[Karl Wildey]

so we agree that we don't need the NCCA, but their needs to be a standard, ie training.
And if not NCCA, its has to be IICRC, or Prochem.
agreed?

I like the idea of regional areas, easy to set up one regional group, then a whole country,

So what next?

(As mentioned some dosmetics custards do not know what NCCA is, and they have been going for decades, you see how big a task it will be to get a reconised name.)

[Everbrite]

Yes Karl there has to be a standard i am sure if a body of C/C got together it could be sorted.
And as you rightly say the NCCA has been running for many a year then WHY does not the domestic customer know? If anybody wants to meet up count me in i am sure we all have our own ideas.

[des]

I have just come of a web site in the usa called The carpet -cleaning resource center set up to advertise carpet cleaners .You just put in which state you need a carpet cleaner in and then which town  How easy would this be  for some one to start up a web site and call it what you like .The cost of the running of the site and any advertising would have to be covered but as more carpet cleaners  joined this would get less You would advertise on the side of your van also   des   Why not call it NEED A CARPET CLEANER UK

[stevegunn]

Des got a link to the site

[Karl Wildey]

Its not that the dosmetic customer does not know the NCCA, its not what they are looking for.
They want a carpet cleaned, end of story. Price and time to suit also required.
Commercial customer wish the same, but also want a guaranteed job.
If you approach a chain, then they required the same, but with national coverage as well.

When a national chain wants carpets cleaned in all its branches it has two choices, franchise companies or NCCA  registered cc.

You must remember 'the idea', and stick to that to make it work, its no good just having a pop at the NCCA, as this is not they job. (ken posting above sums this up).

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

wasn't this same subject discussed a couple of weeks ago

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6171.0

lots of people interested in it and haven't heard a thing since.

I'm new to this business so does that mean that i would not be able to be a part of this.

wouldn't that make it even harder for the newcomers to get going when there is a national organisation that they are not allowed to be part of taking all of the jobs away.

[ian richards]

Well!!!!

That little remark to my fellow collesgue's has stired it up a bit i feel.
Good that was the idea

There have also been some constructive remarks.
I think that it is safe to say that there are a few people willing to give it some extra thought. I have to agree with paul, having gained an IICRC qualification will in fact show that you have had some indepth training.
No, we dont have to have the NCCA to support us, but it would be nice!
I can see all the polotics that would come about from them supporting us, and perhaps they dont have too. If it were a success then they might be willing to hold our hand at a later date.
Think about this
If you were to stand in the middle of a street and turn round in a full circle taking in eveything that you see that was around you, without you even realising you would possibly be looking at over a 100 different things that we see each day and dont give a moments thought about. Of how they came to be.
Yet i promise you that most of the people who thought of these THINGS whatever they may be, faced massive ridicule when they wanted to put them into practice.
If they had took notice and walked away believing in those who ridiculed them, do you think that they would have developed into what we see today, of course they wouldnt!!!
The point i'm making is, yes this can work, but i agree that you have to have the funding, brains, will, and comitment to see it through.
Why should the franchises get all the action, NO WAY should they!!! Who said they were any better than us. You cant tell me that Chemdry didnt start from a one mand band!! If there were the the right people behind this opperation then i can't see a problem.

How many of you have heard this??

HALF GLASS FULL

OR

HALF GLASS EMPTY

Which one are you

IAN  
      

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys,

At this stage I think the industry is too fragmented to get this together.

I would start with a list of carpet cleaners in each area who cross refer each other.

I would not get bogged down in trade organisations as this will only lead to divisions.

The only criteria would be the willingless of all involved to do a professional job.

Anyone not coming up to scratch on this would be removed.

Cheers,

Doug

[Karl Wildey]

Posting are postive to negative, sorry doug you being negative, Ian is right, but who is going to do this. (funding, brains etc).

Carpet Knight - I agree with you but the basic of a good cc is training, so that should be the entry level, not the amount of time in business, but good training.

So lets cut the big picture up!!!

Don't go national, go regional, set up regional branches, get these in place and then combine to form a national operation. As long as we all agree on a name and standard, to start with, as they say lets walk before we run.

Only other problem with national companies is there will be gaps, espically in Wales and Scotland, (and poss Northern Ireland). But you overcome this with 90% of the natioanl population covered (or whatever the mobile phone companies say)

[Ian Gourlay]

Ian,

I think I read on your excellent Web Site, that you are a memember of The Alltec Select Team

I would have thought this would be the best vehicle to achieve National Coverage. You would have had to have done the Courses.

Then there is The Solutions Team,

ProClean


Prochem

I believe Carpet Cleaners in The Kent Area get work passed on to them by Ashbys.

Then we could have Express Cleaners

Etc Erc Etc,

I think what I am saying is that it could be supplier lead.

Entry would be technical knowledge and using that supplier exclusively.

This would then increase suppliers turnover.

As I said in a previous post I was in a similiar scheme for Newsagents and it worked.

It was funded out of Discounts obtained from our Suppliers.

We were able to arrange joint promotions, Regional and national Press Advertising Local Radio etc.

It did cost the bottom line, because you paid through Discounts you might have been able to negotiate.

The annual running costs administration advertising etc were quite High.

I think to make it work Each participant would have to put in £100 plus a week.

[Doug Holloway]

Karl,

Just trying to be realistic BUT if you don't try , you  dont know.

Personally I would'nt get involved in anything too complicated, maybe because i'm happy as I am.

Good Luck,

Doug

[Everbrite]

Cant all interested parties meet in a chat room??

[des]

Steve have just gone on to site and all i can see is the name CCRC.I have e mailed them asking if they would be willing to say something about there web site des

[Ken Wainwright]

Last year, I had the priviledge of spending some time with Franco Preo of FreshAire Carpet Cleaning, in Perth Western Australia.

Franco is a well respected, knowledgeable and experienced carpet cleaner down under, and if i remember correctly, he is either the founder or one of the founders of The Advantage Group Carpet Cleaners inc.  This would appear to be the sort of co-operative organisation that many are thinking of setting up here in the UK. Visit http://www.agccwa.com/about_us.asp  for more information.

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Kevin_Gare]

Lets all talk about this when we get to MK. I thought that was what we were going to do anyway

One website with inter- links to the diffrent areas with ONE person that can pass on the work in that area.

Regards Kevin


ps. It could work IF there are not to many people knocking the systerm, but hey thats life...

[Doug Holloway]

Hi,

I've got www.ukcarpetcleaners.com which I was going to set up as a list of experienced cc's, BUT have just been too busy.

I still hope to do something like this and I was going to use my search engine knowledge , to get it up the top of the searches as 1st4carpetcleaning is,  in Essex and local areas.

Cheers,

Doug

[Everbrite]

well Ian what do you think to the idea now?
Lets go go go  :

[Kevin_Gare]

Hi Guys

I'm a member of the Allect team, Proclean and only got ONE job in about god knows how many years from them so that does not work.

I feel that what ever we do it should not be linked to any one supplier that way they cannot take control at the end of the day. And if they wanted to advertise on the site then that could be the way to get the money to fund it.

And it should start by being regional that way it could be kept in order and the main person for each area could be in touch with the other areas once a month to see how things are going. There could even be a report posted on the website for just the CC's to see so that everybody knew what was going on. Because everybody would be a member and equal.

Sorry for going on, Hope this makes sense.

Regards Kevin

[Everbrite]

well we go round and round in circles for gods sake lets gooooooooooooooooooooooo.
shall i start the list??

[Ian Gourlay]

In away Trevor (Woodman) is trying to get ball rolling with his Royal Mail Co OP

leaflet distribution.  He has also organized Milton Keynes.

So board members have been working together for a long time.

Trevors idea requires commitment, so that could be a first test.

Yellow Page Adverts

Well we could all have a listing similiar to NCCA advert in local YP

There are probably three or four board members per Yellow Page area.

Could club together buy Full or half page advet with area contacts.

Might work out but not all on this board has faith in Yellow Pages, There are many testomies that a big advert brings in a considerable amount a month.
I do not know how far they travel

I do not know as I only have a Little one, but I would not mind putting my YP money into a joint one aslong as there was say 20 miles radius between each contributor.


For example Paul CTCS is about 35 miles away in same Yellow Page Area but would we agree about advert content? Then there is I think Phil who would be about 35 miles from Paul in same Yellow Page area. so we would need another three and it could be done. This is not a formal proposal just illustrating how it could work.

But that does not require some great alliance