LABOR DAY 2024

Labor Day will be celebrated Monday September 2nd. It is a holiday which honors the American worker, who has added to the prosperity and well being of our country. We as Carpet Cleaners are the embodiment of this classification and as entrepreneurs expand it even further. Small businesses have been and will always be the economic backbone of our country. In 1887, Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated it. Labor Day has been labeled the “unofficial end of summer” because it marks the end of the cultural summer season. It is traditional for parades, picnics, family reunions and other activities to be held in communities all across the country. Many fall events also begin at this time. During the Labor Day weekend, the NCAA will play a full slate of football games. The NFL traditionally plays their kickoff game the Thursday after Labor Day. The Cook Out Southern 500 NASCAR auto race is held at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. At Indianapolis Raceway Park, the NHRA hold their finals for the U.S. National Drag races. It is also the midway point between weeks one and two of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships held in Flushing Meadow, NY. Once again, there are a plethora of National, State and Local activities that take place Labor Day Weekend. Wherever you are, whoever you are, with take time to acknowledge yourselves and the hard work you do and the fact that our small businesses are the economic strength of our country. 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 Free packet of information about Bane-Clene can be obtained by calling toll-free 1-800-428-9512 (U.S. ONLY!). Your information packet will include a full color catalog and price addendum. Packets will arrive in approximately 2 weeks through standard United States Mail. You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form. Bane-Clene Home Page Articles, Videos and Products for Professional Carpet Cleaners On-Line Spot & Stain Removal Guide & Procedures for the Professional Carpet Cleaner

ATTITUDE

Attitude is often defined as a mental state involving beliefs, feelings, values and the dispositions necessary to act in certain ways. What kind of attitude do you possess? Is it a positive or negative viewpoint? Is the glass half empty or half full? The attitude we exhibit not only affects ourselves but it also impacts our employees and ultimately our customers. If, for example, we regard ourselves as winners then that perception will be passed forward to all of those we interact with on a daily basis. Projecting a winning attitude to our employees emboldens them with that same feeling. Which should then be reflected in the behavior and mannerisms that they project to the customer. Normally nobody perceives themselves as possessing a losing or negative attitude. But unfortunately many people project bad vibes. They may walk with their head down or have slumped shoulders exhibiting a defeatist persona. Therefore, one should be careful of their actions and mannerisms as they may become a reflection of them as a whole. An outside appearance may also determine an inner personality Some people naturally exhibit a winning attitude, they walk and talk with an air of confidence. For others it can become a learned quality. Whether learned or natural, a winning attitude will be a huge benefit personally and in the success of a business and in the end the profits it generates. Related Articles and Information: Building Your Own Carpet Cleaning Business Eleven Commandments of Good Business - What is a Customer? Four Characteristics of a Successful Person The 15 Factors of Success in Carpet Cleaning Business Twenty Steps to Success What Makes a Company Successful in the Carpet Cleaning Business? 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 Free packet of information about Bane-Clene can be obtained by calling toll-free 1-800-428-9512 (U.S. ONLY!). Your information packet will include a full color catalog and price addendum. Packets will arrive in approximately 2 weeks through standard United States Mail. You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form. Bane-Clene Home Page Articles, Videos and Products for Professional Carpet Cleaners On-Line Spot & Stain Removal Guide & Procedures for the Professional Carpet Cleaner

COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS

Commercial Contracts can be hard to get but certainly worth the effort. Success in the commercial cleaning market often depends on the following: Persistence    It may take several attempts to secure an appointment to bid on an account. Don't become discouraged. Credentials    Be prepared to discuss the features and benefits of contracting with your Company. Including your technical and market knowledge and experience in the business. Talk about contracts you already have and if those clients are agreeable have the current prospect contact them for a referral. Demonstrate    Nothing trumps showing what you can do. Offer to clean an area which will exhibit the abilities you have. Follow-Up    Very rarely will a Commercial contact say “yes” on the first visit. If needed ask to set a follow-up visit to further discuss your proposal. While you may have to work for less then you normally do the Income for these contracts will add up because of the frequency of service. Which will ultimately add additional Profit and further Success for your Company. Related Articles and Information: Cleaning and Maintaining Commercial Carpets Selling Commercial Carpet Maintenance Programs 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 Free packet of information about Bane-Clene can be obtained by calling toll-free 1-800-428-9512 (U.S. ONLY!). Your information packet will include a full color catalog and price addendum. Packets will arrive in approximately 2 weeks through standard United States Mail. You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form. Bane-Clene Home Page Articles, Videos and Products for Professional Carpet Cleaners On-Line Spot & Stain Removal Guide & Procedures for the Professional Carpet Cleaner

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY

It’s not what you say...It’s how you say it. So therefore, it’s always wise to Be Careful What You Say. You have a regular customer who needs service quickly and you have no appointments available. You offer to get back with them and “work them in”. Using those words may lead them to think that they will get a rushed job. So it’s better to say “let me see what I can do and I will get back with you quickly”, As circumstances have it, an appointment opens up. You call the waiting customer and say, “We had a cancellation”; this may conjure up a negative thought of why did someone cancel. A better way to say it is “We had a rescheduling and we can provide you service tomorrow. Will that be convenient?” A potentially new customer calls and needs service. You tell them we are “booked up”. It may present an image of a company that is in demand or is disorganized or small. A better approach is to say “we are scheduling appointments for a week from today”, would that be convenient?” There are circumstances such as night, weekend or other parameters that may influence whether a Company schedules an appointment. Certainly every Company has their standard operating parameters of which they are certainly entitled to have. If you decide a certain job does not fit your operating parameters then Be Careful What You Say when declining the job. Don’t say “we can’t do your job; instead say “I am sorry we are unable to accommodate you as we are unable to meet the requirements of the job at this time”. You should only offer an explanation why, if queried. The reason(s) may be multiple but could be different for another customer. What if the potential customer calling is known to be cheap, slow pay or overly demanding, in fairness who wants to work for someone like that? You may be tempted to tell them the reason why but professionally speaking that is not a good idea. Having your own reputation to safe guard then in any circumstance, Be Careful What You Say. Related Articles and Information: Customer Service in the Carpet Cleaning Industry Eleven Commandments of Good Business - What is a Customer? Phone Courtesy Telephone Etiquette in the Carpet Cleaning Business 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 Free packet of information about Bane-Clene can be obtained by calling toll-free 1-800-428-9512 (U.S. ONLY!). Your information packet will include a full color catalog and price addendum. Packets will arrive in approximately 2 weeks through standard United States Mail. You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form. Bane-Clene Home Page Articles, Videos and Products for Professional Carpet Cleaners On-Line Spot & Stain Removal Guide & Procedures for the Professional Carpet Cleaner

GOALS

Goals don’t have to be big or elaborate. They come in different sizes and expectations. It doesn’t hurt to list Goals in a practical time frame. For example Daily, Weekly, Monthly and beyond. Set aside a few minutes each day to write down what you expect to accomplish that day. Don’t make too large a list as it’s probably a good chance not all the Goals will be achieved. The idea is to make a manageable and practical list. After all, you have a full day’s work ahead of you which of course is one of your Goals. You want to be able at the end of the day to review your list and check off what’s been done and what is still to do, if applicable. Not completing all your Goals should not be considered underachieving unless the list never gets completed. You want to be feel good about what you have accomplished, while not fretting about what might still need to be done. As the attainment of the set Goals increases, then it’s only natural to have more confidence and belief in our abilities. Therefore Goals should be: Planned Timely Allow for Due Diligence Enhance Self-Motivation Be Flexible Be manageable in size and scope All Goals start with a first step. We should not linger or avoid taking that step. Related Articles and Information: Building Your Own Carpet Cleaning Business Four Characteristics of a Successful Person The 15 Factors of Success in Carpet Cleaning Business Twenty Steps to Success 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 Free packet of information about Bane-Clene can be obtained by calling toll-free 1-800-428-9512 (U.S. ONLY!). Your information packet will include a full color catalog and price addendum. Packets will arrive in approximately 2 weeks through standard United States Mail. You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form. Bane-Clene Home Page Articles, Videos and Products for Professional Carpet Cleaners On-Line Spot & Stain Removal Guide & Procedures for the Professional Carpet Cleaner