Dec 2011 jan 2012

newslink

ncca

Features:

Membership Benefits Cleaning Viscose Rayon

December 2011/January 2012

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

Contents

Published monthly by:

03 From the editor

The National Carpet Cleaners Association

03 President’s report 06 Getting it right at the beginning 09 It’s dry but is it clean?

10 Woolsafe Educational Conference 12 Sales tactics 14 Cleaning fabrics containing Viscose Rayon 18 Benefits of membership (part one) 22 Who can you believe?

25 A time to reflect 26 When is it time to redesign you site?

28 Payatrader - offer for NCCA members 29 Christmas 2011 - the birth of a new tradition 30 Fuel tax 32 Health and Safety law in Scotland

62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH Tel: 0116 271 9550 Fax: 0116 271 9588 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk Editor Nikki Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law President/ Technical Director Paul Pearce Vice President/ Marketing Director Keith Robertson Vice President/ Events Director Nigel Lay Member Liaison Director Glyn Charnock Associate Liaison Director Denise Pitt

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

www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_

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

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

page 2

From the editor - 2012 renewals

R

enewals for 2012/2013 membership will be sent on April 1st 2012 and due for payment in full by May 1st 2012.

The Articles of Association state: “Any Member wishing to resign from the Company shall give 60 clear days notice of his intended resignation in writing to the Secretary and at the expiry of such notice shall cease to be a member, but in default of giving such notice, at least 60 clear days before the expiry of the current year, such member shall be liable to pay the subscription for the ensuing year”.

This item is legally enforceable.

We would like to emphasise the message from the November issue of Newslink; that if you are experiencing difficulties or considering not renewing your membership to please contact us. We never like to hear that a member has decided that they no longer plan to be part of the NCCA, and we would like to work together to try to assist where we can. There is an option to split the annual subscription fee over four months using your credit/debit card on a recurring payment scheme should it be required,

details of which can be obtained from the NCCA office.

Another requirement of your renewal is proof of your insurance. Again, this year, we will only be accepting Public Liability schedules that clearly state that they include either Treatment Risk or Products Liability. Please make sure you send all the correct required documentation along with your payment, this will aid in the swift processing of your renewal.

If you do not wish to renew your membership for the coming year, notice must be put in writing to the Company Secretary before the 31st January.

Important Notice: All members who have not yet completed a full year of membership will still be receiving a subscription invoice due on May 1st. The fee will have been reduced in respect of how long you have been a member. Payment of this invoice will bring your renewal in line with the rest of the membership and your renewal year will run from April to April from then on.

President’s report

Y

ou are probably sitting down reading this and unwinding from yet another manic December.

I don't know about you but for me it started slow but now looks like it’s building to an extremely busy month. So I am relishing a few days off over the holiday period. Hopefully January will be another busy time for us.

Those of you that know me know that I like to read, anything from a book on rugs or textiles to something that helps or motivates me in business. Well this year I found a new author in the motivational world. His name is Jon Gordon. He is quite an inspirational writer and produces those easy to read books with a good story that explains a process from start to finish.

The first book I read of his is called 'The Energy Bus'.

It tells the story of George who is down on his luck and nothing seems to be working for him at home or at work. Jon explains the progression of Georges next few weeks when the folk he meets on a bus share with him 10 rules of how to fuel his life and work and team them with positive energy. It may sound a little corny but you can very quickly start relating the scenarios to your everyday life. Mind you, if you are

like me, I went on a bus for the first time in I don't know how many years recently and found it difficult to sit still. It also taught me that perhaps driving for a living can be quite stressful because with both of the buses I ventured on I was greeted by a surly bus driver who really didn't want to be there - which made two of us I suppose.

Jon has written several in the series, which are The Seed, Training Camp and Soup. I recommend them all as they all relate to how we run our lives. So if you get any book vouchers from Santa you will know what to do with them.

I mentioned earlier about being busy in January, which reminded me of the year when the weather was quite bad making it difficult for us all to get around, with customers cancelling because of the weather and so on. In many ways it was quite bleak. What are you going to do when you have a day ahead of you and can't get out and earn money? Well I suppose you could start off by watching Jeremy Kyle, then This Morning and maybe Loose Women, then lunch and a

Continued on next page Page 3

Continued from previous page snooze. Later on you can watch Grand designs, Cash in the Attic and then Come Dine With Me. After tea you can watch Emmerdale and then‌ OK you get the picture! Or you could go through your database and select all those clients you haven’t heard from for nine months or more and send them a reminder about having their soft furnishings cleaned. Or write a newsletter to all your clients (there are plenty of free templates on the Internet or within your software packages). It doesn't have to be about cleaning, in fact that is the last thing you want to do. If it is the first one of the year you could get some info about keeping warm or saving money on your heating bills, get them ready for planting in the garden or provide a good recipe or two. All this can be found easily on the internet. Tell them a little about you and your family, such as achievements since you last cleaned for them and so on. There are masses you can do. Oh! And don't forget January's special offer, such as 'Two for One' or 'Buy two and get one free' or 'Have two carpets cleaned and have one protected for free' The list is endless, but do something after you have read one or two of Jon's books.

To All Members from The Staff And Directors of The NCCA

page 4

New NCCA Members FULL MEMBERS Prestige Cleaning Services (Kempsford, Gloucestershire) REJOINED Rainbow International (Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire)

NCCA member referral results Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 127 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 68 referrals from the NCCA office, 50 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 9 referrals to members without an email address, which we have tracked using the office database.

If you have not yet supplied us with an email address, but would like to receive notification when your details have been given out, please contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.

Diary Dates 2012 NCCA COURSES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 20th - 21st January 23rd - 24th March 25th - 26th May 13th - 14th July 21st - 22nd September 23rd - 24th November Spot & Stain Removal 16th March 19th October Health & Safety for Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners 15th March 18th October NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated.

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

IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Water Restoration Technician 10th - 12th January with Adam Jankowski Fire & Smoke Restoration Technician 31st January - 1st February with Adam Jankowski Odour Control Technician 2nd February with Adam Jankowski Water Restoration Technician 14th - 16th February with Adam Jankowski Held at National Flood School, Farnham, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185

IICRC COURSES (HERTS)

IMPROVEMENT TO NCCA SURVEY PADS We have improved the quality of the paper on which the NCCA survey pads are printed.

As such we have made a very small increase to the cost of purchase.

NCCA survey pads now retail at: ÂŁ20.50 for a single pad and ÂŁ52.50 for three.

Carpet Cleaning Technician 21st - 22nd February with Paul Pearce Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician 28th - 29th February with Paul Pearce Carpet Cleaning Technician 22nd - 23rd May with Paul Pearce Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician 12th - 13th June with Paul Pearce Held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire.

Tel: 01763 208222 Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses

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Keith Robertson

Stoneman’s Corner

Getting it right at the beginning

W

hen you make your initial visit to survey a natural stone floor, the most important thing you must consider is what your customer actually expects you to achieve.

In fact, if you have taken the initial enquiry yourself you may have already started to ask some pertinent questions.

Why am I making an issue of this? Quite simply, many customers do not make it clear what they actually want and sometimes we may take it upon ourselves to presume that we know what the customer wants; this is never a good idea.

They may start with the question “Do you do stone floors?” This might be followed by something like “I would like you to clean or polish my travertine floor.”

What do they actually mean by this? In truth, until you actually visit and survey the floor you probably still won't fully know what the customer really wants, but as soon as you arrive it should become

much clearer. In the first instance you will learn whether the stone is honed or polished. In most cases your customer will have chosen either a smooth matt stone or a shiny surface for a reason and that is how they want it to be when you have finished.

Never be fooled by a customer who tells you they are not sure what they want because they most certainly do. They have already taken a mental snap shot which is crystal clear to them even if they are unable, or for some reason unwilling, to share it with you.

Marketing guru Michael Gerber teaches that when dealing with potential customers it's 'the story' (narrative for marketing purposes) that is important in setting you apart from your competitors. However, it is pointless building a story that will convince your prospective customer to make use of your services if you don't really know what they actually want in the first place. It is vital that you squeeze into their brain page 6

to get a peek at the photographs that they have stored there.

In some cases you need to tease the details from them pixel by pixel. For example, if they have asked you to polish the floor, do they actually mean “I want you to remove all the wear scratches and make the surface new again”? Or do they mean “I need you to clean the travertine tiles and grout and make the surface shiny”?

Why does this matter? Well, these two examples are in fact poles apart, as are the real requests you will receive. Cleaning the tile and grout to make the floor shine and removing all the scratches to prepare a clear fresh surface are two very different jobs.

In some cases removing scratches may be achievable by using diamond impregnated or coated pads, but in many cases diamond segments or pads are needed to accomplish an acceptable finish. If the job is quite small it is possible to do this with a single

disc rotary machine with diamond pads that fit on to a comparable pad holder. However, if you are working on large areas it is much more practical to utilise a purpose designed weighted grinding machine with a large motor, direct geared drive and a planetary head which multiplies the speed of the machine by five.

Metal bonded tools are available to completely level the floor removing all lippage, when it’s required, and resin bonded diamond segments are produced in ever finer grades to smooth and achieve a desired level of shine.

It is important that you don't take on jobs you are not qualified to do, or able to accomplish, just as you shouldn't agree to accept any work where you don't fully understand precisely what the customer wants or expects.

If you discover the prospective customer has Continued on next page

page 7

Continued from previous page expectations which are beyond what you can achieve, first consider whether that is because what the customer wants is impossible or if it is just beyond your capability.

It is not unusual for a potential customer to have an expectation which simply isn't achievable. They may have seen a floor they like in a friend's house, or in a magazine, and even though it is made from a different stone from their own floor they may expect it to look the same when you have finished. They need to be told, or guided, towards what is actually possible. Only if you succeed in gaining their attention and agreement should you consider proceeding with the job.

If you don't have the equipment, or job skill, it is far better to not take on the work. However, instead of simply saying “no� you may wish to recommend another company or - as one of our members has been doing to gain experience - job share with a more established member.

I recently priced the refinishing of a travertine floor in a commercial building. For years it had been coated with an inappropriate sealant, so I explained to the building manager that the best result would

be attained by removing the seal and diamond polishing the floor. I later learned that the work was given to a carpet cleaning franchise who attempted to grind the floor without removing the seal.

Needless to say it didn't work and they were forced to call on the assistance of another company to put matters right.

Similarly, if you are asked to do something you don't approve of, do not compromise. For example, if you disagree with the rough grinding of a hundred year old sandstone, and prefer a more sympathetic natural approach, don't allow yourself to be bullied into going against your principles. It is not unusual for some people to want completely inappropriate finishes and for some contractors to end up using incorrect, damaging methods and a finish which is completely wrong for the type of stone being worked upon.

The golden rule is to never price, or take on, a stone floor job without making a site visit to survey the work to be done. You may wish to indicate the approximate cost on the telephone to weed out time wasters, but it would be foolhardy to ever think you know enough to quote or book work which you haven't seen.

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It’s dry but is it clean?

T

Tony Abbott (Honorary Member)

he aim of the carpet and upholstery cleaner is surely not only to get everything clean, but also to leave the cleaned item as dry as possible in order to achieve customer satisfaction with minimum inconvenience. Some would say that quick drying times are even more important than the cleaning. Because of this, some operators of HWE (portable and truck-mount) equipment are trying to clean carpets with one pass of the wand, so that the carpet dries very quickly.

The problem with this is, that although some of the soil will rest on top of carpet, much of it will work its way further down and sit between the fibres. If one pass of the wand takes the top soil off, the carpet looks clean but the soil between the fibres is left behind. If the carpet dries without any soil wick-back some would say that, as the carpet looks clean, it is clean. The customer is happy

because it dried quickly and their inconvenience was kept to a minimum.

The problem with a 'quick dry' cleaning process is that in reality all that is achieved is a brief enhancement in appearance. For sustained improvement, and to promote healthy indoor air quality, it is necessary to remove the soil and pollutants from deep within the fibres.

We have all had customers who say to us “is it true that carpets get dirtier quicker after they have been cleaned?” and we all say “no madam, not if they have been cleaned properly”. But if your only aim is quick drying times and immediate improvement in appearance, rather than total soil removal from the carpet pile, then carpets will resoil quicker and this 'old wives tale' will unfortunately still be around for many years to come. page 9

Woolsafe Educational Conference 2011

'Seven sins' of claiming to be Green and how Host avoids committing them, making their system truly green.

Next was a presentation by Julie Roberts from Chemspec Europe Ltd on Infestation Control. Julie explained the current regulations regarding the sale and safe use of pesticides and how this is going to change early in 2012. Under Health & Safety Regulations, pesticides can only be sold to technicians or firms who have undergone appropriate training and can provide proof, in the form of a certificate. There is currently no training available in the UK and Chemspec Europe will be Julie Roberts, from Chemspec Europe, speaking on infestation control providing the ŠJulie Roberts

John Bryden demonstrates the cleaning of Sisal ŠPhotographs: Glyn Charnock/Steve Bakker/Julie Roberts

T

he first UK Woolsafe Conference took place at the Midland Hotel in Bradford, on Friday 28th October. Woolsafe's Operators, Inspectors and John and their Sponsors Jan Bryden gathered for a 9am start.

Unfortunately half the hotel lost its electricity supply, including the room we were in, a few minutes before 'kick off'. After some frantic sorting of extension leads, proceedings were about to get underway, on time, when someone realised Paul Pearce and Adam Jankowski were missing. Funnily enough as a result of the power cut they were stuck in the lift!

Woolsafe's Managing Director, Agnes Zsednai began the conference by introducing their sponsors, Host von Schrader, Prochem Europe, Cleantech Innovation / Envirodri and Dry Fusion, many of whom have been with Woolsafe since the start of their Chemical Testing program in 1991.

Steve Bakker, Marketing Director, then gave us an overview of Woolsafe's current marketing activities. He told us they regularly place articles in both the trade and consumer press, Sunday supplements, housekeeping magazines and the stock list magazine for carpet retailers. They also have a global website with new branding. Steve is currently working on nurturing relationships with manufacturers and major retailers. He also explained how Woolsafe are helping their operator network to market their businesses, including the use of QR codes (Quick Response code: provides a shortcut from the offline to the online world) and help with social media marketing.

Following Steve's presentation, Mike Egerton from Host von Schrader gave a talk on the subject of Green Cleaning, which has a much higher profile in the USA than in the UK. Mike explained the

Glyn Charnock

page 10

required course in the near future.

Julie then presented the training course to us, which was very detailed and informative, covering the pests that operators can treat for, their life cycles and habitats, the safe use and storage of pesticides and of course the required PPE. Julie then handed out an examination paper for everyone attending to complete. Those who pass the exam will be issued with a certificate, becoming the first technicians officially authorized to provide Infestation Control for carpets and soft furnishings in the country.

It was also interesting to learn from John Barraclough (Wools of Cumbria), that some carpets are no longer treated to prevent insect infestations due to the stringent regulations regarding the disposal of insecticide effluents. The consensus was that this was probably the reason for the rise in the number of infestations encountered by carpet cleaners over the past few years.

Paul Bakker, Chairman of Woolsafe, then gave an overview of recent and ongoing research conducted by the Woolsafe laboratory, this included research

into Oxi Spotters, the ongoing research into the effects of pH and buffering of cleaning agents on efficiency and colour bleeding in both wool and synthetic carpets. Paul finished by explaining how Woolsafe are working to improve cleaning techniques, solve problems and thoroughly investigate claims.

The final presentation of the day was from John and Jan Bryden of Bryden Enterprises on the cleaning of Sisal carpets. They gave a description of the types of plant fibres used for different applications. We were then introduced to the advantages and disadvantages of plant fibres. John explained what type of installation was suitable for these highly moisture sensitive carpets and how they should be fitted. He ended by demonstrating his own method of cleaning them.

As I said, it was a pretty packed day with lots of useful information and a great exchange of ideas. It was all rounded off in the evening with an excellent Gala Dinner. Well done to all at Woolsafe for a well organised and enjoyable event.

Going Going - Gone Dye Gone offers a unique new package and application device to remove the severest of dye stains including: coffee, tea, wine, hair dyes, paints, candle colours etc.

No need to mix - just spray - wait and the stain is gone.* *pre-test carefully and rinse out after stain is removed with cold water after use.

Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: info@chemspec-europe.com Website: www.chemspec-europe.com

Sales tactics

A

David Coker

couple of months ago I wrote about my visit to a local travel agent. It was a lesson in how NOT to sell a holiday. You may recall, amongst other things, the advisor assumed I wouldn't pay the quoted price and so I was immediately offered a discounted price without even asking.

If anyone's been to Egypt, one thing you can say for sure is that although you may be hassled in the shops, they certainly know how to sell.

I've recently returned from a Nile cruise and amongst the 'trips' was a visit to a perfume factory.

By the way, there was no choice about this, it was part of our visit to Karnak temple.

There I witnessed a masterclass in selling. Again, there are some good lessons for us as carpet cleaners.

Now, this was not just an education in perfume‌it was a SALES meeting.

Here are four lessons I learned.

1. Use Joint Ventures Firstly, how did we just happen to end up at the perfume factory? Well, no doubt this was a 'Joint Venture'. The tour guide would have made an arrangement to 'deliver' a coach load of prospective customers to the factory door - and no doubt taken a share of the profits.

This is an excellent low cost, no-risk way of getting customers for the factory. There's no expensive advertising, in fact no work at all other than divvying up the profits at the end. Even if the factory paid as much as 50% of the profit it's 50% for them that they wouldn't have had. And a tremendous incentive for the tour guide! It's a winwin situation.

Now, who could give YOU access to their customers for a share of the profits (that they wouldn't have had!). Ask yourself: Who services the same type of customers as you do? Could you give these customers a preferential offer that would induce them to use you for the first time? Even if you paid a high percentage of the sale to the other business, you would have gained a new customer

and made a small profit on the first sale. When they use you again, or refer you, there's a much greater profit.

2. Use a Structured Approach Nothing was left to chance: an initial 'trust and rapport' building cup of herbal tea, passing out order forms at the beginning to 'assume' the sale and demonstrations of the products were all clearly scripted.

Are your in-home quotes fully scripted? (I like to use the term 'choreographed' like actors on a stage, nothing happens by chance). For example, are you demonstrating how protector works (tissue in a glass?) not just explaining it? Could you even clean a very small area to show just how soiled the carpet is?

3. Use Education Based Marketing This is often a very under-used method of persuasion. I was thoroughly educated in the process of perfume making. By the time they had finished, I trusted that they knew what they were doing. I also knew about the 'extravagant' mark-up by the well known brands.

Do you educate your customers? You know the ones who think that all carpet cleaning is the same?

For example, do you tell them about the importance of vacuuming first because 79% of soil in a carpet is 'dry' and will vacuum out. Educate them as to why this and every other part of your process is so important.

4. Packaging Yes, they offered three packages (4 bottles in a pack vs 6 or 8 in a 'fancy' box), even throwing in a 'bonus' on the most expensive package.

Do you have different packages? If not, at least put together a high-priced top quality package and offer both. There are some customers who just want 'the best' and are prepared to pay for it.

Many of my fellow travellers left the factory with boxes of perfume - a testament to a highly efficient, structured, educational, choreographed SALES meeting. page 12

Cleaning fabrics containing Viscose Rayon

O

ver the years Viscose Rayon has featured within the constructions of upholstery fabrics in varying degrees. Its shiny artificial silk-like appearance will enhance most fabrics making them very appealing to the consumer. The customer usually buys on price, looks and compatibility with other furnishings within the house.

Derek Bolton

In the vast majority of cases the consumer will not even think to consider what fibres are involved in the fabrics they are about to purchase.

Viscose Rayon is used because of its luxurious look and of course it is cheap to produce, allowing the manufacturers to produce to a price that will appeal to the consumer.

Cleaning fabrics containing Fibres close up Viscose Rayon page 14

ŠPhotographs: Derek Bolton

Viscose Rayon fabrics

should only take place after careful consideration.

This is because: ! Viscose Rayon fibres can lose up to 70% of their strength when wet. ! The fibres are extremely absorbent and can swell when moisture is applied, often changing the appearance of the fabric. ! In some instances the colours may not be fast and there may be a risk of colour bleed. ! Viscose Rayon is a regenerated fibre, containing a large percentage of cellulose, making it prone to cellulosic browning.

Viscose Rayon used in Flatweave constructions is relatively trouble free providing agitation is kept to a minimum so as not to damage the wet fibres.

Colours should also be treated with caution in case of colour bleed. Dry the fabric quickly.

Viscose Rayon in its pile form provides more of a challenge. The fibres when wet will swell reflecting more light and may lose their ‘soft feel'. Certainly the longer pile Viscose Rayon fabrics of yesteryear (see picture below) caused the cleaning technicians of the day many a headache and the NCCA recommendations at the time were to dry clean only.

There was a tendency for the black fibres contained within the constructions to bleed, completely ruining the fabric. Some cleaning technicians did wet clean the fabrics without these black fibres and although the fibres were visually damaged the fabric 'looked clean' and many customers were prepared to accept this rather than have a dirty suite.

Continued on next page

Damaged fabric with black dye bleed

page 15

Black backing fibres

Damaged fibres may reflect more light page 16

ŠPhotographs: Derek Bolton

Continued from previous page Viscose Rayon has returned more recently in its pile form, albeit with not such a long pile as previously. REMEMBER: Wet cleaning will cause some damage to the pile by characteristic swelling of the fibres, therefore reflecting more light. In some cases the actual damage may not be noticed by the customer, in fact the fabric will tend to look very clean.

The more worrying thing is the appearance of the black fibres within the construction, often predominantly in the

80% Viscose/20% Polyester

backing, making a brief visit to the surface as part of a pattern.

The cleaning technician should take special note of fabrics containing Viscose Rayon fibres and select their cleaning chemicals and method of cleaning very carefully. Special care should be taken when using spotting chemicals as they are usually stronger and, dare I say, may not have been tested on the colours.

I have included a few pictures of some of the blended fabrics that are either currently out there

60% Acrylic/30% Polyester/10% Viscose

75% Viscose, 25% Polyester

Possible dye bleed

waiting to be cleaned or very soon will be.

CONCLUSION ! NEVER take fabrics for granted. ! ALWAYS check the fibres and look at the backings as so much information is there to help you. ! REMEMBER it is down to the cleaning company to decide whether to clean - and how - or maybe walk away. ! DON'T rely on manufacturers labels. Use your own knowledge and judgement. ! ALWAYS clean uniformly. page 17

Benefits of membership Glyn Charnock

I

am sure that we all have different ideas as to why we chose to become members of the NCCA in the first place, and why we renew our membership every year.

Since becoming a director of the Association about eighteen months ago, I have come to appreciate more of what the Association does, not just for its members, but for the industry as a whole and for consumers as well. What I would like to do in a series of articles over the next few months is to remind you, the members, of what the Association can do for you, how we can help you make your business successful and how you can help us make the Association more successful in return.

TRAINING I think the one thing every member would mention if asked about the Association is training. Most of our new members come via the two day Carpet and Upholstery courses which run five or six times a year, and many members also go on the Spot and Stain course. However, we also run an Introduction to Hard Floor Cleaning course and a Leather Identification and Cleaning Course which can provide you with valuable additional services to offer your clients. We also offer a Health and Safety Course, geared specifically toward the carpet and upholstery cleaner, vital for all businesses these days.

All the NCCA courses are aimed not just at newcomers to the industry, but also at more experienced operators in order to keep up to date with techniques, equipment and products. All members enjoy discounted prices on these courses.

As an association, we encourage all our members to

keep up to date, and as such we recognise training from a whole host of industry partners including the IICRC (Clean Trust) and product and equipment manufacturers and suppliers.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Members are able, by means of a telephone call, to benefit from the wealth of experience accumulated

by NCCA Directors - who are carpet cleaning practitioners of long standing - should particularly intractable problems arise.

There are regular technical articles in the Newlink magazine, and back-issues of the magazine are available on the website, right back to 2002.

We are also working on a Technical Library which will be available via the members’ area of the website at some point in the future. page 18

(part one)

ARBITRATION SERVICE In the unfortunate event of a dispute with a client, contact with the Association's Standards and Fair Trading section will secure advice and assistance for members and their clients in regard to areas such as service standards, liability issues and consumer protection.

We endeavour to provide an impartial view of any dispute and help members and clients reach a mutually acceptable resolution. Because we need to be impartial in this role, we may not always agree with the members' point of view, but will always strive to reach an amicable resolution.

The Standards and Fair Trading section also follows up on any reports of misuse of the NCCA logo, so if you see a non-member displaying the

logo or advertising approval by the Association, then please let the office know and we will take appropriate action.

LEGAL HELPLINE We also have a free legal advice line for members, just a phone call away. Details are advertised in Newslink, or call the office. This is for all business legal matters including employment law, contract law, consumer protection, etc, and is a standard rate number, not a premium rate phoneline.

NEWSLETTER I have already touched on one element of the magazine above, but Newslink is a full-colour glossy monthly magazine providing the latest news and views, as well as technical matters and topics of professional interest. It is the only dedicated publication specifically for our industry. We are always looking for articles and interesting items to help make the magazine a more interesting read, so if you have an unusual job or an interesting problem, or anything else newsworthy to say, please get in touch with Nikki at the office and she will help you turn it in to an article.

You will also find offers from our associates, but more of that later.

ENQUIRY AND REFERRAL SYSTEM This is probably the most common complaint from members - that they do not receive enough, if any, work through the Association.

We are not a referral organisation set up to find work for our members, but we do receive enquiries from the public, industrial and commercial customers, both through the office and the website, Continued on next page page 19

Continued from previous page and the office staff ensure that direct enquiries are passed on to the appropriate local members. The web site incorporates GoogleMaps technology to provide site visitors with a clear representation of the members in their area. The system has options to search by postcode, town and county, along with a filter to select members by service, company name and other criteria.

There is a report in Newslink each month on member referrals generated, and despite the accusations on some forums that all enquiries go to an “elite few�, we can and do track every referral and can prove this is not the case.

There is also the benefit of member to member referrals, where members are unable to fulfil a clients needs for whatever reason, they can pass the lead on to a fellow member. I have passed a number of leads to my nearest fellow member this year, and also referred a relative in another part of the country to their local NCCA member, so I know this works!

WEBSITE The NCCA has a well presented and user friendly website for both members and the public with consumer information and advice, a member search facility and much more. The site appears on page 1 of google searches for carpet cleaners or carpet cleaning and has high rankings for a number of other relevant search terms.

The members' area contains important legal documents such as the Articles of Association, meeting minutes etc, a marketing toolbox section, details of the associate members, member benefits and schemes, newslink back issues, details of

training courses, press releases for use by members and more.

EVENTS The NCCA is involved in the running of a number of events, including The Cleaning Show, Carpex, and most recently our own event, the Carpet Cleaners Carnival. These events are great opportunities for viewing new products and equipment, meeting the suppliers, and networking with other cleaners. We would also like to see more regional events and would welcome any help with arranging these.

PROMOTION AND ADVERTISING We can provide members with assistance and guidance in respect to their general advertising, as well as providing the opportunity to advertise under the NCCA logo in the corporate block areas in Thompson and Yellow Pages.

We also produce promotional leaflets for distribution by members, and there is a marketing tool box area on the website with useful hints and tips. There are also some very knowledgeable members and associates who are happy to give advice on promoting your business.

The above is what I would consider to be the major direct benefits of Association membership. I have probably missed one or two out, and I know I haven't used as many of them myself as I could have done, but would encourage you to make use of the benefits of membership and keep in touch with YOUR association.

Next month I will be looking at some of the indirect benefits the Association provides, and how to make the most of your membership. page 20

Who can you believe? Keith Robertson

U

.S. Congress has a law going through that will allow schools in America to list pizza as a vegetable. Before you say this is unbelievable you should consider that it was during the Regan administration of thirty years ago that they attempted to classify tomato ketchup as a vegetable. This time they are considering the tomato paste.

The true reason for this is most likely based upon keeping the cost of the food served to the lowest common denominator and no doubt helped along by lobbying from Pizza makers who stand to lose out if the regulators were to push towards healthier eating.

First of all let me say I have nothing against pizzas.

Last week when I picked up a half price pizza, from the 'use quickly' section in my local Tesco, I won a ticket which allowed me to take twenty friends or family to a Pizza Express for a free three course meal with two drinks per person. Boy do I love pizza now!

The point that does concern me is whether or not I can believe anything I am told. In business I have learned not to believe what potential customers tell me, particularly those who say that if I gave them a cheap price they would use me four times a year.

I have learned that not everything I have been told by suppliers over the years is necessarily what I have found to be true in practice. I have page 22

purchased equipment which ended up on a shelf because, at least in my opinion, it wasn't fit for purpose even though I have failed to get the manufacturer or distributor to agree; interesting later when the product or sometimes the company disappears. I am even more concerned about the products I use in the business.

After thirty five years in the cleaning industry my health is poor. My lung capacity has reduced and I am always tired. How much of this is connected to the products I have used throughout my career I will never know. I have, however, noted over the years that a number of the chemicals that were commonly used in branded products have been discontinued and replaced, particularly when information came to light that they might have some health risk.

Recently the BBC reported that an international

study has linked an industrial solvent to Parkinson's disease and that researchers found a six-fold increase in the risk of developing Parkinson's in individuals exposed in the workplace to trichloroethylene (TCE).

Parkinson's can result in uncontrollable limb tremors, speech impairment and slowed movement and although there have been some advances in treatment there is no cure and so far no-one has found the exact cause of the disease.

Neil Bowdler, the Health reporter with BBC News, stated in his article of November 14 that the findings of a number of institutes in the US, Canada, Germany and Argentina, who researched this, presented as the first study that there was a 'significant association' between TCE exposure and Parkinson's.

Continued on next page

page 23

©NCCA

Continued from previous page The study also adjudged exposure to two other solvents, perchloroethylene (PERC) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), 'tended towards significant risk of developing the disease'.

If you, like me, thought trichloroethylene (TCE) was a product of the past and no longer used you would be wrong. It is true that it has been banned in the food and pharmaceutical industries in most regions of the world since the 1970s, due to concerns over its toxicity, and that in 1997 the US authorities banned its use as an anaesthetic, skin disinfectant, grain fumigant and coffee decaffeinating agent, nevertheless, it has been used in paints, glue, carpet cleaners, dry-cleaning solutions and as a degreaser.

PERC still continues to be used and many of us have probably used it when dry cleaning curtains or other fabrics, but it is also used in other products such as in degreasing agents and can be found in many household products.

The worrying aspect of all of this is that it can take up to forty years before the signs of Parkinson's may appear.

What does all of this mean for us? Well, first of all, take care in who you choose to purchase products from. Not all products are the same quality regardless of what the salesman tells us.

It might be policy not to purchase products from little known suppliers. Not all companies who sell product actually make them, even if they tell you they do. Whether that makes any difference might depend on who they use and whether they are willing to discuss their product with you. If you didn't receive a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) when you purchased the product, download one and read what it says.

It is important to remember that Material Safety Data Sheets contain information that assists you in making a Risk Assessment which of course is required by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (CoSHH).

The information on the Safety Data Sheet should help you make sure that the product is used correctly and safely. It also describes the hazards the chemical may present along with information on handling, storing and disposal as well as what requires to be done in the case of an accident.

The MSDS does not provide a recipe to the product, but rather lists the potentially hazardous components. We may not understand what these are, for example the degreaser I use contains Trisodium Nitroltriacetate, Anionic/Nonionic Surfactants, Sodium Hydroxide and Ammonia Solution. Nevertheless, if you don't understand anything about each of these components then a search on the internet will make it clearer.

When I read about this latest scare I immediately contacted the Managing Director of my supplier who replied very succinctly “I can confirm they are not in any of our formulae.”

As we only have one life it is important to do all that we can to look after it and prolong it and so it would be prudent to do all we can to make sure we make full use of our PPE. If we are being realistic it is most likely that some of the products we have used in the past will have been carcinogenic so it does makes sense to make sure that products you are now using are both safe and fit for purpose.

I have no idea whether pizzas will in fact become a vegetable in the US, nevertheless it has focussed my mind on not believing everything I am told. My new adage is “Stay healthier by not trusting anyone.” page 24

A time to reflect

A

Peter Collins

s this is the festive season, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on the past year. Through the years I have written numerous articles, a good many on technical subjects and a few on the humorous side. This article I would describe as reflective.

For those of you that don't know me, one of my hobbies is fishing. Fishing (or whatever 'floats your boat') and working in the cleaning industry have certain parallels. We are all ambassadors for our chosen work and playtime environments.

Fishermen/women are perceived as spending all day on a river bank catching fish that, at the end of the day, they put back. In reality, like many activities, it takes time to learn and years to perfect. Likewise with carpet/upholstery cleaning, you cannot learn it overnight, it is something that comes with experience, knowledge and time.

Now most fishermen/women consider fishing a Zen like activity and loath to talk to passers-by. This generally earns them a reputation of being cantankerous and unapproachable. It really wouldn't take much effort for every fisherman to dispel this myth, a tip of the hat, a polite hello or even a smile, is all it would take. It really does pay to take a little

time to be polite and communicate with those around you.

This also applies in your working life. Many of you will have busy schedules and may feel you don't have the time for pleasantries. It is so important that you make the time, remember you are an ambassador for your chosen profession. Stop and talk to your client, give them a spotting guide and a few business cards to hand around to family, friends and neighbours. Communicate to them the work you intend to carry out and, above all, be polite and friendly at all times. Your aim is to keep your client coming back to you for a long time.

Taking the time out for pleasantries will benefit you as well. Modern life can be very fast paced, but you may enjoy it more if you 'stop and smell the flowers'. Enjoy the company of those around you and remember it is not worth being the richest person in the graveyard.

So, kick back a little and enjoy the festive season.

Put time aside to spend with family and friends and‌ if you are a fisherman‌ remember a nod and a smile goes a long way.

Here's wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. page 25

When is it time to redesign your site? www.sitewizard.co.uk

W

ebsite owners tend to judge their site from a personal and visual point of view. The tendency is that if the site looks nice in their eyes then they will leave things as they are. The reality is that this is not always the most beneficial route to take and could have a detrimental effect on the likelihood of your site being found by potential customers.

While the choice to make a change ultimately rests with you, below are some points worth considering that may help you make a decision.

Does the site actually reflect what you do as a company?

Your website should reflect what services and products you offer as a company. Not much tends to stay the same in business, technology always gets updated, products improve and trends change.

Consumers like to see that as a company you are keeping up to date and improving the service or range of products you offer. If what they see hasn't changed for some time think how this is perceived.

Out of date or incorrect information can affect your

credibility in the eyes of the client as most companies are making regular changes to their company marketing or branding whether it be the colour of vehicles, new brochures, flyers, letterheads or adverts and special offers. When these change it is critical the website reflects this.

Failing to keep the website up to date can result in a loss of visitors to the site and a resultant negative impact on the company as a whole.

What are your competitors doing?

With the current difficult trading conditions we all know that it is a competitive marketplace out there.

Your website needs to not only reflect what you do, as we have touched on above, but also stand out amongst your competitors. If your site has looked the same for a number of years and your competitors have updated their site with a fresh modern look it will make yours look tired and less attractive to potential customers. Redesigning or updating your site on a regular basis holds existing clients interest and can help build loyalty, while allowing you to stand out from the crowd and page 26

attract new business. If you are in a position to do so redesign your site every eighteen months. It is important to note that during the periods between redesigns your website should be regularly updated with different content such as news and offers. Your designer should be able to help you with this element or even better you will be able to implement the changes yourself if your site has a content management system.

Why are Internet Browsers important?

Web browsers are constantly being updated to take account of new security threats and new technology trends. If your website was last redesigned more than two years ago then it would be wise to evaluate whether the site is making the best use of new browser technology and is functioning in an effective way. Websites commonly use things such as frames or tables and some may still use flash for example to allow movement in banners. As this technology becomes out of date potential customers may experience problems viewing your website. This in turn may affect the speed at which your website is displayed and its placement within search engine results. On average your website has ten to twenty seconds to make an impression on a potential customer; if the site takes too long to load or has functionality problems then

the visitors will not turn into clients.

How do the Search Engines see older sites?

Search engines such as Google are the most common way your website will be found by new clients and those who have been recommended to use your services. It is therefore imperative that you keep your site and its content fresh, up to date and relevant. Does your site have a content management system that allows you to make updates and changes to your website without knowing html code? Being able to have this control over the content of your site is a necessity in today's competitive environment, as changes and additions to the content of a website are looked upon favourably by the Search Engines.

Google and the other search engines place a very high value on the number of incoming links your website has to it. If more sites link to your website then the search engine will see your site as being relevant and rank it higher than those it considers less relevant. Link building is normally conducted as part of an SEO (Search engine optimization) service but is also something you can undertake yourself.

However if your site looks out of date then other companies are less likely to want to link to it.

If when reading the above information you recognise your website, then it's fair to say it is probably time for a redesign.

page 27

Limited offer for NCCA members!

P

ayatrader will be offering NCCA members 15% off the price of its forthcoming new GPRS pocket chip and pin terminal, PayMate - a saving of £30! The terminal is new to the market and demand is expected to be high - so SIGN UP NOW to take advantage of your FREE Payatrader membership and to qualify for the 15% discount at launch.

With PayMate you can take immediate payment, wherever you are. Specially designed for use by traders, it's pocket sized, lightweight, robust and very easy to use. Once you have purchased PayMate your only commitment is a small weekly charge to cover SIM data usage, warranty and terminal support. It will be available towards the end of January/early February with an option to purchase it at £169 +VAT. A rental option is also expected to be available.

Payatrader already offers NCCA members the opportunity to accept a credit and debit card payment 24/7 using it's online, telephone, mobile, iPad or virtual terminal services. Offering

competitive rates, from just 2.3%, it's simple online application means you can be up and running in a matter of minutes.

A Payatrader account normally attracts a joining fee of up to £99. However, as an NCCA member the service is FREE to join. Just look at what you get!

Join before the end of February to qualify for the 15% off the RRP of PayMate and to be automatically registered to receive an invitation to purchase PayMate with a 15% discount.

By joining Payatrader today you are not making any commitment to buy or rent our new terminal.

Please note this discount offer expires on the 28th February 2012.

Sign up at: www.payatrader.com Use code: NCCA

(exc VAT)

page 28

Eloise Studios

Portrait Photography

Christmas 2011 - birth of a new tradition I received this from a very good friend of mine, (it has been modified for inclusion in Newslink). s Christmas approaches, the giant Oriental factories are kicking into high gear to provide us Brits with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods - merchandise that has been produced at the expense of British labour.

Why not try and make this year different? Don't use the excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by British hands.

It is time to think outside the box. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

So, if you've still got some Christmas gifts to purchase, why not consider the following ideas? ! Gift voucher for your local hair salon or barber.

A

Ken Wainwright

! Gift voucher for a family portrait Photo Shoot. ! Gym membership. ! A voucher for car valeting. ! Workmen booked for those jobs on the home, i.e. gardener or decorator. ! Contribution to a hobby, i.e. games on a golf course. ! Gift voucher for a local independent restaurant. ! Tickets to the local theatre or music venue. ! Arts and crafts created locally. ! Locally produced foods.

Remember folks, this isn't about big national chains - this is about supporting our industry in Britain. If you have money to burn, leave the postie, bin-man or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

Let's hope this can become a wonderful new Christmas tradition!! page 29

Fuel tax

S

Phil McCabe (Forum of Private Business)

mall business owners, already struggling to meet excessive transport costs, are facing two fuel duty hikes next year despite MPs voting overwhelmingly to freeze the increases.

The motion calling for January's 3p rise to be scrapped was passed unanimously. It was prompted by a petition action signed by 110,000 people.

However, the Government has responded to calls for a freeze by stating additional tax revenues are required to plug the gap in public finances, viewing the planned increase as the ideal way to generate cash.

As the Forum of Private Business Chief Executive, Phil Orford, highlighted recently, these fuel duty increases will hit the smallest businesses hardest at a time they are being expected to drive growth, particularly micro businesses with fewer than ten staff including many small hauliers, couriers and carpet cleaning firms.

The not-for-profit Forum has repeatedly called for the planned increases to be scrapped, and for a fuel duty stabiliser to regulate prices at the pump.

According to its latest member survey, 92 per cent of Forum members reported an increase in transport costs - one of a range of overall cost increases they have experienced recently, such as increasing energy prices and raw material costs.

Emerging initiatives to boost the provision of affordable credit to small businesses, such as Lloyds Banking Group's new ÂŁ12 billion SME funding pledge, cannot come quickly enough. For many, growth finance is still hard to come by.

Further, with more than ÂŁ30 billion owed to SMEs in unpaid invoices, according to the payment body Bacs, and figures from Experian showing average late payment times among UK firms of all sizes increasing by almost a day, additional taxes could not come at a worse time, particularly as small page 30

firms are being expected to drive growth.

If both rises go ahead it could be as much as 8p a litre at the pumps, taking diesel over a milestone £1.50 a litre. There is a danger that these additional cost burdens on small business owners could become unbearable.

Not only would this kind of rise hammer SMEs, it would severely dent the finances of every cardriving household in the UK and will mean even less consumer spending.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics show the average household spends around £750 a year on petrol or diesel tax, with less well off homes in real terms paying out a larger percentage of their disposable incomes than those on higher wages.

The Forum has written to Vince Cable, asking for the Government to introduce a fuel price stabiliser and scrap planned inflation increases in January and August next year.

The stabiliser would be a mechanism designed to reduce the tax on petrol and diesel as the price of

oil rises, and vice versa, in order to keep fuel prices relatively constant, and freezing duty would be welcomed across the board.

However, the Business Secretary has noted that the Government is concentrating on reducing the budget deficit and is not in a position to offer any of what it called 'freebies' on fuel duty.

The Government would need to find an extra £1.5 billion to fill the gap left by scrapping the increases and a recent Financial Times report highlighting a £12 billion hole in public finances further compounds the problem.

However, HMRC estimates that almost £35 billion of tax went uncollected in 2009-10 make it difficult for the average small business owner to be sympathetic, especially when they are being asked to foot the bill.

Small businesses can save money via the Forum's free, fixed-price fuel cards, which offer preferential fuel prices to intermediate and advanced members.

For more information, call 0845 612 6266 or visit www.fpb.org

NCCA Name and Logo

New format for popular manual Carpet Inspections International is pleased to announce that the popular manual The Identification of Carpet Faults by Dr E M Brown is now available electronically on disc, price £25.

For the user's convenience the individual chapters can be opened separately as Word or Excel documents and are fully illustrated with examples of typical faults.

By choosing this format, inspectors using the manual are able to cut and paste extracts or pictures to illustrate their own reports, on the understanding that a reference to the original source is given.

To order your copy contact Carpet Inspections International on +44 (0) 1943 462389 or email inspectors@btconnect.com

Current Full members of the NCCA only, are permitted to use the NCCA name or logo in advertising.

Both the name and logo are registered trademarks and misuse of either is considered copyright infringement.

The use of wording such as ‘trained by NCCA’ or ‘trained to NCCA standard’ is also regarded as misuse.

The association considers all logo or name misuse as theft and has the backing of the Trading Standards Office.

page 31

Gillian Harkess (Eversheds LLP)

Health and Safety law in Stotland

S

cotland is known for doing things differently, so it is not surprising that their approach to health and safety enforcement differs from the approach taken in England and Wales.

Health and safety legislation is governed by Westminster and applied throughout the UK, but the enforcement of the legislation is governed by the jurisdiction of the country where the offence takes place. Any health and safety offence which occurs in Scotland will be prosecuted by the Scottish courts. With cross border business in the UK increasing, it is essential that businesses are aware

of the variances of health and safety enforcement north of the border.

Investigations The role of regulators in Scotland, such as local authorities and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is significantly different from the role played by the same authorities in England and Wales.

While regulators north and south of the border have the same powers to serve prohibition and improvement notices, in Scotland their remit is limited to exclude the power to prosecute offences.

Scottish regulators must investigate and report their page 32

findings to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) who make the final decision whether to prosecute an offence. A corporate accused may be given an opportunity to make representations to the COPFS before the decision to prosecute is made, and it is therefore vital that communication is made with COPFS from an early stage.

Once a decision to prosecute has been made, COPFS local representative, the procurator fiscal, will then prosecute the offence on behalf of COPFS. In 2009 COPFS established a dedicated Health and Safety Division with responsibility for the instigation, preparation and prosecution of all health and safety matters north of the border. In 2010-2011 COPFS had a 100% success rate of obtaining at least one conviction per health and safety prosecution, which is widely accredited to the new, more effective COPFS health and safety Division. COPFS is undoubtedly becoming more effective at prosecuting breaches of health and safety law in Scotland and this trend will continue as the knowledge and confidence of the health and safety division grows.

Interviews Unlike in England and Wales, witness statements in Scotland are of little evidential value, as the court will not normally treat them as providing a person’s evidence for the purpose of court proceedings.

Witness evidence must be lead in court in front of a judge and possibly a jury. There are a few limited exceptions to this rule - for example, where the witness has died or cannot be found, or where the witness is outside the UK and it is not reasonably practical for him to attend court proceedings. In addition, if a witness changes his evidence a witness statement can be used to demonstrate that the witness has previously provided a different version of events.

In serious cases COPFS may summon a witness to provide a form of statement called a 'precognition' for the purposes of assisting with their investigation.

The witness is not entitled to be legally represented at an interview with COPFS as a precognition cannot subsequently be used as evidence in court.

Prosecution When someone who is suspected of an offence is questioned under caution in Scotland, an adverse inference cannot be drawn from the suspect's failure to answer any question put to him. The person being interviewed is only required to provide his name and address. A caution must be administered before questioning as a matter of fairness. A failure to do so may make the answers inadmissible in court. Scottish caution differs from the caution issued in England and Wales as it omits the wording “it will harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely upon in court� as Scots law prohibits drawing an adverse inference from a suspects failure to answer a question.

Conviction Under current legislation, if an accused is convicted of an offence in Scotland they will not be required to pay regulators investigation costs, with the exception of costs recoverable under industry specific regulations such as Control of Major Accident Hazard legislation. However, this may change under the HSE proposals for cost recovery.

The HSE has set out UK wide proposals to charge for their investigations, which includes investigations they undertake in Scotland.

Another stark difference in enforcement procedure is that Scots law prohibits COPFS recovering prosecution costs, even on conviction of an offence. It also prohibits recovery of costs from Central Funds by an accused who is acquitted on an offence. In contrast, both are allowed under the jurisdiction of England and Wales.

Conclusion If faced with a health and safety prosecution in Scotland, awareness of enforcement differences are essential, as is creating an early dialogue with investigators and COPFS. Steps taken during an investigation could have a significant impact on the outcome; it is vital that companies who operate cross border businesses grasp the variances of Scottish enforcement procedures and are competent in complying with them when it matters. page 33

Items for sale BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, long-established, reputable NCCA Registered, working carpet, upholstery and soft furnishings cleaning company.

Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Mobile HWE and dry cleaning system. Domestic and commercial clients. Genuine interested parties only please to call 07903 497298 and leave details.

CLEANING EQUIPMENT AND VAN 2 Dryfusion carpet cleaning machines, 2 Drizair 110 dehumidifiers, 2 turbo dryers, 1 Dri-eaz fogging machine, 2 Dryfusion stair tools with pads, 1 Advance Dryfoam rotary upholstery cleaner, plus 1 large sign-written white Fiat Ducato Turbo Diesel van (less than 5 years old - mileage 41,000). Total cost: £13,500 ONO. Phone Mike on: 01443 492455 or mob: 07881 807436.

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

Chemspec hose reel for truck mount plastic - £200. Prochem sadle tank for truckmount 227 litre/60 gallons - £300.00.

Chemspec pile lifter hoover - £800.00. contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact andy on: 07970 544806 CARPET, UPHOLSTERY, PATIO AND PATHCLEANING BUSINESS FOR SALE The sale includes full training and ongoing support. Twenty five years of customer base and goodwill of the north London and Hertfordshire area. Interactive website, plus a VW transporter van, fully wrapped with a comprehensive equipment list. This includes an Ashbys Enforcer 600 psi (only 6months old) and an Ashbys Ninja 500 psi (only 6 months old). For full equipment list and business details, please contact Nicky on: 07774438007 or 0208 807 3722. Please visit: www.therightclean.co.uk STEAMWAY 9100 LX TRUCKMOUNT Steamway 9100LX Truck Mount, all accessories included.

Comes with solution tank, waste tank, solution and vacuum hoses, hose reel, 4 jet wands. Has been serviced by Alltec and comes with a 3 month guarantee through Alltec. Price: £2750 + VAT. For full fitting to van the extra charge is £400 + VAT. Call 0118 931 0516 for more details. Or Visit: www.truckmount.info MACHINERY FOR SALE Gloria 5 litre stainless steal pump-up sprayer: £67.50. No VAT.Please call Steve on 07973-264783 or alternatively email: s.matczak@btinternet.com TRUCKMOUNT AND VAN FOR SALE Baneclean Truck Mount and van for sale. Due to retirement I will consider offers in region of £3500. For further details of this bargain contact Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640, 07976 218304 or email at derek@aquamasteryorkshire.co.uk MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Chemspec stainless steel 4 jet floor wand in good condition - £300.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Ashbys stainless steel chewing gum floor wand in good condition - £50.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885804560.

BUSINESS FOR SALE Reputable working carpet, upholstery and hard floor cleaning company servicing both Domestic and Commercial Clients. Currently based in Northumberland but can easily be re-located. To be sold as a complete package, which includes VW Caddy van, Steempro 2000 Powerplus HWE machine with all extras, Sebo vacuum, Numatic wet and dry vac, professional spotting kit, Rondo-Matic sprayer, cleaning chemicals and many other accessories. The sale also includes a branded uniform, website and domain names. Owner operator retiring on medical grounds.

Sale price £25,000. Please call 01434 679 303 or e-mail: info@fibrescarpetcare.co.uk for more information.

PROCHEM TRUCKMOUNT AND VAN Excellent opportunity to upgrade to a quality truckmount without the big price tag. 2003 LWB Transit in very good condition with FSH, long MOT, 125K miles on the clock.

Prochem Performer dual wand truckmount, with fresh water tanks, auto pump-out and all usual accessories. £5000 + vat ONO. Ring David on 01428 722551 TEXATHERM EQUIPMENT 1 x EMV201 Twin 3 Texatherm / Extraction machine, 2 x 10 meter x 38mm Superflex solution recovery hose, 1 x S/Steel twin jet wand, 1 x S/Steel Upholstery tool + 2 meters whip & S/Steep connector, 1 x TC170 Rotary Machine, 1 x Tc170 Drive Board, 15 x Thermal Pads for Texathurm system ( retail for £21.00 each ), 1 x S/Steel 5ltr Sprayer with lance Vinton 8002. Can also offer training and support to purchaser and can arrange ongoing training with manufacturer.

All equipment purchased earlier this year, hardly used and in excellent condition. Ideal for use in domestic and commercial situations. Reason for sale: alternative full-time employment. Total cost new: approximately £6882.00 inc VAT. Equipment is practically new, so looking to recover as much of original value as possible. This is a great opportunity to get a discount on some excellent equipment. Please call me any time on 07850 881135 or email on mikefolkes@hotmail.co.uk MACHINERY FOR SALE Scorpion Triple Vac 500psi extraction machine.3 years old.

150ft x 2" vacuum hose + 75ft solution pipe. £800 + vat. Call 01934 750977. Bristol CITROEN RELAY / BLUELINE THERMAL WAVE HP TRUCKMOUNT Double your income with the latest in carpet cleaning technology. Excellent condition. 5 years young. Very low hours - just 1835. True dual wand capability. 3,000 psi.

Includes these bonuses: carpet wand, detailer hand tool, SX12, SX7 hard floor tools, turbo dryer, battery power sprayer, 2 large pump up sprayers, Geko hard floor tool and Geko hard floor wand, jet wash lance with power head, hp jet wash high pressure hose reel, Alltec spotting kit. Call Right Now on: 07711 454402 The Association advises that all goods are checked to be in a satisfactory condition, and comply to electrical and health and safety standards, etc. It is recommended that equipment serial numbers should be checked to ensure the seller is the legitimate owner. The Association accepts no responsibility or liability arising from any transaction or dispute between the buyer and seller.

page 34

NCCA Shop

NCCA Associate Members

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

Orders may be placed online, or you can contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.

+ Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T)

+ PAS86 Code of Practice £40.00 each

+ Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C)

+ Carpet Care Survey Forms (Pad of 100) £19.50 each or £50 for 3

+ Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr)

+ NCCA Lapel Pin Badge £3.00 each

+ Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M)

+ Amtech UK: 0845 130 4755 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd: 01254 584404 (FI) + Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F)

+ Large NCCA Van Sticker (21x7 inches approx) Pack of 2 for £17.63

+ Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W)

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

+ Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K)

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

+ Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Dri-Eaz: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr)

+ NCCA Tie £12.93 each

+ Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467

All prices include VAT and Postage and packaging. A receipt invoice will be sent by the office. Please allow 21 days for delivery. Goods will not be sent until payment is received.

+ Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T)

+ Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers): 0845 4740068 (I) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr) + LTT Leathercare: 01423 881027 (T) + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I)

NCCA Member Benefits

+ Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C)

+ Amicus Legal Ltd (free legal helpline): 01206 366500

+ Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T)

+ SiteWizard (website creation) 08450 608860

+ Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A)

+ EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650

+ Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M)

+ Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C)

+ Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860

+ Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C)

+ Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department) 01252 390385

+ Truvox International Ltd: 02380 702200 (M)

+ Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department) 0808 100 7890 + Adalante Merchant Services 01628 820500 + Payatrader www.payatrader.com

+ The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K) + Vitec Global: 02392 666053 (C) + Woodbridge Comercial Ltd: 01279 422220 (C/M) C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E - Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds / Fi - Finance

page 35

The 37 carpet and upholstery related words and terms have all been hidden in the grid below. They have been printed across (backwards or forwards), up or down, or diagonally, but always in a straight line. You can use the letters in the diagram more than once.

Word search

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Acid Alkaline Axminster Bonnet Buffing Burn Test Carpet Coir Dralon Dry Foam Dry / Powder Extraction Fabrics Fire / and Flood Jute Latex Loom Man Made Fibres NCCA Ozone PH Test Pre Spray Rinse Rugs Shag Pile Shrinkage Silk Sisal Solvent Spotting Kit Survey Training Truck Mount Tufted Twist Pile Vacuuming Wilton Wool