April 2011

ncca April 2011

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

newslink

The Cleaning Show

Niche Marketing

Features:

©Majestic by Brintons

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Contents03 From the editor

03 Marketing news

04 Chem-Dry’s Kilimanjaro challenge - update

04 Company profile: Vitec Global

06 Niche marketing for hard floor cleaning

and other services

08 The Cleaning Show 2011 - an

‘outstanding event’

10 Chemspec Europe wins two awards for

innovation at the 2011 Cleaning Show

12 A Board decision

14 The key to top Google results for your website

18 One-to-One

20 Health and Safety training for the carpet

and upholstery cleaner

21 Checking out the competition

22 UK water testing regulations

26 The 2011 Budget - how it has affected

small business

30 Enforcement notices - what you need to know

Published monthly by:

Editor

Editor in Chief

Design Editor

Company Secretary/Technical Director

Training Director

Marketing Director

Member Liaison Director

Associate Liaison Director

Events Director

The National Carpet Cleaners Association

62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire,LE2 5DHTel: 0116 271 9550Fax: 0116 271 9588E-mail: [email protected]: www.ncca.co.uk

Nikki Law

Keith Robertson

Nikki Law

Paul Pearce

Pawlo Woloszyn

Keith Robertson

Glyn Charnock

Denise Pitt

Nigel Lay

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

Marketing news

Nikki Law

n the 1st - 3rd March we attended The

Cleaning Show 2011 at the NEC in O Birmingham - a major biennial event

where companies can market, sell and promote

their products and

services to an

international audience.

Each year the show

gets bigger and better,

attracting thousands of

visitors keen to see all

that's new in the

cleaning industry. This

year it welcomed

almost ninety new

exhibiting companies

and has been heralded

an outstanding success,

drawing a high quantity

and quality of visitors to

the stands.

The show exceeded all

our expectations,

especially in light of the

current economic climate. Our stand was extremely

busy and we received more expressions of interest

in Association membership than at any previous

show, handing out over a hundred information

packs. We were really pleased that people took the

time to stop and speak to us and were receptive to

learning more about the NCCA and our role within

the industry.

All sectors of the cleaning industry were

represented at the show and many new specialist

cleaning solutions were launched. This year

innovation was rewarded with an expanded and

enhanced awards programme. Two awards were

presented to Chemspec Europe, who won in the

Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Products/Services

category for their acclaimed detergent free cleaning

product DFC105 and in the Cleaning

Product/Service category for

their water-based, broad

spectrum, anti-microbial

Formula 429.

Neil Nixon, chair of the

judging panel and editor of

C&M, said “Judging the

expanded scheme was a

tougher task than ever before. Competition was

fierce and we had some excellent winners”.

The Cleaning Show 2013 will be staged at the

NEC, Birmingham from 19th to 21st March 2013.

For further details please contact Martin Scott on:

01895 454438 or visit: www.cleaningshow.co.uk

As usual we have been busy with our marketing endeavours and continue to have articles printed in the trade press.

We have now also fully launched ourselves into the world of Social Media Marketing (SMM), recognising it to be an excellent way of generating exposure and maintaining/gaining close links with prominent industry players.

For those who’d like to join us we can be found on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare and Twitter at: www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_

Our existing marketing campaign - the main objective of which is the inclusion of editorial in as many home, women's interest and lifestyle magazines as possible - continues to run alongside our other marketing ventures. During the last month our efforts in this area have come to fruition with the publication of an article in a prominent and widely read womens interest magazine.

The article focuses on women who have made changes in their lives and set up successful businesses. It features NCCA Director, Denise Pitt.

It can be viewed in the April edition of Good Housekeeping.

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Chem-Dry’s Kilimanjaro challenge - update

e are extremely proud to announce W that thirteen members of our team

reached Kilimanjaro's Uhuru Peak on Friday

11th March at around 8am, following a

hellish nine hour walk in absolute darkness,

eerie silence and bitterly cold winds.

For seven days the team lived out of

backpacks, slept under canvas and clocked up

between six to eight hours of walking every

day.

The Challenge has been an incredible

experience and a wonderful means of raising

funds (and the profile) of our charity of the

Year - Asthma UK. To date we have raised in

excess of £7,500 which will be presented to

the charity next month.

We would like to thank everyone who

supported our challenge and helped to raise

funds for Asthma UK.

itec is a global leader and has built solid V portfolios of products around

environmentally friendly next generation

antimicrobial nanotechnologies. Recent

developments have produced high quality

products which create long lasting

antimicrobial barriers on all textiles, including

carpets and upholstery. Vitec demonstrates

that it is possible for businesses driven by

environmental concerns to deliver economic

solutions in increasingly competitive markets.

www.maxgermguard.com

Company profile: Vitec Global

A one-stop shop for cleaning products and equipment

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Big Clean Hip High HH-1500 Centrifuge 11 ft with

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breaks

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stabilising legs and magnetic

breaks

Call Dave For More Info on: 0208 393 4778

THE BIG CLEAN

UP TO 50% OFF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS

100 Ewell Bypass, 15 Castle Parade, Ewell, Surrey, KT17 2PR.Web: www.thebigclean.co.uk

page 6

Keith Robertson

Stoneman’s Corner

ore and more carpet and upholstery

cleaners are adding further services to M their existing business in order to gain

more work, with many now branching into hard

floor care and maintenance.

It is important to remember, when introducing a

new service, to approach the prospective customer

in the right way. Many of us, when responding to an

enquiry, will simply make a site visit to carry out a

survey and prepare a quotation. We call this an

'estimate'. However, if you are looking to expand

your horizons it could be more advantageous to

offer an 'audit' rather than an 'estimate'.

What is the difference? Well, let me explain.

Instead of simply measuring the rooms, or checking

the items to be cleaned, explain to your prospect

that with their co-operation there is a way in which

you can offer them an even better service. The idea

is gain their permission to list all the areas and items

which you are able to look after on their behalf,

then inform them you are qualified and equipped to

care for these items and explain the services you

offer.

You may also want to explain that from time to

time you offer special discounts to long term clients

who have a care and maintenance plan in place.

Often when you inform them of this they will

respond to your ideas in a much more positive way.

Where possible, it is better to discuss the audit

before you visit, but even once you arrive it is still

possible to get permission to carry out a full or

sometimes partial audit. However, if you just cannot

bring yourself to discuss this, or feel you don't want

to invest the time to carry out audits, then simply

keep your eyes and notebook open and write down

whatever you can see.

Once you have created an inventory of the

flooring and furnishings within the property you will

Marketing for hard floor cleaningand other niche services

page 7

need to carefully log the details of the prospects'

furnishings on your database for future reference.

Was the hall carpeted or engineered wood flooring?

Was the kitchen limestone or ceramic? What was

the flooring in the cloakroom? A detailed log is

extremely important if you wish to offer a smooth

and seamless service.

To further spread the knowledge of your

additional services it is good policy to always leave

some printed information with prospects and

existing clients. This might include an NCCA leaflet,

written material about your company, a list of your

niche services and your credentials, including

membership of the NCCA.

Among my own arsenal of information I have a

four-page A3 size menu and printed leaflets. I also

have PDF copies of all my printed information for

emailing. It is important to take every opportunity

possible to inform your prospects/clients of

everything you do.

On my Hard Floor course I make a point of

supplying the delegates with some samples of the

leaflets and written information that I use to market

my various services. I am not suggesting they copy

them, but to view them as an example of the sort of

material they should be handing out.

Last year, fellow member David Weaver explained

to me how he always kept his eyes open when

visiting customers' homes and businesses and

would see all sorts of surfaces he knew he could

restore. The thing is, until he pointed this out to his

customers they were completely unaware that he

was capable of looking after these as well as their

soft furnishings.

This is the point - they don't know. Their minds are

focussed on what they need today and they tend to

blank everything else out, so it is our responsibility

to educate them.

I come from a sales background but now ignore

many of the techniques I learned to close sales,

preferring to use education as my chief method of

convincing prospects that I am different from the

herd. I don't subscribe to Neuro-linguistic

programming (NLP) techniques (i.e. messages

intended to condition the conscious or unconscious

mind), like many in sales are prone to do, and

personally get very cross when I detect that a sales

person is trying to use them when talking to me.

When using the 'education' method of selling your

services it is obviously imperative that you keep an

up-to-date level of knowledge of the services you

are offering.

If you are involved in hard floor care there are a

number of things available that you can do to

increase your knowledge.

The NCCA offer a Hard Floor Course which is an

ideal starter if you are considering dipping your toe

in the water.

There is also an IICRC Stone and Tile Cleaning

course available, which is theoretically based and

extremely informative. On this course you will learn

over one hundred and fifty specific facts which you

will apply throughout your stone and tile cleaning

career.

Karl at Amtech also offers hard floor training as

does Nu-Life in Stockport and Dry Fusion in

Lancashire. Recently Alltec brought in the inventor

of a new marble polishing system and over twenty

attendees, mostly NCCA members, spent two full

days learning how to use this system (these are the

hard flooring courses offered by Associate members

that I am aware of, but if you know of any others

please let me know).

After attending a course you will need to set aside

some time to practice in the garage or workshop

before meeting your public. I always think you can

never practice too much, nor is it possible to over-

rehearse what you are going to say to your

customers.

To summarise, keep looking for new niches, learn

and equip yourself before offering them to your

customers and then make sure you tell your existing

and new customers what you can do to help them.

Of course there are niches other than hard floors. I

recently read Chemspec's latest Newsletter and the

content nudged me to prepare a leaflet on my new

'Antimicrobial Treatment Service`. So, what's going

to be your next service?

page 8

nybody with concerns that the current

economic climate might damage the A quality of attendees at The Cleaning Show

2011 needn't have worried - the event closed its

doors on Thursday 3rd March following three

vibrant days which both exhibitors and visitors

described as 'outstanding'.

The official number of visitors attending this year's

event is 7,652, with the vast majority being in a

position to purchase or specify equipment and

services. Martin Scott, exhibition sales director, said:

"The Cleaning Show 2011 exceeded all our

expectations, and was a clear demonstration that

the UK cleaning industry continues to thrive despite

tough economic times. As organisers we were struck

by the quality of the exhibits and the amount of

genuine innovation on show.

From our exit survey, it appears that visitors were

similarly impressed. We welcomed almost ninety

new exhibiting companies to this year's event - I

look forward to seeing them all again in 2013."

Mark Woodhead, chairman of the British

Cleaning Council, said: "The Cleaning Show was a

huge success from the BCC's perspective.

Throughout the course of the three days I was

able to meet numerous decision-makers and

influential people from a variety of industries and

countries, as the show once again displayed that

its appeal spans continents and industry sectors. I

particularly liked the new innovations for the

show, especially the Green Zone and the

improved Innovation Awards, which

demonstrated our industry's appetite to engage

with issues of sustainability and social

responsibility, both of which will be explored

again at our own Cleaning Conference in October.

I would like to pass on my congratulations to

Quartz for another successful show from all of

The Cleaning Show 2011 - ‘an outstanding event’

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the BCC's members, and look forward to seeing

everyone again in two years time."

Exhibitors, too, were full of praise for the event.

Lyndsay Taylor from first-time exhibitor New Zealand

Pump Company, said: "It was the first time exhibiting

for us at The Cleaning Show and the response that

we had was

phenomenal. It ranks

among the top five

shows that we have

exhibited at across the

globe. We would also

like to thank the event

staff for making the

booking process easy

and hassle-free. Now

the hard work begins

with following up the

leads."

Other new initiatives

that proved particularly successful were the Priority

Pass Scheme, which enabled visitors to prepare their

badges in advance on-line, and the VIP Visitor

Programme, sponsored by ICE.

Innovation Awards

The organisers of The Cleaning Show 2011 rewarded

innovation with an expanded and enhanced awards

programme at this year's event. Neil Nixon, chair of

the judging panel and editor of C&M, said: "Judging

the expanded scheme was a tougher task than ever

before, but extremely rewarding. I am very grateful

to my fellow judges - Bob Vincent, Paul Thrupp, John

Stinton, Maureen Marden and Michael Poulter - for

their diligent work, enabling us to physically judge

almost fifty products during the first day of the show.

Competition was fierce, and we had some excellent

winners. Thanks to all the exhibitors that took part,

submitting one hundred products and services for

the consideration of the judges."

Congratulations to this year's winners:

! Carpet and upholstery cleaning products/services:

Chemspec Europe - DFC 105.

! Chemicals and dosing systems: GLORIA - Foam

Master.

! Eco/green products: Centrego - Toucan Eco.

! Floor cleaning machines (indoors): ICE Cleanfix -

Robo 40.

! Floor cleaning machine (outdoors): Gumclear -

CCR3000.

! Food hygiene products/services: Bio-Based

Europe - Hard Surface Sanitiser.

! Healthcare products/services: Chemspec

Europe - Infection Control Fogging Solution.

! Pressure washers/graffiti removal

products/services: Bio-Based Europe - Graffiti

Remover.

! Retail cleaning products/services: Prodifa -

Aluminium Ashtray Bag.

! Washroom products/services: Cannon Hygiene -

Activap.

! Software and management systems: OGL - ProfIT

Plus Business Intelligence Module.

! Window cleaning

products/services:

Aqua-Dapter - Flow

Controller.

! OVERALL WINNER:

Aqua-Dapter - Flow

Controller.

The Cleaning Show

2013 will be staged at

the NEC, Birmingham

from 19th to 21st

March 2013. The

event will co-locate

with the highly

successful IMHX exhibition, ensuring the crossover

of visitors from the materials handling and

warehousing event.

The Cleaning Show is organised every two years

on behalf of the cleaning industry by BCCE Ltd, a

company jointly owned by the British Cleaning

Council and Quartz Publishing & Exhibitions Ltd,

publisher of C&M.

For further details on The Cleaning Show please

contact Martin Scott on: Tel: 01895 454438,

Email: [email protected]

www.cleaningshow.co.uk

page 10

long history of developing and marketing

innovative products has been A acknowledged and rewarded this year

when Chemspec Europe won awards in two of the

twelve categories at the 2011 UK Cleaning Show.

DFC 105 was awarded the Innovation Award 2011 in

the category of Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning

Product.

Formula 429 was awarded the Innovation Award

2011 in the category of Healthcare Cleaning

Product/Service.

In the category of Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning

Product the Award was granted to Chemspec Europe

for an innovative new Detergent Free Cleaning

product, DFC105, that is made from naturally

generated ingredients and totally avoids the use of

surfactants and phosphates.

The ingredients in DFC105 are confirmed as

'generally safe for consumption', by the Food

Standards Agency, being part of our everyday diet.

DFC is formulated to work even on severe soiling

and, with the trend being towards natural product

use, it is Chemspec’s ambition that DFC becomes

the industry standard for responsible carpet

cleaners and for those specifying carpet cleaning

work to be done. Professional carpet cleaners

should see this as a unique opportunity to market

safe and natural methods of cleaning to an

increasingly conscious marketplace. Chemspec

Europe claim that DFC105 does the job at no higher

Chemspec Europe wins two awards forinnovation at the 2011 Cleaning Show

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Tel: 01274 597333/Fax: 01274 597444Website: www.chemspec-europe.com E-mail: [email protected]

Winner of the NEC Cleaning Show, Carpet and Upholstery Product/Service category, Product

Innovations Award of 2011

The most highly decorated productsin the industry!

Holder of seven independentindustry validations

A measured standard of cleaningA measured standard of cleaning

cost to the user and zero cost to the environment,

so they believe that it makes really good sense to

use safe, natural products, with no synthetic

chemistry, that are perfectly safe for chemically

hypersensitive individuals, children and babies.

DFC105 has been fully tested and has more

independent accreditation than any other single

product in the industry.

The other Award, in the category of Healthcare

Cleaning Product/Service, relates to the vital

requirement for an effective procedure to

significantly reduce the incidence of Healthcare

Associated Infections (HCAI). In 2010, Chemspec

Europe qualified as one of nine selected from a list

of two hundred and fifty organisations to take part

in a national, Smart Solutions programme seeking

new technologies with the potential to reduce HCAI

rates within the NHS.

In the category of Healthcare Cleaning

Product/Service, the 2011 Innovation Award was

granted to Chemspec Europe for the delivery of an

innovative service, in conjunction with their service

partner, ISS, in the form of an Ultra Low Volume, cold

fogging system, using Formula 429.

Formula 429 is a water-based, broad spectrum, anti-

microbial incorporating Byotrol, which is fogged to

control levels of environmental bacteria. It does not

require heating and does not use solvents or chlorine-

based compounds. The HCAI trial evaluated the

effectiveness and turnaround times of the cold

fogging system using Formula 429 in decontamination

of hospital ward rooms such as infection control side

rooms, patient toilets and bath areas, sluice rooms,

bedded bays and associated equipment in Barts and

The London NHS Trust hospitals. The Department of

Microbiology at the London Hospital assessed the

Results for E.coli. C. difficile and MRSA.

Overall the study indicated that cold fogging with

Formula 429 is a practical and effective method of

decontaminating hospital ward areas that are

potential sources of infection. A summary of the

findings is available via the link:

http://www.smartsolutionsforhcai.co.uk/documents/C

hemspecfinalsummary14Feb2011.pdf

page 12

rom time to time, situations develop which

lead to the Board of Directors being required F to meet to consider problems affecting

members and in some cases make adjustments to

our views, or interpretation, of what is or isn't

acceptable in matters relating to full or Associate

members.

The running of the Association is based on three

separate documents that set-out and detail the way

the NCCA and members carry out their business in

relation to each other.

First, there are the legally required Articles of

Association that form the basis of the Association's

constitution. These were updated in 2010 and

approved by the members to meet the

requirements of the 2006 Companies Act. They set

out the legal framework of the Association and how

certain things are to be performed, dealing with

operating issues such as the calling of general

meetings and the process for appointing and

selecting directors.

Secondly there is the Code of Practice which all

members are required to follow. This was last

reviewed in 2007 and can be read by anyone,

including the public, on the NCCA website.

The third is a series of documents held in the head

office detailing the Standard Operating Procedures

(S.O.P.’s) which are applied to the daily running of

the Association. At my last count there were fifty six

individual S.O.P.'s covering everything from Staff

and Directors, Office Procedures and Finances, to

matters affecting the Membership. Additions and

alterations to the S.O.P.'s are made as events dictate

and are all approved by the Board. Periodically they

are all checked and reviewed.

An example of a matter, which has recently

required Board consideration, was a member

complaint that an Associate member had advertised

a training course in Newslink and having applied to

attend the course the member was turned down.

The basis for this was the location of his company,

which happened to be in the same town where the

Associate member operated the cleaning side of

their business.

The Board could understand both sides of the

argument, one that an advert had been placed in

Newslink for the attention of members and yet the

member had been turned away. On the other hand

the Associate member had a legitimate reason in

their view for concluding that they did not want to

participate in the training of a competitor who was

on their doorstep.

The Board understood that not all training

companies or trainers would take this view as the

NCCA tutors teaching NCCA courses are under

obligation to train any member regardless of where

they live. Both myself and Paul Pearce, and no

doubt previous trainers over the last forty years,

have trained others who are on their personal

doorstep.

To ensure that we were being fair to both parties

the Membership Director, in conjunction with the

Associates Director, sought legal advice and were

told that although we live in an age where it

appears that you dare not discriminate under any

circumstances, it is still quite legitimate to protect

your own business interests in a situation like this.

It is not for the Association's Board to dictate or

require any member or Associate to alter their

business practice but it is at the same time

important to consider and protect the interest of

our members, so a decision has been taken that in

future any advertisement placed in Newslink must

not discriminate in any way.

In other words, any service or product advertised

in the Association's magazine must be available to

any member regardless of where they are based.

The Board is not expecting Associate members to

change any of their operating rules or practices,

except when advertising through the Association.

During the Boards discussion the question was

raised about the possibility of dealing with a

member who may have a poor record of paying

and whether our decision might impact on this

A Board decision Keith Robertson

page 13

potential problem. The answer, we believe, is quite

simple and that is, if an Associate has reason to

believe that there may be an issue they are quite

entitled to request payment in advance. Certainly

in the case of training this is now the norm rather

than the exception.

The board was faced with this particular issue

recently, when an industry supplier requested to

become an Associate member. The company in

question had previously gone into liquidation and

had subsequently reformed but had, at the time of

going out of business, owed money to the

Association.

The owner of the company who is well known in

the industry has always proved to be an advocate

of the NCCA and the Board agreed he would be an

asset, nevertheless, our first interest was to

protect the Association's members financially and

so the decision was reached that the company

would be allowed to join as long as they agreed to

pay in advance. Unfortunately, the individual

involved was upset at this request and declined

the offer and subsequently rumours have

circulated that the Board were unfair in their

decision.

Let's be honest, the members of the Board are

not special, but are simply representatives from

the members, and none of us presume we are

gifted or different to anyone else. We all run our

own businesses while at the same time

volunteering some of our time to assist with the

running of the Association. We are assisted on

specific projects by some extremely loyal members

and we would be lost without the help of our

three full-time members of the Oadby office staff.

From time to time we do have individual

Directors who have brought a wealth of useful and

practical experience to the Board as did past

president, June Frankum and most recently Nick

Johnston. June retired in 2010 and Nick has

recently left the industry to pursue another career.

We sincerely wish them both well. They became

good friends both to the Association and to the

Directors and each left behind influences and

alterations to working practices which have been of

great benefit to the Association.

Currently, as we move forward, the Board which

includes the three directors who joined in 2010 are,

among other things, working on arranging the next

GM and also an incredible event for the autumn

and a new programme for 2011. We are extremely

keen that we all have the opportunity of getting

more out of the Association and strongly believe

that if we could have at least two events each year

where we can all get together we will become a

much stronger and cohesive force in the

marketplace.

Since publishing a referral statistics report in

last month's Newslink there have been 244

recommendations for full members provided

by the NCCA. This number is made up of 93

referrals from the NCCA office, 145 potential

customers contacting members direct through

the website and 6 referrals to members

without an email address, which we have

tracked using the office database.

If you have not yet supplied us with an email

address, but would like to receive notification

when your details have been given out, please

contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.

NCCA memberreferral results

NCCA logo

When displaying the NCCA logo the

Association always recommends featuring

your membership number. This, along with

promoting your company, will assist the

NCCA in misuse of logo cases. If you would

like a copy of the NCCA logo with your

member number please contact the office.

This can be sent via email or on disc.

page 14

The key to top Google results for your website...SiteWizard

here are two roads (and trains of thought)

to getting your website found in the search T engines. The Short Road (Pay Per Click) and

the Long Road (Free Listings). Google is the most

widely used search engine in the UK and we are

going to be focussing on the methods for getting

your site to the top of the pile.

In this article we reveal how you can get targeted

visitors to your website via the Short Road or 'Pay

Per Click'.

Pay Per Click or PPC is a technique that allows

your website to feature in the first page of search

results for search terms you specify. You pay a

small fee for each time someone clicks on your link.

You have paid for just the click and the visit. That is

why it is so essential to make your website

appealing and targeted towards getting the visitor

to contact you or use your services.

People spend a great deal of time and money

getting visitors to their websites. The question is,

do you want a visitor from Korea or the USA to find

your site? You probably don't! Do you want

someone searching for your service in your local

area to find you? You probably do!

We call PPC the Short Road because you can

literally get your website to the first page of search

results for any phrase you choose within a few

hours of reading this article. However, as with any

quick solution, it has cost implications.

The biggest mistake you can make when

implementing a PPC campaign for your website is

using terms that are too broad or vague. The

second biggest mistake is if you only offer a service

in one area but are paying for national or even

international exposure.

If you are not sure how to find the keywords that

will be suitable for you, you can go to Google and

search for 'google keyword tool'. This is a free tool

that enables you to see if the keyword that you are

thinking about paying for gets any traffic. Once you

have followed the instructions this tool will let you

know how many searches are done for the keyword

locally (UK) and globally each month. There is also a

green bar that will show you how high the

competition is for the keyword, so you really should

look for keywords or key phrases that have plenty of

searches but low competition therefore your

keyword will cost you less but will generate you the

right kind of leads. At the time of writing this article I

can tell you that 'upholstery cleaner' had 5,400

searches a month locally with high competition. The

key phrase (please note this is spelt incorrectly

deliberately) 'uphostery cleaner' had 22,200 searches

locally per month, it also has high competition. Of

the two key phrases I have looked up I would go for

the incorrectly spelt one for a PPC campaign as there

are more people who cannot spell than can spell.

You need to know this information so that you can

make the correct decision as to which key phrase you

are going to invest in using PPC.

It is vital that you do not pick broad search terms

when paying for visitors. If you picked the term

'upholstery cleaner' (spelt whichever way!) you will

get lots of click costing you money each time but you

might not cover the area of the person searching

Google. If, however, you choose terms such as

'upholstery cleaner London' or 'carpet cleaner

London' (and limit the geography - see below) then

page 15

NCCA COURSESCarpet and Upholstery Cleaning

Health and Safety For The Carpet andUpholstery Cleaner (NCCA members only)

Spot and Stain Removal

Hard Floor Cleaning

IICRC COURSES (SURREY)Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician

Odour Control Technician

IICRC COURSES (HERTS)Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician

Carpet Cleaning Technician

Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further

details on IICRC Training Courses

17th - 18th June23rd - 24th September (please note: change of date)

25th - 26th November

16th June15th September17th November

18th November

3rd - 4th November

19th - 20th April with Adam Jankowski

21st April with Adam Jankowski

Held at National Flood School, Farnham,Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185

4th - 5th May with Paul Pearce

7th - 8th June with Paul Pearce

Held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire.Tel: 01763 208222

Leather Identification and Cleaning12th May14th July14th September

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

Diary Dates 2011you are reaching your specific target audience and

almost certainly paying less for each click. Clicks start

at around 10p each.

Also it is essential that you limit the geographical

location for which your search terms will be

displayed especially if you are going for a generic

term. Google (and ONLY Google at this time) offer a

unique service of limiting your PPC advertising to

only be displayed to people within your local vicinity

(assuming that you do not sell online then this is the

information to follow). You need to choose the

countries, towns or areas that wish your website to

be found in. This can narrow it right down to a

specific town or area near you!

We also recommend un-ticking the option called

'Content network' under 'Networks' in your Google

Account.

For more detailed information and a free, impartial

guide about setting up a Google Pay Per Click

Account (Google Adwords) and creating your first

geographically targeted campaign see the SiteWizard

web page: www.sitewizard.co.uk/payperclick.htm

There is another way to be found in Google and

that is in the organic listings which takes longer but

often has a lower cost or can be free if you do it

yourself.

If you would like more information regarding

getting your website listed in Google then please

visit: www.sitesizard.co.uk/ncca

ReminderWe would like to remind you that you now have the option to receive Newslink via email, at your

request.

You may receive this in addition to, or to replace, the hard-copy version you receive each month.

The online Newslink is displayed at high resolution, enabling user-friendly reading and is

presented like an actual magazine, with pages that ‘turn’ when flicking from one double-page spread

to the next!

If you would like to receive Newslink via email please ring Nikki on: 0116 271 9550 and request it

as an addition or replacement to your existing hard-copy.

page 18

n the December/January issue of Newslink we

introduced a new concept where we printed I the contents of a telephone conversation

between two of our members, Derek Bolton and

Peter Collins. The discussion focused on the use of

protectors in the home.

On reading the dialogue, James Parker from

StainShield was prompted to contact Derek to

discuss his own particular views on the subject.

Below is the conversation which ensued.

Hi Derek your conversation with Pete about

protectors has prompted me to make the following

comments…

I'm going to start with the subject of solvent

protectors - come on Derek, you cannot warn your

readers against using solvent protection in peoples'

homes without advising them of the downsides of

the alternative, which are:

1. With most new upholstery on the frame the risks

of water-based applications are unacceptable.

Irreversible damage through shrinkage and cockling

James:

(distortion) are common, especially with mixed

fibre suites.

2. Members could face an unwelcome outcome

when confronted by sisals, jute, sea grasses and

viscose, etc.

3. A reduction in the use of solvents could also

quickly lead to the demise of the lucrative and

potentially huge market for on-site curtain cleaning,

not to mention the dry cleaning of upholstered

furniture. I recently visited an over-hyped retail

furniture chain where around 40% of the upholstery

on display had 'dry clean only' tickets on it.

I appreciate that we all have to be aware of the

powers of 'Elf and Safety' but I am not aware that

today's hydrocarbon (mineral) solvents are on

anyone's 'hit list'. And, as you are aware, the public

can readily purchase far more dangerous products

for home use than these professionally applied

fluorocarbons. What we can also be sure about is

that none of your members want to be in the 'risk'

business and all these markets can be safely catered

One-2-One Derek Bolton and James Parker (StainShield Ltd)

page 19

for with the application of solvent protectors or

cleaners.

Blooming heck James! I reckon you are

enjoying one of your sessions of playing Devil's

Advocate again. Can I just point out that…

1. Most protectors are water-based these days and

quantities being applied vary from product to

product. Some require as little as one litre of ready-

to-use protector to a three piece suite which

equates to approximately twenty-six square yards

of fabric. You have to move quickly so the problems

you mention are hardly relevant.

2. Although you are correct in saying that members

could be in trouble when it comes to natural

flooring, can I refer you to my previous answer and

to the small amounts that need to be applied.

3. On-site curtain cleaning has moved on and there

are now ways of wet cleaning curtains, without

solvents, and shrinkage has been either minimised

or eliminated.

You have made some fair points Derek. You

also mentioned lengthy curing times during your

discussion with Pete. With fluorocarbon curing

there is now no need for any more downtime to

allow protected items to cure. Our own aqueous

and solvent based treatments, along with many

others, are now fully air curing (i.e. once dry - fully

cured). The cautionary note to this is that 'touch

dry' means very little and if moisture is still evident

underneath the surface the protector will not work

properly.

I take your point that there are now

products on the market claiming there is no curing

time required. I have to say, though, that I have

seen no written technical evidence to support these

claims. Until such time as I do I will remain sceptical

if only to make sure there are no toxicology

problems if used too soon.

Yes, sometimes it is sensible to approach

things with caution and if you don’t feel entirely

comfortable then I agree you should hold back.

During your conversation with Pete you made a

comment about Polypropylene being non-

absorbent and therefore unable to absorb

Derek:

James:

Derek:

James:

protector: No argument there, however, this 'stain

free' fibre is also often used in the same way as

nylon in a wool mix. Such mixes vary between 10 -

50%; they do not wipe clean and would, in my

opinion, fully justify protection.

Absolutely, although one has to be careful

how much product is applied. I have come across

instances of over application on Polypropylene rich

carpets which have then dried sticky with the

protection rendered ineffective.

Over application is something you should

avoid with many cleaning related products.

Couldn’t agree more. Anyway, I had better

go now. I have been summoned by ‘she who must

be obeyed’. I just want to finish up by saying that

‘protection’ is an excellent additional service which

can increase revenue for the cleaner, plus there are

the obvious benefits to the customer.

Bye for now.

Derek:

James:

Derek:

FULL MEMBERS

Healthy Homes & Businesses

Advanced Clean

T L C Carpet Cleaning

Mylondonhome Ltd

Premium Carpet Care

Xtract2clean

The Carpet Doctor

(Bedford, Bedfordshire)

(Southampton, Hampshire)

(Weymouth, Dorset)

(Westminster, London)

(Stevenage, Hertfordshire)

(Bridgewater, Somerset)

(Cheltenham, Gloucestershire)

New NCCA Members

page 20

Health and Safety training for the carpetand upholstery cleaner Ken Wainwright

've always regarded carpet cleaning as being

exciting, upholstery cleaning as being I rewarding… and health and safety as being 'as

dull as ditchwater'. How wrong could I be?

I recently attended the first in-house NCCA Health

and Safety training course. I've attended other H&S

courses in the past but this new one, with tutor Paul

Pearce, was the first one I've come across that is

aimed purely at our industry and my eyes have been

well and truly opened.

We all know Paul from our specialist training

courses. His style is easy-going, yet animated and

the subjects are always presented in an

uncomplicated, almost casual style, which is why

the content sticks in your memory. This new H&S

course is no different and everything seems to flow

so well.

Health and Safety can be quite off-putting because

it involves quite a bit of time, energy and

paperwork. Documents such as Risk Assessment,

MSDS, COSHH, Health and Safety Policy and Method

Statements can all be more than a little daunting.

But Paul really has come to the rescue. For those

attending this course, a CD Rom is provided

containing lots of ready prepared documents. You

just download them to your own computer and fill

in some of your own details. It couldn't be easier.

As if this wasn't enough, Paul has also included a

small library of official HSE informative guideline

documents, so you have virtually everything you

need to fulfil your H&S obligations.

So who is this course for? Being a sole trader, I

was always under the impression that because I had

fewer than five employees, the law was less

relevant to me. This would appear to be both

correct and, more seriously, incorrect at the same

time. Although I am not obliged to follow some of

the administrative paper chases, as are larger

companies, I am still bound to follow the same

laws, rules and regulations as everyone else. The

consequences of not following the law can be very

severe. Fines and costs can be unaffordable. I could

quite easily lose my home and end up in prison. In a

court of law, my word is not proof that I did

everything correctly, however, relevant paperwork,

properly presented, would be sufficient in

presenting the evidence required.

The NCCA course and the template documents

can provide you with virtually everything you need.

Just 'cross the T's and dot the I's' and you'll be

ready to roll.

So, don't bury your head in the sand like I have for

the last couple of decades, do what you know

makes sense and attend the next NCCA Health and

Safety Training Course. You owe it to yourself, your

company and most importantly your family.

page 21

have a very good friend whose boyfriend used to I own a contract cleaning business in America.

One of his contracts was for five of some twenty

branches of a bank.

They prided themselves on the high standards

they liked to maintain and always left the buildings

spotless.

Much to their annoyance, one evening they

received a complaint from a new manager, claiming

all their branches were not up to standard and they

would lose the contract if things didn't improve.

Incensed by this, when they had finished that nights

clean, they drove to the nearest branch their

competitors cleaned to see how good their cleaning

was.

In America, most banks have their ATM's in a

lobby, not outside in the street, and the only way

they could see into the bank was to enter the lobby

and look through the windows, which they did.

Peering through the windows and running their

fingers along the window frames checking for dust,

convinced this branch was nowhere near as clean as

the ones they looked after, they decided to look at a

few more. After driving to most of the local banks

and repeating the process, they satisfied themselves

they were doing a much better job than their

competitors.

As they made their way home along the freeway

at close to midnight, they noticed that every exit

had a police car blocking it. Something big must

have gone down they were saying to each other.

After passing several of these police cars flashing

lights lit up the sky, sirens screamed all around them

and they were forced off the freeway. Armed police

had surrounded the car, the drivers' door was

thrown open and my friend’s boyfriend was dragged

from the car, slammed spread eagled across the

bonnet with guns at his head. The biggest officer

she had ever seen leapt into the driver’s seat and

yelled at her “Sit still and don't move”. Terrified she

screamed “We're only cleaners, leave him alone!”

As their car was searched, all she could think

about was the hunting knife her boyfriend had left

in the back of the car covered in blood from gutting

a fish earlier that day. Were they going to be

arrested for murder? Luckily the knife wasn't found.

It transpired that the petrol station next door to

the first bank they had visited that evening had

been robbed about the time they were checking out

the bank. A green car was thought to be involved

and their car was green. They had been tracked

'casing' all the local banks, so the police, assuming

they had robbed the petrol station, thought they

were planning to raid a bank as well!

It took a lot of explaining, but the police

eventually believed their story and they were

allowed to make their way home.

They didn't lose the contract for the bank cleans,

the manager got 'moved on' and my friend moved

back to England, setting up a cleaning business over

here which she still runs today. But she doesn't do

bank jobs!

Glyn CharnockChecking out the competition

page 22

here are many companies in the UK that

operate in the production of safe drinking T water and all must comply with quality

standards. The Water Supply Regulations provide

strict limits on substances and contaminants that

may be present in drinking water. Below I have

listed the limits, known as Prescribed Concentration

or Values (PCV's), for many of these substances.

This is the measure of the

acidity or alkalinity of water. PCV amount allowed:

6.5 to 10.0 pH units.

This is an aesthetic requirement; water

should be clear but may occasionally show a slight

reddish or yellowish tint. This discolouration is

commonly caused by corrosion of iron mains and is

HYDROGEN ion (pH):

COLOUR:

not harmful to health. Programmes of work are in

place to replace corroded mains. PCV allowed: 20

mg/l Pt/Co.

Sometimes water appears milky

because of air bubbles. This is not harmful and if

the water is left to stand for a few minutes it will

clear from the bottom upwards. A more stringent

limit is set at treatment works to ensure the process

is operating effectively. PCV allowed: 1 Formazin

turbidity units (at treatment works), 4 Formazin

turbidity unit (at customer taps).

These are quality control

tests to measure the level of odour and taste and

are carried out by specialist testing panels. PCV

allowed: dilution number 3 at 25° C.

TURBIDITY:

DILUTION ODOUR/TASTE:

UK water testing regulations Peter Collins

©Jo

e Li

m

page 23

CONDUCTIVITY:

RESIDUAL FREE CHLORINE:

COLIFORM BACTERIA, ESCHERICHIA COLI,

CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS and ENTEROCOCCI:

COLONY COUNT 2 DAY AT 37 DEGREES C / COLONY

COUNT 3 DAY AT 22 DEGREES C:

By passing an electric current

through water, water companies can measure the

level of mineral salts it contains. PCV allowed: 2500

µS/cm at 20°C.

Chlorine is added to

water to remove any bacteria and other

microorganisms present in raw water. Some

remains as residual free chlorine to maintain

wholesome water as it passes through the system

and to the tap. The aim is to keep levels at

customers' taps low to minimise associated taste

and odour. PCV allowed: Results are compared

against long term average. Any significant

difference is investigated.

These bacteria which can sometimes be found in

untreated raw water. Disinfection during treatment

removes them. However, they may sometimes

appear in tests in small numbers, although follow

up tests usually show that the mains water is

satisfactory. Their presence in samples triggers

immediate investigative work. PCV allowed: this is

the same in all cases - 0/100 ml.

Small amounts of

harmless bacteria can be present in the water.

Water companies check the numbers of these

bacteria. The information obtained helps to

maintain the efficiency of the water treatment

process and the cleanliness of the water mains. PCV

allowed: results compared against a long term

average. Any significant difference is investigated.

Ammonium occurs naturally in water

from some sources. It does not cause health

problems and where it occurs it can be controlled,

or removed by treatment. PCV allowed: 0.5 mg/l.

Both These substances are found

in water running over and through agricultural land.

Concentrations in the raw water above the amount

allowed are reduced by treatment or blending. PCV

allowed: 0.1mg/l at treatment works, 0.5 mg/l at

customers' taps.

Comes from rocks through which the

water passed, but also comes from the use of salt to

de-ice roads, or from sea water intrusion into

underground sources. It is not harmful to health.

PCV allowed: 250 mg/l.

Fluoride occurs naturally at varying

levels. Some companies add fluoride at the request

of local health authorities, however not all water

companies carryout this procedure. PCV allowed:

1.5 mg/l.

AMMONIUM:

NITRITE, NITRATE:

CHLORIDE:

FLUORIDE:

Continued on next page

page 24

SULPHATE:

MANGANESE:

ALUMINIUM:

ACRYLAMIDE and EPICHLOROHYDRIN:

VINYL CHLORIDE:

TOTAL INDICATIVE DOSE TRITIUM:

SODIUM:

COPPER:

IRON:

This occurs naturally in water and comes

from mineral deposits. PCV allowed: 250 mg/l.

Manganese occurs naturally in water

and is not harmful to health. PCV allowed: 50 µg/l

This occurs naturally in water and is

also used to remove impurities from water in some

treatment works. Its use in water treatment is very

closely controlled and continually monitored. PCV

allowed: 200 µg/l.

These can

arise from use of water treatment chemicals. Strict

controls are placed on the products that are used to

prevent this happening. PCV allowed: in both cases

is 0.01 µg/l.

This can be found in PVC plastic

pipes after manufacture. Where used in water

companies systems strict control is placed on the

product to prevent this happening. PCV allowed: 0.5

µg/l.

Measured for

assessing radioactivity resulting from natural or

artificial radionuclides in the environment. PCV

allowed: 0.10 mSv/year and 100 Bq/l.

Sodium salts occur naturally in water but

can be added to drinking water by water softeners if

these are not installed properly. Sodium at levels

around 200 mg/l will cause a 'salty' taste in the

water. PCV allowed: 200 mg/l.

Traces of this metal usually come from

property pipe work, especially when newly installed.

So called 'Blue Water' caused by problems with

copper can be avoided through good practice in

plumbing installation. PCV allowed: 2.0 mg/l.

Iron is found naturally in some underground

water. At sources where natural iron levels are high,

treatment plants are provided to remove it. The use

of iron in water treatment is closely controlled and

does not cause health problems, however corroded

iron mains and pipe work are usually the main

source of iron contamination found in water. PCV

allowed: 200 µg/l.

Lead was formerly used as a plumbing

material and 40% of lead piping can still be found in

the UK's water systems. Lead in amounts well above

the standard can be a health risk if consistently

consumed over many years. Water (especially soft

water) passing through lead pipes can dissolve lead

(plumbosolvency). Treatment is optimised to

minimise plumbosolvency. The PCV allowed is 25

µg/l.

These substances are rarely found in

drinking water. PCV's allowed for these substances

are: 5 µg/l, 10 µg/l, 1.0 mg/l, 5 µg /l, 50 µg/l, 50

µg/l, 1 µg/l, 20 µg/l, 10 µg /l respectively.

Trihalomethanes (THMs)

derive from the combination of chlorine with

organic matter. Treatment is carefully controlled to

limit formation of the substances. PCV allowed: 100

µg/l.

These are

solvents which can arise from industrial processes

but can be removed during treatment. Water

companies work with the industries themselves to

ensure they do not reach the water supply in the

first case. PCV's allowed are: 3 µg/l, 10 µg/l, 1.0

µg/l, 3.0 µg/l respectively.

Polycyclic

aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread in

the environment and have been detected in food,

air and water. They can arise in very low levels from

old coal tar or bitumen lined pipes. These are no

longer used; however some remain in the system.

PCV's allowed: 0.10 µg/l, Benzo 3, 4, Pyrene A, PAH

0.010 µg/l.

LEAD:

ANTIMONY, ARSENIC, BORON, CADMIUM,

CHROMIUM, CYANIDE, MERCURY, NICKEL and

SELENIUM:

TRIHALOMETHANES:

CARBON TETRACHLORIDE, SUM OF

TRICHLOROETHENE + TETRACHLOROETHENE,

BENZENE, 1,2, DICHLOROETHANE:

TOTAL POLYAROMATIC HYDROCARBONS:

Continued from previous page

page 25

ALDRIN, DIELDRIN, HEPTACHLOR, HEPTACHLOR

EPOXIDE, OTHER INDIVIDUAL PESTICIDES and

TOTAL PESTICIDES:

BROMATE:

CRYPTOSPORIDIUM:

Water companies test for

various pesticides which may be used in their areas

and may be present in the water. These come from

their use by farmers, local authorities, gardeners,

etc. The traces found are no longer a threat to

health, being far lower than the limits which the

governments medical advisers say would be

necessary to protect health, however water

companies are never complacent and take

measures to remove even minute traces. PCV's

allowed: 0.03 µg/l, 0.03 µg/l, 0.03 µg/l, 0.03 µg/l,

0.10 µg/l and 0.50 µg/l.

This can be formed during water

treatment where ozone is used in the process. It can

also arise from the use of hypochlorite when this is

used as a disinfectant treatment chemical. Strict

control is placed on the specification of

hypochlorite used in water treatment and

ozonation is carefully controlled to limit bromate in

treated water. PCV allowed: 10 µg/l.

This is a microscopic parasite

that is present in the environment. Water supplies

are strictly monitored, especially where this

organism poses a risk in some areas of the UK. Low

numbers are occasionally found at the water

treatment works in treated water, but these are well

below the regulation limit. PCV allowed: only

measured at the treatment works.

As you can see water companies have to conform

to the very strict laws that the government has

imposed. Geographically, water in the UK supplied

by the water companies is to a certain extent

'different', however due to the strict rules, every

consumer should receive water that is potable and

palatable. Think of the strict controls and testing by

water companies, they treat and test every single

drop of water released into the mains (and these

are treated and tested as well on a regular basis).

However, companies that sell bottled water are, by

law, only required to test their products once a

week. Their water could possibly be subject to all

types of contamination and there is some concern

in the water industry that it is possible the plastic

bottles may be able to leech PVC's into the product.

Well… that concludes the last article in the water

series. However, it is such a vast subject I think I

will need to revisit it in the future; there is certainly

a lot more I could learn myself. However, until

then, on a lighter note below are some totally

useless facts about water:

! Surprisingly, although we are told we need to drink eight glasses of water per day to be healthy,

there is very little drinking water consumed by the population in the UK. Much of our water supply

is used by domestic consumers for laundry, bathing, washing cars, cleaning and cooking.

! There are 396 sewage works along the river Thames cleaning the sewage and returning the water

to the river. This is necessary because a drop of rain falling into the Thames could potentially

(depending on where it falls) have been drunk by as many as eight people before it reaches the sea.

! The maximum speed of rain is 18 mph.

! Raindrops are about one-fifth of an inch in diameter; drizzle is about one-fiftieth of an inch.

! Including drizzle, the total weight of rain that falls on the UK in a year has been calculated as around

115 billion tons.

! A 'shower' is officially 'precipitation from a convective cloud' (that's a bubble type broken

cloud).'Rain' is precipitation from 'layered cloud'.

! If a shower lasts more than twenty minutes, it's probably rain.

! A useful weather verb: 'to driffle', means to rain fitfully, or in sparse drops.

! In the UK weather forecast, the saying, 'It'll be much the same as yesterday', is right three days out

of four.

page 26

he Forum of Private Business welcomed the

proposals in the Comprehensive Spending T Review last year, especially concerning

taxation, but argued that they didn't go far enough.

While these policies have certainly moved on a little

in the 2011 Budget, small businesses could be

forgiven for thinking that, on balance, it is more of

the same.

The complexity of the taxation system has been

repeatedly highlighted as a major issue for Forum

members, with 45 per cent surveyed recently

insisting the current system is a disincentive to

growth and job creation. Surprisingly, 57 per cent

said they would pay more tax if the system was

streamlined and greater profitability resulted.

So some of the Chancellor's plans, including

consulting over the possibility of combining Income

Tax and National Insurance (NI), tax breaks for

innovators and keeping relief for community

enterprise investments are pleasing, positive steps

towards making the tax system more user-friendly.

Further, because the increasing cost of petrol is a

major concern for businesses of all sizes - but

especially smaller mobile carpet cleaning firms - the

unexpected and immediate cut in fuel duty

alongside cancellations of planned future rises will

be rightly welcomed by many.

However, others will question the real benefits the

move will produce for businesses and consumers

faced by unstable oil prices affected by factors such

as dwindling reserves, political unrest, OPEC's

stranglehold on oil production and the lack of viable

alternative fuel to petroleum.

What we needed was a stabiliser allowing for

greater direct control of pump prices - not one

that's more obviously about regulating the

Government's tax take from oil companies. The

Forum has repeatedly highlighted the need for this

and it formed a central pillar of the organisation's

submission to the Budget, based on its new Get

Britain Trading campaign.

The Forum's Get Britain Trading manifesto was

launched in February in order to draw attention to

the huge contribution small firms make to the UK's

economy and encourage the Chancellor to adopt

radical tactics on tax, red tape, finance and

The 2011 Budget - how it has affected small business

Phil McCabe (FPB)

opportunities for growth to help SMEs flourish.

Rising fuel prices go hand in hand with a range of

other factors that erode small firms' ability to

maintain any kind of cash flow, including creeping

late payments and soaring raw material costs.

Despite 54 per cent of FPB members seeing a

steadying of business by the end of 2010, 46 per

cent stated they had seen a sharp drop in

profitability. Increasing gas, electricity and other

costs have taken their toll on small businesses,

eating into their profitability and ability to

compete. These factors combined have a massive

impact on small traders who already exist on a

knife edge and rely on a degree of stability to stay

afloat.

For small firms to create employment and drive

the economy history shows they need tax and

regulatory systems geared to growth. So it was all

the more disappointing that while the Chancellor

gave even more generous cuts to the big business

Corporation Tax rate there was nothing extra to

bring down small firms' expenditure, leading some

to argue that this was really a Budget for large

companies, not entrepreneurs.

Red tape costs the UK's small employers £12

billion per year with approximately £1.8 billion

being spent on tax compliance. A commitment to

reviewing and stripping back all unnecessary

bureaucracy - particularly that associated with

health and safety legislation - is very welcome but it

is important that there is action, and that the thirty

seven hours business owners spend on form-filling

every month is drastically reduced.

Finally, going forward the ability of small firms to

take on new staff in order to be able to win more

contracts and employ further is crucial. The

Government is calling on the private sector to fill

the gap left by public sector cuts by creating jobs,

but conditions need to be created to ensure that

SMEs can step up to the breach, via reforms to the

education system, so it produces workers that help

drive businesses forward.

There were some steps in the right direction in

this Budget, but much more is required to create a

genuinely entrepreneurial culture for the economy

to make significant strides forward.

page 28

hilst health

and safety W prosecutions

are regularly in the media

spotlight, there is another

realm of health and safety

enforcement which is

demanding more and more

attention. Many companies

invest their efforts trying to

avoid a day in Court, but

make the mistake of not

attaching the same

importance to our current

topic, enforcement notices

(“Notices”).

The most common Notices are improvement

(requiring a change within a time frame) and

prohibition notices (requiring the cessation of an

activity until changes are made). In 2009/10, there

were reportedly over 15,000 enforcement notices

issued by enforcing authorities, around two thirds of

these being improvement notices.

In difficult economic times, enforcement notices

can be an unwelcome blemish on a company's

record, the ramifications of which some fail to

appreciate. In a tender process, disclosure of a

previous Notice could see a bid ignored in favour of

a company with a clean record. There is typically no

investigation of the detail of a Notice; why it was

served and what was done to comply. In many

clients' eyes, a Notice is a Notice. Notices can also

be significant in any future prosecution, as evidence

of previous problems.

It is therefore important, whenever facing the

prospect of being served with a Notice, that a

business' response is appropriate and measured.

Whilst a business should endeavour to work with

enforcing authorities to ensure a Notice is never

Responding to a Notice

required, there are a number of options available

if a Notice is received. Firstly, a Notice should

never be ignored.

If warranted, then a Notice can be accepted and

complied with. In this situation, it assists to enter

dialogue with the enforcing authority to

understand what options are available to achieve

compliance and how the business can obtain the

authority's approval for the changes that are

made.

If there are concerns with either the formalities

of the Notice or the matter to which it relates,

then it is possible to appeal the Notice at the

Employment Tribunal. If appealing a prohibition

notice, the notice remains in place until the

outcome of the appeal. If appealing an

improvement notice, then it is suspended until the

outcome.

The final option when served with a Notice is to

consider negotiating with the enforcing authority,

to determine if the Notice can be withdrawn or

even complied with in part. This is particularly the

case with improvement notices, which can be

unilaterally withdrawn or amended by the

Enforcement notices - what you need to knowPhilip Crosbie (Eversheds LLP)

page 29

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.

Items for saleBUSINESS FOR SALE

Carpet and Upholstery cleaning services business for sale, established in 2001. Package includes Renault Master van

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Vacuum cleaner, karcher hot water extraction stainbuster, orbis cyclical cleaner, chemicals, etc. Leather restoration

kit. Regular customer base. Reason for sale: Allergy to chemical products. Sale price £20,000 O.N.O.

Tel: 0141 941 2510. Email: [email protected]

BUSINESS FOR SALESmall, 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.

VAN & TRUCKMOUNTBlue Line ThermalWave HP II - 50hp and Citroen Relay

LWB Van. True Twin Wand Operation Truck Mount Cleaning. Asking Price: £17,995 + VAT. Call 0118 931 0516

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VAN & TRUCKMOUNTHydramaster Boxxer 318 with only 600 hours on the

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enforcing authority if satisfied that the breach no

longer remains.

In any event, the reaction to a Notice should be

informed by the following considerations.

The fact that a Notice is served, does not bar a

prosecution based on the same issue. A Notice may

be a prelude to prosecution or it may be the end of

the matter. This uncertainty can lead to difficulty

when deciding how to respond.

If a Notice is not warranted, but it is still complied

with then this can substantiate a later prosecution,

as evidence of previous problems at a company

which needed to be formally remedied.

Indeed, it is also worth considering that a

business' reaction to a Notice may inform whether

the enforcing authority will prosecute at all. A well

thought out response may decrease the likelihood

of a prosecution following.

In large companies or those with remote

teams/facilities, it can be the case that a Notice is

served and complied with at a local level, without

this being communicated across the company.

If changes are made on the basis of the Notice,

then changes may need to be made at other similar

locations across the business. It is important that all

staff are aware of the implications of Notices so

that they know to communicate them at the

highest level in order that a proper response can be

formulated and any changes made company-wide

as necessary.

There can be concern that a business that pushes

back, where appropriate, will face increased

scrutiny from an enforcing authority. Whilst this

might be the case, there is also merit in being a

business known for scrutinising any attempt at

enforcement.

It is important that the significance of Notices is

appreciated and that the reaction to service is

properly considered. The number of Notices have

been increasing year on year recently and it pays to

be prepared.

Notices do not prevent further action

Appreciating the wider picture

Advice

NCCA Associate Members

+ Alltec Network:

+ Amtech UK:

+ Ashby's Cleaning Equipment:

+ Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro):

+ Camberford Law:

+ Chemdry UK:

+ Chemspec Europe Ltd:

+ Cleanerswarehouse Ltd:

+ Cleaning Support Ltd:

+ Cleaning Systems UK:

+ Cleansmart Ltd:

+ Cleantec Innovation Ltd:

+ Dri-Eaz:

+ Dry Fusion UK Ltd:

+ Forum of Private Business:

+ Hi-Tec Cleaning Group:

+ Host Von Schrader Ltd:

+ Homeserve at Home:

+ Hydro Dynamix:

+ LTT Leathercare:

+ McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers):

+ Nilfisk Advance Ltd:

+ Nu Life Stone Care Ltd:

+ Prochem Europe Ltd:

+ Rainbow International:

+ Restoration Express:

+ ServiceMaster Ltd:

+ Sebo UK Ltd:

+ Stainshield Ltd:

+ Textile Cleaning Solutions:

+ The Big Clean:

+ Truvox International Ltd:

+ Vitec Global:

+ Woodbridge Comercial Ltd:

01763 208222 (C/M/F/T)

0845 130 4755 (C/M)

01322 227806 (C/M/E)

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)

01908 611211 (C/M/T)

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

01565 634467

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

0151 347 1900 (M/C)

0870 320 3333

01622 664993 (Fr)

01423 881027 (T)

0121 706 0616 (I)

01284 763163 (M)

0161 480 7284 (M/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)

02392 666053 (C)

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

NCCA Member Benefits

+ Amicus Legal Ltd (free legal 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

01206 366500

08450 608860

02392 434650

08450 608860

01252 390385

0808 100 7890

+

01628 820500

NCCA ShopThe NCCA has a number of items to order by members. Below are some of the more popular items purchased. For a full list of merchandise please visit the website on: www.ncca.co.uk. Orders may be placed online, or you can contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.

+ PAS86 Code of Practice

+ Carpet Care Survey Forms (Pad of 100)

+ NCCA Lapel Pin Badge

+ Large NCCA Van Sticker (21x7 inches approx)

+ Small NCCA Van/Machine Sticker (12x3 inches approx)

+ Promotional Leaflet

+ NCCA Tie

All prices include VAT and Postage and packaging. A receipt invoice will be sent by the office. Please allow 21 days for delivery. Goods will not be sent until payment is received.

£40.00 each

£19.50 each or £50 for 3

£3.00 each

Pack of 2 for £17.63

£2.50 each

10p each (under 500), 8.5p each (500 and over)

£12.93 each