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3 NCCA RENEWAL NOTICE 2019/20
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION SPRING 2019
5 THE CLEANING & RESTORATION SHOW 2019
16 FROM THE ARCHIVES CUSTOMER QUOTATIONS
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KEY DATES Industry Events The Cleaning Show LONDON
19-21 March
TACCA Day CREWE
01 June
The Flooring Show HARROGATE
15-17 September
NCCA Cleaning & Restoration Show HARROGATE
19 October
Important Dates Resignation Notice Renewal Period
4 March 1 April - 1 May
National Carpet Cleaners Association 62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH Tel: 0116 271 9550 Email: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Dave Wheadon
PRESIDENT
DIRECTORS David Weaver (Company Secretary)
Allan Simmons
Nigel Lay Martin Johns
VICE PRESIDENTS
OFFICE TEAM
Paul Pearce Tim Colenutt
Lewis Scroby Lauren Willis
Twitter: @NCCA__ Facebook public page: /NationalCarpetCleanersAssociation Facebook members-only: /groups/nccamembers/ Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or its 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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NCCA SUBSCRIPTION RENEWALS 2019/20 Dear Member
NCCA subscription renewals are approaching and we hope that you have taken full advantage of your membership with us over the past year. Subscription invoices will be issued by email prior to April 1st and due for payment by May 1st. There are several options available for members to provide fees and full details will be provided with the renewal notification accompanying your invoice. You can sign up for direct debit payments in advance by contacting the office. For members already signed up, instalments will continue unless we are advised otherwise. Please take note of the important renewal information (right). The Association has big plans for the near future including a huge new event later in 2019 and more regional training and meetings as the year goes on. We continue to provide as much as we can for our members and always welcome your feedback. Don’t forget this is your Association and we want to ensure you can make the most out of being part of it. We thank you again for your support of the NCCA and look forward to hearing from soon. Yours sincerely
National Carpet Cleaners Association
NCCA SURVEY FORMS USING NCCA SURVEY FORMS WILL: ❚ Allow you to record vital information including any previous damage or inherent problems. ❚ Provide you with an evidence trail in the possible event of a later problem or dispute. ❚ NCCA survey forms are available for members to purchase and come in pads of 100 with a carbonated sheet. Visit the NCCA website to access the online shop in the members area.
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Renewal Information 2019/20 FEES: At the 2018 General Meeting the membership agreed to an increase in subscription fees for the 2019/20 year. Full Membership is now £240.00 + VAT and Corporate Membership £287.00 + VAT. INSURANCE: As always, we will need to ensure members have the correct insurance cover in place before we can process their renewal (this is not applicable to Corporate members). Many of you have responded to our reminders around the time of your insurance renewal and we thank you for this. It will save us both some time. Insurance requirements are the standard Public Liability policy which includes cover for Items Being Worked Upon (this may be listed as Treatment Risk or other terminology specific to your insurer). To ensure your renewal can be quickly processed, please make sure you provide all the correct required documentation. You can do so in advance if you would prefer. CANCELLATIONS: Should any member be experiencing difficulties or considering cancelling their subscription this year, please contact us beforehand. We never like to hear that a member has decided they no longer plan to be part of the NCCA, and would like to work with you to do all we can to assist. NCCA CEO, Dave Wheadon, is available to answer questions and address concerns. He can be emailed direct via dave@ncca.co.uk Any member wishing to resign from the Association must confirm their intention to do so in writing (letter or email) to the office. The deadline for notice of resignation this year is Monday March 4th. Should the Association not receive written notification by this date, the member will be liable for any outstanding subscription fees. Please ensure your notification has been received, particular if an acknowledgement has not been provided from the office by this date.
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PROCHEM ROLL-OUT TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AT 2019 CLEANING SHOW www.prochem.co.uk Prochem retains a pole position in the UK cleaning marketplace that is exemplified by a strong roll-out of new as well as tried and tested solutions at the 2019 Cleaning Show at ExCel, London (March 19-21). Visitors can find the Prochem team on Stand G15 and a selection of working machines will also be on the NCCA stand at The Carpet Cleaning Village.
Stand G15
Leading the charge is the latest entry to the company’s premium Endeavor extractor range with a hard floor solution that’s going to be hard to beat.
machines such as the Polaris 800, the go-to midrange walk-behind unit for those large areas and corridors, incorporating a cylindrical brush for carpet pile agitation, twin 2 stage vacuum motors and a 120 psi pump.
Riding at the top of the range, this unit boasts a 1000psi Cat induction motor pump, 8.4 inch 2 stage vacuum motor (from the SX9500 Endeavor), vacuum motor float switch, auto fill and auto dump systems.
Also on display will be the SX2100 Steempro Powermax; an established favourite with most carpet cleaners, its reliable 150psi induction pump and twin 3-stage vacuums give all the performance that is required.
It generates enough pressure and flow to run the E275 Revolution Tile and Grout tool, while adding a wand will also allow the unit to be used for carpet.
On a smaller scale but no less potent, the walk-behind Fivestar has become the darling of the care home and features a single 2-stage vacuum, 85 psi pump and rotary brush for carpet pile agitation.
Come the floods, comes Prochem’s new Floodbuster FB50. This unit is the ideal soil sucker, capable of taking in waste water and automatically pumping it to a destination of choice. Its pump exhausts waste liquid through a 1½ inch hose and can handle solids of 1 inch in diameter if required.
And for those tighter-still areas, there’s the Bravo Spotter - Prochem’s small spotting machine with a 50-60 psi pump and 2-stage vacuum motor, rounding off a truly comprehensive cleaning technology offer at The Cleaning Show, all on one stand.
Complementing the newcomers on show will be a selection of Prochem’s most popular cleaning
For many cleaning professionals, Prochem stands for specialism as well as quality. Rounding off this year’s technology releases showing on Stand G15 will be wide range of speciality spotting stain and removal products including Citrus Gel, Stain Pro and Coffee Stain Remover.
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Finally, a useful add-on to a very popular smaller machine: the Galaxy AX500 now has the ability to heat its own water via the AC3001 Heat ‘N’ Run upgrade.
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THE CLEANING & RESTORATION SHOW 2019
SATURDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2019 | HARROGATE CONVENTION CENTRE ABOUT HARROGATE
Join the NCCA and all the biggest names in carpet cleaning, restoration, soft furnishings, hard flooring and more at The Cleaning & Restoration Show 2019. The all-new exhibition featuring everything from equipment and products to seminars and business support. This event is a must for anyone involved in the industry. First Exhibitor Announcement: ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚
Solution – World of Clean Cleanspec Cumbria Alltec Network Digitool Coversure Insurance Services Prochem Europe GetBookedUp Movo Insurance Brokers (formerly BeSure)
❚ Legend Brands Europe ❚ Amtech UK ❚ WoolSafe
Further announcements will be made soon regarding exhibitors and the day’s schedule. Prices: Adults £6 (inc. VAT) online, £8 (inc. VAT) on the door Children (under 16) Free
Booking available at: www.ncca.co.uk/event/cleaning-restoration-show-2019
NCCA EVENING DINNER Saturday 19th October 2019 The Crowne Plaza, Harrogate Earlybird Price: £51.50 + VAT (Available until 30th April 2019)
Standard Price: £56.50 + VAT
Set in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Harrogate is a beautiful and fashionable Victorian spa resort, where local mineral springs supply the Turkish Baths and Health Spa. This is an area of outstanding natural beauty and Harrogate is a perfect base for a long weekend to rejuvenate your hard work bodies after all those carpets, sofas and stone floors. There is a comprehensive range of accommodation from B&B, idyllic cottages, cosmopolitan town houses and fabulous hotels. The streets are lined with exquisite shops and restaurants. Perhaps you would like to take your partner to afternoon tea at Bettys? Visit the Valley Gardens, Mercer Art Museum, Turkish Baths, The Royal Pump House Museum or the old Magnesia Well Pump Room. Just north of Leeds, you can travel to Harrogate by road on the A1 (3.5hours from Edinburgh, 3hrs from the M25, 2hrs from Birmingham and 1hr from Manchester) or by train (7 minute walk from the station to the venue).
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OTHER INDUSTRY EVENTS – NOT TO BE MISSED! THE CLEANING SHOW The Cleaning Show is the UK’s largest trade event focused on Cleaning & Hygiene. Taking place on 19-21 March 2019 at ExCeL London.
The show provides a perfect opportunity for attendees to spend a highly rewarding day out of the office to source, network and discover new opportunities for their businesses. Anyone who has responsibility for cleaning, hygiene or facilities management should attend this event. Furthermore, in recognition of the massive contribution carpet cleaning makes to the wider cleaning industry, this year’s The Cleaning Show will feature a special Carpet Cleaning Village, dedicated to the sector. We’re very excited! Register now for FREE
www.cleaningshow.co.uk
TACCA DAY Saturday 1st June 2019 at Crewe Alexandra FC. TACCA Day is an educational event. It is designed to focus on training over sales. Exhibitors provide an educational benefit to attendees. Demonstrations and hands-on learning are encouraged, and you will certainly benefit from active participation in the day.
THE FLOORING SHOW The Flooring Show will be returning to Harrogate from 15-17 September 2019. Bringing together all areas of the industry, including the retail and contract sectors – exhibitors and visitors alike get together for three intensive days of business activity and networking.
“Even the best of us can learn something - invest in improving your knowledge.” – Dave Wheadon, NCCA Booking available via:
www. tacca.co.uk www.ncca.co.uk
This is a trade show and not open to the general public. More details to follow:
www.theflooringshow.com NationalCarpetCleanersAssociation
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THE MOULD JOURNEY
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By Roark McMaster Managing Partner BioSweep UK Limited
The academics of the world tell us the sixth great mass extinction is underway on our planet. It’s the small cell organisms (bacterium, mould) that are trying to take over the planet. Depending on what resources you read it is widely regarded that there are roughly 500,000 different types of mould on our planet. This is a scientific community guess. From this wide number of mould and families, the scientific community has identified around 150,000 of these moulds. There remain large numbers out there yet to be investigated and identified. When you view pictures of some mould – they look like works of art, bursting with symmetry, fractal geometry and colour. When you view images of a Mucor mould infection in a human body that has gone wrong- it is startlingly sobering. Some moulds contain mycotoxins- poison. These can harm people. It is estimated that ~25% of the population have a predisposition to mould sensitivities. Mould is doing the job it is designed to carry out in nature – that of recycling the earth. It is very effective in doing its job. Mould only becomes the enemy when it is not managed properly. To manage mould with regard to indoor environments it is important to first understand the ‘mould triangle.’ There are three things that must come together in order for fungi to proliferate.
The FIRST leg of the mould triangle is ‘Spores.’ You have to have spores present. Mould spores are ubiquitous in nature. They are everywhere; all around us 24/7. You’re breathing spores in as you read this article.
The SECOND leg of the mould triangle is ‘Food.’ Our dwellings and premises are composed of materials, many of which are organic. Our dwellings and premises are a food source for mould.
The THIRD and most important leg of the mould triangle is ‘Water.’ Give the spores water via a leak, via high RH%, via condensate etc- and viola- the fungal proliferation begins. Take away the water- and mould will not grow. So how do we manage mould and how do we remove it if it takes root? We manage mould by influencing (managing) Continued over ther page...
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indoor conditions: ventilation, air flow, temperature, access to fresh air- so the RH% is managed and kept lower than 70% RH. Reduce the moisture and humidity in the dwelling and you are in affect taking away the water source the spores require to grow.
In our extensive experience with mould removal we use some hazardous materials that help break the surface tension of all organic contaminants within a substrate and boil them to the surface. Following agitation, the contaminants can be removed via HEPA vacuuming.
If an owner or occupier sees mould starting to take root in a bedroom or bathroom, they are duty bound to clean the surfaces with a ph8 solution - hot soapy washing up liquid.
Mould removal is labour intensive work and requires an exceptional level of thoroughness so no square centimeter of surface area is left untreated.
If the proliferation gets out of control IE: becomes greater than 1 m2 of surface area, it is advisable to seek professional help to remedy the situation. The job of the professional remediator is to remove the mould, rather than kill it. Trying to kill it will just p**s the mould off. The goal is to remove it, into your HEPA vacuum and from there into the landfill.
Only qualified technicians should attempt to remediate mould. Next time we’ll have a look at mould sampling and data as a means to understanding the magnitude of the problem you are remediating. Questions, or comments... feel free to contact the author of this article:
info@biosweep.co.uk
TRUSTMARK TrustMark has always placed consumer protection at the heart of its vision as an organisation and recent changes stemming from the Each Home Counts review solidified this role. As the only not-for-profit Government Endorsed Quality Scheme for work carried out in or around the home, TrustMark is committed to delivering the most robust levels of consumer protection possible. This may give the misleading impression that TrustMark is an organisation entirely preoccupied with the rights of the consumer. In actuality TrustMark is equally concerned with helping
Registered Businesses grow and compete effectively within an increasingly demanding marketplace. TrustMark firmly believes that an environment in which consumers are confident they can locate and engage quality businesses is one where quality businesses will thrive. Providing the additional peace-of-mind that comes from knowing that in the event something does go wrong there are protective measures in place (including minimal two year guarantees and mandatory protection of work over ÂŁ500 in value), gives customers a real incentive to use the companies capable of delivering these benefits. TrustMark strives to champion the businesses we know are doing the right thing, through the vetting process enabled by our expert Scheme Providers.
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We collaborate with quality-minded organisations such as the NCCA, as it is these bodies that have the expertise and resources to adequately assess businesses working in their sector. TrustMark aims to make it as easy as possible for consumers to find installers providing a range of services that we know meet our stringent standards concerning technical competency, customer protection and good trading practices. One of the ways we do this is through the TrustMark Online Directory which returns over a million results per month as consumers search for reputable businesses local to them. The Business Portals (to be launched mid-March) will take this a step further by allowing consumers to request quotes directly from TrustMark businesses. They will be able to provide information about the type of work they require, ask questions of selected contractors and upload relevant documents or photographs. We believe this will ease the process of finding and engaging at tradesperson by removing a number of barriers, and will hopefully smooth the transition from enquiry to paying customer. TrustMark Registered Businesses will also have more control over their profiles in the TrustMark system. This is the information that consumers see when they search for Registered Businesses and businesses will now be able to upload their own company logos and any areas of specialty that they offer. The changes that led to the expansion of TrustMark’s remit to become the all-encompassing mark of quality for any Repair, Maintenance & Improvement; Retrofit and Energy Efficiency measures have also allowed us to develop our benefits to Registered Businesses. The launch of the Online Portals is part of a joint project with Job Logic, the leading online workflow system used by a wide range of industries to increase efficiency and profit.
This will be further developed over the course of 2019 in order to offer additional benefits to both consumers and tradespeople, including incorporation of deposit protection and card payment facilities. The objective of this service, which is free to both consumers and Registered Businesses, is to enable a flow of information and communication that is accessible from one convenient, secure platform. In this way both parties will feel engaged and business arrangements can be transparent, as the system tracks and facilitates each element of the customer journey. TrustMark has a number of exciting plans for 2019, including the roll out of various regional projects designed to help tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions; ambitious technical initiatives such as the Data Warehouse; and a number of supply chain projects in partnership with some of our Scheme Providers. If you would like to find out more about any of these projects, or how you can get more involved with the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme, please view the TrustMark website www.trustmark.org.uk
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HOW DOES THE HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK ETC ACT 1974 AFFECT NON-EMPLOYEES? HEALTH & SAFETY REGULATIONS It’s well known that The Health & Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 places a duty on employers to look after their employees – but what about others who are not employees? For example Contractors or Agency workers? Although they may not be ‘your’ employee, they are still a person ‘at work’ and as such you have a duty to keep them safe – section three of the act says: “It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.” This basically means that you have a duty to ensure that these people are not put at risk by putting in place reasonably practicable control measures. The term “reasonably practicable” means weighing up the level of risk against the cost, time and effort and unless there is a gross disproportion between them you must apply those controls.
❚ Do they have adequate insurance? ❚ Evidence of competence: for example;
Qualification Certificates / Licences, Evidence of professional body membership if applicable, Evidence of applicable registration (such as gas safe register). ❚ References from previous clients. ❚ Copies of their RAMS (Risk Assessment
and Method Statement). ❚ Details of their safety performance data. ❚ Evidence of appropriate functional PPE
(if relevant). Once on site they must be given adequate instruction on hazards on site (site induction) and be given adequate supervision to ensure they are safe.
As a duty of care, you must conduct adequate checks on the competency / suitability of contractors who are completing the work for you. This includes; but is not limited to):
We can audit your site and help you develop your safety management system. We can also conduct training for you and your team to increase your knowledge and understanding and ensure that you are in the best position to protect your people, your contractors, and your business.
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3 UPSELLING TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOU START GROWING YOUR CLEANING BUSINESS Upselling techniques are the best way to help you to grow your cleaning business and increase your sales. We’re going to focus on three techniques that are easy to start using today. Upselling techniques are essential no matter the size of your cleaning business. It’s an important element of any marketing strategy because the techniques allow you to increase the profitability of your sales. However, upselling techniques are underutilised. Indeed, most of the time upselling techniques aren’t used at all. It’s easier and cheaper to sell more to your current customers than to attract new ones – so start upselling today.
WHEN SHOULD YOU UPSELL? To increase profits with upselling techniques, you should start by asking yourself some questions: when should I upsell and what do I want to achieve? Once you’ve answered those questions you can started. But keeps these things in consideration: ❚ Don’t try to upsell every time. Make sure any
extras your try to sell and relevant to their wants and needs.
be profitable for you in the long term. Maintain a good ratio between working on full-price and discounted service. Otherwise, you won’t be as profitable as you could be and a lot of your regular customers will be unhappy if you don’t have time for them, and you’ll risk losing them.
TIP 1 USE PROMOTIONS OR DISCOUNTS TO SELL ADDITIONAL SERVICES If you’ve completed a job and the customer is satisfied, offer them a promotion or discount if they book in with you again. Your great service is sure to encourage them to order more of your services. Here’s some examples of offers you could implement: ❚ Offer a discount after purchase to a regular customer that will introduce them to a service they’ve not used before.
you offer additionally, at a discount, is going to
❚ You could offer a loyalty discount, for example, after three purchases, there is a 10% discount on the fourth purchase. This is a great way to thank the customer and increase their lifetime value.
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❚ Maybe it’s obvious, but make sure anything
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THE CLEAN SHEET It’s important to carefully plan any upselling that will involve additional discounted services. To help you, we’ve put together some key considerations for this kind of upselling: ❚ Figure out the goals for this promotion. You need to define them (Who are you targeting? What do you want to achieve? Does it give more visibility to a forgotten service?) ❚ Then, use this information to plan the package of bundle you are going to upsell. Think; targets, time period, terms and conditions, process and support. ❚ Make sure you consider any risks and incorporate these into your plan to calculate the potential profitability of the offer.
TIP 2 TAILOR YOUR SERVICES TO SPECIFIC PROSPECTS You can easily convince your customers to buy additional services when they correspond directly to their needs. In the beginning, it often makes sense to target a large part of the market because you do not have a steady stream of customers. But, the reality is that it’s not good to try to sell to everyone, and you need to know how to segment your commodity. That way, you’ll have a better vision of the needs and wants of your customers and then offer specific services for the segment of your market that you want to target. It’s not necessary to create something completely new in your catalogue, it’s could be a new service added to another existing service. This allows you to enhance your existing portfolio, increasing the price and the profitability.
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service (70% of similar profile, for example), then there’s no need to introduce something new because they’ve already found a tailored service. On the other hand, if you saw your customers have different profiles and can be targeted, proposing a tailored service can be a good idea.
TIP 3 CROSS-SELL
Cross-selling is a very popular upselling technique in the world of marketing. It’s a simple and effective method you can implement. The goal is to propose a discount on another complementary service or on an external service that you propose in addition to your product, during (rather than after) purchase.
But, you need to do this with caution. Indeed, it’s important to not pressurise customers. It should be proposed as an option and should not disturb the selling process if not chosen. Otherwise, you risk the customer cancelling everything. To realise this, you need to define your complimentary services and know off by heart which one you can propose to which customers. If you don’t have two services which go together, consider offering a complementary service that you can sell alongside your current portfolio.
Once you’ve devised your tailored service, market it to your dream customers. Why not launch the tailored service by selling it in a limited way, like a special edition or a bonus for buying another service. However, make you sure you do not introduce anything unnecessary. Analyse your customer base. If your customers are already anchored to a certain
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OFFICE SUMMARY For me, January is mainly consisting of Beveridge stain removal especially the first two weeks when it seems that the entire population of Wiltshire want their sitting rooms cleaned all at once, and on the same day!! However, I am called on a regular basis to clean up carpets and self-contained living quarters from a homeless shelter who specialises in rehoming people who have been let down by society by offering them temporary accommodation and access to multi agency help. The people are of all ages and all have stories to tell and is some are upsetting to hear . I seem to be a forensic/ carpet cleaner/ social worker and have built up a good relationship with staff and residents over the years.
Some residents are ex-military and I always spend time with them as this is close to my heart, I get them involved by helping
I do this to encourage them to find themselves and get a cuppa at the same time (joke).
January was a bad time for these homeless people, for various reasons which is another story. I spent my time there clearing up from people who are infected with HIV, Hepatitis etc who have had accidents, or simply can’t take any more stress and attempt self-harm. Or have drink too much alcohol and relieved themselves on the flooring or whilst sleeping. This is potentially a dangerous job which you shouldn’t undertake without specialist training. I don’t wish to come over as saying that all these people are alcoholics etc as this simply is not true ,I have met some amazing people who have completely turned their lives around and it’s always a pleasure to meet them ,I always stop and have a chat or they somehow find me and tell me what they are up to over the years as I live in a small market town.
me carry equipment upstairs ,moving
In short I recommend the NCCA training course blood and Trauma as opens up avenues for you
furniture and generally cracking jokes and
Hope you all have a good profitable year.
micky taking which any ex-military people out there will know here I’m coming from.
Martin Johns, Director
My main focus at the moment is planning for Harrogate Exhibition and the Gala Dinner October 2019. Moving away from ‘stoneleigh’ and focusing on our own exhibition in ‘Harrogate’, is a giant step forward for the NCCA. It will bring us closer to our members allowing networking, learning, hands on practice with the latest equipment, solutions and software. This will have significant benefits both our corporate members and members. It will be the ‘Greatest Show’ ever!!!
David Weaver, Events Director
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NCCA EVENTS MILESTONE 2017 was the year of events for the National Carpet Cleaners Association. We made plans last year to increase our reach and start moving events and training around the UK; hosting courses, regional meetings, tours and exhibitions in as many areas as we could. We were pleased with attendance figures and feedback from members and the industry was very positive indicating one of our best years ever. Although the extent of the success was not fully realised until this year when we began planning a new events schedule with the expectation of improving on 2017. All in all the Association arranged over 30 different events in locations from Cornwall to Cumbria. This is easily the most events made available by the NCCA in its 50 year history and the turn out was also fantastic. We aim to continue filling the calendar this year and have already made announcements for
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exhibitions, training courses and other events. More information in this months magazine and the website where content is continually updated and you can always get the latest news. We will have many more announcements throughout the year and hope to expand our locations and see even more of you face to face. We still consider continued education vital to the development of members and to help maintain the professional standards expected from the Association.
We hope all members are benefitting from the growth in this area, we do this for you and couldn’t make it work without your support. As always. we welcome feedback on current events and suggestions for new courses, tours and other get-togethers. There is more opportunity than ever to gain from your membership with the NCCA, so make the most of it.
Lewis Scroby, Office Manager
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CUSTOMER QUOTATIONS PAUL PEARCE What is usually the first question a potential client asks you when they make contact? That’s right “How much will it be to...?” So, how do you deal with this situation in order to move on and be accepted to do the work? Well, if it’s upholstery you could start by asking what material it is made from. You can also ask how old it is, what the degree of soiling is, what colour/s it is, if it has been cleaned before and if it has been protected. I know that all these questions can be answered over the phone, but I dispute how accurately this can be done. You will also need to know if the upholstery is placed on a wooden or laminate floor, if there is room to move around when cleaning and where the cushions will go when they are cleaned. If you are running truck mounts you are going to want to know that you can get close to the site with your van and so on. By asking these questions the client suddenly starts to think “Hey maybe I do need someone to actually come round to do the quote after all, and of course it won’t cost me anything so I might as well”. I would like to share with you two experiences which demonstrate why it is so difficult to quote over the phone. The first involves a lady who insisted on a price over the phone for cleaning two settees. I went through my spiel, and as I found I couldn’t quote her any figure between £40 and £500 over the phone she admitted that it was necessary for me to visit the property to do the quote. I turned up and found that I was justified in wanting to see the items. The upholstery in question was covered with an off-white stitch bonded cotton fabric and was situated in the
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den, occupied by two teenage children doing GCSE’s. The whole room was littered with papers, a couple of laptops, printers and the remains of the previous night’s pizza party. The settees were, in my personal opinion, trashed and in need of restoration. However, I could see what needed doing, gave my price for cleaning and protection and so the job was mine. The second was slightly different because there was so much that needed doing it didn’t take much to convince the client that a survey was needed. I carried out the measuring and proceeded to explain the process, including how long I would be in the house. The lady then turned round and said “What if I pay you a set price for working from 8.30am to 5pm and then I could maybe get something else done, which is how my decorator does it?” Now, she didn’t mention tea breaks or a lunch hour so I declined. I hasten to add I did get the job at my price, which worked out to be more than her daily rate. Both of the above quotes were done on the same day and were on private estates. I don’t really think that money was a problem for either client; they just didn’t know what else to ask.
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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH TOMASZ RYNKOWSKI Name of Business: Queen of Clean Date established: 2014 Location: Isle of Man What made you get into this business? “We start the business few years ago from scratch purely for my wife (hence then company name), we soon grow and establish clientele which they start asking about carpet cleaning. And I get involved on that time doing some research about carpet cleaning and soon buy our first machine Numatic ctd 580-2 but it wasn’t great so after 2 months we purchased Prochem steampro 2100, which was a great little machine for us. Once we grew, we decided to upgrade to Airflex Storm which we use until now.”
Tell us about the most unusual / funny / random request you’ve ever had to deal with? “When we got a call from two teenage brothers who have a party last night and make complete mess all around the house and carpets and they parents were supposed to be back from short trip same day. Cutting a long story short, we saved their lives as they said at the end to us.”
What is your greatest achievement? “A big long-term cleaning contractor with local council because we are an NCCA member.”
Is there anything you would’ve done differently? “If I can I would do something differently I would start with proper training courses.”
Best piece of advice to someone starting out? “Believe in yourself and learn, learn, learn.”
What’s the best thing about our industry? “The best thing about industry in my opinion is the opportunity to meet great people with same mindset, to learn new things daily and that you know you can always rely on your fellow carpet cleaners.”
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MARKETING MASTERCLASS
SPOTTED: Doncaster Free Press Newspaper NCCA Technical Director, Paul Pearce wrote an article for The Press Association which is making it’s way around the country and beyond. We’ve been notified of sightings of this in the Irish Examiner and Somerset Gazette.
On Monday 25th February, a bespoke workshop, supported by the X-Forces, the leading organisation for enterprise in the military community, was run for NCCA members with Forces/Bluelight backgrounds.
“A great day at X-Forces enterprise attending the marketing masterclass course, thanks to Dave, Paul and the NCCA team for making this available now time to kick start my business.” John Hodges – ProCarpet Clean
“Great course today, can’t wait to use all that we covered. Looking forward to seeing the results.” Nick Linton-Butt – A Carpet Cleaning Service Ltd
In January, we were part of the restoration work of the Grade 1 listed Building, Manchester Town Hall. As part of the ‘Our Town Hall’ multimillion-pound restoration project, we were lucky enough to be asked to clean and restore several of the carpets within this fantastic building. Getting to see parts of this building closed to the general public was a real treat. Simon Whitehead, Altrincham Cleaning Services
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MEET THE TEAM
LAUREN WILLIS In 2012, I left the better half of the Severn Bridge and ventured 150 miles to Loughborough University, where I studied BSc Information Technology Management for Business and graduated with a First Class Honours. I would say that one of my biggest achievements, was completing my dissertation, ‘An Investigation into the Use of Social Media Marketing by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the UK’S Service Sector’. Who knew you could write over 18,000 words about Facebook, ey?! I have always had a keen interest in social media since the days of Myspace, where my friends would always ask me for help, customising their profiles with HTML. Thirteen-year-old me would’ve never imagined that one day these platforms would play a huge part in my life and career. Since graduating, I have been involved in several projects both personally and through various employers. One of my most engaging roles was in 2016, where I was the social media manager for the Muhammed Ali: I Am The Greatest exhibition at The O2. I feel so lucky to have been part of this fascinating curation during the final months of Ali’s life. Fast forward to September 2016 and I’m now The NCCA’s Online Content Coordinator. Over the past two years I have assisted with the development of the brand new Trusted Local Cleaners website directory and the re-design of the NCCA website, which has massively transformed the NCCA’s online presence.
Alongside my online content role, I support Lewis (Office Manager) and Dave (CEO) with the day-to-day responsibilities and have helped streamline and automate a lot of the existing processes within the office. We are grateful for the patience and adaptiveness of members throughout these changes and hope these have had a positive impact on your membership Over the years, I have consciously kept up-todate with, and completed various online training courses resulting in additional certifications such as Social Media Marketing (Hootsuite Certified Professional), Fundamentals of Digital Marketing (Google) and SEO Copywriting (Yoast). This has reinforce my knowledge during my time as Online Content Coordinator and other outside commitments.
My one piece of advice to new starters and those even new to being online is to make use of the NCCA. We create Facebook & Twitter posts for you to utilise, so why not ‘share’ our posts and shout about how great you are as a member!
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CORPORATE MEMBERS The NCCA is fortunate to have the support from many leading suppliers in the industry. These organisations are proud to be associated with the NCCA and we welcome their support. Please find their company details below.
Cleanerswarehouse Ltd www.cleanerswarehouse. co.uk
Network Ltd www.alltec.co.uk
Cleansmart Ltd www.cleansmartsupplies.co.uk
Amtech UK www.amtechuk.co.uk
Cleanspec Cumbria Ltd www.cleanspec-cumbria.co.uk
Ashbys Cleaning Equipment www.ashbys-uk.com
Complete Vehicle Management Ltd www.cvmgroup.co.uk
BeSure www.besure.insure
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Allied Insurance Services Ltd www.alliedinsurance.co.uk
Corroventa Ltd wwww.corroventa.com
Bio Productions Ltd inc. Stapro www.bio-productions.com
Coversure Insurance Services (Kidderminster) www.coversure.co.uk/ kidderminster
Camberford Law Plc www.camberfordlaw.com/ cleaning
Digitool www.godigitool.com
CarCleanseUK www.carcleanseuk.com
Dry Fusion UK Ltd www.dryfusion.com
ChemDry Franchising Ltd www.chemdry.co.uk
Factotum Ltd www.factotum.com
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Get Booked Up Software www.getbookedup.com
Restoration Express www.restoration-express.co.uk
Hi-Tec Cleaning Group www.hitteccleaning.co.uk
Revolution Cleaning Systems www.revolutioncleaning systems.co.uk
Host UK Ltd t/a Host von Schrader www.hostvonschrader.co.uk
Safeclean www.safeclean.co.uk
Kendry www.kendry.co.uk
Sebo UK Ltd www.sebo.co.uk
Legend Brands Europe Ltd www.legendbrandseurope.com
ServiceMaster Ltd www.servicemaster.co.uk
LTT Leathercare Ltd www.lttleathercare.co.uk
Solution Cornwall Ltd www.worldofclean.co.uk
Modular Training Solutions www.modulartraining solutions.com
Texatherm Systems Ltd www.texatherm.com
NSL Restormate www.restormate.co.uk
The Restoration Academy UK www.therestoration academy.co.uk
Prestige Rug Spa www.prestigerugspa.co.uk
The WoolSafe Organisation www.woolsafe.org
Prochem Europe Ltd www.prochem.co.uk
Tile Master Global Ltd www.tilemaster.co.uk
Rainbow International www.rainbow-int.co.uk
WANT TO BECOME A CORPORATE MEMBER? APPLY TODAY! T.0116 271 9550 / E.admin@ncca.co.uk
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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT FOR SALE
Protima Mobile rug duster for sale. It had very little use and is as good as new. Price £1000 plus VAT. Machine can be viewed at Alltec.
Call Pierre on 07554 422 838
FOR SALE Brand new 12 x 10 bespoke inflatable rug wash pit (including inflating blower). Price £750 (no vat). Collect from Reading.
Call Darren 0772 987 2424 (Berkshire)
SITUATION VACANT Experienced/Trainee Carpet Cleaner/ Fabric Cleaning Technician
Trowbridge Office, Covering Bath-Chippenham. Needed to join the dedicated team at A Star Service, Est. 1988. You will be employed by A Star Restoration Ltd T/A ‘A Star Service’, this is not a franchise. Wages dependent on experience and training needed.
More requirements apply, please contact sarah@astarservice.co.uk with your CV To advertise in the classifieds please email the office: admin@ncca.co.uk
Van and machine stickers of the NCCA logo are available from the Members Area of our website.
www.ncca.co.uk
A Clean Getaway County Durham
Absolutely Brilliant Carpet Cleaning Devon Brightside Cleaning Solutions Ltd Essex Carpet Revival Devon Clean Carpets Worthing West Sussex Clean Group SW Ltd Devon Clean4Care County Durham Crouch Cleaning Services Essex Cummings Cleaning Services Ltd Oxfordshire Dragon Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Ltd Hampshire FreshStart Devon GE Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Cheshire Kelar Cleaning Ltd Aberdeenshire Mr T’s Healthy Homes & Businesses Suffolk Northwest Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Gr Manchester O’Hagan Cleaning Services Down Plover Cleaning Service Lanarkshire Revival South West Gloucestershire Sapphire Carpet Cleaning Specialists West Sussex Simmon Emmett Carpet Cleaning Surrey Spring Breeze Lancashire Superclean Express Ltd Somerset T & S Carpet Cleaning Ltd Shropshire
T. 0116 271 9550 / E. admin@ncca.co.uk
MEMBER REVIEWS Congratulations to all our Members who have received reviews on the website. To date, we have published 1,440 reviews
MEMBER STATS
NCCA STICKERS
VAN STICKERS (21″ x 7″) £11 each or 2 for £18
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
MACHINE STICKERS (7.8″ x 2.9″) £2.50
Since publishing a referral statistics report in the last issue of The Clean Sheet there have been 140 recommendations for members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of referrals from the NCCA office and potential customers contacting members directly through the website.
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UPCOMING COURSES
Commercial Cleaning 13th – 14th March – LEICESTER Designed to help you develop commercial work. The course will focus on the different types of commercial carpet cleaning and the appropriate methods and equipment to use. Furthermore, the importance of effective pricing and developing key business relationships.
NOW EXTENDED TO TWO DAYS! NCCA Members: £210 + VAT
Faster to Master (WoolSafe)
30th September - 4th October – Hosted by Solution Cornwall CORNWALL This 5-day training course is intended to deliver the most comprehensive and best value for money carpet and upholstery cleaning training available in the UK today. 3 IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) accreditations available: • IICRC CCT (Carpet Cleaning Technician) • IICRC UFT (Upholstery Cleaning Technician) • IICRC OCT (Odour Control Technician
NCCA Members: £699 + VAT
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For more information & booking: www.ncca.co.uk/training
Leather Identification and Cleaning 9th May – Hosted by Legend Brands Europe NEWPORT PAGNELL Designed to help get you started in leather cleaning, teaching how to identify the different types and finishes. During the course, you will learn about the tanning process, how to identify different types of leather and determine when it is cleanable, or in need of restoring or replacing. There will also be demonstrations and hands-on learning on how to clean leather upholstery.
NCCA Members: £135 + VAT
IICRC Rug Cleaning Technician (RCT) Course 8th - 10th October – Hosted by McMillan’s Cleaning and Restoration GLASGOW This is the industry’s most extensive hands-on rug cleaning course. You’ll learn to identify all major types of oriental and speciality rugs, with scores of rugs on display. Live demonstrations of hooked, Flokati, Dhurrie, Kelim, oriental and designer rugs, and also demonstrations of actual cat urine removal and several methods of fringe cleaning.
NCCA Members: £399 + VAT
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