ICS Cleaning Specialist February 2011

FEBRUARY 2 0 11

Cleaning Specialist For Fo F or T To Today’s oda day’ y ’s F Fl Floor lloo oor C oor oo Ca Care a and Restoration Professional are Proffessional

Rug Cleaning 101 How Facebook Can Benefit Cleaners Is Cellulosic Browning a Thing of the Past?

2011

Carpet-Cleaning Chemical Market Study Page 22 W W W.I C S M A G .C O M

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2011

February Features & Columns 14

The Rug Cleaning Specialist Rug Cleaning 101

14

By Aaron Groseclose

18

To Your Success Tuning Up the Details By Steve Toburen

22

2011 Carpet-Cleaning Chemical Market Study

28

How Facebook Can Benefit Cleaners

32

The Gadget Man

By Jeffrey Stouffer

32

By John Braun

18

The Smell of Money By Gordon Hanks

36

Building a Phenomenally Successful Business Cooking Up Some “Southern Fried” Marketing

38

By Howard Partridge

38

Is Cellulosic Browning a Thing of the Past? By Ruth Travis & Jeff Bishop

This month at www.icsmag.com • Get the Latest Exclusives from Dave DeBlander, Ellen Rohr and John Braun • The February 2011 Product of the Month • Breaking News and more… To subscribe to ICS L!VE, go to www.icsmag.com NOW!

Departments 6 8 10 11 12 40 43 44 47 48 49 50

Editorial Comment ICS eRants & Raves ICS eMedia In My Experience News, Views and Events New Products & Technologies Must See Product Gallery Buyers’ Marketplace Advertiser Index CFI News PCUCA News CRA News

ICS CLEANING SPECIALIST (ISSN 1522-4708) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media II, L.L.C., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $115.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $149.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $165.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by BNP Media II, L.L.C. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: ICS CLEANING SPECIALIST, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to ICS CLEANING SPECIALIST, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

4

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

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Circle 3 on the Free Information Card

Editorial Comment By Jeffrey

Stouffer

“You know, just yesterday I was reading how…”

H

ere at ICS, we take pride in putting together the greatest amount of actionable information possible for professionals in the cleaning and restoration industry. The platforms we use – print, digital, etc. – give us a number of options to disseminate said content in order for you to take it in, digest it and use it in whatever manner best fits your situation. We’ve always made a concerted effort to live up to our company mission statement: Helping People Succeed in Business by Giving Them Superior Information. In doing so, we sift through copious amounts of material, picking and choosing our way through a tepid swamp of nonsense to spotlight content you can find a way to use. Sometimes, then, it’s the stuff that’s not exactly nail-on-the-head obvious that can make or break a situation. That’s why, every now and then, there’ll be an item in the Breaking News section on ICSmag.com that causes you to do a double/triple/ quadruple take and ask, “What the what?” Case in point: last month we linked to a story in a newspaper that provided some “helpful” tips to consumers on cleaning and maintaining carpet. That much of what was being said was eye-roll inducing was just the tip of it. When we come across such items, we link them not because we think the information is spot on (in many cases, it’s not even close), but because your clients might; after all, if it’s in print, it must be true, right? I’ll give you odds your clients don’t read ICS, but I’m betting a good number of them get their local paper in one form or another. And when they start reading some of these great “solutions” to their carpet troubles – “sprinkle paprika on the area, turn counterclockwise, click your heels together three times and say, ‘there’s no stains in home, there’s no stains in home…’” – it can make for some sticky situations when you show up on the scene; nobody likes to be made to feel like a fool. That’s why we link up these items when we find them, to provide you with some of the misinformation floating around in the ether so that, on arriving at a client’s home, you’re not caught flat-footed or start laughing outright when they say something like, “You know, just yesterday I was reading how the wetter you leave the carpet, the more dirt particles will evaporate as it dries.” To paraphrase Steve Toburen, the interaction between cleaner and homeowner is akin to an emotional minefield. Having some idea of what they’ve been hearing, of the position they’re starting from, can help disarm a potentially negative situation and get you both moving in the same direction.

6

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

®

Group Publisher ] Phil Johnson, Publisher ] Evan Kessler Western Regional Manager ] Jim Roy Editor ] Jeffrey Stouffer Sr. Art Director ] Rick Arvidson Art Director ] Manda Chan Production Manager ] Amy Levin CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jeff Bishop, John Braun, Dave DeBlander, Aaron Groseclose, Gordon Hanks, Stanley Quentin Hulin, Howard Partridge, Steve Toburen, Ruth Travis

BNP Media Company, II, L.L.C. Publishing and Sales Office: 22801 Ventura Blvd., Suite 115 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Phone: (818) 224-8035, Fax: (818) 224-8042 E-mail: [email protected] Publisher ] Evan Kessler (303) 255-1263 Western Regional Manager ] Jim Roy (818) 224-8035, ext. 2215 Classified Sales Manager ] Sharon Ward (847) 405-4017 CORPORATE OFFICE: 2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 700 Troy, MI 48084 www.bnpmedia.com CORPORATE DIRECTORS Publishing ] Timothy A. Fausch Publishing ] John R. Schrei Corporate Strategy ] Rita M. Foumia Information Technology ] Scott Kesler Marketing ] Ariane Claire Production ] Vincent M. Miconi Finance ] Lisa L. Paulus Creative ] Michael T. Powell Directories ] Nikki Smith Human Resources ] Marlene J. Witthoft Conferences & Events ] Emily Patten Clear Seas Director ] Beth A. Surowiec Marketing Contact/Manager ] Rick Arvidson AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Audience Development Coordinator ] Christina Gietzen Multimedia Specialist ] Alison Illes Audience Audit Coordinator ] Carolyn M. Alexander

BNP Media Helps People Succeed in Business with Superior Information Single Copy Sales Ann Kalb Tel. (248) 244-6499 E-mail: [email protected] For subscription information or service, please contact Customer Service at: Tel. (847) 763-9534 or Fax (847) 763-9538 or e-mail [email protected] Web: www.icsmag.com

Mike Joe KERNER

DOMIN D

Jim

Lisa

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WAGNER

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“Mike and I tackled challenges that were long considered impossible, but we don’t believe in “impossible” – only that there are roadblocks to be overcome. I’m excited for what these breakthroughs will mean for our customers: greater efficiencies and more effective tive iv ve cleaning. clean cleanin ng ” ~ JOE DOMIN ally a lyy pushed the th he For over 40 years, Joe has continually numerouss boundaries of cleaning chemistry. Hiss numero dered e to be carpet cleaning products are considered industry standards.

“I am happy to work with Joe to develop velop elop lop solutions solution leaning that truly address the needs of thee cleaning ence and professional. We start with basic science ma ake drive down to practical solutions that will mak make g our customers’ lives easier. And I love talking nce. to customers about cleaning science. Their commitment to their work iss pure inspiration to me.”

“Our real-world tests of Sapphire upholstery products have produced exceptional results on both the most sensitive of fibers and the most abusive busive usive ve soiling soili s ng conditions. I’m confident will onfident fident thatt these products produ oducts oduct w meet et and exceed exceed the fine fabr ffabric fa ric ecialist’s expectations. expectatio expec expe tations. tions ” specialist’s ~ JIM J PEMBERTON PEMBER Jim m Pemberton, p president esident of Pem Pembertons mbe Cleaning lea eaning ning and Res Restoration oration Supply, is a an industry dus usttry leader in i cleaning solution solutions. s. JJim helped pe ed d to develop Sapphire’s uphols upholstery upholste tery cleaning an ng products pro s. products.

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~ MIKE KERNER Mike is a gifted chemist and skilled communicator. He has 30 years of experience in chemical turing. formulation, testing, and manufacturing. apphire Joe and Mike developed the Sapphire System and Sapphire Sp s line. Spotters

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ICS eRants & Raves Questions, Insights and Outbursts from ICSmag.com

Don’t Pour It Down

Dollars

the Drain

Putting Where They Get Results

Angie’s list, and other similar online service searches, are a complete waste of money in my opinion. People don’t use those searches... they search Google. Take that same money and put it into your web site design, and SEO, and your search results will improve. We have a monthly budget of $300 for design and SEO.

– Mike T.

Looking for a (Morale) Booster Shot!

It is interesting; in our market Stanley Steemer is only doing TV spots, pay per click & web site. They have dropped the phone book, Angie’s list, no mailings into my home or office. The do not even rank well on Google. If you can get an awesome campaign like they have developed, you are golden. I love their spots. They are right down the street from me and their parking lot had 25 cars parked in it just Monday as I drove by. Regardless of how you think they clean, they are still the best marketing firm in our industry.

One of my goals this year is to keep morale up in our shop. Anybody have any good motivating ideas to keep the guys’ spirits up? In general morale is pretty good, but I want that to be a focus because I believe their production and attitude displayed to customers is directly reflected by the general emotions of the shop. What do you guys think? – FF J.

– Tom K.

I Think I Might Need to Lose Some Weight… I was driving back from a job last night on the highway, and when I changed lanes

Getting a Bead on Selling Protector Clients often are only convinced of a protector’s ability if they see it “Bead Up.” I recently received a call from a client who we applied protector for several months ago. She said she wanted a refund because it wasn’t beading up anymore! (We did not tell her that this would be the case). Are there any protectors that will bead up for extended periods?

quickly, my Chevy 2500 extended van started to sway big time – I thought I was going to flip over! After that happened I drove home VERY carefully... This morning I added up the weight I carried last night – approx. 1,785 lbs! How much weight do you carry?

– Ben S.

– Joe D.

The

Tax Man Cometh!

Just wondering how everybody plans for taxes. Do you transfer a % of your pay when you pay yourself, or a set amount every week to a tax savings account based on your projected income? Trying to get some ideas to get organized so I don’t get caught with my pants down every April.

– Jim W.

Ideas and inspiration for the industry, by the industry. For more go to the ICS and CFC Bulletin Boards at www.icsmag.com. 8

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

The Butler System makes a great business choice. Quality and Reliability The Butler System is manufactured using only the highest quality components. No other cleaning machine offers as many features and benefits, is simpler to operate, easier to maintain, more reliable, lasts longer, quieter or has a greater resale value...none!

Commitment to Value Every new Butler System is provided with the industry’s only 10-year warranty. There are no additional costs, no limitations on machine hours and no fees to transfer. Pre-owned “reconditioned” Butler Systems are warranted for one year.

Buy Back Guarantee Our exclusive “Guarantee Buy-Back Program”* provides our customers the opportunity to trade-in or cash-in their 15 year old or newer Butler System and vehicle at any time during ownership.

Extensive Vehicle Selection Selection, convenience, availability and competitive pricing are why most customers choose a complete turn-key package from our extensive inventory of new and pre-owned Butler Systems, vans, cube vans and trucks.

Exclusive Financing and Lease Programs Our Finance Department will be pleased to confidentially assist you with bank financing, leasing or lease-to-own programs that are exclusive to our customers.

The Butler System $22,995.00 Factory installation included. Please call 800.535.5025 for your FREE 92-page color brochure or visit us on-line at butlersystem.com. Personal demonstrations available in most areas.

Vehicle specifications and prices are available upon request. The Butler System price will vary when installed into cube vans and trucks. Prices exclude taxes, registration and documentation fees. Prices, rates, terms and programs are subject to change. The “Guarantee Buy-Back Program”* is limited to the continental United States. Additional terms, conditions, specifications and exclusions apply. Financing and lease programs are subject to credit approval. Lease programs may not be available in all states. GM and GMC are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. Ford is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. Approved for publication January 2011.

Circle 24 on the Free Information Card

ICS eMedia An Offline Look at What’s Happening Online Keeping an Eye on

For more go to www.icsmag.com

Water Quality

Blame it on the recession. Concerns over water quality seem to drop from the public’s radar for much of 2009 and 2010. True, pros who work in this area still hammered away to improve their products and services. As we start 2011, water quality is back in the news. On Jan. 7 the Associated Press released a story claiming there is too much fluoride in drinking water and it is causing a tooth condition in kids called fluorosis. AP cited the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as recommending a reduction in fluoride from a maximum of 1.2 milligrams per liter of water to 0.7 milligrams. If the maximum-level of 0.7 milligrams is adopted, it will mark the first time in 50 years that the recommended fluoride level in U.S. drinking water has been altered. — Tim Fausch, The ICS Blog Spot, 1/7/2011

Finding

Love at the Office

More and more of us are working longer hours and the time and energy to meet people outside of the business world is getting to be less and less. Besides, a co-worker can understand the long hours, the devotion to your avocation and it can be an inviting place to bond. Makes a lot of sense if you look at it but what seems innocent enough can be an issue if there is strict prohibition against dating in the workplace. It can become an issue if there is a supervisor and employee dating and it can get even more complex if there’s an owner and an employee in a relationship. Well, I’m not a lawyer and I don’t even pretend to play one on TV, but I’ve been around enough of these cases to know that the answer about whether this prohibition against dating will stand up in court is a giant…”it depends.”

— Al Levi, The ICS Blog Spot, 1/9/2011

Partition Cleaning: An Effective Add-on? The most effective way to keep office partitions clean and healthy – removing dust and dry soils that can discolor them and trigger allergies and respiratory problems – is to vacuum them regularly. However, because most of the vacuum cleaners used by cleaning professionals in the U.S. are upright machines, most with no or very limited hose attachments, more often than not this regular vacuuming is rarely if ever performed. Complicating the problem is that fabric partitions often get covered with the personal items of office workers, everything from to-do lists to family pictures. Unless staff has been asked not to post these items on the partitions or they are instructed to remove them every month or so to allow them to be vacuumed, the partitions are rarely vacuumed.

— From The ICS Web Exclusive Feature “Partition Cleaning” by Doug Berjer 10

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

Looking Forward to

Maximizing Opportunity We are very fortunate to be in an industry that has not been affected by the bad economy like many other industries have been. Have you talked to any architects, builders, painters, realtors, carpet retailers or a host of other professionals lately? They have been devastated through no fault of their own but our carpet cleaning/ restoration industry continues on because people still need things cleaned and pipes still burst. Be grateful and thankful and don’t let the opportunities in our profession pass you by.

— From the ICS Web Exclusive Feature “Making 2011 Your Best Year Ever” by Dave DeBlander

The ICSmag.com

Web Poll: For 2011, my main focus is to: 37% Retool my marketing program 19% Strengthen my existing customer relationships 19% Add more services to my current offerings 25% Add equipment and/or personnel to expand my service area

In My Experience…

S

Know When a Job

Isn’t Worth Doing

By

Gabriel Peretti

ometimes, when you really stop and take everything into account, from having to continuously go back and forth to the truck, taking equipment in and out of the house, risking your back, risking having the equipment slip out of your hands as you’re taking it up to the second floor, watching it barrel down the stairs and crush anything or anyone that might be down there…depending on the situation, when you’re talking about doing all this for maybe a couple hundred bucks, sometimes it’s worth passing on the job. For somebody starting out, they might never consider it, but one of the most difficult things to learn is to how to say no to a job. Once you learn it, though, it’s one of the best things you can have when running your business. It’s no sin to not take a job. There’s a number of things you have to consider: the profitability of the job, the liability of the job, the quality of what you can deliver, etc. If you have to use a portable, you may not be able to deliver the type of result you could if you were able to use your truckmount. I say no to jobs pretty regularly and it’s OK, because you have to remember that you are in business to make money. If the job isn’t going to pay you the money you need to make it worthwhile, you’re better off passing on it. There’s guys all over town who are making a job out of doing one room, a single room! They go over and do it for $50, and somehow they don’t realize that it’s costing them more to do that job than they end up getting for it. You keep doing that, you’re not going to stay in business very long.

Gabriel Peretti is owner and president of Reseda, Calif.-based CleanCrafters. A past president of the Carpet and Fabricare Institute, Gabriel has been involved in the cleaning industry since 1985, and holds numerous IICRC certifications, including CCT, CMT, RCT; WRT, AMRT, MTC and ASD. He has successfully completed hundreds of water-damage restorations, and has cleaned more than 2 million square feet of carpet. E-mail Gabriel at [email protected].

February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

11

News, Views & Events Enviro-Solutions launches repositioning initiative Enviro-Solutions Ltd., a leading manufacturer of Green-certified cleaning products, announces that it is in the process of redefining the company’s image and product line. The fresh direction will be reflected in the company’s new advertising campaign, which will be introduced in January 2011. Instead of simply presenting company products, the new advertisements will feature three ancient, Greek-style pillars labeled, “People, Planet, and Profits.” The changes are the result of developing trends in the Green cleaning movement, according to Enviro-Solutions Vice President Mike Sawchuk. www.enviro-solution.com

CRI SOA program continues expansion Nine new carpet cleaning solutions and four new vacuum cleaners have been certified under CRI’s Seal of Approval (SOA) testing program. The Diversey Company has earned Seal of Approval recognition for three new vacuum models. The TASKI Vento 15 commercial canister joins the program at the Silver level. Commercial uprights TASKI Jet 30 and TASKI Jet 50 have been approved at the Bronze level. The Kirby Company added its first vacuum cleaner to the Seal of Approval list with their Sentria Household Upright vacuum, which received Gold-Level certification. The CRI Seal of Approval program was launched in 2004 to test the cleaning effectiveness of spot removers, pre-spray and in-tank cleaning chemicals. www.carpet-rug.org.

Ashkin highlights sustainability trends When it comes to sustainability, “there is actually plenty out there,” says Stephen Ashkin, president of Sustainability Dashboard Tools LLC. “Even better, realizing there is good news when it comes to our planet makes us more optimistic during this Holiday Season and the year ahead.” According to Ashkin, the average per-person consumption of energy in the U.S. has fallen 9 percent from its 1978 peak. “Good news just doesn’t get the attention it should,” said Ashkin. “But good things are happening, especially when it comes to sustainability and protecting human health, and much of the credit goes to the professional cleaning industry.” www.green2sustainable.com.

SteamMaster 6th Annual Golf Tournament raises $22,630 SteamMaster Restoration and Cleaning hosted its 6th Annual Charity Golf Tournament last fall at Gypsum Creek Golf Course, a Pete Dye-designed 18-hole Championship course. “SteamMaster has raised over $239,000 over the last six tournaments and participated in numerous other fund-raising activities over the years.” says Gary Gilman, president and owner of SteamMaster. “We will continue with these efforts in the best of our abilities to give back to the community.” The tournament was founded in 2005 in memory of Kim Matthews, marketing director at SteamMaster, who passed away from liver cancer. The tournament also benefits the children of the Matthews Family with their educational funds. www.steammaster.com.

HydraMaster launches new website

Calendar of Industry Events Conventions & Trade Shows

Feb. 15-17: 2011 Indoor Air Expo, San Antonio, Texas. Call (301) 231-8388 or go to www.iaqa.org for more information. March 7-11: RIA 2011 Annual Convention, Colorado Springs, Colo. Go to www.restorationindustry.org for more information.

March 21-24: NADCA 22nd Annual Meeting & Expo, Las Vegas, Nev. Go to www.nadca.com for more information.

April 14-16: 2011 Connections Conference and Exhibition, Clearwater, Fla. Call (888) 881-1001 or go to www.connectionsconvention.org for more information. 12

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

HydraMaster North America has just launched its new website at www.hydramaster.com. The site, which was been under development for most of 2010, is designed to do more than just present the company’s products, according to Nick Wiebe, marketing manager for HydraMaster. “Our goal was to help our visitors better understand truckmount systems and select the best machine to meet their needs,” Wiebe said. www.hydramaster.com.

Circle 10 on the Free Information Card

The Rug Cleaning Specialist

By

Aaron Groseclose

Aaron Groseclose is president of Master Blend, and has more than 20 years experience in the cleaning industry. He is a senior carpet inspector and has led many carpet, upholstery, Oriental rug, leather and commercial cleaning seminars worldwide. Aaron is also co-developer of the Master Rug Cleaner Program. His email address is [email protected]

Rug Cleaning 101 I have been writing The Rug Cleaning Specialist for 15 years, and have appreciated all of your comments and support.

E

very year another crop of new cleaners dip their toes into the industry waters, so if you long-time readers will bear with me, over the next year we will take a look at some rug cleaning basics. However, before heading off to clean a rug, let’s look at the industry and see what has changed over the last decade and a half. Rugs as a percentage of total soft-surface sales back when this column began were about 11%. Recent statistics show rugs currently make up more than 25% of today’s sales. With newer homes having more hard surface flooring than in years past, sales in these two industries have complemented one another. Recognizing this trend, rug manufacturers have produced rugs with modern colors and with new uses of natural fibers. At the same time, the price point for entry-level rugs has also decreased. Mass appeal of these newer rugs translates into higher unit growth and, as a 14

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

result, more business for rug cleaners. What has also changed is a flood of innovations from manufacturers of rug cleaning equipment and chemicals. We now have portable rug dusters replacing in-plant fixed devices. Centrifuges spin dry rugs rather than relying solely on compression wringers. There are now proven systems for urine decontamination and ways to remove dye bleed from high-value rugs. All of this is to help the rug cleaning specialist deal with the ever increasing complexity of fibers and rug construction which is presently in the market. Sixty years ago, rug cleaning was not as challenging as it is today. Rugs then were, for the most part, well made handknotted rugs or a bit of Wilton or Axminster woven carpet fabricated into an area rug. Today we see everything under the sun made into a “designer rug” including regenerated fibers like rayon (or viscous),

bamboo, soya, and “art silk,” which do not have sufficient resiliency for heavy foot traffic, resulting in pile distortion issues. This can include poor-quality silk rugs with similar issues. These designer rugs are not inexpensive and can potentially present a huge liability for a cleaner, novice or experienced. Another interesting development in the industry is the willingness of established rug cleaning companies to share

1

Rugs make up 25% of total soft-surface sales

2

New fibers and manufacturing methods make for challenging cleaning

3

Make sure you’re properly insured before dipping your toe in the rug cleaning waters

Reveal Results For Your Clients. For Your Business.

New Low Prices! i5: $1,595 i7: $1,995 FLIR leads the industry in driving down the price of thermal imaging cameras.

With FLIR, disaster restoration pays. Find it – Quickly scan and identify the full extent of water and moisture damage at a job site. Fix it – Launch targeted dry-out efforts and monitor drying progress with a FLIR thermal imager. Prove it – Show clients compelling before and after infrared images to document your work. Visit www.flir.com or call 866-477-3687 to learn more.

QUALITY | TRUST | INNOVATION

Images/content for illustration purposes only.

Circle 12 on the Free Information Card

The Rug Cleaning Specialist

knowledge obtained over the generations. In the past it seemed these “closely held trade secretes” were not revealed out of fear of competition. Today it is possible to receive good instruction or improve your skills with advanced training and comprehensive reference books. These include one day manufacturers’ introductory classes; the 2-day IICRC Rug Cleaning Technician class; and the 6-day Master Rug Cleaner program. Rugs can be expensive so make an investment in your education to learn how to avoid problems and provide the

best possible cleaning for your customers. The current IICRC S100 Standard Reference Guide for Professional Carpet Cleaning states that “Improper wet cleaning of rugs on-location could cause prolonged drying, texture change, cellulosic browning, dye migration, mold growth and/or dry rot.” Cleaning rugs in a home or business should be the exception, not the rule. It is just not possible to finish the fringe, correct potential problem, dust the rug properly, etc. So the next item to put in your budget is a rug cleaning facility. In the beginning it could be in your garage or a rented facility of 1,200 square feet or so. Possibly it involves moving to a larger location due the growth of your rug-cleaning business. Whatever you do – no on-location cleaning of rugs! Sit down with your insurance agent and be certain you are adequately insured for this new venture. Yes, you are cleaning textiles, but also you are now

storing them in your facility and transporting them. Explain to your agent what you are doing and get their advice. One of the most over looked steps in the process of adding a new service is determining how this will fit into your current business and marketing plans. Diversification should not cause your core business to suffer. Ask yourself, is your business well managed now? Rugs should be integrated into your marketing plan without diluting current efforts. Do not try to be all things to everyone – be a master of the services you offer. Let’s look at our check list: 1. Education for rug cleaning 2. A cleaning facility 3. Properly insured 4. Business and marketing plans Now we are ready to look at a budget for equipment to put in your new facility.

Request your FREE TES information packet at tesdryingsystem.com or call 800-948-1754.

TM

SD

electric thermal energy system

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Circle 4 on the Free Information Card 16

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

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The

with ICS Columnists and Top Industry Coaches Howard Partridge and Dave DeBlander ander Sponsored and Hosted by:

STOP Being a SLAVE to Your Business! The brutal reality of most business owners lives is they are a slave to the business, there is very little family time, the business consumes your mind 24/7, there’s major stress, no real freedom and you feel like you have a “job” rather than owning a business! But the good news is that you CAN have the business that you really want and Howard Partridge and Dave DeBlander are COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU with a new one day “coaching experience” that reveals… • How to Dramatically Increase Your CASH FLOW Now! • How to Finally Get Your Business ORGANIZED • How to Finally Reach Your GOALS in Life

Dave DeBlander

Howard Partridge

For over a decade (12 years actually), Howard Partridge has helped cleaning and restoration professionals improve their businesses. Some have doubled or tripled their businesses, others have built turn-key systems and others have gotten off the truck and are spending more time with their families. He has become a top consultant in our industry and we are proud to have him as a prized ICS columnist. Dave DeBlander is a shining example of Howard’s results and is now also a frequent contributor to ICS. NOTICE: This is NOT a seminar where you get a bunch of information thrown at you. Instead, Howard and Dave will guide you through a full day “coaching experience” that reveals a crystal clear, proven path to take you from where you are now to where you want to be… They will even show you the exact systems they both used (and many of Howard’s members have used) to create massive success in their own companies.

Only $149.00!

(Including Lunch) ~ Bring your spouse for FREE!

For Specific dates and locations, call this 24 hour, free recorded message right now! 866-266-2914 Or, log onto www.HowardPartridge.com/MakingaDifference Circle 22 on the Free Information Card

To Your Success

By

Steve Toburen

Steve Toburen sold his carpet cleaning and restoration business and retired at the age of 38. He now serves as Director of Training for Jon-Don’s Strategies for Success program and created their Value Added Service for Technicians seminar. Jon-Don is the exclusive distributor for Steve’s “Winning on the Home Front” line of audio customer service programs. For more information call (800) 556-6366 or go to Jon-Don’s new information resource for all carpet cleaners, www. StrategiesForSuccess.com Steve welcomes your comments and/or questions at [email protected]

Tuning Up the Details “God is in the details.” – Michelangelo

I

’ve always been a ‘big picture” man. True confessions time: I don’t know how to program our DVD player or install my computer software, and I didn’t even set my new digital watch. My longsuffering wife does all this high-tech stuff for me. After all, most of us prefer for someone else (usually our spouse) to “fill in the details.” You can survive this happy-go-lucky life of not sweating the details if you have “technical back-up” from family and friends. But when an entrepreneur ignores the tiny details of their business, disaster usually isn’t far behind. Why? Because your customers base their entire opinion on the details of their experience with your company! This is why a “Detail Tune-up” will likely transform your business. Now, as a carpet cleaner performing a service in the customer’s home, your Detail Tune-up is a bit trickier than most. Remember that 80% of how a customer decides if their carpet cleaner has done a good job or a bad job is based on how they feel about the person actually doing 18

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

the work. Therefore, you should focus on your customer’s emotions, not on your technical procedures or equipment. When an unknown carpet cleaner enters the customer’s home, their inner sanctum, for the first time, what sort of “emotional landscape” does he or she face? It’s not a pretty picture! Simply put, homeowners feel suspicious, intimidated, threatened, vulnerable, invaded and most of all very, very afraid as they wait for you to ring their door bell that first time. Your business tune-up must “program in” tiny emotional details that reassure the customer and smooth over their fearful and stressed feelings. For example …

The First Phone Call It’s not enough to have a good phone script (you do have a written phone format to guide the conversation, don’t you?). Even with the best script, though, your phone person must project a cheerful, competent attitude and a sincere interest in the caller. This is tougher than it sounds! While these

emotional phone skills can be taught, your life will be easier if your phone person’s personality matches this emotionally sensitive profile.

Arriving at the Job Be afraid…very, very afraid. Each carpet cleaning job is an emotional minefield just waiting to blow up on an insensitive, clueless technician. For example, upon driving into the customer’s driveway do you sit in your truck to make phone calls, eat lunch or finish your cigarette? Meanwhile, where is your client?

1 2

Detail Tune-ups can be tricky

3

Personal security is a huge concern for homeowners

It’s the little details that put you over the top

Circle 19 on the Free Information Card

To Your Success

Bonus detail: Why not park in the street, where the homeowner can see your signed van over your shoulder when they open their door? You can then ask permission to pull into their driveway, and also ask them, “On which side would you like me to park?” You can even suggest they pull their car out now if they will need to leave during the cleaning. All little details, but oh-so-very valuable in changing how the homeowner feels about you!

At the Front Door

Nervously peering out the window as her blood pressure and fear level rises! So get out of your service vehicle immediately upon arrival.

This is where the rubber hits the road. Look at your personal grooming and personal hygiene through the eyes (and nose) of your customer. Are you neat, tidy and well groomed? Sure, you may personally love wild, extravagant tattoos, extensive body piercing and a generally unkempt appearance. But what message do these silent details send your client before you say a word? Do you: 1) Stand back three feet so your customer doesn’t feel crowded and intimidated upon opening the door? 2) Look the customer in the eye and smile before greeting them? 3) Introduce yourself and your helper with your first and last names and explain what each employee will be doing in the customer’s home? 4) Tactfully “break the ice” by making a sincere comment and complimenting the homeowner on their choice of home/ yard/car/neighborhood or other possession? How do you ask to enter your client’s home? Here’s the verbal detail we always used after breaking the ice. After looking down at your paperwork, simply say, “Mrs. Jones, I see we are scheduled to clean your…” It is amazing – the door will swing open as if on rails! Now before just barging in let’s tune up one more detail. Do you carefully place a fresh, clean door mat before stepping inside, or else put on shoe covers? Either way, this detail sends the silent message that you care about the customer’s home, and you aren’t going to track in more dirt than you take out! Bonus detail: An honest look at the Emotional Dynamics in carpet cleaning tells us that often your (usually) female customer is a bit nervous with a male technician in her home. Personal security is a huge factor for many homeowners, and with good reason! So make sure all your employees (including you) prominently display I.D. badges with their photo, name and company logo clearly visible.

Getting Started It is tempting to burst into the home and start making that cleaning wand sing. Don’t do it! Instead, investing a few more minutes now with your client will pay off big time later. For example, always ask the homeowner, “Could you give me a Circle 1 on the Free Information Card 20

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

customer details we’ve added to your in-the-home routine, yet I doubt we’ve increased your average job time by more than five minutes. If you program in these synergistic details into your daily work routine, you will dramatically increase your Customer Cheerleaders. These delighted clients

will then enrich both your personal life and your financial net worth for many years to come! Author’s Note: It definitely bears repeating: you do have a written phone format to guide the conversation when a prospective client calls, right? If not, go to http://tiny.cc/SFStel to download the one I used for 20 years!

quick tour?” followed by “and as we walk through, would you please show me any areas of special concern?” Both of these requests display your care and concern, plus let you find out what is important to your customer. Bonus detail: During your walkthrough, always take “Immediate Action” on your customer’s concerns. The easiest IA is to simply write down what your customer tells you on the work order. For example, when the homeowner shows you a spot they are worried about, just drop to one knee, whip out a white towel and spotter bottle and ask if you can “test the spot for residue removal?” The result? An instant Cheerleader, thanks to your IA!

Doing the Job Remember how you looked forward to “show and tell” in kindergarten? It works with customers too. Why? Because a picture is always worth a thousand words! Right from the git-go, pick the dirtiest area that your client was obviously most worried about during your walkthrough. Then give the homeowner a mental picture of just how great a job you are going to do. Do a “Magic Square” demo: 1) pre-spray and agitate an area about 24” square 2) clean it, leaving a startling difference between the dirty and clean areas 3) call the homeowner to marvel over the dramatic contrast! Wow! That’s more than 20 different build-a-better-relationship-with-yourCircle 8 on the Free Information Card February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

21

2011 Carpet-Cleaning Chemical Market Study By

W

elcome to ICS Cleaning Specialist’s ninth commissioned market study designed to gauge the opinions and preferences of floor care professionals with regard to carpet-cleaning chemicals and suppliers. The study looks to answer many of the questions concerning chemical use in the cleaning industry, including: • What types of carpet cleaning chemicals and cleaning methods are most popular today? 22

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

Jeffrey Stouffer

• How environmentally conscious are today’s carpet cleaning and restoration specialists? • Who are the key suppliers in the carpet cleaning chemical market? • What factors are most important when selecting carpet cleaning chemicals? The size and scope of the study dictates that only certain responses can be represented here; see the “ICS Market Study” box at the end of the feature for

more information. The target audience for the study consisted of 7,235 active, qualified ICS direct-request subscribers who have purchase authority for carpet cleaning chemicals and supplies, and whose primary business is professional carpet cleaner or smoke/water-damage restoration specialist. The study was conducted online; the sample was pulled on an Nth name basis from the domestic circulation. Determining the makeup of the sample is critical when analyzing any study. Eighty-six percent of survey respondents are individuals involved in the purchase of carpet-cleaning chemicals. Seventynine percent responded that they are the owner and/or president of their company. Thirty-eight percent of those responding claim annual expenditures of $5,000 or more on carpet-cleaning chemicals, with 27 percent spending upwards of $10,000, compared to 31 percent last year. The average annual revenue for responding companies is just over $375,000, about $12,000 less than last year. The primary method used for cleaning carpet cited by 81 percent of respondents is hot-water extraction; 10 percent are running HWE portables, while 71 percent operate truck-mounted units. Bonnet/pad respondents stayed even at 8 percent. The meat of the study concerns the habits purchasers and users display

1

What are today’s most popular cleaning methods?

2

Quality is a key factor driving purchases

3

One out of three plan to purchase chemicals online

Chart 1

Important Attributes When Selecting Carpet Cleaning Chemicals

Respondents rate product quality/reliability, product availability and product experience as the most important attributes when selecting or purchasing carpet cleaning chemicals. Mean Score

Product quality/ Reliability

Product availability

Past experience

Customer service

2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

9.93 9.92 9.82 9.79 9.72

2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

9.40 9.20 9.18 9.10 8.94 9.26 9.36 9.18 9.23 9.19

2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

8.99 8.78 8.74 8.89 8.80

-60%

Not Important, At All (1/2)

95%

4% 1% 1%

5% 4% 11% -1%-1% 7% -1%-2% 3% -1% -1%

94% 83%

n=178 n=199 n=348 n=510 n=615

76%

15%

80% 74%

15% 20%

-1% -1% 4%

-2% -2% 5% 19% -2%-1% 4%13%

72% 80%

-2% -1%4%9%

n=178 n=199 n=348 n=511 n=624

84%

-1% -1%4% 14% -1% -1%3% 15% -1%-1%4% 15%

-40%

n=178 n=199 n=348 n=512 n=617

98% 97% 96%

2% -1% 2% 1% 4%

81% 80% 80%

-2%-1%8% -3%-2%8%

19% 21%

70% 66%

-2%-2%10%

16%

70%

-1%-1%8% 6% -2%-1%

21% 21%

-20%

Not Very Important (3/4)

0%

n=178 n=199 n=348 n=516 n=620

69% 70%

20%

40%

Somewhat Important (5/6)

60%

80%

Important (7/8)

Increase/Decrease differences of 6.2% are considered significant using a 90% confidence interval and are indicated by

100%

Very Important (9/10) /

respectively

Chart 2

Sources of Carpet Cleaning Chemicals

Consistent with previous years, respondents on average purchase carpet cleaning chemicals from three suppliers. Four out of five indicate the number of suppliers they purchase carpet cleaning chemicals from in the past 12 months has remained the same. Change in Number of Suppliers Purchased Chemical Products From

Number of Different Suppliers 100%

80%

60%

Mean

Median

2010

3

2

2009

3

2

2008

3

3

2007

3

2

2006

3

2

2010 (n=178) 2009 (n=198) 2008 (n=348) 2007 (n=457) 2006 (n=536)

40%

35% 34% 32% 30% 29%28% 29% 28% 26% 26% 22% 21% 20% 20% 19% 18% 20% 17% 14% 20% 15%

Decrease

2010

-5%

2009

-5%

2008

-6%

2007

Remain the same

16%

79%

76%

19%

72%

-2%

Increase

22%

77%

21%

n=174

n=192

n=343

n=519

5% 2%4%2% 3%

2006

0% 1 supplier

2 suppliers

3 suppliers 4-5 suppliers More than 5 suppliers

when dealing with carpet-cleaning chemicals. Eighty-nine percent of those responding use a traffic-lane cleaner or

-20%

-5% 0%

74% 20%

pre-conditioner, according to the study, while 58 percent use a steam-extraction detergent. Spot and stain removers are

40%

21% 60%

80%

n=609 100%

employed by 90 percent of respondents. Carpet and fabric protectors are used by 88 percent. February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

23

2011 Carpet-Cleaning Chemical Market Study

Continued

Chart 3

Frequency of Purchasing Carpet Cleaning Chemicals

Carpet cleaning chemicals are most likely to be purchased “as needed,” followed by “keep on a regularly scheduled basis.” 52% 51% 54%

As needed

On a regularly scheduled basis

18% 19% 17% 17% 17%

In small quantities when supply is gone 6% When I'm notified of a discounted price/sale

11%

65%

72%

24% 25%

23%

5% 6% 5% 4% 3%

2010 (n=178) 2009 (n=199)

2% 2% Other 0% 1% 1% 0%

Quality/Reliability tops the list of factors cited by respondents when it comes to selecting carpet-cleaning chemicals (Chart I). Ninety-eight percent claim it is “important” or “very important,” while less than 1 percent dismiss it as “not important.” Past experience and product availability were ranked as important or very important by 93 percent and 94 percent, respectively. Price was cited as very important by 39 percent of respondents. Where companies make purchases can be just as important as why (Chart II). Sixty-four percent of carpet cleaning specialists purchase carpet cleaning chemicals from local distributors or suppliers; just under half purchase from three or more. Seventy-nine percent of respondents indicate the number of suppliers they purchased carpet cleaning chemicals from in the past year has remained the same. The Internet continues to make an impact in the carpet-cleaning chemical purchasing cycle. More than two-fifths 24

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

2008 (n=348) 2007 (n=490) 2006 (n=585) 20%

40%

of respondents indicate they make purchases online. Of those not currently purchasing carpet cleaning chemicals online, one out of three plan to do so in the future, the same as last year. Respondents are getting more predictable in their purchasing habits. Twenty-four percent cited scheduled purchasing as their method of choice this year, down from 25 percent last year (Chart III). Those claiming they purchase carpet cleaning chemicals “as needed” bumped up a point this year

60%

80%

100%

to 52 percent compared to 51 percent. The number who purchase “in small quantities when supply is gone” stayed constant at 17 percent. The percentage of those that “purchase when notified of a discounted price/sale” dipped from 6 percent to 5 percent. To continue to strengthen and build on the relationships between chemical manufacturers and the end user, it is important for both sides to understand why, when and how companies make their carpet-cleaning chemical purchases.

ICS Market Study The preceding is a snapshot of a comprehensive study examining the opinions, preferences and purchasing behavior of floor care professionals as they pertain to the use of carpet cleaning equipment and chemicals. The study was conducted by Clear Seas Research, a division of BNP Media. The full and complete report is available from Clear Seas Research. For information about ordering or to find out more about Clear Seas Research services contact Jennifer Loomis at [email protected].

FEATURED CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Just Returned From a SOLD OUT 16-City World Tour!

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EXPERIENCE CARPET REPAIR

Clark Lancaster, Orbitec Solutions/Rug Badger, will set up a full-service rug cleaning operation right in the exhibition hall. Jeff Bishop and Ruth Travis, Clean Care Seminars will provide hands-on demonstrations of the industry's newest and most innovative system for Oriental and specialty rug cleaning. All rug cleaning methods will be available, with an emphasis on total submersion cleaning of high-value Orientals - a profitable and fastgrowing segment of the cleaning industry. Suit up and give it a try!

Barry Costa, Aspire Educational Institute and Steve Andrews, The Carpet Surgeons are two of the most sought after instructors of carpet repair & reinstallation. Not only will you have a chance to watch these two perform and share their techniques of carpet repair, but many of you will have a chance to take part in actually repairing carpets with these two leaders in the industry. Come join in the laughter and fun! Bring your Band-Aids!

EXPERIENCE WATER DAMAGE RESTORATION

EXPERIENCE CONTAINMENT - PPE

We’re building a flood a house (half-structure) in the exhibition hall to demonstrate expert water damage restoration following the IICRC S500 Standards. This area is sponsored by Interlink/TES, Legend Brands, Home Depot, ProChem and Jon-Don. Demonstrations will concentrate on drying of walls and floors. On day 1 we’ll flood the structure. On days 2 & 3 we’ll dry and monitor the structure paying special attention to the walls and floors - and all of this will be monitored live during the show.

Rachel Adams, an industry expert and IEP, will work with volunteers from the audience in setting up a containment area and then will demonstrate the proper use of PPE in containment. This demonstration will concentrate on proper donning and doffing of the PPE both in and out of containment. The PPE will be provided by ESSCO Corp - specializing in providing personal safety supplies and equipment to workers involved in removing or containing hazardous substances including lead, mold, fire, water and sewage damage.

EXPERIENCE STONE, TILE, AND GROUT

EXPERIENCE CONTENTS PACKOUTS

Dane Gregory, Interlink Supply, will transform stone right before your eyes. Attendees who volunteer will assist Dane as he demonstrates how to clean, seal and hone various stone and tile surfaces. So jump in get your hands dirty and learn hands-on. This is an excellent add-on to your business.

David Mazur and Richard Malanchak, Fireline Systems, will work with volunteer attendees to demonstrate the procedures. The demonstration will include orderly evacuation of contents, categories, inventorying protocols, proper boxing, wrapping and packing techniques, boxing and management, storage, electronic records, and step-by-step procedural overview of the content job.

EXPERIENCE MORE … More time to network with friends and industry colleagues! More time to learn new marketing and branding techniques and learn about social media! More time to relax and enjoy the beach!

S O M E O F T H E M O S T S O U G H T A F T E R S P E A K E R S I N T H E WO R L D . . .

THE 2011 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Debbie Allen Millionaire Business Builder Expert "Learn How to Create a Powerful Business Brand That Explodes Your Results and Develop Systems That Build Life Lasting Wealth!" Debbie Allen, CSP is one of the top 5% of professional women speakers worldwide. As an international marketing expert and best-selling author, she has presented before thousands of people in numerous countries around the world. Debbie has been a highly-successful entrepreneur since the young age of 19, building and selling numerous million dollar companies in diverse industries. She will share the same wealth attraction marketing secrets with you that she used to build numerous million dollar companies. Debbie shares her 30+ years of entrepreneurial wisdom and success with these proven business building strategies. She is a recipient of the U.S. National Chamber of Commerce Blue Chip Enterprise Award for overcoming business obstacles and achieving fast growth. Debbie is the author of five books on business and personal development and has achieved the honor of CSP, Certified Speaking Professional by both the National and International Speakers Associations. Debbie has also been featured in five motivational movies including The Opus and The Compass.

Three of the World's Top Marketing Experts show you secrets that are PROVEN and GUARANTEED to work!

DON’T MISS THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY!

Connections brings you the very best experience! This year’s topics include: ■ Water Damage Restoration

Marie O'Riordan

■ Branding Strategies

Top Media Strategist and Celebrity Maker

■ Containment - PPE

"Global Journalist who Reported for C.N.N. & Hollywood 'A' List Celebrity Interviewer Reveals Classified Secrets & Strategies The Media Do Not Want You to Know!" Marie O'Riordan has been interviewing and building instant rapport with Hollywood's Elite & scores of Academy Award winners face to face for many years such as Paul Newman, Michael Caine, Quentin Tarantino, Charlize Theron, Cate Blanchett, Renee Zellweger and many, many more A list legends. Marie travels the globe as a Worldwide Communications Excellence Specialist™ and is the Author of 66 Secrets to Nailing Any Media Interview.™ Marie O'Riordan has been working in Radio, T.V. and is an award winning short filmmaker since she was just 13 years old. Quantum leaps in her career, which has spanned almost 22 years to date, have seen her report as a journalist for CNN. The late Nobel Peace Prize winner, Mother Teresa, gave Marie her last interview in her home in Calcutta, India before for death in 1997. Uncover the formula that every journalist knows. Learn how to write like a reporter to market your business and never spend another cent on publicity again. Marie will teach you the number one media secret that will empower you to become a media pro practically overnight.

■ Internet Marketing ■ Carpet Repair ■ Media Marketing ■ Stone, Tile & Grout Cleaning & Sealing ■ Website Development ■ Drying Complex Assemblies ■ Social Media ■ Carpet & Rug Cleaning ■ Social Marketing ■ Odor Remediation ■ Communication Skills

Tracy Repchuk #1 Woman in the World for Internet Marketing "How to Turn Your Passion into BIG Profits for Recurring Riches for Life" Tracy Repchuk will guide you along her proven path to direct profits and show you how to create multiple streams of income from a formula you can duplicate for every idea you have. If you are just starting, or already have a business online, you will want to see how Tracy broke 6 figures in her first 5 months with no list, no contacts and no idea what she was doing. Tracy Repchuk is an International speaker and Motivator, Recurring Riches for Life Coach, Bestselling Author, Award-Winning Business owner and mother to three children who are all actors. Her #1 bestseller "31 Days to Millionaire Marketing Miracles" serves as the reference guide to newbies and entrepreneurs wanting to turn their passion into profits.Tracy, who wrote and launched to bestseller in 58 days, earned 6 figures in her first 5 months online, won 2007 New Internet Marketing Success of the Year, and was a finalist for The Stevie Business Awards 2008 Mentor of The Year, shows you the 5 steps to massive, quantum leap success.

■ Content Workshop

... and more!

WIN!

All full registrants are eligible to WIN* a US Products Cobra 500 Portable Cleaning Machine (A $3,995 Value!)

*Must be present at the April 15th Beach Party to win!

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13TH 8:00 am - 5:00 pm The Power of 3: Media, Mindset and Marketing Transformation Event - Debbie Allen, Marie Separate registration See registration form O'Riordon, Tracy Repchuk. Full day of marketing, for details. Full-paid internet marketing training, writing press releases, and members of the 13 learning how to get mass media exposure for free. sponsoring associations can attend FREE!* *Please contact your association directly for discount details. 1:00 pm Golf Tournament - Open to Everyone! Hosted by Steve Boyette, Sunbelt Products. At the Dunedin Golf Club, Dunedin, FL. To register call or email Steve at 800-334-8418 or [email protected]. Must register by April 5 - Entry Fee: $65. 3:00 - 6:30 pm Registration Opens for Exhibitors and Attendees 6:30 pm CONNECTIONS Opening Reception - Sponsored by ICS Cleaning Specialist & Restoration & Remediation. Come network with association members, fellow industry members, and IICRC board members in a casual setting. All participants are invited. Cash bar and hors d'oeuvres - on the beach. THURSDAY, APRIL 14TH 7:00 am Registration Open - coffee/juice 8:30 am - 12:00 pm – Gold Sponsor Programs Includes a full-break at 10:15 - 10:35 am - Must be a paid conference registrant to attend

A. Maximize your skills, sales and profits in 2011! - ProChem Systems. To maximize your potential in 2011 you’ll need more than advanced technical skills, you need to be here. B. The Business of Restoration - Advancements in Marketing and Technical Technique to Set You Apart From the Competition, Dave Hanks, Ron Colling, John Otero, Doyle Bloss, and Brent Bowthorpe, Presented by Interlink Supply and TES High Speed Structural Drying System. In an industry where you measure change by the day instead of the year, it has never been more important for the restoration professional to stay on the cutting edge, not only in drying technique, but just as importantly in how their business is marketed and positioned in the marketplace. Utilizing exclusive concepts from Planning to Win, the industry's leading Restoration Business Growth Seminar, this presentation will provide new and established restorers with proven principles for separating yourself from the competition and advanced marketing ideas that integrate the way that technology is changing how information is received. In addition, the seminar will focus on the latest in drying equipment and techniques. C. Drying Complex Assemblies, Legend Brands. We’ll discuss how to address drying challenges such as instersticial cavities, multiple layer walls and flooring and other complex assemblies through minimal invasion and advanced application of psychrometrics. Learn to dry more, and remove less - shorten the overall project time, reduce overall cost to your customer and maximize profitability.

D. (10:35 am - 12:00 pm) How to Become Stinking Rich Through Odor Remediation - Bill Yeadon, JonDon. If you have been in this business for more than a year you are no longer surprised by the amount of damage to homes caused by animals, but pet odor is just one problem. How about tobacco smoke, curry and other cooking smells, fire damage and general malodors? If you like the smell of money ... join Bill as he reveals new technologies and products. 12:00 - 1:15 pm Lunch - On the beach deck 1:15 - 1:20 pm Opening Session: Welcome to the CONNECTIONS Conference and Exhibition - Gary Glenn, President of CONNECTIONS Events 1:20 - 2:35 pm MAJOR KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Wealth Attraction Branding, Presented by Millionaire Entrepreneur Business Builder Debbie Allen. "Powerful Branding Strategies Proven to Make Your Business Stand from the Crowd". Legally steal business from your competitors with a powerful brand that showcases your uniqueness. Discover how to focus your marketing and your intention on manifesting more affluent clients effortlessly. Learn how to create a marketing system that will allow your business brand to grow exponentially in any economy. Discover online marketing strategies that will kick your corporate website and social media sites into overdrive. Learn how to reinvent your business model for a challenged economy and a new global prospective. 2:35 - 2:50 pm Break 2:50 - 4:00 pm KEYNOTE: Marie O'Riordon, How to write a PR and get it published, working with the media, what are they looking for. 'Media Marketing Insider Secrets,' revealed. The World's No.1 Power of 3 Media Mentor. Become your own media publicist & reduce your advertising & marketing budget to zero! Consistently attract top class media publicity - without paying a penny! Top secret tactics to becoming red hot news on the internet! Break through the media barricade once & for all! Tap into amazing communications skills - you already have! Become a people magnet - instantly! Never, ever worry about speaking in public again! Grow your business like crazy! 4:00 - 7:30 pm Exhibit Hall Grand Opening Hands-on Demonstration in the Exhibition Hall

Live Water Damage Restoration and Area Rug Cleaning Demonstrations. Experience water damage restoration concentrating on the drying of walls and floors, and hands-on demonstrations of Oriental and specialty rug cleaning. CCS instructors will be setting up a rug cleaning plant in the exhibition hall. All methods of rug cleaning will be available, with an emphasis on total submersion cleaning of high-value Orientals. These live demonstrations will utilize training and volunteers.

Program as scheduled at press time. Topics and speakers may be subject to change.

2011 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: April 13, 14, 15 & 16, 2011 6:30 - 7:30 pm Networking Cocktail Reception - Exhibition Hall 7:30 pm Your free to enjoy a night in Clearwater Beach - Visit Peer 60 or some of the local restaurants and shops. FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH 7:00 am Registration Desk Open 7:30 - 8:30 am Morning Beach Time - Walk/Yoga 9:00 - 11:00 am – Hands-On Demonstrations Main Floor (Includes a Break at 10:00 am) 1. Containment - PPE - Rachel Adams, Indoor Environmental Management, Sponsored by Essco, Corp. - What Every Worker Should Know: How to Protect Yourself .The do's and don'ts of safe practices. 2. Hands-On Carpet Repairs - Barry Costa, Aspire Educational Institute and Steve Andrews, The Carpet Surgeons. Barry and Steve are two of the most sought after instructors of carpet repair & reinstallation. Not only will you have a chance to watch these two perform and share their techniques of carpet repair, but many of you will have a chance to take part in hands-on carpet repair with two of the industry’s best. Join in the laughter and fun bring your Band-Aids! 3. Stone, Tile & Grout Cleaning and Sealing - Dane Gregory, Interlink Supply. Dane will transform stone right before your eyes. Volunteer and jump in and learn hands-on. You’ll gain the confidence and knowledge you need to answer all your customer’s questions. 9:00 - 11:00 am Building Your Website -Tre Allen, Cleaner Designs & Optional Breakout Truck Mount Forums. Learn how to build a great looking website and what you may be missing to help make your business grow using the web and social media. 11:00 am - 12:15 pm KEYNOTE: Internet Marketing for Multiple Streams of Income. Presented by Tracy Repchuk - #1 Woman Speaker in the World for Internet Marketing. "The Million Dollar Foundation For Every Idea You Have." The New Economy is here and never before in history has there been a more critical time to reach the world with your idea, product, service and message - with the click of a key. Sales can be made automatically 24/7, customer relationships can be nurtured, personalized and created - without additional resources. It is time for a streamlined system that will quantum leap your business on auto pilot, in any economy. Tracy Repchuk, bestselling author of 31 Days to Millionaire Marketing Miracles, deemed the “Robert Kyosaki” of internet marketing, will show you the missing ingredients in your internet marketing plan, traffic strategies you must have, how to hit the top of Google, and keep your pipeline full of prospects to achieve the lifestyle you deserve. 12:15 - 1:25 pm Lunch - On the beach deck

1:30 - 3:00 pm Round Table Discussions - Marketing, Internet Marketing, Websites, Using Mass Media to Promote Your Business, Social Media 3:00 - 6:00 pm Exhibit Hall Opens - Live Demonstrations - See all of the newest products and equipment in the industry. Come visit and learn at more then 90 booths. 6:30 pm Beach Party and Dinner with Live Music. Visit with friends and enjoy a great time on the beach - bar opens at 6:00 pm. All full-registrants will receive 2 drink tickets *Must be present each and are eligible to win a US Products Cobra 500 to win Portable Cleaning Machine - A $3,995 Value!*

WIN!

SATURDAY, APRIL 16TH 7:00 am Registration Desk Open 7:30 - 8:30 am Morning Beach Time - Walk/Yoga 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Exhibit Hall Opens - Live Demonstrations - Final chance to get great deals on the trade show floor. Trade show hall closes at 12:00 pm. There will be a break in the trade show hall at 10:30 am. 12:00 - 1:25 pm Lunch - On the beach deck 1:30 - 3:45 pm Social Media and Social Marketing - Kristen Duncan. The popularity of the internet, and in particular, web 2.0 technology has changed the face of marketing as we know it. The relatively new concepts of Social Networking and Social Marketing are transforming the way businesses reach their customers. Come learn some marketing tips and tricks of the social world. 1:30 - 3:45 pm Contents Management & Packout Strategies Optional Breakout Workshop - Richard Malanchak and David Mazur

Fireline Systems. A well-managed packout sets the stage for success at every phase of the contents restoration process. Implementing a systematic packout strategy will help you extract maximum productivity from your contents restoration efforts. This workshop will introduce you to new concepts that when properly implemented can have an immediate impact on the profitability of your Contents Division. Topics discussed: The orderly evacuation of contents; Packout by category; photographing and contents inventory protocols; The utilization of documents and forms; Proper boxing, Wrapping and packing techniques; Step-by-step procedural overview of the contents job. 3:45 - 6:30 pm Pool Event - Reserved area at the pool for cocktails, networking, relaxing and playing.

See you in Las Vegas at the CONNECTIONS Convention and Trade Show - SEPTEMBER 7, 8 & 9, 2011

HOTEL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: THE HILTON CLEARWATER BEACH RESORT • CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA

Offering Delicious Dining, Gorgeous Beaches, Exciting Nightlife, Great Shopping and Beautiful Weather, the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort is a Year-Round Paradise! Spanning 10 acres along the Gulf of Mexico’s shimmering coastline, we invite you to rediscover the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort and indulge in a vibrant, newly transformed setting for your next vacation or business meeting. Rely on this three-diamond Clearwater Beach hotel and resort and enjoy enchanting accommodations overlooking one of the world’s most brilliant white-sand beaches. Recline in a beach chair and gaze out at the magnificent blue skies. Curl your toes in the soft sand, and let the gulf breezes stir your soul. Order your favorite drink from the area’s only full-service, beachfront food and beverage service. Escape and witness the transformation of this delightful new Clearwater Beach Florida hotel for a glimpse of paradise, in a landmark location: ■ Nestled on 10 acres of brilliant white-sand coastline, in Clearwater Beach, Florida ■ Overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, next to Pier 60 and across from the marina ■ Within walking distance to Clearwater Beach’s best restaurants and activities ■ Only 20 minutes from St. Petersburg / Clearwater International Airport (PIE) ■ Just a half hour from Tampa International Airport (TIA), providing flexibility with flights

SPECIAL CONNECTIONS DELUXE ROOM RATE: $159/night (single or double) To make your reservations, call the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort at 800.753.3954 or make reservations online @ www.connectionsconvention.org/venue.html PLEASE NOTE: To receive this rate, please mention you are with “CONNECTIONS Convention”.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE 2011 CONNECTIONS CONFERENCE GOLD SPONSORS:

Your support of these sponsors ensures that CONNECTIONS will continue providing quality programs, this year, and for years to follow. Please let our sponsors know that you appreciate their support of the industry by purchasing their products and services.

We would also like to thank all of our EXHIBITORS for Supporting CONNECTIONS Events!

APRIL 13, 14, 15 & 16, 2011 • HILTON CLEARWATER BEACH RESORT • CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA Register ONLINE ...

FAX form to ...

Visit us online at: www.connectionsconvention.org

when using Visa, MasterCard or Amex

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION MEMBER DISCOUNTS:

Company Name _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone (

) ____________________________ Fax (

) ___________________________________________

Check any of the following associations you are a paid member of:

❏ CFI ❏ PACR ❏ CCINW ❏ PCRA ❏ TRSCA ❏ NEIRC ❏ MCRA ❏ CRCII ❏ SCRT ❏ FIO ❏ LMCCA ❏ NYRCI ❏ MSPCA ❏ CRA ❏ RIA ❏ Industry Franchisee: _____________________________________________

Email Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

❏ Enclosed is my check made payable to CONNECTIONS ❏ VISA ❏ MasterCard ❏ American Express Name on Card __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Toll-Free: 888-881-1001 x104

P.O. Box 21433 Denver, CO 80221

FIRST ATTENDEE NAME ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City/State ________________________________________________________ Zip __________

when using Visa, MasterCard or Amex

CONNECTIONS

FAX to: (303) 469-6749

Street Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Register by PHONE ...

MAIL form to ...

Register for EXHIBITION ONLY: If you register before March 25th, registration and admission to the Exhibition IS FREE! If you register after March 25th, it will cost $25.00 to enter the Exhibition at the event. ❏ YES, I want to pre-register for the EXHIBITION ONLY!

Register for CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION:

Credit Card # ______________________________________________________________________ Exp. Date ________________________________________________________________

Fee includes 3 day registration, 3 lunches, 1 dinner, 3 receptions, breaks, exhibition pass, conference materials, and special programs.

Signature________________________________________________________________________________________

EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS!*

Required for credit card orders

List of additional attendees and events they will attend:

2ND Attendee Name (same company) ____________________________________________________

❏ I am a member of a participating Association Name of Association: ____________________ (must be from association list above right)

❏ Non-member ❏ Pre-register for Exhibition Only (FREE before March 25, 2011) ❏ Conference AND Exhibition ❏ Additional Meals ❏ POWER OF THREE EVENT - April 13 ❏ One-day only - Indicate which day: ❏ April 14 ❏ April 15 ❏ April 16 3RD Attendee Name (same company) ____________________________________________________

❏ I am a member of a participating Association Name of Association: ____________________ (must be from association list above right)

❏ Non-member ❏ Pre-register for Exhibition Only (FREE before March 25, 2011) ❏ Conference AND Exhibition ❏ Additional Meals ❏ POWER OF THREE EVENT - April 13 ❏ One-day only - Indicate which day: ❏ April 14 ❏ April 15 ❏ April 16 Total number of people attending from your company: ______________________________________________________________ REFUND POLICY: Conference and Exhibition Registrations: Written cancellations received Ninety (90) days or more prior to the event a full refund will be given less a $50.00 processing fee. Thirty (30) days to Eighty Nine (89) days prior to the event a fifty (50) percent refund. Twenty Nine (29) days or less prior to the event there is no refund. No-shows are not refundable. Others: This includes extra meal tickets, Exhibition Only passes, or any other event that a fee is paid. No refund will be issued. Substitutions are acceptable with a $25.00 processing fee. If CONNECTIONS determines it to be impractical or inadvisable to hold the event for any reason, including terrorism, acts of war, or other events commonly categorized as force majeure, CONNECTIONS shall have the right to cancel the event. Written request for refunds will be honored for a 100% refund in the event CONNECTIONS cancels the event. If CONNECTIONS changes the venue thirty (30) days or less before the event all written requests for a 100% refund will be honored. Refunds refer to the amount of money CONNECTIONS received for the event. Transferring registrations will incur a transfer fee of $50.00.

First attendee before March 25: Additional attendee, same company before March 25: First attendee after March 25: Additional attendee, same company after March 25: Additional meals only (spouse): One-day only: Indicate which day below

❏ April 14

❏ April 15

❏ April 16

Member

Non-member

❏ $395 ❏ $350 ❏ $475 ❏ $425 ❏ $240 ❏ $199

❏ $495 ❏ $450 ❏ $595 ❏ $550 ❏ $265 ❏ $250

Register for POWER OF THREE EVENT - APRIL 13, 2011 Not included in CONNECTIONS Conference and Exhibition Registration - Separate registration fee. Fee includes breaks, lunch, and 2 free drink tickets for reception. ❏ Member: $97* ❏ Non-member: $197 *Full-paid members of the 13 sponsoring associations can attend the Power of Three Event FREE! Please contact your association directly for discount details.

TOTAL ENCLOSED $ PLEASE NOTE: Registrations will not be processed until payment is received. *Payment must be made by the March 25th deadline to receive early registration discount. HOTEL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: The Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida. To make reservations for this event call 800.753.3954 or make reservations online at www.connectionsconvention.org/venue.html Let them know you are with CONNECTIONS.

DELUXE ROOM RATE: $159/night (single or double)

❏

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS: If you require special accommodations to participate fully, check here and please provide a brief written description of your needs below or on a separate sheet of paper: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You may register by phone or fax when using Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Phone 888-881-1001 x104 • Fax 303-469-6749 • Video taping or recording of these sessions is strictly prohibited! All registrations must include a check or credit card information. Mail to CONNECTIONS, P.O. Box 21433, Denver, Colorado 80221.

For more information visit us online at www.connectionsconvention.org or CALL 888-881-1001 x104

Can’t attend the Conference but want to attend the Exhibition? Register before March 25, 2011 and attend the Exhibition for FREE! REGISTER TODAY! Online at www.connectionsconvention.org

FEATURED CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Just Returned From a SOLD OUT 16-City World Tour!

Debbie Allen Millionaire Business Builder Expert

Marie O'Riordan Top Media Strategist and Celebrity Maker

Tracy Repchuk #1 Woman in the World for Internet Marketing

Righting the ship and moving full speed ahead Where We Are Let’s face it: the past few years have been a bit bumpy, even for the most stalwart of carpet cleaning and restoration firms. It’s hard to navigate a stormy economic sea without taking on a bit of water; the companies that found a way to bail themselves out of dire straits, then, deserve some recognition. “How I Did It!” is a chance to share with your peers how your company found itself in a hole, and what you did to dig yourself out and start heading back down the path to prosperity.

What We Need Fill out and send in this form, or go online to www.icsmag.com and fill out the interactive pdf. Don’t worry, you don’t need to put down your life story: just briefly tell us how you put your company back on the right path, and include a 4x6 photo of you, your vehicle, your storefront or whatever you feel best illustrates your business (a hires .jpg or .tif is even better, but it must be at least 300 dpi). “How I Did It!” is our way of giving a home to those stories that might otherwise get lost in the information superhighway shuffle. Tell us yours, and help encourage other professionals out there who have yet to find their way back from the brink.

Name ______________________________________________________________________ Company Name _____________________________________________________________ City ______________________________ State _______________ ZIP ________________ Phone _______________________ e-mail ________________________________________ How I Did It: ________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Mail to: ICS: “How I Did It!” 22801 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 115 Woodland Hills CA 91364 Or e-mail it to: [email protected]. Submission does not guarantee selection. Images will not be able to be returned. Participants agree that materials submitted for consideration for “How I Did It!” become the property of ICS Cleaning Specialist and BNP Media Co.

AT THE HILTON CLEARWATER BEACH RESORT • CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA

EXPERIENCE Interactive, Hands-on, Live Demonstrations From the Industry’s Top Professionals: EXPERIENCE RUG CLEANING

EXPERIENCE CARPET REPAIR

Clark Lancaster, Orbitec Solutions will set up a full-service rug cleaning operation right in the exhibition hall. Jeff Bishop and Ruth Travis, Clean Care Seminars will provide hands-on demonstrations of the industry's newest and most innovative system for Oriental and specialty rug cleaning. Plus, CCS instructors will be setting up a rug cleaning plant.

Barry Costa, Aspire Educational Institute and Steve Andrews, The Carpet Surgeons are two of the most sought after instructors of carpet repair & reinstallation. Not only will you have a chance to watch these two share their carpet repair techniques, but many of you will have a chance to take part in actually repairing carpets.

EXPERIENCE WATER DAMAGE RESTORATION

EXPERIENCE CONTAINMENT - PPE

We’re going to build an actual house (half-structure) in the exhibition hall and then flood the structure to demonstrate expert water damage restoration following the IICRC S500 Standards. This area is sponsored by Interlink/TES, Legend Brands, Home Depot, ProChem and Jon-Don.

Rachel Adams, an industry expert and IEP, will work with volunteers from the audience in setting up a containment area and then will demonstrate the proper use of PPE in containment including the donning and doffing of the PPE both in and out of containment. The PPE will be provided by ESSCO Corp.

EXPERIENCE STONE, TILE, AND GROUT

EXPERIENCE CONTENTS PACKOUTS

Dane Gregory, Interlink Supply, will transform stone right before your eyes. Attendees who volunteer will assist Dane as he demonstrates how to clean, seal and hone various stone and tile surfaces. So jump in get your hands dirty and learn hands-on.

David Mazur and Richard Malanchak, Fireline Systems. Demonstration Includes orderly evacuation of contents, categories, inventorying protocols, proper boxing, wrapping and packing techniques, boxing and management, storage, electronic records, and a step-by-step procedural overview of the job.

2011 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Just Returned From a SOLD OUT 16-City World Tour! Three of the World's Top Marketing Experts show you secrets that are PROVEN and GUARANTEED to work!

DON’T MISS THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY!

Debbie Allen

Marie O'Riordan

Tracy Repchuk

Millionaire Business Builder Expert

Top Media Strategist and Celebrity Maker

#1 Woman in the World for Internet Marketing

You’ll get direct access to 3 world-class branding, marketing, and social media experts who’ll teach you the secret formulas to BUILD WEALTH IN ANY ECONOMY!

REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE! Online @ www.connectionsconvention.org • Or call us at 888-881-1001 x104

REGISTER BEFORE MARCH 25, 2011 AND ATTEND THE EXHIBITION FOR FREE! 2011 CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION GOLD SPONSORS:

APRIL 13, 14, 15 & 16, 2011 • HILTON CLEARWATER BEACH RESORT • CLEARWATER BEACH, FLORIDA Register ONLINE ...

FAX form to ...

Visit us online at: www.connectionsconvention.org

when using Visa, MasterCard or Amex

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION MEMBER DISCOUNTS:

Company Name _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone (

) ____________________________ Fax (

) ___________________________________________

Check any of the following associations you are a paid member of:

❏ CFI

❏ PACR ❏ MCRA ❏ NYRCI

❏ CCINW ❏ PCRA ❏ CRCII ❏ SCRT MSPCA ❏ ❏ CRA

❏ TRSCA ❏ FIO ❏ RIA

❏ NEIRC ❏ LMCCA ❏ Industry Franchisee: _____________________________________________

Email Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

❏ Enclosed is my check made payable to CONNECTIONS ❏ VISA ❏ MasterCard ❏ American Express

Toll-Free: 888-881-1001 x104

P.O. Box 21433 Denver, CO 80221

FIRST ATTENDEE NAME ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

City/State ________________________________________________________ Zip __________

when using Visa, MasterCard or Amex

CONNECTIONS

FAX to: (303) 469-6749

Street Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Register by PHONE ...

MAIL form to ...

Register for EXHIBITION ONLY: If you register before March 25th, registration and admission to the Exhibition IS FREE! If you register after March 25th, it will cost $25.00 to enter the Exhibition at the event.

Name on Card __________________________________________________________________________________________________

❏ YES, I want to pre-register for the EXHIBITION ONLY!

Credit Card # ______________________________________________________________________

Register for CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION:

Exp. Date ________________________________________________________________

Fee includes 3 day registration, 3 lunches, 1 dinner, 3 receptions, breaks, exhibition pass, conference materials, and special programs.

Signature________________________________________________________________________________________

EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS!*

Required for credit card orders

List of additional attendees and events they will attend:

2ND Attendee Name (same company) ____________________________________________________

❏ I am a member of a participating Association

First attendee before March 25: Additional attendee, same company before March 25: First attendee after March 25:

Name of Association: ____________________ (must be from association list above right)

❏ Non-member ❏ Pre-register for Exhibition Only (FREE before March 25, 2011) ❏ Conference AND Exhibition ❏ Additional Meals ❏ POWER OF THREE EVENT - April 13 ❏ One-day only - Indicate which day: ❏ April 14 ❏ April 15 ❏ April 16 3RD Attendee Name (same company) ____________________________________________________

❏ I am a member of a participating Association

Additional attendee, same company after March 25: Additional meals only (spouse): One-day only: Indicate which day below

❏ April 14

Total number of people attending from your company: ______________________________________________________________ REFUND POLICY: Conference and Exhibition Registrations: Written cancellations received Ninety (90) days or more prior to the event a full refund will be given less a $50.00 processing fee. Thirty (30) days to Eighty Nine (89) days prior to the event a fifty (50) percent refund. Twenty Nine (29) days or less prior to the event there is no refund. No-shows are not refundable. Others: This includes extra meal tickets, Exhibition Only passes, or any other event that a fee is paid. No refund will be issued. Substitutions are acceptable with a $25.00 processing fee. If CONNECTIONS determines it to be impractical or inadvisable to hold the event for any reason, including terrorism, acts of war, or other events commonly categorized as force majeure, CONNECTIONS shall have the right to cancel the event. Written request for refunds will be honored for a 100% refund in the event CONNECTIONS cancels the event. If CONNECTIONS changes the venue thirty (30) days or less before the event all written requests for a 100% refund will be honored. Refunds refer to the amount of money CONNECTIONS received for the event. Transferring registrations will incur a transfer fee of $50.00.

❏ April 16

Non-member

❏ $395

❏ $495 ❏ $450 ❏ $595 ❏ $550 ❏ $265 ❏ $250

❏ $350 ❏ $475 ❏ $425 ❏ $240 ❏ $199

Register for POWER OF THREE EVENT - APRIL 13, 2011 Not included in CONNECTIONS Conference and Exhibition Registration - Separate registration fee. Fee includes breaks, lunch, and 2 free drink tickets for reception.

Name of Association: ____________________ (must be from association list above right)

❏ Non-member ❏ Pre-register for Exhibition Only (FREE before March 25, 2011) ❏ Conference AND Exhibition ❏ Additional Meals ❏ POWER OF THREE EVENT - April 13 ❏ One-day only - Indicate which day: ❏ April 14 ❏ April 15 ❏ April 16

❏ April 15

Member

❏ Member: $97*

❏ Non-member: $197

*Full-paid members of the 13 sponsoring associations can attend the Power of Three Event FREE! Please contact your association directly for discount details.

TOTAL ENCLOSED $ PLEASE NOTE: Registrations will not be processed until payment is received. *Payment must be made by the March 25th deadline to receive early registration discount. HOTEL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: The Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort in Clearwater Beach, Florida. To make reservations for this event call 800.753.3954 or make reservations online at www.connectionsconvention.org/venue.html Let them know you are with CONNECTIONS.

DELUXE ROOM RATE: $159/night (single or double)

❏

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS: If you require special accommodations to participate fully, check here and please provide a brief written description of your needs below or on a separate sheet of paper: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You may register by phone or fax when using Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Phone 888-881-1001 x104 • Fax 303-469-6749 • Video taping or recording of these sessions is strictly prohibited! All registrations must include a check or credit card information. Mail to CONNECTIONS, P.O. Box 21433, Denver, Colorado 80221.

For more information visit us online at www.connectionsconvention.org or CALL 888-881-1001 x104 Circle 13 on the Free Information Card

How

Can Benefit Cleaners F

acebook is one of the biggest websites in the world. Known as a social networking site, Facebook surpassed the traffic of Google in March 2010. And with more than 500 million active users, Facebook continues to grow. What does this mean for your cleaning company? Your clients and prospects are on Facebook. They’re socializing about life and daily happenings, so of course the subject of dirty floors comes up periodically. As a result, many cleaning companies are enjoying free leads and easy referrals from Facebook. There are two kinds of Facebook pages:

Facebook Personal Profile Page This profile is for you personally, or it can be named after your business. With the personal page, you can seek people in your community to become “friends.”

Facebook Business Page Here your friends and clients can “like”

your business. The drawback is, you can’t seek out people to become your friends. Instead, they must seek you out. So which should you go with? Your best choice may be to go with a personal page if you only want one page. However, if you already have a personal page or you want to have a page for both you and your business, try creating a personal page first and then create a business page later. Here’s where it gets sticky: Facebook states in their terms of use you can only have one personal profile page. Use it for business or personal, but not both. They also state you can’t use your personal profile for commercial gain. Directly selling anything in your personal profile is a no-no. So keep your “sales” posts to a bare minimum. Facebook is more for educating, giving advice, and letting people get to know your company. Doyle Bloss, vice president of marketing and education for Bridgepoint, told me he thought of

John Braun owns Premium Carpet Care in Pensacola, Florida, and is the principal behind Hitman Advertising. To get a FREE advertising strategy guide for carpet cleaning companies plus a 19-minute audio on how to use these strategies, go to www.HitmanAdvertising.com or call toll free (888) 211-7702. 28

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

By

John Braun

Facebook as a “living newsletter.” That’s a great way to think about it. On Facebook, you can update and educate on a continuous basis. Your clients get closer to you because they can see more about who you are.

1

There are two different types of Facebook pages

2

Keep the terms of use in mind when planning your strategy

3

Post regularly, but don’t overdo it

Circle 6 on the Free Information Card

How Facebook Can Benefit Cleaners

Continued

choose friends from your email address book. Then you be asked for other personal information, such as your school, and an option to upload a photo. The photo is something you really should do, to get people to see what you look like. Lastly, you can edit your profile. It’s very important and helpful for your website ranking to put your website in your Facebook profile. Put your link in the info section under “contact information.” It should also show up in the right side bar.

Creating Your Business Page

Creating Your Personal Page Go to www.Facebook.com and fill in your information. If you would like the personal page to be associated with your business, you can put your business name as the first and last name. However, be aware your profile has the possibility to get deleted later. To be safe, enter your personal name and create a second business page later. The next optional step will allow you to

Go to www.Facebook.com and click on the link that says, “Create a Page” under the sign up section. You must log out if you already have a profile. Log in with your existing Facebook account or create a new one. You’ll be walked through the process of importing contacts and adding info to your new page. Fill out your profile completely. Add a “like” box to your website so your home page visitors can “like” your Facebook business page. Just click the “Get Code” button. Facebook ideally wants all commercial

activity to happen on the business page. And then, of course, they ideally want you to pay for the advertising. But this doesn’t mean you can’t solicit your business page from your personal profile. In fact, this is done quite often, and I recommend you ask for friends from your personal page. Just be careful about the sales pitches you make on any Facebook page.

Get the Most Out of Facebook I get frustrated when a client wants me to look at their Facebook page and the first thing I see is they only have a few friends or “likes” on their page. Don’t worry so much about how good your page is or even how many posts or pictures you’re putting on the page. The first thing you want to be concerned about is getting a few relevant posts, pictures, and videos up. Then, get people to your page. You can do this by asking others on your personal Facebook profile to “like” your business page. Another popular way is to search for local Realtors, carpet retailers, and other business people who you can request to be their friend. Just use the search bar to find people in your area. Most often, other business people are quick to accept your “friend” request. 30

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

Advertising on Facebook Yes, Facebook has pay-per-click advertising. The average costs are around $1-$3 per click. And you can refine which cities and other specifics about prospects you want to target. When they click your ad, you can lead the prospect to your Facebook page or your website. With these ads, it’s best to use images, as they get more clicks. In a banner ad, ask a question. Remember, people are networking here, so think about phrasing your ad as a question Facebook users will embrace. One idea is to use an ad with a headline that states, for example, “The Cleanest Carpet in Houston.” To the right of the ad, use a picture of your cleaning truck or company logo. Post regularly to your page, but not too often. Remember, Facebook is about being social. Very few people want to see cleaning tips every day and no one wants constant sales pitches. Post once a week, or maybe more often for short periods of time. If you only get around to posting once a month, that’s fine too. Post regular updates of what’s happening in your company. Pictures and videos are great. People love to see who you really are and what you really do on cleaning jobs. Ask for reviews, always. You can ask clients to give reviews on your Facebook business page or give a link to your Google Places profile to let them give a review. Your reviews can also be used as testimonials for other ads in most cases.

• • • •

Make occasional promotions only for Facebook friends. Use contests to create a viral buzz. Link Facebook with your email newsletters. Post regularly, but don’t think it’s the end of the world if you don’t.

What You Should Not Do With Facebook • • • •

Do not post every day. Do not make a sales pitch with every post. Do not mention political affiliations. Do not complain. Facebook isn’t a group counseling session.

Take advantage of all Facebook has to offer; after all, it’s easy and it’s free. But at the same time, don’t get caught up in spending too much time on Facebook. It can get addictive.

www.icsmag.com mag com

Easy. Fast. Accurate. Microbial Test Kit from Sporicidin

®

Detect Dangerous Germs, Allergens and Toxic Mold in less than 1 minute! • Safe for Residential, Commercial, and Industrial use • Ideal for testing HVAC Ducts, Restroom Facilities, School and Day Care Centers, and other High Touch Areas • Simple & Easy to Use — Just swab, snap and squeeze, and read the results • Use for detection prior to cleaning or to verify cleanliness post processing • No Expensive Lab or Consultant Fees See insert for complete usage instructions*

What You Should Do With Facebook • • • •

Make friends and keep friends. Educate about spot removal and cleaning. Post about current noteworthy jobs. Post pictures of employees, current jobs, vans, and office.

Sporicidin® by Contec, Inc. ph: +1-864-503-8333 toll free: 1-800-424-3733 [email protected] www.sporicidin.com *The Sporicidin Microbial Test Kit device is only a screening tool that cannot and should not be used as a definitive measure of protein containing mold, allergens, or bio-contamination. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING OR HAVE HEALTH CONCERNS, CONSULT A PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL RESTORATION/IAQ PROFESSIONAL TO ASSIST IN REMEDIATION OF BIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION.

Circle 20 on the Free Information Card February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

31

The Gadget Man

By

Gordon Hanks

Bridgewater Corp. CEO Gordon Hanks got the nickname “Gadget Man” as a result of his brainchild that developed into one of the industry’s leading cleaning and restoration accessories. The Gadget man series is about making life easier and improving profitability. For more information call (800) 658-5314 or e-mail [email protected].

The Smell of Money When you enter the home you are about to clean and are knocked over by the smell of money – otherwise known as animal urine – you have an obligation to detect the source and offer your customer a solution. Doing anything less would be like a doctor suspecting cancer in a patient and not offering diagnosis and treatment.

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our customers may be aware that their dog or cat has done its duty on the carpet, but may not know the full extent to which the duty has been done. I’ve had customers who said, “Oh, I caught my naughty little girl (they believe their pet is their child) going over in the corner once. I gave her a spank and she hasn’t done it again.” Hello – of course she hasn’t done it again in front of you! The “naughty little girl” only goes on the carpet while you’re at work. Our responsibility at this point is to prove to the customer that she has a 32

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

problem and how extensive it is. Armed with the facts, she can now make a decision on treatment options. Before talking about the tools and methods for urine detection, let’s review a few of the other aspects concerning urine contamination in our customers’ homes. If you think of urine as your enemy, you might consider changing your thought process. The removal of urine and its odors sustains a multi-million dollar industry every year. With the proper understanding of your little yellow friend, you, the professional fabric

1

Urine is not the enemy; it’s opportunity

2

Odors associated with urine come from two sources

3

Without the right tools, the resulting treatment may well be incomplete

care specialist, can share in the millions spent to correct the bad effects of urine while helping your customers in a very necessary way. The problems your customer may experience can range from a one-time accident of an animal, over-spray around the toilet (if you have children of the male persuasion, you understand) or a Great Dane who believes the living room carpet is his own special sandbox. A dog or cat that weighs less than 5 pounds will produce more than 10 gallons of urine a year. If the animal concentrates most of that into an area of less than 100 square feet – which many of them do – then the problem can be quite extensive. Urine leaves the body (human or pet) in an acid state, with a pH of about 5 to 6. It is rather pure and generally contains no harmful bacteria, pathogens, or microorganisms. However, it becomes the perfect breeding ground for such as soon as it leaves the body. The main ingredient in urine is uric acid. Urine also contains yellow pigment, urea, cholesterol, enzymes, and small amounts of other chemicals. The uric acid begins to change immediately upon leaving the body. The warm acid state of the urine offers a perfect breeding ground for bacteria which begins to flourish almost immediately. In this original acid state the urine begins to oxidize and react with the carpet to create a color change which may become permanent if the urine is not removed from the carpet. As urine begins to dry it changes its hydrogen content and forms crystalline salts, which take on an alkaline pH. When dried urine is re-moistened it gives off an ammonia gas. This is one way to identify a problem area, by odor. If smelled once, it is seldom forgotten. Circle 2 on the Free Information Card February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

33

The Gadget Man

The source of odors associated with urine comes from two sources. The first is the bacteria that grow abundantly in dark warm places with a never-ending food source. The dog feeds the bacteria daily! This bacteria growth and breakdown of the urine creates amino acids. These complex organic compounds will often work deep into the fibers to a point of nearly becoming part of the fiber. This can present a challenging situation. The waste materials and gases from the decomposing urine create an unpleasant odor. The second source of odor is the chemical odor that is present even when the bacteria has been killed. This explains the reason that more than simple disinfection is necessary to neutralize odors from urine. Urine also presents additional odor problems when the relative humidity is high. The salts and crystals that are formed are hydrophilic, and draw water to them. As the salts are reactivated by moisture, they give off a greater proportion of odorous gases. Our customers are very interested in having the stains and smell removed. Before urine can be treated, the urine must be found. The main tools for detecting urine include:

Nose Whether the nose is yours or your customer’s, it is usually the first tool that is used to indicate that there is an odor problem. Getting on your hands and knees and sticking your nose in the carpet is a fairly effective way of locating the area of urine. This method does, however, have some definite drawbacks.

Moisture Detector Urine salts attract and hold moisture. A better-quality moisture detector is a very effective way of finding urine deposits from the surface of the carpet. The moisture detector, sometimes referred to as a moisture meter or hydrosensor, will have two sharp prongs that are forced into the carpet. When urine, and thus moisture, is present in the carpet and electrical connection takes places between the probes and a beeping or visible signal will indicate an affected area. The disadvantage with this method is the possibility you may miss an affected area. If you do not test in a particular area, you cannot know if urine is there. It may also be difficult to find the margins of the affected area. If you are only planning on treating the exact affected area, then you must be thorough in probing and mapping the entire area so all margins are considered.

Ultraviolet Light This method is very successful and can also be used without pulling the carpet up. Recently, a customer of ours had a job to clean a home where the dog was a small, nervous type. A quick inspection with a professional UV light showed that there was more carpet marked with urine than unmarked, and that it was in every carpeted room in the house. This quick inspection alerted his customer to the fact that Circle 11 on the Free Information Card 34

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

the restoration job went beyond the bedroom in question, which the client had originally asked him to work on. In this situation the ultraviolet light alerted everybody to the extent of the problem in a graphic manner. Ultraviolet lights come in different

shapes and sizes. When choosing your UV light, go with the better models that are designed with the proper wave length for identification of urine and one powerful enough that you do not need to go at night. A wavelength of 385nm is probably the best. This, used with the proper power behind it, will show the urine stain rather then overpowering the viewing area with blue light. UV flashlights using LED lights may be enhanced by the use of yellow glasses to provide clarity. Remember that UV lights also illuminate things beside urine like optical brighteners, vitamin B-12, tonic water and concentrations of detergent, so not everything seen in a house is urine. Also remember that a thorough cleaning of urine decontamination does not mean that the UV light will not detect any urine stains afterwards even when the stains are invisible to the naked eye. It will diminish in intensity, but may still be visible.

Backing Stains Another method for detecting urine is to pull the carpet back and inspect the back for stains. The stains will be most apparent on jute backings, which are seldom used anymore, but can be detected on the synthetic backs as well. The disadvantage of the method is the time and effort to pull the carpet up. If the damage is extensive and you are going to be removing pad or sealing the subfloor, then an inspection of the backing makes sense. Without the proper tools for detection, your treatment of urine contamination may very well be incomplete. Your customer appreciates the best professional care you can give. Using the proper tools when detecting the problem areas will impress them and go a long way toward verifying that you are indeed the professional they were hoping for when they called you.

Core’s Cleaning by Colors™ Complete Carpet & Fiber Cleaning System • • • • •

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Celebrated Quality. Better Value Since 1976. 1-800-825-CORE (2673) • www.coreproductsco.com • [email protected] Circle 17 on the Free Information Card February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

35

Building a Phenomenally Successful Business

By

Howard Partridge

Howard Partridge started his carpet cleaning company (Clean As A Whistle) out of the truck of his car over 25 years ago and built it up to a 14 truck company that bills as much as $2.8 million per year. For over a decade he’s been helping carpet cleaners from around the world build phenomenally successful businesses through Phenomenal Products, Inc. In January he launched Clean As A Whistle Franchising, LLC., offering turnkey Clean As A Whistle franchises. To get Howard’s FREE Tip of the Week, free videos, webinars, and resources, visit www.HowardPartridge.com or call 281-634-0404. Would you let these guys into your home?

Cooking Up Some “Southern Fried” Marketing Since I started writing for ICS in 2007, I’ve covered a lot of ground. But I don’t like to just write the same old thing each year and, more importantly, I want to make sure that I am connecting with you. So I asked the ICS Bulletin Board, “What should I write about?”

S

omeone suggested I write “a cookbook, Southern-fried style.” Well, it just so happens that I’m from L.A. (Lower Alabama!), and a few years ago I created a character named “Bubba” to depict the unscrupulous carpet cleaners of the world who take advantage of unsuspecting customers by advertising a low price, charging more than the quote and doing a lousy job on top of it all. Well, Bubba is real! Your customers know about Bubba! Bubba has been in their home! The problem is they don’t know you ain’t him because, if you’re like most cleaners, you do not have a clearly defined marketing message that outlines what makes you the best choice among all the others.

What is Your Unique Message? Why should people choose you over 36

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

someone else? In Marketing 101, you learn about what’s called a USP (Unique Selling Proposition), what it is that sets you apart from the competition. In other words, what unique benefits do you bring to the party? What do people think when they see your ad? What do those who know about your service say when they talk to other people about you? Last year I had the pleasure of working with Dr. Joseph A. Michelli, best-selling author of The Starbucks Experience. He has studied the inside of America’s most “experiential” companies like The Ritz Carlton Hotel, World Famous Pike Place Fish Market, Zappos, and of course, Starbucks. Michelli says that a brand is nothing more than what people say about you when you’re not around. For years, I have taught a marketing message that will set any company apart and help them posi-

tion themselves with five unique points of differentiation, the first being Reputation. So I was pleased to hear Brent Bowthorpe, an instructor at Interlink’s “Planning to Win” symposium, say that your brand is basically your reputation.

1

Make no mistake, Bubba is very real

2

Your brand is your reputation; keep it polished

3

Compare apples to apples when marketing your business

competitor has placed 40. His competitor is not on the truck answering his calls on his cell phone. He is unaware of the amount of volume his competitor must do just to break even. You have to compare apples to apples. If you are a professional carpet cleaner who believes in education, certification, and a high level of expertise (especially if you are a one-truck operator), then you have tremendous benefits over this other company. Start marketing that rather than copying them.

One of the Most Powerful Marketing Campaigns Ever! Bubba, the world’s most notorious carpet cleaner

Years ago, I got fed up with bait-and-switch cleaners and needed a way to communicate our message better. I was at Surfaces and came across someone selling Bubba teeth. We had this old van in the back of our shop, and I came up with the idea for Bubba the Carpet Cleaner. Our clients loved it! Bubba and his kin have been a part of our marketing ever since.

The Message of Most Cleaners and Restorers If you look at most of the advertising and marketing done by most small businesses – not just cleaners – you will find that the most prominent message revolves around “price” or “work.” Let’s deal with price first. Price advertising comes in many different forms. The form we are most familiar with is a coupon with a price on it. But other forms of price advertising include the words you use in your advertising, like the way you carry yourself; the way you dress; your materials; your van. Everything that the community sees says “I’m cheap!” (which means you must not be that good). Regardless what type of price advertising you do, price advertising always does one thing: it attracts price shoppers! Hello! If you are attracting a multitude of price shoppers, you may want to take a look at how you are marketing your company. There are actually three types of price advertisers: The Bait-and-Switch Guys. They advertise some ridiculous price like $39.95, never intending to honor it. The fine print on the coupon says “heavily soiled carpet requires our deep scrub method.” How many carpets are heavily soiled? All of them! The Price Merchandiser. Now wait a minute. If price advertising doesn’t work, why are all the bigger companies price advertisers? Aha! Those in this category that are actually successful have a few secret weapons that you don’t have. They have massive advertising budgets designed to generate leads, and a bank of operators there to close the sale. Their advertising budget may be $500,000 per month and yours is $1,500! Big difference! The Uninformed Independent Carpet Cleaner. This is the saddest case of all when it comes to price advertisers. This is the guy that sees the external “success” of his price merchandising competitor, probably the one that is undercutting his price and beating the snot out of him. So, to compete, he places the same type of ad, but for a little cheaper. What he doesn’t realize is that he has placed one ad while his

Author’s Note: If you would like to use Bubba in your marketing, send me an e-mail at [email protected]. Include your name, company and address, and I will send you two Bubba postcards that you can use at absolutely no charge. Not available in Houston, Nashville, Pensacola, or West Palm Beach.

Circle 18 on the Free Information Card February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

37

Is

Cellulosic Browning a Thing of the Past? By

C

ellulosic browning on wall-to-wall carpet is, for all practical purposes, a thing of the past. That’s because most broadloom carpet today is made with all-synthetic materials: synthetic pile yarns, synthetic backing materials, even synthetic latex. The point is that, without any cellulose present, there is no chance of browning forming. However, with area rugs, that’s a totally different story. A tan-to-brown generalized staining on rugs – particularly hand-tufted rugs – can be caused by cellulosic browning. Cellulose is the basic building block of plant life. In rugs, cellulose can be found in pile yarns (e.g., jute, cotton, linen, sisal, coir, abaca), in foundation yarns (typically cotton or jute), in fringe (typically cotton), or in secondary backing fabrics (typically cotton).

In the case of hand-tufted rugs, cotton is used as the base fabric into which pile yarns are hand tufted, and the secondary backing is made of 100% cotton yarns. Even machine-woven 100% olefin pile rugs can exhibit browning if they have cotton warp or jute weft yarns in the foundation. Factors that contribute to cellulosic browning include: • a cellulosic material – e.g. cotton, jute, etc. • old or degraded cellulose • water or overwetting • alkaline cleaning solutions, especially if hot, and • prolonged drying Browning arises when a rug’s cellulosic materials become wet during cleaning, or are made wet during unexpected releases

Ruth Travis is a 24-year veteran of the cleaning and restoration industry. She has served as an industry volunteer in many capacities, including as President of the SCRT and the IICRC. She is an IICRC-approved instructor in color repair, rug cleaning and senior carpet inspector. She currently serves as the WoolSafe® Director for North America. www. woolsafeusa.org

Jeff Bishop is an internationally acclaimed author and trainer. He teaches courses in 8 IICRC approved certification categories. A secondgeneration cleaner/restorer, he has published 13 books, 6 videos and 4 online training courses for the industry. For more information, visit www. CleanCareSeminars.net.

38

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

Ruth Travis and Jeff Bishop

of excess water (i.e., water damage). In cellulosic materials, the cells of cellulose are bound by a red-brown sugar-like substance called beta-glucose, or more simply, lignin. Lignin is soluble in water, especially hot alkaline water. When lignin is dissolved in water, during drying, the water migrates or “wicks” to the surface of pile yarns. There the water changes from a liquid to a vapor during evaporation; however, the lignin, which does not evaporate, remains on yarn tips, eventually causing a tan or brown stain. Cellulosic browning is corrected by cleaning using a reducing or a mild oxidizing bleach (i.e., hydrogen peroxide but never chlorine bleach, since that removes color and dissolves protein fiber). Reducers are preferred, since they are less apt to remove color and they have no

1

Cellulose is the basic building block of plant life

2

Reducers are preferred for correcting browning

3

Browning arises when a rug’s cellulosic materials become wet

Photo I linen-pile hand-knotted rug

Photo 2 prespraying half w/reducer-shampoo

Photo 4 hot water extraction (acid rinse)

Photo 5 soil and browning removed

Photo 7 fringe browning

Photo 8 browning corrected w/reducer

by an IICRC-Certified and experienced technician. Certified technicians who have achieved the Carpet Cleaning Technician (CCT) and Rug Cleaning Technician (RCT) designations can be located at www.certifiedcleaners.org. Photo 6 comparative difference

Photo 3 brush agitation

long-term deleterious effect on natural fibers such as wool or cotton (see photos 1-6). Once removed, browning is prevented from returning by leaving fibers in an acid state (i.e., pH 3-5) during rinsing, which is the normal pH range for processed wool fiber.

When browning occurs on machinewoven rugs with olefin pile, it’s simply a matter of giving the rug a light rinse, followed by forced drying. Browning correction on cotton fringe (photo 7), which was covered in a previous ICS article, is removed by applying a reducing solution, followed by hot water rinsing using an approved acid rinse (photo 8). To prevent cellulosic browning during future cleaning of any rug, especially hand-tufted rugs, they should be cleaned

Buyers’ Marketplace Reach your customers in the magazine that continues to dominate industry advertising!

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February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

39

New Products & Technologies 5 1 4

2

6

3 1 Pro’s Choice The Defender debuts on EnvireX line Pro’s Choice is happy to announce a new addition to their EnvireX line, the next generation of carpet protector, Defender. Defender improves the quality and appearance of indoor environments through soil and contamination reduction. “As the most advanced multi-function carpet protector, Defender benefits you in 5 powerful ways: prevents wicking, protects against stains, eliminates yellowing, reduces resoiling and improves the cleaning performance of your vacuum,” the company said. Circle 253 on the Reader Inquiry Card.

2 Butler Corp. Butler introduces Maximum Deodorizer Maximum Deodorizer is “an effective concentration to expel most odors caused by the prolonged exposure to moisture, urine, mildew, vomit, decaying foods and common household odors in carpet and upholstery. Apply Butler Maximum Deodorizer prior to the application of Butler Maximum Traffic Lane Cleaner or before any cleaning procedures are performed. Recommended for use on non-stain-resistant carpet,” the company said. Circle 252 on the Reader Inquiry Card. 40

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

3 Spartan Chemical

5 LeadSafe Video Solutions

Wipe germs away every day

Video offers RRP best practices

Hard Surface Disinfecting Wipes are “convenient, and ready to use in a portable dispensers. No spraying of potentially harmful chemicals into the air, risking respiratory problems or over spray on to sensitive equipment,” the company said. The wipes combat cross contamination on hard, non-porous surfaces such as stainless steel surfaces, plastic surfaces, metal surfaces, and bathrooms. It is an effective disinfectant against: E-Coli, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, MRSA, VRE, VRSA, Pandemic 2009 H1N1, Influenza A2, Herpes, HIV and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Circle 251 on the Reader Inquiry Card.

The 90-minute LeadSafe Video Solutions “RRP Lead Safe Practices” video and manual offer real-world examples of lead-safe practices in compliance with the new RRP rules. The DVD shows examples of how to test for lead; measure square footage of a leaded area; select tools and equipment, and proper set up and clean up. The How-To Manual includes customer communication questions and surveys; written steps to prepare a home; list of equipment with approximate costs; approximate man-hour schedules and more. Circle 249 on the Reader Inquiry Card.

6 MasterBlend 4 Odorcide Odorcide takes out the trash

UrineLock gives immediate odor relief

Odorcide Dumpster & Chute is specifically formulated to eliminate odors commonly found in trash dumpsters and trash chutes. The non-enzymatic product works instantly with no dwell time and is not affected by detergents and disinfectants. Apply with tank sprayers, hose applicators or else it may be fogged. All Thornell products use a non-enzymatic technology that permanently eliminates, not masks, odors on contact. Circle 250 on the Reader Inquiry Card.

MasterBlend’s bio-enzyme odor encapsulator UrineLock is a specially formulated pet odor and stain solution that combines the effectiveness of odor encapsulation with the long-lasting stain and odor fighting capabilities of bio-enzymes. A unique concentration of 4:1 allows use in an in-line pressure sprayer to force solution to carpet backing and pad. Use Urine Lock to remove urine, feces, vomit, and other protein stains and odors. Circle 248 on the Reader Inquiry Card.

7 7 ProRestore ProRestore unveils eco-responsible antimicrobial ProRestore announces the release of BotaniClean, its new eco-responsible antimicrobial. BotaniClean is a unique thymol cleaner and broad-spectrum disinfectant that has no hazardous chemicals and is EPA-registered. “BotaniClean has an EPA Category IV rating, which means there are no warning, danger or caution labels required,” explained Harry Velgich, ProRestore Product Manager. “It’s a pure formulation, which has no extraneous oils for a consistent, effective product every time. It also has a mild pleasant fragrance – no harsh fumes – and is economical compared to products in its category. Circle 247 on the Reader Inquiry Card.

8 Benefect

8

New Botanical Decon takes on bacteria Benefect Botanical Decon 30 is a one-step, ready-to-use, broad-spectrum hospital disinfectant cleaner that kills 99.999% of bacteria in 30 seconds, contains 75% less oils for a much lighter scent, and is “ideal for decontamination, preventing cross-contamination, cleaning and deodorizing in all restoration applications,” the company said. Decon 30 kills gram positive and gram negative microorganisms, Salmonella, Staph, Pseudomonas, E coli., Flu, H1N1, Rhinovirus and more. Circle 246 on the Reader Inquiry Card.

Circle 16 on the Free Information Card February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

41

New Products & Technologies

11 9 12

9 U.S. Products Extractors all about power and performance U.S. Products introduces the PEX series of portable extractors, already being called “the future of portable carpet extractors,” the company said. 11 Powr-Flite The PEX system is available in two models, On the prowl to the 200 and 500, both with an innovative soundmake carpets cleaner deadening system for daytime-quiet operation. Powr-Flite’s medium-sized, walk-behind, selfCRI Gold-certified, the 500 has a dual threecontained Prowler carpet extractor PFX900S stage vacuum system; the Silver-certified 200 has is designed for use in moderate-sized offices, a dual two-stage system. Both have on-demand schools, healthcare centers, and hotels. 212-degreeF heat. Both machines have innovaThis compact system has separate vacuum, tive fresh-air intake manifolds to enhance perforbrush, and pump switches, giving the operator mance and extend vacuum life. Circle 245 on the greater control over all carpet cleaning tasks. A Reader Inquiry Card. three-stage vacuum motor provides maximum recovery and a 1,300 rpm floating brush head 10 Polygon optimizes agitation, leaving carpets cleaner and healthier than would comparable systems. Circle Polygon adds to dehumidifier line 243 on the Reader Inquiry Card. Polygon’s Humidity Control Unit 8000 “combines cooling and desiccant dehumidification technologies in one energy-efficient system. The unit controls dew point temperatures in hot, hu- 12 Tornado Industries mid climates, and is ideal for use in structural The small sensation drying, temporary humidity control in building construction, and condensation and corrosion The cordless, battery-powered BD 14/4 floor control,” the company said. scrubber from Tornado Industries “is one ma“The HCU is capable of delivering dew points chine that caught everyone’s eye at the ISSA as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit in even the hightradeshow. The BD 14/4 has a 14-inch cleaning est humidity load conditions,” said David Simpath, making it perfect for scrubbing smaller kins, director of industrial services for Polygon, rooms or congested areas. The unit cleans up to formerly a division within Munters. “This is ac11,000 square feet of flooring before it requires complished using less energy and providing comrecharging, which is easy with the BD 14/4’s onfortable outlet temperatures.” Circle 244 on the board battery charger,” the company said. Circle Reader Inquiry Card. 242 on the Reader Inquiry Card. 42

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

1 10

HTC Sweden Twister revolutionizing hospital cleaning In a February 2010 report, when compared with the existing cleaning method at the Danderyd Hospital in Sweden, it was established that “floors cleaned with the Twister had a much lower bacterial content, retained cleanliness for a much longer time and they had less friction during mopping compared to floors cleaned with the existing method,” the company said. Ingrid Karlsson, cleaning manager at Sahlgrenska Hospital, is implementing the Twister at her facility. ”The main advantage with Twister is that you don’t have to deal with any chemicals,” she said. “That you also, after a first upgrade, only need to use one pad when cleaning is another great advantage. It’s nice not having to think about which pad to use. The workload will also drop for the staff, since with the Twister it is sufficient to dry mop during daily cleaning as opposed to before when you had to wet mop.” Circle 241 on the Reader Inquiry Card.

MustSee Products Gallery The ICS Must See Products Gallery is a multimedia showcase designed to allow manufacturers and distributors an opportunity to introduce new products, programs and technologies through a variety of platforms. The information and claims found here are provided by the manufacturers; q q anyy questions or requests for more information should be directed to them.

The Butler System Wanted! Used Butler Systems

Core Products Green Logic ™ Organic Ice Melt is a premium product designed to melt ice and snow with naturally occurring elements, including potassium, which is a plant nutrient. This unique, ready-to-use, proprietary blend, is new and improved. The green safety color coating for visibility reduces over-application and provides clear evidence that an ice melter is in use. When used as directed, Green Logic ™ Organic Ice Melt is a safer choice to clear away ice on concrete, walkways and driveways. For details circle #102 on the Free Information Card.

Regardless of Age, Machine Hours, Van Mileage or Condition. The Butler Corporation offers an exclusive program to provide customers with the opportunity to trade-in or cash-in their Butler System and van at anytime during ownership. The trade-in/cash-in value for a used Butler System/van could be as much as 75% (or more) of the original purchase price. For details circle #101 on the Free Information Card.

Groom Solutions Lift-INK is multi-purpose solvent formulated for use on carpet and fabric that is designed to remove ballpoint pen, stamp pad, duplicating, marking, writing, felt tip and colored art inks. It has been specifically formulated to be in compliance with the latest voc emission regulations. Lift-INK is both water and solvent soluble. For details circle #103 on the Free Information Card.

Rotovac Corporation Rotovac 360i

Thornell Corporation Odorcide® - Now get “the one that works” for specific odor jobs. Odorcide® is now available in specific formulas for odors caused by Cigarette Smoke, Fire & Floods, Dumpsters & Chutes and Laundry. Just like the “Original” formula these new non-enzymatic products work instantly with no dwell time and are not affected by detergents and disinfectants. Application is easy using tank or bottle sprayers, hose applicators, fogging or simply adding to the cleaning operation as needed. All Thornell products use our unique proprietary formula that permanently eliminates, not masks, odors on contact. Ask you local distributor for “the one that works” - Odorcide®. For more detailed information or to request a sample visit us at www.odorcide.com. For details circle #105 on the Free Information Card.

Tired of scrubbing that wand back and forth? The new Rotovac 360i utilizes patented rotary vacuum heads to thoroughly deep clean carpet with hundreds of multi-directional cleaning passes. In addition, the 360i has interchangeable cleaning heads for bonnet, encapsulation and hard surface (tile and grout) cleaning as well as new diamond dust pads for removing scratches from natural stone floors. Weighing only 39 pounds, the 360i is easily maneuverable and extremely user friendly. For details circle #104 on the Free Information Card.

February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

43

Buyers’ Marketplace REACH YOUR CUSTOMERS IN THE MAGAZINE THAT CONTINUES TO DOMINATE INDUSTRY ADVERTISING!

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UltraSeal Impregnator - Grout & Stone Solvent-Based Sealer - No Haze Best Value - Top Performance. Gal. - $33.95 + Free Freight Valid 1 month www.CobbCarpet.com Mention ICS Phone: 800-634-2622 Special

Sign up for your FREE subscription

RR &

Restoration & Remediation

Buyers’ Marketplace Reach your customers in the magazine that continues to dominate industry advertising!

DYNACHEM DIV - COBB CARPET SUPPLY WATS: 800-634-2622

Contact Sharon Ward

www.cobbcarpet.com

For More Informawww.icsmag icsmag..com

www.RandRmagonline RandRmagonline..com 46

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

tion

(847) 405-4017

[email protected]

Ad Index Company Name/Phone/URL

Page No.

Abatement Technologies.................. 21

RS No.

8

800-634-9091 www.abatement.com/restoration

Bridgepoint Systems ........................ 5

3

24

1

MasterBlend ................................. 51

Phenomenal Products ..................... 17

6

Phoenix Restoration Equipment ........ 19

888-881-1001 x104 www.connectionsconvention.org

21

Prochem ....................................... 52

15

800-776-2436 www.prochem.com

17

800-825-CORE www.coreproductsco.com

800-948-1754 www.tesdryingsystem.com

23

www.sapphirescientific.com

Sporicidin by Contec ....................... 31 10

16

888-617-3266 www.restcon.com

Sapphire Scientific ........................... 7 4

2

800-368-1247 www.proschoice.com

RestCon Environmental ................... 41

Extech Instruments ........................ 13

19

Prochem ........................................ 3

Pro’s Choice .................................. 33 Connections.................................26-27 13

E-TES Drying Systems ..................... 16

22

5

800-653-8338 www.cleanco.com

CORE Products .............................. 35

7

800-533-7533 www.usephoenix.com

800-455-4278 www.cleancareseminars.net

Cleanco Truckmounts...................... 29

9

866-266-2914 www.howardpartridge.com/makingadifference

www.encapchallenge.com

Clean Care Seminars ...................... 48

HydraMaster .................................. 2

RS No.

303-373-0702 www.masterblend.net

800-535-5025 www.butlersystem.com

Clausen Stay Clean ......................... 20

Page No.

800-426-1301 www.hydramaster.com

800-658-5314 www.bridgepoint.com

Butler System, The .......................... 9

Company Name/Phone/URL

20

864-503-8333 www.sporicidin.com

877-894-7440

Vaportek ....................................... 34 FLIR ............................................. 15

12

866-477-3687 www.flir.com

WoolSafe Organization, The ............. 49 Full Circle Business Support Team .... 33

11

800-237-6367 www.vaportek.com

14

2

888-638-1315 www.fullcirclemember.com

HitMan Advertising ......................... 37

18

888-211-7702 www.carpetcleaningads.com

February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

47

CFI Report By Jack Freedman

CFI Chapter News

L

os Angeles Chapter Director Vince Attardo invites everyone to a chapter meeting Feb. 17 from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm at Fibermark, 1643 Tenth Street in Santa Monica, CA 90404. CFI Co-Chapter Director Mark Goodman of Mark the Carpet Bagger will be speaking on “The In`s and Out`s of Spotting” and Gregory Spence, owner of Truckmount MD, will be speaking about “Truckmount Maintenance.” Orange/Inland Empire Chapter Director Jason Hensley announces that the chapter has a lot on its plate for the 1st quarter of 2011. The Loma Linda Ronald McDonald House Cleanup Event is set for Saturday, Feb. 5. Inland Empire Chapter Mem-

800-455-4278 • 334-983-8730 outside US or visit www.CleanCareSeminars.net for 2011 courses: • Jan. 31-Feb. 4: Commercial Drying Specialist, Dothan, AL • Feb. 16-18: Rug Cleaning Tech, Dothan, AL • Feb. 23-24: Carpet Repair & Reinstallation Tech, Columbus, OH • Feb. 28-Mar. 5: Senior Carpet Inspector, Dalton, GA • Mar. 10-11: Disaster Management, Marketing & Sales, Atlanta, GA • April 1-4: Rug Cleaning Tech, Melbourne, Australia • May 10-12: Rug Cleaning Technician, Philadelphia, PA Need IICRC Continuing Education Credits (CECs) – or employee pre-training??? We have on-line, web-based training programs; no travel, at your convenience!

• Principles and Methods of Carpet Cleaning at www.CleanCareSeminars.net/PCCM • Practical Psychrometry: The Art of Drying at www.CleanCareSeminars.net/PPP • Microbial Contamination Remediation at www.CleanCareSeminars.net/MCR • WOOLSAFE® Fabric Care Specialist at www.CleanCareSeminars.net/WoolSafe

Check out our educational Books and Videos Visit www.CleanCareSeminars.net Circle 5 on the Free Information Card 48

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

bers will spearhead this event, but all CFI members are welcome to lend a hand! Feb. 22 features a chapter meeting with Noel Frank from Chemspec as the guest speaker. The location is the RestoTech DKI Training Facility at 23062 La Cadena Laguna Hills, CA 92653.

CFI Secretary/Treasurer Matt Cole reports that on Feb. 9 from 5:30-9:00 pm., there will be a chapter meeting at Central California Cleaning Supply in North Highlands. Special guest speaker Don Snider from CTI/Pro`s Choice will present a hands-on stain cleaning class. Don has been in the cleaning and restoration industry for over 15 years. He will show how to remove those stains you could not remove before, and make you look like a hero to your customer. New and old cleaners will leave with a lot more knowledge than they came with. Don is a great instructor and loves to help people solve problems. We will have door prizes, so come early. Arizona Chapter Director Norma S. McCormick says this year is packed with hands-on training, charity cleaning, and business developments classes. The Feb. 8 meeting deals with Area Rug Cleaning and “The Insurance Industry – what do you really need to know?” Hear from the adjusters on issues that arise and how to overcome them correctly. On Site is hosting the meeting at 1022 W 23rd Street Tempe, AZ. from 5:00 to 9:00pm. For more information please call Norma at 480821-1481. For more on the CFI go to www.carpet9.org or call 1-800-Carpet9.

PCUCA News By Jillian Olson

PCUCA Announces Big Changes for 2011

T

he PCUCA celebrated the holidays on Dec. 3 in Denver at The Tavern Downtown. It was a fun networking event that gave some relaxation to Members during the busy holiday season. Members enjoyed dinner while networking and fun games like bowling, pool, and shuffle board. Thank you to all the PCUCA Members who were able to come. The PCUCA has some big and exciting changes for 2011! The PCUCA will be offering webinars every month, ranging from technical information for the cleaning and restoration industry to business and marketing ideas that will make every company successful.

Lastly, a new consumer-based website will be launched called “Professional Cleaners and Restorers” that will help consumers answer questions about cleaning and restoration, find recommended companies for a specific job, and provide a great marketing opportunity for PCUCA member companies. PCUCA announces its new 2011 Board of Directors: President Gregory Chancey; Vice President Sam Castro; Secretary Steve Moran; Treasurer Clark Griep; and Board Members David Keiter, Steve Douma, and Steve Huffman. Look for these and more new PCUCA member opportunities in 2011!

Are you cleaning rugs and searching for more knowledge of wool and its care?

Take the WoolSafe® Fabric Care Specialist course on-line. It’s approved for 2 IICRC CECs. Want to gain more credibility with your customers? Then become a WoolSafe® Approved Service Provider.

A new “Caring for Your Carpet & Spotting Guide” was released at the end of January for members to provide to their customers. This guide will be a helpful tool for consumers to use in their homes and a great marketing tool for PCUCA Member businesses.

For more information visit WoolSafe® North America at

www.woolsafeusa.org Circle 14 on the Free Information Card February 2011 | www.icsmag.com

49

CRA News By Brandi Richardson

CRA Adds to BOD, Seeks Committee Members

S

pring is right around the corner, so let’s start the season with new education and more opportunities for advancement. We have selected several willing volunteers to organize and assist in promoting regional quarterly workshops. The new programs along with a description of the subject matter to be presented in each workshop will be announced in the near future. The Cleaning and Restoration Association would like to welcome four new Board Members:

Brandi Richardson is Member Services Coordinator for the CRA. You can reach her at [email protected] or call her at (916) 736-1100 ext 302.

• Lynsey Camara from PuroClean Home Rescue. • O.P. Almaraz from Allied Restoration Services, Inc. • Gabe Matthews from Christian Brothers Cleaning and Restoration, Inc. • Don Banister from The Garment Restoration Company. We look forward to working with our new and previous Board Members and helping CRA accomplish many more goals in this upcoming year.

Committee Update CRA is looking to have active participants added to the following committees: • Media – Responsible for preparing media announcements and monthly updates • Communications & Activities – Plan, coordinate, and implement Newsletter, Info Pack and social activities for the membership throughout the year. • Education – Responsible for identifying educational programs of interest to the membership and prospective members. • Workshop – Responsible for arranging for or developing the workshop agendas, speakers and facilities. • Membership – Responsible for gaining new member’s interest, member retention, coordinating & implementing new membership benefits and more. • Outreach Program – Plan, coordinate, and implement the Outreach programs. Responsible for proposing and planning programs and strategies to make the CRA more visible to industry partners. • Mentoring – CRA is putting together a Mentoring program; this program builds a foundation for the future in the field of cleaning and restoration by connection new members with seasoned industry professionals. For more information on joining any of these committees, or on the CRA itself, contact Brandi Richardson at [email protected].

50

Cleaning Specialist | February 2011

MasterBlend

®

T H E I N N O VAT O R S

The MASTERBLEND EL DIABLO has a 195,000 BTU Diesel heater for consistently high cleaning temperatures of 230˚F and higher with up to 2,000 psi cleaning pressure. Within 30 seconds you will achieve water temperatures of 200˚F plus from a cold start - achieve and maintain your desired temperature. With the El Diablo you get all the heat and power you need, no other truckmount has better heat - who says you can’t have it all!

GOLD

Immediatef Odor Relie

This feature rich machine was designed for simple operation and ease of maintenance! The El Diablo weighs approximately 700 pounds and can be mounted in either the rear or side of a van. • Powered by a Kohler V-Twin 27 HP Engine • Roots 4.5 Whispair DSL blower (Dual Splash Lubricated) features splash oil lubrication on both the gear end and drive end. NO MORE GREASING THE BLOWER! • The waste tank vacuum regulating system is controlled by a Kunkle Valve which limits relief to 14” of mercury preventing vacuum and airflow loss before reaching full load. This unique vacuum relief system allows long hose runs of 700 feet and dual wand cleaning with the performance you need. • The 75 gallon waste tank is stainless steel and guaranteed for 5 years. The waste tank features an aluminum waste basket for easy maintenance and an automatic pump-out option.

UrineLock™ Bio Enzyme Odor Encapsulation

Powerful portables that go anywhere and do everything!

Urine Lock is a specially formulated pet odor and stain solution that combines the effectiveness of odor encapsulation with the long-lasting stain and odor fighting capabilities of bio-enzymes. Use Urine Lock to remove urine, feces, vomit, and other protein stains and odors.

The MasterForce gives you proven performance in a compact package. This lightweight, easy to maneuver and load portable conquers stair climbing with ease. The MasterForce comes in several models and options to choose from.

1-800-525-9644 • www.masterblend.net 5285 Fox Street • Denver, CO 80216 • 303.373.0702 • Fax 303.373.4968 Circle 7 on the Free Information Card

Circle 15 on the Free Information Card