NCCA - The Clean Sheet Spring/Summer 18

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THE CLEAN SHEET

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION SPRING / SUMMER 2018

SELECTING THE RIGHT CHEMICALS Turn to page 4

6 GDPR ARE YOU READY?

10 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELBRATIONS

14 + 15 NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS

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THE CLEAN SHEET CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Dave Wheadon

National Carpet Cleaners Association 62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH Tel: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk Twitter: @NCCA_ Facebook: NationalCarpetCleanersAssociation Search ‘NCCA Members’ for members-only Facebook group

PRESIDENT Allan Simmons

VICE PRESIDENTS

SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US Have you got a story that would fit into our newsletter?

Tim Colenutt Paul Pearce

If so, get in touch!

DIRECTORS

Tel: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk

Glyn Charnock (Company Secretary) Nigel Lay Martin Johns David Weaver

Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage. ©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association). No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.

DIARY DATES 1st April - 1st May RENEWAL PERIOD

NCCA SURVEY FORMS USING NCCA SURVEY FORMS WILL:

21st May REGIONAL MEETING RESTORMATE, CRAMLINGTON

8th September WCP SHOW

IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE NCCA STONELEIGH PARK

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❚ Allow you to record vital information including any previous damage or inherent problems. ❚ Provide you with an evidence trail in the possible event of a later problem or dispute. ❚ NCCA survey forms are available for members to purchase and come in pads of 100 with a carbonated sheet.

Visit the NCCA website to access the online shop in the members area.

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PRESIDENTS REPORT Serving as your President for the last year has been an honour and a pleasure. To do so at such an ‘iconic’ anniversary also makes it special.

I really want to build on the momentum we have started. I hope you all feel that we, as a Board, are listening and responding in a positive way. Please do not sit quietly stewing on something, please tell us, we genuinely want to hear what you think we should be doing with your association.

We may be a not for profit organisation but that does not mean we can’t operate like a commercial organisational. Dave Wheadon’s appointment was absolutely the best thing that we as a Board have done in a long time. Dave brings his commercial experience to the organisation and the combination of our ideas, and Dave’s different approach and challenge of those ideas, along with his own new ideas, has meant things get actioned and done. We are now ‘fit and ready’ to move the Association forward.

I have spent almost 30 years in this industry and there is just something about it that hooks you in.

Perhaps its meeting new people when visiting their homes and businesses and making connections with them, perhaps it’s seeing a great end result of cleaning and the clients reaction, perhaps it’s that there are always new things coming along, I don’t really know what it is.

I do know that one thing I love is the people in the industry. I’ve been very fortunate to have made friends all over the world because of this industry and the willingness of them to share experiences

and advice is incredible. There is such a broad range of characters, all drawn together by one common theme to provide great cleaning and customer service. Some of those people I have met have been gracious enough to give their time to me to help me in my business. Time is the one precious thing someone cannot get back, and I am always grateful when people give me their time. I see serving as President a way for me to ‘pay it forward’ and put something back into an industry that has looked after me and my family.

The GM and 50th Gala dinner was an amazing evening. Thank you for all your feedback, it makes the hard work worthwhile. I’m sure others will have more in depth reports in Clean Sheet, and I have no doubt that numerous pictures, and tales of late night shenanigans, will have already been shared on Facebook by the time you’re reading this. I’ll just add that when the suggestion was made that we resurrect an industry dinner we were nervous we would get support, some even saying this type of ‘stuffy formal event was dead’. If Saturday was anything to go by, and the feedback we have received, I think it’s EXACTLY the type of event that the industry needed. For those of you that missed it, you missed a treat. I promise that this will now be an annual event and will work hard to ensure next years is bigger and better. You guys make the association what it is, you support us and we’re there for you.

Here’s to the next 50! Regards, Allan

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THE CLEAN SHEET

YOUR SELECTION OF CHEMICALS

By Derek Bolton

I am sure that most of you, like me, can’t resist looking in on the carpets cleaning forums from time to time (when allowed).

Several posts seen recently plus some questions put to me directly make me question, do cleaning technicians ‘really’ understand the chemicals they are choosing to use.

All suppliers of carpet and upholstery cleaning chemicals sell a range of products ‘fit for purpose’ it is up to the cleaning technician to decide which to select for the job in hand based on information gathered at the survey stage.

Those who know me well enough may have often hear me say that ‘I am a lazy cleaner’… that doesn’t mean I don’t do the job to the best of my ability but it does mean that I select the chemical and tools to do the job properly and make my life easier.

The buzz phrase ‘Working smarter NOT harder’ was obviously written for me.

A very good friend of mine for many years was (before he retired) a salesman for a well-known international chemical company, in fact whilst chatting one day we discovered that we actually went to the same school albeit Jim is a year older than me. Jim was a top salesman, a very experienced one, and I learnt so many tricks of their trade from him.

Selling was how he earnt his salary, if he didn’t sell he would lose his job, that’s how it was. He knew his chemicals and what they would do, they were a good range BUT as with all chemicals there are the pluses and minuses. It is up to the user to decide whether:❚ Is it safe to use on his product? ❚ Will it do the job to the standard required of it?

So it is in our particular business, someone posted on a forum recently that cleaning carpets isn’t ‘Rocket Science’… from a customer’s point of view pushing a wand over a carpet isn’t the most stimulating is it? What they don’t see that is so important is our underpinning knowledge of the substrate we will be working on and how it relates to the chemical(s) of our choice… I refer here to the fibres and constructions.

There is NO one super chemical that is going to cover every eventuality, if there was an awful lot of suppliers would go out of business.

Another of my favourite sayings is that ‘it is US who make the chemicals work’ based on our knowledge and experience. There are one or

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two very well-known chemicals on the market that I personally just can’t get on with…other cleaners think they are absolutely wonderful….

They probably wouldn’t get on with my choice… but that’s life. So long as the end result is entirely satisfactory to the customer.

Maybe the chemical use may have to be tweaked a little to achieve what you and the customer want…This is where the experience comes in, NOT of Rocket Science but on the basics of what we supposed to be specialists in… CLEANING carpets and soft furnishings.

READ THE LABELS… The suppliers cannot see what you are about to clean so their instructions are going to be pretty generalised based on an estimated performance and Safety.

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READ THE MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS… Find out what the chemicals can do FOR YOU. Whilst you are doing this just read through a few of the data sheets to remind yourself of the Health & Safety implications of each of the chemicals that you are using… you might be surprised. I wondered how many cleaning technicians do have the Safety sheets in their possession as required by law. More to the point I wonder how many have actually taken the time to read them through.

HAVE FUN!

A WORD ABOUT CHEMICAL ODOURS A few years ago I was driving along in my van I had just picked up my daughter from work… “Phew”, she said “there is a strong smell in here!” Now, I couldn’t smell it, I had become so used to it that my in built ‘Warning Device’ (my nose) had established that there wasn’t a problem for me. Be careful when selecting chemicals especially the Odour Neutralisers etc. that you don’t overdo it or more importantly the customer actually likes it.

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION SPRING/SUMMER 2018

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THE CLEAN SHEET

GDPR

ARE YOU READY?

From 25th May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) takes effect, replacing the 1995 Data Protection Directive.

What is GDPR? This regulation aims to provide citizens with control over their personal data.

Personal data refers to any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified in particular by reference to an identifier. This will have a significant impact on every business within the United Kingdom. The GDPR sets out a number of principles with which data controllers and processors must comply when processing personal data. A data controller is someone who determines the purposes and means of processing personal data; a processor is responsible for processing personal data on behalf of a controller. Both are responsible for knowing what they can and cannot do with the data that is being stored.

Qdos, the NCCA’s Business Support Service, provide a free personal data checklist ncca.co.uk/members-news/gdpr-compliance/ Once you have carried out an audit the next step is to consider whether you are complying with the GDPR principles in order for you to process this data lawfully. Many of the GDPR’s main concepts and principles are much the same as those in the current Data Protection Act (DPA), so if you are complying properly with the current law then most of your approach to compliance will remain valid under the GDPR and can be the starting point to build from.

Why should I comply?

What do I need to do to comply with GDPR?

Fines of up to €20 million or 4% of global group turnover will be handed out, depending on the breach. Class actions will also apply meaning that your company could be liable for a breach in the regulation carried out by one of your employees.

It is your responsibility to understand the changes to data protection and communicate them to all your employees.

The first thing to do is carry out an audit in order to identify what type of personal data your business is holding. Things to consider:

If you feel you don’t have the time or resources to do all the ground work yourself there are companies who are specifically helping with GDPR compliance.

❚ Where the data is coming from ❚ Where the data is being stored ❚ Where is the data going to

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NCCA Members can use Qdos’ free helpline: 0116 243 7601.

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BLOOD TRAUMA COURSE

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On Thursday 8th March, the NCCA took to Bristol for a special training day put together exclusively for members by The National Academy of Crime Scene Cleaners.

“The morning was spent understanding the issues deriving from blood borne pathogens which include urine, vomit, faeces & blood. The health problems deriving from these soils is actually quite frightening without the right PPE and knowledge, you are playing with your health & others. As well as showing us multiple situations, we then carried out several hands on removal projects. The photos show pooling of blood and what happens when you attempt removal from the carpet. You can clearly see the problem associated with blood as it penetrates multiple layers.”

Paul Pearce, NCCA Technical Director / Country House Carpet Care “It was a real eye opener. Many of us on the course were cringing about previous jobs we have done and how much danger we may have placed ourselves, our families and our clients in!

A must if you ever have to clean up bodily fluids of any kind - and let’s face it, most of us do!”

Glyn Charnock, Chameleon Cleaning “Really interesting course and one that all carpet cleaners should go on regardless if they plan to deal with blood, we regularly face bodily fluids and best to be safe than sorry.”

Will Swait, A1 Cotswolds Carpet Cleaners “When the Association join forces with the Academy! A fantastic day, great to see all my training mentors in one room!”

Emma Bateman, Red Roof Services

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GENERAL MEETING This year’s General Meeting was held on Saturday 21st April at the Crowne Plaza in Stratford-upon-Avon. It was great to see a mix of both long-standing and new Members, as well as Corporate Members.

Our Mission Statement The NCCA’s mission statement was changed to be more inclusive. The revised statement is as follows:

The establishment and maintenance of professional standards within the carpet, soft furnishings, leather and hard floor cleaning industry, with the dual aim of safeguarding the reputation of the industry and protecting its customers.

Subscription Fees Membership fees have not been increased since 2016, nor risen with inflation. An increase of £15.00 + VAT (6.6%) has been agreed for all new members starting from July 2018. The rate for current members will increase from April 2019 (next renewal period).

Marketing Materials The new Members Area on the NCCA website has a huge range of images, infographics, videos and audio clips that are available for members to download and use on their own social media and websites. If you have any ideas, of any resources you think would be useful to yourself and other members, email lauren@ncca.co.uk

Qdos (Business Support Service) In October 2017, Qdos Consulting have been providing a business support service for all members. As an NCCA member, you have FREE, unlimited access to five different advice lines and an extensive documents library which hosts free downloadable templates and purchasable

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documents. Full details are available on the ‘Useful Information’ section in the new Members Area on the NCCA website.

Training In the last 12 months we’ve introduced 6 new courses and expanded our existing Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning course to 3 days. We have also been running courses in different parts of the country such as Gloucester, Winsford, Cornwall, Cumbria, Bristol, Leicester, Cambridge & Cramlington. This represents a rapid expansion, catering for member requests and suggestions. All upcoming courses can be found on page 14.

This year we implemented ‘members-only’ discount on all training courses, which means members can benefit from up to £95 off standard training fees and a further discount if booking two or more delegates on the same course. This discount is automatically applied at the checkout on the website.

Membership Trends ❚ Increase of 100+ members within 12 months ❚ Resignations down by more than 50% than previous year ❚ Membership at its highest (ever) in 2018 ❚ Gloucestershire & Leicestershire remain the highest populated areas, with Portsmouth and Oxfordshire showing increases of 3+ ❚ Carlisle, Warrington & Blackpool no longer unpopulated

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Resignation of Glyn Charnock It is with great sadness that I have taken the decision to step down from the NCCA board. The pace of change in the NCCA since Dave Wheadon took on the task of CEO for us has been quite remarkable, and I back his vision for the Association, 100%. Unfortunately I can no longer commit the time, energy and enthusiasm required to perform the role of a Director effectively, so have tendered my resignation from the Board. This is not a decision I have taken lightly, and I am sorry to be leaving at a time when so much is happening, at such a pace.

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“Glyn has worked tirelessly on the board for 10 years as both the training director and company secretary. His dedication to improve the standards within the Association, coupled with his attention to detail will be sorely be missed. We totally respect Glyn’s decision and say a big Thank you Glyn.” Dave Wheadon

Full minutes, reports and accounts will be uploaded in the ‘Member Documents’ section of the Members Area of the NCCA website: www.ncca.co.uk/members-area

50TH CELEBRATIONS

GALA DINNER AND AWARDS

❚ The night began with welcome drinks in the Atrium, before making our way over to the dinner suite.

❚ CHEESE! CEO Dave Wheadon with Board of Directors (Paul Pearce, Allan Simmons, David Weaver, Tim Colenutt, Nigel Lay & Martin Johns) and Office Team (Lauren Willis & Lewis Scroby)

❚ Paul Pearce reflects on 50 years

❚ Remembering NCCA Presidents.

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50TH ANNIVERSARY AWARDS

TRUSTED LOCAL CLEANER OF THE MONTH WINNERS For those that you that don’t know, TLC of the month is something we introduced when we launched our Trusted Local Cleaners website directory in May 2017. The aim is to recognise members who receive an outstanding review within the previous month.

It is intention to award a Trusted Local Cleaner of the Year, but as we haven’t had a full year run yet, we thought that it’s only fair we would be wait until our next celebration to do so. But we wanted to recognise three of the monthly winners and say well done for the reviews you’ve received so far and also thank you for making the effort to drive your customers towards the site.

Five Star Furnishing Care (June)

BEST ONLINE CONTRIBUTION The members Facebook group has over 288 active members, so this award was especially hard to shortlist as there were so many potential candidates. However these three finalists really stood out as they are consistently supporting and promoting the NCCA, and also engaging & interacting across social media.

Finalists: Keith Dugard, Karen North & Billy Russell

Winner: Keith Dugard

“I am sorry not to be with you all tonight, I had planned to be there.

Thank you very much for this award, although I’m not entirely sure how I achieved this. For me, the NCCA was part of a turning point in my business as it began a process of a complete change of mindset and approach to my work. It also helped me to realise that I was not alone. That there were other likeminded, genuine people out there trying to do the same as me.

And that camaraderie has been enhanced in more recent years with the NCCA Facebook group. It has allowed me to make more friends in the industry, some of whom I haven’t even met. The selflessness of everyone in the NCCA makes it a joy to be a part of, and long may that remain”.

Keith Dugard

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Top 2 Bottom Cleaning (August)

Carpet Wizzard (November)

THE MOST COMMITTED TO NCCA TRAINING The next award is to recognise those who have shown commitment to training and attended the most NCCA training courses.

Finalists: Helen Carroll, Mark Jubb & Michael McKenzie

Winner: Mark Jubb

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50TH ANNIVERSARY AWARDS

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE This award is for continually promoting and supporting the NCCA, educating new starters of the benefits of being part of The Association and increasing membership.

BEST NEWCOMER As Dave outlined in the meeting, the past 12 months has seen over 100 new members join the Association. The Best Newcomer award is to recognise those new members who have made the most of everything the NCCA provides.

Finalists: Alltec Network, Prochem Europe, Solution Cornwall

Winner: Solution Cornwall

Finalists: Jason Gray, Steve Medley & Simon Whitehead

Winner: Simon Whitehead

SPECIAL RECOGNITION We’ve two special recognition awards for members who have made a significant impact/outstanding contribution to the Association during their membership.

Winners: Art of Clean and TopMark Cleaning

“So sorry we cannot be with you all today. On behalf of our team, Laurence and myself we are very honoured to receive this award. To all the people around us like our trainers, coaches, suppliers and most of all our wonderful clients we would not be where we are today if it was not for you. Thanks for your belief in us. We strive to be an example to others and inspire them to achieve great things.

BEST MEMBER FEEDBACK We actively collect feedback throughout the year so this award is for the best feedback we’ve independently received from members about our Corporates.

Finalists: BeSure Broking Services, GetBookedUp, Legend Brands Europe

Winner: BeSure Broking Services

SPECIAL AWARD Again, we wanted to recognise one of our Corporates for their contribution, support and engagement with the Association.

This year we’re celebrating 50 years of the NCCA, and this company has been a member for 43 of those.

Winner: Prochem Europe Ltd

We have been members of the NCCA since we started Art of Clean in 2006 and we are truly proud to be receiving this award. A massive thanks to everyone at the NCCA office who are so kind and supportive - always there to help.”

Pierre De Wet

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GALA DINNER

50TH ANNIVERSARY

THANKS! A big thank you to David & Melanie Weaver who have spent months helping to organise the event, alongside the Office Team, and spent the afternoon decorating the room so spectacularly!

Quotes about the 50th Celebrations from Members & Corporate Members “What a stunning day and night.

The founders of the NCCA would be proud I’m sure, their legacy lives on and is in great hands.”

Paul Pearce.

“We had a wonderful day yesterday thank you to everyone involved, lots of good memories as always with these get togethers.

Looking forward to next year’s get together already.” Mike Dilley.

“Absolutely loved it, big well done to all Directors and Staff, you have done an amazing job of giving this Association a much needed, and huge lift. I couldn’t be prouder to be a member.” Billy Russell “Great night – caught up with friends and also made a few new ones! Hats off for organising a brilliant event.” Russ Chadd “We had a fab time, looking forward to next year’s already.” Michelle Munns www.ncca.co.uk

“Great to see so many industry colleagues, thanks to the NCCA team for an expertly organised event.” Richard Sudall “What a great way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of our Association. Thank you to all of the team at NCCA for a spectacular event. The best NCCA General Meeting and celebratory dinner ever.” Ken Wainwright NationalCarpetCleanersAssociation

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SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER STONELEIGH MORE DETAILS COMING SOON

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NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS

COVERSURE KIDDERMINSTER Hello from Coversure Kidderminster; one of the UK’s leading providers of specialist cleaning company insurance and Corporate Members of the NCCA. We’re delighted to have become members and we’d like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves to you.

Coversure Kidderminster: Great Cover That’s Great Value Coversure Kidderminster is an independent insurance brokers that’s owned and run by me, Frazer Lewis, and my business partner, Jamie Painter. I founded the business back in 2000 following 7 years of working as a broker for a national chain, and since then we’ve grown to be a team of 9. Throughout our history we’ve focused on providing a great value insurance service to businesses large and small. We pride ourselves on our levels of personalised service and we’re always happy to go that extra mile to get you the cover you need – be it for commercial vehicles, liability or specialist cleaning firm insurance.

you can rest assured that the protection you’ll receive will be of exceptional quality too.

Specialist Cleaning Company Insurance The team at Coversure Kidderminster understand the risks your business faces on a day-to-day basis and we’ve put together a collection of specialist policies that will allow you to protect yourself. Our cleaning company policies can give you everything from public liability and products liability cover through to treatment risk and off-site renovation cover in a policy that’s tailored to your business’s individual needs.

If you’d like to know more about our cleaning company cover or would like to get a free, no obligation quote then please get in touch. You can call us on (01562) 822664 or visit us at www.coversure.co.uk/kidderminster.

We look forward to helping you protect what matters to you.

Frazer Lewis Founder, Coversure Kidderminster

Although we’re a proudly independent business we do benefit from being part of the Coversure Group; a £160m insurance franchise that gives us privileged access to policies from A-rated insurers including NIG, Aviva, Covea and Allianz. This means that we can not only search a huge range of covers to find you the best deal, it also means

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NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS

AUTOCLEANSE UK AutoCleanseUK is a growing, national network of professional carpet cleaners who deal specifically with the removal of spillages and odours from vehicles.

We as carpet cleaners are trained to deal with the little accidents inside the home. Customers see us as “heroes” when we successfully remove spillages and stains from carpets and upholstery.

Many of us charge a premium for our services, and why not?

My career in the cleaning industry started as a car valeter nearly 25 years ago, I then progressed into carpet and upholstery cleaning and have now been running ProSteamUK for around 7 years which I really enjoy. I always continued to offer interior valeting, however I found myself in completion with car washes who were charging a fraction of what I needed to earn and decided I needed to diversify and offer something completely unique with a much higher ticket price.

From time to time I would receive calls from people who had spilt milk in their cars and after using various car valeters, and DIY advice found

on the internet, they soon realised it was a job only a skilled professional could take on. This was no longer classed as cleaning – this was problem solving and so AutoCleanseUK was therefore created to offer anyone with a vehicle, a solution to spillage and odours as well as fabric and leather cleaning.

I then went a step further and approached a company who created our unique eco-safe product MicroCleanse®. Our exclusive colloidal based, multipurpose product also contains a powerful biocide which locates the source of the odour and eliminates it. MicroCleanse® is also free of detergents, enzymes and perfumes. The operators on the network use exactly the same product to clean carpets upholstery and vinyl flooring, achieving fantastic cleaning results with the added benefits of disinfection and natural deodorising.

AutoCleanseUK is not a franchise, to join the network the operator must already run an established carpet cleaning business and complete a two day training course. There is a licence agreement and an annual membership fee which allows the operator a profile page on the AutoCleanseUK website and ongoing training and development via a close Facebook group.

So if you are looking for an additional, niche service to add to your carpet cleaning business, without having to make a huge financial investment, it’s never been a better time to join!

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

By Paul Pearce

DRY SOIL POTENTIAL I was recently asked to inspect a couple of carpet cleaning jobs carried out by two different cleaning companies. One job was organised by the manufacturer and the other by the owner of the carpet.

The first job involved residual soil visibly wicking up to the surface as the carpet was drying. In the customers words ‘the colour of the carpet got darker and streakier over a twenty four hour period, making the carpet dirtier looking than before it was cleaned’.

The second job basically looked a mess due to the amount of ‘chevrons’ or, as someone called them on a recent course, ‘carrots’ left in from the wand marks.

the amount of fuzzing or felting that could occur with the mechanical action. Regardless of the type of vacuum you are using you need to apply slow overlapping strokes. Pay particular attention to the embedded soil because this needs to be removed so as not to cause soil streaking or residual soil wicking to the top as the carpet dries. Always make sure the vacuum bags are less than two thirds full, at all times, as any fuller will impede the airflow and reduce extraction.

This of course led me to think about techniques and procedures, and whether we are actually doing everything necessary to clean a carpet efficiently and effectively.

Take, for instance, the first job where the soil had wicked to the surface, one of the problems here was insufficient vacuuming both by the consumer and then the carpet cleaner. Many carpet cleaners assume that because they have a wet extraction machine with twin super duper motors then a dry vacuum is not necessary. Well this is a mistake; more than three quarters of the soil in a carpet is dry and reacts very well to a thorough vacuuming.

On a cut pile carpet you would normally use an upright and preferably a twin motor one. With loop pile, especially wool loop, you would use a cylinder type with a wand as this will reduce down

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Following the dry vacuum you will need to break any remaining adhered soil away from the fibres.

All cleaning systems will require some form of agitation at this stage and some systems will have agitation automatically integrated into the cleaning process. For example dry compound, dry bonnet, thermo pad system, dry foam and shampoo all use some form of motorised equipment, such as contra-rotating brushes, spinning pads and rotary brushes. For wet extracting, a wand manually pushed and pulled across the carpet is often used. However, you can of course use power wands, rotary wands and so on. Using anything mechanical in this way will speed up your cleaning program, saving you energy and allowing you to work to a consistently high standard throughout the day.

To achieve the desired result for my (now) client, I had to vacuum extensively for a little over half an hour, especially in the main walkways. When I had finished wet extracting the carpet using a power wand I completed the job by re-aligning the pile and the result, if I may say so, was very good.

I could have used any one of the above methods to obtain the desired result, especially as I own all these systems. Some days it’s very difficult to choose.

What amazes me, in both these cases, is that neither client wanted the cleaning companies to pay for the bad work that was carried out; in fact they believed that after talking to the companies it was better to put the problem down to experience. Was it that their relationships with their cleaners were such that they felt unable to communicate a desired outcome?

Next I had to tackle the carpet, which had acquired the chevron/carrot patterns following a clean. Apparently the cleaner from the company that carried out the work said he had never had a complaint before and therefore he thought it quite acceptable; he didn’t seem to feel it mattered that his client was unhappy with the result. To rectify the problem I had to re-clean the whole area so that I could re-align the pile by brushing up and then down to reset it all one way.

It was rather a simple solution to a really bad job.

To put your clients at ease you really need to keep the lines of communication open from the very beginning. Always carry out a structured pre-clean survey, which will highlight any possible problems and always inform your client of the expected outcome. If your usual way is leave chevrons, or carrots, then explain it. Mind you in over thirty years of cleaning carpets I cannot remember a client who didn’t want an even finish, or who wanted wand, pad and rotary marks visible.

A survey will also provide you with indications of how you should proceed with the job in order to achieve maximum results.

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FIRST PRIZE! Well done to Corporate Members, SEBO UK Ltd who won first prize for Best Floorcare Product at the IER Awards 2018

TOP WORK

BY TOPMARK

TopMark Cleaning with the help of other local professional carpet cleaners underwent a Carpet Cleaning Marathon for 26.2 hours in February and then Mark from TopMark Cleaning ran the London Marathon to raise money for Round Table Children’s Wish charity – handcrafted wishes for children with life-threatening conditions.

Despite the hottest temperatures ever, Mark completed the London Marathon in 4h 47. TopMark have raised £2,175.30, 131% of their target! Read more: www uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ markblazeyroundtable Pictured: TopMark Cleaning joined by fellow members; Chameleon Cleaning, FoxCleanUK & One-Call Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

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CHALLENGE 35

Challenge 35 is a series of challenges and events Rob Lewis of RSL Cleaning will be taking on throughout 2018 to celebrate his 35th birthday and raise money for Millie’s Trust.

Joanne and Dan established Millie’s Trust after tragically losing their daughter (Millie) in a choking incident at nursery in 2012.

Their aim is to provide first aid training for all and help prevent tragic incidents in the future. “This is a charity very close to my wife’s heart and is one of the reasons I would like to support them, but I also find it incredibly inspiring that despite the horrific tragedy they faced, they found a way to look forward and help others.”

In October 2017, Rob ran 35 days in a row and is now about to complete an Ultra Marathon across the Bre con Beacons, attempting to run 35 miles with an elevation gain of around 3500 metres – wow! Good luck, Rob! Check out Rob’s donation page for more information about his upcoming challenges and Millie’s Trust: www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/challenge35

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8 STEPS TO A PHENOMENAL CLEANING & RESTORATION BUSINESS

By Howard Partridge

PHENOMENAL SUCCESS STEP 6:

PHENOMENAL OPERATION SYSTEMS In recent issues of The Clean Sheet, I’ve shared that to have a phenomenally successful cleaning and restoration business, you need to have: PHENOMENAL L.I.F.E. GOALS A PHENOMENAL BUSINESS VISION A PHENOMENAL PLAN PHENOMENAL SYSTEMS There are five systems required for any business. Marketing, Sales, Operations, Administration and Leadership. The next system to analyse is ‘operations’ Everything you do to serve your clients. www.ncca.co.uk

MAKING YOUR MARK Operations allows you to make your mark with your company. Operations is everything you do to serve your clients.

Everyone agrees that the thing that will set your company apart more than anything else is the unique experience you deliver. The more meaningful and memorable it is to your client, the more they will talk about you and the more repeat and referral business you will receive.

Be sure to talk about your phenomenal service experience in your marketing as well. Don’t advertise price.

Instead, talk about everything you do that others don’t.

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PUTTING ON THE RITZ If you want to know what the most phenomenal service experience ever looks like, examine carefully the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and their legendary service.

First, they call their ‘employees’ the ‘ladies and gentlemen’ of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

Each one of them carries a ‘credo-card’ that has their mission and values on it.

If you ask them for directions, they will literally walk you there rather than just pointing.

Some of their hotels have secret service type communications so the door man can communicate with the lobby staff that you’re arriving. Depending on who you are, they may show your photo in a meeting so all the staff knows who they are.

Any team member can spend up to $2,000 on a guest to solve a problem. Have you empowered your people to take care of a guest, or do they have to call you for even the smallest consideration?

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Smile and treat everyone you meet with respect and enthusiasm. Do this and word will travel about your service experience.

My good friend Dr. Joseph A. Michelli wrote a book about The Ritz-Carlton called The New Gold Standard. In that book, he unpacks the philosophy and the strategies. The Ritz-Carlton has been very successful building a business by providing the most phenomenal service experience ever.

BUT… THE FLIPSIDE Back in 2012, I traveled to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. As I was planning the trip, I researched my travel book and looked up the website of the resort I was going to visit. It wasn’t the Ritz-Carlton but I was impressed. The site was amazing and the island looked stunning. I booked the trip completely online and any correspondence I had was by email. The confirmation email was one of the best I’ve ever seen.

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I took a helicopter from the mainland over to the island so I could see the reef from the air, and the view of the little island among the dots of reef encased in emerald waters was breathtaking.

As the helicopter made its slow, rocking descent onto the heli-pad, I imagined I had arrived at ‘Fantasy Island’ (remember that TV show?)

was topped off before they had to ask for it. We hovered without being a bother. It was the most phenomenal service experience ever.

Excitement swelled up in me as I walked up the little sand path to the reception area. Within five minutes I knew the service experience wasn’t going to match the incredible island. The front desk clerk seemed bothered. The more staff I met, the more they all seemed to have a chip on their shoulders. This was a completely different experience from what I had in the rest of Australia. Almost everywhere I’d been, the people had been super nice. Flight attendants actually smiled and stopped to chat a bit.

But not at this resort.

In fact, they didn’t even make eye contact. If this was a Ritz-Carlton property, they would have greeted me politely and asked me how I was doing. Because of the incredible beauty of the island and the unique location, they could have created the most phenomenal service experience ever. Someone was asleep at the wheel.

You see, there’s a difference between providing a functional service and providing the most phenomenal service experience.

HIGH-END OPERATIONS When I started my cleaning business, I was a waiter. I worked in high-end restaurants where we performed tableside cooking. I wore a tuxedo to work, and each dish that was prepared at the table was flamed.

Back in those days, you could smoke inside.

When someone pulled out a cigarette, a lighter was in front of them immediately. We “waited” just far enough away to give them their personal space, but were close enough to anticipate their needs before they occurred. Water or iced tea

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To do this with your cleaning or restoration company, make sure that your team is dressed and groomed professionally.

Make sure your vehicles, and equipment is clean. Make sure your printed materials are attractive and smudge free.

Arrive five minutes early and have a step-by-step process that begins with how your technicians drive up to the home. Script out each step and think about how you can impress your customers every step of the way.

In my next article, we’ll move to the next system:

ADMINISTRATION

Until then, remember to implement the things you’re learning!

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MEET THE DIRECTORS

NIGEL LAY My working career started in the retail sector and then into external sales, sales management and sales training. My introduction to the cleaning industry was as a Franchise Development Manager for Autosmart.

My passion for this industry led me to become IICRC and Woolsafe Certified and I joined the NCCA board of directors.

I entered the carpet cleaning industry when I bought a Cleaning Doctor franchise 15 years ago.

My first role was as Events Director and the annual Carpet Cleaners Carnival was launched at Wicksteed Park. From the initial success of the event, it has been developed to its present format of the WCP show.

I then took on responsibility as Admin Director and helped accomplish various milestones such as ISO9001, and the introduction of the staff pension scheme. I also represented the Association on the British Cleaning Council and took on the liason role with Trustmark.

We also saw the employment of a full time CEO Dave Wheadon, who now also oversees the administration function as part of his varied role. During my time as Admin Director I was honoured to serve the members as President and on handing over the presidency last year to Allan Simmons asked if I could take on the role of Standards & Fair Trading Director.

Anyone that knows me is aware that honesty, integrity and ethics are the primary driving force on a personal basis and the strength behind taking on this position.

I deal with a variety of issues, from consumer complaints where I will be the arbitrator between the two parties to find a resolution. My main concern is the illegal use of the NCCA Intellectual Property Rights ie Logo misuse, false claims, T&C’s that do meet the legal requirements etc and I need the assistance of the membership to help point out companies or individuals that are ‘passing off’ so that I may take action on behalf of the Association and its members.

I also represent the NCCA at Trustmark and believe that now the new board are elected and funds have been made available by the government that Trustmark will help us to raise industry standards.

If any members identify our IP Rights being infringed could you in the first instance please notify the office who will log the details and then inform me so that I can take action.

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CORPORATE MEMBERS

The NCCA is fortunate to have the support from many leading suppliers in the industry.

These organisations are proud to be associated with the NCCA and we welcome their support.

Please find their company details below.

Allied Insurance Services Ltd www.alliedinsurance.co.uk 0844 8156211

Amtech UK www.amtechuk.co.uk 01444 232211

M N EM EW BE R

Alltec Network Ltd www.alltec.co.uk 01763 208222

Ashbys Cleaning Equipment www.ashbys-uk.com 01795 436999

AutoCleanseUK www.autocleanseuk.com 01252 319391

Bio Productions Ltd inc. Stapro www.bio-productions.com 01444 244000

Camberford Law Plc www.camberfordlaw.com/cleaning 0208 3155000

Cleansmart Ltd www.cleansmartsupplies.co.uk 01158 240034

ChemDry Franchising Ltd www.chemdry.co.uk 01482 888195

Cleanspec Cumbria www.cleanspec-cumbria.co.uk 01768 865812

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Cleanerswarehouse Ltd www.cleanerswarehouse.co.uk 01772 434333

BeSure www.besure.insure 02922 400004

Coversure Insurance Services (Kidderminster) www.coversure.co.uk/kidderminster 01562 512822

CVM Vehicle & Finance Solutions www.cvmgroup.co.uk 01489 880050

Get Booked Up Software www.getbookedup.com 01405 813665

Gleaming Insurance www.gleaminginsurance.co.uk 0845 4740068

www.ncca.co.uk

Dry Fusion UK Ltd www.dryfusion.com 01772 433711

Hi-Tec Cleaning Group www.hiteccleaning.co.uk 028 6634 1416

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Host UK Ltd t/a Host von Schrader www.hostvonschrader.co.uk 01244 289256

Kendry www.kendry.co.uk 07968 175166

LTT Leathercare Ltd www.lttleathercare.co.uk 01423 881027

NSL Restormate www.restormate.co.uk 01670 590099

Nu Life Stone Care Ltd www.stonecareuk.co.uk 0161 4807284

Prochem Europe Ltd www.prochem.co.uk 0208 9741515

Rainbow International www.rainbow-int.co.uk 01623 422488

The Restoration Academy UK www.therestorationacademy.co.uk 01494 434772

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Legend Brands Europe Ltd www.legendbrandseurope.com 01908 611211

Restoration Express www.restoration-express.co.uk 01252 726106

Revolution Cleaning Systems www.revolutioncleaningsystems.co.uk 01420 370390

Sebo UK Ltd www.sebo.co.uk 01494 465533

ServiceMaster Ltd www.servicemaster.co.uk 0116 2759000

Texatherm Systems Ltd www.texatherm.com 01934 521155

Tile Master Global Ltd www.thetilemaster.co.uk 0161 4440377

The WoolSafe Organisation www.woolsafe.org 01943 850817

WANT TO BECOME A CORPORATE MEMBER?

APPLY TODAY!

Safeclean www.safeclean.co.uk 01235 444700

Solution Cornwall Ltd www.worldofclean.co.uk 01209 204343

Vaclensa PLC www.vaclensa.com 0161 7281800

Tel: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk

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COURSE DATES 2018 NCCA Courses 2018 Professional Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning with New Hands-on Intro 17th, 18th & 19th July Cleanspec Cumbria, Cumbria 20th, 21st & 22nd September 15th, 16th & 17th November TBC, Leicester

Advanced Spot & Stain Removal 8th June TBC, Leicester 19th October TBC, Leicester

Marketing Masterclasses with Allan Simmons 21st & 22nd May West Hartford Fire Station, Cramlington

Rug School 1st & 2nd August Art of Clean, Cambridge

Curtain Cleaning & Anti-Soil Protection 18th October TBC, Leicester

Commercial Cleaning 7th June TBC, Leicester

IICRC (Institute Of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certificate) Training Courses 2018

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Aardvark Carpet Cleaning MK Buckinghamshire A C S Floor Care Ltd Dorset Bright Green Cleaning West Yorkshire Cleaning Agents Ltd Berskhire Cloud Cleaning Services Cleveland

IICRC CCT 12th June, 11th September, 13th November

IICRC UFT 19th June, 18th September, 20th November Alltec Network, Hertfordshire with Paul Pearce. Book through Alltec. www.alltec.co.uk

IICRC RFT

Crown Floor & Fabric Care Staffordshire Crystal Clean Nottinghamshire Direct4 Home & Garden Service Ltd Leicestershire Direct Carpets and Flooring (North West) Ltd Manchester Elite Carpet & Upholstery Care North Yorkshire Fresher Floors Warwickshire Glory Clean London

21st - 23rd May

Go For Cleaning Ltd London

Suffolk Rug Care, Ipswich with Paul Pearce. Book through WoolSafe Academy. www.woolsafe.org

Guardsman Cleaning Ltd London J L Carpet Cleaning Shropshire Matt Steele Cleaning Norfolk Midland Floor Care Staffordshire Nuuclean Services Surrey

Course Key: CCT: Carpet Cleaning Technician UFT: Upholstery Cleaning Technician RCT: Rug Cleaning Technician

ProAct Carpet Cleaning Buckinghamshire Pro-Clean Banbury Oxfordshire Red Roof Services Hampshire Rugs 2 Riches Norfolk

MEMBER REFERRAL STATS

Sally Anne’s Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning North Yorkshire

Since publishing a referral statistics report in the last issue of The Clean Sheet there have been 205 recommendations for members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of referrals from the NCCA office and potential customers contacting members directly through the website.

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Sparkling Cobwebs Domestic & Carpet Cleaning Berkshire Surface Clean Banbury Oxfordshire The Bubble Crew Surrey

Telephone: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk

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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS FOR SALE – DUE TO RETIREMENT Prochem Powermax 2000 HWE with 25ft hoses and twin jet wand, additional 15ft and 25ft hoses. SS Curtain tool and Upholstery tool with 12ft hoses.

Hild rotary machine with tank, drive pads shampoo brushes, floor pads and bonnets. Electric 10ltr sprayer on its own chassis with 8 mtr hose to lance ideal for under floor or loft treatments.

Pulsatronic cleaning tank for smoke damaged items/jewellery. 200ltr vacuum unit on own chassis with 3 motors plus pump out ideal for sucking out large areas of flood damage. 2 Dritec desiccant dehumidifiers with extraction hoses for venting. Prochem Micromist sprayer (brand new) Temperature/humidity instrument.

Sebo commercial 360 vacuum. Plus brushes, manuals, some chemicals and other bits and pieces. All machines maintained and in working order. To be sold only as complete package.

Collection only: Inverness, Scotland £3,500 (new over £16,000) Telephone Gerry: 07801 593 637

FOR SALE – DUE TO RETIREMENT Prochem GT Blazer Truck Mount carpet cleaning machine mounted in Mercedes Vito Hi Top van. Carpet cleaning machine currently has 470 hours from new and comes with wand, pile brush, pump up sprayers (x2) and stair tool. 150 feet of both injection and extraction pipes in 3 sections of 50 feet each. Includes 270 litre fresh water tank and same sized waste tank. Van is a 2008 Mercedes Vito Hi Top in White.

Automatic gearbox with 158,000 miles.

Good MOT to run. High mileage but reliable example.

BUSINESS FOR SALE

BUSINESS FOR SALE

A family business independently owned and operated for over 18 years and incorporated as Limited Company in June 2008. A database of over 1,200 customers. Van, equipment and stock to be included in the sale and any ongoing licences/insurance can also be transferred. Admin/Training support can be provided.

Professional Carpet, Upholstery and Hard Floor Cleaning Equipment.

Industrial cleaning products. Peugeot Expert van [MOT to 24 April 2019 ]. All machinery well-maintained. Electrical machines are PAT tested. [Individual items are not available separately].

Professional machines include: Extracta Exel [2843 hours at 10-4-2018] carpet and upholstery cleaning system with twin heavy duty vacuum motors [domestic 240v, control console monitors vacuum, water temperature and pump pressure] with 30m of hose and Extracta Scrubba Deluxe machine.

From domestic work to commercial, clubs and hotels can be taken-on with a selection of 12” Wand and Hand Tools.

Reckitt Industrial Taska Ranger “38” low-speed hard floor rotary machine with accessories [rotary brush and 3 grades of pads]. Truvox Air Mover Fan [440mm]. Sebo BS36 vauum cleaner. Products include: worldleading Chemspec Industrial cleaning products, Stainshield Professional System, Wood-Solv equipment, Leather refurbishment kit. Business can be run from home. Equipment is straightforward to maintain yourself. I started, with a 2-day training course in January 2002.

For more details speak to Gary on 07976 015531 or Karen on 01795 511945.

FOR SALE A well-established (2002), successful carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Business based in West Dorset and covering East Devon and South Somerset. The new owner will benefit from a reputation built up over 16 years and the sale includes good will, a customer database and all equipment and chemicals needed to continue the business from day one. Will offer a handover period and equipment training. Ideal for first time business owner; opportunity to expand if required.

Please contact me for further details.

Telephone Jeff: 07970 060449

COMPLETE BUSINESS BUNDLE

2007 Peugeot Expert 1.6 HDi, good condition, service history, 108,000 miles on private plate (M60 DRY)

Texatherm EMV201 HWE & Lowmoisture machine with remote control.

TC170 rotary machine, drive board and 20 x pads. TC170 shampoo brush and solution feed tank (unused). Minitex MT307 hand rotary and 8 x pads. 1 x 1.5L 1 x 1.0L Orion pump-up sprayer 1 x 1.0L trigger sprayer– Viton seals.

Aluminium van ramp. 2 x 10m solution & recovery hose. Twin jet wand, hand flood tool and single jet hard floor wand with squeegee. Texatherm S/Steel 6 litre sprayer – Viton seals. Rotovac Sheardry low-pressure upholstery hand tool (like Sapphire. Selection of cleaning solutions and spotters, some unopened. Sundry items incl.

NCCA stationery, polystyrene blocks, foil squares, pipettes, brushes etc. All 2.5 years old only lighty used. May sell some items individually.

£3,500 (Registration valued £500+) Contact David on 07711 549530 Southport, Merseyside

£4,000 (cost new over £7,500) Contact David on 07711 549530 Southport, Merseyside

Offers in the region of £7,300 + VAT. Telephone Martin Oliver (Milton Keynes): 07557 053818

FOR SALE

If you are serious about purchase, I am happy to demonstrate the main machines. Turnover left blank due to health reasons however a recent job netted over £1000. Earning capacity is up to you! If you wish to work in this area I can write a letter of introduction to my customers (for an additional cost). Please note; I do not supply mailing lists. Sale due to retirement and a new business venture.

My name, phone numbers, website and email address are not included with the sale. Training to NCCA standards is recommended.

To be sold as one lot: £16,500 no vat or without van; £13,500 no vat.

Serious enquiries to Tim: 01904 413612 / 07950 822939.

To advertise in the classifieds please email the office: admin@ncca.co.uk

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