As I get ready to participate in Bike to Work Week here in Wisconsin, and my own personal gas use is on my mind, a major trucking company has cut cruising speeds to 60 miles per hour to save gas, according to an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In addition, a trucking industry lobbying group is calling for a nationwide speed limit of 65 miles per hour. That would save truckers billions of gallons of gas — when they increase speed just 10 miles per hour more than that, trucks burn 27 percent more fuel.

The other side of the equation, the group says, is that a national speed limit will help reduce the nation’s carbon footprint. Over 10 years, carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 900 million tons. Considering that the U.S. annual emissions through fossil fuel consumption are about 6 billion tons, 900 million over 10 years might not seem like a huge amount — but it is. That alone could reduce the national carbon footprint by 1.5 percent, according to the article.

These ideas are creative and effective ways to contribute to the “triple bottom line” green philosophy many building service contractors believe in. Not only are they financially shrewd, but they address environmental and social concerns as well.

Every little contribution to reduce pollution and invest in sustainability matters; I hope BSCs are evaluating the small ways they can create change for the better. Gas reduction by slowing down is one option. How else can players in the cleaning industry make a meaningful difference to human health and environmental sustainability?

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 5/9/2008

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I just returned from the Sustainable Facility Care Forum in Washington D.C. where there were many great presenters sharing green information. I wanted to point out one particular statement that caught my attention.

Dr. Steven Spivak of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute is pushing for “cleaning green” rather than “green cleaning.” My gut reaction was “great, just what we need, another buzzword.” But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

Dr. Spivak isn’t changing any of the meaning of green cleaning, he just wants building service contractors and in-house professionals to remember to put the emphasis on clean. We should first make sure a facility is clean, healthy and safe, then focus on environmentally responsibility. While its good to protect the Earth, our efforts are meaningless if building occupants still get sick from poor cleaning and hygiene.

Cleaning green will be important to remember as the green movement continues to grow. Don’t get caught up in the green hoopla and lose sight of the most important aspect of the job: providing a clean and healthy environment.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 5/1/2008

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It’s getting pretty real, this faltering economy. And pretty quickly, too — gas prices are at record levels, the housing slump has accelerated, jobless rates are inching higher, airlines are once again in big trouble. Major warehouse retailers are limiting the amount of rice consumers can purchase in bulk, and food shortages are causing riots in other parts of the world. There’s no end to the calamitous news in sight.

Absent the hysterics, it’s true that people are starting to spend less. Whether it’s nixing a summer road trip, not renewing a gym membership, hitting the thrift shop more often or switching to generics brands, it seems many Americans have come to realize they just can’t spend like they used to in the face of rising costs and stagnant incomes.

Many building service contractors I’ve spoken with about the economic situation are worried but believe no matter how bad the economy gets, customers — unless they’re closing up shop — will still need building services such as cleaning performed. But that doesn’t mean times aren’t and won’t get tough financially for BSCs. When your customers’ customers cut back, you will feel it eventually. Just like retailers that depend on American consumers to buy from them, contractors are hurt when their customers need to spend less or have trouble paying.

Do BSCs, operating with extremely small margins, have many corners left to cut?

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 4/25/2008

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Posted by Chris Arlen on 4/30/2008 11:34:56 AM

BSCs historically have had to cut pricing. In some vertical markets (high-tech, telecom, etc.) cost cutting, i.e. lower BSC pricing, is the norm. The current economy is driving lower BSC pricing in previously less volatile markets. For example, manufacturing of floor materials, construction equipment & supplies. These markets are just now joining the "Reducing Spend Year-on-Year" crowd.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) made changes to its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings certification. I was surprised how little building service contractors were excited by these new requirements.

Under the new LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance, green cleaning is a prerequisite for facilities looking to earn certification. Let me stress that again: if your customers want to achieve LEED certification, they will need to have their building service contractors use green cleaning products.

This change will create enormous opportunities for BSCs. Already 10,000 facilities around the country have applied to earn one of the various types of LEED certification. More will follow as sustainable trends continue to appeal to the public. BSCs who have green programs will be in high demand. Best of all, green BSCs should be able to charge accordingly for these services. Customers wanting LEED to differentiate their buildings won’t be able to simply hire the cheapest contractor. They will need one who can prove he can meet the USGBC’s requirements.  

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 4/17/2008

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Recently, I finished reading “A Year Without Made in China,” an account of an American family’s attempt at surviving one year sans new Chinese goods. Though I don’t see myself conducting a similar experiment, my eyes have been opened to just how prevalent Chinese parts and products are — especially in toys and electronics.

The author and her husband made memorable trips to hardware and big box retail stores, trying to find items such as hooks, nails and paintbrushes made anywhere but China, and it was at times impossible. Not only was it often difficult to locate products made in any of the other 191 nation states, but rarely was anything made in the U.S.

The other day at the drug store, I found myself in the toy aisle, flipping over toy packages to see the point of origin: mostly China. I’ve been checking my clothing tags, and there’s a bit of variety there. The sweater I’m wearing right now was made in Australia. Admittedly, I’m the type of person who buys without ever checking to see where something’s made. The book has changed the way I view consumerism, however, and I definitely have an increased awareness that my purchases have greater meaning, to the national and global economies.

Now, I’m wondering where janitorial supplies come from. After doing a bit of Internet-based research, I found some major manufacturers with plants in the U.S., China, Mexico and Europe. On some sites, countries of origin were difficult to find or not listed. Do building service contractors pay attention to — or care about — where their products are made?

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 4/9/2008

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Posted by Dustin Bell on 4/10/2008 12:19:30 PM

I've never thought about it, but I don't think I would mind either way.

Posted by Matt M on 4/10/2008 1:04:22 PM

I work for an American Manufacturing company, so our products would be considered "Made in the USA," but many of the parts that go into our products are actually from China. So even American made products can still be primarily Chinese or of another origin.

Neutrality isn’t always viewed as a good thing in opinionated America — even those in my generation understand references to the little European country that held a strong, independent, neutral stance against entering World War II.

But carbon neutrality, now there’s a fantastic idea. I’m not sure just how many building service contractors understand the whole “carbon footprint” thing, but it was an interesting exercise to try to calculate my own footprint as an individual. I can’t imagine the difficulties in calculating that of a business (though most people are not as math-challenged as I am). Using the calculator on www.carbonfootprint.com, I filled in determining factors such as home utilities, travel (road, air and rail) and details on other habits such as recycling, purchasing decisions and even diet.

My total carbon footprint is a little over 11 tons. That’s eerily close to my real shoe size of 9.5, but more importantly it is about half the average American’s footprint of 20.4 tons. I breathed a sigh of relief that I wasn’t among the biggest carbon-guzzlers around — but then I read that the individual average for industrial nations is about 11 tons, and that we all need to reduce our footprints to 2 tons in order to effectively combat climate change. So, we certainly have our work cut out for us!

The site offers ways to offset my carbon footprint, including investing in clean energy and tree planting. There’s always the option of reduction of my current travels and habits, which, after review, might not be so difficult. Companies and institutions that are striving to be carbon-neutral are finding innovative ways to counter-balance their carbon use. Even NBA teams are getting into it, with the New Jersey Nets investing in clean energy projects abroad.

I suspect we’ll be reading a lot more about carbon neutrality in the months to come. Will you try to reduce your footprint?

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 4/2/2008

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Building service contractors love to network. They attend conventions, join associations and set up peer groups with fellow colleagues. But these methods still use the old fashioned face-to-face approach. Few BSCs are jumping into Web 2.0 online networking.

In our blogs we’ve mentioned many ways that contractors can communicate via the Internet (Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn). I’d like to just point out a few more that I recently learned about:

• Jigsaw: This site features information for millions of business contacts: e-mail, titles, phone numbers, street addresses, etc. Many cleaning companies are listed (so you could start networking), but the better angle is how many customer contacts a sales rep could find. For a small membership fee, users can shop for potential customers like they’re buying items at Amazon.com.

• Jobscore: Did you find a crop of candidates that aren’t a fit for your company, but knew a colleague they’d be perfect for? At Jobscore, users not only can post job notices on multiple job boards, but refer candidates to other employers. Perhaps that colleague down the street would return the favor.

• Ning: On this site, businesses can create an in-house social network limited to the size of their organization. Employees can communicate with each other, which could help build a sense of community among workers of different shifts or locations. Videos can also be posted — a great way to make training materials easy to view.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 3/27/2008

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This week, the price of a gallon of gasoline hit an all-time high at nearly $3.23. Experts expect the price to continue to rise in the coming weeks — possibly to $4 a gallon or more, according to  one article. They also say the increase will be more pronounced than it was last spring, thanks to the surging price of crude oil.

Prices will likely fall at the beginning of summer as the economy worsens and the demand for gas deteriorates as people adjust their lifestyles to decrease gas consumption.

All this scary gas talk has got me thinking about my own driving habits; I’m already making the mental commitment to bike to and from work once the weather improves.

What will you do? Building service contractors know that high oil prices affect more than just their own driving operations. Prices of plastic receptacle liners are affected, as are product delivery costs. BSCs will need to find a way to mitigate the additional financial discomfort that the impending economy will bring. Other ways to soften the blow include cutting back on or consolidating trips, switching to vehicles with better mileage, and encouraging employees to carpool, bike or walk to work.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 3/21/2008

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Posted by Chris Arlen on 3/25/2008 6:42:20 AM

With all the focus on green cleaning and environmental issues, I'm curious how BSCs help their employees reduce transportation pollution and gas usage in general. BSC employees who work after normal business hours can have a tougher time using public transportation or car pooling. Just wondering what creative ideas are going on out there.

Posted by Dustin Bell on 4/10/2008 12:28:19 PM

We've recently started increasing our supply orders so we have fewer deliveries. We used to stock an account with enough supplies to last about a month. Now we're trying to stock each account with enough to last 2-3 months if possible.

In the federal government’s attempt to put a stranglehold on illegal immigration, all federal contractors are now required to participate in E-Verify, a free online program designed to check the immigration status of their workers.

The ruling comes in conjunction with the federal government increasing fines by 25 percent if they catch employers hiring illegal immigrants.

Making E-Verify mandatory forces building service contractors to take additional steps to check the immigration status of their employees.

While some view this as an additional step in the hiring process, BSC’s should be pleased that they have the software capable in determining someone’s immigration status.

The free use of the program coupled with the increase in fines should help reduce the temptation for BSC’s to hire someone whose immigration status is sketchy. The implementation of making the program mandatory should give BSC’s the satisfaction in knowing they have the needed tools to make sound hiring decisions.

It now falls on BSC’s to make the right hiring decisions and follow the correct hiring practices in accordance with government policy. Should they choose to cut corners and save a few dollars in the short-term, it could end up crippling them in the long-term.

Posted by: Nick Matkovich | Date posted: 3/17/2008

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You know the tides have changed when the Catholic Church acknowledges environmental offenses as a sin of modern times. In a recent interview with the Vatican newspaper, a high-ranking church official said bioethics and pollution are a few “new sins” that people need to address.

It makes sense that not harming the earth might naturally follow directives such as “Thou Shalt Not Kill” — but Pope Benedict (and before him, Pope John Paul II) has been taking eco-friendliness seriously.

The Vatican has recently installed electricity-producing photovoltaic cells on buildings and hosted a conference to address the ramifications of climate change. Whether or not you believe in climate change — or in God, for that matter — building service contractors too can play a role in reducing pollution and damage to the environment.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 3/11/2008

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Posted by Gary L. Walker on 3/13/2008 8:43:15 AM

Lisa, It's about time that we all started to take this, our enviroment, more serious. I just hope we do a better job over the next 600 years, because we haven't done too well since the last time these where updated. Gary L. Walker, CEO/Chairman Magic Touch Cleaning, Inc. "The King of Green Cleaning" tm

Posted by Chris Arlen on 3/14/2008 12:22:29 PM

When the Catholic Church says not going green is a sin, that's saying something. You'd think there'd be a stampede of action. From a governmental point at least. Unfortunately going green is left up to market drivers. And now comes all the confusion of me-too green claims.

After a few recent energy scares in the U.S. — a blackout that covered half of Florida and a lack of wind to drive turbines at wind farms in Texas — it’s obvious we are far from reaching an answer about how to dependably supply our energy demands.

Experts can’t say exactly what went wrong in Florida on Feb. 26, but they believe the blackout was caused by a small fire in an electrical substation, shutting down many other substations in the grid, causing a collapse in power. The conclusion? Our power infrastructure is antiquated and vulnerable.

A few days later, I read a piece about wind shortage — something I’d never considered to be a factor in wind energy production. A day after the Florida blackout, electricity to some Texas offices and factories was cut after the wind dropped. I wonder how many wind energy customers thought a cold front moving in might mean they’re out of power for the day.

It may be impossible to find a perfect system, one that never fails. But these recent hiccups are a reminder that energy need not be taken for granted — nor wasted. Take a look at what you’re doing to decrease your energy use as a company. Building service contractors can play a role in reducing energy demand with simple, small steps such as changing types of light bulbs, investing in a daycleaning program or evaluating and adjusting heating and cooling systems. And if you’re considering alternate energy sources, remember that they may have their occasional pitfalls.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 3/4/2008

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Reading “The Best American Sports Writing 2005,” the story on the death of Lycoming (Penn.) College football player Ricky Lannetti caught my eye.

Lannetti died from MRSA in December 2003. The article detailed the mystery surrounding the disease. At the time MRSA was a relatively unknown and confusing disease to a majority of the public.

Fast-forward to 2008 and MRSA is at the top of the list of health concerns in America.

But while our concern remains at a peak, stay confident because our knowledge of every facet of the disease has grown thanks to people effectively communicating with each other on the topic.

Talking about the disease has given all of us more knowledge on it. New prevention methods have been discussed, while others have shared their success stories of combating MRSA after an outbreak at a school.

Asking more questions has led to more answers. The key is to continue constant communication on everything the disease entails. If you’ve successfully fought off MRSA, share your success story with others. The best way to prevent the spread of the disease is to adhere to tried and true practices. The only way to sustain those practices begins with sharing your success.

Posted by: Nick Matkovich | Date posted: 2/26/2008

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As a subscriber to news alerts about immigration, I am inundated with e-mails each day linking me to articles. I skim the headline and if it looks interesting, click on the link. Often, what interests me more than the content is the comment section that allows readers to respond with their opinions on the piece or topic.

Most comments to immigration stories take a side. One person says “Send them all home! They broke the law!” Another comments, “We need illegals — they’re the backbone of our workforce.” It’s a complex issue that does not seem to have just one answer.

I recently read a long and very interesting comment left by a concrete contractor who openly admits hiring illegal immigrants. The article was about GOP voters’ negative feelings about illegal immigration; this reader says he trained illegal immigrant workers in the trade, and that they were good. In fact, he encountered fewer problems with them than he had with his traditional legal workers. After years of working for him, his employees slowly quit. Then he lost clients. He was confused until realizing they’d taken their experience and expertise learned on the job, and became contractors themselves — underbidding him with customers they knew well. That and the downturn in the new housing market have put the reader out of business.

Now, this scenario could happen with any employee, legal or otherwise, but I found the comment to be an interesting tangent to the usual immigration discussion.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 2/20/2008

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With Wisconsin’s primary election coming up next Tuesday, the candidates and their families have been criss-crossing the state garnering support. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to get political in this blog.)

Earlier this week, Michelle Obama met with a roundtable of women in Milwaukee to discuss work/life balance. This is an issue for many working women and sometimes it can be a struggle to find the right mix. Obama was even quoted as saying: “I can barely sleep at night. I'm still worrying about whether I'm doing it right,” according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

It’s no different for women in the cleaning industry. Front-line janitors are often forced to work two jobs in order to afford the costs of raising their family. For women business owners, it takes long hours to run a successful company, especially when starting out. In both cases business often outweighs time with family.

There’s no right or wrong answer for work/life balance, it depends on the person and what balance they want to strike. But if work/life balance is a problem, talking about it and listening to others’ advice can help. Upper management can attend women’s forums at industry trade shows. For front-line workers, set up a small roundtable of your own at your company. It will allow employees to connect with others (if they want to) and show that the company cares for them as more than just an employee.

To hear a first-hand account of coping with work/life balance, listen to this podcast with Lisa Bands of My Cleaning Services.
 

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 2/15/2008

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A few weeks ago, I joined a local fitness center. As I went on my initial walk-through tour of the place, the membership associate made sure to point out the presence of hand sanitizer dispensers strategically placed throughout. He didn’t mention MRSA by name — but did he even have to? The assumption was that customers didn’t have to be told why it was important to use hand sanitizer between machines (or whenever they wanted to).

I’m glad the option is there. I liberally squeeze the gel into my hands frequently during my visits, and also pay enhanced attention to cleaning equipment when I’m done. The sanitizer serves as a reminder that bacteria abounds in people- and sweat-rich environments. And the corporation’s image of being invested in customer health is solidified with the simple dispenser additions.

There are small things a company can do to back up its mission and commitment to service. Customers trust those small things, which make the difference between renewing a membership — or a contract.  

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 2/11/2008

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Building service contractors have to play one ace-in-the-hole when dealing with school districts: the cost of services.

So it came as no surprise that the Lisbon (Iowa) County School District began outsourcing their janitorial services after realizing they could save a substantial amount of money over the long term. According to a story in The Mount Vernon Sun, the K-12 school district saved nearly $95,000 over a 12-month period.

I have also heard from people in the cleaning industry that school districts are the hardest sector to crack into because of how strictly schools have to adhere to a budget. The greater health benefits of certain cleaning products can mean little to districts officials if it means going over budget.

This leaves BSCs with quite an advantage because most of the time they can handle janitorial services at a lower cost than what school districts are paying for in-house services.  

When soliciting business it is up to BSCs to procure as much information about the school district as possible. How many employees handle the cleaning services? Do they require additional duties such as window washing and carpet cleaning? If BSCs can gather this information and come in at a lower price point than what districts are currently paying, they should have a greater chance of earning the business. For school districts, cutbacks are part of each district and nothing will stand in the way of saving money.

Posted by: Nick Matkovich | Date posted: 2/1/2008

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Posted by Chris Arlen on 2/6/2008 8:55:53 AM

With respect, it's typically more difficult for a school district to outsource custodial service than it appears. It's a political hot potato. Especially for large school districts - with large budgets, it's extremely political. Local politicians and community leaders are heavily invested in keeping well paying jobs local. School custodians typically receive much higher wages and benefits than contract cleaners. Then there's the emotional decision to layoff John or Sally, the 20+ year custodian who was there when locals were at school. All these factors far outweigh saving millions of dollars. Even if outsourced savings could be spent on improving children's' education and safety. I was involved in one instance where a very large school district attempted to outsource to a BSC. However, unknown to the BSC the district was using it as a lever in negotiations with their custodial union. The BSC would save the district more than $2 million in the first year alone. The district had the BSC ready to start cleaning, but midnight before startup, the district capitulated to union demands. End of outsourcing custodial. And it's still that way today.

Business news is starting to get very exciting, in an anxiety-producing way. Job cuts at Yahoo and Morgan Stanley, big write-offs from major financial institutions such as Citibank, a huge tax rebate for a majority of taxpayers as part of an economic stimulus package, a big fed rate cut, wild rollercoaster rides in the stock market — and let’s not forget the “R” word being tossed around at a fever pitch.

Economic experts have dealt out an array of predictions: doomsday reports outlining worst-case recession scenarios, upbeat and optimistic outlooks anticipating a bounceback from the mortgage crisis followed by successful business as usual, and everything in between.

One building service contractor I recently spoke with said despite economic worries, this industry is somewhat “recession-proof,” as in, janitorial services will be needed regardless of any facility’s hardships. In fact, a suffering economy can actually provide an opportunity for BSCs to challenge their competition by chasing companies that need more cost-efficient services. So, even though BSCs do feel every economic shift in the market, in one way or another, we haven’t seen any good reasons to stop hoping that profits this year will grow.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 1/28/2008

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Posted by Gregg Jones on 3/20/2008 10:30:58 AM

The myth in "recession proof" depends on who your customers are. We have customers that are manufacturers tied into the housing market that had to cut shifts and cut our services. We have lost accounts recently on price alone. Even though our overhead is increasing due mainly to oil increases (transportation, insurance, supplies, services)the instant we try to increase our price it goes out to bid. This may be an industry that receives less of a hit, but higher profits-no way!

I recently read an article in Portfolio magazine about why companies should give up their social responsibility to the environment, their employees and their communities, and instead focus on what they do best: make money. And that we, the general public, should let them.

I couldn’t disagree more.

By donating time, resources or money, or by being a more environmental responsible company, a business can positively impact the lives of its employees and countless people in a community.

I recently spoke with building service contractors who contributed gifts for underprivileged families for the holidays. They spoke with passion about what a great experience it was, not only for the kids and parents they helped, but for their workers who personally gave the presents. It brought so much happiness to see the kids enjoy their gifts that more employees asked to be involved next year.

Similarly, last year when Contracting Profits asked Bob Stone, owner of Porter Industries, Loveland, Colo., why the company pursued LEED-EB certification (making headquarters more environmentally responsible and safer for his employees), he simply responded, “It was the right thing to do.” Stone felt he could not provide cleaning programs that benefited his customer’s safety and environmental footprint without bettering his own first.

(Of course, I’m not fool enough to see that these aforementioned companies also benefited from great marketing opportunities brought on by these efforts, but the increased exposure was far from the only reason for their generosity.)

For some employees, charitable opportunities through work may be the only chances they get to help others. Low-wage workers, especially, may not have the time or money to donate to others.

So this year, while you focus on servicing your customers and increasing profits, also stop to think about how you can service the environment, your employees and your community.

 

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 1/23/2008

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Posted by Chris Arlen on 1/25/2008 2:15:00 PM

As you mentioned, the Porter Industries owner implemented LEED-EB "because it was the right thing to do". However, the BSC industry has an employee embarrassment of its own, that of the "Working Poor". What is the right thing to do for employees who work full time and are still below the poverty line? Cleaning can be physically hard work, especially at high production rates. Many BSC employees work hard, at one, maybe two jobs, and still they're poor. Simplistically, that doesn't sound right. The economics of cleaning wages relative to customers' profitability is a daunting puzzle. There are no easy answers, but the working poor are an unsettling reality in today's BSC industry. Social responsibility, to BSC employees, is the largest elephant in the room. Some time in the future there will be a progressive BSC that turns this problem into a win/win/win for themselves, their employees and their customers. And that success will lead others to follow.

BSCs are constantly thinking about their relationships with customers. And they should, because those customers can be a ticket to a future of business success.

Sometimes, however — and this can happen with owners and execs in any company, in any industry — relationships with employees get put on the back burner. In the cleaning industry, where pay is low and turnover is high, it’s just as important to nurture the employee-employer partnership as it is to buddy up to customers you want to keep.

Make it a goal for 2008 to think about your employees as much as your customers and create more win-win situations within your company. Employees favor those simple management practices that reward them for a job well-done and also reward the company, such as providing a wellness program. Corporate best practices that build trust between employers and employees, according to BusinessWeek.com, also include spot bonuses, intranet, customized benefit plans and a real vacation policy.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 1/16/2008

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BSCs working in airports may have noticed an attitude shift out on the tarmac. The aviation industry is one of the latest to embrace environmentally friendly practices, according to this article focusing on how aviation maintenance repair and overhaul have gone green. Safety, the article states, is the cornerstone of that industry, and getting rid of hazardous chemicals and improving maintenance safety practices have become global industry goals.

Among many initiatives being undertaken by aircraft operators and maintenance facilities — including recycling programs, waste reduction, and water and energy conservation — are greener cleaning practices. One company has begun to use biodegradable, non-hazardous strippers, uses cleaning products with reduced volatile organic compounds, and uses aqueous alkaline or solvent processes instead of halogenated hydrocarbons for cleaning and degreasing.

Unlike BSCs, many of the companies interviewed said they don’t get a lot of customer inquiries about or requests for green practices — but that the customers still appreciate their efforts to be a good citizen. Whether your company cleans airports or not, take this as yet another sign that green is here to stay.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 1/10/2008

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Contractors in one Virginia county may be breathing a little easier after Thursday. A proposal that would have given Loudoun County the power to revoke building permits and business licenses of those who employ unauthorized workers was voted down, 5-4, by county supervisors. That decision overturned a vote for the proposal just months ago by the old, pre-election board.

Loudoun County has been one of many local governments to speak out against illegal immigration — and enact laws to back up those voices. Despite a change in membership that has transformed the board’s stance to less aggressive on the issue, the fate of laws recently passed across the U.S. is unknown. Now that local November elections are over, we may see a change of heart in some places — and even more attempts to crack down on immigration in others.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 1/4/2008

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Posted by Darren on 1/9/2008 11:19:39 AM

This is utterly rediculous! How could any person vote AGAINST revoking the business license of a business that employs illegal (Oops! I mean undocumented) workers?

Posted by Ronald Stonis on 1/11/2008 7:42:24 AM

Illegals are illegals! They are breaking the law. What good is a law unless it is enforced? Businesses ought not to be breakihg the law to hire illegals at lower wages or whatever the reason.They need to be punished for this as they are not above the law. This problem is not going to go away. Americans are fed up with the whole business and will continue to fight it. I am one of them!

The light bulb Americans have come to know and love for more than 100 years is being bumped off store and warehouse shelves to make room for its modern descendents: energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs.

Those of us who have been using the newer bulbs were easily swayed to switch allegiances from incandescent bulbs because we don’t want to use as much energy. Not only is that good for our utilities budgets, it’s good for the grid. A new energy bill passed by Congress and recently signed by President Bush will ensure incandescent bulbs — which burn 90 percent of energy used as heat, a big waste — will be phased out of the U.S. market starting in 2012. Compact fluorescent bulbs will take their place.

The bulbs are much more expensive than their traditional counterparts, but they burn 75 percent less energy and last up to five years (versus the relatively short life of incandescents). For building service contractors, this phasing out will represent a savings on their own buildings as well as a chance to talk to customers about ways they can conserve energy and save money at the same time.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 12/26/2007

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Here in Wisconsin we’ve had nearly five times the average snow fall for the month. One of our latest weather storms included dangerous icy conditions during the morning commute. Getting to and from work can be difficult for anyone during winter and on some days many people aren’t able to make it to work at all.

When you’re in the service industry, this can be problematic. Facility managers expect their buildings to be cleaned and when employees can’t make it in, building service contractors have to figure out how to staff the building on short notice.

BSCs I’ve talked to suggest having a “Plan B” in place for such conditions. This includes notifying all clients to let them know that buildings may be short staffed that night and that cleaning priorities will be limited to high-traffic areas such as restrooms and entryways. If staffing is extremely short-handed, owners may want to be prepared to roll up their own sleeves and help out with cleaning for a night.

Communication is crucial and customers need to be aware of any changes so there are no surprises. Some clients might be willing to let the cleaning slide for a night, allowing BSCs to focus their attention on other accounts. It’s also important to make sure that your customers approve of your contingency plan before a storm ever hits and to know the emergency contacts, phone numbers and e-mails for all accounts.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 12/19/2007

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An article on the blogsite Small Business Trends predicts that the slowdown in the economy might actually be good for some small businesses: franchises. When the economy tightens, the piece theorizes, job losses increase and people start looking at career alternatives that include becoming a franchisee. Trends to come include semi-absentee ownership, low-investment opportunities and women-focused franchises. Among the specific franchise categories listed for growth next year is residential cleaning.

That doesn’t surprise me, especially after having spoken to many building service contractors at trade shows and for CP’s recent cover story on women in the industry. I found it interesting that a lot of women in particular who started their own cleaning contracting businesses were initially drawn to residential cleaning, which was often a springboard to commercial work. It’s a safe investment for those who have a family to take care of and need a venture that has scheduling flexibility. Cleaning franchises also hold that kind of allure, with the additional security of an established and proven business system.

I wonder if commercial cleaning franchises will also grow in a tight economy. I haven’t heard for sure that more will be popping up in 2008, but I’ll definitely be watching for it.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 12/12/2007

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Posted by ChrisArlen on 12/19/2007 11:37:01 AM

I'd guess an average number of commercial cleaning companies will be started in 08, just not sure relative to prior years. However, once started, a BSC is a stable, secure business to be in. Once they've learned the ropes. BSCs can't fault the economy if they go out of business. One of the most attractive things about the industry is that it bends with the economy, but doesn't break. Many years ago when I was with ABM Janitorial, I heard Sydney Rosenberg, the founder's son & long-time CEO, say no matter how bad the economy is, people still need their offices cleaned. And it's true. A slumping economy can put pressure on pricing, but rarely is a cleaning contract eliminated. In that case, BSCs can and should re-scope service levels to match lowered pricing. This has already been happening throughout parts of the hi-tech and office markets over the last several years.

A recent Associated Press article took an interesting look at a handful of presidential candidates’ worst jobs. Mitt Romney worked in an effluent-filled sewage pipe. Hillary Clinton gutted fish while standing knee-high in bloody water. Two of the candidates recalled cleaning jobs as their least favorite: John Edwards cleaned a textile mill when he was in school, mopping grease from under the looms; and Mike Huckabee cited his window-cleaning duties at JCPenney — and says he’s still sensitive about not leaving fingerprints on glass.

We’ve all had a “worst job,” and most Americans might agree with the politicians that the worst jobs usually involve manual labor and less than glamorous environments. Sound familiar? That’s the same description that usually goes along with janitorial work.

Building service contractors should go above and beyond to make sure that their employees don’t consider their current employment their worst job. They are working hard, performing tiring and thankless tasks day after day, but they should know that their work is in fact appreciated. Janitorial workers need to not only do a good job but also take pride in their work. It’s going to take a lot to overhaul the image of the cleaning industry — and a lot of you are working on it, I know — but it can start with uplifting employees with a simple “thank you.”

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 12/6/2007

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When was the last time you thought about a driver safety program? Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of work-related injuries, according to the National Safety Council. Building service contractors may operate a fleet of company vehicles that service their accounts or they may employ a mobile sales force. If nothing else, they at least have employees that commute to and from work each day. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), every 12 seconds someone dies in a car crash and every 10 seconds someone is injured in a crash.

The cost involved in these crashes adds up frighteningly fast for business owners. On average, a motor vehicle crash costs an employer $16,500. If someone is injured in the crash, the cost balloons to $74,000.

Implementing a safe driving program could help decrease these costs tremendously. Some points to keep in mind:

• Stress the importance of wearing a seat belt. It may seem obvious, but still too many people ignore this simple step. Each year seat belts save nearly 12,000 lives.

• Don’t let employees drive distracted. For example, don’t let employees talk on a cell phone when behind the wheel. Many states have even made it illegal to talk and drive.

• Don’t let employees drive when fatigued. Janitors work late hours and cleaning is hard, physical labor. Make sure employees are alert before driving home or to their next job. Sadly, more than 100,000 crashes each year are due to fatigued or drowsy drivers, according to OSHA.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 11/30/2007

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With Black Friday as the obligatory kickoff to retailers’ busiest month of the year, the shopping season got off to a good start this year. More shoppers hit stores than last year, thanks to aggressive discounting and deals, and average spending was down by only a little. Economists are watching the holiday shopping season closely for indicators of consumers’ financial health, and many are predicting a slowdown in spending between now and Christmas as discretionary income shrinks. Recent jumps in gasoline prices and rising heating costs will have an effect on spending.

Having spoken with a number of building service contractors about their economic concerns for Contracting Profits’ November cover story, I know those factors weigh heavily on their minds, too, as the calendar flips to 2008. Meanwhile, the dollar continues to weaken and the credit market is crunched, prompting the Fed to expect noticeably slower growth this fourth quarter.

What might that mean for BSCs? They should continue forward with a bit of caution, bearing in mind that their customers — and BSCs themselves — face the same expenses as consumers. The reality is, if the economy keeps tightening, some customers may not have as much money to spend on services next year.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 11/27/2007

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Between a never-ending string of toy recalls, announcements of possibly tainted food and staph outbreaks in schools nationwide, kids have it pretty rough lately. We know that as one of the most physically vulnerable populations, children need extra attention. In addition to reactive measures such as recalls and school closures, kids deserve foresight from those looking out for them, including building service contractors.

ISSA and Green Seal are also looking out for children, as evidenced by a call for comment on revisions to the GS-37 Standard — revisions driven by a concern for children’s health and in the wake of New York’s 2006 legislation mandating green cleaning in elementary and secondary schools. Major areas of revision include an expansion of products covered, a new definition of concentrate, oral toxicity increased, inhalation toxicity introduced as a criterion and prohibition of ingredients that are known to cause asthma.

BSCs who clean schools and other buildings with vulnerable populations should pay special attention to revisions and are encouraged to weigh in. Comments may be submitted through mid-January. Click here to read more from CleanLink news.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 11/21/2007

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Earlier this week an outbreak of a potentially lethal strain of H5N1, aka the bird flu, was confirmed in England. The concern is that if the H5N1 strand mutated into a transmissible human disease, it could kill more than 7 million people.

While the bird flu isn’t making headlines as frequently as it did last year, it is still a serious issue and of concern to facility. I have received numerous calls from readers saying their customers want to know about emergency cleaning procedures contractors can implement in case of an outbreak and resulting pandemic.  

The good news for building service contractors is that cleaning to prevent the bird flu is the same as preventing regular influenza viruses. Some procedures include: disinfecting surfaces with a disinfectant intended for use against avian influenza A viruses and allowing proper dwell time; changing mops heads or color coding tools for different areas; and promoting frequent hand washing or hand sanitizing.

For more information regarding the bird flu, check out this article from Contracting Profits.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 11/16/2007

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Big news for building service contractors — and employers in general, courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): a new Form I-9 has been unveiled. The I-9, the employment eligibility verification form, is familiar to BSCs as the form that documents the work authorization of both citizens and non-citizens to work in the U.S.

The form is now supposed to be more user-friendly and readable. The biggest difference between old and new are the documents accepted to verify employment eligibility. Under the revisions, five documents that were once used to satisfy requirements of the I-9 will no longer be acceptable:

• Certificate of U.S. Citizenship, or form N-560 or N-561
• Certificate of Naturalization, or form N-550 or N-570
• Alien Registration Receipt Card, or form I-151
• Unexpired Reentry Permit, or form I-327
• Unexpired Refugee Travel Document, or form I-571

Those forms were removed from the List A of Acceptable Documents because they lack features to deter counterfeiting, tampering and fraud.

One document, the most recent version of the Employment Authorization Document, or Form I-766, was added to List A, which also includes a U.S. Passport, a Permanent Resident Card and an unexpired foreign passport with a temporary I-551 stamp.

As of Nov. 7, the new form, with the revision date of June 5, 2007 (printed in the lower right hand corner), is now the only valid form for use, according to the USCIS. A grace period is allowed, however. Employers are not required to use the revised form until notice of the new requirements are published in the Federal Register, but they are encouraged to start using it now, as they will be subject to fines and penalties if they continue to use the old forms after notice is published.

For more information, including downloads of the new form, visit www.uscis.gov.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 11/13/2007

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On my local Milwaukee news last night, alarmed reporters broke news that a suburban school district had a few unconfirmed reports of students who have a staph infection that may be the dreaded methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. With the so-called “superbug” having been reported in schools last month, resulting in closures and even deaths, it’s an infectious disease that the public is becoming familiar with — and scared of.

Building service contractors know that as more customers — especially schools — learn about MRSA, they will be expected to answer questions about it and alleviate concerns. In a nutshell, MRSA is an antibiotic-resistant disease that most commonly causes skin infections, though more serious infections such as pneumonia can occasionally result. As the infection can be spread by surface contact, MRSA-prevention efforts need to focus on keeping surfaces, such as gym mats, clean. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintain the best way to prevent the spread of MRSA is to encourage frequent hand washing.

But BSCs should take the extra step to do some research about the disease, paying special attention to cross-contamination issues. This is a chance to open lines of communication with customers and build the partnerships that are so vital to maintaining a healthy and successful business.

For more information about MRSA from the CDC, click here.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 11/8/2007

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I think a lot of us in the industry have a case of the post-ISSA Mondays. It’s back to the office after a week spent in Orlando at ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America 2007, and a lot of topics and highlights from the show are fresh on my mind. This year’s event was my second I’ve attended, and I’m happy to have reunited with some old building services contractor friends as well as made new ones.  

A number of contractor-specific issues were discussed at the first-ever BSC peer exchange session, which provided an interesting forum for analysis and deep thought about industry challenges. Presenter Dave Frank, Contracting Profits columnist and President of the American Institute for Cleaning Sciences, stressed that one way to help customers (and BSCs) appreciate and compensate for services is to redefine those services; it’s not just “cleaning” — it’s about health, hygiene and sanitation, he said. I could almost see the wheels turning in the heads of attendees as they thought about that.

The discussions made it obvious that each BSC’s reality is different. Some have incorporated green cleaning and cleaning for health into their offerings, and now those practices are their reality. Others are not there yet. Talking about pricing and competition also showed that BSCs have a variety of practices and attitudes, often based on the markets in which they exist. Some are optimistic that their hard work and genuine commitment to providing excellent building services is going to pay off, but many still live in fear of losing business to the lowest bidder.

I realize it’s not always easy to risk dreaming big and having higher expectations, but from my own observations, it pays off for BSCs to turn their ideals into reality.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 10/29/2007

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If you tell people you’re the editor of a cleaning magazine, they all seem to want advice as to what products they should use in their home.

Granted most commercial cleaning products aren’t available for retail use, but there are some similar crossovers and building service contractors can take advantage of this.

If employees use similar products (or products by the same brand) in their homes as well at work, then they will already be familiar with how the product works and know that it is effective, which can make training an easier process.

This is also true for green products. Sustainability is a buzzword in and outside the cleaning industry. Green Seal even has a certification for household cleaning products. If your company is switching to green products, then the transition will be smoother for employees who already use these products at home and understand the environment and health benefits.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 10/19/2007

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The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in 10 states including California and Iowa endorsed pro-labor Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards this week.

The backing is significant since those states represent a million workers, more than half of SEIU’s membership. Councils in Indiana and Illinois are endorsing Sen. Barack Obama.

SEIU’s national executive board will not endorse any one candidate for president, but allows individual state councils to make endorsements. California has the highest number of SEIU members, at about 650,000. Iowa, one of the first primary states, is another important state for candidates to secure. There, Edwards is about as popular as the national Democratic poll-leaders, Obama and Hillary Clinton, so the endorsement could prove to be critical for his campaign.  

Many building service contractors are more conservative than the service unions in their political leanings, but I’m curious as to who BSCs will be supporting in the upcoming election, and why?

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 10/17/2007

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Even though Congress failed to pass President Bush's immigration reform bill earlier this year, illegal immigration has stayed in the news — and will likely continue to as we near the 2008 election season. This week, a judge in California ordered the delay of a central measure of the Bush administration’s illegal immigration prevention strategy, reports the New York Times.

The move is being hailed by small businesses as a victory, as the rule would have forced the firings of thousands of employees that include citizens and legal residents — employees who are not illegal immigrants but were unable to verify their Social Security numbers within the 90-day time period required.

Contractors can breathe a sigh of relief for now, but know that sooner rather than later, they will continue to have to deal with lawmakers' attempts to enforce immigration law, both new and existing.

As the 2008 presidential election nears, expect it to be one of the biggest topics of contention. Building service contractors have strong opinions about immigration, especially illegal immigration, and will be paying close attention to what the candidates propose as a realistic solution to the problem.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 10/11/2007

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It’s far from their main market segment, but some building service contractors clean (or are looking to expand into) hospitality facilities such as hotels and casino resorts. And chances are these facilities, especially high profile ones, are looking to become sustainable buildings.

BSCs can help the facility managers at these facilities achieve their green goals. Aside from implementing green cleaning techniques, contractors now can purchase Green Seal-certified consumable soap and shower products including, liquid soap, solid soap, shampoo, conditioner and bubble bath. The guidelines for the GS-44 standard for soaps and shower products is similar to the GS-41 standard for hand cleaners and hand soap.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 10/5/2007

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Posted by Allen Rathey on 11/6/2007 11:07:11 AM

Dan, Nice comments. Since 'green' disinfection is relevant in today's contagion-conscious hospitality environments, here are a few thoughts: We tend to overuse disinfectants or use them in the wrong places, and inappropriately introducing toxic substances into environments is not wise, green or healthy. Other points: Notwithstanding that, some people confuse disinfectants with antibacterial products, thinking that disinfectants can produce antibiotic resistant bacteria. Antibacterial products are not the same as disinfectants. Antibacterial ingredients such as triclosan work by a different mechanism (e.g., inhibiting reproduction) than disinfectants and hence leave open the possibility of creating resistant bacteria. Disinfectants kill target or benchmark germs outright, so there is nothing that lives to develop resistance. Disinfectants are not implicated as contributing to resistant bacteria as far as I know. [Also, as a side point, antibacterial products only kill bacteria not viruses, so they are useless against cold or flu bugs (viruses)] Overall, though, society and the cleaning industry as a whole behaves as the bull in the microbial china shop. Most microbes are beneficial, so wiping them out routinely is overkill and counterproductive. Ideally, we would want to manage microbes rather than directly poison or kill them all. For example, a growing field of study is bioaugmentation or bioremediation, which is based on the premise that if you cultivate friendly microbes making them dominant in environments, they keep the harmful ones under natural control by limiting the food supply. This is how nature works and this is how we should approach the cleaning of buildings. That is, mimic natural systems and view indoor environments as ecosystems. Still, while the use of antibacterial and disinfecting products are sometimes a “quick and easy” albeit sometimes misguided and overly simplistic answer to a very complex question, they have their place. For example, where you have immune-compromised or infirm people, sometimes using an antibacterial soap for washing hands is warranted and useful. Or, if you have an especially virulent pathogen scenario, and other methods are not easily available, it’s time to use an appropriate chemical disinfectant. It’s the lesser of two evils. As an industry, however, we should be looking hard at the alternatives including: 1. Steam vapor which sanitizes, and in some cases, disinfects without the use of chemicals 2. Spray-and-vac technology which mostly removes rather than kills microbes (why kill them when you can physically remove them?) 3. Promicrobial methods which displace harmful bugs with good ones 4. Electrolyzed water which has disinfectant properties but is non-toxic 5. Ultraviolet-C which kills microbes using light energy, etc.

There is a happiness gap between working men and women, largely because of modern gender roles, according to the results of an interesting study released recently.

Women have become less happy and satisfied with their lives in comparison to men than they were decades ago — and choosing between family and career has become one of the dominant stressors for women. The release of the study was timely for me, having just finished September’s cover story about women in the industry.

While the women I interviewed for that story were in fact quite happy with their lives, all acknowledged that women pay a different price for success than men do, and often, women experience a different kind of business success — one that is tied very much to their home life and family’s success.

Businesswomen’s work/life balance was addressed in a podcast accompanying that article. Check out the first of our new “CleanTips” podcasts, featuring Lisa Bands of My Cleaning Services in Baltimore, by clicking here.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 10/2/2007

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A recent inspection of air fresheners from a major retail drug store chain found that a majority of those sampled contain potentially toxic chemicals, TIME.com reports. The study cited was released by the Natural Resources Defense Council, and found that variable amounts of phthalates exist in 12 of 14 air fresheners that were tested.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to dissolve and carry fragrances. They are found in products including cosmetics, paints and children’s toys, and studies have suggested that high exposures to some phthalates can cause cancer as well as developmental abnormalities in infants. The study concluded, however, that there’s no clear-cut evidence regarding health effects of air fresheners.

People in general have come to associate fragrance with cleanliness, but perhaps studies like this will make them think twice about what “fresh and clean” really means. As building service contractors know, there is a vast difference between odor elimination and odor cover-up.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 9/27/2007

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I just returned from Facilities Midwest, a facility-manager based trade show. While there I was able to see issues from the viewpoint of your customers and I hope to share with you many of the insights I learned from my experience.

One seminar I attended was on outsourcing cleaning services. When the speaker asked the audience how many of them knew how many restroom fixtures their facilities had, not many arms were raised in response. These are the same people in charge of assembling the specifications for your bids.

When putting together your bid at a new account or even rebidding a current one, it’s good advice not to take the facility manager’s specs at their word. Take your own measurements. It’s the best way to ensure your bid not only will reflect the work you realistically will be able to provide, but also accurately represents the price you charge.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 9/20/2007

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Posted by mike on 10/26/2007 8:10:09 PM

can you recommend a top of the line janitorial & commercial cleaning bidding software program for someone just starting out in the business.Im looking for a real good program .

When an entire conference and expo is devoted to the green building trend, you know there’s major interest in green. When a former president is the keynote speaker at that conference, you know green has exploded.

Bill Clinton has been slated as the keynote speaker at this November’s Greenbuild in Chicago — something the U.S. Green Building Council, the show’s sponsor, surely is excited about. Though admittedly not a presidential policy buff, I am a fan of powerful and charismatic speakers on both sides of the political fence. Last year at ISSA/INTERCLEAN® we were treated to Rudy Giuliani, a wonderful speaker. Clinton’s keynote, too, would be a pleasure to attend.

Clinton’s environmentalism was evident during his presidency but he remains committed to that cause today, through the William J. Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Climate Initiative. The initiative fights climate change with a business-oriented approach, and is working with a number of large cities that will accelerate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Greenbuild’s growth and success are an indicator of the presence of green issues across the board, in all industries. Whether or not people accept the concept of global warming, and whether or not they like Bill Clinton, those on both sides of the fence can agree it doesn’t hurt to conserve and it doesn’t hurt to clean up. As the buzz about green building and cleaning continues to grow, it won’t hurt building service contractors to embrace the movement, either.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 9/12/2007

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Despite the U.S. Senate’s failure to pass the bipartisan immigration reform bill last July, efforts to jump start new legislation continue.

The latest attempt is from Texas Congressman John Carter. A couple points of his immigration bill include giving local police the authority to arrest illegal immigrants and allow employers to sponsor undocumented workers.

Bills like Carter’s will continue to flood the House and Senate floors, but it is almost certain that none will pass. Serious consideration of immigration reform likely won’t come until we have a new president in office next year.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 9/7/2007

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Posted by Joel Daniel on 9/19/2007 12:58:21 PM

The general voting public has learned more about immigration, and especially illegal immigration, in the last than 5 years than in the previous 100 years before. In the past, when thousands or even a million illegal immigrants were present in the U.S., it was looked upon as a minor problem that shouldn't command a lot of uproar. But things are not so anymore. Now that the governments' arguable, and most probably low, estimate of the presence of 12-15 million illegal immigrants is so widely known, the public has come to rightly question how secure the nation is and how a government that wastes so much money on so many different things, could allow the most basic security issue as this to occur. The illegal immigration issue is far from dead, and no matter what happens in the presidential elections in '08, one thing is certain; there WILL be more fighting and resistance on both sides of the issue. It's elevated to a whole new historical level now.

I was reminded this past weekend why Labor Day is so important, historically, and why it remains important to many workers across the nation.

For those who don’t know: The holiday has its roots in the 1880s, when New York City unions, the Central Labor Union and the Knights of Labor, took an unpaid day in early September and marched in Union Square. A few years later, it became an annual event in many cities, as labor organizations were urged to support the working man’s holiday. Many states signed on to the idea and Congress legalized holiday in 1894.

The idea was to give workers a day off to be with their families, making Labor Day unique among holidays. Most professionals in the private and public sectors do have the extra Monday off — but not all workers are so fortunate. Malls, grocery stores, gas stations, airports, restaurants, hotels, parks and more were open to accommodate those who didn't have to go to work. That means many people, including janitorial employees, were working extra hard.

Though some Americans dislike unions, it’s hard to argue their historic importance in promoting fair labor practices that we enjoy today. Organized labor has been the impetus for significant changes to improve the lives of American workers — from child-labor laws to minimum wage.

In the wake of the labor movement that created Labor Day also came the eight-hour work day, which janitors in some cities are still fighting for, along with benefits and wage increases. The TV news on Monday showed footage of Labor Day celebrations across the country, with workers marching wearing Service Employees International Union (SEIU) T-shirts — a vivid reminder that unions continue to play an active role in the service industry employment debate.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 9/5/2007

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In my last blog post I wrote about the importance of screening for the best applicants, from multiple job interviews to background checks.

Also important is asking the right questions. Yesterday, I read an article in Business 2.0 that mentioned some of the off-the-wall questions high-tech companies ask potential applicants because they want to hire employees who are able to think on their feet. Interviewers are not that interested in the answer, but how they solve the problem.

While cleaning an office isn’t the same as predicting the latest Internet trend, cleaning managers and supervisors, too, need to think and act quickly when unexpected problems arise.

Maybe your next hire will get the job by impressing you with his answer to this brainteaser from the Google HR department: “You are shrunk to the height of a nickel and your mass is proportionally reduced so as to maintain your original density. You are then thrown into an empty glass blender. The blades will start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do?”

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 8/31/2007

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With so much emphasis these days on validating a worker’s legal status, it’s easy to lose sight of what else is important during the hiring process.

Hiring an employee is not the same as filling an empty position. If you hire the first person to apply for the job, be ready to accept applications again in less than a month. Take the time to screen applicants with multiple interviews and by asking questions that will help you find the right fit. However, remember it’s illegal to ask questions regarding age, marital status, race, religion, birthplace, sexual orientation or physical ability.

Make sure the person understands the job duties and that the work is something they would be interested in doing. Too often employees quit after only a day or two on the job. Interview applicants at the job site if possible so they can see first hand the work they may be doing. If the person would be cleaning high-profile areas, further screening, such as background checks or drug tests might be beneficial.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 8/29/2007

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Regions of the Midwest — including southeastern Wisconsin, where Contracting Profits magazine is headquartered — have been pounded with rain and storms over the past week and a half. Residents in the area were asked by the Milwaukee-area sewerage district to conserve water to avoid a sewer overflow into rivers and Lake Michigan, as the underground tunnels are stressed with storm water. It’s hard to think about conserving water when there’s been such an abundance of it outside.

Then I recall my days reporting in the high desert of New Mexico for a daily newspaper in Roswell. I wrote about water – or lack thereof – constantly, because it was one of the most timely and newsworthy topics to cover. In the arid Southwest, water conservation is part of the social conscience, the public discourse. It was very dry when I lived there. Some weather and farming experts surmised we were in a 50- or 100-year drought. The phrase “water is the new gold” was uttered more times than I could count.

Wherever a business is located, however, a building service contractor can see financial, environmental, and efficiency benefits from using water-saving products and procedures. There’s simply monitoring water usage and discouraging employees from doing things like letting faucets run. Or, go a step further and implement products and procedures aimed specifically at conserving water: damp or dry mopping; water-saving scrubbers; low-flow toilets; waterless urinals; xeriscaping; early morning or evening watering of lawns and gardens.

Not only will you see the benefits of using less water, so will the environment.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 8/27/2007

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As you can tell by my last blog post, I read a number of business magazines to keep up with the trends that may be affecting entrepreneurs like you. Again while reading Fast Company, an article caught my attention, and this time it hit a little closer to home than any general business trend.

In the magazine’s “green” section, a short blurb noted today’s poor indoor air quality in commercial offices and placed part of the blame on janitors’ use of non eco-friendly cleaning products.

The mass media have been vocalizing the benefits of green and sustainability for quite some time, but now green cleaning specifically is starting to garner attention and it will have an impact on the general public. In fact, just the other day my wife announced she wanted to start buying green cleaning products to clean our house after listening to Dr. Mehmet Oz talk about the benefits on his radio show. (Of course I reminded her I had been preaching these same benefits for years, but I’m not on Oprah and Friends Radio).

As the public learns more about the health and environmental benefits associated with green cleaning they will look to their cleaning contractors for even more detailed information about it. Or, they may even start expecting you to use these products. Be ready.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 8/23/2007

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Posted by Ken Galo on 8/25/2007 2:34:18 AM

The education of our customers on IAQ needs to be broader, it's not just the janitors vacuum cleaners or the spray bottle of blue stuff affecting IAQ. There needs to be a focused push for customers to understand the need to change air filters every 30 days, purchase carpeting of higher grades to reduce airborne fibers etc.... Putting the blame on a janitor working for 3 hours at night while ignoring the production facility running 24 hours a day attached to the office isn't fair.

When it comes to sustainability, some areas of the U.S. are far more proactive than others. Recently, Fast Company magazine released a list of the world’s “greenest” cities. On top was Chicago with 2.5 million square feet of rooftop gardens. Chicago is also part of Illinois’ statewide green cleaning in schools requirement. Another city from the U.S. on the list was Portland, Ore. Having recently visited the area, I can assure you that Portland is one of the greenest cities in the country with over 100 buildings registered for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.

If you aren’t already practicing green cleaning in these cities, then it’s time to get on board. If the city at large is practicing sustainability, you can be sure that your competitors are already servicing green businesses.

Fast Company also noted three cities that are on the verge of green: Minneapolis, Sacramento, Calif., and Tallahassee, Fla. Building service contractors in these cities should evaluate going green now to stay ahead of their competition when these cities finally complete their green transitions.

For more leading and lagging green cities, check out Steve Ashkin’s “Geography of Green” column in the August issue of Contracting Profits.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 8/21/2007

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Earlier this week, I performed a commonly dreaded civil obligation: jury duty. My spirits were kept high by hopes of being chosen to sit on a jury for a riveting felony case. Alas, I would be witnessing no such “Law and Order” moments. Even though I was called as part of the jury pool for a civil lawsuit, I was not chosen to be one of the final jurors.

The day was not a total waste, however. I was able to serve society in a different way. The local blood donation center has a juror blood drive on Mondays, and I signed up. I gave my pint, had some juice and a cookie, and was on my way. The experience inspired me to look into bringing a blood drive to my workplace, and got me wondering about the different ways companies can perform community service.

It is important to many employees that their company cares about the community, that it “gives back.” They value the opportunity to be of service, and understand that a company’s commitment to the world outside its doors indicates a social responsibility that is greatly admired. Volunteering and donating satisfy people’s altruistic tendencies, making them happier and more satisfied — two things you want to see in every employee. In discussing paths to success with a few building service contractors, it’s apparent that involvement in the community is considered a key to success for business owners. Reaching out to others not only makes BSCs feel and look good, but it can also serve as a networking tool and a way to market themselves in a different way, if even by word of mouth. A lot of factors go into earning a reputation of trust among potential customers, and this is one of them.

Whether it’s a partnership with local charities, an annual food drive, or a commitment to encouraging volunteering, there are many ways for your company to connect with and support the world around you.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 8/17/2007

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I’ve received feedback on my earlier blog posting about the iPhone disagreeing with my assessment. I had felt that on paper, the iPhone was not a practical gadget for a business owner and was better suited for entertainment purposes. Well, this past weekend I was able to use an iPhone firsthand and see that some of its attributes are actually quite useful.

The e-mail and Internet capabilities are easy to use and with the growing reach of WiFi, users should be able to connect almost anywhere, allowing business owners to stay in constant contact with their office. In addition, the map function will never let sales representatives get lost while traveling to new accounts.

The device’s camera function takes photos better than any cell phone I’ve seen and the screen’s large size makes for easing viewing — very beneficial when documenting mistakes during inspections. Users may not be able to view PowerPoint files for presentations, but they can open PDF files and zoom in for easier reading if contractors want to show employees training documents while on site.

However, I still hold true to some of my opinions from my earlier review. Users who want to run bidding and estimating, workloading or inspection software will find the device lacking. Also, business owners can stay on top of their budgets by being able to view Excel spreadsheets, but unfortunately they won’t be able to edit them. And a final complaint (though small, its still aggravating): While it’s great having an iPod with you at all times to listen to educational Podcasts and videos, users will have to take the time to do it at their computer in their office. Despite the handy Internet connections, the iPhone isn’t equipped with its own iTunes.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 8/15/2007

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Not even meteorologists can accurately predict the weather, but based on the past few years, it seems that our winters are getting milder. But even though we’ve seen less ice and snow lately, it would be pretty risky for building service contractors to purchase less ice and snow melt. Getting caught without product in the middle of a snowstorm could spell the end of a good customer relationship.

It may only be August (and for many of us, the middle of a heatwave), but now is a good time to start talking with your distributor about winter-care products. Ask them if you’ll be able to store excess product in their warehouse. Also find out if they’ll service you after hours in emergency situations: for example the night before a large snow storm hits.

Anticipate this year’s increase in gas prices to impact the price of your ice melt. Find out if your distributor offers any product bundling options to decrease your overall cost. Finally, put your order in well before the first snowfall in case your distributor would experience a shortage of product.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 8/13/2007

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Facebook.com might not be part of your vocabulary yet — but the buzz is building in the business world. The networking site started as an online yearbook of sorts for college students but has recently welcomed users of all ages and is catering more to the career and professional side of online networking. Now, site traffic has seen a huge boost thanks to the older and middle-aged professional.

A bunch of older people taking over Gen Y’s favorite Web site? Sounds unlikely, as it’s a scenario not seen too often, but it’s true. According to a Business Week article, users age 35 and up account for 41 percent of all traffic on the site. A handful of large national companies such as Ernst & Young have huge networks on the site, consisting of thousands of employees’ profiles.

I’m not sure building service contractors will be so quick to catch on, though. Searching Facebook for familiar names does yield some BSCs, but a call to company presidents assured me that they had absolutely nothing to do with that; though the execs had heard of Facebook, they had no idea what it was used for or that their companies had networks on the site. We concluded that some younger employees had set up the company networks on their own time, without permission or the knowledge of management.

Most BSCs do their networking the old-fashioned way: with a handshake rather than a friend request (the way people become accepted into social circles on Facebook and Myspace). But as this and other social and professional networking sites such as LinkedIn grow in membership, consider the advantages of online networking. It’s not going away any time soon.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 8/9/2007

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While watching my Milwaukee Brewers win two out of three games from the Philadelphia Phillies this weekend on TV, I came across an appalling public service announcement (PSA).

The TV spot was about cautioning kids on posting photos online, saying that once it’s on the Web, anyone can look at it. In the commercial a risqué photo of a teenager is posted on the school bulletin board. One by one, kids take the photo and another one automatically appears. Some kids laugh at the picture, others gossip about it and the girl in the picture is unhappy about the whole ordeal. But the part that upset me was at the very end — the school janitor walks past the photo, gives a suggestive smirk and takes a copy of the picture for himself.

I would think after viewing this PSA, parents would be more concerned about who’s cleaning their child’s school rather than what he or she’s uploading to the Internet. It’s no secret that the janitorial industry isn’t glamorous work, but its also hard work. The men and women cleaning our schools, office buildings, hospitals and hotels deserve more respect than what this commercial shows. Maybe the cleaning industry needs a PSA of its own to shed this stereotype.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 8/7/2007

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From pens to golf tees to model gliders, I’ve received quite an array of novelties when walking a trade show floor. Yet, sadly, I can’t remember all the companies who’ve given them to me.

For building service contractors who exhibit at shows such as World Workplace, NFMT or The Office Building Show, promotional swag (freebies, novelties, chochkies, or whatever you call them) is a great way to attract people to the booth. But these items need to be something that attendees will want to take with them and use on a regular basis. That way they can remember your logo (which should be emblazoned on the item, of course) and start to build brand recognition.

In the August 2007 issue of Inc., the magazine assembles a nice spread of effective promotional swag ranging from $1 to $131. Take a look before exhibiting at your next facility trade show to help attract a nice crowd to your both. My favorite item on the list at a meager $6: a fishing lure. Great visibility of a company logo and something I’ll use all summer long.

Posted by: Dan Weltin | Date posted: 8/3/2007

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I had recently read Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” when I met with Porter Industries in Loveland, Colo., the first building service contractor to become certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, last fall for a cover story.

For those unfamiliar with the book, the concept is that when social epidemics – such as fashion trends or crime – reach critical mass, they have reached a so-called tipping point.

I was still quite new to the industry at that time, and I recall being fascinated by the rising popularity of green cleaning. I wondered aloud when the tipping point might hit. Porter’s company owners and the president/CEO believe the trend is well on its way to becoming mainstream, but won’t be there until there is stronger scientific evidence supporting the claimed benefits of green cleaning.

However, Joel Makower, in his CNNMoney.com blog “Two Steps Forward,” argues business in general is not even close to a green tipping point. Though a few large and notable companies have made strides to become greener, as much as 98 percent of all small and midsized companies in the country haven’t invested in making significant green changes, he writes.

In the cleaning industry, I’d say the interest and involvement in green is definitely greater than 2 percent, but he brings up a good point: many more businesses need to commit to becoming green on the inside. Green needs to become an epidemic before it can tip, and that will happen by BSCs and others not only promoting green products and services, but also by leading by example and proving that it works for them.

As anyone who has read Gladwell’s book knows, hindsight is 20-20 when it comes to piecing together the signs that a social epidemic is nearing its tipping point. It’s always harder to predict exactly when such a point will happen, but it seems we all agree that it’s coming. It is just a matter of time.

Posted by: Lisa Ridgely | Date posted: 8/1/2007

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The increase of outsourcing among educational facilities and the growing consciousness of green cleanings benefits for building occupants