A Time For Education
I think that we all know that employee training is an important and necessary management function and responsibility. It’s difficult if not impossible for an employee or a supervisor to do a good job if management doesn’t take the time to make sure that everyone understands what is expected of them and how “a Good Job” is defined.
I think it’s time to take education in the cleaning industry to a higher level. If you look at any other profession, advanced education is available to those who want it. You can attend a college or university to get an Associate of Arts degree, a Bachelors degree, a Masters or even a Ph.D. in your chosen field. That is not the case in the cleaning industry. In fact, you can barely get a meaningful certificate with your name on it, let alone any formal academic degree. I think that needs to change.
I’d like to challenge some of the large corporations like, 3m, Johnson Wax, Nilfisk-Advance and others who take millions of dollars in profits out of the industry each year to put some of those profits back into the industry as an investment in everyone’s future. This goes for industry trade associations as well. I think it’s time that both groups take a leadership role and fund the establishment of a professorship chair in Cleaning Science at several Universities in the U.S. and several foreign counties.
Oh, I’m sure some will be offended by my comments and challenge, but I don’t care. The way I see it, our industry and the millions of people who clean America’s buildings each day and night will never get the respect they deserve if we don’t establish an upward mobility ladder that provides those who want it, with an opportunity for advanced education that brings with it better pay, recognition, research and factual information.
Ok, Corporate and Association leaders, where are you when it’s time to step up to the plate? Are you willing to support investing money in the future of the cleaning industry or are your pockets the only place you’re willing to put the profits? Hello is anybody listening?
Textile Cleaners of America hold Symposium in Broomfield, CO
Approximately 150 professional cleaners from throughout the U.S, Canada and Australia attended the TCA’s first Commercial Carpet Cleaning Symposium on April 4 & 5.
Speakers covered such subjects as Product Specification, Inspections, Developing a Preventive Maintenance Program, Niche Marketing, Selling Commercial Add On’s, Pricing, Indoor Environmental Quality and other topics of interest. Symposium presenters included such well-known authorities as Jeff Bishop, Barry Costa, Dr. Michael Berry, Carey Mitchell and others.
The program not only included presentations by qualified speakers, but also hands on demonstrations of all the common carpet cleaning processes, as well as an evening workshop format that had groups of cleaners on their hands and knees inspecting, bidding and developing a maintenance program for various areas of the hotel where the event was held. This was truly a hand on event that added several new twists to the process of educating carpet cleaners on how they could better serve the needs of commercial customers with multiple locations in different geographic locations throughout the country.
The event was fast paced and well planned, with plenty of good food for all.
As part of the event, over $5000 was raised and donated to the fight against leukemia and other childhood cancers.
The next TCA Symposium is planned for May of 2003 in Dalton, GA. For more information contact the TCA at 888-990-9952 or visit their website at www.textilecleaners.com
Dr. Michael Berry Talks About the Value of Cleaning
Berry, who is well known for his work at the EPA and his book “Cleaning For Health,” spoke at the recent Textile Cleaners Association Symposium in Broomfield, CO, and here are some key points from his presentation.
– What we do as cleaner’s makes a difference in people’s lives and businesses.
– The purpose of business is to create wealth.
– If you know everything about you’re chosen field, you’re on the road to failure.
– Successful businesses capture the trust and loyalty of their customers so they will come back again and again.
– The business of cleaning is about managing indoor environments.
– Over 90% of environmental exposures occur indoors where people spend most of their time.
– Where we spend our time
o Home 60%
o Office or work 30%
o In Transit 6%
o Out of doors 3%
o Other 1%
– Health is a state of well being.
– Unsafe and unsanitary environments can create hopelessness in refugee camps, schools, hospitals, homes and businesses. When this happens people respond with drastic measures as they don’t see any alternative and they have nothing to lose.
– The work place environment plays a key role in employee productivity, and satisfaction as well as business success and profit.
– To achieve success in business you must think of your customer’s outcomes and performance more than your own.
– Get closer to your customer so you can better understand their needs.
– There is a lot of baloney, actually fraudulent material floating around in the cleaning industry. Dig deeper for facts that are based on scientific research and not marketing hype.
– Every environment constantly seeks disorder.
– Unsanitary buildings have health complaints, which impact the financial stability of businesses they house.
– Sensory irritation of the eyes, nose and throat are common health effects associated with a breakdown in cleaning and sanitation.
– Dust levels play a critical role in indoor air quality and building health issues.
– The public should be outraged that most schools, government buildings and public facilities are mismanaged and deteriorating because of it. Unfortunately these facilities are owned by everyone and taken care of by no one.
– Indoor environmental quality affects attitudes, productivity and health of occupants.
– To market your services you must be able to show and explain the cost/benefit relationship to potential customers.
– You can’t improve what you doing if you don’t measure what your doing.
– Dirty carpets support mold and bacteria growth, clean carpets don’t provide a health risk.
– Water and dirty environments are key factors in public and personal health. The single leading source of disease in the world is contaminated water. Your best protection is to keep indoor environments clean and dry.
As ever, Dr. Berry’s presentation was well received and gave everyone in the audience a fresh perspective on the value of cleaning and a few new things to think about.
