[daysdeepclean]

As you are probably aware (Unless you've just come back from a holiday on the Philipene Island of Boracay), Derek has raised a point about starting an association (TACCA) in order to make the public aware that not all Carpet Cleaners use RD's, wet and shrink carpets and wee in plant pots when no one is looking :. This would potentially be beamed accross our green and pleasant via TV adds and the press etc etc!!!!!

Obviously there would be certain critera to be met but at the moment, this is a pipe dream!

Thanks Guys and Gals!!!!!

[Neil Williams]

Interesting that half of those polled so far said No.
I would have expected more votes on yes if the price was right.

[daysdeepclean]

Mmmmm.... I'm wondering actually that if NCCA was better known by the Joe Public through media, tv etc, would people join that.....? Would we get a similar poll result!!!!

As has been suggested, maybe we are better off looking out for ourselves? The flip side I suppose is that if TACCA became saturated with members in your area, you'd be back to square one!

In which case, why join any association?

[Matt Lindus]

Ok. Its time for me to chip in which means only one thing for this topic. Slide away.

[Mike Osbourne]

Colin selects reverse gear only to find it only has one.

[Griffus]

The NCCA is already well established but have they managed, or even really scratched the surface in respect of public awareness?

Does the public even care.

Just because a company is recognised, endorsed or supported by a particular body does not mean they are better. Who endorses the endorser?

Think about this: -

Automotive main dealerships are fully endorsed etc. by the vehicle manufacturers.

Who can honestly say that they have experienced better service as a result? I personally see inflated prices, often poorer quality of workmanship and even customer service.

I therefore use an independent that was recommended to me, I am happy with the quality, value and service and have recommended to others many times.

The point is that trust needs to be earned. Just because we are told that we can trust rarely means that we do, and why the hell would we?!

[kinder clean]

Why not club together and have a really professional looking website built along with some professionally made A5 brochures, containing all the benefits of choosing a ** member and warning of the dangers associated with tradesman that have zero training / insurance / insufficient cleaning equipment etc   

Members would have to prove they have sufficient training and adequate equipment before they can become a member. Come up with a name and logo which can then be used on our vehicles / websites / litterature etc....

This would be as good a selling point as NCCA membership, as stated many times before, nobody has heard of the NCCA.

Aside from that educate your customers, concentrate on your own patch and spend your money on marketing why your company is better than those around you, give people the facts, set yourself apart from your competition.

Paul

[Ryan Smyth]

good point paul , matt lindus...nothing positive or constructive as is evident from your previous posts...carpet cleaners are no good, hopeful, dream merchants who just aspire to be as successful as you in your aerial business. Why even post on a cleaning forum

Ryan

[Joe H]

I think Dereks frustration with the NCCA is the perception of lack of public awareness of that organisation.
Just looked thro the NCCA "What is our aim" and it does not mention making the whole nation aware of its existance. Its aims are
1 to establish minimum professional standards
2 training for members and keeping abreast with technology
3 to ensure members have adequate public liability and treatment risk insurance (how many of oyu have the latter?)
4 to provide advisory service to assist with problems and handling complaints
5 to ensure all members abide by the moto "service with integrity
(please note these are abreviated).
Does NCCA meet the above criteria.
I would say Yes.

It does not however succeed in making the whole nation aware of its prescence.
Maybe, and I am only guessing, due to the experiance of its "board" over the years to do that would need much more then the revenue it generates for 200+ members and training income, much more (as Derek speaks about).

So I dont think it has let any of its members down at all - it does what it says.

To get to a level that many of you speak about - national recognition thro every house in the UK - well, thats going to take money - Derek talked about £1000 plus £20 per week.
Looking at the recent poll on here - the majority dont want to commit to that sort of investment, even thro a energetic and enthusiastic carpet cleaner like Derek.

By the way - did a job yesterday for a lady. She went back to the paperwork she got with her new carpet and if she had a problem she was recommended to phone the NCCA. She did that, gave her post code (first 2 digits) and was given the contact details of all those on the NCCA list with her postcode.
And that is not the first job that I have got recently thro the NCCA.




 

[Joe H]

Heck! Now we have 2 threads going on about the same thing.

[Simon Gerrard]

As someone very wisely pointed out in another post, carpet cleaners are individuals, all we really care about is our our own businesses and not necessarily the collective good of our friends and colleagues on these forums. When you spend £1,000 all you're really interested in is, 'what am I going to get out of it?' If you're fairly sure that you will make a good return, say £5,000 in sales then you will go for it and quite rightly so in that scenario.
Like I said before, all TruckMounters members are also members of the TMCCA and we had big plans for how we were going to generate lots of work for our members with websites, national contracts, etc, etc. But the reality of making that happen requires massive amounts of input and lots of money all of which has to be put in long before you are in a position to take money from potential members. Plus, while you're setting this up you have to run your own business and the two opposing draws on your time and finances soon blunt the whole idea.
The members will want results. They won't wait a years or two while you get things going, they'll want results, pronto and if they don't get what was promised they'll soon disappear, friends or not.

The NCCA is the perfect vehicle for what is envisaged as they have the infrastructure and at least some public awareness. So the question then becomes how to change the NCCA? Well why not spend some time getting in touch with its members and outline the way forward. Why not insight mass resignations sent in writing to the NCCA, 'we want this our we're leaving.' Threaten any institution with extinction and it soon focuses itself on survival.

Simon

[daysdeepclean]

Colin selects reverse gear only to find it only has one.

I'm not blinkered mate! Like most adults, I do have the ability to look at things from all angles and accept that we are all of differing opinions!

That is not to say I still wouldn't join the TACCA though