The Carpet and Rug Institute says consumers should not accept telephone quotations for carpet cleaning service. They contend that a cleaning firm should schedule a special trip to estimate the charges.  It is agreed that consumers should never accept telephone solicitation, but there is a big difference between someone calling for an estimate and being called to solicit business. Bait and Switch operators call to gain 'entre into a home to quote a simple cleaning job and then run the price up by intimidating the customer. 

Obviously CRI does not support this kind of monkey business, but that's what happens when people who are not in the business give advice and issue broad-brush edicts. CRI doesn't realize what an estimate trip costs in labor and vehicle expense especially in a large metropolitan area. They are a not-for-profit association in a small town and apparently have lost sight of the free enterprise concept of making a profit.

A simple, effective method of giving price quotes on the phone has been routine in my award winning* service company since 1969 and the concept has been taught at Bane-Clene Institute since 1978. Customers enjoy the convenience of a quick and accurate telephone quote and appreciate the fact that they do not have the nuisance of scheduling a second trip to their home.

Service is all about making it easy for the customer to arrange the job and then doing good work at a reasonable price.   Oh! .And don't forget to make a profit.

*The BBB, Angie's List and several television stations have recognized Bane-Clene on numerous occasions for outstanding service and customer satisfaction in central Indiana.

In a recent article I questioned pre-vacuuming being necessary prior to professional cleaning with all types of equipment.  As with any public statement, especially in this age of spin, comments on industry bulletin boards absurdly speculated that I was opposed to vacuuming carpets.  The article even generated comments from Werner Braun debunking what was said without naming the culprit who would have the audacity to question the prowess of CRI.

Many cleaning machines work better with pre-vacuuming and indeed should employ the process. Read the article carefully at   http://www.baneclene.com/clenetimes/2009Jun.pdf.   The question specifically states "ALL" cleaning systems and qualifies my own process and many competitors that do not require pre-vacuuming. These all have the advantages of cleaner indoor air and faster drying that leaves a fresh, lingering fragrance in carpet and furniture.

This is not hypothesis. It is based on forty-seven years in the business and backed by exceptional customer loyalty and many awards.  Angie’s List, the Better Business Bureau and several television stations are among many who have recognized Bane-Clene for complaint-free service and customer satisfaction. Is it any wonder I resent being told that we've been doing it wrong?

While I have the utmost respect for Mr. Braun and the CRI,  I will speak out when I believe they are wrong in matters that affect my livelihood. Perhaps they have lost sight of consumer satisfaction  being the most important issue facing the carpet industry today and have capitulated to the strong political influence of some who are driven by a hidden agenda.

My competitors do more for me than my friends do.
My friends are too polite to point out my weaknesses, but my competitors will go to great expense to tell of them.
My competitors are efficient, diligent, hard working and attentive.
They make me search for ways to improve my products and my services.
My competitors would take my business from me if they could.
This keeps me alert to hold on to what I have.
If I had no competitors, I'd be lazy...incompetent...inattentive.
I need this discipline they enforce upon me.

I salute my competitors, they've been good to me. God bless them all!

Author unknown.

Some cleaning firms use this way to tell the neighbors that they have worked for a neighbor. Doorknob hangers may seem like a good idea, but before resorting to this type of advertising think seriously about it.

While some don't mind their neighbors knowing what they are doing, there are those who have just the opposite reaction. A survey found that a majority of consumers do not wish to be used as a referral unless they decide to do the referring.

Bane-Clene does not use doorknob hangers except in the event a customer is not at home for a scheduled appointment. A notice is left with information for rescheduling the service. Police say professional burglars watch for signs such as newspapers, doorknob hangers and circulars to tell if a resident is away for an extended period.

Bane-Clene has developed gift service certificates for those customers who offer a referral to others. This method promotes a solid referral business while never risking the chance of offending a customer who may not wish to be used as a reference.

Some equipment makers put a device on a cleaning head to lock the solution valve in the “ON” position so the application is constant during the forward and reverse strokes. Salesmen tout the ease of operation and claim their equipment is so powerful it will allow the double stroking technique and the operator does not need to be constantly turning the valve off and on.

The truth is that this technique causes blotching as a result of over wetting. Solution soaks deeper into the carpet at the end of the back stroke as the direction of the cleaning head is reversed. The excess moisture is not picked up immediately by the vacuum head and is allowed to settle to the base of the carpet fibers causing uneven wetting.

When moisture wicks to the surface seeking air to dry, it evaporates and leaves a trace of any mineral or chemical content. The wet spots dry slower and leave more trace deposits than lightly moistened areas. Discoloration may not occur for weeks or even months after the carpet is cleaned and most times it is blamed on the carpet.

The single stroke technique taught at Bane-Clene Institute ensures that the cleaning solution is applied only on the back stroke. It is essential to learn the cutoff point at the end of the solution application stroke and pass the vacuum head beyond that point. Even wetting and thorough extraction leaves a carpet looking like new.

We're honored to have two representatives from Beaulieu of America (the Blissful folks) here this month. The full class has students from California, to Florida, to Canada, to New England and points in between.  You have my word that we'll do everything in our power to make all of your trips productive and profitable.  Thanks for being with us.

Elmer Wheeler made a fortune with the slogan, "Don't sell the steak; sell the sizzle." He told a manufacturer of drill bits that selling a 'round hole' was the key to more sales. Customers are motivated by different things. If you want to make friends with a horse, give him an apple. Give a dog meat, but it won't work the other way around.

Customers are interested in clean floors, carpets and furniture. In your sales presentation, make sure to mention "external extraction"® and tell the prospect about the benefits of removing soil, waste water and foul-smelling air from the building or home.

Point out that your process leaves the carpet soft and residue free so it will not attract and hold dirt. Mention that you do not bring heavy, cumbersome equipment into the home where it may damage paint, wallpaper and furnishings.

And don't forget to stress safety. You don't generate carbon monoxide and you use gentle, safe pressures and temperatures. If a prospect has questions you can't answer, invite them to visit www.baneclene.com.

A buyer for a big box store was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a floorcovering vendor kickback scheme. He made about $200,000 a year in his job buying flooring for the chain and will have to pay nearly $1.2 million in restitution that he took in cash and gifts from flooring manufacturers to get their products in his company's stores.

There are several more being investigated in the scandal and other areas of corruption may come under scrutiny, too. Hopefully investigators will get into fraud and other allegations involving insurance, bidding and supply irregularities in peripheral industries. It's long overdue!

The famous black and white bus was in Indy to tape the show that will air tonight on ABCTV. While they were here the producers called us on the carpet. If there is an interior shot of the bus you'll see the beautiful sculptured carpet we had the opportunity to clean for them.

They required service the same day and a crew was dispatched to their location. Don Terry went with them to photograph the job. The work was competed to the customer's satisfaction in the required time. Pictures will be featured in the next Cleaning Digest on line.