ncca September 2012

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

newslink©

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Features:

Membership Restructure

Games With Stains

page 2

Contents

03

06

08

10

14

15

16

18

20

22

23

24

26

29

From the editor

From the President

Stoneman’s corner

Co-opted Directors

Proposed new membership structure

2012 GM - Marketing Seminar

Spot & Stain Removal course

Fun and games with stains

How to deal with your customers

The first twelve months (part two)

How to monitor Twitter traffic

New helpline for NCCA members

Getting the best out of private healthcare

Staff dismissals

Dealing with the aftermath of a

serious incident

Every detail counts

Google Analytics

Rise up from the economic gloom

Published monthly by:

Editor

Editor in Chief

Design Editor

President/Technical Director

Vice President/Marketing Director

Vice President/Events Director

Member Liaison Director

Franchise Liaison Director

Co-opted Directors

The National Carpet Cleaners Association

62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DHTel: 0116 271 9550E-mail: admin@ncca.co.ukWebsite: www.ncca.co.uk

Nikki Law

Keith Robertson

Nikki Law

Paul Pearce

Keith Robertson

Nigel Lay

Glyn Charnock

Denise Pitt

Rob Whitbread (Corporate Liaison)Martin JohnsChristian Ramsey (Training)

www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCarewww.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_

Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage.

©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association).No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.

Page 3

From the editor

From the President

Nicky Law

Continued on next page

y the time you read this, the Carpet

Cleaners Carnival will be over for another B year.

The Carnival, an event primarily aimed at the

carpet cleaning industry whilst incorporating its

associated trades and services, was well received

on introduction last year.

It's a family-focused day open to both members

and non-members, along with their friends,

partners and children, and successfully combines

fun and festivities together with business.

We would like to thank everyone who visited, to

the Corporate Members who gave up their

weekend and to the local businesses who joined

us, for their support and commitment to the

Carnival this year. A full report will be published in

the next edition of Newslink.

On a more serious subject, we have been

working hard on ideas to improve our current

membership structure (see page 10), a topic to be thdiscussed at the General Meeting this year on 25

October.

The idea of the restructure is

to recognise members'

additional training and

experience with the creation

of different levels of

membership. We also aim to

introduce recognition of the

training supplied by other organisations including

our own Corporate Member companies.

Current members will be able continue their

membership as it is now, with no additional

requirements, at 'Member' level (as laid out in the

proposed restructure). However, if they wish,

existing members may apply to be considered for

inclusion at whichever level they believe they are

entitled to by applying to the NCCA office detailing

the length of membership and enclosing copies of

training certificates.

A full introduction to the proposal for

membership restructure is published in Newslink

this month. Please turn to page 10 for more

information.

was lucky enough to attend the Paralympics

and watch some really fine athletes at their I best. An awe-inspiring day and one I am so

glad I did not miss. However, it isn't the great

athletes that I want to talk about, because that

would take forever as they all were incredible.

What I really want to talk about are the volunteers.

At 5am my wife and I stepped on to the platform

at Redhill station in Surrey. Aside from all the

workers going to their various destinations there

were at least twenty volunteers (or Gamesmakers)

all in their, now very recognisable, uniforms on

their way to their place of work.

Obviously there were many different parts of

London being used for the Paralympic games, but

we were off to Stratford and the Olympic Park,

excited and looking forward to a fun day.

Not one to be a wallflower, I interrupted a

Gamesmaker listening to his ipod and reading the

paper and asked where he was off to and if the

train we were about to board was the right one to

start our journey. Without hesitation he popped

out his earpiece and chatted to us and reassured

us we were about to get on the best train for

Stratford, as we would only have one change. He

continued to chat enthusiastically about the games

and how much fun we would have. He even said

Continued from previous page

page 4

that the previous day was his day off and that he’d

wanted to work, but the organisers insisted he rest.

He was to be at the Excel centre that day so we

parted company at London Bridge and, as

expected, he said with a big smile “Have a great

day”.

Our next and final leg was to Stratford and so we

followed the frenzied crowds and the signs to the

Olympic Park when a young Games Maker spoke to

us, “I couldn't help overhearing on the train that

you were going to the Olympic park, follow me”

she said with a big smile “this way is the best”. We

made our way around the station to a different

entrance and 'voila', there was the Jubilee Line.

Within minutes we were sitting down on the

underground train with around ten stops to

Stratford. We were then within only fifteen

minutes (walk) away from the stadium. Outside the

station we were met by Gamesmakers, who

greeted us with a smile and directed us to the

stadium, making the whole process of travelling a

pleasure.

It was now 7am and we were waiting outside the

gates to get in. We could see our fabulous

servicemen and women within the security tents

getting everything prepared… and guess who came

along? You guessed it, about twenty Gamesmakers,

all being dispersed along the gates to make sure

everyone was ok and assuring everyone that we

would only have ten more minutes of waiting and

then we would be in the park. Again, all this was

done with a smile. Even going through security was

a breeze with our service folk keeping up the

banter and having fun with us all.

Walking across the bridge into the park was

The gamesmakers were positioned everywhere

another great experience, with the Gamesmakers

cheering us along. There were some in elevated

chairs with megaphones cracking jokes, doing high-

fives with the kids and keeping the party alive.

Every single one, young or old, were making the

spectators feel wanted. We were told that 940,000

people would have come through the park into the

main stadium by the end of that day, and that's

aside from the Aquatics Centre, Copper Box, Eton

Manor and the Basketball Arena - well over a

100,000 people a day. Can you imagine keeping a

smile for all those people for fourteen days or so?

We managed to stay until the end, which was

around 10.30pm, after having had a fabulous day.

We then had to make our way to the train station.

Oh, and by the way, 79,998 other folk were also

attempting to do the same thing.

Well, as you can imagine, outside we were

greeted by Gamesmakers and the Police. There

was a huge crowd out there and even some live

bands. We walked and listened to the crowds

discussing how much they had enjoyed it, with the

Gamesmakers guiding us through, thanking us for

coming, wishing us a safe journey and so on.

Everywhere you go went you were greeted by

these folk. At one stage there were around thirty

of them in a line in the middle of one of the

walkways high-fiving people as they were walking

either side of them, a real carnival atmosphere!

There was one young lady in an elevated chair

singing Downtown Train through a megaphone.

What a way to finish! We arrived home around

1.30am, totally exhausted but happy. But you

know, if it hadn't of been 'Service with a smile' all

day I wonder if we would have been left feeling

the same way.

So, tomorrow when you go to work, think about

those Gamesmakers who smiled for free and greet

your customer with a smile. It makes the whole

world of difference.

Keith Robertson

Stoneman’s Corner

Do you believe the ‘experts’?own a lovely book on the subject of walls and

floors, which is full of wonderful photographs I and ideas, and in it the author makes some

excellent suggestions, clearly explaining the

reasons for her ideas.

Her Linkedin profile explains she has published

over twenty illustrated interiors, gardens and craft

books. As you probably know, marketing experts

constantly tell us that publishing a book sets one

apart as an expert. So certainly by that criterion I

think you would agree that she must be an expert

in her field.

It was therefore rather disconcerting to read the

following from her book, in the section dealing with

Stone and Ceramic floors, “The hardest of all

stones, marble and granite, are both igneous rocks,

which means they were formed when limestone

was put under extreme heat and pressure,

producing a crystalline quality.”

In another section, where she has set-out a list of

seven floors to choose from, one of her suggestions

is granite which she describes as, “In hardness, this

is second only to marble.”

Under the heading of 'Flagstone finesse' she

states, “Flagstones, which are usually cut from local

granite give a down-to-earth feel to farmhouse

kitchens.”

Wow! Three howlers. I was kind of frightened to

read any further.

I am sure you have immediately noted her

mistakes, that marble is not an igneous stone, that

granite is not second only to marble in hardness

and that flagstones are not usually cut from local

granite.

page 6

dense grain that it is both impervious to the most

ferocious weather and is exceptionally stain

resistant compared to other stones. If you decide

to install an up-market kitchen it is quite likely the

designer will recommend that you have a granite

floor laid. Usually, these are tiles or slabs which

are either honed or polished rather than the more

rustic look of flagstones.

There are products sold under names such as

Farmhouse Flagstones, which are replica poured

stones rather than being natural stone, so maybe

these are what the author is referring to.

As you can see it is always good practice to

question the information provided by 'experts'.

Blind acceptance should never be an option.

If you really are interested in caring for stone

flooring you will need to gain all the knowledge

you can from a variety of different sources.

Attendance at one or two courses, whether

technical or practical, will help ease you into the

work involved and a cross-section of internet

research will also help, but you will also need to

experiment and practice.

It is also worth bearing in mind that some

product descriptions can be misleading too.

Blindly following the manufacturer's instructions

may not work as there can be a myriad of

permutations in both flooring and the products

used to care for it. Even tiles of the same material

can vary, due to age and previous

treatments, and not all

cleaning/restoration products are of

the same quality.

Practice and learn from experience

and you will become a true professional

in your field - equipped with the

knowledge and experience to not only

advise customers on the flooring most

appropriate for them but to care for

that flooring too.

Remember never unquestioningly

follow the 'experts', because there is

always a chance they might not be.

In the case of the statement that both marble and

granite are igneous let's look at each mistake and

see if there are any implications.

If we thought that both marble and granite were

igneous rocks we could presume that we could use

the same products when carrying out restoration

work. But what would happen if we used an acid

cleaner on marble? You know what damage that

would cause by etching the surface.

There are many situations where marble is

chosen over granite largely because of the colour

range available and very often because of the effect

of the natural veining within the stone.

A marble floor may last for generations but that

in itself doesn't make it harder than granite. If there

is truly a need to use the hardest stone available

then granite would be the stone of choice.

Now what about granite flagstones? When I

checked Flagstone and Flagstones in my dictionary

it read: Flagstone n 1. a large, flat slab of stone,

used especially for paving paths, 2. Any highly

stratified, hard rock that is easily broken into slabs.

Flagstones, a pavement made from flagstone.

There are of course plenty of granite slabs.

Reclaimed granite slabs in particular are highly

sought after, but they are largely used for

landscaping, or in town centres, or some shopping

centres.

Granite is an amazing natural material with such a

page 7

Since publishing a referral statistics

report in last month's Newslink there

have been 70 recommendations for full

members provided by the NCCA. This

number is made up of 33 referrals from

the NCCA office and 37 potential

customers contacting members direct

through the website.

Member referralreport

These people will be put forward for the role of

full Director at the General Meeting on 25th

October this year:

Rob Whitbread is 51 years old and married with

three children. He runs a family cleaning company

(HBS Cleaning Services) in Swindon, Wiltshire. He

came into the industry in 1998 after working as a

buyer, then Purchasing Director, of a company that

supplied specialist hoses and catering equipment.

Since offering his assistance to the NCCA Board

earlier this year, he has been co-opted as the

Director in charge of Corporate Members (industry

manufacturers, suppliers and ancillary companies)

who were, until recently, called Associate

Members.

He has since been working hard with all the

Corporate Members in building stronger, closer

relationships.

He says “We have many of the industry's key

players in this category. Whatever you need, we

have a Corporate Member who can supply it.

Between the Corporate Members, and the

companies who offer NCCA members benefits and

schemes, we are fast becoming a ‘One-Stop-Shop’

for all member business requirements”.

Martin Johns is 45 years old and married with two

children. He runs Abracadabra Cleaning in

Chippenham, Wiltshire.

He became involved in the cleaning industry in

2003, launching into carpet cleaning several years

Rob Whitbread - NCCA Corporate Liaison

Martin Johns - NCCA Membership Liaison

non profit-making body, the NCCA is governed by a President and Board of Directors,

drawn from and elected annually by its members. The position of Director, and indeed A President, is voluntary and pays no salary.

These volunteers, who all run their own businesses, regularly give up their spare time to work

alongside the office staff in the administration of Association business.

This year we have received further offers of help from NCCA members, who have now been co-

opted on to the Board of Directors.

later with the purchase of his first professional

machine.

Keen to gain recognised qualifications and

provide a high level of service, he undertook the

NCCA Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning course and

became a member in 2007.

Martin is concerned that the public's desire to

purchase at the cheapest price often means that

the service they receive is less than adequate,

affecting the reputation of the entire industry.

His aim is to educate the public on the benefits of

using a trained professional, even if that means

they are paying a slightly higher price.

Martin will be assisting NCCA Director, Glyn

Charnock, in the demanding role of Membership

Liaison, a position requiring excellent

communication skills.

NCCA co-opted Directors

page 8

page 9

NCCA COURSESCarpet & Upholstery Cleaning

Spot & Stain Removal

Health & Safety for Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners

NCCA General Meeting

IICRC COURSES (SURREY)Carpet Cleaning Technician

Odour Control Technician

Fire & Smoke Restoration Technician

Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician

IICRC COURSES (NR CAMBRIDGE)Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician

Carpet Cleaning Technician

Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for furtherdetails on IICRC Training Courses

23rd - 24th November

19th October

18th October

25th October

9th - 10th October with Adam Jankowski

11th October with Adam Jankowski

17th - 18th October with Adam Jankowski

23rd - 24th October with Adam Jankowski

22nd - 23rd October with Paul Pearce

6th - 7th November with Paul Pearce

Held at Eastby Services, Nr Cambridge.Tel: 01763 208222

The Cleaning Show 19th - 21st March 2013 (Birmingham NEC)

NCCA courses held at NSPCC TrainingCentre, Leicester unless otherwise stated. Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking formsand further details.

Diary Dates 2012

FULL MEMBERS

Furniture Recycling Project Angus

Powerclean (Harrogate) Ltd

Select Carpet Cleaning

(Angus, Scotland)

(York, North Yorkshire)

(Liverpool, Merseyside)

NEW NCCA MEMBERS

NCCA Member Benefits

+ HMCA (free legal and councelling helpline):

+ SiteWizard (website creation):

+ EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories):

+ Brian James (Marketing Consultant):

+ Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department):

+ Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department):

Adalante Merchant Services:

Payatrader:

+ Control Account PLC:

01206 366500

08450 608860

02392 434650

08450 608860

01252 390385

0808 100 7890

+

+

01628 820500

www.payatrader.com

01527 882901

page 10

s an association, we have long been

criticised for not recognising members' A additional training and experience. We

have also been asked why we do not recognise

training by other organisations including our own

Corporate members.

To address both of these issues, over the last two

years we have been working towards a new tiered

membership structure, designed to recognise

length of membership, to reward and encourage

additional training beyond the basic requirement

of a two-day course and to raise the standard of

training required to become a member of the

Association. As part of this process we will be

recognising training provided by the Corporate

members, who submit their training courses for

accreditation, as an alternative to our own two-day

course.

This article explains the proposed new

membership structure, implementation of which

will require approval by the members at the

General Meeting in October. Any questions should

be emailed to admin@ncca.co.uk.

With the member's approval, I would like to

introduce this four-layered Membership Structure

from the 1st December 2012. This will consist of:

(The proposed new entry level to NCCA

membership)

Obtained by undertaking the current NCCA two-

day carpet and upholstery course, or the two-day

IICRC courses (the current Member entry level

requirements), or a minimum of two days carpet

and upholstery cleaning training run by one of our

Associate Member

Corporate Members, which has been accredited

by the NCCA.

Associate Members will also need to provide

insurance documents showing treatment risk and

third party cover as currently required for

Members.

They will be entitled to use of the NCCA logo,

with the words “Associate Member No. xxxx”

beneath. Failure to adhere to this requirement

regarding use of the logo will result in immediate

expulsion from the Association.

Associate Members will not receive customer

referrals from the NCCA website or from

telephone enquiries received in the NCCA office.

To achieve Member status (the next level),

Associate Members will be required to undertake

a one-day Advanced Spot and Stain Removal

Course. If the Associate member fails to undertake

this compulsory course within one year, they will

be required to sit an additional exam - for which

there will be a fee - in order to be able to stay as

an Associate Member for a further year, during

which time they must attend this course. Should

they again fail to fulfil these criteria by the end of

the second year, their renewal may be refused.

An applicant with a minimum of two years

previous industry experience may apply to join as

a Member without first becoming an Associate

Member.

The requirements for Member level will be;

Two days basic training as per Associate level

PLUS

Advanced Spot and Stain Removal PLUS

Member

!

!

IMPORTANT INFORMATIONfor the NCCA General Meeting

25th October at Leicester Racecourse

PROPOSED NEW MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE

page 11

!

!

!

!

!

Proof of third party and treatment risk insurance

submitted annually on renewal of membership

PLUS

Submission of a signed copy of the NCCA Health

& Safety Declaration. This will be required

annually on renewal of membership for all

membership levels above Associate. PLEASE

NOTE; It is highly recommended that members

undertake some form of certificated training in

Health and Safety. The NCCA offer an industry

specific course to assist members in meeting

their legal obligations.

This will entitle the member to use the NCCA logo

with the words “Member No. xxxx” underneath,

inclusion in the 'find a member' area of the NCCA

website and to receive referrals from telephone

enquiries made via the NCCA office.

Members may remain at this level indefinitely if

they so wish.

Once a member has two years industry

experience they will be entitled to inclusion in the

system for receiving insurance work through the

NCCA at Member level.

Applicants with more than two years industry

experience may apply for entry at Member level

without the need to become an Associate

Member first, provided they meet all other

Member level criteria.

The requirements for Advanced Member level will

be;

All Member level criteria PLUS

A minimum of two years uninterrupted

membership since obtaining Member level PLUS

One additional training course of their choice

from the full list of recognised courses (to be

provided).

Advanced level will entitle the member to use the

NCCA logo with the words “Advanced Member

No. xxxx” underneath, and entitle them to apply

for TrustMark membership. (Please see further

down in this article for details of TrustMark).

Advanced Member

Any Advanced Member who wishes to join

TrustMark will also be required to meet any

additional criteria set by the NCCA and agreed by

TrustMark.

Members may remain at this level indefinitely if

they so wish.

The requirements for Senior Member level will

be;

! Advanced Member level criteria PLUS

! A minimum of five years uninterrupted

membership since obtaining Advanced Member

level. (A total of seven years uninterrupted

membership) PLUS

! Four additional training courses of their choice

from the full list of recognised courses (to be

provided). A total of five additional courses

beyond member level criteria.

Senior level will entitle the Member to the use of

the NCCA logo with the words “Senior Member

No. xxxx” underneath.

To remain at Senior level, members will be

required to attend a training course from the

recognised list (to be provided) every three years.

It is recommended that Senior members

participate in an industry event each year and

renewal forms will include a section to indicate

which industry events the Senior member has

attended to meet this recommendation.

Serious breaches of the NCCA Code of Practice

or upheld complaints against Advanced and

Senior Members may result in the requirement of

additional training to maintain current status, or

expulsion from the Association.

If Members are happy with the status quo, they

may continue their membership as now, at

Member level, with no additional training

requirements.

Current members without Advanced Spot and

Stain Removal will not be forced to undertake this

Senior Member

Existing Members

Continued on next page

page 12

training to maintain their member status.

However, they will be asked to sign a copy of the

NCCA Health and Safety Declaration on renewal.

We would hope all members will embrace the

new membership structure, continue training and

use the new system to promote their

professionalism, training and experience.

Existing members may apply to be considered

for inclusion at whichever level they believe they

are entitled to by applying to the NCCA office

detailing the length of membership and enclosing

copies of training certificates. A form will be

provided for members to complete for

consideration for Advanced or Senior member

level.

Advanced level entry requirements will be;

! Two years uninterrupted membership.

! Advanced spot and stain removal.

! Health and Safety requirement as for Member

level above.

! One additional training course of their choice

from the list of approved courses to be provided.

Senior level entry requirements will be;

! Seven years uninterrupted membership.

! Advanced spot and stain removal.

! Health and Safety requirement as for Member

level above.

Five additional training courses of their choice

from the list of approved courses to be provided.

Advancement between membership levels will be

permitted only at renewal of membership on the

1st of April each year.

A form to apply for advancement between levels

will be provided with renewal documents. Any

member wishing to advance between levels at

renewal will be required to complete the form and

provide proof of all required criteria for the level

for which they are applying by the 1st May, along

with payment. Failure to do so will result in the

member remaining at their current membership

!

Advancement between membership levels

level until the next renewal date.

As part of this process, the NCCA will be approving

Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning courses run by

some of our Corporate Members. These courses

will be assessed and monitored to ensure they

cover the required syllabus in these subjects and

that the candidates reach the appropriate

knowledge levels by means of an NCCA

examination.

Our aim in introducing this system is to broaden

the number of people eligible to become members

of the NCCA, whilst not just maintaining but

improving the standards required for membership

and ensuring the future strength of the

Association. This will enable us to promote the

professionalism of our members to the general

public, insurers, the cleaning industry, government

and commerce, bringing benefits to all the

members.

The TrustMark Scheme is a government endorsed

scheme for approving tradesmen. Their website

receives some 300,000 hits per month from

members of the public searching for approved

companies. Currently aimed primarily at the

building industry, TrustMark are widening the

number of trades they approve, and the NCCA

have been awarded the task of setting the criteria

required to become a TrustMark member in the

category of Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners.

TrustMark membership will only be available for

Members of the NCCA with at least two years

industry experience and the required criteria

regarding training. More information regarding

TrustMark membership will be provided in the

near future.

I hope you will all see the potential benefits of

this new membership structure to your own

businesses, the NCCA, and the industry as a whole

and vote for the introduction of these changes at

the forthcoming General Meeting.

Approval of External Training

TrustMark

Continued from previous page

page 14

t was 1985 when singer song writer Billy Ocean

first recorded "When the Going Gets Tough, I the Tough Get Going". The song, which

reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for

four weeks in February 1986, is also remembered

from the soundtrack of the movie 'The Jewel of the

Nile', starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner

and Danny DeVito and from some more recent

cover versions including one by a well-known boy

band.

It's an interesting quotation as it can be taken in

two different ways, either that when the going gets

tough, the tough leave, run, desert, disappear or

that the tough are prepared to fight back or at the

very least to ‘tough it out’.

Have you found business tough over the last two

or three years? Many have and many apparently

experienced and tough operators have

disappeared.

You are still here but are you just toughing it out

or are you fighting back?

To help us to take on the marketplace we have

invited the UK's top Carpet Industry Marketing

Expert to join us at the 2012 GM. Robert Saunders,

who has recently left the manufacturing/supply

company he founded to concentrate on assisting

Carpet Cleaners achieve more from their

businesses, has agreed to offer some

straightforward practical advice.

Robert has been frustrated at the tendency of

carpet cleaners to talk about what they are going to

do but constantly failing to implement even some

of the simplest ways to guarantee success. He has

often said, “It is one thing to analyse a problem to

death but entirely another to solve it.” If you spend

only a few minutes in his company you will soon

appreciate that his life's ambition is to help as

many as possible to develop both a lucrative

business and happy lifestyle.

Don't miss this opportunity. Robert will provide

three free strategies which, if implemented

correctly, will make a big difference to the

profitability of the bottom line.

He will also outline the benefits we can receive by

making use of a coach and he will briefly outline

what options there are if you want further help to

grow your business.

The phrase “When the Going Gets Tough, the

Tough Get Going” wasn't originally created by Billy

Ocean but is attributed, perhaps falsely, to Joseph P

Kennedy, the father of John F Kennedy and one time

US Ambassador to Britain. More likely, it is a quote

by Knute Rockne, a Norwegian-born American

football player who became better known as the

Notre Dame Football coach of the 20's. I don't know

about you, but it seems to me that it would be much

more likely that a Football coach would create this

quote rather than a politician and certainly I would

prefer my business to operate like a successful

football team rather than a political party.

We can't guarantee that you leave the General

Meeting singing, "When the Going Gets Tough, the

Tough Get Going" but you will come away in a better

position to do more than rough it out or endure.

You won't receive any benefit unless you are there,

so plan now to attend the GM and learn how to

thrive not just survive.

2012 GM - marketing seminar Keith Robertson

Spot and stain removal is still a genuine craft

and requires a higher degree of skill and

knowledge than almost any other process

undertaken by the professional carpet

cleaner.

The NCCA have a keen interest in ensuring

there is an increasing supply of trained and

qualified technicians and offer a course

dedicated to spot and stain removal.

The idea of the school is to assist in

understanding the item/s being worked on,

identify the stain and establish the chemical

solution to be applied. It will also teach how

to determine the expected results, not

forgetting that complete removal of a stain

should never be guaranteed.

The course delegate will use his or her own

spotting products on the prepared samples,

which will be handed out during the training.

They will not just be taught how to remove

the soils, but also how to do it without

causing further damage to the samples. There

is nothing worse than removing the stain only

to leave the client with a felted or fuzzed

surface.

Each delegate will also receive a course

manual and three spotting tools to be used

on the day, which can be taken home to use

again.

So come along and learn the A.B.C of stains

and how to identify spillages using F.O.C.A.L,

along with the five methods of removal. As a

carpet cleaner this is an important part of

your job so DON'T MISS IT!thThe next course is held on October 19 and

is open to both members and non-members.

NCCA Spot and Stain Removal course

page 16

e really are a clumsy lot aren't we?

Everyone spills a drink from time to W time or drops toast and marmalade,

sticky side down of course, onto a carpet or three

piece suite. Not that I'm complaining mind you,

because the more our customers spill the more

chances we have of a job. One of my sayings is

'Children and pets are good for business'.

The problem is that professional cleaners are not

usually foremost in the thoughts of the customer

during the initial stages of panic.

The most common drinks that we seem to spill

are tea, coffee, red wine and beer. You would think

that after years of practice we would have

perfected the art of transferring liquids from our

hands to our mouths wouldn't you, but no,

apparently not!

Tea and coffee can create some challenges for the

professional cleaner. The first thing to do when

faced with these sorts of stains is to complete a

survey. The natural dyes (tannin) contained within

tea and coffee can differ depending on whether

the drinks are decaffeinated or flavoured (these

can be more problematic to deal with than the

tannin); whether they are lukewarm or hot and

whether they contain sugar and milk. Dairy

products (specifically the protein element) become

more difficult to deal with the longer they are left

in the substrate, the sugar content caramelises into

a hard deposit.

Hot tea and coffee will penetrate deeper into the

substrate swelling the fibres and exposing dye sites

into which the staining material will go. The fibres

then cool trapping the stain in the dye sites making

it more difficult to remove.

To deal with these spillages effectively we must

establish what fibres and constructions are

present. Natural fibres, you will recall, are more

absorbent than their man made cousins, the

synthetic fibres. They can also be more easily

Fun and games with stains Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)

page 17

damaged by spot and stain removal processes than

synthetic fibres. The more delicate fabrics such as

Velvet or Chenille are difficult to treat without

causing texture damage.

Viscose Rayon (regenerated fibre) should be

classified as a Natural fibre and special note should

be taken regarding its specific peculiarities, i.e. it

loses significant strength when wet, fibres will swell

and the appearance will change due to either

abrasion and/or light reflection.

Thoroughly INSPECT the item/fabric you are going

to work on, this means the fibres and construction

including any backing materials. Discover what the

stain is, how long it's been there and more to the

point what has already been done in an attempt to

remove it. Don't forget our customers can

sometimes be economical with the truth.

QUALIFY with the customer as to what sort of

result may be achieved (don't guarantee to remove

it completely) and inform them what risks are

involved.

TEST all products in an inconspicuous area before

the actual work goes ahead.

CLEAN the whole area first as many spots will

come out, or at least lighten, from this process and

this will reduce the intensity of the stain removal

product that you will require on any residual stains.

Deal with any remaining stains carefully. Use

products with particular note to the limitations

imposed on you by the fibre type and construction.

Don't forget to check backing materials for

potential colour bleed/migration.

When you are pricing the job, bear in mind that

some stains can take as long to deal with as

cleaning the whole carpet/chair so any price

quoted must reflect this.

page 18

uring your career you will inevitably D encounter some difficult customers.

Some will express dissatisfaction for the service or

goods you provide when they have no reason to be

discontented.

Then there are those who may have cause to

complain but, even when the problem has been

resolved and apologies made, they are determined

to continue to air their grievances.

Occasionally we encounter clients who are unable

to make up their minds. They will prevaricate

endlessly, requiring more information and

assurances and are unable to reach a decision.

The list is endless but, every circumstance has

one thing in common, they all require us to possess

limitless patience and calmness.

It may well be that our initial approach put them

on their guard and we, unwittingly, turned a

potentially cooperative client into the exact

opposite.

We must all admit that, on occasions, our

personality can change because of a restless night

or a previously difficult situation and, as a result,

we thrust our frustrations on to the next person we

meet.

As professional carpet cleaners, we take great

care to learn our trade by attending technical

training courses. But, do we take time to study and

pay attention to the psychology of our own

attitudes and those of our clients?

This understanding is something we learn as we

go along. We accumulate knowledge about

customer relations by experience and we react to

situations and individuals intuitively.

However, because we are only human, outside

influences may compromise our best intentions

How to deal with your customers Cecil Aigin (Honorary Member)

page 19

and we may, even momentarily, 'lose our cool' and

then it's too late.

A straightforward lucrative job will become a

problem and a potentially easy going client may

become intractable.

Consequently, we should take a deep breath,

recover our composure and allow the stress of a

traffic jammed journey and other irritating

situations to dissipate before pressing the door bell

or picking up the phone.

It is essential to smile when we meet a client or

answer the phone. Even on the phone, a smile is

conveyed to the other end of the line and you will

notice the difference in your own attitude and that

of your client.

On every occasion be relaxed and convey a

cooperative attitude. By doing so our clients will be

equally at ease and potential difficulties will be

diffused from the outset.

I've heard it said that “difficult clients do not

exist, they are created”.

“Well, we don't agree with that”, you might say.

But at least, the concept gives us pause for

thought.

We should always listen patiently to our client's

requirements. In the case of complaint you need to

understand their concerns and explain how you

intend to correct the situation. An unsympathetic,

“you've got no reason to complain” will not resolve

a difficult situation. Never break into your client's

conversation, wait until they have said all they

have to say before responding and be careful to

make due mention of what they have said.

Acknowledge that you understand them.

When dealing with 'can't make up their mind'

clients, make suggestions and recommendations

and explain how these will meet the needs they

have described. Lead them to a decision point by

point.

Difficult clients are one of our greatest challenges

but with patience and understanding we can

resolve most situations in a satisfactory manner,

and what a wonderful feeling it is to emerge on the

other side, unscathed.

page 20

hrough submission of his journal entries,

last month NCCA member Peter Rowan T regaled us with tales of trials and

triumphs during his first few months as a carpet

and upholstery cleaner. This month you can

continue to read about Peter's experiences as he

concludes the journey through his first year in the

industry.

I've completed an IICRC Stone course! I wish I'd

done some Geology at school, it would've come in

handy!

I travelled to Nice for three days to assist in the

grinding of 150m² of green limestone in a £3m

villa. The floor was in a terrible state and the new

owners had embarked on a full restoration

project. It was hard work and another steep

learning curve, but I did learn how to use metal

October 20th

November 8th

and resin bonded diamonds to remove lippage and

leave the floor looking like new.

Visited Pescara, Italy, for three days to attend

training put on by Klindex, who are manufacturers

of top end diamond grinding machines - amazing

kit, capable of getting great results. I just wish I

could afford it!

Attended a one day course on internet marketing. I

nearly didn't go but I'm glad I did because I learned

a huge amount and now feel confident to put

theory into practice. It took some of the mystery

away for me. I'd assumed that much of this type of

marketing should be left to the professionals which

it transpires is not true.

I went to Dallas for the first part of the Master Rug

Cleaner programme. It was held in Ellen

Nov 20th

January 28th

March 15th

The first twelve months (part two) Peter Rowan (m2414)

page 21

Amirkhan's 18 000sq ft dedicated rug plant and

was quite something!

As ever with courses, I met some interesting

people. There were fifteen people on the course -

fourteen Americans and me. I think there is a big

opportunity in the U.K. for doing a great job

cleaning rugs 'off-site', whether that's converting a

double garage into your wash pit/drying area

(that's me) or dedicating part of a unit (if you're

lucky enough to have one) into a specialised rug

cleaning area. I'm due to go back and finish the

course in October. I’m looking forward to it.

Attended a commercial carpet cleaning course. A

real eye-opener in terms of what is needed to pitch

for jobs, with the different systems available and

the endless paperwork to be put in place!

General thoughts/observations over the year:

I included some examples of a few of my cleaning

disasters in last month's Newslink, but I'm glad to

say that things have improved along the way. I did

wonder if there was any mileage in somebody

running a one-day course on 'disaster avoidance'

but, on reflection, this is probably best learnt from

your own experiences.

My decision to undertake a high level of training

in the first year was a good one. Not only did I

improve my technical competence, but

the courses provided ideal

networking opportunities and I

have already benefitted from

many of the contacts I’ve made.

I have been really impressed

with the generosity of spirit and

camaraderie within the industry. I

have received assistance and

advice from more established

cleaners on many occasions.

For what it's worth, my advice to

anybody entering the industry

would be to attend as many

courses as you can in your first

May 16th

year. Also, I would advise people to join the NCCA.

I've been amazed at the number of cleaners I've

met who are not members and who cite a whole

variety of reasons for not being so. All I can say in

response is that my membership fee has been

returned many times through work obtained either

as a direct or indirect result of membership. Not to

mention the many other benefits, e.g. the monthly

magazine, support and networking, discounted

schemes, access to the various directors for advice

etc. It's a 'no brainer' for me.

Also, be prepared for long hours wearing many

'hats'. Namely, technician, marketer, book-keeper,

admin etc… As Michael Gerber says in his classic

book 'The E Myth', the constant battle between the

technician, the manager and the entrepreneur!

Go out and quote every job. It's hard work, yes.

But people buy from people. It gives you the

chance to add value to the quote whilst at the

same time demonstrating why you should be the

preferred choice. Collect video testimonials. Make

short movies of your cleaning processes. 'Wow' the

prospect at the point of the quote and turn them

into a customer!

There is little doubt that, once a degree of

technical competence has been achieved, the most

important thing is to become proficient in the art of

self promotion. Getting this right early on

will pay enormous dividends. Embrace

all aspects of marketing, including

online, direct mail, referral and

networking. I had next to no

knowledge of marketing twelve

months ago and now realise how

powerful it is in dictating future

growth.

It's been an interesting year,

very hard work, with lots of

lessons learned. It's been

incredibly stimulating, certainly

never dull and all served with

enough tea to sink a large

boat!

page 22

ave you ever wondered just

how effective your Tweets H are? If you have, we can

recommend just the free tool for you

to use. All you need to do is sign into

your Twitter account. Once you have

done this go to www.bitly.com. What

this free website does is recognise your Twitter

account and then drills down into the data on a

Tweet by Tweet basis. By having this information to

hand you will be able to see how many of the

people who saw your Tweet then clicked onto it for

more information. This sort of information is just as

useful as the information Google Analytics provides

about your website, or that which Facebook

provides to the administrator of your business page.

You are able to use the information to see what sort

of Tweets, posts and updates to your

website affect the way people react to

the information you are providing

your followers, fans and potential

clients with. If you run a Tweet with a

special offer and a high volume of

people click on this then you know to

repeat the offer again, especially if it generates

some much needed business.

With all of these free resources available to

market your business online and with the ability to

analyse the data, all you need to do is use this to

the best of your ability and Tweet, post and update

to ensure that you stay ahead of your competition.

If you would like help analysing and translating the

data about your website and Tweets please visit

www.SiteWizard.co.uk/ncca

www.sitewizard.co.ukHow to monitor Twitter traffic

New helpline for NCCA members

Getting the best out of private medical health

page 23

he NCCA have teamed up with HMCA to offer a T legal and counselling helpline and a range of

medical health cover and related products.

Hospital and Medical Care Association are

specialists in offering voluntary benefits exclusively

to members of professional and trade associations

and membership groups. They have over 30 years

experience dealing with over 700 Associations in

delivering first class service at highly competitive

rates. They do not deal with the general public and

do not advertise nationally.

This simply means that they

can continue to offer

reduced costs coupled with

first class service.

To access the Legal and

counselling helpline simply call 01206 366500 and

quote 'NCCA'. Calls charged at national rate.

Please note that the Amicus Legal Helpline is no

longer available to NCCA members.

he majority of NCCA members

will be aware of private health T plans, and will more often than

not question if they really need it when

they receive their annual renewal every

year. In most cases, the answer will be no, but the

knowledge that it provides you with peace of mind

when faced with a medical problem will encourage

you to keep it. The next question you ask yourself is

can you get it cheaper, and then you start to hunt

out other providers on comparison sites and by

trawling through adverts, which in all probability

will make you wish you had not started.

The truth is that trying to compare medical plans

is nigh on impossible because of the various clauses,

jargon and rules that apply to different providers

and plans. Do you want in-hospital and overnight

stays, or in-hospital outpatient cover and choice of

hospital? You will be inundated with moratoriums

(legally authorised period of delay or waiting),

excess, and so on. You want simplicity and a full

understanding of what you are buying. In order to

try and simplify the process for you, the first step

towards getting a plan is to make a list of what YOU

want from your plan and one that best suits you,

your state of health, lifestyle and cost.

If you spend a lot of time abroad or have sporting

hobbies, you may want to consider a plan that

covers you for travel and interests. What if you want

to change from your current plan, does your

potential provider offer you a free Transfer facility

which has no breaks in your cover? Once

you have made your list, you can start to

research and compare the various

providers and plans. A good tip is to

balance what you need with the amount

you want to pay.

One of the key factors of taking out a private

medical health plan is to give you peace of mind

when faced with the prospect of surgery or a

medical condition. We interpret peace of mind as

being able to talk to your provider about any

concerns you have and being treated in a personal,

sympathetic and professional manner. The last thing

you want is to be connected to an automated

service and pushing buttons to get through to

someone.

Ok, so you have done your research and are now

deciding who to choose. Quite simply, pick up the

phone and call each provider. Speak to their Claims

Department and assess their handling of your

enquiry. Having to claim on your health plan is the

reason for joining. You need to know how their

system works, including how approachable the staff

are, what the claims procedure is and how quickly

will your claim be settled.

These few simple steps can help ease the stress of

taking out a private medical health plan, and bring

you the peace of mind that prompted you to

provide it for yourself in the first case. You can call

HMCA on 01423 866985 for further advice and

information or visit us at www.hmca.co.uk.

page 24

hatever the business, dismissing a

member of staff can be a tricky W situation. Put one foot wrong and

you could land in a tribunal situation.

No wonder then that a recent report has

reported it as the number one legal concern for

business owners. If you're in the unfortunate

position of having to dismiss a member of staff,

there are strict rules you need to follow.

As unemployment figures continue to rise, so

there has been a corresponding increase in the

number of cases of unfair dismissals being brought

before employment tribunals.

New rules came into force in April 2012 that will

hopefully reduce the number of tribunal claims

brought in reaction to dismissals, but this doesn't

mean that employers should rest on their laurels.

So, what are the risks? Any employee who feels

that they have a reason for disputing their

termination of employment, which may have been

achieved by means of redundancy, discipline or

constructive dismissal, may seek to claim financial

compensation from their former employer.

As it stands, the legal system allows no-win no-

fee court actions, which are extremely time

consuming and costly to defend even if the

employer is able to successfully defend the case.

This also results in settlements being made out

of court regardless of the rightfulness of the case -

many employers cannot afford the time and effort

required to compile a case for the tribunal.

An employee has to have worked for you for a

year to be able to bring a claim against you, but

this increases to two years for people who have

been hired since April. Plus, the employee will also

have to pay to bring the claim to court, something

that is expected to reduce tribunal cases by

around 2,000.

However, you should be aware that employees

of any length of service can, and will, be able to

Staff dismissals Robert Downes (Forum of Private Business)

page 25

bring a claim for automatic unfair dismissal if they

were dismissed or unfairly selected for

redundancy, for exercising their employment

rights and in situations of discrimination - a full list

is contained in our Employment Guide.

To limit your chances of a claim being brought

against you, there are steps to follow. The first,

and golden rule, is do nothing until you have

taken expert legal advice. If you are in any doubt

about what you're doing, seek professional legal

advice. Make a rash decision at this point and the

chances are you will fall foul of stringent

employment laws.

In the event that an employee's conduct falls

below an acceptable standard, always instigate

the correct disciplinary process as stipulated in

their contract of employment, followed and

supported by the correct paperwork.

Always keep a paper trail. Most cases which fail

at the tribunal stage do so because despite the

required outcome being correct, the paper trail of

evidence is flawed or the management of the

event has been incorrectly handled. This means

ensuring all your employment records are up to

date and fully documented.

The most important piece of paperwork that

you can have for each employee is an up to date

contract of employment, supported by a staff

handbook.

Acting fairly is another ‘must’. Rules regarding

staff conduct apply to all employees. For example,

if one member of staff is let off with a simple

verbal warning for persistent lateness, another

member of staff could not be officially disciplined

for the same indiscretion. Tribunals take a dim

view of this type of behaviour.

Also, do not be tempted to react to a situation in

a manner that may damage any prospect of

successfully implementing the sanction you wish

to impose. So even in what may appear to be a

clear case of gross misconduct, you cannot

dismiss an employee without due process. That

means: “Get your things together and don't come

back,” cannot happen.

usinesses don't always want to think about

what they would do if the worst B happens. However, it is important

that you are prepared in the unlikely

event that an individual is seriously hurt

as a result of your operations. Often, the

actions taken in the first few hours and

days following an incident will dictate how the

matter progresses in the weeks and months to

come. This is not an advertisement for

engaging lawyers without thought, but a guide as

to those simple steps that any business should

consider.

One of the key factors to sound crisis management

is proper communication. Firstly, employees and

contractors within your business should know who

to contact in the event of an emergency. This

contact should be available 24/7 by mobile phone

and can act as a point of contact to co-ordinate any

response.

The next step is to ensure that the injured party's

family is contacted. Having up-to-date contact

details for Next of Kin is therefore crucial. In the

event of an injury, steps should be taken to contact

a relevant individual and calmly inform them of the

situation. This needs to be carried out sensitively

and following strict checks to ensure the facts

reported are correct. In the event of a critical injury

or fatality, the Police should be instructed to make

contact as they are properly trained to do so.

Beyond informing individuals, communications

generally should be kept to a minimum. With

today's social media, gossip and speculation can

spread very quickly and can cause concern among

the workforce and family members, as well as

acting as good fodder for any investigating

authority. One simple way of avoiding gossip is to

keep individuals informed; there is nothing wrong

Communication

with providing neutral updates to the workforce

and expressing regret for what has happened.

Following an incident, employees should be made

aware of the appropriate channels for

communication in the event there is important

information to divulge; otherwise it should be

'radio silence' on the matter.

It is important that evidence is gathered as soon as

possible following an incident, including the

witness statements discussed below. The

information gathered will be relevant in any

subsequent prosecution, personal injury claim,

disciplinary action, or simply to understand how to

prevent a recurrence. Evidence can quickly be lost

if not captured; especially where employees are

working at third party sites.

Photographs can often be a useful piece of

evidence and something that can be gathered

efficiently with the influx of camera phones now

Evidence

Do not panic - Dealing with the aftermath ofa serious incident Robert Downes (FPB)

page 26

available. Any documentation should also be

collected together and held centrally. Those

documents required for the ongoing safe operation

of the business (such as checklists, instruction

manual, competency cards, etc.) should be copied

and the originals returned.

Following serious incidents, the Police may attend

the scene in order to carry out an investigation. It is

also likely that the Health and Safety Executive will

attend. Both authorities have varying powers of

entry and evidence seizure.

Whilst you must not obstruct the authorities, it is

advisable to engage with them in order to better

manage the investigation process. Your expertise

may be required in order to make an incident scene

safe; this should always be done. However, you

need to be aware that incident scenes should not

be tampered with.

The authorities will want to speak with

Investigating authorities

individuals in order to build a picture of the

accident and the surrounding events. If individuals

are due to be spoken to, try to work with the

authorities and arrange interviews the next day so

that the individuals can have time to calm down

and collect themselves. It is also important to

understand the capacity in which individuals are

being interviewed; whether as a suspect or as a

witness. The rights of an interviewee (to legal

representation, etc) will vary depending on the

type of interview so understanding this at the

outset is crucial.

Where statements are taken by the authorities,

ask if copies would be available. More often than

not, copies will not be provided until after the

investigation is complete (which is likely to be a

number of months, if not years). You should

therefore seek to take your own statements from

individuals whilst the events are relatively recent.

page 27

Continued on next page

page 28

Further down the line, and more likely a few hours

after the incident, the authorities will request to

see relevant documents. By engaging with the

authorities early, you will be in a position to

understand those documents they want to see and

then arrange for them to be copied and provided in

a controlled and recorded fashion, rather than a

sporadic drip-feed with no real control.

Beyond obtaining expert third party advice, the

benefit of instructing lawyers is that actions taken

under their instruction (in order to advise the

business on legal liability) will be legally privileged.

Whilst documents created before the accident are

fully disclosable to the authorities, documents

drafted with the dominant purpose of obtaining

legal advice cannot be viewed or seized; allowing

frank and open conversations about the causes of

an incident without the fear of them being used

against the business.

Lawyers

It must be appreciated, however, that legal

privilege cannot act retrospectively and is easily

lost if purported privileged documents are

distributed too widely (beyond six people) or

documents are created without the intention of

seeking legal advice; artificial attempts to invoke

privilege will be challenged by the authorities.

Ultimately, if a serious incident leads to a

prosecution by the HSE or Police, the case will not

reach Court for at least a year. Without proper

management in the midst of a crisis, your business

will not know what documents were provided, who

spoke to the authorities and what they said and

whether there is any suspicion of wrongdoing.

Simple steps taken calmly during the immediate

panic of an incident will lead to long-term benefits;

ensuring the welfare of those employees involved

in an incident, preventing any repeat and being in

the best position to respond to any subsequent

formal action.

Conclusion

Continued from previous page

Rather than seeing the continuing economic gloom as bad for

your business, have you thought about the positive affects this

has on our industry?

As the economic situation continues, due to the inevitable

prolonged reduction in disposable income, some customers have

started to restore rather than replace flooring and upholstery.

The fact that many customers have been forced to change their

spending habits in this way is a good thing for the cleaning and restoration industry, but it

is worth noting that at the same time client expectations have also been raised

considerably. Many cleaners are having to work doubly hard to prove their worth to

customers, who are understandably reluctant to part with their hard earned cash, and

want assurance that they are 'getting what they are paying for'.

So, how has the current economic climate affected your business? Are you struggling to

make ends meet or snowed under with work? If business is booming, have you any words

of wisdom you can share? And just how much of it comes down to how you market your

business?

In a recession every detail counts. Your

appearance could be the deciding factor

on whether you gain or retain a job. If

you are scruffy and have poor personal

hygiene it may be enough to tip the

balance and have your potential

customer choosing another company

over yourself.

Do you think carefully about the clothes

you wear for work? Denim jeans may be

practical for odd jobs and shopping, and

may well be your own 'style' but for many

decision makers, ie your prospect, they

may well be that little bit too casual. Also

remember that a pair of blue jeans may

cause permanent dye transfer when in

direct contact with damp carpet or fabric.

You may not like them but polyester

trousers are practical, maintain their

colour through many laundering cycles,

the knees don't fade and they dry quickly

if you get some overspray on them.

Google Analytics

Rise up from the economic gloom

Every detail countsKnowing the

footprints of the

visitors to your

website is invaluable

information. It can

ensure a good

website evolves into a great website and reaches

its full potential.

Google Analytics provides a fantastic insight

into where your traffic comes from and its

pathway through your site.

One of the many tools Google Analytics boasts

is reporting how long your customers have spent

on each page. This is a good indicator of how

well each page is being received and presents the

opportunity to make positive changes if

necessary.

It also has a feature called a bounce rate and if

you are looking at the figures for the home page

of your website and the bounce rate is over 50%

then you need to take a look at the design or

content on your home page. A bounce rate is the

number of visitors to your website that don't go

further than the home page.

Items for saleBUSINESS FOR SALE

Small, long-established, reputable NCCA Registered, working carpet, upholstery and soft furnishings

cleaning company. Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only.

Mobile HWE and dry cleaning system. Domestic and commercial clients. Genuine interested parties only

please to call 07903 497298 and leave details.

CLEANING EQUIPMENT AND VAN2 Dryfusion carpet cleaning machines, 2 Drizair 110

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lot - will not be sold as individual items. Total cost: £10,000. Phone Mike on: 01443 492455 or mob:

07881 807436.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALEProchem 250 ft vacuum hoses for truck mount -

£150.00. Chemspec hose reel for truck mount plastic - £200. Prochem sadle tank for truckmount 227 litre/60

gallons - £300.00. Chemspec pile lifter hoover - £800.00. contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for

further information or contact andy on: 07970 544806.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO START CLEANINGCARPETS, UPHOLSTERY AND CURTAINS.

Top of the range Ashbys Ninja 400psi portable hot water extraction machine with built in hot solvent

system. Full sleeved high pressure V2 hose sets, twin wand, Kleenrite upholstery tool- Viton stem, stair and

crevice tools. Sebo vacuum BS36, Sebo duo pre-treatment agitator, Hurricane pro air mover and chemicals, plus many more items. Also a Citroen

Dispatch LWB 2007 in excellent condition. Equipment - £2750, van - £4000, together - £6250 (no vat).

Contact: seanhanly1@hotmail.co.uk Telephone: 07411 769559.

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator - £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p.

Chemspec stainless steel 4 jet floor wand in good condition - £300.00 plus delivery charge if applicable.

Please phone Pete Collins on 07885804560.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALEProchem Bravo (complete) portable carpet spot cleaning machine (hardly used). Prochem Galaxy

compact carpet and upholstery cleaner, good condition with hose and wand. 3 speed air mover

(nearly new). Prochem dry carpet system (never used) complete with 3 different sets of new brushes and

renovation kit. Genuine reason for sale. All items are in very good working order. £2300 or very near offer.

Call Keith on 07734 144409 (Kent).

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE1 kirby g4 vac c/w full set of tools unused since recent

service £100 ono. 1 nuva electric protector spray trolley c/w lance and hand gun + coily hoses offers

over £75. 1 3" CFR hand tool+1 extra 3" nozzle needs repair £50 ono. 1 twin jet s/steel wand needs brazing

on jet mounts c/w teflon guide £40 ono. Buyer collects or arranges carriage on items. Contact

Stephen on 07766 327327 (Essex area).

VACANCY & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITYExperienced full time Carpet and Floor Care

Technician required. Own van and equipment would be an advantage but not essential. Good business

incentive package (profit share or buy in). Area coverage M4 corridor from Bristol to London. Apply by email to glynn.norcutt@gnccontractservices.com

with full CV, etc.)

BUSINESS FOR SALESmall, well established carpet, hard floor and

upholstery cleaning business based on the London and Kent borders. The package includes a 57 plate

Vauxhall Vivaro LWB Van with 53k miles on the clock, Prochem Blazer GT Truck Mount machine with only 270hrs on the clock, established interactive website

(which had SEO programme last year), chemicals, turbo drier, 250 feet of solution and suction hose and

van mounted hose reels, together with a property maintenance company name, website and

promotional materials. Contact telephone number 020 8309 6517. Sale price: £18,000 O.N.O.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALEAshby's Ninja extraction machine 135 psi, 2 hoses, 2 carpet cands, upholstery tool, 1.5 hp Hurricane Pro

Air Mover. Victor 400 floor buffer. Plus a selection of carpet and upholstery cleaning equipment, including a Prochem spotter kit, tarpaulins, grooming brushes

etc. Ideal as a 'starter' kit. All items in excellent condition, for full list please see our website,

http://www.regiscleaning.com/ Please call Regis Cleaning, on 0208 677 8031 or email:info@regiscleaning.com

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT - ACCESSORIESDri-Eaz Dehumidifiers, Turbo Dryers, Instruments and Accessories. Host 'Dry Extraction Cleaning System' - Machine and Accessories. For a complete list Please

contact Jason on: 07580 182 325 or email: info@restoration-direct.co.uk

TRUCKMOUNT AND VANHydramaster Boxer 421 Truckmount fitted in a Ford Transit van model 115 T350. Both in good condition. Taxed November 2012. MOT July 2013. Price includes all hoses, wands, shelving, Inline filter, safety ramp & other items - £10,500 or nearest offer. Photographs available. Sale due to retirement. Email: office@sm-

banbury.com Mobile 07917834836.

page 31

NCCA Corporate Members+ Allied Insurance Services Ltd:

+ Alltec Network:

+ Amtech UK:

+ Ashby's Cleaning Equipment:

+ Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd:

+ Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro):

+ Camberford Law (insurance brokers):

+ Chemdry UK:

+ Chemspec Europe Ltd:

+ Cleanerswarehouse Ltd:

+ Cleaning Support Ltd:

+ Cleaning Systems UK:

+ Cleansmart Ltd:

+ Cleantec Innovation Ltd:

+ Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd:

+ Dri-Eaz:

+ Dry Fusion UK Ltd:

+ Forum of Private Business:

+ Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers):

+ Hi-Tec Cleaning Group:

+ Host Von Schrader Ltd:

+ Hydro Dynamix:

+ Mailboxes Etc:

+ McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers):

+ Nu Life Stone Care Ltd:

+ Oates Laboratories (Europe):

+ Prochem Europe Ltd:

+ Rainbow International:

+ Restoration Express:

+ ServiceMaster Ltd:

+ Sebo UK Ltd:

+ Stainshield Ltd:

+ Textile Cleaning Solutions:

+ The Big Clean:

+ Truvox International Ltd:

+ Woodbridge Comercial Ltd:

0844 8156211 (I)

01763 208222 (C/M/F/T)

01444 232211 (C/M)

01322 227806 (C/M/E)

01254 584404 (FI)

01444 244000 (C)

0208 315 5000 (I)

01482 872770 (C/M/Fr)

01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F)

01772 434333 (T/C/R/M)

0844 8482371 (C/M/W)

01334 656787 (C/M/T/F)

0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K)

0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M)

01772 426527 (M)

01908 611211 (C/M/T)

01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr)

01565 634467

0845 4740068 (I)

02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T)

0151 347 1900 (M/C)

01622 664993 (Fr)T)

01628 633336

0121 706 0616 (I)

0161 480 7284 (M/C)

01772 433711 (C)

0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T)

01623 422488 (M/C/Fr)

01252 726106 (M/C/T/A)

0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr)

01494 465533 (M)

01372 841467 (C)

01934 521155 (M/C)

0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K)

02380 702200 (M)

01279 422220 (C/M)

C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr - Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E - Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds / Fi - Finance

The Association advises that all goods are checked to be in a satisfactory condition, and comply to

electrical and health and safety standards, etc. It is recommended that equipment serial numbers should be checked to ensure the seller is the legitimate owner. The Association accepts no

responsibility or liability arising from any transaction or dispute between the buyer and

seller.

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENTPortable recycling machine CFR Cascade 20, 1000psi, 75hrs on clock Wonder wand 2 jet, 33' Hide a hose. Original cost £3900. Will sell for £2500 + vat. Call Liz

/ Mark 01934 750977

CITROEN RELAY HDi LWB HR + TRUCK MOUNTED CARPET CLEANING MACHINE

VAN: Year-56plate. Miles-38453. TAX-End March 2013. MOT Due-August 2013. Serviced March 2012.TRUCK MOUNT: Chemspec 860 High Heat. Hours-2537.5hrs. This was Chemspec's largest and most

powerful petrol truck mount. The same was used as their demonstrator mounted on a trailer. It is

designed as a dual wand system so a 2man team can work continuously at impressive distances if

required, but equally can be run as a simple wand system. The machine is mounted on the vehicle

complete with: large waste tank, large capacity clean water tank, retractable hose reel for easy filling, fuel tank, chemical shelf, 5 x 50' Extraction Hoses on van mounted reel for easy set up, 5 x 50' Solution Hoses

on van mounted reel for easy set up, 3 x Large Carpet Wands

1 x Hand Tool, 2 x yellow/black hose pavement ramps, chemical tanks. We have it set up so you can have up to 4 different chemicals ready to go and can

simply be switched from one to the other without moving/switching tanks.

We have also invested and have installed an Eberspacher cab heater

(http://www.eberspacher.com/products/air-heating/) which allows the back of the vehicle to be

kept warm overnight during the winter months if the vehicle can't be garaged. This runs independently

from the engine.Cost: £10,750+VAT. Contact Peter Booth on: 01553

762762.

TRUCK MOUNTBanclene truck mount complete with base unit,

stainless steel 80 gallon recovery tank, 100 gallon solution tank, 150 feat of Vaccuum/solution hoses, floor, stair and various upholstery hand tools, inline heater and misc parts etc.. The van has been sold

seperately. Selling due to retirement and will consider the highest offer. Call Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640 - mobile 07976 218304 or email

derek @aquamaster-yorkshire.co.uk

Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: Website:info@chemspec-europe.com www.chemspec-europe.com

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