Eclean Issue 22

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In This Issue:

Issue #22

5 Motivating Employees: How Curt Kempton of 5-Star

Window Care Turned his Biggest Frustration into His

Biggest Asset

9 Help Wanted: Tips for Finding – and Hiring – Top- Notch Cleaning Technicians

12 Gathering & Filtering Your Applications, by Erica

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Jensen, Clean Right Company

14 IWCA National Convention and Trade Show Review 16 Preparing Your Equipment for Spring Means Caring for It Through he End of Winter: Guidance from Tim Irwin, Aaladin Industries Service Manager 18 Introducing CleaningEquipmentTrader.com 20 PWNA Introduces Amazing New Website, Awesome New

Benefits

22 PWNA Vendor Profile: North American Pressure Wash Outlet

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24 OVERloaded and UNDERempowered, by John C. Maxwell 26 Removing Rust Stains...and More, by Craig Harrison,

Front 9 Restoration

29 Those Untapped Entryways, by Rick Meehan, Marko Janitorial

32 Unger Celebrates 50th Anniversary 36 New Technician Training 101, by Steve Stephens 38 How to Be OSHA Complaint with Your Employees, by

Linda Chambers, Soap Warehouse

42 10 Steps to Hiring Your First Employee 44 Employee vs. Independent Contractor, by Erica Jensen,

Clean Right Company 46 EClean Hires Charlie Arnold as Director of Sales Cover Photo: The 5 Star Window Care Team, www.5starwindowcare.com eClean Magazine is published monthly Publisher: Paul Horsley, paul@ecleanmag.com Editor: Allison Hester, allison@ecleanmag.com Sales: Charlie Arnold, charlie@ecleanmag.com eClean Magazine

Box 262, 16 Midlake Blvd S.E. Calgary, Alberta Canada T2X2X7 www.eCleanMag.com 3

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Motivating Employees How Curt Kempton of 5-Star Window Care Turned His Biggest Frustration into His Biggest Asset

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or those who have met Curt Kempton of 5 Star Window Care in Phoenix, Arizona, or have heard him speak on motivating employees, you might think that he has never struggled with staff related issues. That actually couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“Managing employees used to be one of the most frustrating parts of running my window cleaning business,” Curt stressed. “I was ready to pull my hair out.”

Then about five years ago, something changed. Curt was in a meeting with a variety of business owners who began talking about what great corporate cultures their companies had. When it was Curt’s time to speak, he had nothing positive to say. “I was frustrated. I was struggling to get my workers to show up on time, if they showed up at all,” he said. “I told the others in that meeting it was easy for them because they had ‘sexy’ businesses.” By “sexy,” Curt meant that they were cool companies that appealed to high-end clients.

“But my company just cleaned eClean Magazine

by Allison Hester

windows.”

“Shame on you!” scolded the CEO of Infusion Soft, the leader of that meeting. “If YOU don’t think your business is sexy, how is anyone else going to find it sexy?”

“I was really embarrassed by that,” Curt said, “but it also opened my eyes to the need to change our company culture.”

So Curt began doing some serious “soul searching.” In the saturated Phoenix market, where tons of new window cleaning and

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pressure washing businesses were springing up, what would make his company stand out?

What was it that made his company unique?

To answer that question, he began brainstorming about what makes successful companies successful. For example, why are people willing to pay three times as much for groceries – “the most boring products in the world” – at Whole Foods compared to other grocery outlets? Or why are they willing to pay more for Apple products, especially when Apple “is more about telling what you can’t do – i.e., you can’t use your PC software – than what you can.”

Curt came up with two primary points: 1. People are willing to pay more for an experience, not just a product. For example, “Apple is about the experience – the wooden floors in the Apple store, the thrill of opening the box when you get a new product.”

2. Curt’s employees were sucking his company dry. “I realized I could either ruin my business by continuing to hire employees who were wearing me out, or I could ruin it by getting rid of my staff and not being able to handle everything myself.” Something had to change.

That was how Curt transformed his company to no longer be just another window cleaning business. Instead, 5 Star Window Care has metamorphosed into a customer experience: “A customer service company that just happens to do windows.

The 5 Star Certification Program oday, 5 Star’s technician certification program has five levels. Pay is increased with each new star achieved. The levels are gained as follows: 1-Star – This is where every employee starts when hired. They have passed a drug test, gotten good recommendations from past employers, and proven to Curt that they may be a good fit for the job.

2-Star – This level of certification is gained after a technician proves s/he can work safely.

Curt (or his five-star team members) spends a significant amount of time teaching one-star employees how to work safely on the job. Two stars are typically gained anywhere between one week to one month on the job.

“If you can’t teach your employees how to work safely inside a week, you’re making it too hard,” he said. (Note that 5 Star does not do highrise cleaning.) “Besides, if you take more than a month, your employees have already created some bad habits that are difficult – if not impossible – to break.”

3-Star – This level of certification is based on production. The technician has proven s/he can not only work safely, but also efficiently.

Paperwork is completed correctly. Work is done in a reasonable amount of time without having the quality suffer. “These technicians are about as good as most window cleaning companies get.” Most technicians make it to this level within six months; some have made it

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Not for Everyone

When Curt first decided to implement the certification program, most of his current technicians were on board. However, one was not, and he happened to be Curt’s highest producer.

“It completely caught me off guard, but he simply refused to go along with the program,” Curt explained. It was a tough decision because this worker could bring in more money in a day than the rest of his team combined, but in the end Curt let the technician go. “It was a very scary decision.”

It turns out, however, that this was a good move for the team. While the technician was fast, he was also moody, refused to do paperwork, often underbid projects, and was sometimes unfriendly with the customers. Once that technician was let go, the rest of the team worked even harder to pick up the slack, and grew stronger in the meantime.

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as quickly as three.

4-Star – This level focuses on customerservice skills. Curt works diligently with his technicians to help them learn the proper ways to interact with customers in a variety of scenarios. He uses role play and real life scenarios. He also requires his technicians to read specific management/customer service related books and write reports in order to get to this level. By the time a technician reaches four stars, s/he is ready to lead a crew.

5-Star – By this level, a technician is capable of doing anything that Curt himself can do, plus s/he has mentored another technician as well.

Five-star certified employees are the ones who are qualified to be a field manager (although not all five-stars have this role). And, when they get to this level, their pay changes.

They are able to make quite a bit more money at this level, but customer satisfaction pays a large role on how much they actually earn.

Why It’s Working hen Curt interviews for new technicians, he always shares the five-star certification program and watches to see what kind of enthusiasm the candidate shows about it. Overall, it has completely changed the way his business runs – for the better.

The certification program is about empowering his employees, and he has gone from just being the boss to being the coach.

The program is working for a variety of reasons.

• The employees understand the rules of the game. Think about it. If football had no rules, it would not be nearly as enjoyable.

The fun begins when you understand what it means to go out of bounds, or how to make a first down, or how to score.

The same is true for 5 Star Window Cleaning.

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Curt spends every step teaching his staff the rules (constraints) of the game. He teaches them how to be safe, how to be efficient, how to be customer oriented. There is no guesswork, and that makes the plan work.

• Technicians always have something to work on. Whether they are at one star or five stars, Curt keeps his technicians focused on 7

the value of continued growth. “I know that not everyone who works for me is going to make this their lifelong career,” he explained.

“However, I hope that they will look back at their time with 5 Star and see it as one of the most growing times of their lives.”

• Technicians are constantly rewarded – and rewards extend beyond financial. “Money can’t be the sole motivator,” Curt explained.

“We pay them well, but I also invest in them in other ways.” For example, Curt meets with each team member at least once a month to just talk to them and find out what’s going on with them outside of work. “I ask them about their life. What are their life goals? How can we help?” he explained.

He also lets them know that he collects feedback from every customer, then shares that feedback with the entire team – positive or negative. “That makes them want to work harder and do a better job,” he explained. The positive feedback plays into the day-to-day rewards.”

• Technicians are constantly learning. As mentioned, Curt’s primary role these days is that of coach, as well as cheerleader, and he works to ensure that each staff member has the adequate knowledge and skills required to do the job to the best of their ability. The

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group has regular team meetings where they eat together, have fun together, then work on building skills.

“During those team meetings, we do a lot of role playing where we act out everyday situations as well as worst case scenarios,” he said. “It’s about having fun together, as well as helping them be prepared for any situation that might come their way.”

By being empowered, Curt has found that his employees are now about much more than simply making a paycheck. They want to show up on time. They want to do a good job. They want to take care of their equipment. He has managed to come up with a way to take what was once his biggest headache – his employees – and turned them into his biggest success story. And as a result, he has created a customer experience that is not only awesome, it is downright “sexy.”

Curt Kempton will be the keynote speaker at the Northeast Pressure Washing Seminar, March 6-9 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he will be tackling the important subject of systems. He is also the owner of ResponsiBid, which produces instant online quoting tools that automate your bids and your customers’ incredible experiences. To learn more, visit www.Responsibid.com.

eClean Magazine

by Allison Hester

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Tips for Finding – and Hiring – Top-Notch Cleaning Technicians

here comes a time when every long-term cleaning business reaches a standstill.

The company cannot grow without additional help. But hiring and managing employees – especially cleaning technicians – can be one of the scariest, most frustrating aspects of running a business.

When it comes to technicians, what qualities should you look for? When I asked this question in our recent reader survey, several people just mentioned the basics: no tattoos on face or neck, someone who can pass a drug test, someone with a clean driving record.

But is that really all you want when it comes to someone representing your company?

“Put yourself in the candidate’s position.

Does drug testing, background checks and heavy lifting as the top requirements sound appealing?” pointed out Shane Duebell of Method Carpet and Tile Cleaning in New York.

“Your best candidates are NOT desperate to find a job, so you have to lure them out. People stimulate poorly and then complain of the response. Kinda like running $99 deals then complaining about price shoppers.”

Remember, your staff is an extension of you and your company. While you may feel an almost desperate need to hire someone, you will likely lose more in the long run by rushing the process. But to get the right person for the job, you’ve got to be willing to make it worth it for them. You need to look at them as more eClean Magazine

than just a worker, and rather invest in them as a person.

“If your customers like YOU, it’s important to find someone you like and has a personality like you,” explained James Long of Innovative Glass in Knoxville, Tenn. “Then your customers will like them too.” Any time you post an ad anywhere, “you’re going to get a ton of undesirables with that ONE person. The trick is remembering you hold the cards and it’s OK to hold out for the right candidate.”

That said, have you read this month’s cover story? If not, STOP RIGHT HERE. Go read about Curt Kempton and 5-Star Window Care, then you can come back and finish this article.

Hopefully you will have a better perspective on what is needed to truly build a staff that fits your company’s culture, not just a bunch of hired help.

Define Your Company In this month’s cover story – and if you’re following directions, you should have read it by now – Curt Kempton reformed his staff by restructuring his company. He took what was a boring, frustrating window cleaning business and made it “sexy.” And he did it by redefining his company’s culture: “A customer service company that just happens to do windows.”

So before you look at hiring workers – whether it’s your first technician or your 50th – you need to know what your company stands 9

for. What’s your company’s mission? What are your core values? If you believe in strong customer service, then you need staff that promotes that. If you believe in a professional image, you need workers who represent that.

If you need technicians to work as a team, you need to find people who are team players.

SIDENOTE: When interviewing for potential staff, several industry members warned about hiring “entrepreneurial” types because they often will learn the ropes, then take off and start their own companies. It’s something to consider.

To help you figure out what type of person you want to hire, consider the attributes of your best workers. If this is your first hire, talk to your industry friends to find out what they look for in a technician. Or think about the attributes of people you worked well with in the past. What was it about them that you liked?

At this point, you’re not looking at cleaning experience. You’re looking at personality and behaviors, groups they belong to, and their

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hobbies. Past cleaning experience can be a benefit, or it can be a hindrance. It all depends on if the candidate is teachable.

Define the Role Writing a job description is imperative. While it may sound easy, to do it right, you need to put some real thought into it. The more detailed you can get about what is needed, the more easily you’ll weed out those who don’t fit the job description.

This is important whether you are simply taking referrals from friends or whether you are blasting a classified ad across Craigslist.

Writing out the description makes it easier for people to know if this is the right job for them (although some unqualified folks may apply anyway), and for you to know what you really need.

Bill Kinnard of Tom Grandy and Associates, wrote an article entitled “What Makes a Great Service Technician.” In the article, he lists a number of qualities that service-industry employers should look for when hiring

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technicians, many of which you may not have considered. You can read the entire article here, but below are a few highlights: Behaviors: Technicians must be able to interact with others (i.e., be “people” oriented, not just “task” oriented); work well with customers and make them feel good about your company; and be able to change od for o g y t z e a p directions/plans with little notice.

Car nted. L ature, lack a w r Values: Technicians must feel rewarded e clean , selfish, imm rs, biters, by practical accomplishments (i.e., nothing , greedy, hatep issues, completing a job well), must value structure and be comfortable working within a system, of vision ith relationshi upid, cry and enjoying learning and improving skills. those w, alcoholics, st roblems, Skills: Technicians must accept personal dicts ealth p ngry, tats d h a , k a e responsibility for their actions, be able to w a babies, complainers, otivated, prioritize and complete tasks within allotted chronic s, not money mooming, time frames, be able to quickly recover from adversity, handle criticism well, and be able on face giene, poor gr o ambition to work toward goals despite obstacles that oor hy ss and with n t our p a may get in the way. e poor dr please apply may apply While this all sounds great in theory, how or goalstitors. The rest do you figure out if a candidate has these skills? It’s not easy. compe .

Organizations, such as Grandy and with us y a post b Associates, have assessments that can m o r f n o be utilized to measure these types of s.com) ermissi p m u h r t i o w F t un (Used characteristics. Otherwise, it requires a lot ruckMo T , n e l l of work on your part: checking references Rob A and asking poignant questions. For example, “Tell me about a time when you people who are poor at communication, they faced an obstacle in your last job and how you may be all right cleaners but they won’t be able handled the situation.” Or, “Tell me about a to improve as much with your help.” job you found enjoyable. What did you like about it?” Or, “How would you respond to a Write Out the Job Description customer who accused you of damaging her • First, give a brief history of your company grandmother’s rose bush?” Finally, try to figure and the services you provide. For example, out how well they listen. Assign them a simple “ABC Washing is a professional exterior set of directions – maybe an unusual way to cleaning company that has been beautifying complete a common task – and see how well area residences since 2010.” they follow instructions.

• Second, list the opportunities for the “In my experience, the absolute most position. Benefits. Pay scale (optional). important thing for any successful employee Opportunities for growth. Possible overtime. is communication,” said Amar Ghose, CEO Being part of a team. of Zenmaid Software, San Francisco. “You • Third, list your desired attributes: clean have to find employees who understand your appearance, punctual, team player, customer requests and can communicate when there is focused. “We are looking to hire a customera problem. Being able to communicate means friendly, team-oriented technician who enjoys you’ll be able to really give feedback and working outdoors, learning new skills, working improve your cleaner’s productivity. If you hire with customers and maintaining a professional eClean Magazine

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appearance and attitude.”

• Finally, provide a list of “must” attributes.

These are the deal breakers. Must have a clean driver’s record. Must have a valid license. Must have transportation to and from work. Must pass drug test. Must be able to lift 50 pounds, climb ladders, and so on.

Where to Look for Employees When asked where to find potential staff members, referrals seem to be the method of choice. Friends, friends of friends, friends of family, and so on. “We have found most of our best employees through our current staff,” explained Dani Einsohn, owner of Corporate Cleaning Concepts, Inc. “Many of our cleaners know friends or family members who need work and can vouch for their reliability and attitude.

Those are also the two qualities we look for most. Skills can be taught, but a positive attitude and willingness to commit to doing a great job are the qualities that result in a good long term employee for us.”

Another suggested option is to even ask customers for recommendations, and offer a bonus if the person they suggest is hired.

Beyond that, Craigslist seems to be a favorite place for posting ads, and again, the more detailed the description, the better the chance of weeding out those who don’t fit your culture.

Finally, using a temp agency has proven effective for some. A temp agency does the initial screening for you and weeds out those who don’t fit the bill. They do charge a high premium for their services, however, but then again, you are saving a lot of man hours having to search for and weed out prospects yourself.

They also take care of filing employment taxes for you.

To conclude this article, I’m going to refer to a wonderful blog I found, written by Erica Jensen, owner of Clean Right. I actually pulled a lot of the information for the previous parts of this article from her blog, and I decided it only made sense – with her permission, of course – to use her fantastic piece rather than rewrite something so well written. You can read this and all of her fantastic articles on hiring at www.CleanRightCo.blogspot.com.

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Gathering and Filtering Your Applications

by Erica Jensen, Clean Right Company, Spokane, Washington, www.CleanRightCo.com Over the past 11 years of being an employer in the cleaning service industry, my partner and I have read thousands (if not tens of thousands) of applications and resumes, have hired hundreds of people and have parted ways with most. Through this journey we have learned what type of people work well within our organization and what type do not.

Clean Right uses a fully electronic system for hiring staff. We find this very useful in collecting and filtering the hundreds of applications we receive during recruitment.

This post will focus on the use of technology but, if your are less tech-savy, you will find helpful information regardless.

Here’s where we’re at: We’ve created a list of employement requirements and attributes that we’ve found in our successful team members, we’ve written a job description that is informative and clear as to what the position requires and has to offer, we’ve written a draft of our application making sure to use our lists from the first step, and we’ve planned where we will advertise our position to get the most potential applicants interested, as possible.

Now we need to gather and filter the flood of applications.

Gathering: Technology is very useful in gathering your applications, especially when you have a home office or do not have a space people can come to get and fill out your application. We use our website and an electronic form to gather our applications.

First, we have a link that potential applicants click to read the job description. At the end of the description, there is another link that takes them to the online application. We use a

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third party’s web software (Constant Contact) to create this online survey form and to also save the responses for us to view, print or delete. It’s very useful for filtering responses as well.

If you choose a paper method, you must decide how to hand out and gather those applications. You could have the potential applicant print the form from your website then email or mail it. Or you could hand them out and have them fill it out on the spot. It all depends on what works best for your company.

Filtering: Filtering your applications will dwindle the hundreds of potential applicants to your top 10-20 prospects. Your filters are the “required criteria” that you decided on in earlier steps. If an applicant does not have any one of these “required criteria,” cut em! Do Not Falter from this. Don’t say, “well maybe just this once” or “let’s bend the rules this time.” Trust me, I’m trying to save you some pain here! Every time you do, you’ll have to learn all over again why you made that a “requirement” in the first place.

Whether you filter your applicants using technology or by hand, the process will be the same. The point is to “cut” the unqualified applicants down to the potential candidates and finally leaving you with the top prospects.

Here’s how to cut the list down: 1. Make sure the application is complete and legible. If they didn’t answer each required question then don’t look at it any further. If someone can’t take the time to completely fill out your application, then they aren’t going to take the time to help your business succeed. With paper applications, you will have hand writing that must be deciphered. This could be a great “filter.” If you can’t read it easily, cut em! If they won’t take the time to write clearly and legibly so they can get the job, then they won’t put the time and effort into the job either. The legible problem can be avoided using the online form.

2. Again, if they answer any of the required criteria wrong, cut em! These are requirements for a reason and you will be tempted to make exceptions now and again. Please, please, please DON’T!!! When you begin to think about making an exception, I want you to take a deep breath and kick yourself in the shin. This will be far less painful than learning not to make exceptions by being let down when you do. eClean Magazine

Potential Candidates vs Top Prospects Now you’re left with a much smaller pile/ list of applications. Each of them fulfills your company’s requirements for employment but there are still a great many applicants that would not make a good fit for your team.

This is where the questions relating to the attributes of your successful staff members come in. When reading the applicant’s answers, your looking for: 1.Similarities - to your successful staff is a good thing; to your past problem staff, not a good thing. If they have similarities to problem staff members, then it’s best to learn from your mistakes the first time. Pass on these potential applicants.

2.Schedule conflicts - if they go to school during the hours you’d need them to work, then they obviously don’t fit your needs so pass. We pass on anyone that can’t conform to our scheduling needs.

3.Anything that doesn’t look or sound right. If you just don’t feel it, then move on.

You need to find the candidates that will bring the most to your company.

Now what?

So we have our top 10 to 20 (or more depending on how large of a response you got) prospects. Now it’s time to interview. Don’t forget the old saying, “Quick to Fire, Slow to Hire.” Sometimes it’s difficult but you need to take your time so you make good choices in your hiring. Your team will work best when it is full of people that work well together. “One bad apple spoils the bunch” is another old saying that is very true in team environments.

You must foster a fun, comfortable and rewarding work environment or you will never build a team that you can depend on to help your business succeed.

Nick and Erica Jensen, owners of Clean Right Co, have over 32 years combined experience in business operations and cleaning. Their determination for excellence is what drives the company and inspires the team to provide professional, dependable and high quality cleaning services. Learn more about their company at www.CleanRightCo.com. Read all of Erica’s blogs on hiring for the cleaning industry at www.CleanRightCo.blogspot.com.

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The 25th Anniversary IWCA Convention & Trade Show

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Video Reviews (click to watch)

Thanks to Erin York and Mark Reinhart for the use of their photos

Thanks to GlassRenu for allowing us to publish their fantastic video! eClean Magazine

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Preparing Your Equipment for Spring Means Caring for It Through the End of Winter Guidance from Tim Irwin, Aaladin Industries Service Manager

by Allison Hester

“Freezing is freezing” – whether it’s the sub-zero temperatures of the Midwest, or the current 30 degrees here in Arkansas. And this winter, pressure washing contractors from almost every state – Florida included – have experienced an unusual amount of freezing temperatures.

Those in the North and Midwest are more familiar with how to take care of their pressure washers in winter, but many of those in the South are a little lost.

“This is the time of year that we get tons of calls from equipment owners across the South needing to replace pumps, burners and other broken parts because they are not used to the low temperatures and don’t properly protect their equipment,” explained Aaladin Service Manager Tim Irwin. “No matter where you are located, if you have water in your pressure washer and it freezes, that’s never good.”

While, in theory, this insane cold season will soon be over, that is really just an assumption.

Recent warm temperatures have got some contractors pulling out their equipment for Spring. Yet, every time it looks like the cold is finally over, it seems yet another cold snap passes through. (We’re expecting 17 degrees here in Arkansas this week.)

Before you can prepare your equipment for the busy season, you’ve got to first take care of it while it’s still cold season.

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All Winterizing is Not Equal The fix for protecting your equipment – i.e., “winterizing” your pressure washer – is relatively simple, but all winterizing is not the same. Winterizing basically consists of emptying your machine of all water, then replacing the water with antifreeze. Let the antifreeze fill the pump, pull the trigger gun to get it into the entire system, then run until you see green coming out the gun.

Some contractors choose to let their equipment hibernate over the winter in heated buildings. (I even met one Pennsylvania-based contractor who stores his in an abandoned mine.) But according to Irwin, storing simply isn’t enough. You still need to drain the machine of water then fill with antifreeze – whether you are storing your equipment for the winter, or whether a cold snap is simply passing through.

Now, about antifreeze. A lot of guys opt for the cheapest option they can find – including windshield wiper fluid – but according to Irwin, this is not the best option. “It’s more expensive, but you really want to use antifreeze that contains glycol,” he stressed. Glycol acts as a lubricant and protects all your equipment’s moving parts. “By using antifreeze with glycol, your equipment will be ready to run immediately when you pull it out in the spring.”

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Now, to save some money – especially for those who only need to winterize for short periods of time – you can collect the glycolbased antifreeze by running it out into a jug, then reuse it during the next cold snap. “You’re going to lose a little bit of the quality each time you do this, but it should work for awhile,” Irwin added If you winterize using windshield wiper fluid or a cheaper antifreeze, your check valves will likely stick. “This means when you pull out your machine and fire it up for the first time, your machine is going to make noise but not move any water,” Irwin explained. “This is fixable by popping the check valves back out, but it’s going to require a 20- to 30-minute phone call to learn how to do it, then a little work on your part,” Irwin said. “By using a glycol-based antifreeze, stuck valves are not a problem.”

While your equipment is in storage, you also want to protect your equipment from rodents, which means you need to cover your burner.

“You can get some sort of cover for this, or even just place an upside-down coffee can over the burner,” said Irwin. “The point is that you

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want to prevent it from being exposed to the elements.”

Getting Your Equipment Ready to Go Whether you do it now – during the cold season – or right before your busy season picks back up, there are also some simple maintenance tasks to implement before you get out and hit it hard.

“Now is a good time to change the oil in your pump and engine, as well as the filters on your burner and engine,” Irwin added. “Then check your hose for any worn spots. You don’t want to be ready to roll in the spring only to find you can’t work due to some basic maintenance issue.”

As Irwin explained, the primary thing to remember is this: you have invested thousands of dollars in quality equipment. Make a little extra effort and pay a few extra dollars to care for your equipment the proper way during the cold season. Then when the sun finally comes out and the season picks up, you will be ready to roll without a hitch.

Special thanks to Tim Irwin of Aaladin Industries. To learn more about Aaladin’s products, visit www.Aaladin.com

17

Introducing It’s like a Craigslist for the Cleaning Industry ...only Better

If

by Allison Hester

you have cleaning equipment to sell, or you’re looking for a deal on a new or used piece, where do you turn? Most likely, you’re among the thousands who turn to sites like Craigslist or eBay. That’s been the case for Ty Schell of Arizona Power Wash Pros, LLC, who has purchased nine power washers, four trailers, and a bunch of other miscellaneous equipment all from Craigslist. “We find the BEST deals,” he explained. “The problem is that we have to search in between other companies posting ads, search in a variety of categories, figure out which keywords to use, and so on, just to find a good deal. It’s a long, difficult process.”

He also noticed that while different industry forums had sections for people to sell equipment, “I would have to dig around on every forum just to find it. I couldn’t help but think it would be much easier if there was a centralized website that worked like Craigslist, but was designed for the cleaning industries.”

So in October 2013, Ty decided to take the matter into his own hands. That’s what led to the development of CleaningEquipmentTrader. com (CET for short), a brand new website designed for contractors, distributors and others to list their new and used cleaning equipment and supplies that are for sale. It took about three months to develop, and Ty unveiled the “finished” product to the masses this past week. CET is receiving great feedback as well as a few suggestions, many of which Ty immediately implemented.

To 18

How CET Works use CET, you need to register for an account by creating a username and inputting your email. Next you will

receive an email with a password, which can be changed after you log in. “From there, you can search for equipment or you can make a posting.”

To list a product, choose the category where you want to post an ad then click “create listing.” Next, you can input a price, upload images, create a description and title. “You can also put cross streets and choose your location if you want,” Ty added.

Another handy feature allows you to share your posting on all your social media sites.

“One great thing about CET is that each category has an RSS feed you can subscribe to. So whenever new gear is posted in that category, you will receive an update. You can’t do that with Craigslist.”

When looking for products, you can search by keywords, area, city, state, or category.

When listing products, you have two options.

The first is a free ad. The second is a “featured” listing, which runs $5.99. “The featured listing is just a way for you to reach more viewers and users on CET. The featured listing shows up on the home page, has the word ‘featured’ next to it, is highlighted in a different color to make it more noticeable, and is listed higher than the free listings on the site,” Ty explained.

“Featured listings will benefit sellers who are trying to sell their gear fast.”

Currently, listings stay on the site for 60 days. Users can edit, delete or renew their listing at any time.

Users login and add all their own listings.

“All I do is approve or moderate the listings.

If someone posts something that is not in our Terms and Conditions, I will remove it,” said Ty. “Basically, this site is for the cleaning industry only and no other posts will be tolerated. And there are no marketing companies on the site. You can sell routes or your business on the site, but you cannot market your business.”

If He Builds It, They Will Come leaningEquipmentTrader.com is designed for all members of the cleaning industry, in every field. “We are all a part of making the world a cleaner and better place. And I know in my business we often

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consider expanding into other cleaning markets. So I think my site might spark an idea for another company to grow their business another direction.”

It’s also a place for listing all equipment – used and new – as well as chemicals, accessories, routes and even cleaning businesses. “I think this will be a great place for distributors to sell new equipment as well,” Ty stressed.

“I see some distributors posting on eBay and various bulletin boards. They should also post on CET. That will help make it more popular, and may really help increase their sales – especially since I intend to market the site very well!”

Finally, when asked why he decided to build CleaningEquipmentTrader.com, Ty insisted it was not a project he was doing in order to make a lot of money. “I just wanted a place for everyone to find gear and that could help me sell some of my used gear,” he explained. “And if anyone has any ideas of how to make it better I am always open to all suggestions.”

Ty announced the launch of the site last week, and so far response has been very positive. “We just need more people to sign up

and post. So if you’re posting on Craigslist or eBay anyway, make sure you come over to CleaningEquipmentTrader.com and post there as well. If everyone in the cleaning industry starts using it, then it will be much easier to find great deals and sell equipment fast.

The more popular it becomes, the more it will benefit the entire industry.”

Finally, Ty stressed that this is only the first of several websites he plans to create “to develop and improve the industry. I have a list of other ideas that may be coming soon. Stay posted.”

Who is Ty Schell and Why Is He Doing This?

Ty started his power washing business, AZ Power Wash Pros LLC, in 2008, using the $7500 he received from George Bush’s stimulus plan. He started out as the sole owner/operator, studying the industry forums to learn quickly about the industry.

Because Ty also already knew the basics of web design, his company website quickly gained high rankings on search engines. With that high ranking, his business began growing faster than he alone could handle. Rather than hire staff, Ty decided to subcontract work to another local company, Aqua Tech Power Wash, owned by Brandon Carnicle.

Ty and Brandon quickly hit it off, realizing they were very like-minded in the way they ran their businesses. “Brandon was good at staying calm on the job, taking care of the work, and speaking with clients and employees,” Ty added. “Plus he already had his own gear and employees.”

Subcontracting with Brandon allowed Ty to spend less time in the field and more time on his computer, learning more about web design and online marketing. In 2010, the two became partners and the company took off at a “VERY fast pace.”

All of this freed Ty up to work on his web design business, Website Design PHX, which he began in June of 2013. “I really like the web design field and plan on being a part of it for a long time!

I learn more every day. Running two businesses is not easy, but I love hard work.” He added, “I also understand the specifics of web design for the cleaning industry, which is an advantage for cleaning companies who come to me for website help.”

It also allowed Ty time to work on other niche projects, such as CleaningEquipmentTrader.com, a project that has become his way of giving back to the industry. “I’m really just doing this to help our industry. The small amount of money I make from this will just go to keeping the site alive.” eClean Magazine

19

PWNA Announces Amazing New Website, Awesome New Benefits

In

the

next few weeks, the Power Washers of North America (PWNA) will unveil the results of a massive website makeover, resulting in over 300 pages designed to benefit the organization’s members in new and unprecedented ways.

“We are incorporating a number of unique benefits on our website, all designed to support our members,” explained PWNA BOD member Jim Gamble, who serves on both the PWNA website and benefit committees. The website committee has been working diligently to develop a website that will truly support all PWNA members – contractors and vendors alike. “The PWNA has spent a lot of time and money to ensure that everything we’re implementing is going to help our members get more business and save money.”

The new website will be packed with unique perks for all PWNA members, each designed to help educate members – as well as consumers – and to help members grow their businesses.

Specifically, the new website will have three unique sections: 1. A consumer area designed to help customers locate professional PWNA member contractors in their area.

Additionally, each PWNA member (contractors and vendors) will be given their own web page on the PWNA site where they can upload their information and photos, and 20

link to their website as well.

2. A PWNA members-only section, providing information about what is going on in the organization and in the industry. In this section, PWNA members can also stay abreast of environmental regulatory changes, as well as specific regulations for their particular area.

3. A vendor area, where vendors will be able to go onto the site to check and make sure their customers are in good standing with the PWNA before applying any special PWNAmember discounts they may offer.

“We have worked really hard on the new PWNA website’s SEO to ensure high rankings for our members,” explained Board Member Nigel Griffith. “This is going to be a huge advantage for our members because their individual web pages on the PWNA site should show up high in the search engines as well.”

More New Member Benefits The new website is just one of many new member benefits that the PWNA will be offering its members. Soon, the PWNA will unveil an array of practical and unprecedented member resources and discounts that will help them save money and time, increase sales, and run their businesses more efficiently.

These include, but are not limited to the following: 1. Health Insurance – While the rates of their new health insurance program will vary by member and location, so far those who have tested the program have been more than satisfied and saved significant money over their current plans.

eClean Magazine

2. New business, life, auto, general liability and other insurances at a special PWNA discount rate.

3. Exclusive vendor discounts 4. Marketing Discounts – In addition to providing every PWNA member with their own high ranking web page on the PWNA website, members can also receive huge discounts on having their own separate websites designed. The PWNA is also offering discounts on printing, as well as on very targeted direct mailing programs.

5. Legal Forms and Attorney Discounts – PWNA members will receive a discount through a well-known and reputable legal service. From non-compete clauses, to assistance setting up a company, PWNA members using this service can rest assured knowing they are using forms that are legal for their area.

6. Free Business Banking for those who meet the necessary requirements.

7. A 401K program that members can use privately.

8. Payroll support 9. Special discounts through a number of well-known businesses.

And these are just the beginning.

While the first round of benefits is about to be rolled out, the PWNA Board already has more new programs in the works.

“The PWNA has always provided unparalleled education and networking opportunities. the organization will be unmatched with the ‘new’ addition of our comprehensive & practical member benefits package,” added Committee Member Vickie Eubanks.

More specifics on the new PWNA website and benefits will be coming soon. To learn more about the PWNA, membership, the new website and the many new benefits, go to www.PWNA. org, or email Jackie at info@pwna.org.

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“The primary objective of the PWNA is to provide the necessary support to equip our members for success.Through training, education and cutting edge resources, our members will have the tools in their tool box to reach their business goals and build their dreams.”

New PWNA Members Jason Morris, Morris Power Washing Patrice Aubut, 5 Stars Hood Cleaning Jude Y. Silien, Silien Hoods, LLC Gilles Bouvier, Tuxedo Steam Cleaners Shawn Hunt, Quality Pressure Washing Erik Rose, Eric Rose Pressure Washing 21

PWNA Vendor Profile

by Allison Hester

him,” she explained. “I just had to convince Kimberlee Campbell-Wilson has spent her him that he should start a business.” She built career in a variety of roles – from elementary a few mock websites in order to show what teacher to banker to commercial truck driver. roles she could play. “It took a long time but “I didn’t realize it at the time, but each chapter eventually the risks associated with starting a has given me so many skills – teaching, business seemed smaller to Tracy than those of accounting, website design, logistics, retail staying at a company that was in distress.”

– all that are absolutely necessary to being a By late 2011, Kimberlee was committed to business owner in this field,” she explained. the business idea and model. She incorporated It was in 2011, following a divorce, that the company and purposely registered as a she met and began dating Tracy Handl. Many woman-owned business for tax purposes. industry members know Tracy from his former role as the GM of a pressure wash supply store. Tracy, who is vice president and COO, “has been fully invested in the business since “As general manager, he truly helped build that mid-2012. He is responsible for many of the store,” Kimberlee explained. technical aspects of our daily business as well In the meantime, Kimberlee returned to the as the maintenance and repair operations.” education field, this time teaching adults job skills. Within a year or so, however, funding About NAPWO for the program was transferred to a different North American Pressure Wash Outlet entity, and for the first time in 14 years, she hosts a web store and online blog at www. had to think about the next chapter of her life. pressurewashoutlet.com. Their physical Tracy, too, was experiencing job problems. location contains a showroom and a repair “The company he worked for had internal shop. “We have three permanent staff and struggles that left him unable to respond to several part-time contractors that we utilize customer questions and needs,” Kimberlee during peak seasons.” explained. “True, personal customer service is NAPWO was built around Tracy’s experience a huge part of Tracy’s work ethic. It became and Kimberlee’s business savvy. “We saw an troubling when he couldn’t provide that.” opportunity to provide high quality products, In the meantime, the couple would often low prices, fast shipping – all while utilizing run into customers when they were out and Tracy’s technical skills.” As the couple built about. “Every one of them had a story about their business, they determined who else was how Tracy either fixed their equipment or needed in their business team. “We needed a solved a problem,” Kimberlee said. “They would banker, a website host, a credit card processer, talk about his customer service, his technical a computer geek, an office supply store, an knowledge, and invariably, that he needed to accountant and a business advisor,” she open his own store.” explained. “From my Geek Squad agent Randy Kimberlee began researching business to my UPS driver Chris, they each play a part ownership, using her local small business in our success.” development center’s services. “I remembered everything that Tracy’s customers kept telling 22 eClean Magazine

The NAPWO Difference “Our goal is to provide a one-stop shopping experience where we provide business model advice, marketing assistance and education, and we become a part of their business team,” Kimberlee stressed. “We both love to solve our customers’ problems.”

Additionally, Kimberlee said she enjoys getting to be a “personal shopper. I provide options based on the customer’s budget and needs, give honest opinions and won’t oversell.”

NAPWO believes strongly in educating their customers, and supporting those groups that educate the industry as well. Tracy has authored the book Pressure Washing Basics and includes “all the basics” as they relate to the residential market: surfaces and substrates, stains, chemicals and cleaners, equipment, SEO activities, marketing, bidding, estimates and washing techniques.

“It is an easy read and is designed to be an often-used resource. I keep a copy on my desk because there are times when I need to reference it.”

Tracy has also trained Kimberlee in the field so that she not only has technical knowledge, but also field knowledge. “I think men trust my opinion when it comes to cleaners, scents and specialty stain treatments,” she explained.

“I personally like to test the products. I have ordered too many products off late-night TV only to be disappointed. My disappointment as a consumer led me to start our online blog reviewing products in the pressure washing industry. Part of our business model is that the products, when used correctly, will work on the intended substrate and stain or we won’t carry them.”

Additionally, Tracy has begun teaching classes at various industry-related events, including the Power Washing 101 course at the 2013 PWNA Conference and Trade Show in Orlando, Florida. “Being new to the industry, I must say I was very impressed with the PWNA training,” Kimberlee explained, referring to the PWNA convention. “Classes were available on hood cleaning, roof cleaning, eClean Magazine

wood care, outdoor demonstrations and plenty of opportunities to meet with manufacturers, distributors and other contractors.”

Both Kimberlee and Tracy enjoyed being able to meet with contractors in person. “The faceto-face time with customers and attendees was fantastic. That’s when we get to hear their needs in their business models and find ways to meet those needs. Sometimes it’s adding to a product line and sometimes it might be a technique issue.” NAPWO is planning to participate in other industry events this year as well.

While we primarily focus on pressure washing contractors, we also have customers in various industries. Because many of the parts are plumbing fittings of some sort, the crossovers to other industries are almost limitless.

And while we are growing and expanding, it’s important that we remember the needs of the customers we serve. Our web store is continually expanding to add new products as a result of customer requests.

If Kimberlee could give new contractors one piece of advice it would be this: “Find your expert and take time to work on your business and not just in your business. Build your knowledge so that you are the expert and your customers will be able to see that. It’s important to distinguish yourself as a professional. “ And lastly, “Working with your significant other or spouse certainly creates challenges. I am thrilled with our work environment and how our skills complement each other. Most days (let’s be honest!) it is an awesome feeling to be building a company with your best friend.”

23

OVERloaded & UNDERempowered

By John C. Maxwell

In

Empowerment is vital to leadership and my first leadership position, I didn’t delegation. It needs to be at least equal to the delegate much. I didn’t need to; I had load or responsibility that’s been given to the lots of energy, and the load wasn’t too person doing the task. When the load is greater heavy. But as time passed and I moved on to than the empowerment, here’s what happens: positions with greater leadership demands, I was confronted with the fact that I had limits. I • Morale suffers. Without the power to act realized that I needed to focus my efforts on the and make decisions, followers feel like they’re tasks only I could do, such as being the main being asked to do the impossible. That’s an communicator. I needed to learn to delegate attitude killer. everything else.

• Decisions are made slowly. If you as the One of the first things I realized about leader have to sign off on every decision related delegation was that a lot of people do it wrong to a task, you’re crippling the process.

– or more accurately, they do it only halfway.

• Creativity is lost. Team members feel Many leaders willingly share the load with chained to your way of doing things, so they their followers. But for some reason, they don’t don’t feel free to try new and innovative ways of remember to share the power to get it done. accomplishing objectives.

They overload and under-empower their people.

• Accountability is low. If people feel like And their team members end up unable to do they are just a cog in the machinery of getting what is asked of them. things done, then they are not motivated to 24 eClean Magazine

give their best effort. Additionally, leaders can’t really hold people accountable for the parts of the task that they never let go of.

Ken Blanchard writes, “Empowerment means you have the freedom to act; it also means you are accountable for results.”And it’s part of a process. Delegating right takes time and effort.

At first, it can feel like it would be faster and easier to just do tasks yourself. And it probably would, at first.

But when you empower people effectively as you delegate, you release them to do the job.

And you release yourself to focus on leading them and the rest of your team. Morale goes up. Decisions are made at the lowest possible level, so they happen quickly. People feel free to be creative, so new ways of doing things are discovered. And because you’ve been specific about the task and given people all the power to get it done, you can more easily hold them accountable if things don’t go well.

Here are the levels of empowerment that I take my people through as I gradually release responsibility to them:

eClean Magazine

1. Look into the situation. Report back to me. I’ll decide what to do.

2. Look into the situation. Report alternatives with pros and cons, along with your recommendation. I’ll decide what to do.

3. Look into it. Let me know what you intend to do, but don’t do it unless I say yes.

4. Look into it. Let me know what you intend to do, and do it unless I say no.

5. Take action. Let me know what you did.

6. Take action. No further interaction required.

I believe empowerment is critical to a leader’s effectiveness. Without it, leaders hold on to too many tasks and decisions, which makes them less effective in doing the things that only they can do.

Do you empower your people? In what areas do you need to give your people the resources and ability to get something done today? The better you become at empowering, the more everyone gets done.

This article was used with permission by John C. Maxwell, www.JohnCMaxwell.com.

25

Removing Rust Stains …and More

By Craig Harrison, Senior Technical Adviser of Front 9 Restoration, Inc. and F9 University, www.Front9Restoration.com

R

ust comes in various forms, such as iron oxide, iron hydroxide (II & III), and green rust. It can form on any surface, even under water. The more porous a surface is, the more difficult it can be to remove the rust stain because it penetrates deeply into the surface.

S

Types of “Rust” imple forms of rust, such as iron oxide that results from sprinklers, can normally be taken care of with a healthy dose of oxalic acid. But as rust goes through different stages it can get tougher to remove.

Some rust is what we could call a “combination rust stain,” where you have iron oxide (thin and watery) and metallic, corrosive, flaky rust (iron hydroxide) that forms a concentrated stain and builds up.

Then there are other “rust” stains that are not actually rust at all. Battery stains from electric vehicles – especially in golf cart communities – form an orange flash acid burn from the sulfuric battery acid that can continue to grow in depth and length.These stains look 26

almost identical to rust but are much different.

Hydrochloric acid spills can produce the same type of orange acid burn. Fertilizer rust stains and battery acid burn from golf carts are among the toughest forms of rust and burn to remove.

Removing Rust The problem with traditional rust removers currently on the market is that they contain acids that “eat” the concrete. They strip the concrete of its cement paste and can create a micro-aggregate or “etched” surface surrounding the rust or orange acid burn.

When these cleaners eat the cement, they only take a minimal amount of the stain with it and cause deep, permanent damage to the concrete. Almost all concrete rust removers formulated to remove rust can discolor the concrete, turn it white or, in some cases, even turn it more orange. Now your problem is twoor three-fold and your customer has sustained permanent damage to their concrete. Not good.

This is where F9 comes in handy in its ability to tackle all forms of rust and orange

eClean Magazine

acid burn and give the user predictable results on a wide variety of surfaces without damage or etching. F9 performs beautifully on both of these types of stains.

A

Why F9 Was Created s a cleaning contractor, I began working on our cleaners over 10 years ago out of necessity. We had a large commercial builder that loved our work and kept adding to our workload. At the time we were cleaning six to eight homes a day for them, doing their paint, stain and stucco removal on concrete, along with cleaning the exterior of the buildings and houses. Our job required us to make the home perfect before the new homeowner would take it over.

Our builder was building a golf cart community and homes would get “rust” from the golf carts that the superintendents and other contractors used to get around.

The problem I found with the majority of restoration chemicals on the market was that they didn’t perform to our needs. Some would do just some of the things we wanted them to do or that they claimed they would; others simply didn’t do a thing. Still others “cleaned” by etching the cement. This was not good enough for us.

As time went on, I saw patterns in cleaners and began to do my own formulating based on our observations of cleaning versus etching versus discoloration. At about the same time, our builder wanted us to do their concrete coatings and staining for them. This was the perfect opportunity for us to use a lot of concrete as our “guinea pigs” since we were going to coat over it anyway. Instead of just using hydrochloric to etch the cement before a coating, we did a series of tests and demos for our own use.

Basically, our goal was to document all of our processes, get our concrete pads to the point of etching and then see what eClean Magazine

chemicals did what, how they worked, in what concentrations, and how they would react to the different types of concrete. We worked with a chemist and then literally conducted thousands of tests. Through the years, between our own and our chemist’s testing, we kept tweaking and reformulating the product until we got it where it is today.

The F9 Market The main thing that makes F9 different from other products is that it works. We have tested and reformulated F9 literally thousands of times to create the perfect blend of rust removers, rust converters, rust softeners, wetting agents and surfactants.

There are many uses for our products at schools, universities, airports, shopping centers and almost every building and home has some need on some level. Rust is everywhere. Black metallic runoff stains abound. Some have found F9 to remove their light mud stains on stucco and concrete.

F9 also works on many different types of surfaces, like concrete, bricks, pavers, tile, stone, stucco, asphalt, roof shingles, vinyl, concrete coatings and more. There are different dilution ratios and different ways to use the product, so make sure to read all the technical data, watch our YouTube videos on our website, and call us before your first application.

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The white stains form from concentrated sulfuric battery acid landing directly on to the substrate. This can happen from overfilling the battery, overcharging the battery, or by simply driving through a wet surface and having water come in contact with the battery terminal and drip on the concrete. The white stain is not a rust stain and will normally result in permanent damage to the concrete. Because concrete it porous and alkaline, the battery acid will want to neutralize itself. As it does this, it turns the concrete white and the concrete will never be the same.

It is still important for a pressure washing company to neutralize the surface and pressure wash these stains to put them in “check.” Otherwise the white stain can continue to reactivate with water, grow and keep deteriorating the concrete.

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In addition to traditional rust removal projects, F9 has recently gotten the “green light” to be used in building restoration and some historical building preservation. One job is on a 700-foot-tall historic building; another is at the Croton Aqua duct in New York.

We are currently in the process of creating other remarkable cleaners to help with issues of efflorescence, calcified efflorescence, calcium carbonate, hard water stains and more. We are also working on a “green” line of synthetic cleaners.

We also have made it easy and rewarding for contractors to use. Our F9 Authorized Applicator program and www.

Front9Restoration.com website is a lead generator for our Authorized Applicators, turning homeowners and property managers into prospects. In the last 12 months alone, we have generated over $250,000 in work for our Authorized Applicators from Internet leads across the U.S. Finally, I just want to add that like most of you reading this, I am a pressure washing and restoration contractor myself. Our number one goal is to get the customers who call us or visit our site the best work possible. Damage to concrete doesn’t need to happen if you have the right restoration chemical and solid knowledge on how to get it done. We provide this and take great satisfaction knowing we are helping our industry as a whole, helping your business and getting the best work done as possible to the people who need it.

F9 is much more than just a product; it is literally a business for some. When a pressure washing contractor or restoration professional knows with confidence that he can remove certain stains where other contractors have failed, this is a powerful place to be. A niche like rust removal can be used to grow your business and up sell the rest of your services.

Craig Harrison is the Senior Technical Adviser of Front 9 Restoration, Inc., in Palm Desert, California, and an associate member of the UAMCC. For more information on F9 or our Authorized Applicator Program, visit www.

Front9Restoration.com and “F9 University” or call us direct at 855-803-1133.

eClean Magazine

Those Untapped Entryways

by Rick Meehan, Marko Janitorial, www.MarkoInc.com

The rain is really coming down. It’s cold. You want to go into the store, but you know you’ll get soaked.

Bundling up against the weather, you fling open the car door and launch yourself across the parking lot river.

You can see the expanse of gleaming tile beyond the glass doors. With a wrench of your arm, you throw open the nearest and fly through to escape the biting weather.

Your first step is . . .

As a janitorial contractor this scenario should already be twanging your idea nerves.

Think hard now - no - harder! You’ve almost got it. That’s right! DOOR MATS! What an add-on service to go with your floor care system, especially during inclement weather!

You should offer to provide and launder dirty entrance mats for a small fee. After all, what do you think that portable carpet extractor is for?

In our haste to provide quality floor care systems, we frequently forget (if not always eClean Magazine

forget) to help our customers protect their investments, and their liability premiums against water, ice, gritty dirt and slipping patrons. By ignoring the entry door matting as an important add-on service, you not only lose valuable sales, but very possibly your customers.

SCENARIO:

Church Customer: “One of our little old 29

ladies slipped and fell on your floor finish last Sunday. I’m afraid we’re going to have to make a change.”

You: “But, the floor finish isn’t the problem, sir. It was the water coming in the door from all the rain last Sunday. My floor finish is the ‘non-slip’ type.”

Church Customer: “My hands are tied. She ended up in the hospital and I was told to find a better finish. Sorry.”

Most accidents are avoidable. Simply make your customers aware of your service addon before they have a need - pre-sell. Make entry mat services part of your floor care presentation with a point toward protecting people and floors.

Here are a few good reasons for your customers to take this next step in floor care: 1. Mats absorb water.

2. Mats trap dirt.

3. Mats protect the floor from scratches.

4. Mats prevent accidents.

5. Mats make entryways more attractive.

6. Mats are easy to maintain, especially if you are paid to do it.

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Water is the main reason people slip on all types of floors. Water makes floors, especially acrylic waxed floors, slippery. Put a door mat with good absorption properties in the entryways, and any other problem area where water tracks in on the floor. Carpet mats made with plush nylon, polypropylene, or polyester pile make good absorbers and are easy to clean with an extractor or pressure washer. Cocoa fiber mats are also good, though they wear out faster than synthetic materials. Most mats come with vinyl backing these days too. This backing keeps water from damaging the floor underneath the mat.

For those customers that have problems with dirt combined with water, choose a dualpurpose pile. Mats of the “ribbed” variety, with patterns of long and short pile, allow dirt “trapping.” When the rib is crushed underfoot, the action of the pile against the shoe actually scrapes away dirt and water. Then, the dirt falls into the grooves while the water filters down through the pile. Both dirt and water are effectively “trapped” so the next person will not track the dirt and water further into the building and create a hazard.

There are 100 percent vinyl mats available.

These mats can be “looped” vinyl threads, “spaghetti” vinyl tubes, or flat vinyl “runners.”

They have no water absorption capability only drainage. In the ‘looped’ and “spaghetti” varieties, dirt is trapped very effectively. The “runner” types are good only for protecting floors from feet, or to provide traction on a poor floor surface (greasy concrete). NEVER provide a vinyl mat to act as an entryway mat unless water in NOT a problem! Or, use them along with a carpet mat. Always put the vinyl mat outside the door and the carpet mat inside.

Rubber mats are out there too. They provide excellent drainage and good traction, but absolutely no water absorption. Be sure to use them with a carpet mat in an entryway - carpet inside, rubber outside.

There are many styles, colors, and price ranges for door mats. Sizes are nearly unlimited too. For the most part, they are inexpensive, especially when compared to a law suit. Make that point with your customer.

eClean Magazine

It is also possible to put a customer’s logo, or a catchy saying, on the mat itself. They add to the cost, of course, but they also add to the attractiveness of the entryway. Nice door mats make good advertisements. Maybe you could put your logo on them.

However, rather than providing mats yourself, which means another level of expertise you must obtain, you could instead point your customer to a good matting supplier. This will relieve the burden of learning and selling the matting while leaving you free to do what you do best – clean.

Let’s talk a little about the best size for an entryway mat. Rule of thumb: make sure the mat is large enough to fill the width of the door(s), and long enough so people walk on it at least four steps. Very few people pause to wipe their feet. By making the mat long enough, the action of the fiber against shoes will do an adequate job without wiping. For instance, a three-foot-wide door requires a mat of the same width. An average step is about one and a half feet. So, the minimum length of the door mat should be six feet (4 steps times 1.5 foot step length). The longer the mat, the better the job it does.

Sometimes maintenance is a concern. Belay this fear by pointing out that mats can easily be cleaned using your vacuum, extractor, pressure washer, or water hose and scrub brush. Every few months they will need to be washed in a mild soap (all purpose cleaner) with a soft brush. On a sunny day, scrub them and hang them up to drain and dry. It doesn’t take long to wash a door mat. Even a tank-style vacuum cleaner can be put to use for this purpose, if only to dry the mat faster after washing.

Otherwise, hang dry.

There are rental mats out there. Rental companies charge a fee to change out dirty mats for clean ones. This fee is nearly always too high. Your customer can buy a new entryway mat every quarter for the cost of the rental mat, if you assure them of your capability to keep the mats clean (for that small extra service fee). Most times, entryway mats are changed out once per week for about $3.00 per mat. Usually, the rental mat is ugly, worn, low in quality, and too small for the entryway eClean Magazine

(3’ x 5’s are standard).

EXAMPLE: One 3’ x 5’ rental mat changed once per week at $4.00 per pickup costs $4.00 x 4 weeks = $16.00 per month, or $16.00 x 4 months = $64.00 per quarter.

One 3’ x 5’ high quality entryway mat sells for an average of $4.00 per square foot (3 x 5=15 square feet x $4.00 = $60.00). So, every five months your customer can purchase a brand new, high quality, entryway mat. Of course, those mats are designed to last for years if kept clean. Entryway mats, contrary to popular belief, take very little abuse in most cases. If your customer is willing to let you clean the door mats occasionally, you can make extra dough and save them a fortune.

Remember that the best time to present door mat maintenance to your customers is during bad weather. The weather helps to make the points listed above. Even those customers that already have an entryway mat may need a replacement, or perhaps they would just like a change of color. Provide as a service addition or ask your customers to purchase mats for all entry doors. Don’t forget to try entryway services as a lead-in product with prospective clients, too. Entryway matting services are easy to talk about and easier to sell. Give it a try, or . . . a horrible slip. Oh no, you’ve fallen and you can’t get up! Call the manager! Call an ambulance! Call that janitorial contractor who installed this shoddy acrylic floor finish!

31

Unger Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Honored by J. Racenstein and the International Window Cleaning Association

and methods. He loved the window cleaning trade and got great satisfaction out of the fact that he had changed the working habits of a continent.”

At the young age of 18, Henry moved to Lancaster, California, and started his own window cleaning business.

Henry met Barbara in 1962 while on a trip to Europe. “His first stop happened to be a vegetarian convention in Manchester, England,” she explained. Barbara was visiting “vegetarian friends” there when she and Henry got to talking. They discovered they would both be in Hamburg the following week. “I, because The Unger Story that is where I lived, and Henry because he Henry Unger was born in 1929 in New was visiting a friend there.” The couple met up York City. “He was a typical New York goand enjoyed “a very pleasant evening together getter who did not take no for an answer,” in Hamburg.” Henry continued his journey but Barbara explained. “He had a lot of energy, the two continued to correspond by mail. was very creative, and was a born inventor While traveling through Europe, Henry who ended up with 13 patents to his name. He would get up very early so he could observe the was also an excellent salesman who could get local window cleaners. “He became intrigued his customers enthusiastic about new ideas watching the window cleaners in the different 32 eClean Magazine

While in Memphis at the International Window Cleaning Association’s 25th Annual Convention and Trade Show, Unger Products was honored on two separate occasions. The first was a special 50th Anniversary party hosted by J. Racenstein. The second was during the IWCA Award Banquet.

During each event, Barbara Unger Wales, the widow of he late Henry Unger, told the story of her husband’s entrepreneurial trek that has made Unger one of the most recognized product names in the window cleaning industry.

Left: Barbara Unger Wales and Mark Wales being honored during the 2014 IWCA Awards Banquet. Right: Steve Blyth and Jenny Banh of J. Racenstein unveiling the celebratory cake during the Unger Anniversary party.

countries working with antiquated tools and methods.” He later decided to return to Europe to research whether there was a business opportunity for him, and of course, “also to see me,” Barbara smiled.

Henry leased his U.S. window cleaning business to his partner and returned to Hamburg. There, he rented a room, took German lessons, then got up early to talk with the window cleaners who were doing their rounds in the center of Hamburg. “He had brought some of his own tools with him and showed these window cleaners how he did the work in the U.S. with poles rather than ladders and a much lighter squeegee and brushes,” Barbara explained.

The Germans were still using the old Chicago squeegee that had first been invented in the 1920s. The tool was made with heavy brass and had 12 screws that had to be unscrewed in order to change the rubber blade. They also used sponges and a chamois and ladders.

“However, it is difficult to make people change the tools that they use to make their daily living,” Barbara explained. “These window cleaners were very hesitant to listen to this crazy American who was wearing his Tiroler hat, smoking a pipe and speaking broken German. But Henry knew his business and cleaned some windows for them. They were impressed with his work.”

To America…and Back Meanwhile, Henry’s partner in Lancaster started to neglect the business and failed sending monthly checks. So in 1963, Henry persuaded Barbara to go with him to California and look after his business.

“We left by boat from Bremerhaven the day President Kennedy was shot. Needless to say, it was a rather ominous beginning of a trip across a very stormy November Atlantic.” Ten days later, the couple landed in Philadelphia and drove three days to reach California. “There eClean Magazine

Henry sacked his partner, and within six months rebuilt his business to a level where he could sell it at a good price.”

The couple once again packed their suitcases, including some American window cleaning tools, and returned to Hamburg.

“Henry had decided that there was business to be made in Germany.”

The couple moved into the attic apartment of Barbara’s grandmother’s house and founded their new company, Henry M. Unger GmbH (Ltd. in German), in April 1964. Again, Henry went out early each morning to meet the window cleaners and worked with them in the center of Hamburg with his modern American equipment.

Eventually he met the biggest maintenance supply dealer in Hamburg. The owner, Walter, spoke excellent English and the two soon became friends. Walter decided to put in a stock of Henry’s tools, which we initially imported from America.

“Little by little they convinced the window cleaners that Henry’s methods could save them time and effort, and that the change from climbing ladders to using telescopic poles was a much safer way of working,” Barbara explained.

In Germany, window cleaning is an official trade, complete with rules, regulations and 33

apprenticeships. “Walter also introduced him to the meisters of the German window cleaners’ guild and eventually gained their support for the new tools. This was very important in persuading the cleaners to use these tools.”

In the afternoons, after work, Henry would tinker in my grandmother’s basement. “He was a born inventor and used his knowledge of the trade to develop new tools for the safety and productivity of window cleaners.” Initially, Henry made poles from broomsticks, but he was business savvy enough to know that he could not make much money from such wooden sticks. He made his first telescopic poles using the clamps from beach umbrellas and demonstrated how he could clean windows 10and 20-feet high without ladders.

Business took off and the couple outgrew her grandmother’s basement. In 1966, Unger moved to the industrial heartland of Germany and settled in Solingen, an area known for forging swords and other weapons in the Middle Ages and for producing high-quality kitchen knives, cutlery and surgical instruments in modern times. “Here, Henry had good access to a high-

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quality metal industry and also to all the raw materials he needed for his products, like steel, rubber, aluminum and plastic injection molding.”

The couple rented their first small workshop and Henry continued to develop new tools for the industry. “He knew the trade, and used his creative mind to develop tools that were needed, like the strip washer, the S and later the Pro Squeegee, a variety of scrapers, the Fixi clamp, the Swivel Loc, the Bucket on a Belt, and more,” Barbara explained.

Henry was not only a born inventor, he was also a very savvy business man. He protected his inventions with many patents, was able to manufacture them efficiently, and knew how to sell them. “His demonstrations were convincing and he was hands-on with his peers.” Soon, the window cleaners started to adopt his new cleaning methods and discovered that they were able to make more money using the new Unger tools. “It was the excellent quality of the tools combined with the increased efficiency that turned the German window cleaners to embracing Henry’s products.”

Barbara, too, played an important role in the business’s growh. “I was trained in business management and the import and export trade,” she explained. “I also speak several languages.”

So Barbara set up her office in their bedroom and took over the administration – handling customers’ calls, the billing and finances, and overlooking the workshop when necessary.

This freed Henry to do his sales work.

“At times, Henry would spend several weeks away from meeting distributors in various cities across Germany – and later Europe – and demonstrating the tools to the end users,” Barbara continued. He also started to book booths at trade shows, which proved – and continues to prove – to be a very important venue for introducing new products and finding new customers. “Henry demonstrated all day long without taking a break on a large window. Crowds of visitors would gather around our booth.”

Henry and Barbara worked very hard during those early years. “We were totally focused on the business, and lived and breathed our business 24/7. We invested every penny we

eClean Magazine

Barbara Unger Wales shares the Unger story at the J. Racenstein 50th Anniversary Celebration.

made back into the business.”

In 1973, Unger built its first factory and put an Unger squeegee in the capstone. “I remember the feeling of accomplishment seeing the Unger neon sign lit up on the factory when we drove by it on the Autobahn,” Barbara recalled. “The factory was our second home.”

Sons Jan and Mark grew up watching the Unger products being made, and became proud themselves of being part of the story. “I remember the boys taking part in a flea market in Solingen, demonstrating our squeegees on a shop window and telling passers-by that they had to buy these squeegees that were made by their own father and were the best in the world.”

Expanding Globally As the business grew, Henry began taking trips to the Far East where he developed customers in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. “He would fly into a foreign capital, open the Yellow Pages, and contact the maintenance supply companies. “His drive and tenacity with a bag full of samples got him a new customer wherever he went.”

Eventually Unger was selling its products in over 80 countries. “It was a great way to travel the world, and to this day is one of my fondest memories of our work. It compensated me for the endless hours I had spent in the office. Our foreign customers were often smaller family businesses just like ours, and many of our customers became good friends, who visited us eClean Magazine

in return.”

In 1978, the couple decided to return to the U.S. “Everybody thought we were crazy to leave our very viable business in the hands of a manager, but it turned out to be a good decision.” The Unger family packed their belongings in a container and left for Connecticut, where Henry’s brother was building houses. “We founded the sister company, Unger Enterprises, and initially started in Mount Vernon, outside of New York City.” The company’s first U.S. customer was J. Racenstein. “Over the years, we became very good friends with the Urtels and the Racensteins.”

In 1989, the couple bought their factory in Bridgeport, CT. “Henry continued to use the same type of innovations and quality to build the business in the U.S.” With the help of Dane Unger, who joined he company in 1985, Henry conquered the American market and the business continued to grow around the world.

In spite of the company’s success as a manufacturing company, Henry never lost his love and enthusiasm for the man using his tools to make a living. He chose “Mr. Window Cleaner” for his business card, and continued to be a spokesman for the professionalism and betterment of the window cleaning industry.

He became involved in the IWCA and developed a window cleaning contest as part of the convention, bringing together window cleaners around the world competing in a fun way with each other.

In 1996, Henry was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease and passed away on a cruise ship off the coast of Egypt in November of that year. His three sons – Dane, Jan, and Mark – took over and have grown the global companies to new dimensions.

“I am so happy to celebrate the Unger company’s 50th anniversary,” Barbara concluded. “I only wish Henry could have been here to celebrate it with us.”

35

New Technician Training

1 10

How many times have you been called away from your office to troubleshoot minor problems that your technicians should be quite familiar with? That’s right. Too many.

I am going to provide you with education material you can provide to your technicians, aid you in their training, and turn many wasted times into productive times.

I am not a mechanic. It may be ironic, but I can speak or play drums in front of hundreds of people and never really get nervous, but put a wrench in my hand and I seize up and start sweating. Over the decades I have learned – not by choice, but by necessity – the basics of

by Steve Stephens Author of “The Pressure Cleaning Marketing Bible”

pressure wash machines.

This is one subject I will definitely not get too intense about. Not because I don’t have the desire; I just don’t have the skill. We will find an expert – one of you magicians I’m sure that with the turn of a screwdriver can make magic happen with the humming of your machine, and then you educate the rest of us so we can learn from your honed skill. Yet for now there are some things that I can speak to you quite intelligently about.

For instance, the new technician that comes in and tries to perform his job with too little training in pressure washer systems. We will start with the basics, then move forward into the more advanced knowledge of pressure washer operations. I feel quite comfortable with the basics, so I will take this on. Progressively, however, we will need one of you magicians, who can dig into a pump or engine, and make us all feel warm and fuzzy.

In this series, we are hoping that you will be able to print these documents into checklists or place in troubleshooting manuals.

Hopefully you can keep these in your vehicles.

Again, our goal at PCC is to save you time and money and provide you with education.

However, we are nothing without you. We need the experts in your skills to come forward. Help make your magazine a valuable tool. Let us all share our knowledge and help our fellow companies flourish! Together we all prosper, easier!

I am so jealous of you mechanics who can pull out a wrench and in just a matter of minutes have your engine purring like a kitten. You guys have a real gift. Never take advantage of the gifts that you have. You may be surprised to know that what comes so easy to you others yearn for.

36 eClean Magazine

Available at www.eCleanStore.com

Operating Instructions p Check oil and all fluid levels. p Check the pump oil by locating the oil view

window and, if needed, filling to the red dot or the center of the oil view window. p Check engine oil every day prior to use, THIS IS IMPORTANT! Engine will not operate without proper levels of oil! p Check coolant levels if unit is equipped. p Connect hose and gun assembly p Check all water filters at pump, entering flow tank, and departing flow tank. p Inspect hose departing flow tank, to the entrance of the pump. Assure nothing is on top or is capable of crimping, falling, sliding, or hindering this water supply in any way. p Locate water supply at job site. p Turn water on to ensure maximum flow.

Assure there is no debris inside water supply. p Make certain there is a water screen filter inside the water hose connection.

Starting Operation Fire for thought

Do not use improper fuels or solvents in your equipment. Fill only with the correct fluids when the unit is off and cool. Fill the burner fuel tank with number two diesel fuel or kerosene. Never use gasoline. Do not confuse your gasoline and fuel oil tanks. Keep the proper fuel in the proper tanks, preferably color coded.

Avoid contact with the exterior of the coil, or heat exchanger assembly, mufflers, engine and exhaust stack to prevent burns.

Don’t store fuel or other flammable materials near the burner, or any other open flame. Do not touch burner exhaust port, mufflers or hot hoses. Use common sense as exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an odorless, deadly poison. Observe all state, local, and national codes. Provide adequate ventilation to prevent engine overheating, inefficient burner combustion and general safety. eClean Magazine

p Connect water hose connection to water

supply and turn on to maximum flow. p Make sure water supply hose cannot be crimped by traffic, or other industrial equipment. p Maintain an adequate supply of water using at least a three-quarter inch diameter hose, with a pressure of 15 and 60 PSI, depending on your unit. Make certain that there are no crimps in your water hose on the ground, or as they make way to your high pressure reels. p Inspect high-pressure reels and swivels for any leaks. p Inspect all water hoses for crimps as they make way to your flow tank. p Make sure water is in the tank and the water intake is clear of all debris prior to starting engine. p Take notes of any leaks no matter how small, so repairs can be made prior to following day.

p Gasoline tank is full, clean and ready for

service. p Diesel tank is full clean and ready for service. p Check motor oil and all fluid levels. p All equipment is clean, in its place and there is no chance of anything falling or spilling. p MSDS sheets are clean and in a notebook ready for inspection. p Fuel switch is on. p Turn engine power switch to the on position.

Choke if necessary. Turn key only until the engine starts. p Eliminate air from system. Squeeze the trigger gun until a constant stream of water is flowing. Eliminating air works best with the nozzles removed, or using a dual lance wand in the low-pressure mode. p Connect your spray nozzles securely. Point nozzle at ground and squeeze trigger gun firmly.

If your nozzle is not firmly connected, it may shoot out of your wand breaking a window, or possibly fatally injuring someone. At the very least you will probably lose your O-ring costing you time and trouble. p Now begin your project with pride.

37

How to Be OSHA Compliant with Your Employees

by Linda Chambers, Brand & Sales Manager for Soap Warehouse, www.SoapWarehouse.biz As a cleaning contractor, there is a lot you need to consider when it comes to chemical safety for yourself and your employees.

The Federal agency that oversees worker safety is the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, or OSHA. Besides this agency, you may also have state, county or city agencies with additional guidelines or rules that must be followed, so please check to find all of these in your own area.

What OSHA Covers: OSHA is part of the US Department of Labor, and has been around since the 1970 OSHA Act. OSHA covers almost all private-sector employers and their workers. The only worker they do not cover is the truly self-employed. This means that you and you alone work in your business, without any help – including your spouse – unless you are working a farm.

If you are incorporated or are an LLC with listed officers, or if you name anyone else as a partner in your business, you have to follow the rules and guidelines put down by OSHA. Also, you better already know all the rules and have all the needed OSHA guidelines in place before you hire your first employee. So it is best to go ahead and learn them now.

Duties of an employer: Each employer – (1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees; (2) shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act. Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to his own actions and conduct.

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So to comply with the law, employees must be informed of all possible hazards that may cause death or serious physical harm that can be found in the workplace. This means you need to have a written program in place that documents said hazards. You need to know what the hazards are for the type of work you engage in and you must provide PPE for those hazards. If you ever change or add new jobs to your work, you must ensure that employees have been informed prior to work commencing.

OSHA requires that “each employer shall make, keep and preserve, and make available records of his activities relating to this Act as necessary or appropriate for the enforcement of this Act. In order to carry out the provisions, regulations may include requiring that employers, through posting of notices or other appropriate means, keep their employees informed of their protections and obligations under this Act, including the provisions of applicable standards.”

So here is how you can comply to OSHA standards: • Create a written safety program.

• Provide all needed PPE to affected employees.

• Have training materials for each trainee.

• Hold training as needed for affected employees.

• Have employees sign that they have received training and include any testing results.

• Keep records up to date.

• Post and make accessible any required materials, including MSDS binders.

And what could happen if you do not comply?

Well here are the penalties in brief: • Any employer who willfully or repeatedly violates the requirements of this Act may be

eClean Magazine

assessed a civil penalty of not more than $70,000 for each violation, but not less than $5,000 for each violation.

• Any employer who fails to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued may be assessed a civil penalty of up to $7,000 for each violation.

• Any employer who willfully violates any standard that caused death to any employee or any person whoever knowingly makes any false statement, in any record, report or other document filed or required to be maintained pursuant to this Act shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.

But before you panic, OSHA is ready and willing to help you meet the requirements.

Any employer can call and ask for assistance.

Do not be afraid to ask.

The ACT states that OSHA shall: (1) Provide for the establishment and supervision of programs for the education and training of employers and employees in the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions in employments covered by this Act, and (2) Consult with and advise employers and employees, and organizations representing employers and employees, as to effective means of preventing occupational injuries and illnesses. Up and to including an on-site consultation.

OSHA Web site https://www.osha.gov Besides online and telephone assistance from the Feds you can move down to the State level.

“Pursuant to such agreements the State shall provide on-site consultation at the employer’s worksite to employers who request such assistance. The State may also provide other education and training programs for employers and employees in the State. The State shall ensure that on-site consultations conducted pursuant to such agreements include provision for the participation by employees.”

If an on site consultation brings up any hazards, these must be addressed ASAP. “Activities under this subsection shall be conducted independently of any enforcement activity. If an employer fails to take immediate eClean Magazine

action to eliminate employee exposure to an imminent danger identified in a consultation or fails to correct a serious hazard so identified within a reasonable time, a report shall be made to the appropriate enforcement authority for such action as is appropriate.”

Types of training you can offer: • Equipment Safety – can be general or specific • Ladder Safety • Chemical Safety – can be different levels • Fork Lift Safety • Scissor Lift Safety • Defensive Driving You do not have to offer all of these. It just depends on the jobs or tasks themselves you require certain employees to perform.

Also, additional paperwork may be required depending on the number of employees you have. For instance; “If you have more than 10 employees at any time during the calendar year, you must keep OSHA injury and illness records unless you have been exempted.”

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How to set up training: • Buy into a pre-made package or program.

Here are a few you can look into. www.oshaeducationcenter.com/ www.oshacampusonline.com www.osha-safety-training.net • Take a class and then do all the work yourself using what you learned • Utilize the free information from OSHA www.osha.gov/Publications/osha2254.pdf www. osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.html • Youtube.com – there are many free, as well as for-hire videos out there Choosing the type of training you will give your employees Many OSHA standards explicitly require the employer to train employees in the safety and health aspects of their jobs (e.g., how to use an MSDS). Other OSHA standards make it the employer’s responsibility to limit certain job assignments to employees who are “certified,” “competent,” or “qualified.” This means they have be given previous special training prior to being asked to perform a task or specific duties, such as mixing and handling hydrofluoric acid.

The Process Safety Management Standard requires the employer to evaluate or verify that employees comprehend the training given to them. This means that the training to be given must have established goals and objectives regarding what is to be accomplished.

Subsequent to the training, an evaluation would be conducted to verify that the employees understood the subjects presented or acquired the desired skills or knowledge. If the established goals and objectives of the training program were not achieved as expected, the employer then would revise the training program to make it more effective, or conduct more frequent refresher training or some combination of these.

It is a good idea for the employer to keep a record of all safety and health training they have given. Records can provide evidence of the employer’s good faith and compliance with OSHA standards. Documentation can also supply an answer to one of the first questions an accident investigator will ask: “Was the injured employee trained to do the job?” There are requirements for posting information, warning signs, labels, etc., and employers can contact their OSHA regional 40

or area office for these and additional guidance.

There are more than 100 standards in the OSHA Act of 1970 that contain training requirements. So how do you know which ones pertain to you?

OSHA developed voluntary training guidelines to assist employers in providing the safety, health information and instruction needed for their employees to work at minimal risk to themselves, to fellow employees and to the public. Guidelines provide you a model for designing, conducting, evaluating, and revising training programs. They also assist employers in their efforts to meet the training requirements for the current or future occupational safety and health standards.

Guidelines are not mandatory and should not be used as such but a review of training will always be an issue when alleged violations come up about what training was given.

OSHA’s training guidelines consists of: 1. Determining if training is needed 2. Identifying training needs 3. Identifying goals and objectives 4. Developing learning activities 5. Conducting the training 6. Evaluating program effectiveness 7. Improving the program This model is one that even the business owner with just one employee can use without having to hire a professional trainer or pay for an expensive training program. You can follow these easy steps on your own.

1. Find a problem of a health or safety issue. For example, that you employee knows what PPE to use.

2. Identify what training is needed to solve this. For example, needing to show the employee each piece of PPE you have available, how and when you expect them to use the equipment.

This can be done a number of different ways: • From your own personal experience.

• Follow and watch employee doing work, watching for what tools/equipment is used and how they are using them.

• Ask an employee to provide to you, in writing, a description of their daily tasks, listing the tools and equipment used for each task.

• Using past accident and injury records

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identifying what task was being done when the accident or injury occurred, and if a tool or equipment was being used that was a contributing factor in the accident or injury.

• Examining other training programs you can find.

3. Identify the goals and objectives of the training. It is equally important to determine what training is not needed. Employees should be made aware of all of the steps involved in a task, but only conduct training on the steps where the employee needs improvement or direction to achieve the proper actions.

Training objectives will tell the employee what the employer wants them to do, how to do it, how to do it better or what they need to stop doing.

To be effective, the objective should be spelled out as precisely as possible, demonstrated to the employee, then have the employee describe what conditions are needed for the action to happen followed by demonstrating competence and an acceptable performance of the action.

For example, an objective of having an employee learn to use a respirator could be that “the employee will be able to identify what a respirator is, describe how a respirator works and when it should be used.”

4. Develop the learning activities. The activities need to be identified, described and need to mimic the actual job as closely as possible.

These learning activities enable employees to demonstrate that they have acquired the desired skills or knowledge. They should also be taught in the sequence that corresponds to the order in which the tasks will be performed on the job.

Example 1:. Check that power source to equipment is connected and free from dangers.

2. That operator is wearing required PPE and any equipment safety devices are in place.

3. That operator knows where and how to turn equipment on and back off when needed.

Different methods can be used to teach skill and give information.

• In a group setting or one on one.

• Using film, video, audio or live demos.

• By using printed material with diagrams.

• Role playing.

The employer can choose any method desired eClean Magazine

as long as the activities develop in such a way that the employee leaves with complete understanding.

5. Conduct the training. Set aside a time and place where all the employees that need to attend can do so with a reasonable amount of time given to go over or to learn the skills involved.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the training to be considered as passing the training. This can be done a number of different ways: • By a written test of whatever type the employer wishes: short answer, multiple choice, etc., along with a known % level considered passing, such as 80%.

• By a verbal test where the trainer asks individuals either all together or one at a time questions to judge their retention on the materials taught.

• By a physical test where the trainees actually have to properly perform the tasks that were taught in the training to be able to pass.

Once the training has been passed, it is beneficial for the employer to have the employees sign off that they have attended, taken the evaluation and passed the training, listing the date, time and place the training was given. This aids the employer to document that OSHA requirements where fulfilled.

The very last step of improving the program can only be done over time as the training evolves. For instance, if an employee that has taken training becomes injured, changes may be made to the training by one of several ways – increasing the frequency that a refresher training is given, changing the training by adding a video as well as verbal and written training materials, by adding role playing or additional questions to a written test.

I hope this has helped you as an employer understand what the government expects you to provide to your employees to keep them safe while working for you.

Linda Chambers is the Brand and Sales Manager for Soap Warehouse, where she has worked since 2007. She enjoys writing blogs and social media. She also travels for thecompany, exhibiting at trade shows and events.For more information, visit their website at www.SoapWarehouse.biz.

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10 Steps for Hiring Your First Employee www.sba.gov

If your business is booming, but you are struggling to keep up, perhaps it’s time to hire some help.

The eight steps below can help you start the hiring process and ensure you are compliant with key federal and state regulations.

Step 1. Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Before hiring your first employee, you need to get an employment identification number (EIN) from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

The EIN is often referred to as an Employer Tax ID or as Form SS-4. The EIN is necessary for reporting taxes and other documents to the IRS. In addition, the EIN is necessary when reporting information about your employees to 42

state agencies. Apply for EIN online or contact the IRS at 1-800-829-4933.

Step 2. Set up Records for Withholding Taxes According to the IRS, you must keep records of employment taxes for at least four years. Keeping good records can also help you monitor the progress of your business, prepare financial statements, identify sources of receipts, keep track of deductible expenses, prepare your tax returns, and support items reported on tax returns.

Below are three types of withholding taxes you need for your business: • Federal Income Tax Withholding Every employee must provide an employer with a signed withholding exemption certificate (Form W-4) on or before the date of employment. The employer must then submit Form W-4 to the IRS. For specific information, read the IRS’ Employer’s Tax Guide [PDF].

• Federal Wage and Tax Statement Every year, employers must report to the federal government wages paid and taxes withheld for each employee. This report is filed using Form W-2, wage and tax statement. Employers must complete a W-2 form for each employee who they pay a salary, wage or other compensation.

Employers must send Copy A of W-2 forms to the Social Security Administration by the last day of February to report wages and taxes of your employees for the previous calendar year. In addition, employers should send copies of W-2 forms to their employees by Jan. 31 of the year following the reporting period.

Visit SSA.gov/employer for more information.

• State Taxes. Depending on the state where your employees are located, you may be required to withhold state income taxes.

Visit the state and local tax page for more information.

Step 3. Employee Eligibility Verification Federal law requires employers to verify an employee’s eligibility to work in the United

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States. Within three days of hire, employers must complete Form I-9, employment eligibility verification, which requires employers to examine documents to confirm the employee’s citizenship or eligibility to work in the U.S. Employers can only request documentation specified on the I-9 form.

Employers do not need to submit the I-9 form with the federal government but are required to keep them on file for three years after the date of hire or one year after the date of the employee’s termination, whichever is later.

Employers can use information taken from the Form I-9 to electronically verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees by registering with E-Verify.

Visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency’s I-9 website to download the form and find more information.

Step 4. Register with Your State’s New Hire Reporting Program All employers are required to report newly hired and re-hired employees to a state directory within 20 days of their hire or rehire date. Visit the New Hires Reporting Requirements page to learn more and find links to your state›s New Hire Reporting System.

Step 5. Obtain Workers’ Compensation Insurance All businesses with employees are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage through a commercial carrier, on a self-insured basis or through their state’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance program.

Step 6. Post Required Notices Employers are required to display certain posters in the workplace that inform employees of their rights and employer responsibilities under labor laws. Visit the Workplace Posters page for specific federal and state posters you›ll need for your business.

Step 7. File Your Taxes Generally, employers who pay wages subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes must file IRS Form 941, eClean Magazine

Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return. For more information, visit IRS.gov.

New and existing employers should consult the IRS Employer’s Tax Guide to understand all their federal tax filing requirements.

Visit the state and local tax page for specific tax filing requirements for employers.

Step 8. Get Organized and Keep Yourself Informed Being a good employer doesn’t stop with fulfilling your various tax and reporting obligations. Maintaining a healthy and fair workplace, providing benefits and keeping employees informed about your company’s policies are key to your business’ success.

Here are some additional steps you should take after you’ve hired your first employee: • Set up Recordkeeping In addition to requirements for keeping payroll records of your employees for tax purposes, certain federal employment laws also require you to keep records about your employees. The following sites provide more information about federal reporting requirements: • Tax Recordkeeping Guidance • Labor Recordkeeping Requirements • Occupational Safety and Health Act Compliance • Employment Law Guide (employee benefits chapter) • Apply Standards that Protect Employee Rights Complying with standards for employee rights in regards to equal opportunity and fair labor standards is a requirement. Following statutes and regulations for minimum wage, overtime, and child labor will help you avoid error and a lawsuit. See the Department of Labor’s Employment Law Guide for up-to-date information on these statutes and regulations.

Also, visit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Fair Labor Standards Act. This article and a ton of additional resources can be found on the Small Business Administrations’ website: www.SBA.gov.

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Employee vs Independent Contractor Ensure you are in compliance when hiring for your company

by Erica Jensen, Clean Right Company, Spokane, Washington, www.CleanRightCo.com

We have recently hired a young gal who previously worked for a local competitor.

During her interview she mentioned that she was paid the same wage we were hiring her at, but that she was responsible for paying her own taxes. So I asked her if she had her own business license for cleaning and she said “no”.

Red flags instantly started going off in my head, as I was listening to her story, because I knew that this other business was doing things illegally. Now I’m not a human resource professional, in the sense that I have a degree in HR, but I have been hiring people for 12 years and I know that hiring independent contractors can be risky business if you do not do it by the book.

Here is a list of questions to ask yourself,

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as a business, to ensure that you are actually hiring someone as an independent contractor and not as an employee.

Is Your Subcontractor Really an Employee?

Take the “Six-Part Test” below A “yes” answer to all six questions usually means the worker has a business of his/her own, and you are not responsible for workers’ comp premiums, unemployment tax or wage and hour requirements.

1.Supervision: Do they perform the work free of your direction and control?

2.Business office:.Do they maintain and pay for a place of business that is separate from yours? A cell phone and a truck is not enough.

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You need to visit his or her place of business and make sure.

3.Previously established business: Do they have an established, independent business that existed before you hired them? Evidence may include other customers or advertising.

4.IRS taxes:.When you entered into the contract, was the contractor responsible for filing a business tax return with the IRS for his or her business?

5.Maintains books:.Do they maintain a set of books dedicated to the expenses and earnings of the business? You can ask to review them for your protection.

6.Required registrations: Are they up to date on all required registrations and accounts?

Note: If you plan to treat your worker/ subcontractor as an independent, make sure you can prove it. You may always ask the person you are hiring to see the above documents.

Did you answer “yes” to ALL SIX questions on this page?

Then they are a contractor, and usually you will have: No workers’ compensation premiums due.

No wage and hour requirements.

No unemployment tax.

Did you answer “no” to ANY of the six

questions on this page?

You usually DO have to do the following for the worker(s) you are hiring, since they are NOT independent contractors.

Pay workers’ compensation.

Meet wage and hour requirements.

Pay unemployment tax.

Always keep a safe workplace!

Many companies are tempted to hire independent contractors, and not employees, as it saves them time, money and headaches but most companies do not ensure they are doing things legally. The other business, my new employee worked for, was definitely not in compliance and, if she reports them, could get in serious trouble.

So, don’t make the same mistake and ensure your “Independent Contractor” is truly an independent contractor and not an employee.

Nick and Erica Jensen, owners of Clean Right Co, have over 32 years combined experience in business operations and cleaning. Their determination for excellence is what drives the company and inspires the team to provide professional, dependable and high quality cleaning services. Learn more about their company at www.CleanRightCo.com. Read all of Erica’s blogs on hiring for the cleaning industry at www.CleanRightCo.blogspot.com.

Next Issue:

Marketing on a Budget Advertising Deadline: March 12 For more information, contact Charlie at charlie@ecleanmag.com eClean Magazine

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eClean Magazine Proudly Announces the Addition of Charlie Arnold as Director of Sales eClean Magazine is proud to announce that Charlie Arnold has recently been added to our staff, where he will serve Director of Sales.

“I have know Charlie since 2009 and am thrilled to have him on board,” said eClean Editor Allison Hester. “Not only is Charlie known for his honesty and business ethics, he is also an extremely hard worker who has an in-depth and personal understanding of the cleaning industry.”

Charlie is truly an entrepreneur at heart living in Lewes, Delaware. He is a Bi-vocational Church Planting Pastor, which means he is a full time pastor who starts churches and has a full time secular career as well. He is Pastor of Seaside Church and is President / owner of Arnold Powerwash LLC along with his wife Erika who is the CFO. Charlie currently is on the Board of Directors for Power Washers of North America (PWNA) holding the position as Vice President, as well as an author and instructor for certification classes. He was selected as one of 15 out of 150,000 members to be on the National Association of Self Employed Member Council (NASE) 2012-2014, tasked with helping create a more successful atmosphere for small businesses on a national and local level.

The saying, “If you want something done give it to a really busy person” holds true for Charlie. He has developed another business arrangement with 1-800-BoardUp as their Director of Emergency Services. This is a national network of construction companies who specialize in disaster response and victim assistance. When they win the mitigation contract if there is any external cleaning in the contract Arnold Powerwash LLC will have that part of the contracts.

Charlie serves his community through volunteer positions in the Lewes Fire Department.

He is currently a Nationally Registered EMT-B, Interior Fire Fighter, and Chaplain. He has worked through the ranks and currently is a Past EMS Chief. He is currently an approved instructor for the International Critical Stress Foundation and CISM Team Coordinator for Sussex County of the Delaware Volunteer Fire Fighter’s Association (DVFA). He has also received the Army’s Commander Award for his work with the local JROTC program at Cape High School where he holds the rank of Honorary Cadet Colonel.

“Having Charlie on our staff is going to benefit eClean as well as our readers,” Allison concluded. “With Charlie at the sales helm, I will be freed up to focus one-hundred percent on providing high quality content and resources for our readers.”

To learn more about advertising with eClean, contact Charlie at charlie@ecleanmag.com.

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