The job of cleaning professionals when working indoors should be to understand and use environmentally sound methods. All technical knowledge and training is of the utmost importance when Cleaning For Health. Professional Cleaners should always be aware of potential health issues in an indoor environment. Whether commercially or residentially, all environmental management that falls under the auspices of cleaning require proper techniques and products to insure the required results. Understanding these potential health issues let Professional Cleaners define and market the services that they offer and set corresponding rate structures. Advertising programs should be designed to promote Cleaning For Health and the inherent benefits. The Company that emphasizes Cleaning For Health will be in higher demand than those that just clean for the sake of cleaning. Knowledge is power and it is possible that Cleaning For Health may require extra work and expense. However, it will open opportunities that will set a Company above its competitors. These opportunities will generate more income which will lead to higher profits. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, July 26, 2024
Cleaning For Health
Friday, July 19, 2024
ACRES OF DIAMONDS
Acres of Diamonds is the title of a book published over 70 years ago. It is also a phrase used by many motivational speakers to talk about people who go looking for riches (new business). All the while overlooking the potential riches (business) in their own back yard (their existing customers). Many businesses focus so hard on attracting new customers that they overlook their existing customers. New customers are certainly important for the growth of a business but existing customers are just as important, possibly even more so because they make a business “healthier”. Anyone familiar with advertising knows that first time customers absorb a certain percentage of a Company’s’ operating budget. However, working for a repeat customer actually “saves” the advertising expense for that customer. Therefore making work done for that customer more profitable. Previous customer records are not just customers, they are potential testimonials to be used in advertising promotions. They are also a source of repeat business and referrals because they are satisfied with the service they have previously received. As is the case with repeat customers, those customers referred do not “cost” anything in advertising expense which makes them also more profitable. Regarding customers who provide referrals, a way to say “thank you” is by offering them a Gift Service Certificate redeemable at their next appointment. They will appreciate the fact they have been acknowledged and it should naturally lead to more referrals. Contact existing customers via direct mail or e-mails.This is not only a chance to “stay in touch” but remind them of all the services you offer. Another reason to “stay in touch” is that people are busy and unfortunately may forget who provided them service in the past even though they were satisfied. If they are “mined” properly, existing customers will become the Acres of Diamonds in our own backyard. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, July 12, 2024
TEAM
As the image states, “together everyone achieves more.” This certainly applies to most sports teams and to the majority of businesses. Teams use the draft to bring in new players. Businesses will use recruiting and hiring practices to bring in new people. Sports teams and businesses will either succeed, languish in mediocrity or worse yet fail due to their drafting and recruiting prowess. The obvious “key” in recruiting and ultimately hiring the right person is to have the proper fit. A business may hire a talented person but if that person is not a team player then the hiring will be a failure. As an owner of a small business, it is important that a team atmosphere be fostered. All team members need to know what the Company, the owner and everyone on the team stands for and what are the goals. It is important that all the team members accept these goals. Everyone should make a commitment to work to help the team and the Company be successful and profitable. Related Articles and Information:
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Thursday, July 04, 2024
INDEPENDENCE DAY
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Obviously Independence Day, the Fourth of July, is the day the United States commemorates its Declaration of Independence. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject and subordinate to the monarch of Britain and were now united, free and independent states. This day historically has been marked by various activities. Among them parades, celebrations, baseball games, reunions, social gatherings, concerts and firework displays. Much has transpired over the last few years and those events and the occurrences happening now continue to effect and challenge our daily lives. We continue to face trying and abnormal times, times that continue to challenge the very fabric of America and The Republic for which it stands. We should not forget this fact, that this day marked the beginning of a long and bloody conflict to gain the Independence that our founding Fathers felt was so very important. It is what became the American Way of Life and what was so eloquently stated in The Constitution. The fact that not everyone agrees with what everyone else says is what makes America great. The fact that we are free to disagree, the fact that we are free to voice our opinion and the fact that we are free to live our lives as we see fit. As long as, we do so with honor and respect of all others and within the boundaries of the law. It is important to remain vigilant that the freedoms we so cherish and that so many gave their lives for over 200 years ago are not eroded, diluted or eliminated by those that purport to know what’s best for America. So as you participate in whatever you have planned for this day, take a moment to be thankful for what you have and the fact that you live in The United States of America. God Bless America!! Thank you for reading Bane’s Blog® 
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Friday, June 28, 2024
Be Careful
Is your company not receiving a reasonable amount of repeat and referral business? It may behoove you to consider what is being discussed or done in a customer’s home. If a customer doesn’t like what transpired, they probably went somewhere else the next time for service. If the first fifteen minutes of a service call is spent telling them how busy you are and why you were late, they may begin to doubt all of your abilities. They’re probably thinking that if you didn’t talk so much you might just have been on time. On entering a customer’s home or place of business, keep your eyes on your job. If you’re there to clean the carpet, the carpet should be the focal point of your attention as much as possible. Never stare or comment on any of their possessions. People are naturally leery of what they may feel is someone casing their home. Customers of a tolerant nature and of extremely polite manners may put up with a long-winded service operator. However, in the end most customers will tire of political, religious and other sensitive topics even if their views align with yours or your technician. Bluntly the majority of people don’t like it. People who work in the service industry often find themselves with a captive audience. Some operators unfortunately use this opportunity to preach. Bottom line, most just talk too much. Truly busy people don’t have the time to talk about how busy they are or give excuses why they are late or engage in non-essential conversation. Be Careful what is said and done while on site - the success and profitability of the Company may depend on it. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, June 21, 2024
Why Be In Business?
Business is defined as a noun that means a usually commercial, mercantile or service activity. It is further described as a means of livelihood. People start a business for a variety of reasons and or desires. Some of the those are:
Whatever the reason, the most successful companies will be those that were started by people who wanted “To be the best in their industry”. Believing in ones' concepts and providing energy for a company is one of the pre-requisites for being number one in a business. Genuine believers strive to make sure that everything about their Company is First Class. They formulate a plan and then they work to make that plan become a reality. This can come to fruition based upon their drive and pride in their business. They strive to assemble all of the attributes that encompass what will propel their Company “to be be the best”. They possess confidence in themselves and their plan and the belief that their plan will be successful. The by-product of being “the best in their industry” is that they will make more money and enjoy it over a longer period of time. As opposed to those who are just in business simply “to make money”. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, June 14, 2024
FATHER’S DAY
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Father’s Day is June 16th. It is a day to mark and celebrate the contribution that our Fathers have made in our lives. Many people send or give cards or gifts. These gifts are often related to their Father’s hobbies or interests. Father’s Day is a relatively modern holiday, so different families have a range of traditions. Besides cards or gifts, many Fathers receive a phone call, if circumstances prevent a family from being together. If families can get together, activities may revolve around church, since the day is Sunday. Many families will have parties or outings that honor all the Father figures in their extended family. These Father figures include fathers, step-fathers, fathers-in-law, grandfathers and great grand fathers. Happy Father's Day !! From the Bane-Clene® Team. 
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Friday, June 07, 2024
RECORD KEEPING
The proper storage and keeping of pertinent records and documents of a Company is highly important. All too often these are either misplaced or stuffed in a drawer or box and forgotten. Record keeping falls into different categories.
Whether by File Cabinets, Cloud or Off-Site don't neglect proper Record Keeping. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, May 31, 2024
MANAGEMENT TOOLS
Management is often guilty of hiring people and then failing to educate and train them adequately. Also in some instances, they are not provided the necessary tools to properly do their job to the best of their ability. Almost without exception, a business that succeeds in attracting new and repeat customers is propelled by its staff. This staff is known for being informed and helpful. Whether they work in the field, behind a counter or on the phone. A friendly and caring attitude is indispensable for good customer service. This is a quality that should be sought at the time of hiring and then cultivated through training sessions and follow up procedural meetings. To develop a team with this winning spirit, management must be willing to devote the time, energy and resources necessary to train their staff. They should educate, instill knowledge and confidence and ultimately empower them to represent the Company to the best of their ability. Esprit De Corps and loyalty of staff members can be enhanced by a reward for service above and beyond what is normally expected. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways and may be tailored to what fits best within the structure of the Company. In any business, management must educate, train, empower and reward employees so that the Company will have success and be profitable. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, May 24, 2024
MEMORIAL DAY MAY 27, 2024
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The custom of honoring those who have fallen in battle by cleaning and decorating graves is an ancient and worldwide tradition. It was originally called “Decoration Day”. In early rural America, this duty was usually done in late summer and became an occasion for family reunions. After the “Civil War” the practice became more prominent as America’s need for a patriotic ceremony to honor its military dead. After “WW I”, the day was expanded to honor those who had died in all American Wars. The tradition of wearing red Poppies as a symbol of this day was actually the idea of an American, Miss Moina Michael. The holiday is observed on the last Monday of May. The first national commemoration was observed on May 30th.1868 at Arlington National Cemetery. It is considered the unofficial start of Summer. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of “The Indianapolis 500” which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911. It's 108th running will be Sunday May 26th. The preferred name for the holiday gradually changed from “Decoration Day” to “Memorial Day”, it was first used in 1882. However, it only became the most common name after "WW II" and was not declared a Federal Holiday until 1967. While the passing of an act in 1968 created 3 day weekends for Memorial Day and other holidays, it has also no doubt contributed to a general nonchalant observance by some people for this important day. We at Bane-Clene® do not take that nonchalant attitude. We realize that our great country is just that because of the dedication and countless sacrifices of the men and women who have fought and died to keep us. We are the Land of the Free because we are the Home of the Brave. 
Thank you for reading Bane’s Blog® Please read the latest issue of the Clene-Times® at www.baneclene.com/publications/. Please visit our web site at www.baneclene.com. The Bane-Clene® Team. Free Bane-Clene Information Package
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Friday, May 17, 2024
THE PHONE
The phone is the life line of a service business. Granted there are advertising campaigns, web sites, customer referral, etc. These and other tangible efforts are designed to do one thing, make the phone ring. From that point forward, how that call is handled will determine the outcome of the call. Will it be a “sale” or a lost opportunity? In many instances, service companies rely on voice mail or answering services to handle the initial contact. Whether by necessity or design, these are not the best ways to handle the phone inquiry. Many times, a potential customer is “shopping” therefore they are looking for immediate answers. The majority of the time, they may leave a message but will more than likely be making other calls to competitors. Possibly by the time their call is returned, they may have made a “buying” decision. For the sake of this blog, the discussion will presume the phone call has been answered “live” or returned before the potential customer has made a buying decision.
The phone should be viewed as importantly as the tools and technicians used in the Company. Failure to do so will prevent a chance to display the quality of the service business. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, May 10, 2024
MOTHER’S DAY
MOTHER’S DAYMother’s Day will be celebrated on May 12, 2024, in The United States of America and many other countries around the world. It is an honoring of the Mother of a family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence mothers have had and continue to have on our society. Mother’s Day can trace its roots to ancient Greek, Roman and Christian traditions; also Native Americans believe in the tradition of Mother Earth. All of these traditions have taken on their own type of celebration and recognition. The modern Mother’s Day began in the USA in 1911. In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother’s Day as a national holiday which would be recognized on the second Sunday of May. Thank you for reading Bane’s Blog® 
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Friday, May 03, 2024
PROSPECTS
Marketing for individual prospects may appear at times a costly investment in a business. We are certainly not advocating abandoning or scaling back that portion of an advertising program. What we are encouraging is calling on your local businesses in aligned fields. These Companies are in constant contact with individuals and other Companies that will be prospects for Carpet, Rugs and Upholstery cleaning services. First and foremost on the list are Carpet Retailers. One can only imagine the number of potential prospects they come in contact with on a daily basis. Their customers have engaged them in the purchase of carpeting and or rugs. So, it is only natural that their customers contact them about cleaning and whom they recommend. In fact, with many carpet warranties requiring periodic cleaning then this contact could be priceless. Other contacts for residential cleaning could include Maid Services, Window Cleaners and other related services such as Dry Cleaners. They also have contact with potential clientele. On the commercial cleaning side, there are Janitorial and Building Maintenance services. Finally, one off the wall contact would be Veterinarians. Why? Well their clientele (furry friends) occasionally have accidents and these accidents may require cleaning and deodorizing. Whomever is approached should obviously be offered a demonstration. Credentials and affiliations with appropriate organizations should be provided. A Certificate of Insurance is another important item. Any references that can be provided will only enhance a presentation. Any or all of these prospects would want to align themselves with a high quality professional cleaning services. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, April 26, 2024
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Multiple articles, surveys, etc. with Customer Satisfaction as the topic have been published. In fact, we ourselves have done so on more than one occasion. That said, we feel it bares repeating. Everyone is painfully aware that prices continue to rise, supply chains even after over 4 years continue to be less than dependable. Reliable and dedicated employees are at a premium. So how do these and other factors impact and relate to Customer Satisfaction? Basically, it means people have less money to spend so discretionary spending is scrutinized even more carefully. Many dissatisfied customers don’t bother to complain which only magnifies the need for Customer Satisfaction. For those that do complain, here are some of the most cited reasons:
Customers are hard and costly to cultivate; so losing them to a lack of Customer Satisfaction is obviously detrimental to building a successful and profitable business. Related Articles and Information:
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Friday, April 19, 2024
Urgency
Urgency was once the watchword for every da life. Whether in someone's personal or business lives this was what motivated people. Too often today, assignments are met with an attitude of, “I’ll get to it when I can.” Making a job or task last longer for perceived job security or not finishing it until tomorrow is considered an acceptable way by many. In reality, if the job was finished as expediently as possible not only would the company benefit but also the employee would benefit by actually increasing their job security. An employer would view this as a “can do” attitude as opposed to just putting in the required time. Additionally, those in charge would realize the value of this person and it would foster better relationships in the work place. In all fairness, there are many distractions today, text messages, personal phone calls, checking personal e-mails or just perusing the web all can and will take away from an employee's productivity. An employee that can rise above all those distractions or keep them to a bare minimum will quickly show their worth and value to a Company. All that said, a sense of urgency must start at the top. Management and or owners should never show a nonchalant attitude when dealing with day to day activities. Employees shouldn’t be expected to care if their boss exudes an air of indifference or appears lackadaisical. Exhibiting a sense of urgency by management and employees will increase productivity and translate into more profits and therefore success for everyone and the Company. Related Articles and Information:
Thank you for reading Bane’s Blog® Please read the latest issue of the Clene-Times® at www.baneclene.com/publications/. Please visit our web site at www.baneclene.com. The Bane-Clene® Team. Free Bane-Clene Information Package
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Friday, April 12, 2024
VACATION
A vacation is considered a respite or break from something. Just thinking about the word conjures up certain pleasant mental images. Depending on your preference it could be the beach, the mountains, theme parks or a myriad of other enjoyable locales. Our jobs can bring moments of stress and anxiety. Whether, we work on the phone or out in the field it all mounts up. Demanding customers, broken supply chains, time restraints and pressures from bosses or colleagues are just a few of the situations we face day-to-day. However, in the world we now live in, a real vacation may just be a dream. Costs continue to rise and travel can be a hassle. While certainly abated, the specter of Covid still exists. Many places once considered safe are not. Yet, we all need something to relieve stress and anxiety. To that end, perhaps a mini-vacation will help. Before you take the next phone call or arrive at the next service location or designation, take time to “get-a-way”. If you are in the office, you can get a cup of coffee or just take a short walk. If driving, pull over and get out and stretch your legs. Take a moment to close your eyes and envision a place that makes you smile. While your eyes are closed, take a few deep breaths and avoid thinking about work, appointments or pending duties. Continue reflecting and let your mind relax and transport you as you float away to your perfect vacation spot. If you allow it, you can experience a vacation without ever being there. After a few minutes on vacation, you’ll be ready to get back to work feeling invigorated, refreshed and with a renewed outlook. Thank you for reading Bane’s Blog® Please read the latest issue of the Clene-Times® at www.baneclene.com/publications/. Please visit our web site at www.baneclene.com. The Bane-Clene® Team. Free Bane-Clene Information Package
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