STAINMASTER® lifetime warranty

Invista™ Surfaces, a division of Invista Performance Surfaces & Materials and owner of the Stainmaster brand, has announced a new lifetime warranty on Stainmaster carpets. The warranty covers all food and beverage stains, soiling, static shock and even pet urine stains. This all sounds good, but wait! Do you need a written warranty to make a claim?

New Stainmaster carpet was purchased for our bedroom in June and it looks great. I expect it to be every bit as good as or even better than the old Stainmaster that I've had in my family room for 25 years. But, just like the original purchase, there was no warranty or maintenance information given to me by the carpet retailer or the installer.

Since I've been in the cleaning business for 50 years, I'm often asked about my preference in carpet. I've recommended Stainmaster to my customers and friends ever since I wrote the first five-year report on it back in 1992. There has been a similar report written every five years. The carpet is still on our family room floor off the garage entrance and it looks good.

Most everyone in the cleaning business is asked to recommend carpet. With some of the cheap goods on the market today, recommending Stainmaster to your customers will protect your reputation. But be sure to tell them to insist on warranty forms and cleaning instructions when they make the purchase. I purposely didn't ask just to see if things had changed.

The CRI™ says a consumer survey revealed that most complaints about carpet involve cleaning. The hard fact is, cleaners are a distant third behind installers and retailers in complaints. Instead of CRI extorting money from cleaners and their suppliers for their bogus SOA program, they should instruct people who sell and install carpet how to do their job.

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Ah! Those Scots

Besides dust balls and slip and fall accidents, hard floors are falling out-of-favor with a widening number of consumers. In April, I wrote about folks in England complaining about noise from hard floors in apartments above them and filing law suits in court for relief in the problem.

Now hardwood floors have been banned from thousands of apartments in two of Scotland’s largest cities. According to the Scottish Daily Record, complaints about noise have caused landlords in Edinburgh and Dundee to be ordered to install carpet.

Owners face up to $6,000 per unit in cost for new carpet for each apartment and are not happy. Complainers say the order will improve the lives of thousands of Scots living in apartments who suffer from noisy neighbors who clomp around above them.

The news is good for those in the carpet cleaning business. I was here for the first carpet revolution and it started much the same way. It steadily gained strength and finally rolled like a juggernaut to dominate the flooring industry. It hasn't started to roll yet this time, but it will.

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Hiring

How to find and keep good people has always been a stumbling block in business. If you hire the right person in the beginning, your retention rate will be better. Before you begin looking for a new employee, develop a profile of the person you're seeking. Review the characteristics of good people in your company and use them as role models for your applicants.

In the cleaning business, "technical skills" can be taught quickly, but "people skills" are far more difficult to learn. Applicants with good people skills are easy to spot in an interview. They show enthusiasm, they have a ready smile, make eye contact and have a firm handshake. Rudimentary training will provide the skills that will allow that person to meet the company's expectations.

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Overwhelmed and under educated

An excerpt from an article in an ultra liberal publication spells out what the smartest people in the world think of ordinary folks. "The European Union and United States are continuing their pursuit of healthier buildings, construction products, and building materials. Both sides of the Atlantic are equally involved in the creation of a progressive policy, yet struggling with the challenges of an overwhelmed and under educated marketplace."

Notice they use the term "Progressive Policy" and refer to the rest of us as "an overwhelmed and under educated marketplace." Programs with an agenda like Green Seal™, GREENGUARD, EcoLogo® and Blue Angel believe the general populace is stupid. And isn't it interesting they all use the word "progressive" in their propaganda.

The frightening thing is that the "One World" promoters are making progress, which is part of their name,” Progressives." We're seeing a decline in our living standards in the USA so those in other countries can enjoy the fruits of our labor. We're headed toward a European style of socialism and before we know it everyone will be on some form of welfare.

Government Motors (GM) has gone in business with France's Peugeot, the latest maneuver in "Bigger is Better." Government Electric (GE) and the New York banking empires will make a fortune while average American citizens will see their living standard shrink. The price of gasoline, groceries and everything we use in our everyday living is skyrocketing and will get worse unless there is a complete reversal of "progressive" policies.

Listen to a sobering statement about GM from one of their own. Click link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvl5Gan69Wo&feature=youtu.be

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Cutting costs

A quick way to get from red to black ink is to slash spending. But cutting costs is not a strategy that will work by itself to build a business. As a business grows, expenses grow, too. If cutting costs is the only priority, spending where it's most needed may be overlooked.

The first step in getting from loss to profit is finding out where the business is losing money. Paying late fees due to disorganization, failing to take discounts, paying high interest rates or seeing money flow out with no return are leaks that will sink a ship. Plug those leaks.

Find better, smarter, money saving ways to do whatever is necessary. Ask employees for ideas and input. Be sure to track the money saved; don't just let it get absorbed into operations without accountability. Remember what happened to our Social Security "Lock Box?"

One of the most important and urgent expenditures is advertising. Look on it as an investment in the future, but spend wisely. The advertising class at Bane-Clene Institute has a reliable plan for the cleaning business and is a good investment of time for this vital element of a company's growth.

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It's dangerous out there

There's been much discussion lately on the dangers of texting while driving and you would think that anyone with even a moderate intellect would know not to do this. But the accidents keep piling up and trial lawyers are busy. Texting isn't the only form of communicating that is considered to be hazardous and is drawing the attention of the aforementioned group.

Equally as bad as using a cell phone or texting is watching the center dashboard screen in newer vehicles. I wonder who the genius is that thought up that idea? It wouldn't surprise me if they began running television shows so people can be entertained while driving. I was almost hit recently by a motorist looking down at her dashboard as she crossed the center line.

A study by the National Safety Council® says employers could be held liable for damages in the event an employee on the job has an accident while distracted on a cell phone. A policy prohibiting employees from using cell phones, including hands free devices, while driving is important to avoid such a liability. Have them pull over when using the phone.

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E-mail from a reader

I really enjoy getting your e-mails. Keep 'em coming. This just in:

"The Park Service, which is part of the Department of Agriculture, posts signs in national parks that ask us not to feed the animals. The signs say animals may grow dependent on assistance. The Park Service says animals may not learn to forage for themselves and may die as a result.

"Meanwhile the Federal Food Stamp Program, also administered by the same Department of Agriculture, is distributing the largest number of food stamps in history. Humans may also learn to be dependent and not be able to fend for themselves. Maybe we should post signs."

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Ad costs vs. income

The balance between advertising costs and revenue is a juggling act. We only want to spend a certain amount on ads but what happens if the revenue stream doesn't pay for it? Spending less may dry up revenue. Increasing sales by spending more can be a money making strategy if done right. It also means basic business growth. But, overspending in advertising is a common mistake that may not produce enough revenue to even pay for the promotion.

A one-time expensive marketing campaign that brings in a rush of business and then flatlines is worthless. Marketing takes time and patience. Increasing sales requires a range of activities including following up on leads and turning leads into sales. "Plus sales," selling more to each individual customer, offering service packages, and expanding offerings to include related products and services will boost profit margins.

Customer loyalty is built by being a business they trust. Offer value, charge a fair price, listen to customers, reward them for coming back for future service and for recommending you to their friends and relatives. The quest for a return on investment is an age-old problem. The department store magnate, John Wanamaker, once complained, “Half of the money I spend on advertising is totally wasted. The trouble is, I don’t know which half.”

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Customer relations

A BBB® bulletin says, "Your internal policy decisions have nothing to do with expectations of customer satisfaction. Customers should not accept contract verbiage as an excuse for a less than promised product or service. “That’s our policy” might save a current sale, though there is a strong possibility that all future business will likely be lost.

"I don't have time to do that," is another sure killer of good customer relations. Employees should be empowered to make on-location decisions that will please the customer. For example a request to clean a room that was not included in the original estimate or to clean a sofa that is an obvious afterthought by the customer should be done graciously.

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Politics

Two recent e-mails I received say a lot about our current political situation:

“We are in a historical moment when the most powerful people in the two political parties are at the extreme ends of their party. We have deadlock right now. We have gridlock right now. When they do come together to find some compromise it’s the Democrats saying, ‘let’s spend $500 billion we don’t have, and the Republicans saying, ‘no, no that’s ridiculous. Let’s spend $300 billion we don’t have.’ So they end up compromising and spend $400 billion we don’t have.” Senate nominee from Indiana, Richard Mourdock

Mr. Mourdock beat Dick Lugar in the May primary in Indiana. Lugar, who is a great believer in compromise, was so out of touch with voters he hasn't even had a residence in Indiana for more than forty years. He's been called Obama's favorite Republican. That should have been enough to unseat him from his lifetime political job. He is one of the Beltway bunch that are responsible for the mess we're in and should have retired or been ousted years ago.

And here's one from a water restoration contractor that everyone can understand:

"To understand the deficit and the discussion about raising the debt ceiling, I explain it this way. Imagine you come home to find your basement flooded with sewage. What would you do, call a construction company to raise the basement ceiling or call me, a water restoration firm, to pump out the sewage? Pump out time is November 6, 2012. Vote!

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill

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Good and bad news for cleaners

Floor Covering News published a comprehensive report on floor covering sales that show the worst may be over for the carpet industry. Residential carpet accounted for 63% of sales and commercial for 37% in 2011. The bad news is that imported area rugs were up 22% over 2010 and this no doubt includes some fear-fodder for cleaners about potentially cheap goods.

Some more good news is that carpet and rugs accounted for 61.2% of all floor covering sales last year. The bad news is that polyester continues to take a bite out of nylon sales. As I mentioned in an earlier post, we should take a wait-and-see attitude on the new polyester offerings until they've been cleaned a few times. Remember polypropylene blends?

Carpet tiles continued to gain market share which is good news for our good friends at J & J Industries and Tandus. But just as the recovery is slow in the manufacturing arena, sales are slow in returning to the cleaning business. Those who diversified into tile, grout, stone and wood floor maintenance have done very well through the bad times.

Financing for new business ventures is still lacking in spite of all the glowing TV commercials by banks that got bail-out money and spent it buying other banks. In this election year with all its prevarication, keep your mind set with laser-like tunnel vision and focus on taking care of the customers you have. They'll be good to you!

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And speaking of our founding fathers...

They'd really appreciate the big box stores that are selling our American Flag as a doormat.

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History lesson on the back of our currency

The Great Seal and a Pyramid with its face lighted appear on the back of a dollar bill. The western side of the Pyramid is dark because our country was just beginning. It's uncapped to show that it will never be finished. Inside the pyramid is the all seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. Ben Franklin believed one man couldn't do it alone, but a group with the help of God could do anything, so "IN GOD WE TRUST" is printed on our currency.

At the base of the pyramid are the Roman numerals for 1776, our birthday. The Eagle was chosen as a symbol because he's strong, not afraid of a storm and can soar above it. Carried in his beak are the Latin words, "E Pluribus Unum," meaning "From Many, One." His talons hold an olive branch and arrows which means we want peace, but we'll fight to preserve it. There are thirteen stars representing the original colonies. Some think 13 is an unlucky number.

Our Founding Fathers relied on God, not luck, to direct and lead them. There were 13 signatories to the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the pyramid, 13 letters in "Annuit Coeptis," which means "God favors our undertaking," 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum," 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 bars on the shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, 13 arrows and 13 stars in the right hand circle.

The 13 stars are arranged in the order of the Star of David, as directed by George Washington. Haym Solomon, a wealthy Philadelphia Jew, is credited with helping save the revolution through his contributions to the war effort. Solomon, who spoke eight languages, helped raise European funds for our cause. He was even arrested by the British as a spy at one point in the war. His generous giving reportedly caused Mr. Solomon to die a pauper.

When asked by George Washington what he would like as a personal reward for his generosity, Haym Solomon said he wanted nothing for himself but would like something for his people. The Star of David on our currency is that reward. That's part of the history of our Judeo-Christian connection. Most children don't know this because their teachers either don't know it or won't teach it. God bless the memory of Haym Solomon on this 4th of July.

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New Stainmaster® carpet

I've written an ongoing report on Stainmaster® carpet since it first came on the market in 1986. DuPont® wouldn't give us any maintenance information, so in January of 1987 we bought some from my wife's favorite department store and had it installed in our family room. That carpet is still on our floor and looks pretty good considering the age and abuse it has undergone. Click here for our report on our Stainmaster tests.

Stainmaster has undergone a transition. DuPont no longer owns it and I thought it was time to look into just how good the new owners are treating the legendary trademark. I recently bought Stainmaster carpet for our bedroom from a local carpet shop. It took a week to get it and two more weeks to get it installed. The installers did a good job and even used a power stretcher (surprise).

But the store nor the installers gave us any warranty or maintenance instructions on our new carpet (no surprise). Things haven't changed a bit in that department. No warranty literature or maintenance instructions came with Stainmaster 25 years ago from a major department store and none came with it today from a small carpet shop. I just hope the quality is as good, but I probably won't be around 25 years from now to tell you about it.

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