Hiring and Firing Carpet Cleaning Technicians

Hiring qualified technicians is a common complaint in the cleaning industry. It is said that "good help is hard to find". This is not a phenomenon unique to our industry, many others face the same problem.

Recruiting is a difficult part of hiring, which needs to be worked at. You cannot just hang a sign in the window or run an ad. While you will probably get applicants, are they the one you are looking for?

One of the "secrets" of hiring is to pay a decent wage. A great deal is expected form a carpet cleaning technician. Minimum wage or slightly higher is not nearly enough. Also, training is vitally important. You cannot entrust the care of expensive rugs, carpeting and upholstery to a novice. Keep new employees with a veteran cleaner.This is where the training plays a major part. Besides basic cleaning skills there are many other nuances to being a good technician which can be taught by a veteran cleaner.

Unfortunately, there is usually no way to tell in an interview if a prospect will ultimately be a good employee. While appearance and manners are easy to assess, work habits and attitude are not as evident. There should be a period of appraisal and training. If work habits are not up to your standards, firing should be sooner rather than later. Usually a 90 day evaluation period is sufficient.

Bane-Clene Institute^® has classes which explore employee relations and will assist you in this difficult but highly important aspect of your business. Because without good technicians your business will only grow so much.

Related carpet cleaning business information on the Bane-Clene web site:

• Area Rug Care and Cleaning
• Carpet Cleaning the Bane-Clene® Way®
• Hiring
• Hiring is a full time job
• Recruiting Tips
• The 15 Factors of Success
• Upholstery Cleaning, Care and Protection
• What makes a company successful?

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog^®.

The Bane-Clene^® Team.

Please access our updated website at www.baneclene.com.

The latest issue of the Clene-Times^® is at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Starting a Carpet Cleaning Business

February 4th, 2017, marked our 55th anniversary. People regularly ask us if this is a good time to start a business? While there may never be a perfect time, there also may never be a bad time. However to avoid the bad time and strive for the perfect time, you must identify and reach the market that has the money and need to buy your service.

What is the best way to reach that market and who is your major demographic? Yellow pages, direct mail, radio, television, magazines, newspapers and of course the Internet are all possible ways to reach your market. As far as the residential market goes, the majority of our customers will be home owners with disposable income. Commercially there is a wide range of potential customers. Hotels, motels and restaurants usually are looking for the lowest price. Professional offices are willing to pay for a high quality service. Many industrial customers may be cleaned through a sub-contract agreement with a Building Service Contractor or direct contact with the In-House Manager.

To enhance our market potential Carpet and Fiber manufacturers are stressing the importance of carpet maintenance. In fact, most warranties are tied to regular professional cleaning. Interest in indoor air quality continues to promote the idea that professional cleaning is a necessity for an improved indoor environment.

Your business can be successful if you do your homework and prepare properly. We can help in that preparation. We have the literature, video presentations and of course our management school at Bane-Clene Institute all geared toward your success. All those tools can also be an advantage for those that already have started their business.

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/publications/.

Please visit our recently updated web site at www.baneclene.com

Bane-Clene Corp.® will celebrate our 55th Anniversary - February 4th, 2017

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:

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

Lastly, we are thankful that 55 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.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/publications/.

Please visit our recently updated web site at www.baneclene.com

Contractor, Subcontractor, or Employee

This reoccurring dilemma continues to surface in the cleaning industry. The IRS takes a negative view of any Company trying to avoid payment of the Social Security Tax and states take a similar stance when a company tries to circumvent their unemployment fund.

For example, if you use a subcontractor to do some of your cleaning work, you can pay them without making a deduction or contributing your portion of the FICA tax and other payroll liabilities. However, you are required to issue a 1099 form to them and send a copy to the IRS with your tax return.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do they provide their own truck, equipment, chemicals and supplies?
2. Do they have their own insurance and provide you a Certificate of Insurance?
3. Do they do cleaning for other companies or themselves?

If these questions have a yes response, then you should be within the basic guidelines set by the IRS. We always recommend checking with your CPA and Insurance Agent to be sure all is in order.

Related carpet cleaning business information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

• IRS audit
• Sub-Contracting can be hazardous
• Time to have a talk with your CPA
• What makes a company successful

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/publications/.

Delegation

Growth of a company will not occur without a principal's ability to delegate work and decisions. In the beginning, an owner/operator has to delegate contact with customers to new technicians. Thus begins the process of growing and delegating. Principals must be specific in whom they delegate to and in turn does that person have the authority to re-delegate. That authority is usually given to managers. When you talk to your manager, be sure you are specific in the instructions you give. Especially, if only a certain person or persons should be given the task or job you are discussing.

Many people have trouble delegating. Make sure the manager you hire has that ability. While a manager may be given broad authority to delegate, we feel that certain duties should be handled only by owners and/or principals. These may include but are not limited to handling the company's finances, hiring or firing, policy making decisions and solving major problems. That doesn't mean that you should not seek their input, but once again, we feel only the owner, principal partner, an officer or top echelon employee should handle matters in these areas.

Related carpet cleaning business information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

• What makes a company successful

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/publications/.

Please visit our recently updated web site at www.baneclene.com

A Capital Idea

Conventional wisdom says that lack of capital is a big cause of business failure. However, lack of capital may be the MAIN REASON why small businesses SUCCEED. Sounds like a paradox.

Businesses flush with capital through a loan or grant or similar circumstance often spend on unneeded items or overspend on the basics. Owners take excessive vacations, leave early or live the high life without actually having achieved anything as of yet.

In the beginning, small business entrepreneurs work long hours, often 6 or 7 days a week, and watch their spending. Therefore, they develop an appreciation for earned capital. This translates into prudent and wise expansion and growth.

Instead of waiting for loans, backing or other initial capital infusions, a budding entrepreneur takes what they have to start with, and roll up their sleeves and they get going.

Small business and entrepreneurs are the backbone of the American economy having in many cases started with little or nothing and have built a thriving and successful company.

Related carpet cleaning business information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

1. Before You Finance
2. Building Your Own Carpet Cleaning Business
3. Cash Flow in the Carpet Cleaning Business
4. Four Characteristics of a Successful Person
5. The 15 Factors of Success
6. Twenty Steps to Success
7. What makes a company successful

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Feathering Their Nest

Many articles written today talk about products for the home, food delivery services and other topics relating to the fact that consumers are spending more time at home. This trend will not only continue but will grow among more of us.

Translating that information to the carpet, upholstery and drapery cleaning industry doesn't take physic powers. If people are spending more time at home, they will soil their environment to a greater extent. They will then want that environment to be cleaner and healthier. This should lead to greater sales for our industry.

That said, they will then seek out professional services. Evaluate your advertising to take advantage of this. Make sure your technicians are up to date on cleaning techniques, chemical usages and all aspects of customer relations. Trucks and equipment should be in top operating and appearance condition.

Help your customers "Feather Their Nest" by providing what they need.

Related carpet cleaning business information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

1. Advertising. . . the Essential Element in the Carpet Cleaning Business
2. Advertising the Bane-Clene® Way
3. Bane-Clene® Carpet Cleaning Truck-Mounted Equipment
4. Bane-Clene® Marketing & Advertising for the Carpet Cleaning Industry
5. Carpet Cleaning Industry Potential
6. Sell The Sizzle
7. The ABC's of Advertising
8. The Bane-Clene Way® Advertising Program
9. Why Bane-Clene® Over All Other "Truck-mounted" Carpet Cleaning Equipment?
10. Why Doesn't My Advertising Work?

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Happy New Year

January 1st 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.

1. Improve physical well being.
2. Improve mental health.
3. Improve finances.
4. Improve career.
5. Improve knowledge.
6. Volunteer.
7. Spend quality time with family and friends.
8. 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."

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Happy Holidays

The holidays have been in full swing since early December. Many dates are celebrated or commemorated during this month. Naming a few but certainly not all:

• Kwanzaa A celebration of Family, Community and Culture
  
• HanukkahThe celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights
  
• Milad Un Nabi The Muslim culture commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad
  
• Christmas Day The Christian culture commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ

However even if you don't practice or believe, they all have many points in
common. The one we will focus on is that they all promote "Peace on Earth
and Goodwill to all". Once again, no matter what you practice or don't,
if you have not already done so, take a few moments to reflect on that common
factor.

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Justifying Your Price

Being in the service business for more than 5 decades has given us some insight into pricing methods. This topic is discussed in our 3 Day Management School. Inevitably, someone in class says that the section of the country in which they live cannot support a higher-end pricing method. Certainly, you cannot charge the same in a large market as you can in a small market. Your price can be relevant with the cost of living and other factors built into your market.

You must be able to justify your price to your customer. In order to do this, you must first be able to justify your price to yourself. Do you consider yourself a full time professional or do you do this as a part time job?

If you were to walk out to your truck right now, would you be proud of it? Has the truck been washed lately? Are there remnants of last week's lunch or enough trash to warrant a trip to a dumpster? How about your equipment? Think of the professionals that have to clean and maintain their equipment everyday or it won't work the next. Fortunately, our equipment is not that demanding, a weekly routine maintenance will keep it running at top efficiency.

How about the most important element of the business, the technician. Is their uniform neat and clean? If you don't wear uniforms, do you at least dress in appropriate attire? When you look at yourself or your technician, would you let that person into your home or office?

You and your technicians should be knowledgeable and up to date on cleaning and spotting techniques. You should have a general knowledge of the different types of fibers and their particular aspects. Do you have professional looking literature and a business card?

If you can meet all of these criteria and more, you can easily justify your price. Many people choose a cleaning firm on the basis of what it offers, not on what it charges. This desirable market is available to any company that can demonstrate professionalism.

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Cut Your Price?

There is one thing that all businesses that fail have in common. Their last official act before they close is to cut their prices and have a big sale

When you consider cutting your price for any reason, consider some of the consequences. Cutting your prices mean you have to generate more sales in order to maintain your gross profit margin.

Another drawback is that people who expect high quality services, do not usually look at a low price as a major consideration in the buying decision. In fact, a lower price may deter a person who is seeking high quality service. The adage "you get what you pay for" comes into play here.

A service cannot be built in advance, stored in a warehouse, mass produced or purchased in quantity and then offered for sale. Services must be constructed one at a time after an order is taken.

Cutting price opens the door to a reputation as a price merchant. In the service industry, there is a market for price merchants. However, when a company publishes extremely low prices, then their quality is usually low quality. The other side of that coin is you have a company that offers high quality at a fair price.

Consider this, a company cannot compete in both the low-price and high-quality markets. It must be one or the other.

Related carpet cleaning business information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

1. Advertising. . . the Essential Element in the Carpet Cleaning Business
2. Advertising the Bane-Clene® Way
3. Bait and Switch in the Carpet Cleaning Business
4. Bane-Clene® Marketing & Advertising for the Carpet Cleaning Industry
5. To Price or Not to Price

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Remember Pearl Harbor

That was the battle cry of WW II. President Roosevelt (FDR) said, "Sunday, December 7, 1941, a day that will live in infamy". Not many are alive who remember that fateful morning when the attack took place on our Pacific Fleet as it lay at anchor. Those who were there will never forget and others will never forget it or where they were when they heard the news.

As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, a thought comes to mind. Will "Remember Pearl Harbor", "Remember the Maine" and "Remember the Alamo" become forgotten or irrelevant. Not because those that were there or were aware of it are gone. But because they have been relegated to the back pages of History books that are routinely ignored by many schools? Will 9/11 and other recent terrorists events someday join them?

Unfortunately there has been a tremendous cost in the loss of lives in these tragic events. Thank God for our brave troops and first responders who have been involved in them. In this land of plenty and freedoms, with all our problems, people still yearn to come to live here. But remember "Freedom is not free".

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is truly a special day. It was first celebrated in 1621 when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Native Americans shared a fall harvest. In 1863 President Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated each year on the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving Day is more than memories, food, football and parades. It is a day of thanks. On this day, we are reminded of the bounty of treasures that are a part of our everyday lives.

We spend a few, often too brief, moments in prayer or meditation before dinner to say thanks for our family, friends and the wonderfulness of our lives. The true meaning of Thanksgiving should not end there. Ponder the two words that are involved: thanks and giving. We should therefore be reminded to give thanks and to share. Take the time to share our economic benefits, material wealth and talents with those who can use our help.

Once again as you sit down to dinner, ponder the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Watch What And How You Say It!

Customers are concerned about the process and the chemicals that are used in their home or office. We must presume that people may not know how they work and what they are formulated to do.

Therefore, if carpets need pre-treating for let's say gum or tar you talk about Saf-T-Solv™, not solvent. The connotation of a solvent might make them think their carpet will dissolve. How about the need for Brown-Out^® - in that case you don't say acid. Brown Out is a mild, complex neutralizer. But to most consumers, acid might mean fumes and burns.

Many carpet cleaners talk to their customers about providing a "quality" service. But....what kind of quality? Quality is a noun and needs an adjective to fully describe it. Are we talking high quality, low quality or perhaps no quality?

If you have been hired by a carpet mill, retailer or a company that provides warranties, be extremely cautious in what you say. If their customer has made up their mind that they want the carpet or furniture replaced; then the wrong words from you may embolden their position. They may rephrase the same basic question to you until they get the answer they seek. Or, they may take what you say out of context. You must be polite, but once again be careful what you say.

A basic rule to remember is simply the least said at a customer's premises, the better.

Related carpet cleaning information on the web site:

1. Bane-Clene Carpet Cleaning Chemicals
2. Bane-Clene Supplies & Cleaners
3. Brown-Out
4. Carpet Retailers Are Cleaning Up
5. Carpet Retailers in the Carpet Cleaning Business?
6. Causes of Carpet, Rug and Upholstery Browning
7. Gum Spot & Stain Removal from Carpets and Rugs
8. Saf-T-Solv™
9. Tar Spot & Stain Removal
10. Wicking after Cleaning Carpet

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

VETERANS DAY

In America, we enjoy many of our freedoms because of the dedication and courage of all our Veterans.

Veterans Day always falls on November 11th. It is this day that we honor those Veterans.

Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day and marked the end of hostilities of World War I that occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. The first Armistice Day was commemorated in 1919.

The day was originally set aside to honor the Veterans of World War I. After World War II and the Korean War, Congress recognized a need to expand the meaning of the day and recognize ALL veterans.

So, in 1954, the word "Armistice" was replaced with "Veterans" as a way to include all Veterans of all American wars.

Veterans Day is a federal holiday which many cities celebrate with parades and ceremonies.

In Washington, D.C., the celebration include a wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Veterans Day is a day not only to honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, but also to recognize those who continue to serve today.

Take this time to thank a Veteran who fulfills this patriotic duty to maintain the freedoms of our country.

You can show the respect you have for them by properly honoring and displaying the American Flag.

One way that is accomplished is by always standing and placing your hand over your heart during the playing of the National Anthem.

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

VOTE

Making Something Happen

Today's Blog is being published on the birthday of Elizabeth A. Bane, co-founder of Bane-Clene Corp in 1962.

That makes today's topic even more poignant. Since on February 4th, 1962, she and William F. Bane made something happen.

It has been said, "Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must be overcome first." This simple but meaningful quotation, if it is fully understood, expresses the difference between success and failure. Also, the difference between large or small in business and achieving much or accomplishing little or nothing.

It has also been said "if you wait until all the traffic lights are green before you start a trip, you will never get started. Instead, you begin the trip and as you progress the lights change from red to green."

We need to chart a course, look for obvious obstacles and then progress. Of all the things we worry about, 95 percent never happen. If we spend this worrying time constructively, then there's no telling what we can accomplish.

Just as William and Elizabeth did in 1962.

Related carpet cleaning information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

1. A History of Cleaning Carpet
2. Building Your Own Carpet Cleaning Business
3. How It All Began
4. The 15 Factors of Success
5. Twenty Steps to Success
6. What makes a company successful

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Building Loyalty

Over the years, America has lost many manufacturing jobs. There have been various reasons among those cheaper labor in another country, plants closing due to labor problems or a product becoming obsolete due to improved technology. Whatever the reason, there has been a lack of loyalty.

Loyalty is a two way street. Many companies treat employees like inventory rather than an asset. Employers and supervisors need to show understanding and compassion for their employees. Some examples are asking about family, complimenting for work well done or if profits allow paying bonuses.

Back to that two way street. Many employees are not working to their full potential. Therefore, they are robbing companies of profits and growth.

Building loyalty between management and staff will bring success to a company. Therefore, aiding growth and profitability.

Related carpet cleaning information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

1. Attitude
2. Happy Employees
3. It's all in our attitude

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Company Culture

Large corporations develop a trait known as the "culture of the company". It is a sociological style incorporated into their day-to-day business activities.

Just as in society, a company's internal attitudes reflect the culture of the organization. Are those polite or crude, pleasant or rude, caring or cutthroat. Ultimately, these attitudes will then manifest themselves outside the office and will permeate the customer's environment.

It is therefore important that the smallest of companies begin to develop a culture on which the business will grow, as well as one that encourages that growth. The attitudes of the founding principals will be instilled in their employees.

Presuming these attitudes are positive, then the company has a formula for success and ultimately growth.

Related carpet cleaning information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

1. Attitude
2. Building Your Own Carpet Cleaning Business
3. Happy Employees
4. It's all in our attitude
5. The 15 Factors of Success
6. Twenty Steps to Success
7. What makes a company successful

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.

Polls, Surveys and Other Intrusions

Maybe it's the elections and all the polls that have accompanied this political season. Or maybe it's that people might be feeling "used". Or perhaps they are growing weary of surveys.

Sometimes consumers do not like to be asked too many questions.

Therefore, great care must be exercised in talking to your customer whether on the phone or in person. You need to gather facts pertinent to their needs. However, you do not want to come across as pushy and or otherwise aggressive.

Most customers, when comfortable, will gladly and openly provide information. Allow them the opportunity to achieve that level of comfort. When they do, they will be more approachable for plus sales and other services you provide.

Remember we are in a customer's space.....always respect that space.

Related carpet cleaning information on the Bane-Clene® web site:

1. Phone Courtesy
2. Plus sales
3. Plus Sales - The Key to Success!
4. Telephone Etiquette
5. The 15 Factors of Success

Thank you for reading Bane's Blog^®.

The Bane-Clene^® Team

Please read the latest issue of The Clene-Times^® at www.baneclene.com/clenetimes.html.