Bane-Clene® News and Views

Friday, March 26, 2021

THE FAMILY BUSINESS - Part I

Treat your family like a customer and treat a customer like a family member.

The Family Business - is it a blessing or is it a curse? The cleaning industry is dominated by family owned and operated businesses, which in their infancy are usually operated entirely by family members.

For it to be a blessing, several aspects must be present:

Every company needs a leader, someone who is responsible for the overall welfare and direction of the business.
Responsibilities must be delegated and everyone in the beginning should be able to wear many hats.
Aptitudes need to be utilized. Even though everyone may wear different hats, a particular family member’s strengths should be taken advantage of.

Bickering, arguments, refusal to do certain tasks, or a general lack of cooperation will label The Family Business as a curse.

It obviously will work one of these two ways. The final determination is up to each member.

We at Bane-Clene^® are fortunate that our business has been a blessing.

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Friday, March 19, 2021

DIRT, SPOTS AND STAINS

Often, heavily soiled carpet in traffic lanes requires extra effortf . If done incorrectly, there is the potential for over-wetting, browning and or too much time spent on the job.

The proper use of traffic lane spotters or presprays should eliminate or lessen the majority of these situations.

The proper formulation of these products such as TLS^® 2000 and Preface^® contain the necessary level of pH. Also, they will have a high level of water conditioners, wetting agents (surfactants) and emulsifiers.

They will not contain Butyl Cellosolve or other toxic chemicals that are too often found in “cheap” products. These additives produce fumes that cause choking and are irritants to a persons throat, nose and lungs.

Spot removal products such as APS™ or Perky^® Spotter are useful in removing proteins stains, such as blood, coffee, tea and milk, etc.

Removal of oil-type of soils such as gum, tar, ballpoint ink, etc are best done by a solvent based spotter such as Saf-T-Solv™. It is a mixture of high powerful but safe solvents.

Finally, if you are cleaning a carpet that has been previously cleaned with products containing a high alkalinity, it may be necessary to treat the carpet with an anti-browning agent such as Brown Out^® after cleaning.

With proper techniques and the best chemicals, you should rarely have situations where you can not clean and remove all the dirt, spots and stains from carpeting or upholstery.

This will allow you to spend less time on the job therefore increasing your profits.

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Friday, March 12, 2021

QUALITY CONTROL

What does quality control mean to carpet cleaning and the success of your business?

Bluntly, it means that your customers are satisfied with all aspects of your service.

How do you know if they are satisfied? Sometimes they will call you or leave reviews on multi media websites. More often, they tell you by not calling you again.

So what aspects lead to high levels of quality work and therefore quality control?

Your tools of the trades: The best available chemicals, equipment and accessories.

Your people: The proper attitude, training, professional appearance and on-going training.

What causes poor quality control?

Using inferior or poorly maintained equipment, cheap chemicals and employing cleaners, who are improperly trained and lack the professional skills to do the job.

While we have stressed quality in this blog, it can either be good or bad quality.

This is where your due diligence regarding quality control will pay dividends to you.

These dividends are happy customers who tell their families, friends and others about your level of quality control.

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Friday, March 05, 2021

WHAT IS A CLEAN CARPET?

Bane-Clene Professionally Cleaned Carpet

When you ask a carpet cleaner, What is a clean carpet?, they usually answer that it is one where all the dirt and foreign matter have been removed.

However, how does your customer respond if asked that question?

The customer will probably expect a freshly cleaned carpet to look like new, feel like new and smell like new. They have called you because the carpet is dirty, has stains, has an odor or a combination of all these.

So how do you achieve the end result of the customers’ perception of a clean carpet?

First, to achieve that like new condition, you need to clean with the best chemicals. They must remove the dirt quickly and efficiently but also leave the carpet residue free. The use of an additive such as Booster™ will give the carpet a "soft" and bare-foot clean "feeling". Finally, the use of an additive to the cleaning solution such as Per-Scent^® will leave the carpet with a "fresh" scent.

So the question of What Is A Clean Carpet? will be answered the same for both the carpet cleaner and customer by using the best equipment and chemicals to do the job.

Additional 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

Bane-Clene Paper Catalog 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.

“A to Z” Alphabetical Index to the Bane-Clene Web Site

Articles & Products for the PROFESSIONAL Carpet Cleaner

Friday, February 26, 2021

SALESMANSHIP

There are some basic steps for making a sale.

Prepare: You should be neat and professional. You should always make eye contact with the customer. Treat your customer with dignity and respect. Finally, be the expert your customer expects.

Get the customer’s attention: The first few moments with the customer are the most important. Obviously, introducing yourself and your company comes first. Then you should focus on the customer's needs and why they have had you come to their home or office.

Offer solutions: After you listen to their needs, then be prepared to suggest procedures and products that will resolve their problems.

Overcome objections: Be prepared to explain advantages and features and benefits of what it is you are selling. This will assist in overcoming price or other objections.

Close the sale: Summarize the features and benefits of your company and the products and services you offer.

Above all, you do not want to oversell. If the customer does not need a particular service or product, don’t present it. No one likes to feel that they are being sold everything but the proverbial “kitchen sink”. That is the quickest way to lose a sale.

Good salesmanship will inherently lead to closed sales and more success and profits for your company.

Additional 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.

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You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form.

“A to Z” Alphabetical Index to the Bane-Clene Web Site

Articles & Products for the PROFESSIONAL Carpet Cleaner

Friday, February 19, 2021

HOT BUTTON

Everyone has a hot button.

Something excites someone to make a purchase, proceed with a project, commit to something, make a phone call, set up an appointment, etc.

Your advertising should provide enough hot button material to attract a customer.

In a commercial property management situation, a building manager or owner may be interested in several elements. Among them, the type of equipment and chemicals you use, the accreditation of your Company and employees, references and a demonstration.

Residential customers are certainly interested into who is coming into their home. They also want to know your experience level. Most are not overly concerned about technical aspects. But if they are, be prepared to provide any and all information.

Whatever and whoever is involved, tell the customer what you can do for them and you will push their hot button.

Additional 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

You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form.

“A to Z” Alphabetical Index to the Bane-Clene Web Site

Friday, February 12, 2021

SMILE

Every time the phone rings, you should answer with a smile in your voice. It’s through the telephone that many of your customers receive the first impression of your company.

When you greet your customers with a smile, it is contagious and it will be transmitted across the street or for thousands of miles.

Be sincere when you are talking with customers. Confidence in your products and services is conveyed to your customer through your sincerity.

Be polite! Avoid saying no. If asked by a customer to do something about which you are unsure, let them know that you will certainly try. This is a positive approach and it reassures the customer of your desire to be of service.

Remember the customer is your boss. They may not sign your paycheck but without them you wouldn’t have a paycheck.

SMILE - someone is listening.

Additional 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

You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form.

“A to Z” Alphabetical Index to the Bane-Clene Web Site

Thursday, February 04, 2021

Bane-Clene Corp.^® will celebrate our 59^th Anniversary - February 4th, 2021

We will presume you know the story of how a small start up Janitorial Service morphed into what we are today.

An International Manufacturer and Supplier of Cleaning Equipment, Chemicals and Accessories.

We don’t have to tell you that being in business has its trials and tribulations.

However, more importantly, it has its many rewards for which we are thankful.

Here is just a partial list of what we are thankful for:

An invaluable staff, without whom we did not and will not continue to grow.
Customers that compliment us for doing a good job.
Customers that point out our mistakes. We correct those mistakes, which makes us better.
Good Vendors that keep our supply lines full.
Expert Accounting, Advertising, Financial, Insurance, Legal and Technology Advisors.

Lastly, we are thankful that 59 years ago, Wm. F. Bane had a vision and we at Bane-Clene^® strive everyday to promote and build on his vision.

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

You can also order the packet at the Catalog Request Form.

“A to Z” Alphabetical Index to the Bane-Clene Web Site

Friday, January 29, 2021

Employee Character

Sometimes the fear of hiring the wrong person prevents a company from hiring anyone.

Employee Character will eventually come to define a company. For example, if a technician is abrupt and lacks the social skills to communicate with customers, they will offend them and drive customers away. No amount of advertising will overcome this negativity and loss of goodwill. All because that employee lacked basic social skills.

So what are the positive aspects of Employee Character a company is looking for? Essential characteristics are:

Ambition. They must have the desire to succeed.
Self-esteem. This allows them to project a positive and professional image to the customer.
Salesmanship. They must be able to sell products and other services without strong arm tactics.
Honesty. They must only sell what is needed.
Tenacity. They have the drive to achieve without being pushy or overbearing.
Integrity. They give the customer what they have paid for without cutting corners.
Patience. They will allow the customer time to explain the problems they have.
Driving Skills. This may possibly be the most important characteristic. They must possess good driving skills, a service vehicle is a rolling billboard.

It may seem impossible to find an individual with all of these attributes. Many such individuals do exist and only need be given the opportunity to prove themselves.

Once again Employee Character will make or break a company, hiring the right employees will make a company successful and profitable.

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Friday, January 22, 2021

HANDS-OFF OWNER

Once a business grows to the point when an owner can leave the field, then they become a hands-off owner.

This can either be positive or a negative event. At first, it will probably be a negative as the owner tries to do everything just as they did when it was basically just them running the business.

The owner that left the field and is now working in the office or behind the scenes will have a feeling of not being as important as they once were. It can be hard to watch others do what once they were doing. They may initially feel that the work is not being done properly or as good as they could do.

So what happens at that point? Good owners will manage but not be overbearing. They will accentuate positive achievements by their team, while avoiding overly negative reactions when things don’t go as planned. These owners are highly motivated, sometimes impatient and possibly overbearing.

While the aforementioned qualities are assets when building a business, they may become liabilities as the company becomes larger and older. They will remain assets, if the owner learns to trust the people they have hired to perform the jobs they were hired to do. If the owner micro-manages their employees, then these attributes become liabilities.

So how does an owner stay involved but allow employees to do their jobs? A good owner will focus on opportunities to grow and strengthen the business. They will seek more work through strong advertising and marketing strategies. They will continue to build a strong inner company culture. This culture coming from the principles and ideals they had when founding their business. They allow their employees to make decisions that they once made. They watch as their employees solve problems that once were theirs to solve.

Finally, they promote their company within their community and their industry. This builds the company’s image and standing.

This way, they remain a hands off owner by allowing their employees to do their jobs.

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Friday, January 15, 2021

Team Players

In our last blog, January 8, 2021, we addressed The Team Concept.

This blog will delve into the individual types of Team players that make up The Team.

There are those that ask a lot of questions. While at times this may seem negative or that they are questioning authority, perhaps they are just wanting clarification on something.

There are those with attitudes. While not all may have a perpetually positive attitude, there is no room on the Team for someone with a consistently negative attitude. This will undoubtedly affect the performance of the Team.

The team needs a “cheer leader”, that is someone who is always spreading the word about the company.

Another essential element is the cooperative member who gets along with everyone no matter the situation.

The most valuable member is the person who contributes toward the betterment of the company and fellow workers. Quite frankly, this should be a trait of all members of the team.

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Friday, January 08, 2021

The Team Concept

Nearly all large major corporations promote the philosophy of management/employee teamwork into a quality control concept. In small business, this teamwork is vitally important.

Cooperation among the phone representatives, cleaning technicians, auxiliary employees and most importantly management is necessary for success.

The owner or someone they designate, should act as a buffer or mediator in heading off potential problems over working conditions or any other labor-related issue.

The Team Concept among the owner(s), advertising people, suppliers and employees must all be working together to achieve a common goal.

The goal being to satisfy the most important member of the the team, the customer.

This will make a small business or any size business a success and profitable

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Friday, January 01, 2021

Happy New Year

January 1^st obviously ushers in a New Year. It’s a time that many reflect upon their previous accomplishments and failures. Then we look forward vowing to correct or not to repeat our failures. We also plot and plan for the time to come. Each of us has goals and aspirations. We should always strive to achieve them. If you are not moving forward, then it is inevitable that you will become stagnate or worse yet begin to move backwards.

So, after all that reflection, we usually come up with New Year Resolutions. They come in a variety of purposes, personal, family, business and community among them.

Improve physical well being.
Improve mental health.
Improve finances.
Improve career.
Improve knowledge.
Volunteer.
Spend quality time with family and friends.
Be more spiritual.

The following passage was written by Bishop John H. Vincent in 1909. It is appropriate not only on New Years Day but every day of our lives:

“I will this day try to live a simple, sincere and serene life. I will repel promptly every thought of discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity and self-seeking. I will cultivate cheerfulness, magnanimity, charity and the habit of silence. I will exercise economy in expenditure, carefulness in conversation, diligence in appointed service, fidelity to every trust and a child-like trust in God.”

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Friday, March 26, 2021

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