer confidence and high unemployment, all set against a backdrop of economic fear and uncertainty. According to the Forum's own research earlier this year, there is support among many businesses for change to the tax system, which has been blasted as not fit for purpose in the 21st century. According to Forum figures 44 per cent of small business owners would welcome wholesale changes to the structure of the UK's tax system, with 53 per cent of respondents believing that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is doing a poor job in supporting them. Many said they would even be willing to pay slightly more in tax in return for an overhaul to make the administering of it less costly. The Forum believes that fears of having to negotiate the overly complicated UK tax system puts off many would-be entrepreneurs from starting up. Similarly, by its very nature of complication, it is also open to abuse. According to the 2020 report, widespread simplification would decrease the amount of tax avoidance and recoup Treasury coffers by billions. Surely, it is now no longer a question of if, but when, widespread changes will take place. page 25
Expecting the unexpected - what is risk? Philip Crosbie (Eversheds LLP)
O
ne of the most fundamental facets of good health and safety management is the process of assessing the risks posed by an activity and then implementing controls to reduce that risk as far as possible. However, when businesses sit down to map out those risks, it is often difficult to know where to start. For larger businesses, when they have already started to assess risk, it may be even more difficult to know when to stop. The risks are likely to range from those experienced on a day-to-day basis to those more fanciful events that may occur once in a lifetime, if ever. This article considers what is meant by the term 'risk', what types of risks demand the greatest
attention from your business and whether the law does require you to expect the unexpected. HSE Guidance Your general duty as an employer under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (“HSWA�) requires you to ensure the health, safety and welfare of those working for you. In addition, Section 3 states that employers should avoid exposing non-employees to risks to their health and safety. Self-employed individuals have equal duties to consider the risks to themselves and third parties. Whilst the HSWA implies a broad duty to consider risks and reduce them, further legislative guidance is provided in the Management of Health and page 26
Safety at Work Regulations 1999. These Regulations require an employer to make a 'suitable and sufficient' assessment of risks in order to identify how and where they might be reduced. Legislation does not provide a definition of risk, but the guidance from the Health and Safety Executive assists in understanding what is expected of you: "Your risk assessment should include consideration of what in your business might cause harm and how and, the people who might be affected... You do not need to include insignificant risks. You do not need to include risks from everyday life unless your work activities increase the risk." (http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/faq.htm#q2)
R v Porter [2008] EWCA Crim 1271 The case of R v Porter came before the Court of Appeal in 2008 and provided some further understanding on the types of risks that businesses need to consider. The case involved the death of a three-year old boy, who injured his head when jumping from steps in his school playground. Unfortunately, having been taken to hospital he contracted MRSA and died. A prosecution was brought against the Headmaster of the school, alleging a breach of the duty he owed to the children to ensure they were not exposed to 'risks' (Section 3, HSWA). The Court ruled that, in order to bring a successful Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page prosecution, the Prosecution must show that there was an exposure to 'real risk', as opposed to mere fanciful or hypothetical risks. In addition, when considering the nature of risk, it was said that: "Where the risk can truly be said to be part of the incidence of everyday life, it is less likely that the injured person could be said to have been exposed to risk by the conduct of the operations in question". Businesses took confidence from this decision, believing that if others were exposed to risk as part of their operations, they would not be penalised if these risks were a part of everyday life. Risk assessments for climbing stairs, going through doors and using a chair were heading for the shredder. The Court also dealt with the issue of 'real risk', confirming that businesses do not need to predict the unexpected and consider all possible risks, no matter how unlikely. R v Tangerine Confectionery Ltd and Veolia ES (UK) Ltd [2011] EWCA Crim 2015 Whilst R v Porter dealt with the materiality of risk, cases went on to consider the foreseeability of that risk. Businesses arguably cannot be expected to foresee the unforeseeable, and be punished if they fail to do so. Or can they? Unfortunately for businesses, in the cases of Tangerine and Veolia, two separate prosecutions, the Court confirmed that accidents do not have to be foreseeable, in order to create liability. The general duties under the HSWA: "command an enquiry into the possibility of injury" however, "They are not limited, in the risks to which they apply, to risks which are obvious. They impose, in effect, a duty on employers to think deliberately about things which are not obvious". What must businesses do? The process of assessing risk and implementing control measures is still a cornerstone for all those readers seeking to manage health and safety properly. Following the above legal guidance, businesses can take confidence that when
considering the risks their operation may generate, they should focus on real risks, rather than becoming distracted by those that are mere fantasy. Focussing on the real risks allows businesses to concentrate their efforts on controlling those hazards that are more likely to arise during day-today running. However, more recent case law has gone on to suggest that there should still be some inquiry into risks that are not so obvious. This will only be achieved if: ! employers understand the processes being used within their business; ! there is visibility of accident statistics and nearmisses to understand where things are going wrong; ! properly qualified individuals are used to carry out risk assessments; ! risk assessments are properly reviewed; and ! employees are consulted during the process. Psychic abilities are not required; however, businesses cannot rest on their laurels and assume that no historic incidents means previous risk assessments still suffice. Going forward, our advice to businesses in the carpet cleaning industry is as follows: ! consider the obvious risks; ! use the assets within the business to think 'beyond the norm' to find less obvious risks; ! implement control measures to reduce those risks as far as reasonably practicable; and ! properly record steps 1 to 3 above; businesses may wish to use the template risk assessment form produced by the HSE at http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/. Employers reap the benefits when business goes well; this comes with the responsibility of having to assess risks and reduce them. Employers are in the best position to co-ordinate information about risk, to gain the expertise to assess that risk and to direct the resources to control that risk. Any attempt to avoid this responsibility should, and will, be punished. page 28
Marketing in a recession
To rent or to buy?
Marketing during a recession is as important as ever. Whether you are a one man operator, or have several employees, when in a recession it does pay to maintain and even increase your promotional activities. This could be an opportunity to increase your market share. You are probably thinking that spending money on marketing when business is not bringing in the sales will effectively lead to a shortfall in your financial cash flow. Well, you are right. However, this should be shortlived and the resulting gain in accomplishing more of your market share will lead to a sustainable increase in revenue. And remember, there are many ways to market your company which will cost next to nothing, or even nothing at all.
Have you ever thought about renting, rather than buying, your machinery? You will probably find a rental company in your nearest town or you could speak to one of the NCCA Corporate members. Some companies are happy to offer this service. There are many advantages to renting. You will save on maintenance costs and insurance and be able to retain a healthy cash flow. Another big 'plus' is that if you rent equipment, you get to give it back, so it's not sitting there taking up space in your workshop. It is also probable that the rental company will have some of the latest equipment available - an attractive option for many people.
Agitation within the cleaning process Have you ever thought much about how and why you agitate the prespray you've applied to your carpets? Well, agitation has several purposes when it comes to carpet cleaning. It distributes the pre-spray throughout the carpet, which can be achieved equally well with any form of agitation whether manual or by machine. Very importantly it will shear the soil from the yarn and, finally, it will also lift the pile - especially with the use of a cylindrical contra rotating brush (CRB) machine - and consequently matting of the carpet will be reduced. If you are failing to incorporate the agitation process within your working practice then remind yourself of other cleaning practices which would be largely unsuccessful without it: ! Washing pots, either manually or by machine, requires agitation to remove the soil film. ! Automatic washing machines all have an inbuilt agitation cycle, not forgetting the rinse cycle too. ! Cleaning windows requires a little elbow grease to provide the agitation to remove soil. ! When we bathe/shower there has to be agitation too. Whether its carpets or upholstery you are cleaning or something else, the requirement for some form of agitation is still there.
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 FOR SALE 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@aquamaster-yorkshire.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)..
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. 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) EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Cimex CR61 24". 3 nylon brushes. £650 + VAT. Call Liz at Aastra Clean on 01934 750977 (Somerset). 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 - £3000. 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
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 MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT recommended that equipment serial numbers 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator should be checked to ensure the seller is the - £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Chemspec stainless legitimate owner. The Association accepts no steel 4 jet floor wand in good condition - £300.00 plus responsibility or liability arising from any delivery charge if applicable. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885804560. 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.
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)
+ PAS86 Code of Practice £40.00 each
+ Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C)
+ Carpet Care Survey Forms (Pad of 100) £20.50 each or £52.50 for 3
+ Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr)
+ NCCA Lapel Pin Badge £3.00 each + Large NCCA Van Sticker (21x7 inches approx) Pack of 2 for £17.63 + Small NCCA Van/Machine Sticker (12x3 inches approx) £2.50 each + Promotional Leaflet 10p each (under 500), 8.5p each (500 and over) + NCCA Tie £12.93 each 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.
+ Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + 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) + Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd: 01772 426527 (M) + Dri-Eaz: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + 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
+ Mailboxes Etc: 01628 633336
+ Amicus Legal Ltd (free legal helpline): 01206 366500
+ McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C)
+ SiteWizard (website creation) 08450 608860
+ Oates Laboratories (Europe): 01772 433711 (C)
+ EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650
+ Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr)
+ Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T) + Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A)
+ Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860
+ ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr)
+ Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department) 01252 390385
+ Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C)
+ Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department) 0808 100 7890 + Adalante Merchant Services 01628 820500 + Payatrader www.payatrader.com + Control Account PLC 01527 882901
+ Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + 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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The catalytic action of Enzall combined with the odour stopping action of Urine Contamination Treatment equals‌
The Ultimate Odour Removal System Enzall and Urine Contamination Treatment provide you with the ultimate urine odour removal on carpets and hard surface floors. Most malodours in buildings are caused by organic oils and soils; Enzall breaks down the source whilst Urine Contamination Treatment stops the odours on contact. For July only - buy just 2 x 2.72 kg JARS of Enzall And receive a Urine Contamination treatment FREE of Charge. Or why not just buy Enzall @ 19p for every 100 square metres of treatment? You can't go wrong! 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