newslink
ncca
November 2012
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Features:
General Meeting 2012
Membership Restructure
Contents 03 From the editor From the President 06 Stoneman’s corner 08 NCCA General Meeting 2012
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
12 Wood floor sanding - the real opportunity
Editor in Chief Keith Robertson
14 NCCA membership restructure
Design Editor Nikki Law
16 What lies beneath
President/Technical Director Paul Pearce
18 TrustMark - stand up and be counted
Vice President/Marketing Director Keith Robertson
The benefits of joining TrustMark 19 TrustMark now linked to Citizens Advice
Vice President/Events Director Nigel Lay
20 Carpet cleaner is electrocuted
Member Liaison Director Glyn Charnock
21 NCCA video
Assistant Membership Director Martin Johns
22 Is your website mobile friendly? 23 What is marketing all about?
Franchise Liaison Director Denise Pitt
Meet expectations with reality
Corporate Liaison Director Rob Whitbread
Cleaning for health
Training Director Christian Ramsey
24 Economic growth review
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.
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©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
T
he Christmas holiday and the weeks preceding often present some interesting challenges for the carpet and upholstery cleaner with a variety of spillages to be cleaned away. You may find that you are very busy. Those of you who clean offices and other commercial premises may even be using the Christmas shut-down period to your advantage. However, it is worth remembering that we are also fast approaching what can be an extremely quiet time for the industry. Between the rush of post-festive cleans in early January and the prespring flurry of activity in late March is traditionally the slowest time of the year, unless of course you have diversified in the area of flood restoration (think about all those burst pipes). So, although you may find that you are busy at the moment, it is worth setting aside the time now to plan a strategy to ensure that you remain busy throughout the early months of the New Year. You need to encourage your existing clients to have their carpets cleaned during your expected quiet time. So why not offer an incentive such as ‘two rooms for the price of one’ if they have the work scheduled during January, February or March. You may feel you can't afford to offer this type of deal, but can you afford not to? There is definitely no doubt that it will be more profitable than doing nothing.
Perhaps try circulating a Christmas Newsletter to existing and potential clients and include an offer for a half price clean - a chance to remove those annoying Nicky Law festive spillages - if the work is booked in January. Create a publication that will entertain your client, full of Christmas-themed recipes, jokes and puzzles, but also with a section on how to emergency-handle spills, as this will encourage your customer to keep your newsletter throughout the festive season. If you find that you are becoming busy in the runup to Christmas, don't feel pressured to book in yet more work over the festive season. Not every enquiry you receive at this time of year will be related to the Christmas and New Year celebrations and for those that are it may still be possible, with very gentle persuasion, to convince your customer of the advantages of a post-festive clean instead. This will ensure that you have work booked in for the New Year whilst enabling you to retain your professionalism with the jobs you undertake before Christmas; after all it would be very easy to let standards slip if you attempt to squeeze in as many jobs as possible. Remember that much of the work in this industry in gained by word of mouth and 'you are only as good as your last job'.
From the President - 2012 report
D
uring the last year the NCCA Directors and Staff have been working very hard to make further improvements within the Association. To help us in our quest, in February we invited around twenty past and current members to form a summit where a day was spent brainstorming ideas. This activity, which proved hugely successful, was the concept of past President/Director - and current Honorary Member - Derek Bolton. Over twenty of the items discussed made it to the
Paul Pearce
project board and, with regular online discussion since, we have now seen many of these ideas come to fruition. Due to its success we are aiming to hold a summit meeting again in February of next year. To see details of our more significant projects, please read on. Membership Restructure: One of the more major projects undertaken this year was the new and improved membership Continued on next page Page 3
Continued from previous page format. The restructure, which was voted in at the GM in October, was embarked upon with the ultimate goal of raising the standards required to become an NCCA member and also to provide members with the opportunity to progress further within the Association should they wish. We have created the new membership system, taking into account comments from members, and with room to evolve in the future if necessary (see middle-pages for full report on membership restructure). TrustMark Scheme: For years we have wanted our industry to be accredited in a similar way to gas fitters. Up until recently this has always proved difficult to achieve. However, there are now many organisations able to provide this type of accreditation for tradesmen. On investigation into how these accreditation bodies work, one in particular - TrustMark - stood out among the rest. TrustMark is a quality mark, which operates a framework under which there are at least thirty listed areas of trade in the repair, maintenance and improvement sector, including trade associations and local government trading standards teams. Each trade area is approved to carry the TrustMark logo and recruit reputable and trustworthy tradesmen. The Association now has its own TrustMark accreditation program in which members can become involved. In fact, because the NCCA are recognised by the government as the experts within the industry, we were asked to set the criteria for TrustMark for their category of Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning. (See pages 18 and 19 for TrustMark update) NCCA Recognised Training: With the changes to our membership structure, we are also now providing opportunity for our Corporate Members to carry out NCCA entry level training courses. We have devised course
syllabuses for one and two-day programs, which have been offered to all Corporates, and several have already asked to be included. Carpet Cleaners Carnival: In September 2012 we held our second Carpet Cleaners Carnival at Wicksteed Park in Northamptonshire. The event proved to be a great success with over two hundred visitors through the doors. This year we also joined forces with cleaner's forum Cleanitup, who had organised an event to run alongside the Carnival - called VanFest - where attendees were able to enter a competition for best presented van. NCCA Video: In 2012 the NCCA created a consumer video for online media, which is also available FREE for members to use on their own websites. A professional company was employed to carry out the process and several members were invited to take part, as well as myself and NCCA Membership Director Glyn Charnock. The video, which was filmed in Norfolk at three separate locations - a house, a retail outfit and a hotel - is available to view on the NCCA website. To obtain a copy for use on your own site, please email your request to Nicky at: nicky@ncca.co.uk and she will forward instructions to you. New NCCA Exhibition Stand: This year we worked closely with an exhibition stand design company to create a new and exciting modular display that reflects the professionalism and high standards of the NCCA. A key factor in gaining visitor interest at shows is the exhibition stand and we felt that our previous display unit was outdated and no longer effectively reflected the aims and purpose of the NCCA. Our redesigned stand system is modern, portable, versatile and re-usable - ideal promotional material for any event. The images we have chosen are colourful, modern and powerful, capturing the essence of the NCCA as we progress. page 4
OTHER ASSOCIATION NEWS IN 2012 New NCCA Directors: During the year we received the offer of help with Association business from three very willing NCCA members. All three were co-opted as Directors earlier in the year and have since been actively involved in the projects we have undertaken. At the GM in October they were voted in as full Directors and now occupy valuable positions on the NCCA Board. They are as follows: ! Rob Whitbread (Corporate Liaison Director) ! Martin Johns (Assistant Membership Director) ! Christian Ramsey (Training Director) This year we also created the new position of Franchise Director which has been awarded to Denise Pitt, our previous Corporate Director (or 'Associate' Director as it was previously named). As we prepared for our membership restructure we realised the need for the franchises to be better represented and, as Denise runs a successful franchise herself, we felt she would be ideal for the position.
Financial Update: The NCCA has taken various actions over the last couple of years in view of the current economic climate. This has resulted in the Association being in a healthy financial situation. The accounts, which have been approved by the Board, show a vastly improved profit before tax of £35,104 (£34,512 after tax on bank interest received). This compares to a profit of £1,807 in 2011 (and losses in 2009 and 2010).
'Thank you' Everyone I would like to finish my report by thanking all members for their continued support and dedication to the Association and the NCCA Directors, staff and summit group for their hard work throughout the past year. Many things have been achieved within the Association in 2012 and it is all down to the commitment shown by everyone involved. There is strength in numbers and as one big team we continue to ride the economic storm.
Keith Robertson
Stoneman’s Corner What the stones tell us
M
y interest in stone recently took me to the town of Jedburgh in the Scottish borders on a Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) visit. As part of the tour we stopped in a car park to gain a specific view of Jedburgh Abbey. Looking around I noticed a dry stone sculpture in the adjoining park which I later went back to examine. This geological sculpture was commissioned to celebrate the work of James Hutton and his contribution to geology and was executed by Scottish dry stone sculptor, Max Nowell, using a combination of greywacke, which is a dark variety of sandstone, containing small rock fabrics and large grains up to gravel size along with a carboniferous sandstone from the recently re-opened Berwickshire Quarry at Swinton.
As the name James Hutton was just a vague recollection I did a little research and discovered that he was a farmer and doctor in the 1700's, in a period which became known as The Enlightenment. On a visit to the island of Arran on the west coast of Scotland he noted some horizontal bands of red sandstone sitting on vertical bands of stone. He concluded that the two layers must have formed separately over a long period of time. On a separate occasion he came across a small cliff at the side of the river Jed near Jedburgh, which displayed a similar unconformity. Remember that at this time it was generally accepted that the earth had been created in seven twenty-four-hour days while some theologians studying scripture were debating that it might have been a longer period perhaps somewhere between page 6
6000 to 40000 years. It was clear to Hutton that this might indeed be the case. Through his later activity he became known as the father of modern geology. It has to be accepted that not all of his theories were necessarily correct. Nevertheless, he was prepared to voice his revolutionary ideas which opened minds to understanding the development of the earth. It was Hutton who suggested that the interior of the earth was hot and that this heat worked as the engine which created new rock. He was prepared to challenge established beliefs and in 1788 published a book, 'The Theory of the Earth' which at the time was viewed as being as radical as the later Darwinian theories. He argued that existing material was eroded by water and air, deposited in layers in the sea which then, with the help of heat, consolidated the sediment into stone. In 1795 he re-published 'The Theory of the Earth' in two volumes to include additional material. He was a man of many interests which included studying anatomy and chemistry in Paris and in Leiden where he gained a degree of Doctor of Medicine, as well as working at improving farming methods, discovering a red dye and setting up a chemical works which locally produced a chemical that previously had to be imported and was involved in the development of the Forth and Clyde canal. After a busy life Hutton died at the age of 71 in 1797 and now rests in Greyfriars Churchyard in Edinburgh. During Hutton's lifetime Edinburgh expanded its boundaries as the New Town was built. The properties were built from a variety of sandstones. The rock in a few local quarries split horizontally and the sandstone was particularly suitable for flagstones, which the builders of this time regularly used for hallways and kitchens. Staircases in the more substantial houses in this period were also invariably stone. This building method continued right through into the second half of the 18th century when the flagstone hall floors started to disappear as
Victorian tiles became more popular. If you are involved in multi-surface cleaning or restoration and live in a town or city which has Georgian and Victorian buildings, do not neglect these surfaces. For much of the 20th century many of these floors were covered over but in the last ten years in particular, as properties are re-purchased, the new owners in general are keen to restore as many of these original surfaces as possible. If you are just starting out in hard floor cleaning you may wish to pick and choose which jobs you take on until you gain some experience. Gradually, you can experiment with methods of lifting stuckdown flooring or removing adhesives, screed or layers of paint if you perceive that there is profit to be made in dealing with these surfaces. On the one hand you may have to accept that the hourly rate will be less than you can earn while 'on the tools' cleaning carpet or upholstery, but on the other hand you will be able to have many more 'earning' hours on each job you deal with. For most, this means they can earn just as much on a daily basis as they would if they had completed a day cleaning fabrics or carpets. It is likely that if you are already involved in cleaning stone surfaces your appreciation of the nature of the material will have increased. In my mind, 'natural' beats synthetic every time and so I believe that finding the best way not only to clean, but also to bring out the best appearance, is both important and exciting. If you share similar views to me you may find James Hutton's story interesting. I have always believed that too few are willing to question established beliefs, no matter whether they are history-related or regarding how we tackle new jobs. If you have come across specific methods that work for you when it comes to cleaning stone or Victorian tile, which you have devised yourself, please be willing to share these. It would be exciting to put together a package of information for members with as many of these ideas as possible. page 7
NCCA General Meeting 2012
T
he NCCA General Meeting (GM) took place on Thursday 25th October at Leicester Racecourse. To accompany the GM, we decided it would be a good idea to organise a full day of events so that attending members would receive maximum benefit from time taken away from their businesses. Included was a marketing seminar in the morning, displays by Corporate Members - who were showcasing their product ranges throughout the day - and the General Meeting in the afternoon. The marketing seminar, which was expertly
Nigel Lay
presented by industry marketer Robert Saunders, was very well received. During his presentation Robert offered an insight in to the new technology platforms available to successfully increase and fine-tune marketing activities. Additionally tips on SEO were provided, including how to create a high ranking website without the use of pay-per-click and the strategic use of pay-per-click in order to achieve the best results. The idea of using customer database management was also introduced. Robert discussed the full range of tools that these systems can offer, making customer communication simpler, more specifically page 8
February Summit - where existing and past Directors met to discuss ideas and proposals concerning the Association - we managed to prioritise these ideas into action plans. I recently attended the Trade Association Forum (TAF) seminar day, on behalf of the NCCA, and it was most gratifying to see that our new membership package idea was a mirror image of what TAF recommend as a forward thinking membership structure. Affiliated with our new membership structure is the exciting new alliance between Trustmark and the NCCA. Trustmark is a government endorsed scheme that started life in the construction sector and recommends registered tradesmen to the public; very similar to the GasSafe operators scheme. The Trustmark Continued on next page
All General Meeting photosŠPaul Pearce
targeted, and therefore more effective, whilst saving valuable time and money. The break for lunch provided an excellent networking opportunity and useful ideas and information were exchanged between attendees with different areas of expertise. In our industry there are many companies who are sole traders, or have very few staff, and therefore the opportunity to network with others in the same field is invaluable. The afternoon saw the GM outline the projects and achievements of the past year, the most prominent of which was the introduction of the new membership structure. A project which we are pleased to announce was wholeheartedly voted in. This idea was first discussed as long as eleven years ago and I am glad to say that over the past year, with the introduction of the
The marketing seminar was expertly presented by industry marketer Robert Saunders
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Continued from previous page website is now receiving approximately 400,000 hits per month nationally and the categories are being expanded. To have a dedicated Carpet and Upholstery cleaning listing we need to have sixty members who have become Trustmark approved. Trustmark will only be working with the NCCA so anyone who is Trustmark registered in our industry would have to be an NCCA member. This will go a long way to helping promote the Association to a wider public, so please go to the NCCA website (members area) for more details on to how to register your company. Other enquiries that came in from 'the floor' at the GM covered advertising and awareness of the NCCA, mentoring for new members, assisting members in creating an exit strategy when they decide to sell up, comparison testing of machines
and solutions and new external training courses approved by the NCCA. It was also reiterated that any member who may have a proposal they think could benefit the NCCA, or a skill-set that may compliment work already being done on behalf of the Association, should come forward with their ideas, suggestions and/or offers of help to the NCCA staff and Directors. We would like to thank our Corporate Members and GM attendees for their support throughout the day. The General Meeting is a great place to air your views and ideas and become involved in the Association and how it moves forward. Remember, you are as much a part of the NCCA as any other member, Directors included, so if you missed the GM this year, make a point of coming along next year and ensure that your views count in the making of future decisions.
Also present were Corporate Members who were showcasing their products throughout the day page 10
Terry Guilford The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.
Wood floor sanding - the real opportunity
I
n my last article I spoke about the profitability of wood floor sanding compared to that of carpet or hard floor cleaning and also touched on the fact that the real opportunity lies in maintenance of wood floors. Why is it that up to now well-heeled clients have been quite happy to have their carpets and hard floors professionally maintained but have ignored those scratched, worn and tired looking wooden floors? The answer lies within the industry itself, as does the solution AND the opportunity. In the beginning wood floors were just something to walk on and were left unfinished, with constant mopping they grew grey and shabby, but hey, life was pretty grey and shabby so floors were of no consequence. As with everything, as mans’ hierarchy of basic needs began to be satisfied, attention was turned (or the wife's' attention was
turned) to the state of the house, including the floors. The logical step was to use the same waxes and oils they used on their furniture to protect and enhance their wooden floors and so the first wood floor finish was born, in fact in many ways the finest and most sustainable floor finish was born. However these finishes, beautiful as they were, came at a price…… hard work, which was ok when labour was cheap and plentiful but the post war world put an end to that, so came the advent of surface build finishes. There have been many different types of surface build finishes but essentially, in my opinion at least, they all do the same thing, from the sloooow drying varnishes through to the quick drying acid catalyst (don't get me started) to the modern water-based polyurethane; they sit on the surface of the wood waiting to get scratched and once they are page 12
scratched you sand them off and start again. What about acrylic seals I here you ask (damn I'm hearing voices again), ok you clean the floor and apply a seal, in six months you clean the floor and apply a seal etc, etc. At some point just like with Marmoleum, Amtico or any other surface with a topical seal, you have to strip the old seal coat and start again. Remind me, how much water does it take to strip old seal coat? Is it really a good idea to put that much liquid on a wood floor? So where are we? Old wax, oil and wax oil finishes are beautiful and sustainable but are soft and need to be constantly re-applied, many have little resistance to water spotting and offer no resistance to red wine, Coke or tea and coffee. Surface build finishes are durable but once damaged it is impossible to do local repairs and even routine maintenance offers little in the long term. The answer, and the opportunity, lies in the modern hard wax oils and the best bit is that many in the existing floor sanding industry are too set in their ways to see it, they just want to sand floors and throw down polyurethane. What are these new products that may well present the solutions to all our problems? They are, as the name suggests, a mixture of oils and waxes blended to form a finish that cures to a hard and durable surface. They broadly fall into two categories, hard wax oils that contain some solvent and those that contain no solvent and are therefore VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) free. There are a number of brands to choose from in each category. In the past I have been a great advocate of one of the brands in the first category and indeed still have it down in some rooms of my own home. In some instances (particular where high chemical resistance is required) I would still promote its use but there are strong reasons to consider the second category as they are VOC free products and are two-component products, which mean that the additives speed up both application and curing time.
So now we have products which enable us to finish a job more quickly than polyurethane (and with less cost as these products, although seemingly expensive, go a long way), what may have been a two-day job due to drying and recoating times is now a one-day job hence saving even more money. The real long term benefit is not the cost or time saving, however, but the maintainability (is there such a word?). Whilst not as outrightly durable as a good polyurethane product these hard wax oils can be repaired, touched up and cleaned and refreshed very easily and therein lies your opportunity. Hard wax oil products tend to be understood and appreciated better by high end clients, they love the natural satin/matte appearance they give their floors and they want them to stay that way. It is so easy AND profitable it would be a sin not to give them what they want.
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A
t the General Meeting, the new Membership Structure, as outlined in the October issue of Newslink, was voted in by the members. Some of those attending had several questions which they put to the Directors. Some of you may have the same concerns, so I will try to address these. Associate Member The new ‘Associate Member’ level is for those new to the industry. ‘Associates’ will have to do extra training in the form of an Advanced Spot and Stain Removal course and will have to have experience, and provide proof, of having been actively working in the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry before they can become a full ‘Member’. This will raise the standards required to become a member of the Association. Member Existing members can remain at ‘Member’ level if that is their wish. We are not forcing extra training on anyone. However, having an Advanced Spot and Stain Removal certificate can open doors, making members eligible for inclusion on the list of people recommended for insurance work and counting towards ‘Advanced Member’ level and TrustMark accreditation. The one thing that will change is that all NCCA members will be asked to sign a Health and Safety declaration. This will bring everyone in line with the membership requirements of TrustMark's scheme operator, Diversity, and their health and safety requirements. Since the NCCA are recognised by the government, as the experts in the industry, the Association was asked to set the criteria for TrustMark for their category of Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning and the subsequent training required, so these criteria have been incorporated into the new membership structure. IMPORTANT: Please note that no existing members will be asked to restart their membership at ‘Associate Member’ Level.
NCCA membership restructu Advanced Member Any full member who has two years uninterrupted NCCA membership, has attended an Advanced Spot and Stain Removal course and one other training course, meets the criteria to be an ‘Advanced Member’ and can apply for this level. If you wish, it is acceptable to remain an ‘Advanced Member’ in future years without having to do further training. page 14
re
Glyn Charnock We would always, of course, encourage you to attend training courses and/or seminars. Personally I enjoy meeting other people in or outside the industry. You can learn a lot from just meeting up and exchanging ideas. This can make a daytrip very worthwhile. Senior Member ‘Senior’ level is for those members who have supported the NCCA by being a member
continuously for seven years and spent time and effort on the training required to expand their knowledge and keep up to date with industry innovations. A minimum of five courses in addition to Advanced Spot and Stain Removal are required. This includes the one course required for ‘Advanced Member’ level. They must also be willing to carry on training by attending a course every three years. The new membership structure is part of the coordinated efforts of the Association to improve public awareness of the NCCA and what membership means for consumers. Along with TrustMark, accreditation of training by some Corporate Members, social media, use of newsfeeds and other marketing activities, we are working to improve public recognition of the Association, making NCCA membership more valuable to the members To ensure the establishment of the new membership structure goes smoothly, the introduction of the new levels for existing members has been postponed until the administration required is properly in place. There is a significant amount of work required in assessing all current members' eligibility for the different levels of membership and to be fair to everyone we would like to award all membership levels at the same time. We will be sending out application forms for the different membership levels in the near future. Please help us to help you by returning all information, which needs to be verified by the office as soon as possible. Make sure all the relevant paperwork is enclosed before sending it off and check that the forms have been signed. Failure to do so may result in placement in an incorrect member level and this cannot be rectified until the following renewal date. Thank you in advance for your co-operation. We believe this is a major step forwards for the Association and its members. page 15
ŠPhotograph: Devonia Plain by Axminster
What lies beneath
I
Derek Bolton
have what is hopefully something interesting for you to think about this month linked to the insurance cover that we should all carry as part of our businesses. A few weeks ago I received a call from a technician who had cleaned a three piece suite that had changed colour because a pH sensitive dye was present. I gave him some advice on how this colour change could be reversed and apparently it worked to an extent, but unfortunately not well enough to satisfy the customer. I can only assume that areas where multiple thicknesses of fabric were present
did not completely respond to the reversal process. It was highly likely, however, that applying the remedial solution again in those particular areas would have done the trick. Unfortunately at this point the technician, under pressure from his client, panicked and passed the problem on to his insurance company for them to deal with. The insurance company, in their infinite wisdom, paid out for the cost of a replacement suite (almost three thousand pounds) and, this is the interesting bit, they sold the 'damaged' suite back to the customer for one hundred pounds‌ page 16
that was some damage then! I personally feel that this doesn't do insurance companies any favours at all as it sets a dangerous precedent for any future claims if the word gets out. I was always under the impression that there was a sliding scale when it came to settlement of claims based on the age of the item and use over a period of time but, having just checked up on this, apparently not. One of the common areas for claims currently is, apparently, damage to sub-flooring whilst cleaning carpets. Over the last few years cleaning machines have improved dramatically, so much so that I would have thought that getting moisture through to the sub-flooring would be almost impossible. I can only assume that there are quite a few cleaners out there who have NOT received adequate training or choose to simply ignore the basic rules of cleaning. Imagine the size of the claim if a whole house is damaged, not as uncommon as you might think. Claims for damages of between seven and eight thousand pounds are quite possible, often caused through poor cleaning techniques. A genuine example of this is a large claim being made in relation to damage caused following a protection treatment, on new carpeting, throughout a house. Damage can occur following a treatment application if the property is then shut for a period of time afterwards with no air circulation. This can be quite a problem for cleaning technicians when the customer is away on holiday or in the case of end-of-tenancy cleans. Other claims I have heard about have related to damage caused by over wetting a carpet to such an extent that the subflooring buckles; this can happen where either parquet or laminate flooring has been carpeted over. Here's a question for you. How many cleaning technicians actually carry out even the most rudimentary checks prior to cleaning a carpet? This is an area that has been covered in
numerous articles over the months/years within Newslink, so I hope that the message has well and truly sunk in with NCCA members. Just lifting the corner of a carpet can provide so much information; you can identify the fibres, construction, underlay and sub-flooring at a single glance. Below are a simple set of rules to follow to reduce the risk of an insurance claim being made on carpet cleaning you have carried out: ! Identify correctly the type of carpet you are going to clean. ! Identify the type of sub-flooring present. ! Choose the methods/techniques that you intend to use to clean the carpets based on the information gathered. Insurance claims don't only happen to newly trained cleaners (in fact they are more likely to actually do the full checks), they more frequently happen to cleaners that have NEVER had any formal training or even us old hands who have tended to become complacent over the years - a dangerous thing to do! When I speak to technicians who are experiencing a claim their first words are usually 'I have never had this happen before'. Maybe they haven't, but as the saying goes ‘there's a first time for everything’, so always be careful.
Member Referral Report Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 83 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 27 referrals from the NCCA office, 52 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.
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Stand up and be counted!
Wanted - local, trustworthy and reliable tradesmen operating to Government endorsed standards
A
s a valued member of the NCCA you will already be acknowledged by the public as a professional. As an NCCA/TrustMark member you will become the most trusted, reliable, tradesmen and women in the country. The NCCA has set the criteria for TrustMark to appoint its members under the carpet and upholstery category. As a recognised member of the Government’s own trusted trader scheme TrustMark, you will have your company name added to their website www.trustmark.org.uk under the category of Handyman until our members achieve national coverage, then the NCCA will be awarded the category of Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning and we will take over as the only carpet and upholstery scheme operator in the country. This is only open to NCCA Members, who will need to have spent a minimum of two years in the industry and have an Advanced Spot & Stain Removal certificate. They will also have to sign the
health and safety declaration provided by the current scheme operator, Diversity Management Services. The cost of joining is £180 per year including VAT. For less then £3.50 per week, you can advertise your professionalism on a Government endorsed website receiving over 350,000 'hits' every month from consumers looking for reputable professional tradesmen. You will receive free TrustMark stickers for your vehicle, which if seen by a TrustMark administrator will mean your company name is put into a monthly draw with a prize of £100, along with other free promotional materials. This is something that the industry has wanted for a long time and is as close as we have got to the target 'Gas Safe' standard. The NCCA has gained and delivered this exclusive accolade for its members. It is a great opportunity to raise the profile of both individual members and the NCCA to the public, so please take the opportunity to stand up and be counted.
The benefits of joining TrustMark Very recently I became accredited by TrustMark. I decided to join so there would be yet another reason for my customers to choose me above the competition. This scheme particularly appealed to me as it is only open to NCCA members. My TrustMark certificate came through about two weeks ago and shortly afterwards I updated my website to reflect my new membership. Within seven days of joining I had gained three out of three jobs tendered! I was informed by the customers that I wasn't the cheapest (well, we've all heard that before) but that my TrustMark membership, and the obvious benefits, had been an important factor in their decision to book me. Before obtaining these jobs I was having one of my
Martin Johns
quietest months ever, so I consider that the money I spent to become a TrustMark member was more than worth it. To put it into perspective, the profit I gained from those three jobs alone amounted to over three times the cost of my yearly membership! So, if you haven't already done so, it is definitely worth considering joining this scheme. It's another tool in your marketing arsenal - a comparatively inexpensive one - and another reason for customers to choose you and not someone else. Most people have heard of TrustMark and most people know what it means - that you are trustworthy and have the ability to complete any job to the highest standard. page 18
NEWSFLASH: NCCA TrustMark members now linked to Citizens Advice website Citizens Advice signpost to TrustMark Citizens Advice and TrustMark have joined forces to signpost consumers when they are looking for local tradesmen. Consumers from across the UK will now be able to search and select a TrustMark firm from the Citizens Advice websites for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, knowing that all the firm's competences and fair trading practices have been independently inspected and checked. TrustMark is always looking for better ways to increase visibility for this quality mark so we are delighted that Citizens Advice is now signposting consumers to our TrustMark registered tradesmen. It is important that we continue to do more joined-up working with the key agencies, independent third sector organisations, trade bodies and advisory services to help consumers make more informed decisions when hiring tradesmen to improve or repair their homes. Gillian Guy, Chief Executive, Citizens Advice, said: “TrustMark is an excellent example of the kind of creative problem prevention initiatives that we really value at Citizens Advice�.
Carpet cleaner dies after electrocution in Putney house A carpet cleaner was found dead slumped over a chaise longue after he was electrocuted while working in a badly-wired house, an inquest has heard. Diyan Hristov, 22, was working in an upstairs bedroom at a Victorian terraced home in Putney, southwest London when he was killed by a 230 volt shock. The Bulgarian was discovered near his carpet cleaning machine and a pedal fan, which were both still running. Westminster Coroners Court heard that the appliances were not faulty but poor wiring could have led to the exposed metal on either device becoming live. Homeowner Jean-Pierre Douglas-Henry said he was stunned when subsequent tests identified serious problems with the wiring in the house. "The wiring was deemed unsatisfactory and a partial rewiring was recommended", he said.
NEW NCCA MEMBERS FULL MEMBERS Crown Cleaners (Oxford, Oxfordshire) Floor Cleaning Company (Stockport, Cheshire) MacDet Hygiene Services Ltd (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire) Avolution Cleaning Services Ltd (Gloucester, Gloucestershire) Blitz Cleaned (Norwich, Norfolk) Clean Rescue Ltd (Welford-on-Avon, Warwickshire)
CORPORATE NSL Restormate (Cramlington, Northumberland)
Diary Dates 2012/2013 NCCA COURSES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 18th - 19th January 2013 22nd - 23rd March 2013 24th - 25th May 2013 5th - 6th July 2013 27th - 28th September 2013 22nd -23rd November 2013 Spot & Stain Removal 22nd February 2013 21st June 2013 25th October 2013 NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated. Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details. The Cleaning Show 19th - 21st March 2013 (Birmingham NEC) IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Applied Structural Drying Technician 4th - 7th December 2012 with Adam Jankowski Stone, Masonry & Ceramic Tile Cleaning Technician 10th - 11th December 2012 with Keith Robertson Water Damage Restoration Technician 29th - 31st January 2013 with Adam Jankowski Fire & Smoke Restoration Technician 12th - 13th February 2013 with Adam Jankowski Odour Control Technician 14th February 2013 with Adam Jankowski Carpet Cleaning Technician 19th -20th February 2013 with Adam Jankowski Held at National Flood School, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses page 20
NCCA video
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Lewis Scroby
e have been very pleased with the response to the new NCCA video recently made available. Feedback has been very positive from the members that have viewed the video and started to make use of it in their own online advertising. We have had one query raised, however, and wish to address this as there is a slight concern about the way Youtube videos work. Anyone that visits or makes use of Youtube will likely be aware that, when each viewed video ends, the site provides a list of other videos it has identified with similar content or key words. This is a very useful idea when looking through the site for something in particular, as you automatically receive some recommended options for what to view next. In regard to our video however, these 'recommendations', though carpet cleaning related, may not be in line with NCCA standards and the professionalism we and the members wish to put across. We obviously do not want potential customers to believe, after viewing the NCCA video and coming across the options automatically provided by Youtube at the end, that they are
watching more content from the Association or even the member themselves. We're sure a number of you have seen the videos that some industry representatives have decided to upload on to the internet, and can agree that their service and professionalism can sometimes leave a lot to be desired. In order to tackle this issue, we sought the advice of NCCA website administrator and expert, Cliff Taylor of AnnWebCom. Cliff, having already addressed the issue before adding the video to the NCCA website, kindly advised and confirmed that a slight change to the embed code can prevent any other options being provided at the end of the video. So, we would recommend any member that currently displays the video on their website to check and either ensure that the 'recommendations' do not appear at the end of the video, or contact the office for a new embed code which, when applied, will eliminate the problem. Any members not yet utilising the video, but interested in doing so, can also contact the office for further information.
Is your website mobile friendly?
H
ave you looked at your website recently on your smart phone? What does it look like? Can you see your animated banner? With an increase in portable devices to browse the internet never before has it been so important to ensure that your website is mobile device friendly. If your normal website contains animation, has this been created in Flash? If the animation on your website is Flash, and not JQuery, then people looking at your website on their tablet or mobile phone will not be able to see the animation, so you need to ensure that your normal website is using the latest technology. Mobile friendly sites should be compatible with mobile phones and tablets so that the user does not have to scroll across or zoom in. If your website is mobile friendly then you should still
www.sitewizard.co.uk
have the capabilities of editing it if your provider has a content management system. The benefits of having a mobile friendly version of your site is that it makes your company look professional and current, as well as ensuring that the visitors to your website can load it quickly and get the vital information that they require. When a designer creates a mobile friendly version of your site they have to create the images in seven different sizes to be able to be compatible with all versions of screens available on mobile devices. To see a working example please visit www.SiteWizard.co.uk on your computer or laptop, then go to the same website on your mobile phone or tablet and select that you want to visit our mobile friendly site. page 22
What is marketing all about? The word 'Marketing' is frightening to many people, but really there is no need to panic. There are many perceptions of what marketing is all about. Principally it's common sense. It's simply a matter of 'selling', better still, positioning your service or product offering. In fact, it's making people want to 'buy' your service or product over your competition. Being adventurous, even in a small way, can increase your chances to move one step ahead. So don't worry that your marketing ideas 'aren't the normal way things are done' or that they seem 'silly' or 'pointless'. No matter how 'silly' a thought or an idea is, unless we try we'll never know whether it will work or not!
Meet expectations with reality Have you ever stopped to think about what your customers actually really require from you or do you just take it for granted that they will be happy with your work? Well, it is a fact that following a clean some prospective customers will expect their carpets to look like they did when they were new, even if they're fifteen years old and well past their best in terms of appearance. Some companies actually advertise that carpets will 'look like new' after cleaning, thereby adding to the customer expectations of us all. In the realms of stain removal no guarantee should be given of a completely successful result. The customer's expectations should always match the reality of the situation. Make sure this happens and you can't go too far wrong.
Cleaning for health Cleaning should never be strictly for appearance. It should also improve the IAQ (indoor air quality) of the property you are working on and without danger to the occupants of the building. So, as cleaners what should we do to improve IAQ? The World Health Organisation's definition of cleaning includes the physical removal and proper disposal of soils and pollutants from the building. So, as cleaners we need to: ! Maximise the extraction of pollutants from the building if 'healthy' cleaning is to be accomplished. Otherwise dirt may be less visible, but still present, still doing its damage. ! Minimise chemical, particle and moisture residue. Most agents used in fabric cleaning are quite safe, but some leave residues that cause rapid re-soiling. Particles left behind after cleaning can become airborne and result in respiratory irritation. Prolonged drying (moisture) can result in rapid re-soiling and mould growth that may trigger allergies and asthma attacks. ! Minimise human exposure to contaminants, cleaning chemicals and cleaning residues. Both during and after cleaning make sure that neither you, nor your customers, are exposed to any potentially hazardous material. REMEMBER: Clean for health first and for appearance second. Fortunately when you clean for health, you also get outstanding appearance. But it doesn't necessarily follow that better appearance produces a healthy environment.
Economic growth review
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ichael Heseltine delivered his much anticipated review of economic growth earlier this month. There were 89 recommendations in the 260 page report, with many focused on structural changes to Government and the way it interacts with business, from the big, right down to the smallest such as the one-man-band carpet cleaning outfit. The report highlights a lack of engagement from Government with the vast majority of businesses that are not high achievers. So while it's working well with the likes of the Rolls Royces of the business world the report noted a significant lack of formal structures in which such a dialogue can take with small business. And these are the cornerstones of the UK economy - the real wealth and job creators. The Heseltine Review says what is needed is a coordinated private sector support structure. This we agree with - it's what we do as an organisation 24/7.
Robert Downes (Forum of Private Business) Where we disagree with Mr Heseltine is the way he proposes this be achieved, with a major focus on Government and other providers, such as LEPS (Local Enterprise Partnerships), working solely with the Chambers of Commerce as delivery partners. It is even mooted in the report that there should be compulsory membership of the Chambers and their status should even be enshrined in legislation. Incredibly Heseltine does not feel this would necessarily be detrimental to other national business support bodies like us. We have already come out against it, as have others. For Government to tamper in a private market this way is more than a little worrying. It should be down to businesses to make an informed choice about the type of support they want. Heseltine does, however, contradict himself. He puts forward in the report an argument - rightly so - that regulation impedes growth. He can't have it both ways though. page 24
He recommends the Government write to industry bodies asking exactly how wording should change on existing regulations in order to better support business and growth. This could be a minefield too. The Red Tape Challenge has sought to do this over the past two years with some success. This new deregulatory measure would put trade bodies in the position of drafting legislation which affects their members. We don't think this is practical - too many conflicts of interest and not enough impartiality. Instead our argument remains one of consistency and clarity in terms of new regulations, with new ones introduced only when completely necessary and then sympathetically enforced. Lord Heseltine's Review presents the case for long term structural change to the way the country as a whole does business, including the part Government plays in its interactions with industry. With the way the world economy is heading its right to be looking at root and branch change of UK Plc. The review also suggests a distinct change of
national direction by handing the reins of power back to local and regional institutions. We agree that cities and regions are better placed to know their own strengths and weaknesses better than a London-centric Government. For the nation's economy to be successfully rebalanced with more of a focus on private sector growth, all regions of the UK must be cultivated and given equal help, not just the south east. There's also clear instruction to expand the role of LEPs as organisations to help facilitate small business growth regionally. Many will see this as a return to the Regional Development Agencies model, and while we cautiously welcome some aspects of these proposals, it is important to remember that business support is out there and any new initiative should not be duplicating what's already provided by the private sector. It may well be that many of Heseltine's 89 points will not be taken up. While there are some good points in it, much of what it suggests goes too far. It seems likely though that we may see some of them appear in the pre-Budget statement.
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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. 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. Contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact andy on: 07970 544806. VAN AND TRUCKM0UNT FOR SALE - £5000. IVECO van, 2001, very good condition, 2800 cc engine size, 124,000 miles, fitted with shelving, all the necessary hoses, 2 wands go with it + Steam Way Sidekick 6100 truckmount, very good condition with 2165 hours on the clock. As an extra goodwill gesture we will include a rotary jet extractor R X 20, which is worth more than £2000 to buy brand new! Selling price is NON NOGOTIABLE because this very good price for someone maybe looking at starting up in the industry. Interested buyers are more than welcome to come to Market Harborough and test drive the van and truckmount. MOT until end of March 2013 and Tax until end of Feb 2013. Call Angelo on 07949 214588.
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.) or telephone: 01672 871882 or mobile: 07831 172743. 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.
CITROEN RELAY HDi LWB HR + TRUCK MOUNTED CARPET CLEANING MACHINE VAN: Year-56plate. Miles-38453. TAX-End March 2013. MOT Due-August 2013. Serviced March 2012. TRUCK MOUNT: Chemspec 860 High Heat. Hours2537.5hrs. This was Chemspec's largest and most powerful petrol truck mount. The same was used as their demonstrator mounted on a trailer. It is designed as a dual wand system so a 2man team can work continuously at impressive distances if required, but equally can be run as a simple wand system. The machine is mounted on the vehicle complete with: large waste tank, large capacity clean water tank, retractable hose reel for easy filling, fuel tank, chemical shelf, 5 x 50' extraction hoses on van mounted reel for easy set up, 5 x 50' solution hoses on van mounted reel for easy set up, 3 x large carpet wands, 1 x Hand Tool, 2 x yellow/black hose pavement ramps, chemical tanks. We have it set up so you can have up to 4 different chemicals ready to go and can simply be switched from one to the other without moving/switching tanks. We have also invested and have installed an Eberspacher cab heater (http://www.eberspacher.com/products/air-heating/) which allows the back of the vehicle to be kept warm overnight during the winter months if the vehicle can't be garaged. This runs independently from the engine. Cost: £10,750+VAT. Contact Peter Booth on: 01553 762762. TRUCKMOUNT Banclene truck mount complete with base unit, stainless steel 80 gallon recovery tank, 100 gallon solution tank, 150 feet of Vaccuum/solution hoses, floor, stair and various upholstery hand tools, inline heater and misc parts etc..The van has been sold seperately. Selling due to retirement and will consider the highest offer. Call Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640 - mobile 07976 218304 or email derek @aquamaster-yorkshire.co.uk CLEANING AND RESTORATION MACHINERY EQUIPMENT - ACCESSORIES Dri-Eaz Dehumidifier 1200 as New Boxed £450.00. DriEaz Sahara Pro TurboDryer - New Boxed £150.00. DriEaz Dri X Airchanger Dehumidifier New Boxed. Normal Price £1900.00. Our Price £500.00. Plus much more. For a complete list please telephone: 07580 182 325 or E-mail: info@restoration-direct.co.uk
MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator - £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Chemspec stainless steel 4 jet floor wand in good condition - £300.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885 804560. page 26
FAMILY-RUN HAMPSHIRE CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING, DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL BUSINESS Phoenix 450i Hydramaster Truck Mount Machine with custom refinements, temperature control, dryer, reels, etc. 398 hrs. Fully serviced. 1 yr old. Comprehensive list of ancillary equipment and materials upon request. Mercedes 3.5t Sprinter 2003 MWB Hi Top Van. 155k FSH. Tax/MOT. Full NCCA & FSB membership. Training available. CheckaTrade 10/10 scoring track record. Google listing. Company Name. Website. Online Technologies. Corporate Image/Workwear. Computerised finance control, marketing, sales and scheduling. Owners selling ÂŁ24k Package due to ill health. Complete Package details and photos available on request to: james@wowcarpetcleaning.co.uk or phone James direct on: 02380 001154 The Association advises that all goods are checked to be in a satisfactory condition, and comply to electrical and health and safety standards, etc. It is recommended that equipment serial numbers should be checked to ensure the seller is the legitimate owner. The Association accepts no responsibility or liability arising from any transaction or dispute between the buyer and seller.
NCCA Corporate Members + Allied Insurance Services Ltd: 0844 8156211 (I) + Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 01444 232211 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd: 01254 584404 (FI) + Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C) + Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W) + 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)
NCCA Member Benefits + HMCA (free legal and councelling helpline): 0117 934 2600
+ Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr)T) + Mailboxes Etc: 01628 633336 + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I)
+ SiteWizard (website creation): 08450 608860
+ Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C)
+ EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650
+ Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T)
+ Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860
+ Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A)
+ Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department): 01252 390385
+ Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M)
+ Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department): 0808 100 7890 + Adalante Merchant Services: 01628 820500 + Payatrader: www.payatrader.com + Control Account PLC: 01527 882901 + TrustMark (Diversity): 0115 9673767
+ NSL Restormate: 01670 590099: (M/C/Tr) + Oates Laboratories (Europe): 01772 433711 (C) + Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C) + Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C) + The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K) + The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co. - 00353 91846488 (M/C/Fr) + 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 / Tr - Training.
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Going Going - Gone Dye Gone offers a unique new package and application device to remove the severest of dye stains including: coffee, tea, wine, hair dyes, paints, candle colours etc.
e dby o o g n Say ake ta f to ains! st
No need to mix - just spray - wait and the stain is gone.* *pre-test carefully and rinse out after stain is removed with cold water after use.
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